Participation in a physical therapy program is considered one of the greatest predictors for successful conservative management of common shoulder disorders, however, adherence to standard exercise protocols is often poor (around 50%) and typically worse for unsupervised home exercise programs. Currently, there are limited tools available for objective measurement of adherence and performance of shoulder rehabilitation in the home setting. The goal of this study was to develop and evaluate the potential for performing home shoulder physiotherapy monitoring using a commercial smartwatch. We hypothesize that shoulder physiotherapy exercises can be classified by analyzing the temporal sequence of inertial sensor outputs from a smartwatch worn on the extremity performing the exercise.

Twenty healthy adult subjects with no prior shoulder disorders performed seven exercises from a standard evidence-based rotator cuff physiotherapy protocol: pendulum, abduction, forward elevation, internal/external rotation and trapezius extension with a resistance band, and a weighted bent-over row. Each participant performed 20 repetitions of each exercise bilaterally under the supervision of an orthopaedic surgeon, while 6-axis inertial sensor data was collected at 50 Hz from an Apple Watch. Using the scikit-learn and keras platforms, four supervised learning algorithms were trained to classify the exercises: k-nearest neighbour (k-NN), random forest (RF), support vector machine classifier (SVC), and a deep convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN). Algorithm performance was evaluated using 5-fold cross-validation stratified first temporally and then by subject.

Categorical classification accuracy was above 94% for all algorithms on the temporally stratified cross validation, with the best performance achieved by the CRNN algorithm (99.4± 0.2%). The subject stratified cross validation, which evaluated classifier performance on unseen subjects, yielded lower accuracies scores again with CRNN performing best (88.9 ± 1.6%).

This proof-of concept study demonstrates the feasibility of a smartwatch device and machine learning approach to more easily monitor and assess the at-home adherence of shoulder physiotherapy exercise protocols. Future work will focus on translation of this technology to the clinical setting and evaluating exercise classification in shoulder disorder populations.

Aims. The principles of evidence-based medicine (EBM) are the foundation of modern medical practice. Surgeons are familiar with the commonly used statistical techniques to test hypotheses, summarize findings, and provide answers within a specified range of probability. Based on this knowledge, they are able to critically evaluate research before deciding whether or not to adopt the findings into practice. Recently, there has been an increased use of artificial intelligence (AI) to analyze information and derive findings in orthopaedic research. These techniques use a set of statistical tools that are increasingly complex and may be unfamiliar to the orthopaedic surgeon. It is unclear if this shift towards less familiar techniques is widely accepted in the orthopaedic community. This study aimed to provide an exploration of understanding and acceptance of AI use in research among orthopaedic surgeons. Methods. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were carried out on a sample of 12 orthopaedic surgeons. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify key themes. Results. The four intersecting themes identified were: 1) validity in traditional research, 2) confusion around the definition of AI, 3) an inability to validate AI research, and 4) cautious optimism about AI research. Underpinning these themes is the notion of a validity heuristic that is strongly rooted in traditional research teaching and embedded in medical and surgical training. Conclusion. Research involving AI sometimes challenges the accepted traditional evidence-based framework. This can give rise to confusion among orthopaedic surgeons, who may be unable to confidently validate findings. In our study, the impact of this was mediated by cautious optimism based on an ingrained validity heuristic that orthopaedic surgeons develop through their medical training. Adding to this, the integration of AI into everyday life works to reduce suspicion and aid acceptance. Cite this article: Bone Jt Open 2023;4(9):696–703

Despite the vast quantities of published artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms that target trauma and orthopaedic applications, very few progress to inform clinical practice. One key reason for this is the lack of a clear pathway from development to deployment. In order to assist with this process, we have developed the Clinical Practice Integration of Artificial Intelligence (CPI-AI) framework – a five-stage approach to the clinical practice adoption of AI in the setting of trauma and orthopaedics, based on the IDEAL principles (. https://www.ideal-collaboration.net/. ). Adherence to the framework would provide a robust evidence-based mechanism for developing trust in AI applications, where the underlying algorithms are unlikely to be fully understood by clinical teams. Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2024;13(9):507–512

