Localization of knee joint cartilage pathology by multichannel vibroarthrography

This paper proposes non-invasive techniques to localize sound or vibroarthrographic (VAG) signal sources in human knee joints. VAG signals from normal subjects, patients who subsequently underwent arthroscopy, and cadavers with arthroscopically-created lesions, obtained by stimulation with a finger tap over the mid-patella and swinging movement of the leg, were analyzed for time delays using cross-correlation functions for source localization. Correct results were obtained for 13 of the 14 subjects tested by finger stimulation, and for 11 of the 12 subjects whose VAG signals during swinging movement were analyzed. The techniques could be valuable in the diagnosis and treatment of knee pathology before and after joint surgery or drug therapy.     

富血小板血浆干预膝关节骨性关节炎模型兔关节软骨和滑膜的改变

文题释义： 富血小板血浆(PRP)：1993年Hood等首先提出富血小板血浆概念,并发现富血小板血浆含有丰富的血小板,其数目比全血中数目高3倍以上。血小板中含有大量的生长因子,如血小板衍生生长因子、转化生长因子β、类胰岛素生长因子、表皮生长因子、血管内皮生长因子等。 Ⅱ型胶原纤维(COL Ⅱ)：胶原纤维是关节软骨基质的重要组成结构之一,其中含量最多的Ⅱ型胶原纤维是构成软骨的基本框架,具有维持关节软骨的形态结构和抗张力强度的功能。基质金属蛋白酶为Ⅱ型胶原纤维的特异性降解酶,其中基质金属蛋白酶13降解Ⅱ型胶原纤维的速度是基质金属蛋白酶1的10倍。 背景：研究显示富血小板血浆具有很强的促进软骨细胞修复和增生作用。 目的：探讨富血小板血浆在骨性关节炎中对软骨细胞修复及滑膜炎症抑制的疗效。 方法：新西兰大白兔40只,于兔耳中央动脉取血后采用Hokugo等的方法制备富血小板血浆,同时检测外周血及富血小板血浆的血小板、血小板衍生生长因子、转化生长因子β和血管内皮生长因子水平。采用前交叉韧带切断法来制作动物模型后随机将兔分为实验组和对照组,实验组双侧膝关节每周注射1次0.3 mL 富血小板血浆;对照组每周注射1次0.3 mL无菌生理盐水,共注射10周。注射后第2,4,6,8,10周对兔进行大体观察及膝关节组织学观察;检测关节软骨Ⅱ型胶原蛋白及基质金属蛋白酶13水平,并进行软骨组织Mankin评分。实验方案经重庆医科大学动物实验伦理委员会批准。 结果与结论：①富血小板血浆中血小板、血小板衍生生长因子、转化生长因子β和血管内皮生长因子水平分别是正常血中的5.5,4.8,7.7和6.2倍(均P < 0.05);②注射后第6周实验组Mankin评分小于对照组(P < 0.05);③实验组第4,6,8,10周时Ⅱ型胶原蛋白水平明显高于对照组(P < 0.05);实验组第2,4,6,8,10周时基质金属蛋白酶13水平明显小于对照组(P < 0.05);④结果表明,关节腔内注射富血小板血浆能通过缓解关节滑膜炎症及延缓甚至阻断软骨细胞的损伤来抑制骨性关节炎的进展。 ORCID: 0000-0001-6301-4790(邱皓) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：组织构建;骨细胞;软骨细胞;细胞培养;成纤维细胞;血管内皮细胞;骨质疏松;组织工程     

Medial joint line knee pain: a favourable response to perimeniscal steroid injection

This study was designed to evaluate the response of medial joint line pain in the knees of middle-aged subjects to perimeniscal corticosteroid and local anaesthetic injection. The response to local anaesthetic alone was assessed in a control group of patients. Patients with recurrent effusions or mechanical symptoms were excluded. Sixty-seven orthopaedic out-patients were recruited, of whom 50 completed the 6-month study. The patients were randomly allocated to the two groups. Initial symptoms, mean ages and sex distribution were similar in the two groups. Assessment by clinical review and completion of linear analogue scales indicating the severity of pain and tenderness was performed before—and 1, 3 and 6 months after — injection.

At 6 months, 19 (73%) of the 26 patients receiving steroid were asymptomatic compared with eight (33%) of the 24 receiving local anaesthetic alone (P < 0.01).     

