Spinal Cord Stimulator (SCS) Placement: Examining Outcomes Between the Open and Percutaneous Approach.

BACKGROUND: Spinal cord stimulator (SCS) placement has been gaining traction as an approach to modulate pain levels for several different chronic pain conditions. This procedure can be performed via a percutaneous or open approach. Data regarding SCS complications are relatively limited. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to leverage a large national database to examine outcomes between the percutaneous and open SCS placement approaches. Outcomes in this study include length of stay (LOS), complication rates, reoperation rates, and 1-year readmission rates. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inclusion criteria for the current study is SCS placement between 2015 and 2020, with receipt of an SCS using either a percutaneous approach or an open laminectomy based approach. Encounters included were limited to true SCS placement, such that trial placements were not included in the study. Univariate statistics and multivariable logistic regression was performed to compare outcomes between cohorts. RESULTS: Total SCS case volumes were 9935 between the percutaneous (n = 4477, 45.1%) and open (n = 5458, 54.9%) approach. Patients receiving the percutaneous approach were found to have a mean decrease in LOS of 9.91 hours when compared to those receiving the open approach. The percutaneous approach was significantly associated with the need for reoperation within one year compared to the open approach (odds ratio [OR]: 0.663, p < 0.001), as well as with the need for readmission within 30 days (51.2% vs 40.2%, OR: 0.759, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The open approach, when compared to the percutaneous approach, had a longer mean LOS, lower outpatient discharge rates, and higher odds of experiencing an operative complication in comparison to the percutaneous approach. The percutaneous approach had relatively increased odds of thirty-day readmission, although no significant difference in one-year readmission or removal was demonstrated.

The Association of Psychiatric Comorbidities With Short-Term and Long-Term Outcomes Following Spinal Cord Stimulator Placement.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes after spinal cord stimulator (SCS) placement are affected by psychologic comorbidities. It is part of routine practice to do psychologic assessments prior to SCS trials to assess for the presence of maladaptive behavioral patterns. However, few studies have sought to quantify the effect of psychiatric comorbidities on complications, reoperation, and readmission rates. The purpose of this study was to assess the association of psychiatric comorbidities with postprocedural outcomes after SCS implantation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Inclusion criteria included SCS placement between 2015 and 2020 (percutaneous approach or an open laminectomy-based approach) using Healthcare Corporation of America National Database. Data on psychiatric comorbidities present at the time of SCS implantation surgery were collected. Outcomes of interest included complication rates (defined as lead migration, fracture, malfunction, battery failure, postoperative pain, infection, dural puncture, or neurological injury), reoperation rates (defined as either revision or explant [ie, removal]), and readmission rates within 30-day and 1-year time after SCS implantation. We measured the association between psychiatric comorbidities and outcomes using multivariable regression and reported odds ratio (OR) and respective 95% confidence intervals. RESULTS: A total of 12,751 cases were included. The most common psychiatric comorbidities were major depressive disorder (16.1%) and anxiety disorder (13.4%). In unadjusted univariate analysis, patients with any psychiatric comorbidity had heightened rates of any complication (27.1% vs 19.4%), infection (5.9% vs 1.9%), lead displacement (2.2% vs 1.3%), surgical pain (2.1% vs 1.2%), explant (14.7% vs 8.8%), and readmission rates at one year (54.2% vs 33.8%) (all p < 0.001). In multivariable logistic regression, with each additional psychiatric comorbidity, a patient had increased odds of experiencing any complication (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.36-1.57, p < 0.001), requiring a reoperation (OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.37-1.6, p < 0.001), and requiring readmission (OR = 1.7, 99% CI = 1.6-1.8, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of psychiatric comorbidities was found to be associated with postoperative complication rates, reoperation, and readmission rates after SCS placement. Furthermore, each consecutive increase in psychiatric comorbidity burden was associated with increased odds of complications, reoperation, and readmission. Future studies might consider examining the role of presurgical mental health screening (ie, patient selection, psychologic testing) and treatment in optimizing outcomes for patients with psychiatric comorbidities.

