Complications and Outcomes After Fixation of Lisfranc Injuries at an Urban Level 1 Trauma Center.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate patients with tarsometatarsal fractures and dislocations and describe complications and secondary operations. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA: Consecutive adults treated acutely for Lisfranc injuries with reduction and fixation using standard techniques of rigid medial fixation and flexible lateral fixation. OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS: Complications include infections, wound healing problems, nonunion, malunion, and posttraumatic arthrosis (PTA), and secondary unplanned procedures after a minimum of 2-year radiographic follow-up. RESULTS: Mean age of the included 118 patients was 40 years (range, 18-73 years) and 96 (74%) were male. Comorbidities included obesity (n = 32; 40%), diabetes mellitus (n = 12; 9%), and tobacco use (n = 67; 52%). Thirty (23%) were open injuries, and concomitant forefoot injuries were present in 47% and hindfoot injuries in 12%. Unplanned secondary procedures, including implant removals, were performed on 39 patients (33%), most often for removal of painful implants (26%) or infectious debridement (9%). Sixty-seven complications occurred, with PTA most frequent (37%). Deep infections occurred in 8%. On multivariate analysis, open injury ( P = 0.028, CI = 1.22-30.63, OR = 6.12) and concomitant forefoot injury ( P = 0.03, CI = 1.12-9.76, OR = 3.31) were independent risk factors for complication. CONCLUSIONS: Open Lisfranc injuries were associated with complications, with deep infections occurring in 9%. Secondary procedures were most often performed for pain relief; the most common late complication was PTA, warranting counseling of patients about potential long-term sequelae of injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Functional Outcomes After High-Energy Lisfranc Injuries.

BACKGROUND: Midfoot fractures and dislocations are infrequent and functional outcomes following Lisfranc injuries have not been well described. The purpose of this project was to explore functional outcomes following operative treatment of high-energy Lisfranc injury. METHODS: A retrospective cohort of 46 adults with tarsometatarsal fractures and dislocations treated at a single Level 1 trauma center were reviewed. Demographic, medical, social, and injury features of these patients and their injuries were recorded. Foot Function Index (FFI) and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) surveys were collected after mean 8.7 years' follow-up. Multiple linear regression was performed to identify independent predictors of outcome. RESULTS: Forty-six patients with mean age 39.7 years completed functional outcome surveys. Mean SMFA scores were 29.3 (dysfunction) and 32.6 (bothersome). Mean FFI scores were 43.1 (pain), 43.0 (disability), and 21.7 (activity), with a mean total score of 35.9. FFI pain scores were worse than published values for fractures of the plafond (33, P = .04), distal tibia (33, P = .04), and talus (25.3, P = .001). Lisfranc injury patients reported worse disability (43.0 vs 29, P = .008) and total FFI scores (35.9 vs 26, P = .02) compared with distal tibia fractures. Tobacco smoking was an independent predictor of worse FFI (P < .05) and SMFA emotion and bothersome scores (P < .04). Chronic renal disease was a predictor of worse FFI disability (P = .04) and SMFA subcategory scores (P < .04). Male sex was associated with better scores in all SMFA categories (P < .04). Age, obesity, or open injury did not affect functional outcomes. CONCLUSION: Patients reported worse pain by FFI after Lisfranc injury compared to other injuries about the foot and ankle. Tobacco smoking, female sex, and preexisting chronic renal disease are predictive of worse functional outcome scores, warranting further study in a larger sample, as well as counseling of long-term consequences of this injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective, prognostic.

Upper Extremity Wood Saw Injuries: Experience at a Single Level 1 Trauma Center.

BACKGROUND: Saw injuries are common, with more 75 000 occurring each year in the United States alone. While these injuries occur frequently, management strategies are not universally agreed upon, and data regarding outcomes and complications are lacking. We propose to provide a comprehensive picture of upper extremity saw injury patterns, management strategies, complications, and outcomes. METHODS: Patients presenting to a single level 1 trauma center between 2012 and2019 with upper extremity laceration, crush, or amputation were identified. In all, 10 721 patients were reviewed, and those without wood saw injuries were excluded. Patient demographic information, injury details, management strategy, and outcomes were collected. RESULTS: In all, 283 upper extremity wood saw injuries were analyzed. Injuries most commonly affected the fingers (92.2%), and the frequencies of simple lacerations and complicated injuries were nearly identical. The table saw was the most commonly implicated saw (48%) with more than half of the injuries being complicated, the most common being bone injury. Most patients were treated nonsurgically (81.3%), with the majority undergoing wound care in the emergency department followed by home antibiotics (68.2%). Subsequent complications were exceedingly rare (4.2%), with wound infection occurring in 5 patients. Amputations occurred in 19.4% of patients, leading to permanent functional impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Wood saw injuries are common, generating functional and financial burden. While injuries range in severity, management can typically be conducted within the emergency department with local wound care and outpatient oral antibiotics. Injury complications and long-term issues are rare. Ongoing efforts to promote saw safety are required to minimize the burden of these injuries.