Diffuse tibiofemoral cartilage change prior to the development of accelerated knee osteoarthritis: Data from the osteoarthritis initiative

We compared the spatial distribution of tibiofemoral cartilage change between individuals who will develop accelerated knee osteoarthritis (KOA) versus typical onset of KOA prior to the development of radiographic KOA. We conducted a longitudinal case–control analysis of 129 individuals from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. We assessed the percent change in tibiofemoral cartilage on magnetic resonance images at 36 informative locations from 2 to 1 year prior to the development of accelerated (n = 44) versus typical KOA (n = 40). We defined cartilage change in the accelerated and typical KOA groups at 36 informative locations based on thresholds of cartilage percent change in a no KOA group (n = 45). We described the spatial patterns of cartilage change in the accelerated KOA and typical KOA groups and performed a logistic regression to determine if diffuse cartilage change (predictor; at least half of the tibiofemoral regions demonstrating change in multiple informative locations) was associated with KOA group (outcome). There was a non‐significant trend that individuals with diffuse tibiofemoral cartilage change were 2.2 times more likely to develop accelerated knee OA when compared with individuals who develop typical knee OA (OR [95% CI] = 2.2 [0.90–5.14]. Adults with accelerated or typical KOA demonstrate heterogeneity in spatial distribution of cartilage thinning and thickening. These results provide preliminary evidence of a different spatial pattern of cartilage change between individuals who will develop accelerated versus typical KOA. These data suggest there may be different mechanisms driving the early structural disease progression between accelerated versus typical KOA. Clin. Anat. 32:369–378, 2019. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Arthritis patient education: A review of the literature

Arthritis in one of the most prevalent chronic diseases and the number one disabler of the elderly. Even though arthritis is a major cause of morbidity and a contributor to early mortality, relatively few studies have been undertaken to examine effects of arthritis patient education. This review was undertaken to (1) provide a summary of arthritis patient education studies, (2) summarize the effectiveness of arthritis patient education in changing knowledge, behavior, psychological status, and health status, (3) address critical issues/problems in arthritis patient education study methodology, and (4) suggest guidelines for future design, implementation, and evaluation of arthritis patient education programs. In addition, we discuss implications of past studies for future practice.     

关节软骨损伤修复研究进展

各种原因导致的关节软骨损伤在临床十分常见,关节软骨缺乏血供,一旦受损,其自愈能力十分有限,甚至遗留永久性病变.所以关节软骨损伤的修复一直是国内外研究的热点问题.近年来随着生物学、力学、材料学等多学科的交叉发展,在关节软骨损伤修复方面又有了诸多发现.本文就目前各种关节软骨损伤修复方法,包括新兴的组织工程软骨与基因治疗技术的研究进展作一综述.     

Techniques of exposure for the stiff total knee

Primary and revision total knee arthroplasty have become common orthopaedic procedures. The operating surgeon, at times, may be faced with a difficult surgical case due to soft tissue contractures or bone deformities. A review of multiple surgical techniques using soft tissue releases and osteotomies are presented including their potential complications. Although these techniques are aimed at the atypical operative case, the operating surgeon may utilize them for ‘routine’ exposures as well. Importance is focused on the functional integrity of the knee extensor mechanism.     

Instrumented measurement of anterior-posterior laxity of the knee joint after tibial plateau fracture

The Knee Signature System (KSS) was used to measure anterior-posterior laxity of the knees of 34 patients who had an old tibial plateau fracture. The mean total tibial translation with respect to the femur was 9.8 (range 3.1–19.5) mm in the injured knees and 7.5 (range 3.1–14.2) mm in the uninjured knees (P < 0.01). A side-to-side difference (injured versus uninjured knee) to 3 mm or more was found in 13 knees (38%). Neither mode of treatment nor extent of residual displacement of the condyles had any correlation with the sagittal translation. Because complete rupture of cruciate ligaments in association with tibial plateau fracture has been proven to be uncommon and changes in bony configuration did not affect the result, the abnormal tibial translation was left to be a consequence of stretching of the ligaments increasing multi-dimensional instability of the knee joint. The phenomenon was found more pronounced in older patients whose tolerance of ligaments and other soft tissues against stretching forces is decreased. Therefore, when using the KSS device, a side-to-side difference of 3 mm or more in sagittal translation of the tibia with respect to the femur is not always an indication of anterior cruciate ligament deficiency, when such differences are found in patients with an old tibial plateau fracture.     

