醫界新觀念:退化性關節炎不是老化引起、是摩擦 2017/08/04好醫師 新聞網記者吳建良/嘉義報導 上了年紀的老人,或多或少都有關節問題,導致行動不便或是關節疼痛,尤其是膝關節的退化,在長期不知原因的無效治療下,最後都被迫要以置換人工關節來處理。不過,以往普遍認為退化性膝關節炎是自然老化現象的觀念,已經受到挑戰!有證據顯示,所謂的退化性膝關節炎,事實上是因為長期發炎所導致,而造成發炎的元凶即是膝關節內部人人都有的構造:「內側皺襞」。換言之,有許多被診斷為退化性膝關節炎的病例,事實上只要適時處理纖維化的「內側皺襞」,阻止它對關節的危害,就可能避免後期的人工關節置換手術。這項發現,已經累積了近萬名病例,並且發表在十二篇國際期刊,是醫策會所認可,足以傲視全球的台灣特色醫療中,唯一的骨科代表。嘉義大林慈濟醫院關節中心主任呂紹睿醫師,在二十年前的一次偶然機會中,發現退化的膝關節中,不論早中晚期,幾乎百分之百的病人在「內側皺襞」上都有纖維化的跡象,從此開啟了他的研究方向。他發現,原來本該是如絲瓜剖面般柔細的「內側皺襞」,隨著年齡的增長、磨損的次數的累積,會逐漸變得像菜瓜布一樣粗糙。由於內側皺襞長期與膝關節軟骨接觸和磨擦,造成了關節軟骨的磨損,而內側皺襞本身的發炎,讓病人產生疼痛。一般醫師在找不到病因的情況下,只能注射玻尿酸或自體血清PRP來緩解,事實上卻沒有解決真正的病灶,最後就是要以人工關節置換來治療。可是,由於病灶沒有被解決,就算換了人工關節,內側皺襞纖維化的問題依舊存在,導致術後滿意度不佳。根據文獻報導,仍有大約30%的病人在置換人工關節後,還會有疼痛的抱怨,並沒有完全解決問題。呂紹睿醫師說,內側皺襞是與生俱來的,但是隨著時間和使用次數會出現纖維化。只要運用關節鏡就可以發現這項病變。大林慈濟醫院關節中心以關節鏡手術與人工關節置換手術治療退化性膝關節炎的比例,大約是3:1,也就是說,在每年的1200個案例中,約有900個是只要以微創的關節鏡手術將內側皺襞問題解決,就可以不用置換人工關節;其他300個案例,是由於就醫時間太晚,造成不可逆的關節損傷,還是得要換人工關節。不過,由於包括醫療收入、執行技術等許多原因,醫界對於這項早在十五年前就發現的問題,並沒有全盤接受。畢竟置換人工關節的費用可觀,加上不是每個會換人工關節的醫師都會以關節鏡執行內側皺襞相關手術。因此,大林慈濟醫院關節中心開辦了手術學習的認證機制,希望能幫助醫界共同推動觀念的改變。呂紹睿醫師的這項發現的相關論文,十五年來,已陸續登上十二家國際期刊,並在去年得到醫策會選定,是台灣特色醫療中,唯一的骨科醫療技術及新觀念,值得向全世界推荐。呂紹睿醫師強調,一直以來,醫界都認為退化性膝關節炎是老化的現象,是無法避免的自然現象。他的發現足以推翻這種看法,重點就是在發現了內側皺襞產生的「內側摩擦現象」是造成膝關節軟骨逐漸破壞的重要原因,換言之,一般認為自然老化的現象,是可以避免的!只要在磨損程度還沒有達到不可逆的階段,先處理內側皺襞纖維化對關節的危害,就可以減少、甚至避免日後置換人工關節的可能性。呂紹睿醫師呼籲,一旦有非外力引起的膝蓋疼痛,可以透過影像和理學檢查,看看是否是「內側摩擦現象」造成的,即時針對病因治療,不論在初期或中期,治療效果都很好。接受大林慈濟醫院關節中心研發的這項術式治療的病患,最年輕的只有十多歲,年紀最大的則是九十多歲,一樣都不用置換人工關節,術後也都能恢復原本的生活樣態。
Medial Abrasion Syndrome: A Neglected Cause of Knee Pain in Middle and Old Age Medicine: April 2015 - Volume 94 - Issue 16 - p e736 ; Abstract: Knee pain is a prevailing health problem of middle and old age. Medial plica-related medial abrasion syndrome (MAS), although a well-known cause of knee pain in younger individuals, has rarely been investigated in older individuals. This prospective study was conducted to investigate the prevalence and clinical manifestations of this syndrome as a cause of knee pain in middle and old age. The outcomes of arthroscopic treatment for this syndrome were also evaluated. A total of 232 knees of 169 patients >40 years of age (41–82, median: 63 years old) suffering from chronic knee pain were analyzed. The clinical