BackgroundThe purpose of this study was to compare clinical and radiological results of arthrodesis performed by the anterior approach and by the transfibular approach in ankle osteoarthritis.MethodsSixty patients underwent open arthrodesis (38 by the anterior approach and 22 by the transfibular approach). The visual analogue scale score and the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score were examined clinically, and radiological examination was performed on the alignment of the lower extremity and bone union.ResultsBoth groups showed significant improvement in AOFAS score (from 39.8 to 58.3 in the anterior approach group and from 44.5 to 60.7 in the transfibular approach group). There was no significant difference in AOFAS score at the last follow-up in both groups. The time to fusion was 13.5 weeks in the anterior approach group and 11.8 weeks in the transfibular approach group. Nonunion occurred in four cases in the anterior approach group and in one case in the transfibular approach group.ConclusionsAnkle arthrodesis by the anterior approach and the transfibular approach showed comparably good clinical results.

The objective of this article was to evaluate the effect of the change of posterior condylar offset to range of motion (ROM) and clinical results after computer-assisted cruciate-retaining mobile-bearing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A total of 111 knees underwent cruciate-retaining mobile-bearing TKAs under computer-assisted navigation from January 2005 to September 2007. All cases were primary osteoarthritis and had <15 degrees of valgus or varus deformity. We divided patients into 4 groups according to change of posterior condylar offset, which was measured by postoperative minus preoperative posterior condylar offset (group 1: <-2 mm; group 2: -2-0 mm; group 3: 0-+2 mm; group 4: >2 mm). Preoperative age, thigh girth, body mass index, flexion contracture, further flexion, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) score, Knee Society (KS) knee score, and KS functional score did not show significant difference between groups. The measured change of posterior condylar offset ranged from +3.70 to -3.95 mm with a mean value of -1.67 mm. Postoperatively, there were no statistical differences between each group on flexion contracture (P=.522), further flexion (P=.442), HSS score (P=.116), KS knee score (P=.479), or KS functional score (P=.578). We could find no significant difference between ROM or clinical results with computer-assisted cruciate-retaining mobile-bearing TKAs in the comparison of groups according to changes of posterior condylar offset.

PurposeTo evaluate the effect of autotransfusion system in minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty (TKA).Materials and MethodsSeventy-one patients who underwent unilateral minimally invasive TKA between October 2009 and June 2010 were selected. The first group included 36 patients who received standard vacuum drainage and the second group, 35 patients who underwent autologous retransfusion drainage. In the first group, allogeneic blood transfusion was performed if the postoperative hemoglobin level was <7.0 g/dL or 7.0-8.0 g/dL with the presence of a medical complication and an anemic symptom. The second group received autotransfusion and allogeneic transfusion additionally according to the same criteria. Changes in the pre- and postoperative hemoglobin level, amount of auto- or allotransfusion, and frequency of allogeneic transfusion were assessed.ResultsAllogeneic transfusion was required in 13 patients (36.1%) in the first group and four patients (11.4%) in the second group. The mean allogeneic transfusion volume was significantly low in the second group compared to the first group (64.4 mL vs. 278.9 mL; p<0.05). The hemoglobin level on the 1st postoperative day compared to the preoperative level decreased by 22.6% in the first group and 11.7% in the second group. The postoperative hemoglobin level was higher in the second group (p<0.05).ConclusionsMinimally invasive unilateral TKA with an autotransfusion system can be beneficial in patients with no medical complications because of the decreased allogeneic transfusion.

Purpose:To investigate the measured values of the talus in Koreans. Materials and Methods:We measured 88 tali from 44 cadavers that have been donated between December 2012 and December 2015. Of the cadavers, 27 were male and 17 were female. Their mean age was 73 years. The length and width of the talus were measured using a digital goniometer and vernier caliper. Conclusion:This paper, to the best of our knowledge, is the first study to measure the talus in Koreans. There were differences by gender and ethnicity in the in measured talus values. The measurements were smaller than European-Americans and greater than Japanese.