Aims

The aim of this study was to perform the first population-based description of the epidemiological and health economic burden of fracture-related infection (FRI).

Aims

Physician burnout and its consequences have been recognized as increasingly prevalent and important issues for both organizations and individuals involved in healthcare delivery. The purpose of this study was to describe and compare the patterns of self-reported wellness in orthopaedic surgeons and trainees from multiple nations with varying health systems.

Aims. Frailty greatly increases the risk of adverse outcome of trauma in older people. Frailty detection tools appear to be unsuitable for use in traumatically injured older patients. We therefore aimed to develop a method for detecting frailty in older people sustaining trauma using routinely collected clinical data. Methods. We analyzed prospectively collected registry data from 2,108 patients aged ≥ 65 years who were admitted to a single major trauma centre over five years (1 October 2015 to 31 July 2020). We divided the sample equally into two, creating derivation and validation samples. In the derivation sample, we performed univariate analyses followed by multivariate regression, starting with 27 clinical variables in the registry to predict Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS; range 1 to 9) scores. Bland-Altman analyses were performed in the validation cohort to evaluate any biases between the Nottingham Trauma Frailty Index (NTFI) and the CFS. Results. In the derivation cohort, five of the 27 variables were strongly predictive of the CFS (regression coefficient B = 6.383 (95% confidence interval 5.03 to 7.74), p < 0.001): age, Abbreviated Mental Test score, admission haemoglobin concentration (g/l), pre-admission mobility (needs assistance or not), and mechanism of injury (falls from standing height). In the validation cohort, there was strong agreement between the NTFI and the CFS (mean difference 0.02) with no apparent systematic bias. Conclusion. We have developed a clinically applicable tool using easily and routinely measured physiological and functional parameters, which clinicians and researchers can use to guide patient care and to stratify the analysis of quality improvement and research projects. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2024;106-B(4):412–418

Aims. Rotator cuff disease (RCD) can considerably decrease quality of life. Here, we investigated whether health-related quality of life (HRQoL) influences the need for surgery in patients with RCD. Methods. We performed an analysis of 417 patients with symptomatic RCD who were recruited from two hospitals between June 2008 and December 2014 to be randomized to receive non-surgical or surgical treatment. After a three-month rehabilitation period, 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36), shoulder pain (visual analogue scale (VAS)), and shoulder function (Constant-Murley score) data were available from 191 still-symptomatic patients who were eligible for surgery. A control group was formed from 87 excluded patients who were no longer eligible for surgery due to relief of symptoms. Results. Mean pain on the VAS was 51.3 (SD 20.1) in the patients eligible for surgery and 41.7 (SD 21.2) in the control group. The following domains of the SF-36 were associated with being eligible for surgery in univariate analyses: bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, and emotional wellbeing. In multivariate analysis, only bodily pain was associated with pursuing surgical treatment. The RCD population’s values for physical role, bodily pain, and physical functioning were poorer compared to the values of the general population. Conclusion. Lower HRQoL, as indicated by the lower bodily pain score on the SF-36, was associated with the decision to undergo surgical treatment in patients with RCD. Therefore, HRQoL should be considered when determining treatment options for RCD. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(9):793–799

Aims. Distal femoral resection in conventional total knee arthroplasty (TKA) utilizes an intramedullary guide to determine coronal alignment, commonly planned for 5° of valgus. However, a standard 5° resection angle may contribute to malalignment in patients with variability in the femoral anatomical and mechanical axis angle. The purpose of the study was to leverage deep learning (DL) to measure the femoral mechanical-anatomical axis angle (FMAA) in a heterogeneous cohort. Methods. Patients with full-limb radiographs from the Osteoarthritis Initiative were included. A DL workflow was created to measure the FMAA and validated against human measurements. To reflect potential intramedullary guide placement during manual TKA, two different FMAAs were calculated either using a line approximating the entire diaphyseal shaft, and a line connecting the apex of the femoral intercondylar sulcus to the centre of the diaphysis. The proportion of FMAAs outside a range of 5.0° (SD 2.0°) was calculated for both definitions, and FMAA was compared using univariate analyses across sex, BMI, knee alignment, and femur length. Results. The algorithm measured 1,078 radiographs at a rate of 12.6 s/image (2,156 unique measurements in 3.8 hours). There was no significant difference or bias between reader and algorithm measurements for the FMAA (p = 0.130 to 0.563). The FMAA was 6.3° (SD 1.0°; 25% outside range of 5.0° (SD 2.0°)) using definition one and 4.6° (SD 1.3°; 13% outside range of 5.0° (SD 2.0°)) using definition two. Differences between males and females were observed using definition two (males more valgus; p < 0.001). Conclusion. We developed a rapid and accurate DL tool to quantify the FMAA. Considerable variation with different measurement approaches for the FMAA supports that patient-specific anatomy and surgeon-dependent technique must be accounted for when correcting for the FMAA using an intramedullary guide. The angle between the mechanical and anatomical axes of the femur fell outside the range of 5.0° (SD 2.0°) for nearly a quarter of patients. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2024;5(2):101–108