diagnosis, predisposing factors, presenting symptoms, and physical signs were investigated. The sensitivity and specificity of each parameter of the clinical presentation for the diagnosis of MAS were evaluated after confirmation by arthroscopy. For patients with MAS, the roentgenographic and arthroscopic manifestations were investigated, and arthroscopic medial release (AMR) was performed. The outcomes were evaluated by the changes in the pain domain of the Knee Society scoring system and by patient satisfaction. The prevalence of medial plica was 95%, and osteoarthritis (OA) was the most common clinical diagnosis. Symptoms of pain and crepitus in motion and local tenderness during physical examination were the most sensitive parameters for the diagnosis. A history of a single knee injury combined with local tenderness and a palpable band found during physical examination were the most specific parameters for the diagnosis. The majority of patients suffering from this syndrome were successfully treated using AMR, yielding a satisfaction rate of 85.5% after a minimum of 3 years.MAS is a common cause of knee pain in middle and old age and can be effectively treated by AMR. Its concomitance with OA warrants further investigation.
INTRODUCTION Chronic knee pain is a prevalent health problem of middle and old age.1 It has been found to be significantly associated with lower quality of life and is a major public health issue.2–4 Effective prevention and early treatment of knee pain at these ages has a major influence on healthy aging in the population.5 In the younger population, knee pain can have many possible causes, with medial plica syndrome always mentioned in the differential diagnosis6; in contrast, osteoarthritis (OA) is regarded as the most common cause of knee pain in middle-aged and older people in addition to trauma-related conditions, such as meniscus and/or ligament injury, crystal-induced inflammatory arthropathy, and rheumatoid arthritis.7,8 Therefore, the issue of knee pain during middle and old age has always been intermingled with OA in the literature.1–3,7,9,10Although OA is the most common concomitant diagnosis of the patients with knee pain in