Professor -'s academic idea of "pain in joint and disorder in tendon region of meridian" was explored in this paper. According to the particular characteristics of the occurrence and development of the disease, knee arthralgia is divided into 4 stages, named tendon spasm, tendon blockage, tendon contraction and tendon atrophy. It is proposed that "tendon disorder results in bone disorder", implying the relationship between the disorders of tendon and bone. It is pointed that insufficiency occurs throughout knee arthralgia. "The tendon disorder should be treated at the first-line procedure for the bone disorder, and the tendon softening benefits the recovery of knee joints". The treatment principle includes "removing obstruction from meridian, eliminating pathogen, warming up and softening tendon". In clinical application, the heat-sensitive moxibustion is predominated. The various regimens are developed align with the pathogenesis characteristics of the disease at different stages.
Acupuncture Therapy ; Arthralgia ; therapy ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; physiopathology ; Meridians ; Moxibustion ; Pain ; Tendons ; physiopathology

PURPOSE: Tibial plateau fracture (TPF) is a devastating injury as it shatters lower articular surface of the largest joint. Apart from bony injury, TPF can lead to great soft tissue envelope compromise which affects the treatment plan and outcome. In the present study, clinical results were assessed in cases of high energy TPFs treated in staged manner. METHODS: Twenty-three (20 males and 3 females) patients of high energy communited TPFs (Schatzker type V and VI) were consecutively treated. All the patient had compromise of overlying skin conditions. They were all successively scheduled for staged treatment plan which comprised of application of bridging knee external fixator on the first day of admission and definitive internal fixation after skin and soft tissue overlying the fracture were healed. Schatzker type I, II, III and IV were excluded from the study. Primary survey was done and patient who had head injury, chest and abdominal injury, pelvic injury and contralateral limb injury and open fractures were excluded from the study. The patients were also evaluated in terms of wound complications, axial and rotary alignment of limb, fixation failure, articular congruity and range of motion of the knees and post injury employment. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS software. RESULTS: Maximum follow-up period was 13 months. All the fractures were united at final follow-up. Clinical evaluation was done with the Tegner Lysholm knee scoring scale. Excellent results were found in 78% cases and good and fair results in 22% cases. There was significant correlation between range of motion and the Tegner Lysholm knee score (p < 0.001, Pearson correlation coefficient = 0.741). The correlation between the score and the radiographical union duration was significant (p = 0.006, Pearson correlation coefficient = -0.554). CONCLUSION A staged treatment plan allows healing of soft tissue envelope, with avoidance of dreadful complications such as compartment syndrome and chronic infection. In addition, a staged treatment strategy does not hamper the fracture reduction, bony union and the functional results.
Adult ; Compartment Syndromes ; prevention & control ; Connective Tissue ; physiopathology ; Female ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fracture Healing ; Fractures, Comminuted ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Knee ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Tibial Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To evaluate the clinico-radiological outcome of complex tibial plateau fractures treated with Ilizarov external fixation with or without minimal internal fixation. METHODS: This retrospective review was conducted on all the cases of Schatzker types V and VI tibial plateau fractures treated by Ilizarov external fixation between July 2006 and December 2015 with the minimum follow-up duration of one year. There were 30 patients: 24 males and 6 females, mean age 43.33 years, and mean follow-up 3.6 years. Three of them were open fractures; 15 cases were Schatzkertype V fractures and the other 15 type VI. According to AO/OTA classification, there were 11 type C1, 12 C2 and 7 type C3 fractures. Outcome assessment was made with American Knee Society Score (AKSS) and Rasmussen's Radiological Score (RRS) at final follow-up. RESULTS: Out of the 30 cases, mini-open reduction was performed in 7, bone graft in 4, minimal internal fixation in 10 and knee temporary immobilisation in 11 patients. Mean duration of external fixation was 11.8 weeks. All fractures united. Pin tract infections in 7 and common peroneal neuropathy in 2 patients were self-limiting. Two patients had axial misalignment of less than 10°. At final follow-up, the mean knee range of motion was 114.7, mean AKSS 81.5 and mean RRS 16.7. On statistical analysis, Schatzker type of fractures, use of minimal internal fixation and knee-spanning did not influence the final outcome. CONCLUSION Ilizarov external fixator with or without minimal internal fixation provides acceptable outcome for complex tibial plateau fractures. Care must be taken to look for minor loss of alignment, especially in Type VI Schatzker fractures after removal of the fixator. However small sample size precludes firm conclusions.
Adult ; Antigens, Neoplasm ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Fracture Fixation, Internal ; methods ; Fractures, Bone ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Ilizarov Technique ; Knee ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibia ; injuries ; physiopathology ; Time Factors ; Treatment Outcome ; Young Adult

