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Safety and efficacy of the modified Judet quadricepsplasty in patients with post-traumatic knee stiffness

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European Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery & Traumatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Knee stiffness is a challenging complication following complex fractures around the knee. Several treatment strategies have been described in the last decades, but clinical results and complication rates still remain as potential drawbacks. The aim of this study was to access the clinical outcomes and complications of the modified Judet quadricepsplasty following knee stiffness secondary to complex fractures around the knee.

Methods

A total of 11 patients presenting post-traumatic knee stiffness underwent modified Judet quadricepsplasty from 2014 to 2017. All procedures were performed by the same surgical team, and all patients followed the same postoperative pain control and rehabilitation protocols. No patients underwent medial approach for medial release. When necessary, medial release was performed through the lateral approach. Patients were evaluated using the Judet criteria for final range of motion after 1-year minimum follow-up.

Results

According to the Judet criteria, 4 patients (36.4%) presented excellent, 6 (54.5%) good, and 1 (9.1%) poor clinical outcomes. Blood transfusion was required in 5 patients (45.4%). No patients presented infection or wound dehiscence.

Conclusions

Although quadricepsplasty is considered a high morbidity surgical procedure, our favorable functional outcomes with very low complication rates using this modified Judet quadricepsplasty confirmed safety and efficacy of this helpful surgical procedure for the challenge of post-traumatic knee stiffness.

Level of evidence

Level 4 retrospective case series.

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Abbreviations

CPM:

Continuous passive motion

ROM:

Range of motion

KSS:

Knee Society Score

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Funding

The authors received no financial support for this research, authorship, and/or publication for this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sirio Libanes Hospital, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Fernando Bidolegui & Sebastian P. Pereira

  2. Department of the Locomotor Apparatus, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, Santa Efegênia, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil

    Robinson E. Pires

Authors
  1. Fernando Bidolegui
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  2. Sebastian P. Pereira
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  3. Robinson E. Pires
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Contributions

FB, SPP, and REP made substantial contributions to study design and conception. FB and SPP were responsible for data acquisition and analysis. FB, SPP, and REP were responsible for data interpretation and manuscript preparation. FB and SPP performed all surgical procedures. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript version.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Robinson E. Pires.

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Conflict of interest

REP received honorarium for educational activities from Zimmer Biomet AND AO Foundation. FB AND SPP declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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The manuscript contains no individual personal data. No consent for publication was necessary.

Ethical approval

This study has been approved by the institutional research ethics committee and has been performed in accordance with the ethical standards as laid down in the 1964 Declaration of Helsinki.

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Bidolegui, F., Pereira, S.P. & Pires, R.E. Safety and efficacy of the modified Judet quadricepsplasty in patients with post-traumatic knee stiffness. Eur J Orthop Surg Traumatol 31, 549–555 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-020-02802-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00590-020-02802-3

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