this age group, the etiology and mechanism of the pain have yet to be fully understood. Many studies have been conducted to investigate the origin of pain in the OA knee,11–16 and they have reached the consensus that it is multifactorial, including psychosocial factors, mechanical factors (eg, misalignment, valgus-varus laxity, body mass index, and abnormal gait), subchondral bone abnormalities (eg, denuded subchondral bone and bone marrow lesions), and synovitis. Within these factors, synovitis has recently been increasingly recognized as an important feature of the pathophysiology of the OA knee.17 It was not only proven to be strongly correlated with knee pain severity18,19 but also considered a predictive factor of subsequent advanced chondropathy in the OA knee.20 Therefore, synovitis treatment must be considered when treating OA knee pain.21The mediopatellar plica is a fold in the synovium that represents an embryologic remnant in the development of the knee's synovial cavity.22,23 Although the prevalence of medial plica ranges widely, from 22% to 95%,24–26 it is generally agreed that this structure can produce knee pain and can be successfully treated by arthroscopic resection in the event that it becomes inflamed, thickened, and/or less elastic.27–29 In a review of the literature, it appears to be only recognized as one of the main causes of knee pain in adolescents or young adults.23,25–30 With the exception of a small number of case reports,31 few studies have specified this well-known structure in their descriptions with regard to its presentation or clinical manifestation in older populations. Recent studies32–36 that investigated the chronological evolution of medial plicae disclosed that medial plica was more commonly found in patients with OA knees and that the severity of the degeneration was positively correlated with the severity of the medial plica and the patient age. According to these studies, the abrasion from repeated friction between the medial plica and the facing medial femoral condyle during daily activities would increase the severity of the pathologic change in the medial plica and give rise to clinical symptoms such as synovitis and