Moderate Return to Play and Previous Performance After SLAP Repairs in Competitive Overhead Athletes: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To perform a systematic review of return to play (RTP) and return to previous level of performance (RPP) in competitive overhead athletes after SLAP repair to identify factors associated with failure to RTP. METHODS: Systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Review was registered with PROSPERO International prospective register of systematic reviews (CRD42020215488). Inclusion criteria were literature reporting RTP or RPP following SLAP repair in overhead athletes were run in the following databases: PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and Google Scholar. Categories for data collection for each full article included (1) article information; (2) patient demographics; (3) surgical techniques; (4) level of competition; (5) rotator cuff treatment; (6) player position; (7) patient-reported outcome measures; and (8) RTP and RPP rates. The Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies checklist was used to evaluate quality of all included studies. RESULTS: Eight studies with 333 subjects were identified. Overall RTP and RPP rates were 50% to 83.6% and 35.3% to 64%, respectively. Patients with surgically treated rotator cuff pathology had lower RTP (12.5%-64.7%) rates compared with those without (80.0%-83.6%). Professional athletes had similar RTP rates (62.5%-81.5%) compared with high-school (75.0%-90.0%) and college athletes (12.5%-83.3%). However, professional athletes demonstrated the lowest relative range of reported RPP rates (27.7%-55.6%). Pitchers had lower RTP (62.5%-80.0%) and RPP (52.0%-58.9%) compared with position players (91.3% RTP, 76.3%-78.2% RPP). CONCLUSIONS: Studies reviewed reported moderate RTP and RPP rates following SLAP repairs in competitive overhead athletes. Those with associated rotator cuff tear requiring treatment, and baseball pitchers were less likely to RTP and RPP. Professional athletes had similar RTP to an amateur; however, they were less likely to RPP. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level III-IV studies.

Monitored Anesthesia Care Versus General Anesthesia as the Primary Anesthetic for Ankle Amputations.

OBJECTIVES: The authors hypothesized that monitored anesthesia care (MAC)-either by local sedation or regional anesthesia (RA)-compared with general anesthesia (GA), would be associated with lower odds of significant 30-day postoperative complications and mortality in patients undergoing an ankle amputation. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Inpatient. PARTICIPANTS: The authors used data from patients who underwent ankle amputation from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program registry. INTERVENTION: RA as primary anesthetic. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of primary anesthesia type with the outcomes. The regression analysis included all covariates to test the association of the primary exposure variable (anesthesia type) with each outcome of interest. The odds ratio (OR), with associated 95% confidence interval (CI), was reported for each covariate. There were a total of 3,368 patients undergoing guillotine amputation through the tibia/fibula (n = 2,935) or ankle disarticulation (n = 433). Among these patients, 15.5% (n = 491) received MAC as their primary anesthetic. Among all patients, 11.4% (n = 363) experienced a significant postoperative complication. On multivariate logistic regression, MAC was found to decrease odds of postoperative complications (OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.40-0.82, p = 0.002), but not mortality (OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.87-1.84, p = 0.22). CONCLUSION: This study showed that MAC was associated with improved outcomes, as opposed to GA, as the primary anesthetic in ankle amputations.

The Patient Acceptable Symptomatic State in Primary Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Predictors of Achievement.

PURPOSE: To identify thresholds for patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) achievement in a cohort of primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) recipients, and to identify factors predictive of PASS achievement. METHODS: A prospective clinical registry was queried for primary ACLR patients from January 2014 to April 2017 with serial patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) completion at 6, 12, and 24 months. Exclusion criteria included significant concomitant procedures. Knee-based PROMs included the International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) subscores. PASS threshold values were calculated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves with area under the curve (AUC) analysis. A stepwise multivariate regression identified preoperative and operative predictors of PASS achievement. RESULTS: A total of 144 primary ACLR patients (30.86 ± 12.78 years, body mass index 25.51 ± 4.64, 41.0% male) were included in the analysis. PASS threshold values were established using ROC curve analysis, all of which exceeded 0.7 on AUC analysis (0.742 to 0.911). Factors impacting odds of PASS achievement in the ACLR cohort included preoperative exercises (odds ratio [OR] 2.95 to 4.74, P = .003 to .038), worker's compensation status (OR 0.25 to 0.28, P = .014 to .033), preoperative scores (OR 1.03 to 1.07, P = .005 to <.001), iliotibial band tenodesis (OR 11.08, P = .010), and anteromedial approach (OR 18.03 to 37.05, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Factors predictive of PASS achievement in recipients of primary ACLR include functional status (e.g., preoperative exercise, preoperative KOOS Sport/Recreation score), worker's compensation status, technique (e.g., anteromedial) and preoperative PROMs. The results of our study are important in better informing shared decision-making models and improving evidence-based guidelines to optimize patient outcomes.