Value Challenge: A Bottoms-Up Approach to Minimizing Cost and Waste in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Astronomical increases in medical expenses and waste produce widespread financial and environmental impacts. Minor changes to minimize costs within orthopaedics, the most used surgical subspecialty, could result in substantial savings. However, few orthopaedic surgeons are educated or experienced to implement cost containment strategies. This study aims to investigate cost containment opportunities and provide a framework for educating and incorporating residents into cost-saving initiatives. Methods: Orthopaedic surgical residents from an academic program with a Level I trauma center were queried during 2019 to 2022 regarding suggestions for cost containment opportunities. Based on feasibility and the estimated impact, 7 responses were selected to undergo cost-saving analyses. Results: The proposed initiatives fell into 2 categories: minimizing waste and optimizing patient care. Eliminating nonessential physical therapy/occupational therapy consults led to the greatest estimated savings ($8.6M charges/year), followed by conserving reusable drill bits ($2.2M/year) and reducing computed tomography scans on lower extremity injuries ($446K/year). Conclusion: Current medical training provides limited formal education on cost-effective care. Efforts to mitigate the growing financial and environmental costs of health care should include encouraging and incorporating resident feedback into cost reduction strategies. This tactic will likely have a positive impact on the behavior of such resident surgeons as they enter practice and have more awareness of costs and value. Level of Evidence: V (cost-minimization study).

The Influence of Retrograde Femoral Nail Removal With and Without Interpositional Fat Grafting on Distal Femoral Physeal Behavior: A Sheep Study.

BACKGROUND: Previous investigations have demonstrated that up to 7% of the distal femoral physis can be violated using a rigid, retrograde nail without growth inhibition or arrest. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the behavior of the distal femoral physis after retrograde femoral nail removal in a sheep model, with and without placement of an interpositional fat graft. METHODS: Retrograde femoral nails were placed in 8 skeletally immature sheep. Implants were removed at 8 weeks, with the residual defects left open (n=4) or filled with autologous fat graft (n=4). Differences in femoral length between surgical versus contralateral control femurs were measured after an additional 3 (n=4) or 5 months (n=4) before sacrifice, and the physis was evaluated histologically. RESULTS: When compared with control limbs, femoral length was significantly shorter in limbs sacrificed at 3 months (mean: 3.9±1.3 mm; range: 2.7 to 5.7 mm) compared with limbs at 5 months (mean: 1.0±0.4 mm; range: 0.4 to 1.2 mm) ( P =0.005). No significant difference in mean shortening was appreciated in limbs without (2.4±1.6 mm) versus with fat grafting (2.5±2.3 mm) ( P =0.94). Histologic analysis revealed no osteoid formation across the physis in sheep sacrificed at 3 months, whereas there was evidence of early osteoid formation across the physis in sheep at 5 months. All specimens demonstrated evidence of an active physes. CONCLUSIONS: Femurs undergoing retrograde implant placement were significantly shorter when compared with control limbs in sheep sacrificed at 3 months, whereas differences were nominal in sheep sacrificed at 5 months after retrograde implant removal, suggesting growth inhibition with nail removal improved with time. Fat grafting across the distal femoral physis did not result in a significant difference in femoral lengths. Histologic evidence at 5 months revealed early development of a bone bridge, emphasizing the importance of follow-up to skeletal maturity in patients treated with retrograde nailing across an open physis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Estimating Skeletal Maturity by Segmented Linear Modeling of Key AP Knee Radiographic Parameters.