pain. Surgical eradication of this abrasion could cure most patients' pain and even decelerate or halt the degenerative process in their knees.37,38 However, there is no study in the literature that has focused on the clinical presentation of medial plicae in middle-aged and older individuals.In this study, the prevalence and clinical manifestations of medial plica-related medial abrasion syndrome (MAS) in a population of middle-aged and older patients suffering from chronic knee pain were prospectively investigated. This syndrome was evaluated and defined by its clinical manifestations, including predisposing factors, symptoms, signs, radiographic manifestations, and arthroscopic findings. The clinical outcome of pain relief by arthroscopic medial release (AMR)37 for this syndrome was also investigated. We postulated that this syndrome would be a common cause of knee pain in this age group and could be effectively treated using AMR.
題目:膝部滑膜皺襞症候群的診斷與治療 作者:詹美華 林永福 滑膜皺襞(synovial plica)是胚胎分化不全的一種病變,胎兒早期在髕骨上方囊袋(suprapatellar pouch)及內、外側間隔(medical and lateral conpartments)分別由很薄的薄膜隔開。在胎兒四個月大時會被吸收成為一個大關節腔,若吸收不完全,就會具有遺留物,稱之為滑膜皺襞。因發生位置不同可分為髕骨上方滑膜皺襞(the suprapatellar plica)、髕骨內方滑膜皺襞(the mediaopatellar plica)以及髕骨下方滑膜皺襞(the infrapatella plica, also called ligamentum mucosa)。其中以髕骨上方滑膜皺襞最常見,髕骨下方滑膜皺襞次之,髕骨內側滑膜皺襞最少見;然而,髕骨內側滑膜皺襞卻是最易引起臨床症狀的皺襞。這些患者往往是因為膝部受到外力撞擊或長期重複的運動傷害,或膝關節腔內有其他的病理變化,造成淤血、腫脹和滑膜炎。典型滑膜皺襞的患者常無法屈膝久坐,在膝部受到扭傷、撞擊、劇烈運動後造成皺襞失去彈性,引起疼痛、腫脹,這種痛是間接性的隱隱作痛,只要從事需要彎曲膝部的活動,就會引起症狀。通常在膝蓋內側會有壓痛點,或是會有陽性的內側壓痛測試(medial compression test)和Stutter test。當然,關節鏡檢查會是最能一目了然的。保守治療的目的是降低滑膜發炎的因素以及降低發炎程度。冰敷以降低發炎反應,運動須加強股四頭肌的肌力,伸張屈膝肌以及避免滑膜纖維化的形成,全幅度的彎曲膝蓋是必須避免的動作。藥物治療會使用阿斯匹靈或其他非類固醇的藥物。通常年輕患者在接受保守治療會有起色;若是保守治療六至八週不見起色,就要考慮手術治療。以開膝手術切除滑膜,術後固定兩三天,之後才開始少許屈膝運動。術後七到十天才開始四頭肌等長收縮運動及直膝抬腿運動,術後一星期內行走需要拿拐杖。出院之後仍須繼續加強股四頭肌的肌力。若是以關節鏡切除滑膜的患者,術後即可開始四頭肌等長收縮運動、直膝抬腿運動及伸張屈膝肌運動,約七到十天即可恢復全部活動度。雖然關節鏡手術的術後復原會比開膝手術快,但仍須注意禁忌。待患側肌力和健側相當時,才可以開始跑步、騎腳踏車,但倒是可以鼓勵病人多游泳。
護膝,從日常生活中開始!作者 / 閱讀,對身體好!發表日期 / 2017/1/13間歇的壓力(跑、跳)能促進軟骨的新陳代謝,並不會傷害軟骨。可是,長期重複發炎會增加軟骨間的靜態壓力,不但造成緊繃痠痛的不適感,也會使軟骨逐漸崩解。體重以及工作上過度負重,是在軟骨破壞到一定程度,骨架變形後,才開始有加速軟骨破壞的作用。叮嚀一:除非有明顯的受傷,內側皺襞引起的「內側摩擦現象」是引起膝痛最常見的原因,無論是日常生活、運動、或是工作中,只要心中有「內側摩擦現象」的影像,就能適度的自我保護膝蓋了!叮嚀二:正常使用的膝關節是不會自然退化的。膝痛時,表示內部有發炎現象,軟骨也因這發炎現象正在被破壞中,最常見的原因就是內側皺襞因為過度摩擦或是單次被夾擊而發炎了。這時,先不要急著找醫師吃藥、打針止痛,把問題掩蓋住而不正視它。反而要感謝這疼痛,要把它看成是身體對我們發出的善意警訊,告訴我們膝蓋內部出問題了,好好檢討是哪些動作讓內側皺襞發炎,針對這些原因尋求改善,才能根本解決問題,疼痛也就自然緩解,不藥而癒了!日常生活一整天的作息中,可以依照以下方式保養與使用膝蓋。