Preoperative psychometric properties of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity, Pain Interference, and Depression in Bankart repair and rotator cuff repair.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to examine the preoperative performance of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Upper Extremity (UE, versions 1.2 and 2.0), Pain Interference (PI, version 1.1), and Depression (version 1.0) testing across multiple orthopedic procedures for the upper extremity and define its susceptibility to preoperative floor and ceiling effects. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected patient-reported outcome measures using an electronic outcome registry for procedures performed between May 2017 and April 2019. Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were used to examine cohorts for 2 upper-extremity orthopedic procedures: Bankart repair and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (ARCR). Shapiro-Wilk normality testing was used to assess score distributions for normalcy; given non-normal score distributions, Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated for preoperative patient-reported outcome scores. Absolute floor and ceiling effects were calculated for preoperative time points based on CPT code. RESULTS: A total of 488 patients were included across the Bankart repair cohort (n = 109; mean age, 29.3 ± 12.5 years) and ARCR cohort (n = 379; mean age, 57.5 ± 9.5 years). In the Bankart repair cohort, the PROMIS PI score demonstrated strong correlations with the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (r = -0.63), Constant score (r = -0.75), PROMIS UE score (r = -0.75), and Veterans RAND-6 Domain score (r = -0.61). The PROMIS Depression score (r = 0.23 and r = 0.17, respectively), Short Form 12 Mental Composite Scale score (r = 0.34 and r = 0.11, respectively), and Veterans RAND 12-item health survey Mental Composite Scale score (r = 0.44 and r = 0.15, respectively) exhibited poor correlations with the PROMIS PI and UE scores. In the ARCR cohort, the PROMIS PI score demonstrated a good correlation with the PROMIS UE score (r = 0.61). The Constant score (r = 0.58 and r = 0.67, respectively), Veterans RAND 12-item health survey Physical Composite Scale score (r = 0.58 and r = 0.47, respectively), and Veterans RAND-6 Domain score (r = 0.67 and r = 0.53, respectively) exhibited good correlations with the PROMIS PI and UE measures. No significant absolute floor or ceiling effects were observed for the PROMIS instruments except the PROMIS Depression measure: An absolute floor effect was noted for both the Bankart repair (n = 12, 30%) and ARCR (n = 38, 14.7%) groups. CONCLUSION: The PROMIS PI and UE instruments perform favorably compared with legacy outcome instruments in patients receiving Bankart repair, as well as those undergoing ARCR. Furthermore, in both populations, the PROMIS Depression instrument exhibits absolute floor effects whereas the PROMIS PI and UE instruments fail to demonstrate any absolute floor or ceiling effects.

Cost-effectiveness analyses in shoulder arthroplasty: a critical review using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument.

HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review to identify cost-analysis studies pertaining to shoulder arthroplasty, provide a comprehensive review of published studies, and critically evaluate the quality of the available literature using the Quality of Health Economic Studies (QHES) instrument. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify cost analyses examining shoulder arthroplasty. The inclusion criteria included studies pertaining to either shoulder hemiarthroplasty (HA), total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), or reverse TSA. Articles were excluded based on the following: nonoperative studies, nonclinical studies, studies not based in the United States, and studies in which no cost analysis was performed. The quality of studies was assessed using the QHES instrument. One-sided Fisher exact testing was performed to identify predictors of both low-quality (ie, QHES score < 25th percentile) and high-quality (ie, QHES score > 75th percentile) cost analyses based on items within the QHES checklist. RESULTS: Of the 196 studies screened, 9 were included. Seven studies conducted cost analyses comparing reverse TSA vs. arthroscopic rotator cuff repair, HA, or total hip arthroplasty, and 2 studies examined TSA vs. HA for primary glenohumeral arthritis. The average QHES score among all studies was 86.22 ± 13.39 points. Failure to include an annual cost discounting rate was associated with a low-quality QHES score (P = .03). In addition, including a discussion of the magnitude and direction of potential biases was associated with a high-quality score (P = .03). CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder arthroplasty is a cost-effective procedure when used to treat a multitude of shoulder pathologies. The overall quality of cost analysis in shoulder arthroplasty is relatively good, with an average QHES score of 86.22 points. Studies failing to include an annual cost discounting rate are more likely to score below the 25th percentile, whereas those including a discussion of the magnitude and direction of potential biases are more likely to achieve a score in excess of the 75th percentile.

How can we define clinically important improvement in pain scores after biceps tenodesis?