BACKGROUND: The recently described Modified Fels knee system allows for accurate skeletal maturity estimation using a single anteroposterior knee radiograph but requires evaluation of 7 parameters. A faster method may have clinical utility in the outpatient setting. METHODS: Seven anteroposterior knee radiographic parameters associated with 90% of the final height (an enhanced skeletal maturity standard compared with peak height velocity) were analyzed in 78 children. Segmented linear regression and generalized estimating equation analyses were used to identify the subsets of parameters most important for accurate skeletal maturity estimation for different patient demographics and parameter scores. This process produced abbreviated skeletal maturity systems, which include fewer parameters and are quicker to use. The accuracy of the resulting abbreviated skeletal maturity systems was evaluated and compared with the full 7-parameter Modified Fels knee system and with the Greulich and Pyle (GP) left-hand bone age. RESULTS: A total of 326 left knee radiographs from 41 girls (range, 7 to 15 y) and 37 boys (range, 9 to 17 y) were included. Models generated by segmented regression and generalized estimating equation analysis required fewer parameters (range, 1 to 5 parameters) than the full Modified Fels knee system (7 parameters). Skeletal age estimates produced by segmented regression models were more accurate than GP (P<0.05) and not significantly different from the full Modified Fels system (P>0.05). The percentage of outlier estimations (estimations >1 y off from actual skeletal age) made by segmented regression models was not significantly different from GP (P>0.05) or the Modified Fels knee system (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: An abbreviated version of the Modified Fels knee system estimates skeletal maturity more accurately than the GP system with just 2 to 3 radiographic knee parameters. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The abbreviated Modified Fels knee system may allow for rapid skeletal age estimation (~30 s) appropriate for routine outpatient practice.

Tobacco smoking is associated with more pain and worse functional outcomes after torsional ankle fracture.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the impact of current and remote tobacco smoking on clinical and functional outcomes after torsional ankle fracture. METHODS: Nine hundred thirty-five patients treated surgically for torsional ankle fracture over 9 years were reviewed. Tobacco smoking status at the time of injury was defined as current (48.3%), former (11.7%), and nonsmoker (40.0%). Complications, unplanned secondary procedures, pain medication use, and functional outcome scores, as measured by Foot Function Index and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) surveys. RESULTS: Mean age was 44.8 years, with 50.3% male. More than 6 months following injury current smokers were more likely than former smokers and nonsmokers to report ankle pain (67.8% vs 45.8% vs 47.5%) and to use prescription pain medicines (23.0% vs 10.4% vs 6.3%), all P < .05. Multiple logistic regression found current tobacco use to be an independent predictor for prescription pain medication use, and worse scores for the Foot Function Index, SMFA Dysfunction, and SMFA Bothersome scores, all P < .05. Complications occurred in 15.5% of all patients, and 10.7% underwent unplanned secondary operations. Tobacco smoking was not associated with more complications or secondary procedures. CONCLUSION: Current smokers are more likely to use prescription pain medications several months after injury and have worse patient-reported functional outcome scores after surgical treatment of torsional ankle fractures than former smokers and nonsmokers.

Determinants of functional outcome following ankle fracture.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the patient and injury characteristics that impact functional outcomes after ankle fracture. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Urban level I trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: One thousand patients underwent fixation of ankle fracture (AO/OTA 44) between 2006 and 2015. Four hundred sixteen completed functional outcome surveys by telephone or mail at a mean of 5.9 years after injury. INTERVENTION: Open reduction internal fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Foot Function Index (FFI) and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA). RESULTS: Mean age was 46.7 years, with 46.2% male. Higher (worse) FFI scores were seen in tobacco users (38.9 vs 30.1), recreational drug users (45.9 vs 32.7), and the morbidly obese (52.0 vs 30.6), all P < .005. Higher (worse) SMFA dysfunction and bothersome scores were also seen in these groups, and in females and alcohol users. Multiple regression analysis identified female gender, obesity, tobacco and alcohol use, complications, secondary procedures, and multiple additional injuries as independent predictors of higher scores (all P < .04). Fracture patterns, open fracture, and development of arthritis had no impact on FFI or SMFA scores. CONCLUSION: Patient characteristics, not under surgeon-control, such as female sex, obesity, and substance use, appear to contribute to patient-reported functional outcome scores more than injury characteristics. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3, prognostic.

Implementation of programming for survivors of violence-related trauma at a level 1 trauma center.

