Knee Reconstruction & Knee Arthroscopy Journal Scan

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Use of a gyroscope sensor to quantify tibial motions during a pivot shift test.

Knee Surg Sports Traumatol Arthrosc. 2013 Jul 25;

Authors: Borgstrom PH, Markolf KL, Foster B, Petrigliano FA, McAllister DR

Abstract
PURPOSE: The purpose of this preliminary study was to evaluate the use of a gyroscope sensor to record rotations of the tibia about its long axis during a clinical pivot shift examination.
METHODS: Ten patients with a unilateral ACL injury were tested under anaesthesia prior to surgery. Each ankle was placed in neutral position, wrapped and stabilized with athletic tape, and a small aluminium plate was taped to the bottom of the foot. A data recovery module was attached to the bottom of each plate using a swivel bracket that allowed alignment of the gyro axis with the long axis of the tibia. The module contained a triaxial gyroscope, battery and circuitry for wireless data broadcast to a laptop computer. Ten pivot shift tests were performed on both knees, and the surgeon's clinical grading of the pivot shift was noted for each limb. Mean values (10 trials) of peak tibial rotational velocity and integrated tibial rotation were compared between knees for each patient during the pivot shift reduction event (external tibial rotation during knee flexion).
RESULTS: Five patients (50 %) had significantly greater tibial rotation in their injured knee, four showed no difference between knees, and one had significantly greater