Relationship Between Perioperative Regional Anesthesia and the Risk of Missing Acute Compartment Syndrome Following Tibia Fractures.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of missed compartment syndrome in tibia fractures treated with and without regional anesthesia. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of patients with operative tibial shaft or plateau fractures at a single level-one trauma hospital between January 2015 and April 2022 with a minimum of 3-month follow-up. Patients under 18 years of age, an ipsilateral knee dislocation, known neurologic injury at presentation, or prophylactic fasciotomy were excluded. We defined missed acute compartment syndrome (ACS) as a postinjury motor deficit still present at the 3-month postoperative appointment. For patients that received a peripheral nerve block, we recorded whether a continuous perineural catheter or one-time single-shot injection was performed, and the number of nerves blocked. Incidence rates for ACS were calculated with exact binomial 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) consumed 24 hours after surgery, use of nerve block, nerve block timing, and type of block were compared using Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric tests. Statistical significance was defined as P < .05. RESULTS: The incidence of compartment syndrome diagnosed and treated during index hospitalization was 2.2% (17/791, 95% CI, 1.3%-3.4%). The incidence of missed ACS was 0.9% (7/791, 95% CI, 0.4%-1.8%). The incidence of missed ACS was not different between those who received nerve block 0.7% (4/610, 95% CI, 0.2%-1.7%), and those who did not (1.7% (3/176, 95% CI, 0.4%-4.8%) P = .19). Within patients receiving a nerve block, all patients with missed ACS (n = 4) received a perineural catheter. Similar missed ACS rates were observed between tibial shaft and plateau fractures. Patients receiving a nerve block had lower MME compared to those who did not receive a nerve block (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The results do not provide evidence that perioperative regional anesthesia increases the incidence of missed ACS in patients with operative tibial shaft or plateau injuries. but does decrease postoperative opioid requirements.

Orthopaedic fracture surgery in polytraumatized patients while on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): A report of two cases.

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) has become a salvage therapy for patients with severe acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The management of orthopaedic trauma in ECMO-supported patients with ARDS remains an evolving area of interest. Orthopaedic injuries are often temporized with external fixators, skeletal traction, or splints due to hemodynamic instability as well as concerns of exacerbating underlying pulmonary injury. However, patients requiring ECMO support do not rely on their pulmonary system for oxygenation, the need for delayed fixation may not apply. However, patients utilizing ECMO therapy can have external cardiac and pulmonary support depending on their cannulation strategy, bypassing the need for delayed fixation. We present a case series of two polytrauma patients with ARDS who underwent surgical management of pelvic ring and femoral shaft fractures while receiving ECMO support. Both patients underwent surgical management without complication and were able to be weaned from ECMO and ventilator support postoperatively. These cases highlight the potential benefits to orthopaedic fixation and underscore the need for further clinical research.

Reported Outcome Measures in Complex Fracture Elbow Dislocations: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Complex elbow fracture dislocations, dislocation with fracture of one or several surrounding bony stabilizers, are difficult to manage and associated with poor outcomes. While many studies have explored treatment strategies but a lack of standardization of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) makes cross-study comparison difficult. In this systematic review, we aim to describe what injury patterns, measured outcomes, and associated complications are reported in the complex elbow fracture dislocation literature to provide outcome reporting recommendations that will facilitate improved future cross-study comparison. METHODS: A systematic review was performed per PRISMA guidelines. We queried PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases to identify articles published between 2010 and 2022 reporting on adult patients who had a complex elbow fracture dislocation. Pathologic fractures were excluded. A bias assessment using the methodological index for non-randomized studies criteria was conducted. For each article, patient demographics, injury pattern, outcome measures, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: Ninety-one studies reporting on 3664 elbows (3654 patients) with an elbow fracture and dislocation (weighted mean age 44 years, follow-up of 30 months, 41% female) were evaluated. Of these, the injury pattern was described in 3378 elbows and included 2951 (87%) terrible triad injuries and 72 (2%) transolecranon fracture-dislocations. The three most commonly reported classification systems were: Mason classification for radial head fractures, Regan and Morrey coronoid classification for coronoid fractures, and O'Driscoll classification for coronoid fractures. Range of motion was reported in 87 (96%) studies with most reporting flexion (n=70), extension (n=62), pronation (n=68), or supination (n=67). Strength was reported in 11 (12%) studies. PROMs were reported in 83 (91%) studies with an average of 2.6 outcomes per study. There were 14 outcome scores including the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS) (n=69 [83%]), the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) score (n=28 [34%]), the visual analog scale for pain (VAS) (n=27 [33%]), QuickDASH score (n=13 [15.7%]), and Oxford Elbow score (n=5 [6.0%]). No significance was found between the number of PROMs used per article and the year of publication (P=.313), study type (P=.689), complex fracture pattern (P=.211), or number of elbows included (P=.152). CONCLUSION: There is great heterogeneity in reported PROMs in the complex elbow fracture dislocation literature. Although there is no gold standard PROM for assessing complex elbow fracture dislocations, we recommend the use of at least the MEPS and DASH outcomes measures as well as VAS pain rating scale in future studies to facilitate cross-study comparisons.