BACKGROUND: Prior investigation of violence intervention programs has been limited. This study will describe resources offered by Victims of Crime Advocacy and Recovery Program (VOCARP), their utilization, and effect on recidivism. METHODS: VOCARP was established in 2017 at our center, and all patients who engaged with programming (n=1019) were prospectively recorded. Patients are offered services in the emergency department, on inpatient floors and at outpatient clinic visits. Two control groups (patients sustaining violent injuries without VOCARP use (n=212) and patients with non-violent trauma (n=201)) were similarly aggregated. RESULTS: During 22 months, 96% of patients accepted education materials, 31% received financial compensation, 27% requested referrals, and 22% had crisis interventions. All other resources were used by <20% of patients. Patients who used VOCARP resources were substantially different from those who declined services; they were less often male (56% vs. 71%), more often single (79% vs. 51%), had greater unemployment (63% vs. 51%) and were less frequently shot (gunshot wound: 26% vs. 37%), all p<0.05. Overall recidivism rate was 9.4%, with no difference between groups. Use of mental health services was linked to lower recidivism rates (4.4% vs. 11.7%, p=0.016). While sexual assault survivors who used VOCARP resources had lower associated recidivism (2.4% vs. 12%, p=0.14), this was not statistically significant. DISCUSSION: This represents the largest violence intervention cohort reported to date to our knowledge. Despite substantial engagement, efficacy in terms of lower recidivism appears limited to specific subgroups or resource utilization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II. Therapeutic.

Acute Fixation of Displaced Intra-articular Calcaneus Fractures Is Safe Using the Sinus Tarsi Approach.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the correlation between surgical timing and outcomes for calcaneus fractures treated using a sinus tarsi approach (STA). SETTING: Single Level-1 trauma center. DESIGN: Retrospective. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Seventy consecutive intra-articular calcaneus fractures (OTA/AO 82C; Sanders II-IV) treated operatively using STA with a minimum of 1-year follow-up. INTERVENTION: Open management using STA. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Surgery timing, wound complications, American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle and hindfoot and Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement System scores. RESULTS: Patients were primarily men (68.6%) averaging 46 years (range, 18-77 years). Nineteen (27%) were obese, 27 (38.6%) were smokers, and 3 (4.3%) were diabetic, and 10 (14.3%) had open fractures. Sanders III fracture patterns were most common (45.7%). Mean time to surgery was 4.9 days (range, 0-23 days). Three patients (4.2%) developed postoperative infections requiring surgical debridement and antibiotics. Forty patients (57%) underwent operative repair within 72 hours of injury, 9 (22.5%) of which had open fractures. Of this group, only one patient developed wound necrosis. Restoration of Bohler angle and angle of Gissane and reductions in calcaneal varus angle and heel width were achieved (all P < 0.001). No differences in Ankle Society ankle and hindfoot or Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement System scores were noted between patients treated within or beyond 72 hours from injury. CONCLUSION: Intra-articular calcaneus fractures can be treated acutely within 72 hours of injury using STA with minimal wound complications and without compromising short-term functional outcome. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Retrograde Intramedullary Nailing of Pediatric Femoral Shaft Fractures Does Not Result in Growth Arrest at the Distal Femoral Physis-A Retrospective Cases Series.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate femoral growth after placement of retrograde intramedullary nails in the treatment of pediatric femoral shaft fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Large urban trauma center in Mongolia. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Twenty-nine pediatric patients who sustained a diaphyseal femoral shaft fracture were included in the study. INTERVENTION: Retrograde intramedullary nail fixation with the standard, fin, or pediatric fin Surgical Implant Generation Network nail across an open distal femoral physis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The main outcome measure was the distance traveled by the intramedullary nail with respect to the distal femoral condyles and distal femoral physis from initial surgery to follow-up. RESULTS: The mean age of patients was 10.7 years (range: 7-14 years). Follow-up occurred at a mean of 292 days (range: 53-714 days). Both condyle distance and physis distance were significantly positively correlated with follow-up days, with Pearson R values of 0.90 (P < 0.001) and 0.84 (P < 0.001), respectively. Multiple regression analysis revealed that follow-up days was the only significant predictor of physis distance, whereas age, sex, percent growth plate violation, and nail fully traversing physis were not significant predictors. The nail completely crossed the physis in 5 patients and no growth arrests were found. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study, to our knowledge, to evaluate treating femoral shaft fractures with a retrograde nail across an open distal femoral physis. In the pediatric population, the use of a retrograde femoral intramedullary nails does not seem to cause growth arrest of the injured femur during the postoperative period and may be a reasonable treatment option when other surgical options are not available. Additional study is necessary to further evaluate the safety profile. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Risk Factors for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Acute Trauma Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after traumatic injury. SETTING: Single urban Level I trauma center. DESIGN: Prospective. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred men (66%) and 152 women treated for traumatic injuries were administered the PTSD checklist for a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition (PCL-5) survey during their first post-hospital visit over a 15-month period. INTERVENTION: Screening for PTSD in trauma patients. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: The prevalence of disease and risk factors for the development of PTSD based on demographic, medical, injury, and treatment variables. RESULTS: One hundred three patients screened positive for PTSD (26%) after a mean of 86 days after injury. Age less than 45 years was an independent risk factor for the development of PTSD [odds ratio (OR) 2.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.40-4.99)]. Mechanisms of injury associated with the development of PTSD included pedestrians struck by motor vehicles [OR 7.35, 95% CI (1.58-34.19)], motorcycle/all terrain vehicle crash [OR 3.17, 95% CI (1.04-9.65)], and victims of crime [OR 3.49, 95% CI (0.99-9.20)]. Patients sustaining high-energy mechanism injuries and those who were victims of crime scored higher on the PCL-5 [OR 2.39, 95% CI (1.35-4.22); OR 4.50, 95% CI (2.52-8.05), respectively]. CONCLUSIONS: One quarter of trauma patients screened positive for PTSD at 3 months after their injury. A mechanism of injury is a risk factor for PTSD, and younger adults, victims of crime, and pedestrians struck by motor vehicles are at higher risk. These findings offer the potential to more effectively target and refer vulnerable patient populations to appropriate treatment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a compete description of levels of evidence.

