Repair Failure Rate Research Articles

Availability Assessment of Steam and Gas Turbine Units of a Thermal Power Station Using Markovian Approach

The aim of this study is to assess the availability of steam and gas turbine units of a thermal power station using Markovian Approach. Operational data from 2003 to 2012 were collected from a thermal power station in Nigeria. These raw data represents records of plant generation capabilities as well as other inherent daily conditions that will enhance the success of this study. Relevant indices such as Repair Rate (μ), Failure Rate (λ), Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) and Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) was determined for each of these states. For each state, state probability are also calculated through repair rate and failure rate of the corresponding state. The repair rate for ST01, ST02 and ST06 in terms of assessment in the period studied is high, particularly ST01 and ST06. But for 2008 and 2011, ST02 was completely unavailable. the station availability figures of ST01 for the year 2003 is 0.929 and its failure rate (λ) is 0.0478 in 83.7 hrs; repair rate was 0.64 and failure rate (λmax) for ST06 is 0.1396 in 2007 while the repair rate is 0.7862 in 72.5 hrs. For the year 2007, ST02 (λmin) has failure rate of 0.05308 in 113 hrs while, ST02, GT01, GT02 in ∞hrs is nil (completely unavailable) between year 2008 to 2011; ST06 has failure rate (λ) of 0.1163 in 52 hrs in 2006 while the repair rate was 0.1806. Effects of leakages along the lines is most paramount in the entire unit with ST01and ST06 most affected 762hrs and 2568 respectively. For the thermal power station to be reliable, the failure rate of equipment must be reduced to the barest minimum. Repair rate for assessment must be high to guarantee plant efficiencies.

Time Interval between Trauma and Arthroscopic Meniscal Repair Has No Influence on Clinical Survival.

Arthroscopic meniscal repair is the gold standard for longitudinal peripheral meniscal tears. The time interval between trauma and meniscal repair remains controversial. The aim of this study was to evaluate failure rates and clinical outcome of arthroscopic meniscal repair in relation to chronicity of injury. A total of 238 meniscal repairs were performed in 234 patients. Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) was reconstructed in almost all ACL-deficient knees (130 out of 133). Time interval between injury and repair was divided into acute (< 2 weeks), subacute (> 2 to < 12 weeks), and chronic (> 12 weeks). Patients completed postal questionnaires to evaluate clinical outcome and failure rates. Study instruments included Lysholm, Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), and Tegner scoring systems. At a median follow-up of 41 months (interquartile range [IQR], 34-53 months) 55 medial and 10 lateral meniscal repairs failed (overall failure rate, 27%). There was a significant higher failure rate for medial meniscal repair (p < 0.05) and ACL-deficient knees without ACL reconstruction. Functional outcome scores showed only significant differences on the KOOS subscale "function in daily living" (95% confidence interval, 1.05-15.27, p < 0.05). No significant difference was found for any interval between trauma and repair. The interval between trauma and arthroscopic meniscal repair has no influence on the failure rate. Differences in survival rate of meniscal repair are more dependent on location of the lesion and ACL status, rather than chronicity of injury.

Tecidos nativos na correção de defeitos de compartimento – casuística de 5 anos

Overview and AimsCurrently, the use of mesh in surgery for pelvic organ prolapse has increased, mainly due to the high anatomic failure rate of native tissues repair. The objectives of this study were to analyze the results obtained in the surgical treatment of anterior and posterior defects with native tissues and assess the success rate. MethodsRetrospective study of 418 vaginal surgeries to repair defects in the anterior and posterior compartments using native tissues, performed in the Department of Urogynecology, from January 2008 to December 2012. ResultsIn our sample, mean age was 64 years, with 90% of patients in menopause. 48.1% of women was hysterectomized, 78.2% were submitted to anterior colporrhaphy and 72.7% to posterior colporrhaphy. The correction of anterior paravaginal defect occurred in 32.5% of the surgeries and the posterior in 25.4%. Enterocele was repaired in 68.1% of cases. The intra‐operative and postoperative complications rate was 5%. Of the 347 patients evaluated in the postoperative period, 91.6% was discharged. Seven were later readmitted (2.2%). 29 women were kept in surveillance, mostly for recurrent prolapse, which worsened after a year of follow‐up. A total of 18 women was re‐operated, 13 for recurrence (3.7%). Therefore, the anatomic success rate was 80%. After adding the asymptomatic cases, in which anatomic cure was not achieve, the rate rose to 94%. Discussion/ConclusionsThe compartment defects correction rate of success, in our department, is in accordance with that described in the literature, with lower rates of complications and re‐interventions.

