Time-Driven Activity-Based Costing in Breast Cancer Care Delivery.

BACKGROUND: Accurate measurement of healthcare costs is required to assess and improve the value of oncology care. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the cost of breast cancer care provision across collaborating health care organizations. METHODS: We used time-driven activity-based costing (TDABC) to calculate the complete cost of breast cancer care-initial treatment planning, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, surgical resection and reconstruction, and ancillary services (e.g., psychosocial oncology, physical therapy)-across multiple hospital sites. Data were collected between December 2019 and February 2020. TDABC steps involved (1) developing process maps for care delivery pathways; (2) determine capacity cost rates for staff, medical equipment, and hospital space; (3) measure the time required for each process step, both manually through clinic observation and using data from the Real-Time Location System (RTLS); and (4) calculate the total cost of care delivery. RESULTS: Surgical care costs ranged from $1431 for a lumpectomy to $12,129 for a mastectomy with prepectoral implant reconstruction. Radiation therapy was costed at $1224 for initial simulation and patient education, and $200 for each additional treatment. Base costs for chemotherapy delivery were $382 per visit, with additional costs driven by chemotherapy agent(s) administered. Personnel expenses were the greatest contributor to the cost of surgical care, except in mastectomy with implant reconstruction, where device costs equated to up to 60% of the cost of surgery. CONCLUSION: The cost of complete breast cancer care depended on (1) treatment protocols; (2) patient choice of reconstruction; and (3) the need for ancillary services (e.g., physical therapy). Understanding the actual costs and cost drivers of breast cancer care delivery may better inform resource utilization to lower the cost and improve the quality of care.

Characterizing the macro and micro mechanical properties of scaffolds for rotator cuff repair.

BACKGROUND: Retearing after rotator cuff surgery is a major clinical problem. Numerous scaffolds are being used to try to reduce retear rates. However, few have demonstrated clinical efficacy. We hypothesize that this lack of efficacy is due to insufficient mechanical properties. Therefore, we compared the macro and nano/micro mechanical properties of 7 commercially available scaffolds to those of the human supraspinatus tendons, whose function they seek to restore. METHODS: The clinically approved scaffolds tested were X-Repair, LARS ligament, Poly-Tape, BioFiber, GraftJacket, Permacol, and Conexa. Fresh frozen cadaveric human supraspinatus tendon samples were used. Macro mechanical properties were determined through tensile testing and rheometry. Scanning probe microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were performed to assess properties of materials at the nano/microscale (morphology, Young modulus, loss tangent). RESULTS: None of the scaffolds tested adequately approximated both the macro and micro mechanical properties of human supraspinatus tendon. Macroscale mechanical properties were insufficient to restore load-bearing function. The best-performing scaffolds on the macroscale (X-Repair, LARS ligament) had poor nano/microscale properties. Scaffolds approximating tendon properties on the nano/microscale (BioFiber, biologic scaffolds) had poor macroscale properties. CONCLUSION: Existing scaffolds failed to adequately approximate the mechanical properties of human supraspinatus tendons. Combining the macroscopic mechanical properties of a synthetic scaffold with the micro mechanical properties of biologic scaffold could better achieve this goal. Future work should focus on advancing techniques to create new scaffolds with more desirable mechanical properties. This may help improve outcomes for rotator cuff surgery patients.

One-stage versus two-stage exchange arthroplasty for infected total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Infection complicating total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has serious implications. Traditionally the debate on whether one- or two-stage exchange arthroplasty is the optimum management of infected TKA has favoured two-stage procedures; however, a paradigm shift in opinion is emerging. This study aimed to establish whether current evidence supports one-stage revision for managing infected TKA based on reinfection rates and functional outcomes post-surgery. METHODS: MEDLINE/PubMed and CENTRAL databases were reviewed for studies that compared one- and two-stage exchange arthroplasty TKA in more than ten patients with a minimum 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: From an initial sample of 796, five cohort studies with a total of 231 patients (46 single-stage/185 two-stage; median patient age 66 years, range 61-71 years) met inclusion criteria. Overall, there were no significant differences in risk of reinfection following one- or two-stage exchange arthroplasty (OR -0.06, 95 % confidence interval -0.13, 0.01). Subgroup analysis revealed that in studies published since 2000, one-stage procedures have a significantly lower reinfection rate. One study investigated functional outcomes and reported that one-stage surgery was associated with superior functional outcomes. Scarcity of data, inconsistent study designs, surgical technique and antibiotic regime disparities limit recommendations that can be made. CONCLUSION: Recent studies suggest one-stage exchange arthroplasty may provide superior outcomes, including lower reinfection rates and superior function, in select patients. Clinically, for some patients, one-stage exchange arthroplasty may represent optimum treatment; however, patient selection criteria and key components of surgical and post-operative anti-microbial management remain to be defined. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