The use of cannabis is increasingly medically relevant as it is legalized and gains acceptance more broadly. However, the effects of marijuana use on postoperative outcomes following orthopedic surgery have not been well-characterized. This study seeks to illuminate the relationship between marijuana use and the incidence postoperative complications including: DVT, PE, nonunion, and infection following common orthopedic procedures. This study was conducted using a national orthopaedic claims insurance database. We identified all patients undergoing knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy, operatively managed long bone fractures (humerus, femur, tibia and/or fibula, and radius and/or ulna), and single-level lumbar fusion. The proportion of patients within each surgery cohort who had a diagnostic code for marijuana dependence was assessed. The rates of DVT, PE, and infection within 90 days were assessed for all patients. The rate of nonunion was assessed for the long bone fracture and lumbar fusion cohorts. Univariate analyses of marijuana dependence on all outcomes were performed, followed by a multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for known patient comorbidities. We identified 1,113,944 knee arthroscopy, 747,938 shoulder arthroscopy, 88,891 lumbar fusion, and 37,163 long bone fracture patients. Out of the 1,987,936 patients, 24,404 patients had a diagnostic code for marijuana dependence. Within all four surgical subgroups, the marijuana dependence cohort experienced increased rates of infection, PE, and DVT, as well as increased rates of nonunion in the lumbar fusion and long bone fracture populations. In the multivariate analyses controlling for a variety of patient risk factors including tobacco use, marijuana dependence was identified as an independent risk factor for infection within all four surgical subgroups (Knee: OR 1.85, p < 0.001; Shoulder: OR 1.65, p < 0.001; Spine: OR 1.45, p < 0.001; Long bone: OR 1.28, p < 0.001), and for nonunion in the lumbar fusion (OR 1.38, p < 0.001) and long bone fracture (OR 1.31, p < 0.001) subgroups. Our data suggests that marijuana dependence may be associated with increased rates of infection and nonunion following a variety of orthopaedic procedures. During preoperative evaluation, surgeons may consider marijuana use as a potential risk factor for postoperative complications, especially within the context of marijuana legalization. Future research into this relationship is necessary

Despite the current trend favoring surgical treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACFs), studies have not been able to demonstrate superior functional outcomes when compared to non-operative treatment. These fractures are notoriously difficult to reduce. Studies investigating surgical fixation often lack information about the quality of reduction even though it may play an important role in the success of this procedure. We wanted to establish if, amongst surgically treated DIACF, an anatomic reduction led to improved functional outcomes at 12 months. From July 2011 to December 2020, at a level I trauma center, 84 patients with an isolated DIACF scheduled for surgical fixation with plate and screws using a lateral extensile approach were enrolled in this prospective cohort study and followed over a 12-month period. Post-operative computed tomography (CT) imaging of bilateral feet was obtained to assess surgical reduction using a combination of pre-determined parameters: Böhler's angle, calcaneal height, congruence and articular step-off of the posterior facet and calcaneocuboid (CC) joint. Reduction was judged anatomic when Böhler's angle and calcaneal height were within 20% of the contralateral foot while the posterior facet and CC joint had to be congruent with a step-off less than 2 mm. Several functional scores related to foot and ankle pathology were used to evaluate functional outcomes (American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score - AOFAS, Lower Extremity Functional Score - LEFS, Olerud and Molander Ankle Score - OMAS, Calcaneal Functional Scoring System - CFSS, Visual Analog Scale for pain - VAS) and were compared between anatomic and nonanatomic DIAFCs using Student's t-test. Demographic data and information about injury severity were collected for each patient. Among the 84 enrolled patients, 6 were excluded while 11 were lost to follow-up. Thirty-nine patients had a nonanatomic reduction while 35 patients had an anatomic reduction (47%). Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. When we compared the injury severity as defined by the Sanders’ Classification, we did not find a significant difference. In other words, the nonanatomic group did not have a greater proportion of complex fractures. Anatomically reduced DIACFs showed significantly superior results at 12 months for all but one scoring system (mean difference at 12 months: AOFAS 3.97, p = 0.12; LEFS 7.46, p = 0.003; OMAS 13.6, p = 0.002, CFSS 7.5, p = 0.037; VAS −1.53, p = 0.005). Univariate analyses did not show that smoking status, worker's compensation or body mass index were associated with functional outcomes. Moreover, fracture severity could not predict functional outcomes at 12 months. This study showed superior functional outcomes in patients with a DIACF when an anatomic reduction is achieved regardless of the injury severity