The Association between Race and Extended Length of Stay in Low-energy Proximal Humerus Fractures in Elderly Patients.

INTRODUCTION: Proximal humerus fractures (PHFs) are one of the most common fractures among patients aged 65 years and older, commonly due to low-energy mechanisms. It is essential to identify drivers of increased healthcare utilization in geriatric PHF patients and bring awareness to any disparities in care. Here, we identify factors associated with the likelihood of inpatient admission and prolonged hospital stay among patients aged 65 years and older who sustain PHF due to falls. METHODS: A national database was used to identify patients aged 65 years and older who suffered proximal humeral fractures due to a fall. Patient factors were analyzed for association with the likelihood of admission and odds of prolonged stay (≥5 days). RESULTS: In the study period, 75,385 PHF patients who met our inclusion criteria presented to the emergency department and 14,118 (18.7%) were admitted. Black race was significantly associated with decreased odds of admission (P < 0.001) and increased likelihood of prolonged stay (P = 0.007) compared with White patients. Patients aged 75 to 84 and 85+ were both more likely to be admitted (P < 0.001) and experienced a prolonged hospital stay (P = 0.015). Patients undergoing surgical intervention with reverse total shoulder arthroplasty were associated with admission and prolonged length of stay (P < 0.001). Hospitals in Midwestern (P < 0.001) and Western (P < 0.001) regions exhibited lower rates of admission and Northeastern hospitals were associated with prolonged stays (P = 0.001). Finally, trauma and nonmetropolitan (P < 0.001) centers were associated with admission. CONCLUSION: Our study highlights the notable influence of age and race on the likelihood of hospital admission and prolonged hospital stay. Specifically, Black patients exhibited prolonged hospital stay, which has been associated with lower-quality care, warranting additional exploration. Understanding these demographic and hospital-related factors is essential for optimizing resource allocation and reducing healthcare disparities in the care of PHF patients, especially as the population ages and the incidence of PHF continues to rise.

Evaluation of Sleep Quality and Its Relationship With Pain, Mood, and Physical Function After Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery: A Prospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: Sleep disturbances are associated with pain and mental health. We prospectively compared a cohort of patients with orthopaedic trauma with a control group to establish the prevalence and duration of sleep disturbance and associations between sleep disturbance and pain, mood scores, and functional outcome scores. METHODS: Subjects were patients with orthopaedic trauma undergoing in-patient surgical procedures and healthy control subjects from the community. Questionnaires completed by all subjects included the VAS numerical pain rating scale, the abbreviated profile of mood states, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Function, and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Sleep Disturbance. Control subjects completed the surveys once, and subjects with trauma completed them at 2, 6, and 24 weeks postoperatively. RESULTS: Healthy control subjects (28.6 ± 13.2) were significantly younger than patients with trauma (41.8 ± 18.9) ( P < 0.001). Compared with control subjects, at 2-week follow-up visit, patients with trauma had worse sleep ( P < 0.001) and worse mood ( P = 0.006). Across the study period, patients with trauma showed improvements in physical function ( P < 0.001) and pain (at rest [ P = 0.02], during activity [ P = 0.02], and at night [ P = 0.002]). In patients with trauma, better sleep disturbance scores were associated with better mood and less pain for all pain metrics ( P < 0.001). DISCUSSION: Patients with orthopaedic trauma have worse sleep disturbance scores at 2 weeks postoperatively compared with normal control subjects; this difference attenuated at 6 weeks. Sleep disturbance was found to markedly correlate with pain and mood, with worse sleep quality associated with higher pain and worse mood. Improvement in sleep quality across 24 weeks postoperatively was associated with improvement in mood scores. CONCLUSION: Patients should be counseled about the likely development of sleep disturbance and the possible association with worse emotional/mental health with worse sleep. Physicians should consider incorporating a multidisciplinary approach to the management of these select patients.