Systematic Isolation of Key Parameters for Estimating Skeletal Maturity on Knee Radiographs.

BACKGROUND: The ability to estimate skeletal maturity using a knee radiograph would be useful in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries and limb-length discrepancy in immature patients. Currently, a quick, accurate, and reproducible method is lacking. METHODS: Serial knee radiographs made 3 years before to 2 years following the chronologic age associated with 90% of final height (an enhanced skeletal maturity gold standard compared with peak height velocity) were analyzed in 78 children. The Pyle and Hoerr (PH) knee method was simplified by developing discrete stages for the distal part of the femur, the proximal part of the tibia, the proximal part of the fibula, and the patella. The Roche-Wainer-Thissen (RWT) knee method was simplified from the 36 original parameters to 14 parameters by removing parameters that were poorly defined, were not relevant to the peripubertal age range, were poorly correlated with 90% final height, or were poorly reliable on a 20-radiograph pilot analysis. We also compared the recently described central peak value (CPV) of the distal part of the femur. The Greulich and Pyle (GP) left-hand bone age was included for comparison. RESULTS: In this study, 326 left knee radiographs from 41 girls (age range, 7 to 15 years) and 37 boys (age range, 9 to 17 years) were included. Stepwise linear regression showed higher correlation in predicting years from 90% final height using the modified RWT and demographic characteristics (R2 = 0.921) compared with demographic characteristics alone (R2 = 0.840), CPV and demographic characteristics (R2 = 0.866), GP and demographic characteristics (R2 = 0.899), and PH and demographic characteristics (R2 = 0.902). Seven parameters were excluded from the RWT and demographic characteristics model using stepwise linear regression and generalized estimating equations analysis, leaving 7 parameters (2 femoral, 4 tibial, and 1 fibular) in the final model. Compared with RWT and demographic characteristics (R2 = 0.921), there were minimal incremental increases by adding CPV (R2 = 0.921), GP (R2 = 0.925), or PH (R2 = 0.931). CONCLUSIONS: This large analysis of knee skeletal maturity systems isolated 7 discrete radiographic knee parameters that theoretically outperform the GP bone age in estimating skeletal maturity. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: We present a modified knee skeletal maturity system that can potentially preclude the need for additional imaging of the hand and wrist in reliably estimating skeletal maturity.