The Pavlik harness (PH) is commonly used to treat infantile dislocated hips. Variability exists in the duration of brace treatment after successful reduction of the dislocated hip. In this study we evaluate the effect of prescribed time in brace on acetabular index (AI) at two years of age using a prospective, international, multicenter database. We retrospectively studied prospectively enrolled infants with at least one dislocated hip that were initially treated with a PH and had a recorded AI at two-year follow-up. Subjects were treated at one of two institutions. Institution 1 used the PH until they observed normal radiographic acetabular development. Institution 2 followed a structured 12-week brace treatment protocol. Hip dislocation was defined as less than 30% femoral head coverage at rest on the pre-treatment ultrasound or IHDI grade III or IV on the pre-treatment radiograph. Fifty-three hips met our inclusion criteria. Hips from Institution 1 were treated with a brace 3x longer than hips from institution 2 (adjusted mean 8.9±1.3 months vs 2.6±0.2 months)(p < 0 .001). Institution 1 had an 88% success rate and institution 2 had an 85% success rate at achieving hip reduction (p=0.735). At 2-year follow-up, we observed no significant difference in AI between Institution 1 (adjusted mean 25.6±0.9˚) compared to Institution 2 (adjusted mean 23.5±0.8˚) (p=0.1). However, 19% of patients from Institution 1 and 44% of patients from Institution 2 were at or below the 50th percentile of previously published age- and sex- matched AI normal data (p=0.049). Also, 27% (7/26) of hips from Institution 1 had significant acetabular dysplasia, compared to a 22% (6/27) from Institution 2 (p=0.691). We found no correlation between age at initiation of bracing and AI at 2-year follow-up (p=0.071). Our findings suggest that prolonged brace treatment does not result in improved acetabular index at age two years. Hips treated at Institution 1 had the same AI at age two years as hips treated at Institution 2, while spending about 1/3 the amount of time in a brace. We recommend close follow-up for all children treated for dislocated hips, as ~1/4 of infants had acetabular index measurements at or above the 90th percentile of normal. Continued follow-up of this prospective cohort will be critical to determine how many children require acetabular procedures during childhood. The PH brace can successfully treat dislocated infant hips, however, prolonged brace treatment was not found to result in improved acetabular development at two-year follow-up

Introduction. The functional ante-inclination (AI) of the cup after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a key component in the combined sagittal index (CSI) to predict joint stability after THA. To accurately predict AI, we deducted a mathematic algorithm between the radiographic anteversion (RA), radiographic inclincation (RI), pelvic tilting (PT), and AI. The current study aims (1) to validate the mathematic algorithm; (2) to convert the AI limits in the CSI index (standing AI ≤ 45°, sitting AI ≥ 41°) into coronal functional safe zone (CFSZ) and explore the influences of the stand-to-sit pelvic motion (PM) and pelvic incidence (PI) on CFSZ; (3) to locate a universal cup orientation that always fulfill the AI criteria of CSI safe zone for all patients or subgroups of PM(PM ≤ 10°, 10° < PM ≤ 30°, and PM > 30°) and PI (PI≤ 41°, 41°< PI ≤ 62°, and PI >62°), respectively. Methods. A 3D printed phantom pelvic model was designed to simulate changing PT values. An acetabular cup was implanted with different RA, RI, and PT settings using robot assisted technique. We enrolled 100 consecutive patients who underwent robot assisted THA from April, 2019 to June, 2019 in our hospital. EOS images before THA and at 6-month follow-up were collected. AI angles were measured on the lateral view radiographs as the reference method. Mean absolute error (MAE), Bland-Altman analysis and linear regression were conducted to assess the accuracy of the AI algorithm for both the phantom and patient radiographic studies. The 100 patients were classified into three subgroups by PM and PI, respectively. Linear regression and ANOVA analysis were conducted to explore the relationship between the size of CFSZ, and PM and PI, respectively. Intersection of the CFSZ was conducted to identify if any universal cup orientation (RA, RI) existed for the CSI index. Results. The mathematic algorithm for calculating AI based on RI, RA, and PT is highly accurate according to the phantom and patient radiographic study. CFSZ size corresponds linearly with PM (R² = 0.638) and PI (R² = 0.129), respectively. There are significant differences in the size of CFSZ, as well as in the intersection of CFSZ and LSZ, between the subgroups of PM and PI, respectively (P<0.017). There is no universal cup orientations could be identified to fulfill the AI limits of the CSI index for all the 100 patients or any of the three subgroups, according to either PM or PI. Conclusions. The cup target orientation should be individualized. The validated algorithm between AI and RA, RI, and PT parameters can serve as the quantitative tool for patient-specific optimization of functional cup AI in different postures

