Increased 1-Year Revision Rates Among Left-Sided Intertrochanteric Femur Fractures.

OBJECTIVES: To compare 1-year revision rates among left-sided and right-sided intertrochanteric femur fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective. SETTING: 120+ contributing centers to multicentered database. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA: Patients who sustained intertrochanteric femur fracture (ITFF) and had a cephalomedullary nail (CMN) from 2015 to 2022 were identified. Patients were then stratified based on left-sided or right-sided fracture. Patients were excluded if younger than 18 years with <1-year follow-up. The intervention investigated was CMN on left or right side. OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS: One-year revision surgery, comparing CMN performed on left or right side for ITFFs. RESULTS: In total, 113,626 patients met inclusion criteria, with 55,295 in the right-sided cohort and 58,331 in the left-sided cohort. There was no difference between cohorts with respect to age, gender, diabetes, osteoporosis, chronic kidney disease, or congestive heart failure (P > 0.05 for all). Patients who sustained a left ITFF and treated with a CMN were more likely to have revision surgery at 1 year (Left: 1.24%, Right: 0.90%; OR: 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15-1.1.33) or develop a nonunion or malunion (Left: 1.30%, Right: 0.98%; OR: 1.31; 95% CI, 1.14-1.52). The most common revision surgery conducted for both cohorts was conversion total hip arthroplasty (Left: 70.4% and Right: 70.0%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients who sustained a left intertrochanteric femur fracture and were treated with a CMN were more likely to undergo revision at 1 year due to nonunion. There were no differences in demographics and comorbidities between cohorts. Though left-sided versus right-sided confounding variables may exist, the difference in nonunion rate may be explained by clockwise torque of the lag screw used in most implants. Increased awareness, implant design, and improved technique during fracture reduction and fixation may help lower this disproportionate nonunion rate and its associated morbidity and financial impact. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Pediatric Hip Dysplasia Surgery Outcomes by Pediatric Versus Nonpediatric Orthopedists.

Objectives Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) encompasses a spectrum of abnormalities in the immature hip. Surgical intervention is indicated if conservative management fails. Despite the increased supply of pediatric orthopedic surgeons (POSs) over the last few decades, there continues to be a maldistribution of surgeons. The purpose of this study is to determine outcomes following surgical management of hip dysplasia by POSs compared to non-pediatric orthopedic surgeons. Methods Pediatric patients who underwent surgical treatment for hip dysplasia from 2012 to 2019 were identified using a large national database. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative complications were compared by pediatric versus nonpediatric-trained orthopedic surgeons. Bivariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed. Results Of the 10,780 pediatric patients who underwent hip dysplasia surgery, 10,206 patients (94.7%) were operated on by a POS, whereas 574 (5.3%) were operated on by a non-pediatric orthopedic surgeon. POSs were more likely to operate on patients with a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists class (p<0.001) and those with a greater number of medical comorbidities, including cardiac (p=0.001), gastrointestinal (p=0.017), and neurological (p<0.001). Following analysis using multivariable regression models to control for patient baseline characteristics, there were no differences in any postoperative complications between patients treated by pediatric-trained and nonpediatric-trained orthopedic surgeons. Conclusions Compared to non-pediatric orthopedic surgeons, POSs were more likely to operate on younger patients with increased medical comorbidities. However, there were no differences in postoperative complications following surgical management for DDH in patients treated by nonpediatric and pediatric orthopedic surgeons.