Despite the current trend favoring surgical treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures (DIACFs), studies have not been able to demonstrate superior functional outcomes when compared to non-operative treatment. These fractures are notoriously difficult to reduce. Studies investigating surgical fixation often lack information about the quality of reduction even though it may play an important role in the success of this procedure. We wanted to establish if, amongst surgically treated DIACF, an anatomic reduction led to improved functional outcomes at 12 months. From July 2011 to December 2020, at a level I trauma center, 84 patients with an isolated DIACF scheduled for surgical fixation with plate and screws using a lateral extensile approach were enrolled in this prospective cohort study and followed over a 12-month period. Post-operative computed tomography (CT) imaging of bilateral feet was obtained to assess surgical reduction using a combination of pre-determined parameters: Böhler's angle, calcaneal height, congruence and articular step-off of the posterior facet and calcaneocuboid (CC) joint. Reduction was judged anatomic when Böhler's angle and calcaneal height were within 20% of the contralateral foot while the posterior facet and CC joint had to be congruent with a step-off less than 2 mm. Several functional scores related to foot and ankle pathology were used to evaluate functional outcomes (American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Score - AOFAS, Lower Extremity Functional Score - LEFS, Olerud and Molander Ankle Score - OMAS, Calcaneal Functional Scoring System - CFSS, Visual Analog Scale for pain – VAS) and were compared between anatomic and nonanatomic DIAFCs using Student's t-test. Demographic data and information about injury severity were collected for each patient. Among the 84 enrolled patients, 6 were excluded while 11 were lost to follow-up. Thirty-nine patients had a nonanatomic reduction while 35 patients had an anatomic reduction (47%). Baseline characteristics were similar in both groups. When we compared the injury severity as defined by the Sanders’ Classification, we did not find a significant difference. In other words, the nonanatomic group did not have a greater proportion of complex fractures. Anatomically reduced DIACFs showed significantly superior results at 12 months for all but one scoring system (mean difference at 12 months: AOFAS 3.97, p = 0.12; LEFS 7.46, p = 0.003; OMAS 13.6, p = 0.002, CFSS 7.5, p = 0.037; VAS −1.53, p = 0.005). Univariate analyses did not show that smoking status, worker's compensation or body mass index were associated with functional outcomes. Moreover, fracture severity could not predict functional outcomes at 12 months. This study showed superior functional outcomes in patients with a DIACF when an anatomic reduction is achieved regardless of the injury severity

Aims. The main aims were to identify risk factors predictive of a radiolucent line (RLL) around the acetabular component with an interface bioactive bone cement (IBBC) technique in the first year after THA, and evaluate whether these risk factors influence the development of RLLs at five and ten years after THA. Methods. A retrospective review was undertaken of 980 primary cemented THAs in 876 patients using cemented acetabular components with the IBBC technique. The outcome variable was any RLLs that could be observed around the acetabular component at the first year after THA. Univariate analyses with univariate logistic regression and multivariate analyses with exact logistic regression were performed to identify risk factors for any RLLs based on radiological classification of hip osteoarthritis. Results. RLLs were detected in 27.2% of patients one year postoperatively. In multivariate regression analysis controlling for confounders, atrophic osteoarthritis (odds ratio (OR) 2.17 (95% confidence interval (CI), 1.04 to 4.49); p = 0.038) and 26 mm (OR 3.23 (95% CI 1.85 to 5.66); p < 0.001) or 28 mm head diameter (OR 3.64 (95% CI 2.07 to 6.41); p < 0.001) had a significantly greater risk for any RLLs one year after surgery. Structural bone graft (OR 0.19 (95% CI 0.13 to 0.29) p < 0.001) and location of the hip centre within the true acetabular region (OR 0.15 (95% CI 0.09 to 0.24); p < 0.001) were significantly less prognostic. Improvement of the cement-bone interface including complete disappearance and poorly defined RLLs was identified in 15.1% of patients. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis for the acetabular component at ten years with revision of the acetabular component for aseptic loosening as the end point was 100.0% with a RLL and 99.1% without a RLL (95% CI 97.9 to 100). With revision of the acetabular component for any reason as the end point, the survival rate was 99.2% with a RLL (95% CI 97.6 to 100) and 96.5% without a RLL (95% CI 93.4 to 99.7). Conclusion. This study demonstrates that acetabular bone quality, head diameter, structural bone graft, and hip centre position may influence the presence of the any RLL. Cite this article: Bone Joint Open 2021;2(5):278–292

