Hatanpää Hospital

Importance: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for treatment of morbid obesity has increased substantially despite the lack of long-term results compared with laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Objective: To determine whether laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass are equivalent for weight loss at 5 years in patients with morbid obesity. Design, Setting, and Participants: The Sleeve vs Bypass (SLEEVEPASS) multicenter, multisurgeon, open-label, randomized clinical equivalence trial was conducted from March 2008 until June 2010 in Finland. The trial enrolled 240 morbidly obese patients aged 18 to 60 years, who were randomly assigned to sleeve gastrectomy or gastric bypass with a 5-year follow-up period (last follow-up, October 14, 2015). Interventions: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (n = 121) or laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (n = 119). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was weight loss evaluated by percentage excess weight loss. Prespecified equivalence margins for the clinical significance of weight loss differences between gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy were -9% to +9% excess weight loss. Secondary end points included resolution of comorbidities, improvement of quality of life (QOL), all adverse events (overall morbidity), and mortality. Results: Among 240 patients randomized (mean age, 48 [SD, 9] years; mean baseline body mass index, 45.9, [SD, 6.0]; 69.6% women), 80.4% completed the 5-year follow-up. At baseline, 42.1% had type 2 diabetes, 34.6% dyslipidemia, and 70.8% hypertension. The estimated mean percentage excess weight loss at 5 years was 49% (95% CI, 45%-52%) after sleeve gastrectomy and 57% (95% CI, 53%-61%) after gastric bypass (difference, 8.2 percentage units [95% CI, 3.2%-13.2%], higher in the gastric bypass group) and did not meet criteria for equivalence. Complete or partial remission of type 2 diabetes was seen in 37% (n = 15/41) after sleeve gastrectomy and in 45% (n = 18/40) after gastric bypass (P > .99). Medication for dyslipidemia was discontinued in 47% (n = 14/30) after sleeve gastrectomy and 60% (n = 24/40) after gastric bypass (P = .15) and for hypertension in 29% (n = 20/68) and 51% (n = 37/73) (P = .02), respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in QOL between groups (P = .85) and no treatment-related mortality. At 5 years the overall morbidity rate was 19% (n = 23) for sleeve gastrectomy and 26% (n = 31) for gastric bypass (P = .19). Conclusions and Relevance: Among patients with morbid obesity, use of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy compared with use of laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass did not meet criteria for equivalence in terms of percentage excess weight loss at 5 years. Although gastric bypass compared with sleeve gastrectomy was associated with greater percentage excess weight loss at 5 years, the difference was not statistically significant, based on the prespecified equivalence margins. Trial Registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00793143.

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic partial meniscectomy is one of the most common orthopedic procedures, yet rigorous evidence of its efficacy is lacking. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial in 146 patients 35 to 65 years of age who had knee symptoms consistent with a degenerative medial meniscus tear and no knee osteoarthritis. Patients were randomly assigned to arthroscopic partial meniscectomy or sham surgery. The primary outcomes were changes in the Lysholm and Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) scores (each ranging from 0 to 100, with lower scores indicating more severe symptoms) and in knee pain after exercise (rated on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 denoting no pain) at 12 months after the procedure. RESULTS: In the intention-to-treat analysis, there were no significant between-group differences in the change from baseline to 12 months in any primary outcome. The mean changes (improvements) in the primary outcome measures were as follows: Lysholm score, 21.7 points in the partial-meniscectomy group as compared with 23.3 points in the sham-surgery group (between-group difference, -1.6 points; 95% confidence interval [CI], -7.2 to 4.0); WOMET score, 24.6 and 27.1 points, respectively (between-group difference, -2.5 points; 95% CI, -9.2 to 4.1); and score for knee pain after exercise, 3.1 and 3.3 points, respectively (between-group difference, -0.1; 95% CI, -0.9 to 0.7). There were no significant differences between groups in the number of patients who required subsequent knee surgery (two in the partial-meniscectomy group and five in the sham-surgery group) or serious adverse events (one and zero, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: In this trial involving patients without knee osteoarthritis but with symptoms of a degenerative medial meniscus tear, the outcomes after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy were no better than those after a sham surgical procedure. (Funded by the Sigrid Juselius Foundation and others; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00549172.).