Meniscus Suture Repair

Background: Few studies have compared outcomes after meniscus suture repair in patients younger than 40 years versus patients 40 years and older. Purpose: To document failure rates and long-term outcomes after meniscus suture repair by a single surgeon, using the inside-out technique, at a minimum 10-year follow-up in patients younger than 40 years versus those 40 years and older. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: This study included all patients 18 years or older who underwent meniscus suture repair with the inside-out technique by a single surgeon between January 1992 and December 2003. Patients were divided into 2 cohorts according to age: <40 years (cohort 1) and ≥40 years (cohort 2). If patients underwent subsequent knee surgery, all subsequent reports, whether performed by the original treating surgeon or by a different surgeon elsewhere, were reviewed by 2 independent reviewers not involved in the primary care of the patients. Reviewers classified surgeries as failures if the subsequent surgery treated the same area of the meniscus as repaired in the index surgery. Patients completed a subjective questionnaire at minimum of 10 years after arthroscopy. Outcomes measures included Lysholm, Tegner, and patient satisfaction with outcome. All data were collected prospectively. Results: The surgeon performed 339 meniscus repairs between 1992 and 2003. The study included 181 knees in 178 patients, who had a mean age of 33 years (range, 18-70 years). Cohort 1 contained 136 knees; 16 patients (12%) were lost to follow-up and 47 (35%) underwent a subsequent knee arthroscopy. Cohort 2 contained 45 knees; 2 patients (4.4%) were lost to follow-up, 3 patients had a total knee arthroplasty, and 12 patients (28%) underwent a subsequent knee arthroscopy. In cohort 1, the meniscus repair failure rate was 5.5% (6/110), and in cohort 2 it was 5.3% (2/38) (P = .927). There was no significant difference in failure rate based on which meniscus was repaired (P = .257), concomitant anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (P = .092), or microfracture (P = .674). Average follow-up time for cohort 1 was 16.1 years (range, 10.0-21.9 years), with 82% follow-up (n = 73/89); average follow-up time for cohort 2 was 16.2 years (range, 10.1-21.0 years), with 93% follow-up (n = 28/30). There were no significant differences in outcomes scores after meniscus suture repair based on age cohort or meniscus side, presence of an ACL tear, or concomitant microfracture procedure. Conclusion: Meniscus repair failure rate was not different in patients who were younger than 40 years versus those who were 40 years or older at time of meniscus index surgery. Patients who underwent meniscus suture repair had high function and high patient satisfaction at an average of 16 years after meniscus suture repair, and no differences were seen based on age.

Functional and structural comparisons of the arthroscopic knotless double-row suture bridge and single-row repair for anterosuperior rotator cuff tears

We compared the outcomes of knotless double-row suture bridge and single-row repairs in patients undergoing arthroscopic repair for anterosuperior rotator cuff tears. We included 61 full-thickness anterosuperior rotator cuff tears treated by arthroscopic repair, namely, single-row repair (group 1: 25 shoulders; mean patient age, 64years) and the knotless double-row suture bridge repair (group 2: 36 shoulders; mean patient age, 62years). Preoperative and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging was performed for all shoulders. Clinical outcomes were evaluated for mean follow-up periods of 81months (range, 72-96months) in group 1 and 34months (range, 24-42months) in group 2, using the University of California, Los Angeles and Japanese Orthopaedic Association assessments. At the final follow-up, both groups showed improvement in the average University of California, Los Angeles and Japanese Orthopaedic Association scores and range of motion, although no intergroup differences were observed. Both groups showed improved abduction strength, and the average score was higher in group 2 (P=.0112). The lift-off and belly-press test results were improved in both groups. Postoperatively, the incidence of positive lift-off tests tended to be lower (P=.075) and that of positive belly-press tests was lower in group 2, P=.049). The repair failure rate tended to be lower in group 2(14% [5 of 36]) than in group 1 (32% [8 of 25]; P=.0839). Arthroscopic knotless double-row suture bridge repair of anterosuperior rotator cuff tears yielded functional outcomes equivalent to those of single-row repair and may be useful for improving subscapularis function, abduction strength, and tendon healing.