Complex proximal humerus fractures account for 10% of fractures in patients over 65 years of age. With the emergence of new implants, there is growing trend towards surgical management of these types of fractures, despite the lack of clinical evidence of its superiority over a conservative option. Orthopaedic surgeons' perception plays a large role in the surgical decision making for complex proximal humerus fractures in the elderly. No studies have been conducted to date to examine factors that influence the surgical decision-making in orthopaedic surgeons in regards to these types of fractures. A self-administered questionnaire was sent to orthopaedic surgeons. It included demographic questions as well as clinical vignettes assessing the risk / benefit perception of orthopaedic surgeons in different situations. Orthopaedic surgeons self-reported the proportion of proximal humerus fractures that were treated surgically in patients during the last year. Univariate analyzes were conducted to identify the factors that influenced the operation rates. A total of 127 orthopaedic surgeons completed the questionnaire. The response rate was 37%. The risk / benefit perception of surgical management varied according to the type of practice, year of training, operation rate as well as the ease of the surgeon in performing shoulder procedures (p < 0.05). According to the queried surgeons, the most important factors affecting their decision-making were patient's age, the type of fracture, co-morbidities, level of independence and potential for rehabilitation. The type of surgery proposed varied depending on the training and familiarity of the surgeon with the procedure. The risk / benefit perception of orthopaedic surgeons regarding surgical treatment of proximal humerus fractures in elderly patients appears to vary widely. The decision to opt for surgical management is influenced by the surgeon's familiarity with the procedure, their year of training and their subspecialty. This study demonstrates the need to establish a decision-making tool to assist orthopaedic surgeons and patients with this clinical decision

Introduction. As orthopaedics shifts towards value-based models of care, methods of evaluating the value of procedures such as a total hip arthroplasty (THA) will become crucial. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) can offer a meaningful way for patient-centered input to factor into the determination of value. Despite their benefits, PROMs can be difficult to interpret as statistically significant, but not clinically relevant, differences between groups can be found. One method of correcting this issue is by using a minimal clinically important improvement (MCII), defined as the smallest improvement in a PROM determined to be important to patients. This study aims to find demographic and surgical factors that are independently predictive of failing to achieve a MCII in pain and physical function at 1-year following THA. Methods. A total of 976 patients were enrolled into a prospective international, multicenter study evaluating the long-term clinical performance of two acetabular shells and two polyethylene liners from a single manufacturer. All patients consented to be followed with plain radiographs and a set of PROMs preoperatively and at 1-year after surgery. The outcomes considered in this study were achieving literature-defined MCIIs in pain and physical function at one year after THA. The MCII in pain was defined as achieving a 2-point decrease on the Numerical Rating Scale (NRS)-Pain or reporting a 1-year NRS-Pain value of 0, indicating no pain. The MCII in physical function was defined as achieving an 8.29-point increase on the SF-36 Physical Function subscore. Univariate analyses were conducted to determine if there were statistically significant differences between patients who did achieve and did not achieve a MCII. Variables tested included: demographic and surgical factors, general and mental health state, and preoperative radiographic findings such as deformity and joint space width (JSW). Significant variables were entered into a multivariable binary logistic regression. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to generate cutoff values for significant continuous variables. Youden's index was used to identify cutoff points that maximized both specificity and sensitivity. Results. Of 976 enrolled patients, 630 (65%) patients had complete preoperative and 1-year PROMs and a valid preoperative radiograph. Of the final cohort, 59 (9%) patients did not achieve the MCII in pain and 208 (33%) patients did not achieve the MCII in physical function following THA. Multivariable analysis determined that higher preoperative JSW (odds ratio (OR)=2.04; p<0.001), and lower preoperative SF-36 Mental Composite Score (MCS) (OR=0.96; p<0.001) were independently predictive of not achieving a MCII in pain. ROC analysis determined that cutoff points for preoperative JSW and MCS were 0.65mm and 47.4 points, respectively. In a separate multivariable regression, we found higher preoperative JSW (OR=1.40; p=0.010) and higher preoperative HHS (OR=1.03; p<0.001) to be independently predictive of not achieving a MCII in physical function. Cutoff points for preoperative JSW and HHS were respectively 0.65mm and 50.5 points. Conclusion. In the upcoming era of value-based orthopaedics, each treatment must produce a meaningful clinical improvement per dollar spent. To help achieve this goal, this study has identified that patients with less severe OA, poor mental health, and good preoperative hip function are at a higher risk for not achieving MCIIs in pain or function after THA. Surgeons can use this analysis to discuss the appropriateness of a THA with their patients, frame patient expectations, and broach the possibility of delaying surgery if the patient has risk factors for poor improvement