BACKGROUND: Insulin is widely used to improve metabolic control in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), but there is no consensus about the optimal regimen of insulin treatment. METHODS: We treated 153 patients with NIDDM for three months with five regimens: (1) oral hypoglycemic drug therapy plus NPH insulin given at 7 a.m. (the morning-NPH group), (2) oral hypoglycemic drug therapy plus NPH insulin given at 9 p.m. (the evening-NPH group), (3) NPH and regular insulin (ratio, 70 units to 30 units) given before breakfast and dinner (the two-insulin-injection group), (4) NPH insulin at 9 p.m. and regular insulin before meals (the multiple-insulin-injection group), and (5) continued oral hypoglycemic drug therapy (the control group). RESULTS: The mean (+/- SE) value for glycosylated hemoglobin decreased similarly in all four insulin-treatment groups (1.7 +/- 0.3, 1.9 +/- 0.2, 1.8 +/- 0.3, and 1.6 +/- 0.3 percent, respectively). The decrease was significantly greater in these four groups than in the control group (0.5 +/- 0.2 percent; P < 0.001 vs. all insulin-treated groups). Weight gain was significantly less (1.2 +/- 0.5 kg) in the evening-NPH group than in the other insulin-treatment groups (2.2 +/- 0.5 kg in the morning-NPH group, 1.8 +/- 0.5 kg in the two-insulin-injection group, and 2.9 +/- 0.5 kg in the multiple-injection group; P < 0.05). In addition, the increment in the mean diurnal serum free insulin concentration was 50 to 65 percent smaller in the evening-NPH group than in the other insulin-treatment groups. Subjective well-being improved significantly more in the insulin-treatment groups than in the control group (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with NIDDM who are receiving oral hypoglycemic drug therapy, the addition of NPH insulin in the evening improves glycemic control in a manner similar to combination therapy with NPH insulin in the morning, a two-insulin-injection regimen, or a multiple-insulin-injection regimen, but induces less weight gain and hyperinsulinemia. The data thus suggest that patients with NIDDM do not benefit from multiple insulin injections and that nocturnal insulin administration appears preferable to daytime administration.

Anatomical observation and biomechanical studies have shown that the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) mainly consists of two distinct bundles, the anteromedial (AM) bundle and posterolateral (PL) bundle. Conventional single-bundle ACL reconstruction techniques have focused on the restoration of the AM bundle while giving limited attention to the PL bundle. The purpose of this prospective, randomized clinical study is to compare the outcomes of ACL reconstruction when using either double-bundle or single-bundle technique and bioabsorbable interference screw fixation, and similar rehabilitation with both techniques. Sixty-five patients were randomized into either double-bundle (n = 35) or single-bundle (n = 30) ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendons and bioabsorbable screw (Hexalon, Inion Company, Tampere, Finland) fixation in both groups. The evaluation methods were clinical examination, KT-1000 arthrometer measurements, radiographic evaluation, as well as International Knee Documentation Committee and Lysholm knee scores. There were no differences between the study groups preoperatively. For an average of 14 months of follow-up (range 12-20 months), 30 patients of the double-bundle group and 29 patients of the single-bundle group were available (91%). At the follow-up, the rotational stability, as evaluated by pivot shift test, was significantly better in the double-bundle group than in the single-bundle group. However, in anterior stability of the knee, there was no significant difference between the groups. None of the patients in the double-bundle group had graft failure, while four patients in the single-bundle group had. In addition, knee scores were equal at the follow-up, and all the results were significantly better at the follow-up than preoperatively, in both groups.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Serum levels of gastrin-17 (S-G-17) and pepsinogen I (S-PGI) are biomarkers of gastric antral and corpus mucosa, respectively. In a prospective multicentre investigation, we determined whether these tests, together with the assay of Helicobacter pylori antibodies, are a non-endoscopic tool for the diagnosis of atrophic gastritis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The series comprised 404 consecutive adult outpatients undergoing diagnostic upper-gastrointestinal endoscopy for various dyspeptic symptoms in five outpatient clinics. Gastric biopsies from the antrum and corpus (at least two biopsies from both sites) were available from all patients, and they were evaluated according to the guidelines of the updated Sydney system. S-PGI and S-G-17 were assayed with ELISA methods using monoclonal antibodies to pepsinogen I and amidated gastrin-17. In addition to the fasting level (S-G-17(fast)), a