PURPOSETibia plateau fracture (TPF) treatment aims at achieving a stable, aligned, mobile, painless knee and preventing post-traumatic osteoarthritis. To achieve this goal, surgeons consider criteria such as patients' characteristics, severity, risk of complications, fracture displacement/depression, degree of soft tissue injury. However, body mass index (BMI) is not considered as a risk factor in literature. Our study was conducted to find out any possible correlation between BMI and functional scores or radiological score separately.

METHODSRetrospective analysis of case series between 2011 and 2014 was done on the database of a tertiary hospital in Istanbul. There were 67 TPF patients (54 males, 13 females) in the study. Relationship between BMI and functional knee scores or radiological score was compared statistically. Closed fractures with both high-energy and low-energy injury were included in the study. Patients with open fracture, multi-trauma presence, meniscus and/or ligamentous injury, increased co-morbidity, inadequate records (25 cases in all) were excluded. Surgery type, Schatzker classification, injury side, trauma energy, and gender were considered as possible risk factors. Binary regression analysis was done for possible factors affecting functional knee scores and radiologic score.

RESULTSModel summary calculations were done as Nagelkerke R test for Knee Society score, Lysholm knee score, and Ahlback and Rydberg radiologic scores, which were 0.648, 0.831, and 0.327 respectively. Homer-Lemeshow test values were 0.976, 0.998, and 0.362, respectively. There is negative correlation between BMI and both knee function scores. There is no correlation between BMI and radiologic score.

CONCLUSIONAn increase in BMI has a negative effect on functional knee scores after surgical treatment of TPFs. Therefore, BMI should be considered as a risk factor for surgical treatment of TPFs.

Adult ; Aged ; Body Mass Index ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; physiopathology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Tibial Fractures ; physiopathology ; surgery

OBJECTIVEThis study evaluated the effectiveness of acupuncture point injection (API) with placental extract on pain reduction and joint function in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODSFifty-two patients with knee OA, with an average age of 64, and having a symptom duration of more than 3 months were studied in this report. Placental extract was injected weekly into acupuncture point ST35, BL23, BL24 and BL25 for 5 weeks; 8 mL of placental extract into ST35 on the affected side, and 1 mL of placental extract to BL23, BL24 and BL25 bilaterally.

RESULTSAfter a five-week treatment of API with placental extract, pain was substantially decreased in patients of all Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grades. Improvement of knee joint swelling was also apparent. Decrease of pain and joint swelling improved daily working productive time among patients of all KL grades.

CONCLUSIONStudy results imply that API with placental extract is a potentially useful therapy to control pain and maintain joint functions in knee OA patients.

Acupuncture Points ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Female ; Humans ; Injections ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Placenta ; Pregnancy ; Tissue Extracts ; administration & dosage

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of hypoxia-inducible factor-2 (HIF-2α) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with radiographic severity in primary osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. Expression of these two factors in cartilage samples from OA knee joints was examined at mRNA and protein levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Knee joints were examined using plain radiographs, and OA severity was assessed using the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) grading system. Specimens were collected from 29 patients (31 knees) who underwent total knee replacement because of severe medial OA of the knee (KL grades 3 and 4), 16 patients who underwent knee arthroscopy (KL grade 2), and 5 patients with traumatic knees (KL grade 0). HIF-2α and VEGF expression was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. RESULTS: Cartilage degeneration correlated with the radiographic severity grade. OA severity, determined using the Mankin scale, correlated positively with the KL grade (r=0.8790, p<0.01), and HIF-2α and VEGF levels with the radiographic severity of knee OA (r=0.7001, p<0.05; r=0.6647, p<0.05). CONCLUSION: In OA cartilage, HIF-2α and VEGF mRNA and protein levels were significantly and positively correlated. The expression of both factors correlated positively with the KL grade. HIF-2α and VEGF, therefore, may serve as biochemical markers as well as potential therapeutic targets in knee OA.
Adult ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Arthroscopy ; Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors/*metabolism ; Biomarkers/*blood ; Cartilage/*metabolism ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint/*diagnostic imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/*blood/diagnostic imaging/physiopathology ; RNA, Messenger ; Radiography ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Severity of Illness Index ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/*metabolism

Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is the most common knee joint disease. Although KOA belongs to a disease of degeneration of knee joint cartilage, its pathology involves cartilage, subchondral bone, meniscus, synovial membrane, articular capsule and other joint tissue. The infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP), an intracapsular but extrasynovial structure, has some special characteristics of endocrine metabolism, then it has double roles in the development of KOA, but its protective effect is much more than harmful effect. Considering protective roles of IPFP in KOA and some serious complications after IPFP resection, the surgeon shall protect IPFP as far as possible if total knee arthroplasty surgical field is good. If it is necessary to improve the surgical field, its fibrotic tissue even all part can be removed.
Adipose Tissue ; physiology ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Humans ; Knee Joint ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Osteoarthritis, Knee ; surgery

Adult ; Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Female ; Humans ; Joint Deformities, Acquired ; physiopathology ; surgery ; Knee Joint ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Physical Examination ; methods ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult

BACKGROUND: To date, there is no study comparing outcomes between post-total knee replacement genu recurvatum and fixed flexion. This study aims to provide data that will help in deciding which side to err on when neutral extension is not achieved. METHODS: A prospective cohort study of primary total knee arthroplasties was performed, which compared the 6-month and 2-year clinical outcomes between fixed flexion and genu recurvatum deformities at 6 months. RESULTS: At 6 months, knees in genu recurvatum did better than knees in fixed flexion deformity in terms of knee flexion. However, at 2 years, knees in fixed flexion deformity did better in terms of knee scores and showed better improvement in the degree of deformity. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that it is better to err on the side of fixed flexion deformity if neutral alignment cannot be achieved.
Aged ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee/*adverse effects/*statistics & numerical data ; Female ; Humans ; Knee Joint/*physiopathology/*surgery ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Range of Motion, Articular ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: This study investigated the correlation between isometric muscle strength, gross motor function, and gait parameters in patients with spastic cerebral palsy and to find which muscle groups play an important role for gait pattern in a flexed knee gait. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-four ambulatory patients (mean age, 10.0 years) with spastic cerebral palsy who were scheduled for single event multilevel surgery, including distal hamstring lengthening, were included. Preoperatively, peak isometric muscle strength was measured for the hip flexor, hip extensor, knee flexor, and knee extensor muscle groups using a handheld dynamometer, and three-dimensional (3D) gait analysis and gross motor function measure (GMFM) scoring were also performed. Correlations between peak isometric strength and GMFM, gait kinematics, and gait kinetics were analyzed. RESULTS: Peak isometric muscle strength of all muscle groups was not related to the GMFM score and the gross motor function classification system level. Peak isometric strength of the hip extensor and knee extensor was significantly correlated with the mean pelvic tilt (r=-0.588, p=0.003 and r=-0.436, p=0.033) and maximum pelvic obliquity (r=-0.450, p=0.031 and r=-0.419, p=0.041). There were significant correlations between peak isometric strength of the knee extensor and peak knee extensor moment in early stance (r=0.467, p=0.021) and in terminal stance (r=0.416, p=0.043). CONCLUSION: There is no correlation between muscle strength and gross motor function. However, this study showed that muscle strength, especially of the extensor muscle group of the hip and knee joints, might play a critical role in gait by stabilizing pelvic motion and decreasing energy consumption in a flexed knee gait.
Biomechanical Phenomena ; Cerebral Palsy/*physiopathology/surgery ; Female ; Gait/*physiology ; Humans ; Isometric Contraction/physiology ; Knee/physiopathology ; Knee Joint/surgery ; Male ; Muscle Spasticity/etiology/physiopathology ; Muscle Strength/*physiology ; Muscle Strength Dynamometer ; Muscle, Skeletal/*physiopathology ; Pelvis ; Postural Balance/physiology ; Tenotomy