Traditionally, sports Injuries have been sub-optimally managed through Emergency Departments (ED) in the public health system due to a lack of adequate referral processes. Fractures are ruled out through plain radiographs followed by a reactive process involving patient initiated further follow up and investigation. Consequently, significant soft tissue and chondral injuries can go undiagnosed during periods in which early intervention can significantly affect natural progression. The purpose of this quality improvement project was to assess the efficacy of an innovative Sports Injury Pathway introduced to detect and treat significant soft tissue injuries. A Sports Injury Pathway was introduced at Fiona Stanley Hospital (WA, Australia) in April 2019 as a collaboration between the ED, Physiotherapy and Orthopaedic Departments. ED practitioners were advised to have a low threshold for referral, especially in the presence of a history of a twisting knee injury, shoulder dislocation or any suggestion of a hip tendon injury. All referrals were triaged by the Perth Sports Surgery Fellow with early follow-up in our Sports Trauma Clinics with additional investigations if required. A detailed database of all referrals was maintained, and relevant data was extracted for analysis over the first 3 years of this pathway. 570 patients were included in the final analysis. 54% of injuries occurred while playing sport, with AFL injuries constituting the most common contact-sports injury (13%). Advanced Scope Physiotherapists were the largest source of referrals (60%). A total of 460 MRI scans were eventually ordered comprising 81% of total referrals. Regarding Knee MRIs, 86% identified a significant structural injury with ACL injuries being the most common (33%) followed by isolated meniscal tears (16%) and multi-ligament knee injuries (11%). 95% of Shoulder MRI scans showed significant pathology. 39% of patients required surgical management, and of these 50% were performed within 3 months from injury. The Fiona Stanley Hospital Sports Injury Pathway has demonstrated its clear value in successfully diagnosing and treating an important cohort of patients who present to our Emergency Department. This low threshold/streamlined referral pathway has found that the vast majority of these patients suffer significant structural injuries that may have been otherwise missed, while providing referring practitioners and patients access to prompt imaging and high-quality Orthopaedic sports trauma services. We recommend the implementation of a similar Sports Injury Pathway at all secondary and tertiary Orthopaedic Centres.
A modular hemiarthroplasty has a Metal-on-Metal (MoM) taper-trunnion junction, which may lead to increased wear and Adverse-Reaction-to-Metal-Debris (ARMD). To-date no wear related issues have been described in the elderly and less active that receives a hemiarthroplasty. This study aims to determine in vivo wear (i.e. serum metal ion levels) in hip hemiarthroplasty, and identify factors associated with increased wear. This is a prospective, IRB approved, single-centre, cohort study of patients that received an uncemented, modular hemiarthroplasty of proven design for the treatment of hip fracture between 2013–2015. All, alive, patients at 12-months post-implantation with AMTS≥6 were invited to participate. Of the 125 eligible patients, 50 accepted the invitation and were reviewed, including clinical/radiological assessment, metal-ion ([Chromium (Cr) and Cobalt (Co)]) measurement and Oxford Hip Score (OHS). Acetabular erosion was graded (0–3: normal-protrusio). Metal ion levels were considered high if ≥7ppb. The mean OHS was 37 (SD: 10). No acetabular erosion was detected in 21, whilst the remaining had either grade-1 (n=21) or grade-2 (n=8). The median Cr and Co levels were 2.9 (SD:9) and 2.2 (SD:4) respectively. There were 8 cases (16%) with high ion levels. To-date only 2 of them has an ARMD lesion, and none have been revised. Patients with metal ion levels had similar pre-fall mobility, taper- and head- size and OHS to those with low metal ion levels (p=0.2–0.7) However, all hips with high metal ion levels had evidence of acetabular erosion (≥1). Modular Hip hemiarthroplasties and their taper-trunnion junction are not immune to high wear and ARMD despite being implanted in a less active cohort. Acetabular erosion should alert clinicians, as it is associated with 20× increased-risk of taper wear, presumably due to the increased transmitted torque. Whether the use of modular hemiarthroplasties should remain is debatable.
An important aspect of the governance of surgical services within a Healthcare Trust is the correct coding of elective procedures performed. Within the Trust, treatment codes are banded into specific healthcare resource groups (HRGs), which generate a predetermined income. Accurate coding and grouping of the treatments provided for patients is consequently vital to Trusts to ensure that they receive appropriate financial reward for the care provided, so ensuring they remain economically viable as a department. We present a retrospective study investigating the accuracy of procedure coding, code allocation to HRGs, and the resultant cost consequences for all elective arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repairs completed by one consultant over one financial year (01/01/2010-31/03/2011). In this period a total of 55 ACL repairs were undertaken by the consultant. Data was available for 43 of these cases, all of which were repairs of traumatic ACL ruptures. The patients had an average age of 26.7 (17–55) years, all were ASA 1 and had no significant comorbidities. They were all booked for identical procedures, except one patient who required an allograft; 12 required meniscectomies. All 43 had an operation note completed by the operating consultant. Within this trust patient and procedural codes were generated from electronic discharge letters (EDLs). We found that all 43 EDLs were completed accurately, contained full details of the procedures undertaken, and included relevant information such as complications, patient comorbidities, length of stay and the prescription of analgesics. These 43 EDLs generated 15 different diagnostic codes and 10 different procedure codes, with a total of 35 different combinations of codes. These were then grouped into six different HRGs. These six HRGs generated income for the Trust, varying from £1880 to £3554 (mean £2670) for the procedures, with a total income of £114,823. We found that patient and procedure details, and the level of doctor completing the EDL did not significantly influence the HRG generated (P = 0.4) Currently within the Trust, and nationally the HRG tariff for a routine ACL repair has not been agreed upon. The maximum possible tariff from an HRG for this procedure for a patient with no significant comorbidities is described as – ‘ The findings of this study reveal the potential for limitations in the governance of surgical services through inaccuracies in HRG coding, despite the availability of suitably detailed EDLs. It is suggested that Trusts should audit and, where indicated, ensure effective quality assurance of HRG coding in the interests of the governance of secondary care services.