postprandial S-G-17 (S-G-17(prand)) level was measured 20 min after ingestion of a protein-rich drink. H. pylori antibodies were determined using a polyclonal EIA method. RESULTS: S-G-17(prand) (and S-G-17(fast)) and S-PGI levels decreased with increasing grade of atrophy of the antrum or corpus, respectively. S-G-17(prand) levels were significantly lower in patients with advanced (moderate or severe) atrophic antral H. pylori gastritis than in those with non-atrophic H. pylori gastritis. All patients with a resected antrum demonstrated S-G-17(prand) levels that were almost undetectable. Of the nine patients with an H. pylori-positive moderate or severe atrophic antral gastritis, six had S-G-17(prand) levels below 5 pmol/l. Similarly, S-PGI levels were significantly lower in patients with advanced corpus atrophy than in those without. Of the 45 patients with moderate or severe corpus atrophy in endoscopic biopsies, 35 patients had S-PGI levels < 25 microg/l. By using the cut-off levels for S-G-17(prand) and S-PGI with the best discrimination, the sensitivity and specificity of the blood test panel in delineation of patients with advanced atrophic gastritis (either in the antrum or the corpus, or both) were 83% and 95%, respectively. The predictive values of the positive and negative test results were 75% and 97%, respectively. In the diagnosis of atrophic gastritis, the application of S-G-17(fast) showed a slightly lower sensitivity and specificity than the application of S-G-17(prand) as a biomarker for antral atrophy. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of atrophic gastritis obtained with the blood test panel of S-G-17, S-PGI and H. pylori antibodies is in good agreement with the endoscopic and biopsy findings. The panel is a tool for non-endoscopic diagnosis and screening of atrophic gastritis.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for symptomatic, nontraumatic rotator cuff tear is unknown. The purpose of this trial was to compare the effectiveness of physiotherapy, acromioplasty, and rotator cuff repair for this condition. We hypothesized that rotator cuff repair yields superior results compared with other treatment modalities. METHODS: One hundred and eighty shoulders with symptomatic, nontraumatic, supraspinatus tears were randomized into one of three cumulatively designed intervention groups: the physiotherapy-only group (denoted as Group 1), the acromioplasty and physiotherapy group (denoted as Group 2), and the rotator cuff repair, acromioplasty, and physiotherapy group (denoted as Group 3). The Constant score was the primary outcome measure. Secondary outcome measures were visual analog scale for pain, patient satisfaction, rotator cuff integrity in a control imaging investigation, and cost of treatment. RESULTS: One hundred and sixty-seven shoulders (160 patients) were available for analysis at two years. There were no significant differences (p = 0.38) in the mean change of Constant score: 18.4 points (95% confidence interval, 14.2 to 22.6 points) in Group 1, 20.5 points (95% confidence interval, 16.4 to 24.6 points) in Group 2, and 22.6 points (95% confidence interval, 18.4 to 26.8 points) in Group 3. There were no significant differences in visual analog scale for pain scores (p = 0.45) and patient satisfaction (p = 0.28) between the groups. At two years, the mean sagittal size of the tendon tear was significantly smaller (p < 0.01) in Group 3 (4.2 mm) compared with Groups 1 and 2 (11.0 mm). Rotator cuff repair and acromioplasty were significantly more expensive than physiotherapy only (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: There was no significant difference in clinical outcome between the three interventions at the two-year follow-up. The potential progression of the rotator cuff tear, especially in the non-repaired treatment groups, warrants further follow-up. On the basis of our findings, conservative treatment is a reasonable option for the primary initial treatment for isolated, symptomatic, nontraumatic, supraspinatus tears in older patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions to Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Importance: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is currently the predominant bariatric procedure, although long-term weight loss and quality-of-life (QoL) outcomes compared with laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) are lacking. Objective: To determine weight loss equivalence of LSG and LRYGB at 7 years in patients with morbid obesity, with special reference to long-term QoL. Design, Setting, and Participants: The SLEEVE vs byPASS (SLEEVEPASS) multicenter, multisurgeon, open-label, randomized clinical equivalence trial was conducted between March 10, 2008, and June 2, 2010, in Finland. The trial enrolled 240 patients with morbid obesity aged 18 to 60 years who were randomized to undergo either LSG or LRYGB with a 7-year follow-up (last follow-up, September 26, 2017). Analysis was conducted on an intention-to-treat basis. Statistical analysis was performed from June 4, 2018, to November 8, 2019. Interventions: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (n = 121) or LRYGB (n = 119). Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary end point was percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) at 5 years. Secondary predefined follow-up time points were 7, 10, 15, and 20 years, with included 7-year secondary end points of QoL and morbidity. Disease-specific QoL (DSQoL; Moorehead-Ardelt Quality of Life questionnaire [range of scores, -3 to 3 points, where a higher score indicates better QoL]) and general health-related QoL (HRQoL; 15D questionnaire [0-1 scale for all 15 dimensions, with 1 indicating full health and 0 indicating death]) were measured preoperatively and at 1, 3, 5, and 7 years postoperatively concurrently with weight loss. Results: Of 240 patients (167 women [69.6%]; mean [SD] age, 48.4 [9.4] years; mean [SD] baseline body mass index, 45.9 [6.0]), 182 (75.8%) completed the 7-year follow-up. The mean %EWL was 47% (95% CI, 43%-50%) after LSG and 55% (95% CI, 52%-59%) after LRYGB (difference, 8.7 percentage units [95% CI, 3.5-13.9 percentage units]). The mean (SD) DSQoL total score at 7 years was 0.50 (1.14) after LSG and 0.49 (1.06) after LRYGB (P = .63), and the median HRQoL total score was 0.88 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.78-0.95) after LSG and 0.87 (IQR, 0.78-0.95) after LRYGB (P = .37). Greater weight loss was associated with better DSQoL (r = 0.26; P < .001). At 7 years, mean (SD) DSQoL scores improved significantly compared with baseline (LSG, 0.50 [1.14] vs 0.10 [0.94]; and LRYGB, 0.49 [1.06] vs 0.12 [1.12]; P < .001), unlike median HRQoL scores (LSG, 0.88 [IQR, 0.78-0.95] vs 0.87 [IQR, 0.78-0.90]; and LRYGB, 0.87 [IQR, 0.78-0.92] vs 0.85 [IQR, 0.77-0.91]; P = .07). The overall morbidity rate was 24.0% (29 of 121) for LSG and 28.6% (34 of 119) for LRYGB (P = .42). Conclusions and Relevance: This study found that LSG and LRYGB were not equivalent in %EWL at 7 years. Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass resulted in greater weight loss than LSG, but the difference was not clinically relevant based on the prespecified equivalence margins. There was no difference in long-term QoL between the procedures. Bariatric surgery was associated with significant long-term DSQoL improvement, and greater weight loss was associated with better DSQoL. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00793143.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of arthroscopic subacromial decompression (ASD) by comparing it with diagnostic arthroscopy, a placebo surgical intervention, and with a non-operative alternative, exercise therapy, in a more pragmatic setting. DESIGN: Multicentre, three group, randomised, double blind, sham controlled trial. SETTING: Orthopaedic departments at three public hospitals in Finland. PARTICIPANTS: 210 patients with symptoms consistent with shoulder impingement syndrome, enrolled from 1 February 2005 with two year follow-up completed by 25 June 2015. INTERVENTIONS: ASD, diagnostic arthroscopy (placebo control), and exercise therapy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Shoulder pain at rest and on arm activity (visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 to 100, with 0 denoting no pain), at 24 months. The threshold for minimal clinically important difference was set at 15. RESULTS: In the primary intention to treat analysis (ASD versus diagnostic arthroscopy), no clinically relevant between group differences were seen in the two primary outcomes at 24 months (mean change for ASD 36.0 at rest and 55.4 on activity; for diagnostic arthroscopy 31.4 at rest and 47.5 on activity). The observed mean difference between groups (ASD minus diagnostic arthroscopy) in pain VAS were -4.6 (95% confidence interval -11.3 to 2.1) points (P=0.18) at rest and -9.0 (-18.1 to 0.2) points (P=0.054) on arm activity. No between group differences were seen between the ASD and diagnostic arthroscopy groups in the secondary outcomes or adverse events. In the secondary comparison (ASD versus exercise therapy), statistically significant differences were found in favour of ASD in the two primary outcomes at 24 months in both VAS at rest (-7.5, -14.0 to -1.0, points; P=0.023) and VAS on arm activity (-12.0, -20.9 to -3.2, points; P=0.008), but the mean differences between groups did not exceed the pre-specified minimal clinically important difference. Of note, this ASD versus exercise therapy comparison is not only confounded by lack of blinding but also likely to be biased in favour of ASD owing to the selective removal of patients with likely poor outcome from the ASD group, without comparable exclusions from the exercise therapy group. CONCLUSIONS: In this controlled trial involving patients with a shoulder impingement syndrome, arthroscopic subacromial decompression provided no benefit over diagnostic arthroscopy at 24 months. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00428870.