1.起床 晚上睡覺時,因為身體長時間平躺少動,血液循環緩慢、靜脈回流差,發炎的內側皺襞就會變得更為腫脹,半夜或早上起床時,會覺得膝蓋卡卡的,無法馬上行動,不少患者也會碰到半夜痛醒,膝蓋不敢移動、甚至不知道如何擺放的痛苦狀況。這時,要記得先不要急著下床,平躺或是坐在床邊,慢慢的重複伸直/彎曲雙膝,並用雙手揉揉膝蓋,尤其是膝蓋內側,大概持續三到五分鐘,讓局部血液循環改善後再下床,就能順暢自如了。
2.上廁所 起床後,大家的第一個動作就是上廁所,這也是每個人(尤其是女性朋友)天天都必須重複好幾次的動作。建議家中最好不要安裝蹲式馬桶,改用坐式馬桶,外出也盡量使用坐式馬桶。不管蹲或坐,最重要的是謹記「慢」字訣,動作要盡量放慢。另外,也可以扶著牆壁或是加裝扶手,避免內側皺襞因膝蓋快速、突然的彎曲而被膝蓋骨夾擊。
3.用餐不論是坐椅子或沙發時,動作務必要慢,最好是可以用手扶著椅背或是桌沿,慢慢坐下去,這個原則適用在一天內所有要坐下的動作。
4.爬樓梯「爬樓梯傷膝蓋」,是最常看到或是聽到的保健警語,其實,只要懂得如何爬,爬樓梯不見得會傷膝!上樓梯時,下肢用力的階段膝蓋是由彎曲到伸直,較不會有問題;反觀下樓梯時,下肢用力的階段膝蓋是由伸直到彎曲,內側皺襞較容易被夾傷。內側皺襞發炎腫脹的患者在下樓梯時,膝蓋骨特別容易夾到內側皺襞,常會痛得聞梯色變,一看到樓梯就害怕,就是這個原因。有膝痛問題的人,盡量避免爬樓梯,如果非得爬,建議以膝蓋微彎的姿勢,減少膝關節彎曲的角度,一步一步慢慢爬,適時以扶手幫忙使力,配合腦中想像的內側皺襞摩擦情景,就能避免傷害了。
5.搭公車 等公車時,常常看到因為趕時間而匆匆忙忙上下公車的人,因為急,所以不自覺的看到公車就急忙衝上去,或是看到有位子就快速的坐下,到站了又急忙站起來,這些動作都可能會讓內側皺襞受到夾擊,受傷而發炎。另外,坐車時,為了避免讓膝蓋長時間彎曲超過50度,最好能選擇可讓膝蓋完全打直的位子。我看過一篇病例報告:有一位未曾有膝痛問題的學生,在參加遊覽車長途旅遊後,膝蓋竟然整個腫起來並且疼痛難耐,最後證實是內側皺襞急性發炎!其實,這就是因為坐車時,膝蓋長時間維持90度的彎曲,內側皺襞持續被夾在膝蓋骨與股骨間所造成的腫脹發炎現象。對於急性膝痛的患者,因為內側皺襞發炎腫脹,些微彎曲膝蓋都有可能會夾到內側皺襞而引發疼痛,外出時,建議盡量選擇步行、自用汽車、或是搭乘捷運,避免搭乘公車。
6.自行開車 一般房車的底盤較低,進出時記得要扶住車門,用手的支撐分攤身體的重量,先側坐,再把雙腳小心移入車內,膝痛的患者可用雙手托著膝窩,一次一隻,慢慢把下肢移入車內。當然,座位較高的休旅車是比較不傷膝的。
7.坐辦公室「長時間坐辦公桌的上班族,不需從事負重工作,膝蓋比較不容易退化」,這是錯誤的觀念!事實上,上班族整天坐在辦公室或是常常上下樓梯,發生「退化」性關節炎的機率也很高。坐著辦公時,膝蓋長時間彎曲呈90度,內側皺襞有如舌頭長時間被上下牙齒咬住般,當然會受到傷害,所以,每隔半小時,要抽空起來走動,或是伸直雙腿,做做簡單的護膝三動作。
8.休閒運動:以健走及動作緩慢的太極拳、瑜伽為主 對於「內側摩擦症候群」患者,推薦的運動是健走,不會因為膝關節彎曲的角度過大,而傷到膝蓋,又能夠達到運動的功效,也可以慢走或跑步。此外,也適合做太極拳、瑜珈或皮拉提斯等一些伸展或是動作慢的運動。至於球類運動,以膝蓋彎曲/伸直的頻率與角度做為判斷標準,太過就不適宜。像桌球,由於桌面有一定的高度,所以對膝蓋的傷害低。雖然膝蓋幾乎都要彎曲,但彎曲的角度在20~30度左右。依此類推,打高爾夫球時,膝蓋不需要長時間的重複彎曲與伸直,也是這類患者可以從事的運動。像是籃球或網球等需要大幅度彎曲膝蓋的動作,較可能會傷害內側皺襞。有一段時間很流行騎腳踏車,很多人也會買臺室內腳踏車在家運動,或是到健身房參加飛輪課程,腳踏車運動主要是鍛鍊關節周邊的肌力,如果肌肉無力,導致關節運動時的穩定度不夠,就容易受傷。但這個運動膝關節需要不斷重複彎曲伸直的動作,內側皺襞很容易就被膝蓋骨夾到。如果真的想騎,坐墊不要過低,避免膝蓋彎曲的角度過大,也要注意伸直、彎曲時,肌肉用力與放鬆的節奏(口訣:用力踩下,輕鬆縮回),減少內側皺襞被夾擊、受傷的機會。有內側皺襞發炎、又喜歡游泳的人,要避免游蛙式,因為膝蓋要不斷重複彎曲伸直的動作,長期下來,反而會惡化,如果只會游蛙式,可試著調整節奏以及下肢用力方式,在快速踢腿夾腿後,緩慢而輕鬆的縮回雙腿,避免在屈膝時夾擊內側皺襞。筆者較推薦自由式,而且是要標準的自由式,靠大腿上下擺動帶動小腿,膝蓋盡量不要彎曲,既不傷膝蓋,又能達到運動的效果。另外在上下泳池時也要注意,一定要抓緊泳池樓梯的扶手。 (原文刊載於呂紹睿《自己的膝蓋自己救》一書/時報出版。)