Extensor allograft: the consummate treatment for extensor disruption after total knee arthroplasty. Commentary on an article by Nicholas M. Brown, MD, et al.: "Extensor mechanism allograft reconstruction for extensor mechanism failure following total knee arthroplasty".

I would like to commend this article by Brown et al.; it is well written, well documented, and realistic in its analysis of extensor tendon allografts, which have become the final common pathway for extensor mechanism ruptures after total knee replacement. Although Brown et al. suggest that enthusiasm for this procedure, no matter how desperate the situation, should be modest or guarded, their data are irrefutable and consistent with my own experience of almost 250 extensor tendon allografts over the past twenty years. There is no question that the explosion of joint replacement, particularly in younger patients, will create the need for more and definitely better alternatives to this problem. After the initial identification of an extensor mechanism rupture and the angst that every surgeon feels at that moment, it is important to try to ascertain the cause. Early ruptures are frequently due to compromised replacements that are either unstable or stiff after index total knee arthroplasty. My own experience, as well as that of the authors, is that almost 50% of these patients will need a simultaneous knee revision as well as an extensor allograft reconstruction. Many of these individuals have an infection and are undergoing the same procedure (often after an antibiotic spacer block), and they are at even greater risk for long-term infection and failure. These ruptures usually occur fairly early in the recuperative period, whereas extensor ruptures from falls or attenuation of the tendon from disease processes such as rheumatoid arthritis may present years later. The surgeon must be ready to perform a revision, probably to a constrained condylar knee or hinged device with stems to protect the subsequent and often simultaneous allograft. Almost all surgeons faced …

Subacromial Spacer Placement for Protection of Rotator Cuff Repair

Rotator cuff repairs have a high failure rate proportional to the tear size. Various techniques have been described to improve the repair strength and failure rate. The described surgical technique uses a biodegradable subacromial balloon-shaped spacer (InSpace; OrthoSpace, Caesarea, Israel) that is implanted arthroscopically to protect our tendon repair. We describe the introduction technique and suggest some hints and tricks. The spacer is placed under direct vision in the subacromial space after the rotator cuff repair is finished. Correct placement is verified by moving the arm freely. The subacromial spacer may help to protect the rotator cuff repair by centering the humeral head and reducing friction between suture knots and the acromion. It may also help to flatten dog-ear formations.

Healing improvement after rotator cuff repair using gelatin-grafted poly(L-lactide) electrospun fibrous membranes

BackgroundRotator cuff tears (RCTs) are a common cause of shoulder pain and disability in middle and older age. Despite improvements in the understanding of this disease process and advances in surgical treatment, rotator cuff (RC) repair failure rates remain high. Insufficient healing capacity is likely the main factor for failure of reconstruction. Materials and methodsWe fabricated implantable biodegradable gelatin-grafted poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) fibrous membranes using electrospinning technology and evaluated them using in vitro cell proliferation assays. Then, we established chronic rat RCT models and randomly assigned rats into one of three groups. In group 1 (n = 48), the detached supraspinatus tendon was repaired to its anatomic footprint (transosseous repair). In groups 2 and 3, the rats underwent transosseous repair and were implanted with either pure PLLA membranes (n = 48) or gelatin-PLLA membranes (n = 48) to augment the repairs. The animals were killed at 2, 4, and 8 wk postoperatively, which was followed by histomorphometric and biomechanical evaluation. ResultsHistologic observations revealed that gelatin-PLLA membranes have excellent biocompatibility and biodegradability. At 2, 4, and 8 wk postoperatively, the gelatin-PLLA membranes significantly increased the area of glycosaminoglycan staining at the tendon-bone interface compared with the control group (P < 0.05) and significantly improved collagen organization, as measured by birefringence under polarized light at the healing enthesis compared with the control and PLLA groups (P < 0.05). Biomechanical testing revealed that the gelatin-PLLA group had a greater ultimate load to failure and stiffness than the control group at 4 and 8 wk (P < 0.05). The gelatin-PLLA membranes had the highest stress of the healing enthesis. ConclusionsLocal application of gelatin-PLLA fibrous membranes to the healing tendon-bone interface after RC repair in a rat chronic RCT model was found to strengthen the healing enthesis, increase the area of fibrocartilage, and improve collagen organization compared with repair alone. Augmentation with gelatin-grafted PLLA may enhance healing after RC repair and might eventually lead to improvement of clinical surgical outcomes.