Survival analysis and predictors of failure in unicompartmental knee replacement using a PCA prosthesis

We evaluated 109 unicompartmental Porous Coated Anatomic arthroplasties after a mean follow up of 2.7 (range 0.25–5.9) years. In 91 medial arthroplasties the mean preoperative tibiofemoral varus angle of 1.3° (±4.2°) was corrected to 6° valgus (P < 0.001). Correspondingly, in 18 lateral arthroplasties, 16.2° (±4.8°) valgus was realigned to 7.7° valgus (P < 0.001) after operation. There were indications for revision in 27 cases. Conversion to total arthroplasty has been performed in 16 knees, and in four knees tibial and/or femoral components have been exchanged. The main reason for revision was polyethylene wear which had resulted in increasing varus or valgus deformity. According to statistical analysis, clinical findings at follow up (first step pain and contracompartmental pain) and lateral knee replacement predicted the risk of revision. Estimated cumulative survival at 3.7 years was 77% for the medial, and 45% for the lateral replacements, respectively (P = 0.3159).     

Quantifying the kinematics of natural and prosthetic knee flexion

A new method has been developed for quantifying knee kinematics during flexion. This method was used to measure knee kinematics from lateral radiographs taken at different angles of flexion with the two femoral condyles superimposed in each image, thus standardizing the plane of flexion-extension. When applied to the radiographs of five healthy male volunteers (age range 21–26 years), it showed that flexion was accompanied by translation between the articular surfaces. Knee kinematics were also measured in five patients after total knee replacement (TKR) surgery with a Kinemax^TM Modular Total Knee prosthesis (Howmedica, Warsaw, Indiana). In the TKR patients, a translation was detected in three out of the five patients. This indicates that the prosthesis is capable of restoring normal kinematics, but does not always do so.     

Anterior knee pain: the use of computerized tomography to assess the results of tibial tubercle transfer

Anterior knee pain is a common clinical problem. Patient assessment is difficult. Recently, it has been suggested that the so-called ‘skyline’ views of the patellofemoral joint have no role to play in screening for maltracking and some would suggest that computerized tomography (CT) offers a more accurate method of investigation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of CT in the assessment of three populations: patients suffering form anterior knee pain, patients treated for this condition by tibial tubercle transfer and a control group. The patellofemoral joint was assessed by measuring the trochlear angle, the congruence angle and the patella tilt from the CT images. In summary, the preoperative group had significantly different values of each parameter when compared with other groups but the group that had undergone surgical correction did not demonstrate a significant alteration toward the values of the control group. This study suggests that CT was not useful as either a diagnostic tool or as a indicator of successful surgical outcome.     

Deterioration of the femoral articular surface after meniscal repair evaluated by second-look arthroscopy: comparison with partial meniscectomy

To evaluate whether meniscal repair can protect the cartilage deterioration, changes in articular cartilage of the involved compartment were evaluated by reviewing the videotapes recorded at the time of operations (33 meniscal repairs, 18 meniscectomies) and second-look arthroscopies. Meniscal repairs gave marginally better results than meniscectomies but the articular cartilage was often deteriorated in cases that had the incompletely healed meniscus or the unhealed meniscus. Although completely healed menisci restore the meniscal function and protect the articular damage, unsuccessful meniscal healings sometimes provoke degeneration of the articular cartilage.     