The association between smoking and the development of rheumatoid arthritis: a population-based case-control study.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is one of the few modifiable risk factors associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most published data are over 10 years old, and none included Mediterranean populations. We therefore took advantage of primary care routinely collected data to study the association between smoking and the development of RA in the general population of Catalonia, Spain. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study including all patients with a new diagnosis of RA registered in the SIDIAP database between 01/01/2008 and 31/12/2018; and matched them to up to 1:5 controls by age, gender and general practitioner. Smoking was classified by primary care staff into never, ex- or current smoking. Odds Ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between current and ex-smoking (compared to never smoking) and RA were estimated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: A total of 13,920 RA cases and 69,535 controls were included. Compared with never smokers, current and ex-smokers were at increased risk of RA, with adjusted OR of 1.28 [95% CI 1.20-1.37] and OR 1.19 [1.12-1.26] respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm an association between smoking and the risk of developing RA. The effect seems to prevail in the long-term and even in ex-smokers for 2 or more years after smoking cessation. More research is needed on the effects of smoking discontinuation on RA prevention and related outcomes.

Findings from the patch augmented rotator cuff surgery (PARCS) feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: A rotator cuff tear is a common disabling shoulder problem. Symptoms include pain, weakness, lack of mobility and sleep disturbance. Many patients require surgery to repair the tear; however, there is a high failure rate. There is a pressing need to improve the outcome of rotator cuff surgery. The use of patch augmentation to provide support to the healing process and improve patient outcomes holds new promise. Different materials (e.g. human/animal skin or intestine tissue, and completely synthetic materials) and processes (e.g. woven or a mesh) have been used to produce patches. However, clinical evidence on their use is limited. The patch augmented rotator cuff surgery (PARCS) feasibility study aimed to determine the design of a definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) assessing the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a patch to augment surgical repair of the rotator cuff that is both acceptable to stakeholders and feasible. METHODS: A mixed methods feasibility study of conducing a subsequent RCT. The project involved six stages: a systematic review of clinical evidence; a survey of the British Elbow and Shoulder Society's (BESS) surgical membership; a survey of surgeon trialists; focus groups and interviews with stakeholders; a two-round Delphi study administered via online questionnaires and a 2-day consensus meeting. RESULTS: The BESS surgeons' survey identified a variety of patches in use (105 (21%) responses received). Twenty-four surgeons (77%) completed the trialist survey relating to trial design. Four focus groups were conducted involving 24 stakeholders. Twenty-nine (67% of invited) individuals took part in the Delphi. Differing views were held on a number of aspects including the appropriate patient population for trial participation. Agreement on the key research questions and the outline of two potential RCTs were achieved through the Delphi study and the consensus meeting. CONCLUSIONS: Randomised comparisons of on-lay patch use for completed rotator cuff repairs, and bridging patch use for partial rotator cuff repairs were identified as areas for further research. The value of an observational study to assess safety concerns of patch use was also highlighted. The main limitation was that the findings were influenced by the participants, who might not necessarily reflect all stakeholders.

Patch augmentation surgery for rotator cuff repair: the PARCS mixed-methods feasibility study.