BACKGROUND: Patient postoperative pain is an important consideration following biceps tenodesis. The visual analog scale (VAS) for pain is one of the most commonly used measures for perioperative pain assessment. Currently, there is limited understanding of clinically significant improvement in VAS pain. PURPOSE: To define the substantial clinical benefit (SCB), patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS), and minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the VAS pain score in patients undergoing open subpectoral (OSPBT) or arthroscopic suprapectoral biceps tenodesis (ASPBT) at 1 year from surgery; and to identify preoperative predictors of achieving each outcome end point. METHODS: Data from consecutive patients who underwent isolated biceps tenodesis between January 2014 and March 2017 were collected and analyzed. Baseline data and postoperative patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores were recorded at 1 year postoperatively. In order to quantify the clinical significance of outcome achievement for the VAS pain score, the MCID, PASS, and SCB were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients were included in the final analysis. The VAS pain score threshold for achieving MCID was defined as a decrease of 12.9 (0-100). PASS was defined as achieving a 2-year postoperative score of 27.4 points (0-100), and SCB was defined as a decrease of 25.1 (0-100) at 1-year follow-up. The rates of achieving MCID, PASS, and SCB were 73.3%, 52.8%, and 45.9%, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrated that ASPBT (P = .01) and a lower preoperative Constant-Murley score were predictive of achieving the MCID (P = .01). In contrast, a lower preoperative score on the SF-12 Physical Component Summary (P = .01) and a higher score on the preoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (P < .001) were predictive of achieving the SCB and PASS, respectively. Preoperative duration of symptoms >6 months was predictive of a reduced likelihood to achieve PASS. CONCLUSION: This study identified scores for VAS pain that can be used to define clinically significant outcome after biceps tenodesis. Specifically, a decrease in pain score of 12.9 was a clinically important improvement in VAS pain, whereas a decrease of 25.1 represented the upper threshold of VAS pain improvement. Additionally, there were both modifiable and nonmodifiable factors that predicted achieving clinically significant levels of postoperative pain improvement.

Does the Use of Knotted Versus Knotless Transosseous Equivalent Rotator Cuff Repair Technique Influence the Incidence of Retears? A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To compare knotted and knotless transosseous equivalent (TOE) rotator cuff repair (RCR) techniques and evaluate their imaging-diagnosed retear rates. METHODS: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed (2008 to 2019), EMBASE (2008 to 2019), and Medline (2008 to 2019) were used to perform a systematic review and meta-analysis using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) criteria, with the following search terms: rotator cuff repair AND (knotless OR knotted) AND transosseous; rotator cuff repair AND (knotless OR knotted or transosseous); rotator cuff repair AND ("suture bridge" OR "suture bridging"). Data pertaining to demographic characteristics, surgical techniques, retears, and patient-reported outcomes were extracted from each study. Rates and locations of retear were reported using ranges, and risks of bias and heterogeneity for each study were assessed. RESULTS: A total of 7 studies (552 shoulders) were included. Patients had a weighted mean (± standard deviation) age of 60.5 ± 2.4 years with 27.8 ± 7.9-month follow-up. The incidence of retears ranged from 5.1% to 33.3% in patients treated with knotless TOE RCR, and the incidence for patients treated with knotted TOE RCR ranged from 7.5% to 25%. The incidence of type I retears ranged from 42.9% to 100% for patients treated with knotless TOE RCR and 20% to 100% for patients treated with knotted TOE RCR. The incidence of type II retears ranged from 0% to 57.1% in patients treated with knotless TOE RCR and 0% to 100% in patients treated with knotted TOE RCR. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and location of retears after knotless and knotted TOE RCR appear to be similar.

Outcomes and Survivorship After Arthroscopic Treatment of Glenohumeral Arthritis: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To perform a systematic review of the literature describing outcomes, surgical procedures, and rates of conversion to arthroplasty after arthroscopic debridement of symptomatic primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis. METHODS: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Embase, and Ovid MEDLINE were queried. Articles without sufficiently detailed descriptions of the debridement procedure, those primarily describing cartilage resurfacing procedures, or those that did not report any postoperative outcomes were excluded. Study design, patient demographic characteristics, operative details, imaging findings, patient-reported outcomes, and rates of conversion to arthroplasty were compiled and reported. Assessment of bias was performed using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS) criteria. RESULTS: A total of 371 patients (382 shoulders) in 8 studies were included. Patient sample sizes ranged from 8 patients (9 shoulders) to 98 patients (107 shoulders), and the samples were predominantly comprised of male patients (range, 57.1%-100%). The mean age and follow-up period ranged from 38 to 59 years and from 13.7 to 46.8 months, respectively. In studies reporting both preoperative and postoperative outcomes, improvements were found in American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores (range, 8.6-22) and visual analog scale scores for pain (range, 0.4-3.8). There was significant heterogeneity (I2 = 75%) in the rates of conversion to shoulder arthroplasty, which ranged from 4% to 42.4%, with the mean time to conversion ranging from 9 to 56 months. Study heterogeneity improved with subgroup analyses based on minimum duration of follow-up (>2 years) and preoperative radiographic inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopic treatment of glenohumeral osteoarthritis provides improvements in ROM and patient-reported outcomes with minimal complications. Despite variability in procedures and rates of subsequent conversion to arthroplasty, arthroscopic treatment appears to provide symptom relief and functional improvements in carefully selected patients. However, the longevity of improvement remains unclear, with studies including a longer duration of follow-up showing potential regression of symptom relief and increased rates of conversion to arthroplasty. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level III and IV studies.