Meniscal Repair With Concurrent Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background: Meniscal repair is commonly performed concurrently with anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in the acutely injured knee. No large-scale, prospective multicenter studies have evaluated the long-term success and patient-oriented outcomes after combined ACLR and meniscal repair. Purpose: To define the operative success and patient-oriented outcome scores 6 years after combined meniscal repair and ACLR. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: All ipsilateral primary ACLR and meniscal repair cases from a multicenter study group between 2002 and 2004 were selected. Validated patient-oriented outcome instruments were completed at 3 time points: preoperatively and then 2 and 6 years after the index procedure. Subsequent ipsilateral knee reoperations were confirmed by operative reports to evaluate for the failure of meniscal repairs. Results: In total, 286 patients with 1440 primary ACLRs underwent concurrent meniscal repairs (298 meniscal repairs). Of these, 235 (82.2%) were available for follow-up at 6 years (154 medial, 72 lateral, and 9 both lateral and medial meniscal repairs). Repaired menisci most commonly involved the peripheral one third of the meniscus (84%); patterns were typically longitudinal (84%) or displaced bucket-handle (10%), with a mean length of 16.5 ± 5.8 mm. Overall, the meniscal repair failure rate was 14% (medial: 21/154; lateral: 10/72; both: 2/9) at 6 years. Medial repairs failed earlier than lateral repairs (2.1 vs 3.7 years, respectively; P = .01). Significant improvements in outcome scores were sustained at 6-year follow-up. No differences in the suture number or type were detected between repair failures and successes. The rate of meniscal reoperations was higher in patients who underwent repair compared with those who did not have an identified meniscal injury at the time of ACLR (P < .01. Conclusion: Concurrent meniscal repair with ACLR is associated with failure rates approximating 14% at 6-year follow-up. Improvements in patient-oriented outcome scores were sustained at 6-year follow-up. Surgeons may expect good clinical outcomes 6 years after combined ACLR and meniscal repair.

Subpectoral Biceps Tenodesis For The Treatment Of Type Two And Four Slap Lesions

Objectives:Despite unsatisfactory outcomes in middle aged patients with SLAP lesions, surgical repair remains the gold standard for most Type II and Type IV SLAP lesions. Given recent data demonstrating higher SLAP repair failure rates in this subset of patients, biceps tenodesis may offer an excellent alternative. To our knowledge, only one study has investigated biceps tenodesis as an alternative to SLAP repair. This study investigates that subpectoral biceps tenodesis provides satisfactory outcomes for the treatment of Type II and Type IV SLAP lesions in middle aged patients.Methods:Patients who were older than 18 years old and underwent subpectoral biceps tenodesis for isolated Type II or Type IV SLAP lesions by a single board certified shoulder surgeon from 2006-2012 were included. Exclusion criteria included those patients with Type II or Type IV SLAP lesions who underwent biceps tenodesis with rotator cuff repair, Bankart repair, or labral repair. Outcome measures included Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Scores (ASES), and demographic data.Results:Between 2006-2012, 33 patients underwent 36 subpectoral biceps tenodesis for isolated Type II or Type IV SLAP lesions by a single board certified shoulder surgeon. 26 patients with 29 shoulder surgeries consented to participate in the study. Average age was 46.7 years with 16 males and 10 females participating in the study. Average follow up was 29.3 months. A statistically significant improvement in ASES and VAS scores were found with an average of 48.1 and 6.4 preoperatively and an average of 87.5 and 1.5 post-operatively (p < .001). There was no statistically significant difference noted based on SLAP lesion type, age, activity level, or gender. 26 of 29 shoulders (89.65%) were able to return to their previous activity.Conclusion:Our study is able to confirm that biceps tenodesis results in statistically significant improvement in pain and functional outcomes for Type II and IV SLAP lesions. The results of biceps tenodesis for Type II and IV SLAP lesions is comparable to historical data. Based on these results, biceps tenodesis is a safe, effective, and technically straightforward alternative to SLAP repair in middle aged patients.