During a periacetabular osteotomy (PAO), intra-operative assessment of correction of acetabular parameters is typically performed using fluoroscopy of the hip, a technique that has not been shown to produce predictable measurements. Furthermore, paralysing agents are used in order to facilitate dissection and fragment mobilization. The effect of paralysing agents on spino-pelvic posture is yet to be investigated. This study aims to: 1. Compare the reliability of intra-operative x-rays versus hip fluoroscopy in the assessment of acetabular fragment correction and 2. Evaluate the effect of changes in spino-pelvic alignment on the assessment of acetabular correction. An IRB approved, retrospective review of all patients who underwent a PAO at our institution between 2006–2018 was performed. Patient demographic data was collected and all available imaging studies were retrieved. Patients were excluded if there was no available to review intra-operative AP pelvis x-ray or intra-operative fluoroscopic PA image of the hip. Using a validated hip analysis software (Hip2Norm), the lateral center edge angle (LCEA) and acetabular index (AI) of plain radiographs were measured. The sacro-femoral-pubic angle (SFP), along with the LCEA and AI of the fluoroscopic image were measured using ImageJ. A oneway ANOVA was used to detect differences between measured parameters in the intra-operative x-ray, the post-operative x-ray and the fluoroscopic image. A total of 93 patients were identified. 26 patients were excluded due to missing data. The mean LCEA in the post-operative, intra-operative, and fluoroscopic groups were as follows: 33.67° (range 5.3° to 52.4°), 30.71°(range 9° to 55.6°), and 29.23°(range 12.4° to 51.4°) respectively. The mean AI in the post-operative, intra-operative, and fluoroscopic groups were as follows: −0.65° (range −18.10° to 27.30°), 0.35°(range −16.10° to 17.20°), and 5.54°(range −11.66° to 27.83°) respectively. When comparing intra-operative to post-operative plain radiographs, there was no statistically significant difference in AI (ΔAI −1±1.29° p=0.71) or LCEA (ΔLCEA 2.95±1.38° p=0.09). When comparing fluoroscopy to post-operative plain radiographs, there was a statistically significant difference in AI (ΔAI −6.21±1.29° p < 0 .0001) as well as LCEA (ΔLCEA 4.44±1.38° p < 0 .0001). Statistical analysis revealed no influence of demographics (age, BMI, gender), on acetabular correction parameters. The mean SPF angles measured from intra-operative and post-operative x-rays were 69.32±5.11° and 70.45±5.52°. There was a statistically significant difference between these 2 measurements with a ΔSFP of 1.03° (p < 0 .0001). The results of our study show that the use of intra-operative x-ray for the assessment of LCEA and AI is more reliable than fluoroscopic images. Further, we found a difference in SFP angle, which offers an indirect assessment of pelvic tilt, between the intra-operative and the post-operative plain x-rays. This suggests that there are changes in pelvic tilt during the surgery, which can be attributed to either patient positioning or changes in spino-pelvic posture secondary to the paralysing agents used by the anesthetists. The use of intra-operative x-rays as well as the effect of paralysing agents on spino-pelvic alignment should be considered by surgeons performing PAO's