Introduction. Custom flanged acetabular components (CFAC) have been shown to be effective in treating complex acetabular reconstructions in revision total hip arthroplasty (THA). However, the specific patient factors and CFAC design characteristics that affect the overall survivorship remain unclear. Once the surgeon opts to follow this treatment pathway, numerous decisions need to be made during the pre-operative design phase and during implantation, which may influence the ultimate success of CFAC. The goal of this study was to retrospectively review the entire cohort of CFAC cases performed at a large volume institution and to identify any patient, surgeon, or design factors that may be related to the long-term survival of these prostheses. Methods. We reviewed 96 CFAC cases performed in 91 patients between 2004 and 2017, from which 36 variables were collected spanning patient demographics, pre-operative clinical and radiographic features, intraoperative information, and implant design characteristics. Patient demographics and relevant clinical features were collected from individual medical records. Radiographic review included analysis of pre-operative radiographs, computer tomographic (CT) scans, and serial post-operative radiographs. Radiographic failure was defined as loosening or gross migration as determined by a board-certified orthopedic surgeon. CFAC implant design characteristics and intra-operative features were collected from the design record, surgical record and post-operative radiograph for each case respectively. Two sets of statistical analyses were performed with this dataset. First, univariate analyses were performed for each variable, comprising of a Pearson chi-square test for categorical variables and an independent t-test for continuous variables. Second, a random forest supervised machine learning method was applied to identify the most influential variables within the dataset, which were then used to perform a bivariable logistic regression to generate odds ratios. Statistical significance for this study was set at p < 0.05. Results. Radiographic failures occurred in 22/96 (23%) of cases with 12/96 (13%) undergoing re-revision (time to revision: Mean 25.1 months; Range: 3 – 84, SD 26.5). No relationship between radiographic failure and the preoperative Paprosky grade or the presence of a discontinuity was observed. The rate of radiographic failure (loosening and/or migration) was inversely associated with age, with increased failure seen in patients who were younger at the time of surgery; (mean age: 54.4±13.0 v. 64.8±11.4 years; p=0.007). Patients whose initial diagnosis was not osteoarthritis were more likely to fail than those with primary OA (OR: 3.79, p=0.0173) and were younger at the time of surgery (p=0.013). The presence of ischial screws from previous surgery (28%) was also an independent risk factor for failure (OR: 3.11, p=0.021). Random forest analysis identified the age at index procedure and the location of the inferior-most ischial screw as the most sensitive predictors of radiographic failure. As patient age at the time of surgery increased, there was subsequent a decreased rate of failure (OR: 0.93 odds ratio per year, p =0.005). When the bottom-most ischial screw was within the top half of the obturator foramen, it was 4 times more likely to fail than when this screw was located at the bottom half of the obturator foramen (OR = 3.98, p=0.046) (p < 0.05). Discussion and Conclusion. This study was able to identify the patient and design variables predictive of survival of CFAC prostheses used in complex revision THA. Younger patients (<55years) are at increased risk for failure either due to a more active lifestyle or because they have a non-OA primary diagnosis that predisposes them to earlier THA. Compromised ischial bone stock or inadequate ischial fixation both had a significant impact on CFAC implant survivorship as both the presence of pre-CFAC ischial screw fixation and lack of inferior ischial fixation correlated with increased rate of failure. These findings highlight the importance of rigid ischial fixation sufficient to resist the high pull-out forces generated during activities of daily living

