OBJETIVO: Analisar displasia troclear em pacientes portadores de síndrome de Down na presença e na ausência da instabilidade femoropatelar.MÉTODOS: Comparação de 11 joelhos com patelas estáveis e 13 joelhos com patelas instáveis em portadores de síndrome de Down. Foram feitas radiografias em que foram avaliados altura patelar, ângulo da tróclea e ângulo de congruência femoropatelar.RESULTADOS: A razão de prevalência de patela alta entre os pacientes instáveis e os pacientes estáveis foi de 1,01 para o índice de Insall-Salvati e de 0,68 para o índice de Caton-Deschamps. Para o ângulo de congruência alterado, a razão de prevalência foi de 2,04. O ângulo de congruência aumentado foi encontrado apenas em quatro casos, todos com instabilidade.CONCLUSÕES: A displasia da tróclea foi encontrada apenas em casos de instabilidade, o ângulo do sulco da tróclea e o ângulo de congruência femoropatelar se correlacionaram com a presença de instabilidade patelar.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze occurrences of trochlear dysplasia in patients with Down syndrome in the presence and absence of femoropatellar instability.METHODS: Eleven knees with stable patellae and thirteen with unstable patellae in patients with Down syndrome were compared. Radiographs were produced to evaluate patellar height, trochlear angle and femoropatellar congruence angle.RESULTS: The prevalence ratio for a high patella between the unstable and the stable patients was 1.01 using the Insall-Salvati index and 0.68 using the Caton-Deschamps index. For an abnormal congruence angle, the prevalence ratio was 2.04. An increased congruence angle was only found in four cases, all presenting instability.CONCLUSIONS: Trochlear dysplasia was only found in cases of instability. The trochlear groove angle and the femoropatellar congruence angle correlated with the presence of patellar instability.

OBJECTIVES:Healing is an event that is fundamental to the success of total knee arthroplasty. The aims of the present study were to compare the rates of complications related to wound healing between two groups of volunteers submitted to total knee arthroplasty and to evaluate the effects of postoperative oxygen supplementation by means of a nasal catheter.METHOD:A total of 109 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty were randomized into two groups, namely, groups that did and did not receive postoperative oxygen supplementation via a nasal catheter. The surgical wound was monitored every day during the hospital stay and on the 7th, 14th, 21st, 30th and 42ndpostoperative days. Characteristics related to healing were observed, including hyperemia, dehiscence, necrosis, phlyctenules and deep and superficial infection.RESULTS:There were no cases of deep infection. Hyperemia was statistically correlated with the total number of complications in the groups, with oxygen demonstrated to be a protective factor against hyperemia. Approximately 30% of the patients who exhibited hyperemia had other complications, independent of oxygen supplementation.CONCLUSION:Oxygen supplementation following total knee arthroplasty was shown to be effective in diminishing hyperemia around the operative wound. The development of hyperemia was a precursor to other complications, irrespective of whether oxygen supplementation was used.