The Effect of Perioperative Ketorolac on the Clinical Failure Rate of Meniscal Repair.

Background:There has been recent interest in the effect of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications on musculoskeletal healing. No studies have yet addressed the effect of these medications on meniscal healing.Hypothesis:The administration of ketorolac in the perioperative period will result in higher rates of meniscal repair clinical failure.Study design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.Methods:A total of 110 consecutive patients underwent meniscal repair at our institution between August 1998 and July 2001. Three patients were lost to follow-up, and the remaining 107 (mean age, 15.9 ± 4.4 years) had a minimum 5-year follow-up (mean follow-up, 5.5 years). Thirty-two patients (30%) received ketorolac perioperatively. The primary outcome measure was reoperation for continued symptoms of meniscal pathology. Asymptomatic patients were evaluated by the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) Subjective Knee Form, Short Form–36 (SF-36) Health Survey, and Knee Outcome Osteoarthritis Score (KOOS).Results:Kaplan-Meier survivorship revealed no difference in reoperation rates with and without the administration of perioperative ketorolac (P = .95). There was an overall failure rate of 35% (37/107 patients), with a 34% failure rate in patients receiving ketorolac (11/32 patients). Multivariable Cox regression confirmed that age, duration of symptoms, meniscal tear type, fixation technique, concurrent anterior cruciate ligament repair, and ketorolac usage did not have an impact on the rate of failure (P > .05 for all; ketorolac use, P > .50). Female sex (P = .04) and medial location (P = .01) were predictive of an increased risk for reoperation.Conclusion:Failure of meniscal repair was not altered with the administration of perioperative ketorolac. Further work studying the effects of longer term anti-inflammatory use after meniscal repair is necessary before stating that this class of medications has no effect on meniscal healing.Clinical Relevance:Results of this study suggest that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory ketorolac can be administered perioperatively during a meniscal repair procedure to harness its benefits of decreased narcotic requirement, decreased pain, and shorter length of hospital stay without negatively influencing the long-term outcome of the surgery.

Treatment of superior labrum anterior posterior lesions: a literature review.

Treatment of superior labrum anterior posterior (SLAP) lesions continues to be controversial, but with the development of suture anchors, it has become acceptable to repair these lesions arthroscopically. The aim of this study was to review recent trends in the evaluation and treatment of SLAP lesions, with particular emphasis on comparing the results of biceps tenodesis and SLAP repair. All English language publications from the PubMed, Cochrane, and SCOPUS databases between 1928 and 2012 on biceps tendon, SLAP lesions, and biceps surgery were reviewed. Literature was reviewed in table form because of the lack of Level 1 studies. Surgical repair can have complications and may not return overhead athletes to their previous level of activity. Biceps tenodesis has become the preferred primary procedure in non-athletic individuals because of the high failure rate of SLAP repair. In patients with continuing symptoms after SLAP lesion repair, biceps tenodesis offers a more predictable operation than a second repair attempt. Biceps tenodesis may present a viable treatment option for SLAP repair or for failed SLAP repair in some patients.

Review Article: Regenerative Techniques for Repair of Rotator Cuff Tears

The failure rate of rotator cuff repair is high. Regenerative techniques using material scaffolds, stem cells, and growth factors help augment repair and regenerate tissue. We reviewed the literature of various regenerative techniques in terms of (1) enhancing the repair process, (2) tissue regeneration, (3) mechanical strength, and (4) clinical outcome.