Diabetes Mellitus and Total Ankle Arthroplasty Complications.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative infection, aseptic loosening, and perioperative medical complications after total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) are all devastating problems. While previous studies have shown diabetes as a risk factor predisposing patients to postoperative complications, not all literature supports this association following TAA. The goal of this study is to determine if diabetes influences midterm outcomes following TAA. METHODS: An insurance database was utilized to identify patients undergoing TAA for ankle arthritis with a concurrent diagnosis of diabetes based on Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) and Tenth Revision (ICD-10), diagnosis and procedure codes from 2010 to 2021. The postoperative outcomes of all-cause revision, periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), septic revision, and aseptic revision were compared between patients with and without diabetes with a minimum 2-year follow-up using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox proportional hazards analyses. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and Charlson Comorbidity Index were analyzed via univariate and multivariate analysis. RESULTS: The study population included 8317 patients, 345 (4.1%) of whom had a concurrent diabetes diagnosis, who underwent TAA. After multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis, the 5-year cumulative incidence of being coded as having PJI was 7.3% in patients with known diabetes compared to 3.9% in patients without known diabetes, with a 95% increased risk (hazard ratio [HR] 1.95, 95% CI 1.15-3.30, P = .01). Patients with diabetes also demonstrated a 5-year cumulative incidence of septic revision of 1.4% compared to 0.4% in those without, with a 363% increased risk (HR 4.63, 95% CI 1.22-17.52, P = .02). However, there was no difference in the 5-year cumulative incidence of all-cause revision TAA with 4.6% in patients with diabetes and 4.3% in those without (HR 1.29, 95% CI 0.69-2.44, P = .42). CONCLUSION: In this database, the 5-year risk of PJI and septic revision was higher among patients with diabetes compared to those without, but cumulative incidence of all-cause revision TAA was not different between groups. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort database study.

Comparing pediatric femoral shaft fracture repair patient outcomes between pediatric and non-pediatric orthopedic surgeons.

INTRODUCTION: While pediatric femoral shaft fractures account for less than 2% of all fractures in children, they are the most common pediatric fracture requiring hospitalization. Management of pediatric femoral shaft fractures is challenging, with various treatment options relating to severity and patient age. The last few decades have seen an increased supply of pediatric orthopedic surgeons (POS) along with increased referral rates. However, there continues to be a maldistribution of POS throughout the country. This study sought to determine outcomes following femoral shaft fracture repair by POS compared to non-pediatric trained orthopedic surgeons. METHODS: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric database was queried to identify pediatric patients who underwent open treatment of femoral shaft fracture from 2012 to 2019. Differences in patient demographics, comorbidities, and postoperative complications were assessed and compared between patients who were treated by pediatric subspecialty-trained orthopedic surgeons and those treated by non-pediatric orthopedic surgeons. Bivariate and multivariable regression analyses were utilized. RESULTS: Of the 5862 pediatric patients who underwent femoral shaft fracture treatment, 4875 (83.2%) had their surgeries performed by a POS whereas 987 (16.8%) were operated on by a non-pediatric surgeon. POS were more likely to operate on patients with a higher American Society of Anesthesiologists classification (p < 0.001) and those with medical comorbidities, including gastrointestinal (p = 0.022) and neurological (p < 0.001). After controlling for baseline patient characteristics on multivariable regression analysis, patients treated by non-pediatric orthopaedic surgeons are at an increased risk of prolonged hospital stay (OR 2.595; p < 0.001) when compared to patients operated on by POS. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that patients undergoing surgical treatment for a femoral shaft fracture by a non-pediatric trained orthopedic surgeon were at increased risk of a prolonged hospital stay compared to those being treated by POS. Additionally, POS were more likely to operate on more difficult patients with increased comorbidities.

The effect of smoking on 30-day complications following primary repair of Achilles tendon ruptures.