关节软骨的修复与修复失败

文题释义： 自体软骨细胞移植：对于3.5-10 cm2的软骨缺损或多个缺损来说,自体软骨细胞移植是一种有效的软骨修复措施,取少量患者自体软骨于体外培养软骨细胞,并增殖到一定数量后植入软骨缺损处,从而达到修复缺损的目的。 基质诱导的自体软骨细胞移植：把经培养增殖后的软骨细胞接种到Ⅰ/Ⅲ型双层胶原膜上,继续培养数日,细胞与支架结合紧密之后,使用生物蛋白胶粘贴到关节软骨缺损病灶底部。术后,软骨细胞从胶原膜上游离并穿过生物胶,迁徙到软骨缺损的基底部。胶原膜和生物胶逐步降解并被吸收。接种的软骨细胞在局部生长、繁殖,并分泌基质,形成新的软骨组织修复缺损。背景：由于关节软骨具有复杂的生物学特性和高度的耐用性,自然退变或创伤引起的缺损都可能导致其结构和功能上不可逆的损害,因此关节软骨损伤后的修复治疗是临床上急需解决的问题。 目的：报告关节软骨修复技术失败最常见的危险因素及其发生率,分析影响选择特定手术治疗方法来处理软骨修复失败最重要的因素。 方法：以“articular cartilage, repair, clinic/clinical failure, surgery”为检索词,检索 PubMed和MEDLINE数据库,时限为2007至2019年,语言限制为英文。初检得到文献约343篇,根据纳入排出标准筛选,共纳入38篇文章进行分析。 结果与结论：①微骨折术和软骨镶嵌成形术在关节软骨修复后的前期和中期显示出不可忽视的失败率,而使用自体软骨细胞移植和异体骨软骨移植修复关节软骨的效果更好。②对于软骨修复失败的治疗：在以往软骨修复失败的患者中应用异体骨软骨移植可能是一个安全的选择,但对于失败的异体骨软骨移植的修复则有更高的失败率;而既往自体软骨细胞移植或基质诱导的自体软骨细胞移植失败的患者,经进一步的自体软骨细胞移植或基质诱导的自体软骨细胞移植治疗后,其治疗效果是可以接受的。此外,有软骨下骨髓刺激病史的患者,自体软骨细胞移植的失败率更高。③软骨修复失败的处理取决于手术治疗失败的类型以及软骨缺损的面积、部位的不同,异体骨软骨移植是治疗软骨下骨髓刺激患者软骨修复失败的最可靠的方法,而自体软骨细胞移植或基质诱导的自体软骨细胞移植在既往软骨修复失败的患者中显示出可以接受的治疗效果,在处理软骨修复失败的患者时,应该特别注意软骨下骨质的情况。ORCID: 0000-0002-3907-9145(张宇) 中国组织工程研究杂志出版内容重点：人工关节;骨植入物;脊柱;骨折;内固定;数字化骨科;组织工程     

Early results of the Minns meniscal bearing total knee prosthesis

The preliminary results of the Minns meniscal bearing total knee replacementare presented with an average follow-up of 62.5 months (range 38–78 months). A total of 90 cemented meniscal bearing total replacements of this design were performed on 67 consecutive patients. Three died of unrelated causes and four failed to attend for follow-up investigation. Consequently, 80 knees in 60 patients were reviewed with an average follow-up time of 62.5 months. Using the American Knee Society scoring system (see Appendix 1), 82% rated good or excellent, 11% were rated fair and 6% poor. There was a clinical improvement in all cases except one patient and pain relief was achieved in most cases (96%). Five knees had some mild pain on activity post-operatively. The average range of motion post-operatively was 98° and there were no cases of dislocation of the polyethylene bearings. There was a single case of radiological loosening which subsequently proved to be an infected prosthesis requiring revision surgery. Survivorship analysis (Kaplain-Meier survival curve) shows that 98.9% of the knees survived at five years follow-up.     

汉族成人膝关节软骨厚度变化规律的研究

目的借助软骨磁共振成像技术研究我国20～40岁成年人膝关节软骨厚度变化规律及其与年龄、体质量和性别等与骨关节炎有关的主要临床因素的相关性。方法对200例20～40岁间汉族正常志愿者进行磁共振(MR)膝关节软骨成像,序列包括:快速自旋回波加权(FSE T2W)、三维脂肪抑制扰相梯度回波(3D-FS-SPGR)和脂肪抑制质子加权(FS-PD)。分别记录股骨内侧髁、外侧髁、胫骨内侧平台、外侧平台和髌骨区5个区域软骨最大厚度。同时分别记录关节胫股角、身高、体质量并计算体质指数(BMI)。分析不同性别、BMI正常和超质量组、不同年龄段(以5岁年龄差为一年龄组)的膝关节各区域之间软骨厚度差异;采用多元方差分析不同年龄组软骨厚度总体差异;采用Sperman分析法对年龄、BMI、性别与软骨厚度的相关性进行分析。结果样本胫股角平均值为4.6°,不同组间差异无统计学意义(F=14.683,P=0.094);不同年龄组在股骨内侧髁和胫骨内、外侧平台软骨厚度方面存在显著性差异,以上区域软骨随年龄增大而变薄的趋势明显(F=2 968.790,P<0.001);软骨厚度与年龄具有较为明显的负相关性(r外侧平台=-0.352,r内侧平台=-0.475,r股骨内侧髁=-0.363)。不同性别间软骨平均厚度差异无统计学意义(t=0.4235,P=0.672)。超质量与体质量正常组间软骨平均厚度无显著差异(t=0.798,P=0.425);成年人股骨外侧髁软骨厚度与BMI负相关(r=-0.162,P=0.022),其余部位与BMI无相关性。结论在我国20～40岁正常成年人中,膝关节不同区域的软骨厚度差异显著且随年龄变化明显。该年龄段正常人膝关节软骨厚度与性别、体质量无相关性。     