Objective. To identify risk factors for surgical site infections and to quantify the contribution of independent risk factors to the probability of developing infection after definitive fixation of tibial plateau fractures. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed at a Level I trauma center between 2004 and 2010. A total of 251 consecutive patients (256 cases) were divided into two groups, those with and those without a surgical site infection. Preoperative and perioperative variables were compared between these groups and risk factors were determined by univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression. Results. The overall rate of surgical site infection after tibial plateau ORIF was 7.8% (20 of 256). The most common causative pathogens was Staphylococcus aureus (n=15, 75%). Independent predictors of surgical site infection identified by multivariate analyses were open tibial plateau fracture (odds ratio =3.9; 95% confidence interval=1.3–11.6, p =0.015) and operative time (odds ratio=2.7; 95% confidence interval=1.6 − 4.4; p < 0.001). Conclusions. Both open fracture and operative time are independent risks factors for post operative infection

Introduction. Low total Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score might significantly increase risk of hip fractures. This study was to investigate the effects of MMSE subdomains on the risk of hip fractures with a sex and age matched case control study. Materials & Methods. A total of 217 patients with first low-trauma hip fractures were matched with 215 hospitalised controls. Seven MMSE subdomains were analysed using conditional logistic regression with adjustment of five important clinical confounders: education level, ADL, physical activities, body mass index and bone mineral density. ROC curve analyses were further used to investigate the predictability of the independent subdomains. Results. In univariate analyses, low score of all MMSE subdomains significantly increased the risk of hip fracture. However, only time orientation and visual construction domain remained significant in multivariate analyses. In the ROC curve analyses, the AUC of these two independent subdomains along with five clinical confounders was significantly larger (p=0.008) than that of clinical confounders alone. The AUC of summed scores of these two subdomains were significantly higher than that of total MMSE score (p=0.009). Conclusions. Time orientation and visual construction subdomains were significant independent risk factors for hip fractures and could be effectively used to screen the patients with high fracture risk in the hospital. Preventive intervention can be given to these patients

Introduction. Positive expectations can increase compliance with treatment and realistic expectations may reduce postoperative dissatisfaction. Recently there are articles regarding expectations of patients from their TKA in western literature and only few articles based on Korean populations which don't encompass the whole spectrum of expectations in Korean patients. In all those articles based on pre-operative expectation, results were applied to whole expectation category uniformly not differentially. We aimed to document the pre-operative expectations in Korean patients undergoing total knee replacement using an established survey form and to determine whether expectations were influenced by socio-demographic factors and socio-demographic factors influences expectation items in particular category uniformly or differentially. Methods. Expectations regarding 19 items in the Knee Replacement Expectation Survey form were investigated in 228 patients scheduled for total knee replacement. The levels and distribution patterns of individual and summated expectation of five expectation categories; relief from pain, baseline activity, high flexion activity, social activity and psychological wellbeing, constructed from the 19 items were assessed. Univariate analyses and Binary logistic regression were performed and analyzed to examine the association of expectations with the socio-demographic factors. Results. The top five expectations among individual items were: improvement in walking ability, relief from pain, ascending and descending stairs, improvement in changing position and improvement in daily activity, respectively. Among the five expectation categories, relief from pain was ranked the highest, followed by restoration of baseline activity, ability to perform high flexion activities, psychological well-being and ability to participate in social activities respectively. Conclusion. There was a high expectation of restoration of walking ability, relief from pain and high flexion activity, whereas the expectation was more variable for psychological well-being and social activities. An age of < 65years, being employed, male gender, previous participation in high level sports activity, less income were all found to be significantly associated with higher expectations in social activity category whereas in baseline category, pain relief category and psychological well being category there are no significantly associated socio-demographic factors found, which shows these are the expectation items/categories which don't depend on socio-demographic factors and are highly expected by all patients undergoing TKA in our study. We also found that Socio-demographic factors influence individual expectation items in particular category differentially not uniformly hence results of individual items don't reflect the whole category or vice versa