Comparable outcomes with intramedullary nail and plate constructs for Schatzker VI tibial plateau fractures.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes data of intramedullary nail fixation (IMN) constructs for complex Schatzker VI tibial plateau fractures are scant in the literature. This study compares the clinical and radiographic outcomes of IMN, dual plate, and single plate constructs for Schatzker IV tibial plateau fractures. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of sixty-two patients at a University-based Level 1 trauma center who underwent open reduction internal fixation for Schatzker VI tibial plateau fracture. Constructs evaluated were IMN (with or without raft screws), dual plating, and single plating. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic outcomes were recorded. All fractures were additionally classified based on the OTA classification for sub analyses. Mean follow-up was 13.2 (SD 13.3) months. Predictors of construct selection and outcomes were evaluated with bivariate logistic regression. Outcomes were compared between groups with independent samples t-tests and Chi Square tests. RESULTS: No significant demographic differences were found between IMN, dual plate or single plate construct cohorts. There was a higher proportion of open fractures within the IMN construct group versus the dual plate cohort (21.1% vs 3.6%). No statistically significant differences in radiographic outcomes were observed between cohort groups except for small but statistically significant differences in condylar width (CW) ratio change and tibial slope; when fracture cohorts were sub analyzed by specific OTA classification, there were no significant differences in any radiographic outcomes. There was a significant difference between the ratio of OTA 41C1, C2 and C3 fractures regarding treatment allocation (p = 0.004), favoring dual plate fixation for OTA 41C3 fractures. There were no significant differences found between treatment cohorts in terms of all cause complications (p > 0.05). IMN and single plate constructs were utilized when posteromedial condyle fractures were nondisplaced or minimally displaced. CONCLUSION: Intramedullary nail fixation with or without supplemental raft screws produced similar short-term clinical and radiographic results compared to dual and single plate constructs among patients with Schatzker VI fracture types, regardless of OTA classification. Level of Evidence Level III retrospective cohort.

Anatomical and reverse shoulder arthroplasty utilizing a single implant system with a platform stem: A prospective observational study with midterm follow-up.

BACKGROUND: No studies compare outcomes of anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty to reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with more than five-year follow-up. METHODS: A multicenter prospectively collected shoulder registry was utilized to review all patients undergoing primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty or primary reverse total shoulder arthroplasty with a minimum five-year follow-up utilizing a single platform stem implant system. One-hundred-ninety-one patients received an anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty and 139 patients received a reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. Patients were scored preoperatively and at latest follow-up using the simple shoulder test (SST), University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), American shoulder and elbow surgeons (ASES), Constant, and shoulder pain and disability index (SADI) scores as well as range of motion. Radiographs were evaluated for implant loosening or notching. Complications were reviewed. A Student's two-tailed, unpaired t-test identified differences in preoperative, postoperative, and pre-to-postoperative improvements. RESULTS: Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty patients were significantly older than anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty patients. All patients demonstrated significant improvement in functional metric scores and range of motion following anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty or reverse total shoulder arthroplasty. There was no difference in final outcome scores between anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty patients at midterm follow-up; however, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty patients demonstrated significantly less motion. DISCUSSION: We demonstrate equivalent outcomes with five scoring metrics at mean follow-up of 71.3 ± 14.1 months. Although postoperative scores were significantly greater than preoperative scores for both anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty patients, significant differences in outcome scores between cohorts were not observed.

Magma reservoir failure and the onset of caldera collapse at Kilauea Volcano in 2018.