BACKGROUND: A rotator cuff tear is a common, disabling shoulder problem. Symptoms may include pain, weakness, lack of shoulder mobility and sleep disturbance. Many patients require surgery to repair the tear; however, there is a high failure rate. There is a need to improve the outcome of rotator cuff surgery, and the use of patch augmentation (on-lay or bridging) to provide support to the healing process and improve patient outcomes holds promise. Patches have been made using different materials (e.g. human/animal skin or tissue and synthetic materials) and processes (e.g. woven or mesh). OBJECTIVES: The aim of the Patch Augmented Rotator Cuff Surgery (PARCS) feasibility study was to determine the design of a definitive randomised controlled trial assessing the clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a patch to augment surgical repair of the rotator cuff that is both acceptable to stakeholders and feasible. DESIGN: A mixed-methods feasibility study of a randomised controlled trial. DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library databases were searched between April 2006 and August 2018. METHODS: The project involved six stages: a systematic review of clinical evidence, a survey of the British Elbow and Shoulder Society's surgical membership, a survey of surgeon triallists, focus groups and interviews with stakeholders, a two-round Delphi study administered via online questionnaires and a 2-day consensus meeting. The various stakeholders (including patients, surgeons and industry representatives) were involved in stages 2-6. RESULTS: The systematic review comprised 52 studies; only 15 were comparative and, of these, 11 were observational (search conducted in August 2018). These studies were typically small (median number of participants 26, range 5-152 participants). There was some evidence to support the use of patches, although most comparative studies were at a serious risk of bias. Little to no published clinical evidence was available for a number of patches in clinical use. The membership survey of British Elbow and Shoulder surgeons [105 (21%) responses received] identified a variety of patches in use. Twenty-four surgeons (77%) completed the triallist survey relating to trial design. Four focus groups were conducted, involving 24 stakeholders. Differing views were held on a number of aspects of trial design, including the appropriate patient population (e.g. patient age) to participate. Agreement on the key research questions and the outline of two potential randomised controlled trials were achieved through the Delphi study [29 (67%)] and the consensus meeting that 22 participants attended. LIMITATIONS: The main limitation was that the findings were influenced by the participants, who are not necessarily representative of the views of the relevant stakeholder groups. CONCLUSION: The need for further clinical studies was clear, particularly given the range and number of different patches available. FUTURE WORK: Randomised comparisons of on-lay patch use for completed rotator cuff repairs and bridging patch use for partial rotator cuff repairs were identified as areas for further research. The value of an observational study to assess safety concerns of patch use was also highlighted. These elements are included in the trial designs proposed in this study. STUDY REGISTRATION: The systematic review is registered as PROSPERO CRD42017057908. FUNDING: This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 25, No. 13. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Shoulder muscles and tendons allow us to move our arms to carry out daily activities, work and play sports. Disease and injury of these tendons can cause significant long-term disability. Early treatment of these tendon problems usually involves painkillers, injections and physiotherapy. However, many patients whose symptoms do not improve may need surgery to repair these tendons. Unfortunately, around 40% of surgical tendon repairs fail within 12 months. As such, these operations need to be improved. A promising approach is to use a patch to support the repair while the tendon heals; this patch is often used in a similar way to a plaster. However, it is not yet clear whether or not using a patch improves patient health and, if so, whether or not it makes enough of a difference to justify the additional cost to the NHS. A scientific study called a randomised controlled trial is needed to fairly assess the value of surgery with a patch in people requiring a tendon repair. This study must be carefully designed so that it is acceptable to patients and surgeons, among others, and feasible to run. We conducted a multistage study to explore whether or not a potential trial design could be achieved. We searched the scientific literature for previous research that had studied using patches for repairing shoulder tendons. We surveyed shoulder surgeons, including those who had previously been involved shoulder randomised controlled trials. We conducted four focus groups with stakeholders. Initial agreement on the best way to run a randomised controlled trial of patches in shoulder surgery was achieved using online questionnaires. Finally, we held a 2-day meeting to scrutinise the study findings and the relevant issues. Two potential studies were recommended, as was the need for closer monitoring of patch safety.

The Association Between Smoking and the Development of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Case-Control Study.

INTRODUCTION: Smoking is one of the few modifiable risk factors associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Most published data are over 10 years old, and none included Mediterranean populations. We therefore took advantage of primary care routinely collected data to study the association between smoking and the development of RA in the general population of Catalonia, Spain. METHODS: We conducted a case-control study including all patients with a new diagnosis of RA registered in the SIDIAP database between 01/01/2008 and 31/12/2018; and matched them to up to 1:5 controls by age, gender and general practitioner. Smoking was classified by primary care staff into never, ex- or current smoking. Odds Ratios and 95% confidence intervals for the association between current and ex-smoking (compared to never smoking) and RA were estimated using conditional logistic regression adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS: A total of 13,920 RA cases and 69,535 controls were included. Compared with never smokers, current and ex-smokers were at increased risk of RA, with adjusted OR of 1.28 [95% CI 1.20-1.37] and OR 1.19 [1.12-1.26] respectively. CONCLUSION: Our findings confirm an association between smoking and the risk of developing RA. The effect seems to prevail in the long-term and even in ex-smokers for 2 or more years after smoking cessation. More research is needed on the effects of smoking discontinuation on RA prevention and related outcomes.