Measurement of knee cartilage thickness using MRI: a reproducibility study in a meniscectomized guinea pig model of osteoarthritis

The in vivo precision (reproducibility) of quantitative MRI is of particular importance in osteoarthritis (OA) progression of small magnitude and response to therapy. In this study, three-dimensional high-resolution MRI performed at 7 T was used to assess the short-term reproducibility of measurements of mean tibial cartilage thickness in a meniscectomized guinea pig model of OA. MR image acquisition was repeated five times in nine controls (SHAM) and 10 osteoarthritic animals 3 months after meniscectomy (MNX), in vivo. The animals were then killed for histomorphometric assessment and correlation with the MRI-based measurements. Medial tibial cartilage thickness was measured on MR images using semi-automatic dedicated 3D software developed in-house. The reproducibility of measurements of cartilage thickness was assessed by five repeated MRI examinations with a short recovery delay between examinations (48 h). The computed coefficients of variation were 8.9% for the SHAM group and 8.2% for the MNX group. The coefficients of variation were compatible with expected thickness variations between normal and pathological animals. A positive agreement and significant partial correlation (Spearman r' = 0.74; P < 0.01) between the MRI and histomorphometric data was established. Three-dimensional high-resolution MRI is a promising non-invasive research tool for in vivo follow-up. This modality could be used for staging and monitoring therapy response in small-animal models of OA.     

The effects of joint immobilization on articular cartilage of the knee in previously exercised rats

Studies have determined the effects of joint immobilization on the articular cartilage of sedentary animals, but we are not aware of any studies reporting the effects of joint immobilization in previously trained animals. The objective of the present study was to determine whether exercise could prevent degeneration of the articular cartilage that accompanies joint immobilization. We used light microscopy to study the thickness, cell density, nuclear size, and collagen density of articular cartilage of the femoral condyle of Wistar rats subjected to aerobic physical activity on an adapted treadmill five times per week. Four groups of Wistar rats were used: a control group (C), an immobilized group (I), an exercised group (E), and an exercised and then immobilized group (EI). The right knee joints from rats in groups I and EI were immobilized at 90 °C of flexion using a plastic cast for 8 weeks. Cartilage thickness decreased significantly in group I (mean, 120.14 ± 15.6 μm, P < 0.05), but not in group EI (mean, 174 ± 2.25), and increased significantly in group E (mean, 289.49 ± 9.15) compared with group C (mean, 239.20 ± 6.25). The same results were obtained for cell density, nuclear size, and collagen density (in all cases, P < 0.05). We concluded that exercise can prevent degenerative changes in femoral articular cartilage caused by immobilization of the knee joint.     

A study of European womens'' experience of the problems of urogenital ageing and its management

Objectives: A six country Pan-European study of aspects of urogenital ageing (UGA). Methods: The study was carried out using a stratified random sample of 3000 women between the ages of 55 and 75 years. Results: A total of 30% suffered from UGA symptoms, of whom 60% made efforts to alleviate their UGA problems, most commonly using HRT. There were some international differences regarding womens' perceptions of HRT, sexual relationships, prevalence and treatment of UGA problems and their attitudes to them across the six European States. Conclusions: Despite some international differences there was a generally similar experience of UGA problems across the six European populations studied, with a minority of women suffering significantly, however the distress of that subgroup highlighted the need for health professionals to appreciate the impact of UGA on those affected and to understand that many of these older women may be reticent in seeking help.     

Effect of ACL reconstruction on meniscal and chondral lesions in the chronic anterior cruciate deficient knee

‘Second look’ arthroscopy was performed in 129 patients after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Meniscal or chondral lesions noted at the time of reconstruction were subsequently reviewed at the second arthroscopy and any new lesions were also noted. Stabilization of the knee resulted in a significant reduction in the incidence of meniscal injury, however, the incidence of chondral lesions was not significantly altered. Other factors, including increasing patient age, acute subchondral trauma at the time of cruciate rupture and altered knee kinematics both before and after reconstruction may be responsible for the progressive chondral damage noted.