Caldera-forming eruptions are among Earth's most hazardous natural phenomena, yet the architecture of subcaldera magma reservoirs and the conditions that trigger collapse are poorly understood. Observations from the formation of a 0.8-cubic kilometer basaltic caldera at Kilauea Volcano in 2018 included the draining of an active lava lake, which provided a window into pressure decrease in the reservoir. We show that failure began after <4% of magma was withdrawn from a shallow reservoir beneath the volcano's summit, reducing its internal pressure by ~17 megapascals. Several cubic kilometers of magma were stored in the reservoir, and only a fraction was withdrawn before the end of the eruption. Thus, caldera formation may begin after withdrawal of only small amounts of magma and may end before source reservoirs are completely evacuated.

Early Experience with Bilateral Continuous Femoral Nerve Block and Single-Injection Spinal Anesthesia for Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Case Series.

Objective: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a commonly performed surgery in the United States, with demand for unilateral and simultaneous bilateral TKAs (BTKAs) expected to increase significantly over the coming decades. This study reports the authors' early experience in a consecutive series of simultaneous BTKAs performed under regional anesthesia and mild sedation. Methods: In this retrospective case series, the authors examined all simultaneous BTKAs performed over two years by a single surgeon. Only patients receiving bilateral continuous femoral nerve blockade (CFNB) and single-injection sciatic nerve blockade in combination with single-injection subarachnoid block were included in the study. Of the 32 patients who underwent BTKAs during this period, 25 met the inclusion criteria. The patient's anesthesia records, physician notes, nursing notes, pharmacy records, and physical therapy records were then reviewed systematically to create a database of information. Results: Only one of 25 patients required conversion to general anesthesia during surgery. There were no major perioperative complications. The average Defense and Veterans Pain Rating Scale score immediately postoperation was 0.6/10, and the average daily score remained below 3.5/10 throughout the hospital stay. The use of bilateral CFNB did not prevent patients from ambulating during physiotherapy. Conclusions: This early retrospective case series suggests that it is feasible to effectively manage the postoperative pain associated with BTKA with staged bilateral CFNB and single-injection sciatic nerve blockage in combination with single-injection subarachnoid block as the sole anesthetic technique without negatively influencing early ambulation.

Multivariate Analysis of Blood Transfusion Rates After Shoulder Arthroplasty.

A retrospective review was performed of all shoulder arthroplasties with patients grouped on the basis of transfusion protocol time period. Group 1 had transfusions if postoperative hematocrit was <30. Group 2 had transfusions based on symptomatic anemia. Bivariate analysis of transfusion factors and multivariate analysis of significant bivariate factors were performed. Protocol change decreased transfusion rates from 16% (group 1, 153 arthroplasties) to 8% (group 2, 149 arthroplasties). Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) transfusion rate decreased dramatically (from 24% to 5%). Transfusion rates after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) were low (4%) and after revision arthroplasty were high (21% + 27%) in both groups. Age, gender, heart disease, preoperative hematocrit, diagnosis, and estimated blood loss (EBL) were risk factors on bivariate analysis. Failed arthroplasty and fracture diagnoses carried high transfusion rates (25% + 28%). Logistic regression showed that low preoperative hematocrit, increased EBL, revision arthroplasty, and heart disease were transfusion risk factors. Protocol based on symptomatic anemia results in low transfusion rates after primary TSA and RTSA.

Perioperative Factors Affecting the Length of Hospitalization After Shoulder Arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: To determine factors related to length of hospitalization after shoulder arthroplasty. METHODS: A retrospective review identified patients who underwent shoulder arthroplasty between 2009 and 2012 at our institution. Factors were evaluated for their association with hospitalization length in a univariate model. Diagnoses were categorized into four groups: (1) osteoarthritis, cuff tear arthropathy, massive rotator cuff tear, or osteonecrosis; (2) acute fracture or fracture sequelae; (3) inflammatory arthropathy; and (4) failed shoulder arthroplasty. Significant factors were then evaluated using a multivariate model. RESULTS: Four hundred twenty-five shoulder arthroplasties were identified (average age, 66.9 years). Arthroplasty type significantly affected hospitalization length. Significant factors for increased hospitalization using multivariate analysis were diabetes mellitus, American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 3 or 4, acute fracture or fracture sequelae diagnosis, inflammatory arthropathy, and a blood transfusion. DISCUSSION: Independent factors using multivariate analysis are diabetes, an American Society of Anesthesiologists score ≥3, fracture or fracture sequelae, inflammatory arthritis, and a perioperative blood transfusion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III therapeutic study.