Quantifying the Opportunity Cost of Resident Involvement in Academic Orthopaedic Sports Medicine: A Matched-Pair Analysis.

PURPOSE: To quantify the cost of resident involvement in academic sports medicine by examining differences in operative time, relative value units (RVUs) per case, and RVUs per hour between attending-only cases and cases with resident involvement. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of common sports medicine procedures identified by Current Procedural Terminology code was performed using data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2006 to 2015. Matched cohorts were generated based on demographic variables, comorbidities, preoperative laboratory values, and surgical procedures. Bivariate analysis examined mean differences in operative time, RVUs per case, and RVUs per hour between attending-only cases and cases with resident involvement. A cost analysis was performed to quantify differences in RVUs generated per hour in terms of dollars per case. RESULTS: A total of 14,840 attending-only cases and 2,230 resident-involved cases were used to generate 2 matched cohorts (N = 4,460). Resident cases had greater mean operative times than attending-only cases, with operative time increasing as residents became more senior (P < .01). Residents participated in cases with larger mean RVUs per case (P < .01). Cases with lone attendings showed greater RVUs per hour (P < .01). The cost of resident involvement increased nearly 8-fold from postgraduate year 1 to postgraduate year 6 residents ($25.70 vs $200.07). CONCLUSIONS: In academic sports medicine, the involvement of resident physicians increases operative time. The associated decrease in attending physician efficiency in RVUs per hour equates to an average cost per case of $159.18, with costs increasing as residents become more senior. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative trial.

How Should We Define Clinically Significant Improvement on Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Test for Patients Undergoing Knee Meniscal Surgery?

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to define the minimal clinically important difference (MCID), substantial clinical benefit (SCB), and patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) thresholds for the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF) computerized adaptive test (CAT) instrument in patients undergoing arthroscopic meniscal surgery. METHODS: The PROMIS PF CAT was administered preoperatively and postoperatively to patients undergoing arthroscopic meniscal surgery. At 6 months postoperatively, patients graded their knee function based on a domain-specific anchor question. A satisfaction anchor question was used to indicate achievement of the PASS. Receiver operating characteristic analysis determined the relevant psychometric values. Cutoff analysis was performed to find preoperative patient-reported outcome scores predicting achievement of clinically significant outcomes (CSOs). RESULTS: A total of 73 patients (41.1% female patients) were included, with a mean age of 44.9 ± 12.8.0 years and average follow-up period of 24.0 ± 1.2 weeks. The MCID on the PROMIS PF CAT was calculated to be 2.09 (area under the curve [AUC], 0.75; 95% CI, 0.57-0.94). Net score improvement equivalent to achievement of SCB was found to be 6.50 (AUC, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.55-0.99). The PASS was found to be 46.1 (AUC, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.76-0.96). A preoperative score below 37.6 on the PROMIS PF CAT predicted achievement of the MCID (AUC, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.62-0.87), whereas scores above 41.9 predicted achievement of the PASS (AUC, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.65-0.90). Higher baseline functional status and the absence of pre-existing arthritis were also found to be statistically significant predictors of achieving CSOs. CONCLUSIONS: Our study defined the MCID, SCB, and PASS for the PROMIS PF CAT. We found that a preoperative score below 37.6 was predictive of achieving a meaningful clinical change with surgery whereas a preoperative score above 41.9 was predictive of patients who would attain an acceptable postoperative health state. In addition, exercising more days per week and the absence of arthritis increased the likelihood of achieving postoperative CSOs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort.