Using the STTGMA Risk Stratification Tool to Predict Complications, Additional Operations, and Functional Outcomes After Ankle Fracture.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the usefulness of a validated trauma triage score to stratify postdischarge complications, secondary procedures, and functional outcomes after ankle fracture. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS: Four hundred fifteen patients 55 years of age and older with 431 ankle fractures. INTERVENTION: Closed or open reduction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Score for Trauma Triage in Geriatric and Middle-Aged Patients (STTGMA), postdischarge complications, secondary operations, Foot Function Index (FFI, n = 167), and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA, n = 165). RESULTS: Mean age was 66 years, 38% were men, and 68% of fractures were secondary to ground-level falls. Forty patients (9.6%) required an additional procedure, with implant removal most common (n = 21, 5.1%), and 102 (25%) experienced a postdischarge complication. On multiple linear regression, STTGMA was not a significant independent predictor of complications or secondary procedures. Patients completed FFI and SMFA surveys a median of 62 months (5.2 years) after injury. On the FFI, low-risk STTGMA stratification was an independent predictor of worse functional outcomes. Similarly, low-risk stratification was a predictor of worse scores on the SMFA dysfunction and daily activity subcategories (both B > 10, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Low-risk STTGMA stratification predicted worse long-term function. The STTGMA tool was not able to meaningfully stratify risk of postdischarge complications and secondary procedures after ankle fracture. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Supination Adduction Ankle Fractures Are Associated With Arthritis and Poor Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To compare complications and functional outcomes between supination adduction type II (SAD) injuries and torsional ankle injuries (TAI). DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients (n = 1531) treated for ankle fractures (OTA/AO 43B or 44) over 16 years were identified. The most recent 200 consecutive adult patients treated for TAI (OTA/AO 44, not SAD) served as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Complications, unplanned secondary procedures, and patient-reported functional outcome scores, as measured by the Foot Function Index and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment. RESULTS: Sixty-five patients with SAD injuries (4.2%) were included. They were younger (43.2 vs. 47.7 years, P = 0.08) and more commonly involved in a motorized collision, (58.5% vs. 29.0%) and more often multiply injured: other orthopaedic injuries (66.2% vs. 31.0%) and other nonorthopaedic injuries (40.0% vs. 7.5%, all P < 0.001 vs. TAI). Overall complication and unplanned secondary procedure rates were not different between groups. Those with a SAD injury had more posttraumatic arthrosis (80.0% vs. 40.9%, P = 0.004), but no differences were noted in infection, wound healing, malunion, or nonunion. The mean functional outcome scores were worse for SAD patients over 6 years after injury among all the Foot Function Index and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment categories; however, these differences were not significant. CONCLUSIONS: SAD injuries represented 4.2% of all ankle fractures, occurring in younger patients through higher-energy mechanisms and more often associated with polytrauma. Despite 80% of SAD patients developing posttraumatic arthrosis, secondary procedures were not more common, and functional outcomes after a SAD injury were not different from TAI. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Predicting Length of Stay and Readmissions After an Ankle Fracture Using a Risk Stratification Tool (STTGMA).

OBJECTIVES: To determine the usefulness of a validated trauma triage score to stratify short-term outcomes including hospital length of stay (LOS), in-hospital complications, discharge location, and rate of readmission after an ankle fracture. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS: Four hundred fifteen patients, age ≥55 with 431 ankle fractures. INTERVENTION: Closed or open reduction. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Score for Trauma Triage in the Geriatric and Middle-Aged (STTGMA). RESULTS: Of the 415 patients, 38% were male, 72% were white, and the mean age was 66 years. The mean LOS was 4.4 days, and this increased from 2.6 days in the minimal-risk group to 11.8 days in the high-risk group (P < 0.001). Similarly, 74% of minimal-risk patients were discharged home versus 13% of high-risk patients (P < 0.001). There were 19 readmissions (4.6%) within 30 days, ranging from 1.5% to 10% depending on the risk cohort (P = 0.006). Seventy-three patients (18%) experienced an in-hospital complication. On multiple linear regression, moderate- and high-risk STTGMA stratification was predictive of a longer hospital LOS, and moderate-risk STTGMA stratification was predictive of subsequent readmission after injury. CONCLUSIONS: Calculation of the STTGMA score is helpful for stratifying patients according to hospital LOS and readmission rates, which have substantial bearing on resource utilization and cost of care. The STTGMA tool may allow for effective identification of patients to potentially ameliorate these common issues and to inform payers and policymakers regarding patients at risk for greater costs of care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Effects of Diabetes Mellitus on Functional Outcomes and Complications After Torsional Ankle Fracture.