Background The minimum size required for a successful quadrupled hamstring autograft ACL reconstruction remains controversial. The risks of ACL re-tear in younger patients who tend to participate in a higher level of sports activity, and female athletes who have numerous predisposing factors, are poorly defined. Purpose To identify risk factors for graft re-tears within 2 years of ACL surgery. The hypotheses are that female sex, a smaller size graft, and younger patients will increase the odds of failure. Study Design Cohort Study. Level of evidence, 3. A cohort of 503 athletes undergoing primary, autograft hamstring ACL reconstruction, performed by a single surgeon using the same surgical technique and rehabilitation protocol, between September-December 2012, was followed for a total duration of 2 years. Return to play was allowed between 6 and 12 months post-surgery upon completion of functional testing. Exclusion criteria included infections, revisions, double bundle techniques, multi-ligament injuries, non-compliance, BTB/allografts/hybrid grafts. Primary outcome consisted of binary data (ACL graft re-tear or no tear) as measured on physical exam (Lachman and pivot shift) and MRI. Multivariate logistic regression statistical analysis with model fitting was used to investigate the predictive value of sex, age, and graft size on ACL re-tear. Secondary sensitivity analyses were performed on the adolescent subgroup, age and graft size as categorical variables, and testing for interactions among variables. Sample size was calculated based on the rule of 10 events per independent variable for logistic regression. The mean age of the 503 athletes was 27.5 (SD 10.6; range = 12–61). There were 235 females (47%) and 268 males (53%) with a 6 % rate of re-tears (28 patients; 17 females). Mean graft size was 7.9 (SD 0.6; range = 6–10). Univariate analyses of graft size, sex, and age only in the model showed that younger age (odds ratio [OR] = 0.86; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.80–0.93; P = .001] and smaller graft size (OR = 0.36; 95% CI = 0.18–0.70; P = .003) were significantly predictive of re-tear. Female sex was correlated with re-tear but was not significant (OR = 1.8; 95% CI = 0.84–3.97; P = .13). Multivariate analysis with all 3 variables in the model showed similar significant results. Graft size < 8 mm (OR = 2.95; 95% CI = 1.33–6.53; P = .008) and age < 25 (OR = 7.01; 95% CI = 2.40–20.53; P = .001) were significantly predictive of re-tear. Entire model was statistically significant (Omnibus test P = .001; Hosmer-Lemeshow statistic P = .68; Receiver Operating Curve [ROC] = 0.8). Surgeons should counsel their patients who are female, younger than 25 and with a graft size less than 8 mm accordingly and consider modifying their surgical or rehabilitation techniques to mitigate these re-tear risks

Background. Two-stage revision is considered the gold standard for treatment of knee prosthetic joint infections. Current guidelines for selecting the most appropriate procedure to eradicate knee prosthetic joint infections are based upon the duration of symptoms, the condition of the implant and soft tissue evaluated during surgery and the infecting organism. A more robust tool to identify candidates for two-stage revision and who are at high risk for treatment failure might improve preoperative risk assessment and increase a surgeon's index of suspicion, resulting in closer monitoring, optimization of risk factors for failure and more aggressive management of those patients who are predicted to fail. Methods. Charts from 3,809 revision total joint arthroplasties were reviewed. Demographic data, clinical data and disease follow-up on 314 patients with infected total knee arthroplasty treated with two-stage revision were collected. Univariate analyses were performed to determine which variables were independently associated with failure of the procedure to eradicate the prosthetic joint infections. Cox regression was used to construct a model predicting the probability of treatment failure and the results were used to generate a nomogram which was internally validated using bootstrapping. Results. 209 (66.6%) cases experienced reinfection at an average of 429 days (range, 9 to 3,886) following the two-stage revision. Univariate analysis identified multiple variables independently associated with reinfection including: a longer duration of symptoms (p<0.001), a longer time from the index total knee arthroplasty (p=0.003), a higher number of previous surgeries in the same joint (p<0.001), an elevated C-reactive protein (p=0.005), an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p=0.006), a low hemoglobin (p=0.001), a previous infection in the same joint (p<0.001), diabetes (p<0.001), and heart disease (p=0.006). Among 1,000 bootstrap samples, the bias corrected receiver operating characteristic for the nomogram was 0.77. Conclusions. Preoperative knowledge of the probability that a treatment strategy will eradicate a patient's prosthetic joint infection may improve risk assessment and allow adequate time for consideration of alternative therapies

Purpose: There is a paucity of literature describing clinical outcomes following hip arthroscopy. Variables associated with short or prolonged recovery are undefined. This presents a challenge to surgeons in preoperatively communicating with patients about expectations after surgery. The goals of this study are to identify predictors of recovery and to develop models which will facilitate the proper counseling of patients prior to hip arthroscopy. In this study, we define a normal recovery after hip arthroscopy, determine the predictive values of preoperative and intraoperative variables for recovery and for progression to total hip arthroplasty (THA) after hip arthroscopy. Method: A retrospective review of 216 individuals treated with hip arthroscopy at a tertiary medical center was conducted by a single reviewer. Univariate analysis was used to identify independent variables that correlated with prolonged or short recovery following hip arthroscopy and also on variables correlated with progression to THA. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to develop and test multivariate models for predicting prolonged recovery and progression to THA. Results: Univariate analyses revealed multiple variables (spanning demographics, past medical history, radiographic findings, physical examination findings, and intraoperative findings) which were significantly (p≤0.05) correlated with prolonged recovery (13 significant predictors) and also with progression to THA (14 significant predictors). A multivariate predictive algorithm was generated using 5 significant predictors of prolonged recovery, which included Workman’s compensation involvement, female gender, use of pain medications, presence of a limp, and presence of a lateral labral tear. This algorithm was tested successfully using an independent sample of 25 individuals. Three multivariate predictors of progression to THA after hip arthroscopy were identified, including radiographic presence of arthritis, female gender and the presence of grade 4 chondral lesions, and a predictive algorithm was generated. Conclusion: We generated and initially validated a multivariate algorithm to predict prolonged recovery following hip arthroscopy. If validated in larger sample, this model may allow a surgeon to appropriately counsel patients regarding expectations for recovery after hip arthroscopy