Perioperative Opioid Use Predicts Postoperative Opioid Use and Inferior Outcomes After Shoulder Arthroscopy.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to define the impact of preoperative opioid use on postoperative opioid use, patient-reported outcomes, and revision rates in a cohort of patients receiving arthroscopic shoulder surgery. METHODS: Patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy were identified from an institutional database. Inclusion criteria were completion of preoperative and postoperative patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) at 1-year follow-up and completion of a questionnaire on use of opioids and number of pills per day. Outcomes assessed included postoperative PROM scores, postoperative opioid use, persistent pain, and achievement of the patient acceptable symptomatic state. A matched cohort analysis was performed to evaluate the impact of opioid use on achievement of postoperative outcomes, whereas a multivariate regression was performed to determine additional risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to establish threshold values in oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) that predicted each outcome. RESULTS: A total of 184 (16.3%) patients were included in the opioid use (OU) group and 1,058 in the no opioid use (NOU) group. The OU and NOU groups showed statistically significant differences in both preoperative and postoperative scores across all PROMs (P < .001). Multivariate logistic regression identified preoperative opioid use as a significant predictor of reduced achievement of the patient acceptable symptomatic state (odds ratio [OR], 0.69, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.83, P = .008), increased likelihood of endorsing persistent pain (OR, 1.73, 95% CI, 1.17-2.56, P = .006), and increased opioid use at 1 year (OR, 21.3, 95% CI, 12.2-37.2, P < .001). Consuming a high dosage during the perioperative period increased risk of revision surgery (OR, 8.59, 95% CI, 2.12-34.78, P < .003). Results were confirmed by matched cohort analysis. Receiver operating characteristic analysis found that total OME >1430 mg/d in the perioperative period (area under the curve, 0.76) and perioperative daily OME >32.5 predicted postoperative opioid consumption (area under the curve, 0.79). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a history of preoperative opioid use can achieve significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes after arthroscopic shoulder surgery. However, preoperative opioid use negatively impacts patients' level of satisfaction and is a significant predictor of pain and continued opioid usage. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Instruments Correlate Better With Legacy Measures in Knee Cartilage Patients at Postoperative Than at Preoperative Assessment.

PURPOSE: To define the psychometric properties of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Physical Function (PF), Pain Interference (PI), and Depression computer adaptive tests (CATs) in patients undergoing knee cartilage surgical procedures. METHODS: The PROMIS PF, PI, and Depression CATs were administered preoperatively and at 6 months alongside legacy knee patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) in patients undergoing knee cartilage surgical procedures. Statistical analysis consisted of the time to completion, psychometric analysis for correlative strengths, absolute and relative floor and ceiling effects, and Cohen effect size. RESULTS: Our study included 250 patients (57.2% male patients), averaging 1.87, 1.53, and 1.91 minutes for completion of the PF, PI, and Depression CATs, respectively. Preoperatively, the PROMIS PF and PI CATs showed wide ranges of correlation coefficients with respect to function (r = 0.14-0.72 and r = 0.29-0.77, respectively) and health-related quality-of-life PROMs (r = 0.64-0.70). At 6 months, the PROMIS PF CAT (r = 0.82-0.93) and PI CAT (r = 0.77-0.93) both exhibited excellent correlations with respect to legacy function and health-related quality-of-life PROMs except for the Marx Activity Rating Scale (r = 0.36-0.44). None of the PROMIS instruments exhibited any significant floor or ceiling effects. CONCLUSIONS: The PROMIS PF, PI, and Depression CATs performed better with respect to legacy PROMs in the postoperative period than the preoperative period. In addition, the PROMIS PF and PI measures performed best with respect to the International Knee Documentation Committee questionnaire, and no floor or ceiling effects were identified for the PROMIS instruments. The PROMIS instruments may be more suited to track outcomes postoperatively than to establish preoperative baselines in cartilage surgery patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective case series.

Do Corticosteroid Injections Before or After Primary Rotator Cuff Repair Influence the Incidence of Adverse Events? A Subjective Synthesis.

PURPOSE: To determine the influence of corticosteroid injections (CSIs) before or after primary rotator cuff repair (RCR) on the risk of (1) revision RCR, (2) retears, and (3) infections. METHODS: The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases were queried in accordance with the 2009 Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) statement. Data pertaining to the use of CSIs before or after primary RCR and adverse events were extracted. A subjective synthesis of these outcomes and bias was performed. RESULTS: A total of 10 studies including 240,976 patients were identified; 20.0% received a perioperative CSI. Of the 48,235 patients who received a CSI, 66.2% did so preoperatively whereas 33.8% did so postoperatively. A total of 78 patients received both preoperative and postoperative CSIs. Three studies examined the influence of preoperative CSIs on revision RCR; the incidence ranged from 3.8% to 10.5% with preoperative CSIs and from 3.2% to 3.4% for controls. Two of these studies analyzed outcomes of patients from the same databases over the same period. Five studies examined the influence of postoperative CSI use on retears; the incidence ranged from 5.7% to 19.0% in patients who received postoperative CSIs and from 10.0% to 18.4% for controls. Three studies examined the influence of CSI use on infection; 2 studies examined the risk of infection after postoperative CSI use, which ranged from 0.0% to 6.7% with CSIs and from 0.0% to 0.5% for controls. CONCLUSIONS: The use of preoperative CSIs could be associated with an increased risk of revision RCR. There were no conclusive data to suggest an increased risk of retear or infection with CSI use based on a subjective synthesis of ranges. There is currently poor-quality literature surrounding this topic. Given that the current literature is limited and heterogeneous, no definitive recommendations can be made on perioperative CSI use for RCR. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, systematic review of Level I and III studies.