INTRODUCTION: It is well known that patients with diabetes mellitus experience higher complication rates after torsional ankle fracture; however, the functional consequences remain less clear. The goal of this study was to determine the effects of diabetes on complications, secondary operations, and functional outcomes after torsional ankle fracture. METHODS: Nine hundred seventy-nine adult patients treated surgically for a torsional ankle injury (Orthopaedic Trauma Association 44B, 44C) over 13 years were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic information, comorbidities, injury characteristics, complications, and secondary procedures were recorded. Patient-reported outcome surveys: Foot Function Index (FFI) and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment were obtained after minimum of 12 months. Multivariable analysis was done to account for confounding variables. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-one patients (13.4%) had diabetes. Diabetic patients were older (56.4 versus 43.0 years, P < 0.001), with no difference in sex or race. Body mass index was higher among diabetics (36.0 versus 30.4, P < 0.001) as were most medical comorbidities, including stroke, neuropathy, pulmonary disease, and renal disease (all P < 0.03). There were no differences in rates of dislocations or open injuries. Diabetics experienced more complications (26.0% versus 14.6%, P = 0.001), specifically deep infections (6.9% versus 1.3%, P = 0.001), and had more secondary procedures (18.3% versus 9.1%, P = 0.001), including débridement, arthrodesis, and amputation (all P < 0.02). Diabetes was a significant independent predictor of worse FFI activity limitation scores (P = 0.032), but was not predictive of worse outcomes on any other subscore of the FFI or Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment. CONCLUSIONS: Diabetes was associated with more complications and secondary operations. However, functional outcomes including pain and dysfunction were not markedly affected by these clinical outcomes, potentially due to diminished sensory function and less baseline physical activity among diabetic patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic level III.

Five-year Trends in Opioid Prescribing Following Orthopaedic Trauma.

INTRODUCTION: Legislatures across the country are passing new opioid prescribing laws. To understand the effects of this legislation, baseline autonomous shifts in physician opioid prescribing must be evaluated. METHODS: The purpose of this retrospective dual cohort comparison study was to evaluate 5-year opioid prescribing trends in orthopaedic trauma patients. Demographic and injury information were collected on adult trauma patients with surgically managed orthopaedic fractures from 2012 (N = 190) and 2017 (N = 160). The amount of opioid medication prescribed from discharge to 1 year after the injury was collected. Opioid prescriptions were converted to morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs). The main outcome measure was opioid medication prescribed in 2017 versus 2012. RESULTS: The cohorts were well-matched on sex, race, medical comorbidities, substance use, fracture location, Injury Severity Score, hospital length of stay, and intensive care unit admission metrics. However, the 2012 cohort was older than the 2017 cohort (51.9 versus 43.3 years, P < 0.001). When controlling for age, total opioid medication prescribed was greater in 2012 than in 2017 (1,680 versus 1,110 MME, P = 0.001). Patients in 2017 received both lower discharge prescriptions (523 versus 407 MME, P < 0.001) and lower total opioid prescription refill amounts (1,140 versus 766 MME, P = 0.037). The number of refills prescribed was equal, but patients received lower amounts of opioid medications per refill in 2017 (333 versus 243 MME, P < 0.001). Despite these differences, the percentage of patients ceasing prescription opioid use 1 year after injury was unchanged (90.6% versus 92.1%, P = 0.675). DISCUSSION: Over 5 years, providers have successfully reduced the amount of opioid medication prescribed to surgically managed orthopaedic trauma patients through self-directed measures. The effects of opioid prescribing legislation should be viewed from this baseline.

Patient Satisfaction Is Improved With Exposure to Trauma Recovery Services.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of Trauma Recovery Services (TRS), a program facilitating engagement and recovery on satisfaction after orthopaedic trauma. METHODS: Two hundred ninety-four patients with surgically managed extremity fractures were prospectively surveyed. Satisfaction was assessed after 12 months using a 13-question telephone survey, rated on a Likert scale from 1 to 5 (with five being excellent). TRS resource utilization during and after hospitalization was recorded. Eighty-eight patients (30%) used TRS. RESULTS: Overall satisfaction was high with a mean score of 4.32. Although no differences were observed between the control group and patients with TRS utilization in age, sex, race, insurance, smoking history, or employment status, TRS patients sustained more high-energy mechanisms (81% versus 56%) and had more associated psychiatric illness (33% versus 17%), both P < 0.01. Multivariable regression indicated general exposure to TRS to be an independent predictor of higher overall care ratings (B = 1.31; P = 0.03). DISCUSSION: Utilization of TRS was the greatest predictor of better overall care ratings. This study builds on existing evidence demonstrating the positive impact of Trauma Survivor Network programming. We conclude that a hospital-wide program supporting patient education and engagement can effectively increase patient satisfaction after traumatic injury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II.