1,721,032 research outputs found

    Computer-assisted anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: an evidence-based approach of the first 15 years.

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    In the last 15 years, computer-assisted surgery (CAS) has been used for many purposes during anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, such as tunnel positioning, joint laxity evaluation, and biomechanical studies. This article is an evidence-based literature review of the contribution of such technology to ACL surgery. A search of the PubMed and Medline databases was performed. Articles were classified according to the study design and to the research topic: anatomy, laxity, kinematics, and comparison of surgical techniques. An evidence-based approach was used to verify the clinical usefulness of CAS to ACL surgery. The use of CAS for research purposes was also evaluated. CAS was shown to improve femoral tunnel positioning, even if clinical outcomes showed no differences compared with manual techniques. CAS technology was found to be useful for research purposes in terms of providing a better comprehension of the effect of different ACL reconstructions and of the different bundles on joint laxity, as well as describing tunnel positioning in relation to native ACL insertion. CAS in ACL surgery can improve results at time 0 and can improve knowledge about ACL anatomy and kinematics. Its application remains limited mostly to research purposes because of the invasiveness of the system and the absence of improved clinical results at follow-up

    Pivot-shift test: analysis and quantification of knee laxity parameters using a navigation system.

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    Lachman, drawer, and pivot-shift (PS) tests are important in the assessment of ACL reconstruction. The goal of this work was to analyze the reliability of the PS test using a navigation system, identifying a set of new quantitative parameters and evaluating their clinical relevance. Eighteen patients that underwent anatomic double-bundle ACL reconstruction were included. The new dynamic parameters were: anteroposterior translation of the medial and lateral compartments and the joint center and internal/external and varus/valgus rotations of the joint. For each parameter we measured the peaks and the areas obtained during the test. Intratester repeatability, comparisons of pre- and postoperative laxities, and correlations between the PS peaks and the corresponding peaks obtained with standard static tests were evaluated. Areas, peaks, and static laxity outcomes were compared, grouping patients according to the preoperative International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score. The PS test was reliable in identifying the surgical reconstruction. Correlation analysis showed good coefficients both for pre- and postoperative values. Patients with IKDC grade "D" had larger areas during the PS compared to patients with grade "C". Our analysis is helpful for characterizing patient-specific laxity and surgical performance, thus highlighting the clinical relevance of the PS test

    Does total knee arthroplasty modify flexion axis of the knee?

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    PURPOSE: To prospectively investigate whether preoperative functional flexion axis in patients with osteoarthritis- and varus-alignment changes after total knee arthroplasty and whether a correlation exists both between preoperative functional flexion axis and native limb deformity. METHODS: A navigated total knee arthroplasty was performed in 108 patients using a specific software to acquire passive joint kinematics before and after implant positioning. The knee was cycled through three passive range of motions, from 0° to 120°. Functional flexion axis was computed using the mean helical axis algorithm. The angle between the functional flexion axis and the surgical transepicondylar axis was determined on frontal (α (F)) and axial (α (A)) plane. The pre- and postoperative hip-knee-ankle angle, related to femur mechanical axis, was determined. RESULTS: Postoperative functional flexion axis was different from preoperative only on frontal plane, while no differences were found on axial plane. No correlation was found between preoperative α (A) and native limb deformity, while a poor correlation was found in frontal plane, between α (F) and preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle. CONCLUSIONS: Total knee arthroplasty affects functional flexion axis only on frontal plane while has no effect on axial plane. Preoperative functional flexion axis is in a more varus position respect to the transepicondylar axis both in pre- and postoperative conditions. Moreover, the position of the functional axis on frontal plane in preoperative conditions is dependent on native limb alignment, while on axial plane is not dependent on the amount of preoperative varus deformity

    Does total knee arthroplasty modify flexion axis of the knee?

    No full text
    PURPOSE: To prospectively investigate whether preoperative functional flexion axis in patients with osteoarthritis- and varus-alignment changes after total knee arthroplasty and whether a correlation exists both between preoperative functional flexion axis and native limb deformity. METHODS: A navigated total knee arthroplasty was performed in 108 patients using a specific software to acquire passive joint kinematics before and after implant positioning. The knee was cycled through three passive range of motions, from 0° to 120°. Functional flexion axis was computed using the mean helical axis algorithm. The angle between the functional flexion axis and the surgical transepicondylar axis was determined on frontal (α (F)) and axial (α (A)) plane. The pre- and postoperative hip-knee-ankle angle, related to femur mechanical axis, was determined. RESULTS: Postoperative functional flexion axis was different from preoperative only on frontal plane, while no differences were found on axial plane. No correlation was found between preoperative α (A) and native limb deformity, while a poor correlation was found in frontal plane, between α (F) and preoperative hip-knee-ankle angle. CONCLUSIONS: Total knee arthroplasty affects functional flexion axis only on frontal plane while has no effect on axial plane. Preoperative functional flexion axis is in a more varus position respect to the transepicondylar axis both in pre- and postoperative conditions. Moreover, the position of the functional axis on frontal plane in preoperative conditions is dependent on native limb alignment, while on axial plane is not dependent on the amount of preoperative varus deformity

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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