Bony Ingrowth of Coil-Type Open-Architecture Anchors Compared With Screw-Type PEEK Anchors for the Medial Row in Rotator Cuff Repair: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PURPOSE: To evaluate outcomes of screw-type and coil-type open-architecture suture anchors with respect to bony ingrowth, release of biological markers, and patient-reported outcome measures when used in rotator cuff repair (RCR). METHODS: Forty patients undergoing arthroscopic RCR for full-thickness rotator cuff tears were enrolled and prospectively randomized to receive a screw-type (19 patients) or coil-type (21 patients) suture anchor for the medial row during repair. All repairs used a transosseous-equivalent configuration with footprint anchors laterally. Marrow elements released during surgery were evaluated for 9 cytokine markers (insulin-like growth factor 1, fibroblast growth factor 2, bone morphogenetic proteins 7 and 2, platelet-derived growth factors AA and BB, epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor beta1, and vascular endothelial growth factor). Postoperative computed tomography scans were performed at 6 months. Range of motion, strength, and validated patient-reported outcome measures (Simple Shoulder Test, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, visual analog scale, and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores) were gathered before the operation and at 6 months and 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: Bone mineral density surrounding the coil-type anchor was significantly greater than that surrounding the screw-type anchor (P = .005). Bone mineral density values within the coil-type and screw-type anchors were comparable (P = .527); however, a larger amount of total bone mineral mass (in milligrams) was shown within the coil-type anchor owing to its larger volume (P < .01). Marrow elements released at the repair site were similar between groups (P > .05). Postoperatively, no statistically significant difference was found between groups for clinical outcome measures at 6 months or 1 year. Retear and complication rates were similar between groups (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS: Both the coil-type and screw-type anchors can be reliably used for RCR and produce similar clinical outcomes. The coil-type anchor resulted in superior bony growth surrounding the anchor and a larger total bone mineral mass within the anchor owing to its larger volume. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II, randomized prospective comparative study.

The Impact of Workers' Compensation on Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Upper Extremity and Legacy Outcome Measures in Patients Undergoing Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair.

PURPOSE: To examine the preoperative performance of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Upper Extremity (UE) Computer Adaptive Test (CAT) with respect to legacy scores in patients receiving rotator cuff repair (RCR). In addition, to define the impact of Workers' Compensation (WC) status on both performance and floor and ceiling effects. METHODS: The PROMIS UE CAT was administered preoperatively alongside legacy patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) to patients undergoing isolated arthroscopic RCR from November 2017 to September 2018. Performance was assessed using Spearman correlation coefficients, and floor and ceiling effects were examined. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-two patients (WC, n = 32; non-WC, n = 90; 62.3% male, 53.6 ± 11.5 years) were included. PROMs assessing physical function (r = 0.41-0.77) correlated more strongly to the PROMIS UE CAT than did multidomain or mental health PROMs (r = 0.25-0.61). In WC patients, the PROMIS UE CAT demonstrated diminished correlative strength relative to shoulder function PROMs. WC patients also demonstrated relative floor effects for Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE; 18.8%) and Constant-Murley (15.6%) and relative ceiling effects for the Brief Resilience Scale (53.1%), Short Form 12 Mental Component Score (50%), and Veterans Rand 12 Mental Component Score (53.1%) and were more likely to report the minimum SANE score (P < .01) and the maximum Brief Resilience Scale score (P < .01). No absolute or relative floor/ceiling effects for the PROMIS UE CAT were found. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with a non-WC cohort, WC patients have significantly lower preoperative PROMIS UE CAT scores, are more likely to report the absolute minimum and maximum scores for various PROMs, and demonstrated relative floor and ceiling effects for PROMs assessing mental health. The absence of significant floor/ceiling effects for the PROMIS UE CAT may suggest improved outcome discrimination and may support the adoption of PROMIS UE for the assessment of functional status in WC patients with rotator cuff pathology. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative trial.

Should We Question the External Validity of Database Studies? A Comparative Analysis of Demographics.