Introduction. Cruciate retaining knee replacements are only implanted into patients with “healthy” ligaments. However, partial anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are difficult to diagnose with conventional MRI. Variations of signal intensity within the ligament are suggestive of injury but it is not possible to confirm damage or assess the collagen alignment within the ligaments. The potential use of Magic Angle Directional Imaging (MADI) as a collagen contrast mechanism is not new, but has remained a challenge. In theory, ligament tearing or joint degeneration would decrease tissue anisotropy and reduce the magic angle effect. Spontaneous cruciate ligament rupture is relatively common in dogs. This study presents results from ten canine knees. Methods. Ethical approval was obtained to collect knees from euthanized dogs requiring a postmortem (PM). A Siemens Verio 3T MRI scanner was used to scan a sphere containing the canine knees in 9 directions to the main magnetic field (B. 0. ) with an isotropic 3D-T1-FLASH sequence. After imaging, the knees were dissected and photographed. The images were registered and aligned to compare signal intensity variations. Segmentation using a thresholding technique identified voxels containing collagen. For each collagen-rich voxel the orientation vector was computed using Szeverenyi and Bydder's method. Each orientation vector reflects the net effect of all fibers comprised within a voxel. The assembly of all unit vectors represents the fiber orientation map and was visualised in ParaView using streamlines. The Alignment Index (AI) is defined as a ratio of the fraction of orientations within 20° (solid angle) centred in that direction to the same fraction in a random (flat) case. By computing AI for a regular gridded orientation space we can visualise differences in AI on a hemisphere. AI was normalised so that AI=0 indicates isotropic collagen alignment. Increasing AI values indicate increasingly aligned structures: AI=1 indicates that all collagen fibers are orientated within the cone of 20° centred at the selected direction. Results. Dogs cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) is similar to human ACL. It's composed of an anteromedial (AM) bundle and a posterolateral (PL) bundle. Two knees were damaged with partial CCL tears, the PL bundle was intact but the AM bundle was torn. Paraview streamlines of the CCL for healthy and damaged knees differ. The healthy knee has continuous fiber tracts with no ligament disruption. In the AM bundle fibers are discontinuous and the PL bundle fibers are continuous as expected in a partially torn CCL. The AI for healthy (mean AI=0.25) and damaged CCL (mean AI= 0.075) is significantly different (p<0.01). The damaged AM bundle has a more diffuse spread of less aligned fibers compared to the more concentrated and aligned PL fiber bundle. Conclusion. This study demonstrates the first visualisation of a CCL partial tear using MADI. Combined with AI, our scanning technique offers a tool to visualise and quantify changes in collagen fiber orientation. Thus, MRI can be used to improve the diagnosis and quantification of partial ligament tears in the knee

Polyethylene wear represents a significant risk factor for the long-term success of knee arthroplasty [1]. This work aimed to develop and in vivo validate an automated algorithm for accurate and precise AI based wear measurement in knee arthroplasty using clinical AP radiographs for scientifically meaningful multi-centre studies. Twenty postoperative radiographs (knee joint AP in standing position) after knee arthroplasty were analysed using the novel algorithm. A convolutional neural network-based segmentation is used to localize the implant components on the X-Ray, and a 2D-3D registration of the CAD implant models precisely calculates the three-dimensional position and orientation of the implants in the joint at the time of acquisition. From this, the minimal distance between the involved implant components is determined, and its postoperative change over time enables the determination of wear in the radiographs. The measured minimum inlay height of 335 unloaded inlays excluding the weight-induced deformation, served as ground truth for validation and was compared to the algorithmically calculated component distances from 20 radiographs. With an average weight of 94 kg in the studied TKA patient cohort, it was determined that an average inlay height of 6.160 mm is expected in the patient. Based on the radiographs, the algorithm calculated a minimum component distance of 6.158 mm (SD = 81 µm), which deviated by 2 µm in comparison to the expected inlay height. An automated method was presented that allows accurate and precise determination of the inlay height and subsequently the wear in knee arthroplasty based on a clinical radiograph and the CAD models. Precision and accuracy are comparable to the current gold standard RSA [2], but without relying on special radiographic setups. The developed method can therefore be used to objectively investigate novel implant materials with meaningful clinical cohorts, thus improving the quality of patient care

There is no consensus regarding the optimum frequency of ultrasound for monitoring the response to Pavlik harness (PH) treatment in developmental dysplasia of hip (DDH). The purpose of our study was to determine if a limited-frequency hip ultrasound (USS) assessment in children undergoing PH treatment for DDH had an adverse effect on treatment outcomes when compared to traditional comprehensive ultrasound monitoring. This study was a single-center non-inferiority randomized controlled trial. Children aged less than six months of age with dislocated, dislocatable and stable dysplastic hips undergoing a standardized treatment program with a PH were randomized, once stability had been achieved, to our current standard USS monitoring protocol (every clinic visit) or to a limited-frequency ultrasound protocol (USS only until hip stability and then end of treatment). Groups were compared based on alpha angle at the end of treatment, acetabular indices (AI) and IHDI grade on follow up radiographs at one-year post harness and complication rates. The premise was that if there were no differences in these outcomes, either protocol could be deemed safe and effective. One hundred patients were recruited to the study; after exclusions, 42 patients completed the standard protocol (SP) and 36 completed the limited protocol (LP). There was no significant difference between the mean age between both groups at follow up x-ray (SP: 17.8 months; LP: 16.6 months; p=0.26). There was no difference between the groups in mean alpha angle at the end of treatment (SP: 69°; LP: 68.1°: p=0.25). There was no significant difference in the mean right AI at follow up (SP: 23.1°; LP: 22.0°; p=0.26), nor on the left (SP:23.3°; LP 22.8°; p=0.59). All hips in both groups were IHDI grade 1 at follow up. The only complication was one femoral nerve palsy in the SP group. In addition, the LP group underwent a 60% reduction in USS use once stable. We found that once dysplastic or dislocated hips were reduced and stable on USS, a limited- frequency ultrasound protocol was not associated with an inferior complication or radiographic outcome profile compared to a standardized PH treatment pathway. Our study supports reducing the frequency of ultrasound assessment during PH treatment of hip dysplasia. Minimizing the need for expensive, time-consuming and in-person health care interventions is critical to reducing health care costs, improving patient experience and assists the move to remote care. Removing the need for USS assessment at every PH check will expand care to centers where USS is not routinely available and will facilitate the establishment of virtual care clinics where clinical examination may be performed remotely