BACKGROUND: Conventional anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction techniques have focused on restoration of the anteromedial bundle only, which, however, may be insufficient in restoring the rotational stability of the knee. HYPOTHESIS: Rotational stability of the knee is better when using a double-bundle technique instead of a single-bundle technique for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial; Level of evidence, 1. METHODS: Seventy-seven patients were randomized into 3 different groups for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with hamstring tendons: double-bundle with bioabsorbable screw fixation (n = 25), single-bundle with bioabsorbable screw fixation (n = 27), and single-bundle with metallic screw fixation (n = 25). The evaluation methods were clinical examination, KT-1000 arthrometric measurement, and the International Knee Documentation Committee and Lysholm knee scores. RESULTS: There were no differences between the study groups preoperatively. Seventy-three patients (95%) were available at a minimum 2-year follow-up (range, 24-35 mo). The rotational stability of the knee, as evaluated by the pivot-shift test, was the best in the patients in the double-bundle group. In addition, the patients in the single-bundle groups had more graft failures than those in the double-bundle group. Concerning the anterior stability of the knee as measured with the KT-1000 arthrometer, the group differences were not statistically significant. No significant differences were found between the groups in knee scores. CONCLUSION: Rotational stability of the knee is better when using the double-bundle technique instead of the single-bundle technique in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

We have compared three different methods of treating symptomatic non-traumatic tears of the supraspinatus tendon in patients above 55 years of age. A total of 180 shoulders (173 patients) with supraspinatus tendon tears were randomly allocated into one of three groups (each of 60 shoulders); physiotherapy (group 1), acromioplasty and physiotherapy (group 2) and rotator cuff repair, acromioplasty and physiotherapy (group 3). The Constant score was assessed and followed up by an independent observer pre-operatively and at three, six and twelve months after the intervention. Of these, 167 shoulders were available for assessment at one year (follow-up rate of 92.8%). There were 55 shoulders in group 1 (24 in males and 31 in females, mean age 65 years (55 to 79)), 57 in group 2 (29 male and 28 female, mean age 65 years (55 to 79)) and 55 shoulders in group 3 (26 male and 29 female, mean age 65 years (55 to 81)). There were no between-group differences in the Constant score at final follow-up: 74.1 (sd 14.2), 77.2 (sd 13.0) and 77.9 (sd 12.1) in groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively (p = 0.34). The mean change in the Constant score was 17.0, 17.5, and 19.8, respectively (p = 0.34). These results suggest that at one-year follow-up, operative treatment is no better than conservative treatment with regard to non-traumatic supraspinatus tears, and that conservative treatment should be considered as the primary method of treatment for this condition.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) are both effective surgical procedures to achieve weight reduction in patients with obesity. The trial objective was to merge individual-patient data from two RCTs to compare outcomes after LSG and LRYGB. METHODS: Five-year outcomes of the Finnish SLEEVEPASS and Swiss SM-BOSS RCTs comparing LSG with LRYGB were analysed. Both original trials were designed to evaluate weight loss. Additional patient-level data on type 2 diabetes (T2DM), obstructive sleep apnoea, and complications were retrieved. The primary outcome was percentage excess BMI loss (%EBMIL). Secondary predefined outcomes in both trials included total weight loss, remission of co-morbidities, improvement in quality of life (QoL), and overall morbidity. RESULTS: At baseline, 228 LSG and 229 LRYGB procedures were performed. Five-year follow-up was available for 199 of 228 patients (87.3 per cent) after LSG and 199 of 229 (87.1 per cent) after LRYGB. Model-based mean estimate of %EBMIL was 7.0 (95 per cent c.i. 3.5 to 10.5) percentage points better after LRYGB than after LSG (62.7 versus 55.5 per cent respectively; P < 0.001). There was no difference in remission of T2DM, obstructive sleep apnoea or QoL improvement; remission for hypertension was better after LRYGB compared with LSG (60.3 versus 44.9 per cent; P = 0.049). The complication rate was higher after LRYGB than LSG (37.2 versus 22.5 per cent; P = 0.001), but there was no difference in mean Comprehensive Complication Index value (30.6 versus 31.0 points; P = 0.859). CONCLUSION: Although LRYGB induced greater weight loss and better amelioration of hypertension than LSG, there was no difference in remission of T2DM, obstructive sleep apnoea, or QoL at 5 years. There were more complications after LRYGB, but the individual burden for patients with complications was similar after both operations.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to compare tunnel enlargement in patients with double-bundle and single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: Sixty patients were randomized by closed envelopes into 2 different groups of ACL reconstruction with hamstring tendons: double-bundle technique with bioabsorbable screw fixation (n = 35) and single-bundle technique with bioabsorbable screw fixation (n = 25). Magnetic resonance imaging evaluation was performed in 53 patients (88%) (32 in double-bundle group and 21 in single-bundle group) for a mean of 27 months' follow-up (range, 24 to 36 months). Tunnel enlargement was determined by digital measurement of the widths perpendicular to the long axis of the tunnels on an oblique coronal and sagittal plane. The magnetic resonance imaging measurements were compared with the intraoperative drill diameter. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the double-bundle group and the single-bundle group in tunnel enlargement on the femoral side. However, on the tibial side, tunnel enlargement was greater in the single-bundle group than in the double-bundle group in each tunnel (P = .051). In all knees, tunnel enlargement both on the tibial side and on the femoral side correlated significantly with the anterior and rotational laxity of the operated knee. In the double-bundle group, no tunnel communication between the anteromedial and posterolateral tunnels was seen in any of the patients on either the tibial side or femoral side. CONCLUSIONS: This prospective, randomized study showed that our double-bundle ACL reconstruction technique results in less tunnel enlargement in each tunnel on the tibial side than the single-bundle technique with similar fixation methods, graft material, and rehabilitation. In addition, no tunnel communication was observed in the patients undergoing double-bundle ACL reconstruction. The clinical results were good in both groups. However, the patients who had more tunnel enlargement had significantly more anterior and rotational laxity of the operated knee as well. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, therapeutic randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is a common knee injury in paediatric and adolescent patients. The population-based incidence of paediatric ACL injury is, however, unknown. Recent studies suggest increased ACL injury rates among adolescents, especially in active, sports-participating population. The purpose of this study was to investigate the population-based incidence rates of ACL injuries and trends in paediatric ACL reconstruction surgery. METHOD: All ACL injuries were identified (ICD-10 diagnosis code S83.5) leading to hospitalisation or surgery using validated Finnish National Hospital Discharge Register (NHDR) data from 1997 to 2014. The sample comprised 19,961,205 Finnish residents aged less than 18 years at the time of injury. Hospital admissions with the diagnosis code S83.5 were analysed more thoroughly including, sex, age and the need for surgical interventions. RESULTS: During the 18-year study period, 4725 subjects of the study population had sustained an ACL injury. The total ACL injury incidence in study population was 23.3 per 100,000 person-years. The median age of the patients at the time of injury was 16 years (range 4-17). The incidence of ACL injury increased with age, and the highest incidence was observed among 17-year old (113.5 per 100,000 person-years). Incidence rate did not differ between genders. From the total ACL injury population of 4725 hospitalisations, 3168 (67.0%) underwent ACL reconstruction, of which 2988 (94.3%) were treated with arthroscopic reconstruction and 180 (5.6%) with open surgery. In addition, 1557 (33.0%) were treated non-operatively without ACL reconstruction. The annual incidence of ACL injuries in the Finnish paediatric population has increased during the past 15 years. The lowest incidence rate was seen in 1999 (incidence of 17.7 per 100,000 person-years, 195 ACL injuries) and the highest in 2011 (incidence of 31.5 per 100,000 person-years, 346 ACL injuries). The highest increase in ACL injuries was seen in girls aged 13-15 years, with an increase of 143%. CONCLUSION: ACL injury is not a negligible knee injury in the paediatric population. The incidence of paediatric ACL injury has increased during the past 15 years. Moreover, a twofold increase in incidence of paediatric ACL injury was noted during the last 10 years of the study period. Incidence rates among male and female paediatric patients were comparable. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

OBJECTIVE: To assess if arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) is superior to placebo surgery in the treatment of patients with degenerative tear of the medial meniscus. METHODS: In this multicentre, randomised, participant-blinded and outcome assessor-blinded, placebo-surgery controlled trial, 146 adults, aged 35-65 years, with knee symptoms consistent with degenerative medial meniscus tear and no knee osteoarthritis were randomised to APM or placebo surgery. The primary outcome was the between-group difference in the change from baseline in the Western Ontario Meniscal Evaluation Tool (WOMET) and Lysholm knee scores and knee pain after exercise at 24 months after surgery. Secondary outcomes included the frequency of unblinding of the treatment-group allocation, participants' satisfaction, impression of change, return to normal activities, the incidence of serious adverse events and the presence of meniscal symptoms in clinical examination. Two subgroup analyses, assessing the outcome on those with mechanical symptoms and those with unstable meniscus tears, were also carried out. RESULTS: In the intention-to-treat analysis, there were no significant between-group differences in the mean changes from baseline to 24 months in WOMET score: 27.3 in the APM group as compared with 31.6 in the placebo-surgery group (between-group difference, -4.3; 95% CI, -11.3 to 2.6); Lysholm knee score: 23.1 and 26.3, respectively (-3.2; -8.9 to 2.4) or knee pain after exercise, 3.5 and 3.9, respectively (-0.4; -1.3 to 0.5). There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in any of the secondary outcomes or within the analysed subgroups. CONCLUSIONS: In this 2-year follow-up of patients without knee osteoarthritis but with symptoms of a degenerative medial meniscus tear, the outcomes after APM were no better than those after placebo surgery. No evidence could be found to support the prevailing ideas that patients with presence of mechanical symptoms or certain meniscus tear characteristics or those who have failed initial conservative treatment are more likely to benefit from APM.