PURPOSE: To define the external validity of national and institutional databases for common sports medicine procedures. METHODS: Patient demographic data including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and 4 racial categories were aggregated between 2007 and 2016 across 2 databases for 4 common sports medicine procedures: anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR), partial meniscectomy (PMx), and both arthroscopic and open shoulder stabilization. The first database of interest was a prospectively collected institutional database. The second was the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Two-sample t tests were performed to examine mean differences (MDs) in age and BMI, and χ2 testing was used to test differences in sex and race. RESULTS: A total of 7,019 institutional and 108,881 NSQIP patients were examined. The NSQIP cohort was significantly older (MD, 1.40 years), included more female patients (42.60% female patients vs 35.67% female patients), and showed a different racial distribution compared with the institutional data (all P < .0001). The NSQIP PMx cohort (MD, 7.38 years) was significantly older and the NSQIP RCR cohort (MD, 1.97 years) was significantly younger than their institutional counterparts (all P < .0001). The NSQIP anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction cohort (MD, 2.53) showed a greater average BMI (P < .0001). The NSQIP RCR cohort (41.8% female patients vs 33.3% female patients) and PMx cohort (46.0% female patients vs 37.9% female patients) also included more female patients. Race was distributed variably between databases for each procedure code (all P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences in age, BMI, sex, and race distributions were observed between an institutional database and the NSQIP database. This study underlines the importance of defining the generalizability of database research, particularly when significant demographic differences between databases may underlie differences in postoperative outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, cross-sectional study.

The Cost to Attending Surgeons of Resident Involvement in Academic Hand Surgery.

PURPOSE: For many types of surgical cases, there is an increase in length with the participation of a resident physician. The lost operative time productivity is not necessarily mitigated in any fashion other than to benefit the experience of the trainee. Moreover, increasing pressures to maximize productivity, coupled with diminishing reimbursements serve to disincentive resident involvement. The aim of this study was to examine the opportunity cost in the academic setting for intraoperative resident participation during specific hand surgery cases. METHODS: Retrospective analysis was performed on the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project (NSQIP) database from 2006 to 2015. Cases were identified by Current Procedural Terminology code to isolate distal radius fracture repairs, carpal tunnel releases, scaphoid fractures repairs, and metacarpal fracture repairs. Variables collected included operation time, presence or absence of resident physician, and postgraduate year level. Statistical analysis was performed using the statistical computing software R 3.4.2 (R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria). Cost analysis was performed to quantify the effect of operative times in terms of relative value units (RVUs) lost. RESULTS: A total of 3727 cases were identified. Of those, 1264 cases were performed with a resident present. Residents participated in cases with higher total RVU (14.91 vs 13.16, P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant increase of 24.3 minutes (P < 0.001) in the mean operation time with a resident present as compared with those without. Moreover, RVU per hour in resident cases was significantly lower by 2.97 RVU per hour or 21% (P < 0.001). Using the late 2018 Medicare physician conversion factor of US $33.9996, the opportunity cost to attending physicians is US $159.20 per case. CONCLUSIONS: Resident participation in surgical cases is paramount to the education of future trainees, particularly in the era of trainee duty hour reform. Because residents are participating in higher total RVU cases, this selection bias may be playing a role in explaining our result. Nonetheless, resident involvement for certain procedures comes at an opportunity cost to faculty surgeons. How to balance the cost to train residents in the emerging value-based health systems will prove to be challenging but requires consideration.

Can Head Circumference Be Used as a Proxy for Intracranial Volume in Patients With Craniosynostosis?

BACKGROUND: Calculation of intracranial volume from neuroimaging can be complex and time consuming. In the adult population, there is evidence suggesting that owing to its strong correlation, head circumference (HC) may be used as a surrogate for intracranial volume (ICV). We were interested in studying the correlation between HC and ICV in patients with craniosynostosis. METHODS: After institutional review board approval, a retrospective review was performed on patients with craniosynostosis. GE Healthcare AdW 4.3 volume assessment software was used to calculate ICV and HC based on preoperative computed tomographic scans. Pearson correlation was used to estimate correlation coefficients between ICV and HC for this patient population, with 0 to 0.3 considered a weak correlation, 0.4 to 0.6 considered a moderate correlation, 0.7 to 1 considered a strong correlation, and P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 196 craniosynostosis patients were included in this study. There were 121 male and 75 female patients. Seventy-nine patients had metopic, 45 had coronal, 64 had sagittal, and 8 had lambdoid synostosis. Mean age was 8.2 months. Mean HC and ICV were 42.9 cm and 829 cm, respectively. Overall, there was a strong correlation between HC and ICV (r = 0.81). Patients were further categorized by craniosynostosis type. Very strong correlation was obtained for patients with coronal (0.89), metopic (0.98), and lambdoid craniosynostosis (0.97). Strong correlation was obtained for patients with sagittal synostosis (0.73). When categorized by sex, a stronger correlation was obtained for female patients (0.84) compared with male patients (0.80). Statistical significance was reached for all reported correlations. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary data suggest that a very strong correlation exists between HC and ICV for male and female patients with all types of craniosynostosis, making HC a useful surrogate for ICV in this patient population.