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to compare the results of total knee arthroplasty between non-adrenal insufficiency group and adrenal insufficiency group undergoing steroid replacement during surgery. Patients and Methods. 89 patients (89 knees) treated with TKA were enrolled in this study. We classified the patients with adrenal insufficient(AI) group and nonadrenal insufficient (NAI) group by preoperative adrenal function. Levels of serum cortisol, adrenocorticotropic hormone(ACTH), and ACTH stimulation test were checked preoperatively. Hydrocortisone 50∼75 mg was injected to adrenal insufficient group at 7:00 AM and 4:00 PM on operative day and the following day. We evaluated the range of motion, the knee society knee score and function score at preoperatively and 2 years follow up, and compared the results between NAI group and AI group. Results. In total of 89 patients, NAI group was 53(60%) patients and AI group were 36(40%) patients. In the AI group the knee society score (KSS) improved from 49.8 to 86.8 and the knee society functional score (KSFS) from 42.6 to 89.5 at 2 years follow-up. In the NAI group, KSS rose from 51.9 to 84.3 and KSFS from 49.4 to 88.6 during the same period. In AI group, there were no postoperative complication to include mortality, infection, clinical DVT, perioperaive fracture except skin lesions during operation or postoperatively. There was a case of rupture of quadriceps tendon on the 10th postoperative day which was treated with primary repair. Conclusion. Based on our study, there was no increased operative and postoperative complications except skin lesions in patients with adrenal insufficiency treated perioperatively with steroids

Introduction. Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a physically demanding procedure where the surgeon is subject to fatigue with increased energy expenditure comparable to exercise[1]. Robotic technologies have been introduced into operating rooms to assist surgeons with ergonomically challenging tasks and to reduce overall physical stress and fatigue[2]. Greater exposure to robotic assisted training may create efficiencies that may reduce energy expenditure[3]. The purpose of this study was to assess surgeon energy expenditure during THA and perceived mental and physical demand. Methods. 12 THAs (6 cadavers) randomized by BMI were performed by two surgeons with different robotic assisted experience. Surgeon 1 (S1) had performed over 20 robotic assisted THAs on live patients and Surgeon 2 (S2) had training on 1 cadaver with no patient experience. For each cadaver, laterality was randomized and manual total hip arthroplasty (MTHA) was performed first on one hip and robotic assisted total hip arthroplasty (RATHA) on the contralateral hip. A biometric shirt collected surgeon data on caloric energy expenditure (CEE) throughout acetabular reaming (AR) and acetabular implantation (AI) for each THA procedure. Surgeon mental and physical demand was assessed after each surgery. Scores were reported from 1–10, with 10 indicating high demand. A paired sample t-test was performed between MTHA and RATHA within each surgeon group with a confidence interval of (α =0.05). Results. Each surgeon demonstrated greater CEE during MTHA, Figure 1. Surgeon CEE during MTHA was greater for S1(100±28.1 cals) compared to RATHA(83.5±0.34 cals), with no significant difference (p>0.05, p=0.49). Energy expenditure was greater for S2 during MTHA(83.5±16.3 cals) compared to RATHA(75.3±0.71 cals) with no significance (p>0.05, p=0.68). RATHA resulted in a decrease in average CEE for each surgeon with a reduction of 16.5% for S1 and 9.8 % for S2. Surgeon task time during MTHA was greater for S1(14.7±3.2 mins) compared to RATHA(12.3±4.93 mins), with no significance (p>0.05, p=0.46). Average task time was greater for S2 during MTHA(10.0±2.65 mins) compared to RATHA(8.7±2.89 mins) with no significant differences (p>0.05, p=0.66). Average mental and physical demand was less for RATHA compared to MTHA, Figure 2. Average physical demand reported during AR for MTHA(5.5±1.2) was greater than RATHA(4.3±2.0, p=0.08). Average physical demand was greater for AI for MTHA(6±1.3) than RATHA(3.7±2.1, p=0.29). Average mental demand was significantly greater during AR for MTHA(5.7±1.03) when compared to RATHA(3.2±1.5, p=0.007). Average mental demand was greater during AI for MTHA(6.2±1.2) than RATHA(2.3±1.5, p=0.051). Conclusion. Regardless of prior surgical experience, both surgeons had reduced caloric expenditure when performing RATHA as compared to MTHA. For the surgeon with more RATHA experience, there was a greater percent reduction in caloric expenditure between surgical interventions. Both surgeons had similar percent reductions in time for RATHA compared to MTHA. Each surgeon noted increased mental and physical demand during MTHA. The trends suggest RATHA may reduce surgeon energy expenditure and time to perform acetabular reaming and implant insertion for THA. The pilot data suggests that there may be a relationship between energy expenditure and surgeon experience. This could be explored in future studies with a larger surgeon population. For any figures or tables, please contact the authors directly