The two most common surgical approaches used in primary hip arthroplasty are the anterolateral and posterolateral approach. While both approaches have potential advantages and disadvantages in comparison to the other, there are no reports with sufficient power to compare their effect on post-operative function and quality of life. This prospective cohort study evaluates and compares the independent effect of surgical approach on function and quality of life among patients who have received their total hip arthroplasty through one of these techniques. Results suggest that there is no significant difference in function or quality of life among these respective cohorts. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the effect of anterolateral versus posterolateral approach on function and quality of life following primary total hip arthroplasty. There is no significant difference in outcome as a result of surgical approach. Significance: This is the first report with sufficient power to evaluate and compare outcomes of these two approaches among high volume hip surgeons. This study suggests that surgeons need not worry that the anterolateral or posterolateral approach may compromise patient function or generic quality of life more-so than the alternative approach. Univariate and regression analyses demonstrate similar outcomes on WOMAC, Oxford-12, SF-12 and satisfaction among cohorts of patients receiving the anterolateral or posterolateral approach for primary total hip arthroplasty. A prospective evaluation of function and quality of life outcomes was performed on patients receiving the anterolateral or posterolateral approach for primary hip arthroplasty. All participating surgeons were considered to be high volume arthroplasty surgeons. One hundred and sixty procedures were followed and provided complete outcomes data including WOMAC, Oxford, SF-12, and satisfaction scores. Univariate analyses demonstrated no differences among the two cohorts with regards to baseline variables. Regression analyses were performed for the outcome measures with surgical approach treated as an independent covariate while controlling for other potential confounders. The results suggest that there is no independent effect of surgical approach on patient reported outcomes. This suggests that the surgeon should continue to employ the approach which is the most familiar and most likely to result in consistent results in their clinical environment

To identify factors that predict poor patient-reported outcomes in patients with traumatic vertebral body fracture(s) of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine without neurological deficit. There is a paucity of information on factors that predict poor patient-reported outcomes in patients with traumatic vertebral body fracture(s) of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine without neurological deficit. Patients were identified from the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR). VOTOR includes all patients with orthopaedic trauma admitted to the two adult Level 1 trauma centres in Victoria, Australia. Patient-reported outcomes and data on possible predictive factors, including demographic details, injury-related and treatment-based factors, were obtained from the VOTOR database. Patient-reported outcomes were measured at 12 months post-injury using the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12), a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain, global outcome questions and data was collected on return to work or study. For the identification of predictive factors, univariate analyses of outcome vs. each predictor were carried out first, followed by logistic multiple regression. 344 patients were eligible for the study and data were obtained for 264 (76.7%) patients at 12 months follow-up. Patients reported ongoing pain at 12 months post-injury (moderate–severe: 33.5%), disability (70.1%) and inability to return to work or study (23.3%). A number of demographic, injury-related and treatment-based factors were identified as being predictive of poor patient-reported outcomes. Patients who had associated radius fracture(s) were more likely to have moderate to severe disability (odds ratio (OR) = 3.85, 95% confidence interval = 1.30–11.39), a poorer physical health status (OR = 3.73, 1.37–10.12) and moderate to severe pain (OR = 3.23, 1.22–8.56) at 12 months post-injury than patients without radius fracture. Patients who did not receive compensation for work-related or road traffic-related injuries were less likely to report moderate to severe pain (OR = 0.45, 0.23–0.90) or have a poorer mental health status (OR = 0.17, 0.04–0.70) at 12 months post-injury than those who received compensation. The prognostic factors identified in this study may assist clinicians in the identification of patients requiring more intensive follow-up or additional rehabilitation to ultimately improve patient care