Symptomatic stress reaction of the humerus in a professional cricketer.

A symptomatic bone stress reaction is an early pathological feature, which can lead to stress fractures. It typically affects bones of the lower limbs in response to unaccustomed disproportional compressive loading. Professional sportspeople are susceptible to both bone stress reaction and stress fractures, where training regimes and competition predispose to overuse injuries. We discuss a unique case of a professional cricketer developing pain in the throwing arm due to bone stress reaction in the distal humerus, as confirmed on MRI. Modification of the patient's training regime, presented in this case, facilitated complete recovery within 6 weeks. The positive response to modified training suggests a biomechanical origin of the pain. This case illustrates that tensile stress associated with throwing activities can result in a symptomatic bone stress reaction of the humerus in elite cricketers.

Antibiotic treatment and flares of rheumatoid arthritis: a self-controlled case series study analysis using CPRD GOLD.

There is emerging evidence of the impact of infections on rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis and flares. We aimed to study the association between antibiotic use (and timing of use), and the occurrence of flares in patients with RA. We nested a self-controlled case series (SCCS) of patients who have RA flares within a newly diagnosed RA cohort (n = 31,992) from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD) GOLD dataset. We determined associations between exposure to antibiotics (beta-lactam, imidazole, macrolide, nitrofurantoin, quinolone, sulphonamide and trimethoprim, and tetracycline) and the occurrence of RA flares. Conditional fixed-effects Poisson regression models were used to determine incidence rate ratios (IRR), offset by the natural logarithm of risk periods. A total of 1,192 (3.7%) of RA subjects had one or more flare/s during the study period, and were therefore included. Use of sulphonamide and trimethoprim was associated with an increased risk of RA flare at 29-90 days (IRR 1.71, CI 1.12-2.59, p = 0.012); 91-183 days (IRR 1.57, CI 1.06-2.33, p = 0.025); and 184-365 days (IRR 1.44, CI 1.03-2.02, p = 0.033) after commencement of antibiotic treatment. No other antibiotic group/s appear associated with RA flare/s risk. Usage of sulphonamide and trimethoprim antibiotics, is associated with a 70% increased risk of RA flare at 1-3 months, which decreases but remains significant up to 12 months after treatment. We hypothesise that the delayed onset of RA flares after specific antibiotics is mediated through the gut or urinary microbiomes. Further epidemiological and mechanistic research is needed to determine the role of infections in RA.

The Use of Electrospun Scaffolds in Musculoskeletal Tissue Engineering: A Focus on Tendon and the Rotator Cuff.

INTRODUCTION: Rotator Cuff tears affect 15% of 60 year olds and carry a significant social and financial burden. Current operative techniques and repair adjuncts are associated with unacceptably high failure rates, stimulating investigation into novel tissue engineering and regenerative medicine (TERM) approaches in the field of rotator cuff surgery. In this review we explore the most recent advances in the field of electrospinning, focussing on proposed tissue-engineered solutions in tendon, specifically the rotator cuff. METHODS: The MEDLINE/PubMed database was reviewed for English language papers and publication date within the last 5 years, using the search string "electrospinning AND tendon". RESULTS: Of 38 results, eighteen studies were included in the final analysis. Common themes identified included (1) drug/biological molecule delivery (2) using novel and biological materials in manufacture (3) increased mechanical strengths of materials, and, (4) techniques to improve the nanotopographical properties - of electrospun scaffolds. Human tissue was used in less than 15% of studies to determine cytocompatibility. Varying study designs were observed often employing differing outcome measures making direct comparisons and conclusions challenging. CONCLUSION: This review summarises the most current scientific knowledge in the study of TERM in tendon and the rotator cuff field and electrospinning techniques. We found that as knowledge of the pathology behind rotator cuff tears is furthered, specific molecules, mechanical properties and nanotopographical features are being incorporated into electrospun scaffolds.

Single-stage bilateral medial Oxford Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty: A case-control study of perioperative blood loss, complications and functional results.