Mitral valve repair for post-myocardial infarction papillary muscle rupture

Papillary muscle rupture (PMR) is a rare, but serious mechanical complication of myocardial infarction (MI). Although mitral valve replacement is usually the preferred treatment for this condition, mitral valve repair may offer an improved outcome. In this study, we sought to determine the outcome of mitral valve repair for post-MI PMR and to provide a systematic review of the literature on this topic. Between January 1990 and December 2010, 9 consecutive patients (mean age 63.5 ± 14.2 years) underwent mitral valve repair for partial post-MI PMR. Clinical data, echocardiographic data, catheterization data and surgical reports were reviewed. Follow-up was obtained in December of 2012 and it was complete; the mean follow-up was 8.7 ± 6.1 (range 0.2-18.8 years). Intraoperative and in-hospital mortality were 0%. Intraoperative repair failure rate was 11.1% (n = 1). Freedom from Grade 3+ or 4+ mitral regurgitation and from reoperation at 1, 5, 10 and 15 years was 87.5 ± 11.7%. Estimated 1-, 5-, 10- and 15-year survival rates were 100, 83.3 ± 15.2, 66.7 ± 19.2 and 44.4 ± 22.2%, respectively. There were 3 late deaths, and 2 were cardiac-related. All late survivors were in New York Heart Association Class I or II. No predictors of long-term survival could be identified. Mitral valve repair for partial or incomplete post-MI PMR is reliable and provides good short- and long-term results, provided established repair techniques are used and adjacent tissue is not friable. PMR type and adjacent tissue quality ultimately determine the feasibility and durability of repair.

Differential evolution based technique for reliability design of meshed electrical distribution systems

This paper describes a methodology for allocating repair times and failure rates to segments of a meshed distribution system using differential evolution (DE) technique. A cost function based on Duane’s reliability growth testing model has been proposed. Constraints on basic reliability indices i.e. failure rate, average interruption duration and average interruption duration per year have been accounted. The algorithm has been implemented on a meshed distribution system and results have been compared with those obtained using particle swarm optimization (PSO) and co-ordinated aggregation based PSO (CAPSO).

An in-vitro study of rotator cuff tear and repair kinematics using single- and double-row suture anchor fixation

Purpose:Double-row suture anchor fixation of the rotator cuff was developed to reduce repair failure rates. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of simulated rotator cuff tears and subsequent repairs using single- and double-row suture anchor fixation on three-dimensional shoulder kinematics. It was hypothesized that both single- and double-row repairs would be effective in restoring active intact kinematics of the shoulder.Materials and Methods:Sixteen fresh-frozen cadaveric shoulder specimens (eight matched pairs) were tested using a custom loading apparatus designed to simulate unconstrained motion of the shoulder. In each specimen, the rotator cuff was sectioned to create a medium-sized (2 cm) tear. Within each pair, one specimen was randomized to a single-row suture anchor repair, while the contralateral side underwent a double-row suture anchor repair. Joint kinematics were recorded for intact, torn, and repaired scenarios using an electromagnetic tracking device.Results:Active kinematics confirmed that a medium-sized rotator cuff tear affected glenohumeral kinematics when compared to the intact state. Single- and double-row suture anchor repairs restored the kinematics of the intact specimen.Conclusions:This study illustrates the effects of medium-sized rotator cuff tears and their repairs on active glenohumeral kinematics. No significant difference (P ≥ 0.10) was found between the kinematics of single- and double-row techniques in medium-sized rotator cuff repairs.Clinical Relevance:Determining the relative effects of single- and double-row suture anchor repairs of the rotator cuff will allow physicians to be better equipped to treat patients with rotator cuff disease.

Meniscal Repair Outcomes at Greater Than Five Years

Meniscal repair offers the potential to avoid the long-term articular cartilage deterioration that has been shown to result after meniscectomy. Failure of the meniscal repair can occur several years postoperatively. Limited evidence on the long-term outcomes of meniscal repair exists. We performed a systematic review of studies reporting the outcomes of meniscal repair at a minimum of five years postoperatively. Pooling of data and meta-analysis with a random-effects model were performed to evaluate the results. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. The pooled rate of meniscal repair failure (reoperation or clinical failure) was 23.1% (131 of 566). The pooled rate of failure varied from 20.2% to 24.3% depending on the status of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the meniscus repaired, and the technique utilized. The rate of failure was similar for the medial and the lateral meniscus as well as for patients with an intact and a reconstructed ACL. A systematic review of the outcomes of meniscal repair at greater than five years postoperatively demonstrated very similar rates of meniscal failure (22.3% to 24.3%) for all techniques investigated. The outcomes of meniscal repair at greater than five years postoperatively have not yet been reported for modern all-inside repair devices.

