arthrofibrosis

Noyes FR, Berrios-Torres S, Barber-Westin SD, and Heckmann TP. Prevention of permanent arthrofibrosis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction alone or combined with associated procedures: a prospective study in 443 knees. Knee Surg, Sports Traumatol, Arthros 8:196-206;2000.

This paper reports the research results of a group of researchers from the Cincinatti Sportsmedicine and Orthopaedic Center. The research relates to a consecutive group of patients (443 knees) with cruciate ligament reconstruction - alone or combined with associated procedures (about 50:50).

Millett PJ, Williams RJ, and Wickiewicz TL. Joint debridement and soft tissue release as a salvage procedure for the severely arthrofibrotic knee.

Lindenfeld TN, Wojtys EM, Husain A. Operative treatment of arthrofibrosis of the knee. J Bone Joint Surg 81-A:1772-1784;1999.

This paper reviews the literature prior to 1999. It is a very well written, clear paper.

Cosgarea AJ, DeHaven KE and Lovelock JE. The surgical treatment of arthrofibrosis of the knee. Am J Sports Med 22:184-191;1994.

This paper discusses 61 procedures (in 55 patients) of lysis of adhesions where the arthrofibrosis was secondary to -

Noyes FR, Wojtys EM, and Marshall MT. The early diagnosis and treatment of developmental patella infera syndrome. Clin Orthop Rel Res 265:241-252, 1991.

This paper distinguishes between -

• developmental patella infera - where the patella is moving down into a lower position due to adhesions and scarring, but which situation is still potentially reversible.

Paulos LE, Rosenberg TD, Drawbert J, Manning J and Abbott P. Infrapatellar contracture syndrome. An unrecognised cause of knee stiffness with patella entrapment and patella infera.

Sprague NF, O'Connor RL and Fox JM. Arthroscopic treatment of postoperative knee fibroarthrosis. Clin Orth & Rel Res. 166:165-172;1982.

Published in the early days of arthroscopy, this paper presents the authors' experience in a series of 24 patients with restricted flexion due to adhesions and scarring inside the knee joint, and in which arthroscopic surgery was used to try and free up the joint again.

Key arthrofibrosis articles, in date order of publication, that we have reviewed/interpreted for you include -

Scar tissue can be an insidious fiend.

I've been dealing with scar tissue/arthrofibrosis for 7 yrs. I've had it grow on just about every structure, in my knee. Among the many structures, scar tissue made it's way, to one of my nerves. The Infrapatellar Branch of the Saphenous nerve. This nerve is located anteromedially, very close to the MCL.

Arthrofibrosis is a terrible, terrible, unrelenting condition.