BACKGROUND: Recent evidence shows that arthroscopic partial meniscectomy (APM) offers no benefit over conservative treatment of patients with a degenerative meniscus tear. However, patients who report mechanical symptoms (sensations of knee catching or locking) may benefit from APM. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether APM improves mechanical symptoms better than sham surgery. DESIGN: Randomized, patient- and outcome assessor-blinded, sham surgery-controlled, multicenter trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00549172). SETTING: 5 orthopedic clinics in Finland. PATIENTS: Adults (aged 35 to 65 years) with a degenerative medial meniscus tear and no knee osteoarthritis. INTERVENTION: APM or sham surgery. MEASUREMENTS: Patients' self-report of mechanical symptoms before surgery and at 2, 6, and 12 months after surgery. RESULTS: 70 patients were randomly assigned to APM, and 76 were assigned to sham surgery. Thirty-two patients (46%) in the APM group and 37 (49%) in the sham surgery group reported catching or locking before surgery; the corresponding numbers at any follow-up were 34 (49%) and 33 (43%), with a risk difference of 0.03 (95% CI, -0.06 to 0.12). In the subgroup of 69 patients with preoperative catching or locking, the risk difference was 0.07 (CI, -0.08 to 0.22). LIMITATION: Analyses were post hoc, and the results are only generalizable to knee catching and occasional locking because few patients reported other types of mechanical symptoms. CONCLUSION: Resection of a torn meniscus has no added benefit over sham surgery to relieve knee catching or occasional locking. These findings question whether mechanical symptoms are caused by a degenerative meniscus tear and prompt caution in using patients' self-report of these symptoms as an indication for APM. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Academy of Finland.

It has been suggested that trioxsalen bath and ultraviolet (UV) A (PUVA) is associated with a very low or no risk of non-melanoma skin cancer, but the numbers of patients in individual studies have been limited. In order to attain statistically relevant information about the cancer risk associated with trioxsalen bath PUVA, two follow-up studies were combined and the joined cancer incidence was analysed among 944 Swedish and Finnish patients with psoriasis. The mean follow-up time for skin cancer was 14.7 years. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) were calculated as a ratio of observed and expected numbers of cases. The expected numbers of cases were based on the national cancer incidence rates in the respective countries. There was no excess of squamous cell skin carcinoma [SIR 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.2-3.2] or malignant melanoma (SIR 0.9, 95% CI 0.1-3.2) in the combined cohort. Basal cell skin carcinoma was not studied. The incidence of all non-cutaneous cancers was not increased (SIR 1.1, 95% CI 0.8-1.4). A threefold excess risk of squamous cell skin carcinoma after trioxsalen bath PUVA could therefore be excluded, which is a markedly lower risk than that associated with oral 8-methoxypsoralen PUVA. The result needs to be confirmed in a future follow-up, however, as the number of patients with high PUVA exposures was low.

An initial improvement in glycemic control is often followed by gradual deterioration of glycemia during insulin treatment of patients with noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM). We examined the causes of such worsening in a 12-month follow-up analysis of 100 insulin-treated NIDDM patients in the Finnish Multicenter Insulin Therapy Study who were treated with either combination therapy with insulin or insulin alone. In the entire study group, glycemic control averaged 9.7 +/- 0.2% at 0 months and 8.0 +/- 0.1%, 8.0 +/- 0.1%, 8.2 +/- 0.1%, and 8.5 +/- 0.2% at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months (P < 0.001 for each time point vs. 0 months). Glycemic control at 12 months was significantly worse than that at 3 (P < 0.001), 6 (P < 0.001), and 9 months (P < 0.02). Baseline body mass index was the most significant predictor of deterioration in glycemic control. During 1 yr, hemoglobin A1c decreased almost 3-fold more (by 1.7 +/- 0.2%; P < 0.001 vs. 0 months) in patients whose baseline weight was below the mean baseline body mass index of 28.1 kg/m2 (nonobese patients) than in those whose weight exceeded 28.1 kg/m2 (obese patients; 0.5 +/- 0.2%; P = NS vs. 0 months; P < 0.01 vs. obese patients). Glycemic control improved similarly over 1 yr in the nonobese subjects and deteriorated similarly in the obese patients regardless of their treatment regimen. Insulin doses, per body weight, were similar in the nonobese and obese patients. The nonobese patients consistently gained less weight during 12 months of combination therapy with insulin (3.5 +/- 0.6 kg at 12 months) than during insulin therapy alone (5.1 +/- 0.6 kg; P < 0.05). The treatment regimen did not influence weight gain in the obese group, who gained 4.4 +/- 1.0 kg during combination therapy with insulin and 4.5 +/- 1.1 kg during insulin therapy alone. We reached the following conclusions: 1) after an initial good response, glycemic control deteriorates more in obese than in nonobese patients with NIDDM; 2) in obese patients, weight gain per se cannot explain the poor glycemic response to combination or insulin therapy, but it may induce a disproportionately large increase in insulin requirements because of greater insulin resistance in the obese than in the nonobese; 3) in nonobese patients, glycemic control improves equally during 1 yr with combination therapy with insulin and insulin alone, but combination therapy with insulin is associated with less weight gain than treatment with insulin alone; 4) weight gain appears harmful, as it is associated with increases in blood pressure and low density lipoprotein cholesterol.