Retraction of Supraspinatus Muscle and Tendon as Predictors of Success of Rotator Cuff Repair

Background: The structural failure rate of rotator cuff repair can exceed 50%. Important predictors for repair failure are preoperative fatty muscle infiltration and myotendinous retraction. Purpose: To quantitatively assess the prognostic value of preoperative retraction of both the supraspinatus muscle and tendon for the outcome of supraspinatus repair. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: In 33 shoulders with complete supraspinatus tendon ruptures subjected to arthroscopic repair, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans taken preoperatively and after a mean follow-up of 24 months were studied. The exact position of the lateral extension of the supraspinatus muscle and of the tendon end was evaluated and correlated with the preoperative stage of fatty infiltration (Goutallier) and the failure rate of tendon repair. Results: The mean lengthening of the muscle and tendon end was −3 mm and 4 mm in the failed repairs (n = 19) and 14 mm and 8 mm in the successful repairs (n = 14). If the supraspinatus had preoperative Goutallier stages 2 to 3 and a tendon length of less than 15 mm, the failure rate was 92%, but if the tendon length was greater than 15 mm, the failure rate was only 33%. With Goutallier stages 0 to 1, the corresponding failure rates were 57% and 25%, respectively. Conclusion: Rotator cuff repair lengthens the tendon, even if the repair fails. The possibility to lengthen the myotendinous unit is related to the preoperative length of the tendon. The combination of Goutallier grading and preoperative tendon length appears to be a more powerful predictor for the reparability of a tendon tear than Goutallier grading alone.

Incidental durotomy after spinal surgery: a prospective study in an academic institution

Object Incidental durotomies (IDs) are an unfortunate but anticipated potential complication of spinal surgery. The authors surveyed the frequency of IDs for a single spine surgeon and analyzed the major risk factors as well as the impact on long-term patient outcomes. Methods The authors conducted a prospective review of elective spinal surgeries performed over a 15-year period. Any surgery involving peripheral nerve only, intradural procedures, or dural tears due to trauma were excluded from analysis. The incidence of ID was categorized by surgery type including primary surgery, revision surgery, and so forth. Incidence of ID was also examined in the context of years of physician experience and training. Furthermore, the incidence and types of sequelae were examined in patients with an ID. Results Among 3000 elective spinal surgery cases, 3.5% (104) had an ID. The incidence of ID during minimally invasive procedures (3.3%) was similar, but no patients experienced long-term sequelae. The incidence of ID during revision surgery (6.5%) was higher. There was a marked difference in incidence between cervical (1.3%) and thoracolumbar (5.1%) cases. The incidence was lower for cases involving instrumentation (2.4%). When physician training was examined, residents were responsible for 49% of all IDs, whereas fellows were responsible for 26% and the attending for 25%. Among all of the cases that involved an ID, 7.7% of patients went on to experience a neurological deficit as compared with 1.5% of those without an ID. The overall failure rate of dural repair was 6.9%, and failure was almost 3 times higher (13%) in revision surgery as compared with a primary procedure (5%). Conclusions The authors established a reliable baseline incidence for durotomy after spine surgery: 3.5%. They also identified risk factors that can increase the likelihood of a durotomy, including location of the spinal procedure, type of procedure performed, and the implementation of a new procedure. The years of physician training or resident experience did not appear to be a major risk for ID.

Ladd's procedure as an adjunct to treating combined traumatic duodenal and spinal injuries

Traumatic duodenal injuries are a rare and complex challenge. The surgeon facing such an injury has several options to repair this injury: primary repair with or without a serosal patch, performing a pyloric exclusion, adding a gastrostomy and/or feeding jejunostomy, and performing a gastro-enterostomy in order to bypass the duodenum. All of these options have a significant failure rate with persisting duodenal leakage and long-term morbidity. An often overlooked insult is concomitant spinal injury that may lead to a distal duodenal obstruction due to compression by the superior mesenteric artery (SMAS). This combined injury is noted when the mechanism is a high velocity blunt trauma such as seat belt injury during a motor vehicle accident. The contribution of this obstruction to the failure rate of the duodenal repair has not been addressed yet. We describe a case in which this event was foreseen and a Ladd’s procedure was added to the duodenal repair. It is our impression that avoiding SMAS may enhance the chances of a successful duodenal repair.