PURPOSE: There exists a gap in the knowledge of the impact of smoking on Achilles tendon rupture repair. This study evaluates perioperative and postoperative complications associated with smoking to allow for a more informed evaluation and discussion with the patients when considering the surgical management of Achilles tendon repair in this patient population. METHODS: The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients undergoing Achilles tendon rupture repair from 2006 to 2019. Two patient cohorts were defined in this retrospective study: smokers and patients who did not smoke. The various patient demographics, medical comorbidities, and postoperative outcomes were compared using bivariate and multivariate analyses between the smoking and non-smoking groups. RESULTS: Of 4209 patients who underwent Achilles tendon repair, 3662 patients (87%) did not smoke, whereas 547 patients (13%) were smokers. Patients who were smokers were more likely to be younger and have a higher body mass index. Following multivariate analyses, those who smoked had an increased risk of experiencing wound dehiscence (OR 3.57; p = 0.013) and urinary tract infections (OR 1.21; p = 0.033) compared to non-smoking patients. CONCLUSION: Despite the rate of complications being relatively low in the short-term perioperative period, individuals who smoke should be counseled on the surgical risks they may experience following Achilles tendon repair, including wound dehiscence and urinary tract infections. Discussion preoperatively between the physician and patient who smoke can include ways in which postoperative care will be done to minimize the risk of adverse events, ultimately reducing costs for both the patient and the hospital.

Risks of Immunosuppressive Therapy in Patients Undergoing Open Reduction Internal Fixation for Ankle Fractures.

Chronic steroid and immunosuppressant use have been shown to increase the risk for postoperative complications in orthopedic surgery. Further understanding of the risks of immunosuppression is necessary to aid in risk stratification and patient counseling. However, these risks have not yet been explored in ankle fracture patients. Thus, the purpose of this study is to determine whether patients taking immunosuppressives are at an increased risk for morbidity and mortality following open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of ankle fractures. Patients undergoing operative treatment for ankle fractures from 2006 to 2018 were identified in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients were categorized based on their use of immunosuppressive medications. Postoperative outcomes assessed included superficial surgical site infections, deep surgical site infections, organ space infections, wound dehiscence, pneumonia, unplanned intubation, pulmonary embolism, urinary tract infection, renal failure, blood transfusion requirement, deep vein thrombosis, sepsis, cardiac arrest, extended length of hospital stay, readmission, reoperation, and mortality. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. In total, 10,331 patients underwent operative treatment for ankle fracture. Total 10,153 patients (98.3%) were not taking immunosuppressants and 178 (1.7%) were taking these medications. In multivariate analysis, patients taking immunosuppressants were at increased risk of pulmonary embolism (odds ratio [OR] 4.382; p = .041) and hospital readmission (OR 2.131; p = .021). Use of immunosuppressive medications is an independent risk factor for pulmonary embolism and readmission following ORIF for ankle fractures. Notably, no association with wound complications, infections, or sepsis was identified.

Does Prior Lumbar Fusion Influence Dislocation Risk in Hip Arthroplasty Performed for Femoral Neck Fracture?

BACKGROUND: Immobility of the lumbar spine predicts instability following elective total hip arthroplasty (THA). The purpose of this study is to determine how prior lumbar fusion (LF) influenced dislocation rates and revision rates for patients undergoing THA or hemiarthroplasty (HA) for femoral neck fracture (FNF). METHODS: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted utilizing the PearlDiver database from 2010 to 2018. Patients who underwent arthroplasty for FNF were identified based on history of LF and whether they underwent THA or HA. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. RESULTS: A total of 328 patients with prior LF and FNF who underwent THA were at increased risk for 1-year dislocation (odds ratio [OR] 2.19, P < .001) and 2-year revision (OR 2.22, P < .001) compared to 14,217 patients without LF. The 461 patients with prior LF and FNF who underwent HA were at increased risk for dislocation (OR 2.22, P < .001) compared to 42,327 patients without LF. Patients with prior LF and FNF who underwent THA had higher rates of revision than patients with prior LF who underwent HA for FNF (OR 2.11, P < .001). In patients with prior LF and FNF, THA was associated with significantly increased risk for dislocation (OR 3.07, P < .001) and revision (OR 2.53, P < .001) compared to THA performed for osteoarthritis. CONCLUSION: Patients with prior LF who sustained an FNF and underwent THA or HA were at increased risk for early dislocation and revision compared to those without prior LF. This risk of dislocation and revision is even greater than that observed in patients with prior LF who underwent THA for osteoarthritis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.