Although specific clinical parameters reflect an early increased rate of functional recovery in association with computer-assisted minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty within the first postoperative month, the main advantage of this technique over conventional total knee arthroplasty is improved postoperative radiographic alignment without increased short-term complications.

Although specific clinical parameters reflect an early increased rate of functional recovery in association with computer-assisted minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty within the first postoperative month, the main advantage of this technique over conventional total knee arthroplasty is improved postoperative radiographic alignment without increased short-term complications.

We hypothesised that meniscal tears treated with mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) together with a conventional suturing technique would show improved healing compared with those treated by a conventional suturing technique alone. In a controlled laboratory study 28 adult pigs (56 knees) underwent meniscal procedures after the creation of a radial incision to represent a tear. Group 1 (n = 9) had a radial meniscal tear which was left untreated. In group 2 (n = 19) the incision was repaired with sutures and fibrin glue and in group 3, the experimental group (n = 28), treatment was by MSCs, suturing and fibrin glue. At eight weeks, macroscopic examination of group 1 showed no healing in any specimens. In group 2 no healing was found in 12 specimens and incomplete healing in seven. The experimental group 3 had 21 specimens with complete healing, five with incomplete healing and two with no healing. Between the experimental group and each of the control groups this difference was significant (p < 0.001). The histological and macroscopic findings showed that the repair of meniscal tears in the avascular zone was significantly improved with MSCs, but that the mechanical properties of the healed menisci remained reduced.

Short-term outcome of BKA and TKA was comparable.

Severe medio-patellofemoral osteoarthritis (MPFOA) is often managed with a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Bicompartmental knee arthroplasty (BKA), as compared with TKA can offer a bone and ligament preserving solution for MPFOA. We aimed to compare the early clinical and functional outcomes of modular BKA (n = 16) with TKA (n = 20) in MPFOA. Knee Society Score (KSS-clinical and function scores) and Knee injury & Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS-pain, symptoms, stiffness, and function scores) were recorded at 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively and compared between the two groups. Pre- and postoperative radiographs were evaluated for alignment and radiolucencies. We found that none of the outcome scores were significantly different (p ≥ 0.137) between the two groups at any point in time. Postoperative knee range of motion (ROM) was significantly greater in the BKA group at all points in time (p ≤ 0.007). None of the patients in either group were revised or pending revision at the end of 24 months. To conclude, modular BKA resulted in better knee ROM but similar clinical and functional scores than TKA in MPFOA at short term. Modular BKA is a viable option for MPFOA but may not necessarily result in significant superior functional outcomes than with TKA.