Purpose of Study. Multiple measurements have been described for the assessment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). In particular, the centre edge angle (CEA) has been described by Wiberg to assess the position of the femoral head in relation to the acetabular edge in patients over the age of five years. The purpose of this study is twofold. Firstly to assess the reliability of all measurements available in the literature and secondly to evaluate whether or not the CEA can be reliably measured below five years of age. Methods. Eighty seven patients were included for assessment. Radiographs were measured within six months of spica cast/Batchelor cast removal, depending on whether closed or open reduction was performed. A web based computer programme was used to store the radiographs electronically and with the help of an electronic template the following measurements were recorded: CEA, AI, centre head distance discrepancy ratio (CHDDR), Smith's c/b and h/b ratios. Three readers recorded measurements at two intervals, to determine intra and inter reader reliability. Results. The mean age at measurement was 2.26 years (Range 0.60–5.99). Regarding intra reader reliability, the AI and CEA were the most reliable measurements with a mean intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of 0.87 [CI 0.78–0.94] and 0.78 [CI 0.43–0.94] respectively. Regarding inter reader reliability, the CEA was the most reliable measurement with a mean ICC of 0.84 [CI 0.79–0.90]. Conclusion. This study confirms the reliability of the CEA, AI, CHDDR, Smith's c/b and h/b ratios in children with DDH. It also describes the reliable use of the CEA at a younger age in DDH than previously described which has prognostic implications. NO DISCLOSURES

Method. The anteroposterior pelvic radiographs of 84 children (87 hips with developmental dysplasia) seen between 1995 and 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. Each radiograph was photographed digitally and converted to the negative using Microsoft Photo Editor. Arthrograms were also assessed at the time of femoral head reduction. The acetabular index (AI) and femoral head deformity were assessed. Acetabular response was measured using the AI at 6 and 12 months post-reduction. Results. Mean age at presentation was 11 months for the closed reduction group, versus 19 months for those with an arthrographic soft tissue obstruction requiring open reduction. Additionally, the average age of the children that underwent open reduction who later required a Salter osteotomy was 27 ± 3 months compared to an average of 14 ± 1.5 months for those who did not. The acetabular response was maximal during the first 6 months following treatment. Closed reduction (24 hips) gave comparable results to open reduction (63 hips), although the initial AI was greater in those requiring open reduction (39.5 ± 6.3° versus 36.1 ± 4.6°). Using two separate Bonferroni pairwise comparisons revealed no statistical difference in response between closed and open reduction. Arthrography revealed that hips requiring open reduction were more deformed, with spherical femoral heads in 29% as opposed to 68% in the closed reduction group. The AI was also slightly less (36.6 ± 3.2°) when the femoral head was spherical in comparison to those hips with an aspherical femoral head (38.0 ± 6.6°). Conclusion. Age at presentation and femoral head deformity therefore influence the outcome of reduction, but the acetabular index improves to a similar degree whether closed or open reduction is required