Aims Rotator cuff tendinopathy has a multifactorial origin. Rejecting the mechanistic theory has also led to abandoning operative treatment at initial presentation in the first line. Physiotherapy exercise programmes are the accepted first line treatment. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term additional benefits of subacromial decompression in the treatment of rotator cuff tendinopathy. Patients and Methods This randomised controlled trial of 140 patients (52 men, 88 women, mean age 47.1 years; 18 to 60) with rotator cuff tendinopathy extended previous work up to a maximum of 13 years. The patients were randomised into two treatment groups: arthroscopic acromioplasty and a supervised exercise treatment and a similar supervised exercise treatment alone. Self-reported pain on a visual analogue scale (VAS) was the primary outcome measure. Secondary measures were disability, working ability, pain at night, Shoulder Disability Questionnaire score and the number of painful days during the three months preceding the final assessment. Results A total of 90 patients (64%) returned questionnaires at a mean 12 years after randomisation. On an intention-to-treat basis, both treatment groups reached statistically significant improvement compared with the initial VAS for pain, but there was no significant difference between groups. The same was true in the secondary outcome measures. Due to group changes, the results were also analysed per protocol: operated or not. No significant differences between the groups were found. Conclusion The natural history of rotator cuff tendinopathy probably plays a significant role in the results in the long-term. Even though the patients who underwent operative treatment had a stronger belief in recovery, which is likely to be surgical and the effect of placebo, the exercise group obtained similar results. In the future, an optimum exercise regime should be searched for, as the most clinically and cost-effective conservative treatment for rotator cuff tendinopathy. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:799–805.

Electrosurgery produces surgical smoke. Different tissues produce different quantities and types of smoke, so we studied the particle characteristics of this surgical smoke in order to analyze the implications for the occupational health of the operation room personnel. We estimated the deposition of particulate matter (PM) from surgical smoke on the respiratory tract of operation room personnel using clinically relevant tissues from Finnish landrace porcine tissues including skeletal muscle, liver, subcutaneous fat, renal pelvis, renal cortex, lung, bronchus, cerebral gray and white matter, and skin. In order to standardize the electrosurgical cuts and smoke concentrations, we built a customized computer-controlled platform. The smoke particles were analyzed with an electrical low pressure impactor (ELPI), which measures the concentration and aerodynamic size distribution of particles with a diameter between 7 nm and 10 μm. There were significant differences in the mass concentration and size distribution of the surgical smoke particles depending on the electrocauterized tissue. Of the various tissues tested, liver yielded the highest number of particles. In order to better estimate the health hazard, we propose that the tissues can be divided into three distinct classes according to their surgical smoke production: 1) high-PM tissue for liver; 2) medium-PM tissues for renal cortex, renal pelvis, and skeletal muscle; and 3) low-PM tissues for skin, gray matter, white matter, bronchus, and subcutaneous fat.

OBJECTIVES: To report the five-year results of a randomised controlled trial examining the effectiveness of arthroscopic acromioplasty in the treatment of stage II shoulder impingement syndrome. METHODS: A total of 140 patients were randomly divided into two groups: 1) supervised exercise programme (n = 70, exercise group); and 2) arthroscopic acromioplasty followed by a similar exercise programme (n = 70, combined treatment group). RESULTS: The main outcome measure was self-reported pain as measured on a visual analogue scale. At the five-year assessment a total of 109 patients were examined (52 in the exercise group and 57 in the combined treatment group). There was a significant decrease in mean self-reported pain on the VAS between baseline and the five-year follow-up in both the exercise group (from 6.5 (1 to 10) to 2.2 (0 to 8); p < 0.001) and the combined treatment group (from 6.4 (2 to 10) to 1.9 (0 to 8); p < 0.001). The same trend was seen in the secondary outcome measures (disability, working ability, pain at night, Shoulder Disability Questionnaire and reported painful days). An intention-to-treat analysis showed statistically significant improvements in both groups at five years compared with baseline. Further, improvement continued between the two- and five-year timepoints. No statistically significant differences were found in the patient-centred primary and secondary parameters between the two treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Differences in the patient-centred primary and secondary parameters between the two treatment groups were not statistically significant, suggesting that acromioplasty is not cost-effective. Structured exercise treatment seems to be the treatment of choice for shoulder impingement syndrome.