BACKGROUND: The benefits and risks of a single-stage medial UKA remains a subject of debate because of the theoretically higher risk of complications and specifically blood loss. The aim of this study was to evaluate the perioperative blood loss, risks and the functional results of single-stage bilateral medial Oxford Unicompartmental Knee Arthroplasty (OUKA) compared to a standard unilateral medial OUKA procedure (control group). HYPOTHESIS: The blood loss observed during bilateral single-stage medial Oxford UKA is not different from that of the control group. METHODS: In this case-control prospective study, fifty patients (100 knees) who underwent single-stage bilateral medial OUKA (study group) were compared to a hundred patients (100 knees) with unilateral medial OUKA (control group), performed by the same surgeon. The real blood loss (in mL of hematocrit at 100%), incidence of blood transfusions, and complication rates were compared. Clinical results were assessed at 6 month and at a two-year minimum follow-up (FU) using IKS, KOOS and OKS scores, in addition to a satisfaction questionnaire. RESULTS: Groups were deemed comparable. Concerning blood loss, no significant difference was observed compared to the control group (465mL±225 vs. 396±190; p=0.07). No difference was found, either, between groups regarding the complication rates (p=0.36), nor the clinical results (p=0.61) and patient satisfaction (p=0.23) at last FU. CONCLUSION: Single-stage bilateral procedure does not cause increased blood loss compared with controls. Moreover, clinical results were deemed good and excellent in spite of a slightly greater complication rate than those found in the literature but similar to controls. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Case-control study, level III.

Systematic review of the surgical management of rotator cuff repair with an augmentative patch: a feasibility study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Shoulder pain is a common problem in the general population and is responsible for prolonged periods of disability, loss of productivity, absence from work and inability to carry out household activities. Rotator cuff problems account for up to 70% of shoulder pain problems and are the third most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder after those occurring in the lower back and neck. Rotator cuff surgery has high failure rates (25-50% within 12 months), and as a result, there is a pressing need to improve the outcome of rotator cuff surgery. Patch augmented surgery for rotator cuff repairs has recently been developed and is increasingly being used within the UK National Health Service. Patch augmented surgery could lead to a dramatic improvement in patient and surgical outcomes, but its clinical and cost effectiveness needs rigorous evaluation. The existing evidence on the use of patches may be at risk of bias as currently only a small number of single-centre comparative studies appear to have been carried out. Additionally, it is unclear for which patches a clinical study (comparative and non-comparative) has been conducted. This paper outlines the protocol for a systematic review intended to summarise the best available clinical evidence and will indicate what further research is required. METHODS: Electronic databases (Medline, Embase and Cochrane) will be systematically searched between April 2006 and the present day for relevant publications using a specified search strategy, which can be adapted for the use in multiple electronic databases, and inclusion criteria. Screening of both titles and abstracts will be done by two independent reviewers with any discrepancies resolved by a third independent reviewer. Data extraction will include information regarding the type of participants, type of intervention and outcomes including but not limited to shoulder-specific function and pain scores, patch-related adverse events and type of study. The results will be summarised in a narrative review where qualitative analysis is not possible. DISCUSSION: This review aims to collate the current evidence base regarding the use of patches to augment rotator cuff repair. The results of this review will help to develop, using consensus methods, the design of a definitive randomised trial assessing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of a patch to augment surgical repair of the rotator cuff that is both acceptable to stakeholders and is feasible. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: CRD42017057908.

A large chronic pericardial effusion in an ultramarathon runner with anti-CCP positive rheumatoid arthritis.

Pericardial effusions arise as an extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Pericardial effusions are often asymptomatic, particularly in the early phase, but patients are at risk of cardiac tamponade as the effusion progresses. We discuss the case of a 40-year-old male ultramarathon runner with RA who presented with mild pleuritic chest pain and exertional dyspnoea after a recent long-haul flight. Despite a relative tachycardia, his observations were otherwise unremarkable. His blood tests revealed a C-reactive protein (CRP) of 86 mg/L and an anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) titre of 360 units/mL. He was initially diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism; however, a large pericardial effusion was found incidentally on CT pulmonary angiogram with over 1500 mL subsequently drained. The patient's symptoms resolved and CRP normalised 2 weeks later. This unique case illustrates that physically fit patients may physiologically compensate for large pericardial effusions and that arthritic symptoms do not correlate with the severity of extra-articular features in RA.