Introduction. Migration of the trial femoral head is a rarely occurring complication of total hip arthroplasty (THA) performed using the anterolateral approach (ALA). This migration of the trial femoral head under the rectus femoris is extremely risky because of the anatomical situation. Analyzing the morphological character of a case of migration may help us to avoid this risk. Objective. We analyzed the three-dimensional bone morphology using computed tomography (CT) scan images to investigate the physiological characteristics of five migration cases. Methods. We examined 108 patients (21 men, 87 women, 113 hips) who underwent THA via the ALA. The average patient age was 62.9 (range: 30–87) years and average body mass index was 24.4 (range: 18.0–36.0) kg/m2. The exclusion criteria were dysplastic coxarthroses greater than Crowe type II, previous fractures, previous hip operations, and muscle disease. Three-dimensional models of the pelvis and femur were made using ZedHip software® (Lexi, Tokyo, Japan). The anterior superior iliac spine on the affected side (A) and contralateral side (A’), anterior inferior iliac spine (I), and greater trochanter tip (G) were noted in these models. The distances A–I, I–G, and A–G and the angle formed by AA’ and AI were measured (Figure 1, 2). Each hip was classified by the presence (group M) or absence (group N) of migration during surgery. A Fisher's exact probability test, Student's t-test, and Welch's t-test were used to compare the two groups, and p-values less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results. In 5 of the 113 hips, the trial femoral heads migrated under the rectus femoris and were removed safely. No significant differences were found between the gender, height, weight, or BMI of the groups. The average A–I distance was 32.3±3.0 mm (mean±SD) in group M and 39.4±10.4 mm in group N; I–G was 52.2±8.2 mm in group M and 59.7±10.6 mm in group N; and A–G was 64.3±10.3 mm in group M and 76.3±12.3 mm in group N. The average angle formed by AA’ and AI was 50.5±5.8°. Significant differences between the two groups were found for the distances A–I and A–G. Conclusions. In 4.4% of cases, the trial femoral heads migrated under the rectus femoris, which creates a risk for serious complications because major nerve and blood vessels are located nearby. The tendency for migration was expected to be related to the balance between soft tissues. In this study, we found that migration tends to occur in patients with shorter distances between A and I, and A and G. The trial head should be dislocated more carefully in those patients

Introduction

Studies have addressed the issue of increasing prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal (MSK) pain among different occupations. However, contributing factors to MSK pain have not been fully investigated among orthopaedic surgeons. Thus, this study aimed to approximate the prevalence and predictors of MSK pain among Saudi orthopaedic surgeons working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Purpose. Introduction: The Dega osteotomy is a versatile procedure that is widely used to treat neuromuscular hip dysplasia. There is a paucity of English-language literature on its use in acetabular dysplasia seen in developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Method. A retrospective radiographic and chart review was performed for all patients diagnosed with DDH who underwent a modified Dega osteotomy between March 1995 and December 2008 at the Shriners Hospital for Children or the Montreal Children's Hospital (Montréal, Canada) by two orthopedic surgeons. Radiographic parameters were measured at the preoperative, immediate postoperative and final follow-up time points. These parameters included the acetabular index (AI), center edge angle (CEA), Reimer's extrusion index, Shenton's line and grading by the Severin classification. Results. A total of 21 patients (22 hips) of which 18 were female, underwent a modified Dega osteotomy at an average age of 55.4 months (range: 20 to 100 months). Out of the 22 hips (1 bilateral and 19 single cases), 9 involved the right side and 13 involved the left side. Prior to surgery, 10 patients had a subluxated hip, 7 had a dislocated hip and 5 had a dysplastic hip. Twelve hips underwent concomitant procedures including 10 open reductions with capsulorraphy. The AI improved from 36 degrees (St. Dev 8) preoperatively to 19 degrees (St. Dev 7) on the date of last visit. The CEA improved from 4 (St. Dev 17) to 22 degrees (St. Dev 12). Conclusion. Results from this study demonstrate that the modified Dega osteotomy produces nearnormal lateral coverage parameters in children with DDH

Aims

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted and delayed medical and surgical examinations where attendance is required in person. Our article aims to outline the validity of online assessment, the range of benefits to both candidate and assessor, and the challenges to its implementation. In addition, we propose pragmatic suggestions for its introduction into medical assessment.