Postoperative hemoglobin level in patients with femoral neck fracture.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the changes of hemoglobin levels in patients undergoing fixation for femoral neck fracture. METHODS: Peroperative hemoglobin levels of patients who underwent either dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation (n=74; mean age: 80 years) or hip hemiarthroplasty (n=104; mean age: 84 years) for femoral neck fracture was monitored. RESULTS: There was a statistically and clinically significant mean drop of 31.1 g/L between the preoperative (D0) and postoperative Day 5 Hb levels (p<0.001), with significant reductions from D0 to Day 1 and Day 1 to Day 2 (p<0.001). At each postoperative measurement, DHS patients had lower hemoglobin values over hemiarthroplasty patients (p=0.046). CONCLUSION: The decrease in hemoglobin in the first 24-hour postoperative period (D0 to Day 1) is an underestimation of the ultimate lowest value in hemoglobin found at Day 2. Relying on the Day 1 hemoglobin level could be detrimental to patient care. We propose a method of predicting patients likely to be transfused and recommend a protocol for patients undergoing femoral neck fracture surgery to standardize postoperative hemoglobin monitoring.

An analysis of postoperative hemoglobin levels in patients with a fractured neck of femur.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to analyze the changes in hemoglobin level and to determine a suitable timeline for post-operative hemoglobin monitoring in patients undergoing fixation of femoral neck fracture. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent either dynamic hip screw (DHS) fixation (n = 74, mean age: 80 years) or hip hemiarthroplasty (n = 104, mean age: 84 years) for femoral neck fracture were included into the study. The hemoglobin level of the patients was monitored perioperatively. RESULTS: Analysis found a statistically and clinically significant mean drop in hemoglobin of 31.1 g/L over time from pre-operatively (D0) to day-5 post-operatively (p < 0.001), with significant reductions from D0 to day-1 and day-1 to day-2 (p < 0.001). At each post-operative time point, DHS patients had lower hemoglobin values over hemiarthroplasty patients (p = 0.046). CONCLUSION: The decrease in hemoglobin in the first 24-h post-operative period (D0 to day-1) is an underestimation of the ultimate lowest value in hemoglobin found at day-2. Relying on the day-1 hemoglobin could be detrimental to patient care. We propose a method of predicting patients likely to be transfused, and recommend a protocol for patients undergoing femoral neck fracture surgery to standardize postoperative hemoglobin monitoring. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV Prognostic study.

Athletic Population with Spondylolysis: Review of Outcomes following Surgical Repair or Conservative Management.

STUDY DESIGN: Narrative review. OBJECTIVE: The study aims to critically review the outcomes associated with the surgical repair or conservative management of spondylolysis in athletes. METHODS: The English literature listed in MEDLINE/PubMed was reviewed to identify related articles using the term "spondylolysis AND athlete." The criteria for studies to be included were management of spondylolysis in athletes, English text, and no year, follow-up, or study design restrictions. The references of the retrieved articles were also evaluated. The primary outcome was time to return to sport. This search yielded 180 citations, and 25 publications were included in the review. RESULTS: Treatment methods were dichotomized as operative and nonoperative. In the nonoperative group, 390 athletes were included. A combination of bracing with physical therapy and restriction of activities was used. Conservative measures allowed athletes to return to sport in 3.7 months (weighted mean). One hundred seventy-four patients were treated surgically. The most common technique was Buck's, using a compression screw (91/174). All authors reported satisfactory outcomes. Time to return to play was 7.9 months (weighted mean). There were insufficient studies with suitably homogenous subgroups to conduct a meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: There is no gold standard approach for the management of spondylolysis in the athletic population. The existing literature suggests initial therapy should be a course of conservative management with thoracolumbosacral orthosis brace, physiotherapy, and activity modification. If conservative management fails, surgical intervention should be considered. Two-sided clinical studies are needed to determine an optimal pathway for the management of athletes with spondylolysis.

A perianal presentation of myeloid sarcoma.

Myeloid sarcoma is a rare tumour associated with acute myeloid leucaemia (AML). Infrequently, it can occur in myelodysplastic/myeloproliferative overlap syndrome conditions such as chronic monomyelocytic leucaemia (CMML), where it often heralds the transformation towards an AML. We discuss a rare presentation of myeloid sarcoma in the perianal region of a 51-year-old man, who was seen by various clinicians and treated for haemorrhoids and perianal abscess. There were no gross abnormalities in initial haematological investigations and the patient was systemically well. A histological biopsy demonstrated myeloid sarcoma and bone marrow aspirate, and trephine confirmed CMML transforming to AML. Treatment of myeloid sarcoma is dependent on whether there is associated AML in the bone marrow. Dual chemotherapy with cytarabine and daunorubicin remains the gold standard treatment in these patients. Sending histology samples of atypical lesions when performing incision and drainage procedures is extremely important, as it contributes to early detection of rare and malignant tissue diagnoses.