The Impact of COVID-19 on the Urology Residency Match and Geographic Proximity of Applicants.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic-related changes and program-specific characteristics on the geographic diversity of the 2021 and 2022 urology match classes. METHODS: We gathered publicly available information to compare match outcomes in 2021 and 2022 to the previous 5 application cycles (2016-2020). Variables included residency program class size, program and resident AUA section, and program and resident medical school. Univariate comparisons were made with Fisher's t-tests. Odds ratios were calculated following multivariable analysis. RESULTS: Comparing the previous 5 application cycles to the 2 pandemic years individually and together showed no significant changes in home or in-section matches. However, when comparisons were stratified by small (1-2 residents) vs large (3+ residents) programs, a significant increase in at-home and in-section matches was observed for small programs in 2021. Large programs did not experience significant changes in match patterns. Multivariate analysis showed that small programs had significantly lower odds of matching applicants from home institutions and within AUA sections. Additionally, certain AUA sections demonstrated significantly increased likelihood of accepting in-section applicants. CONCLUSION: The changes from in-person to virtual application cycles during the pandemic particularly affected small residency programs in 2021. With easing restrictions and logistical improvements in the 2022 cycle, locoregional match rates partially shifted back to prepandemic patterns, though not completely. Although the pandemic did not affect geographic diversity in urology as much as in other surgical subspecialties, these findings and further study should be considered to optimize upcoming cycles.

Improved Pain and Function After TTC Fusion With a Custom Cage.

BACKGROUND: Three-dimensional custom cages can be used to treat complex ankle and hindfoot pathology and bone loss with potentially better patient satisfaction and higher fusion rates than tibiotalocalcaneal (TTC) fusion alone or in combination with bulk femoral head allograft. Yet there is limited literature to support this procedure. The purpose of this study is to objectively quantify the clinical and radiologic outcomes of patients undergoing patient-specific 3D-printed custom cage implantation to fill large defects around the ankle joint region as part of a limb-salvaging TTC fusion. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of 21 patients (mean age 59.3 years) who underwent custom cage implantation with a TTC retrograde fusion nail by a single surgeon for massive bone loss of the ankle and hindfoot. Patient charts were reviewed for pain and functional outcomes, complications, and various demographics, including number of previous surgeries to the ipsilateral ankle. Mean follow-up was 32 months. All 21 patients had preoperative and postoperative pain and function scores available for analysis. RESULTS: A total of 20 (95.2%) of the 21 patients had their cage in situ at final follow-up. Overall, with the numbers available, visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) activities of daily living subscale, and the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) mental and physical health scores significantly improved from preoperative to final follow-up. However, when compared to the overall US population of age-matched 55- to 64-year-old individuals, patients still remained relatively disabled. There were 2 failures, one of which required amputation and the other was treated nonoperatively with bracing. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, in this relatively small, single-surgeon series, we found that 3D-printed custom cage technology offered a viable option for complex TTC fusion procedures performed in the presence of significant bone loss, with good fusion rates, however relatively modest improvement in functional outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective case series.

Outcomes of 2B Adult Acquired Flatfoot Deformity Correction in Patients With and Without Spring Ligament Tear.

BACKGROUND: It is currently unclear how injury to the spring ligament (SL) affects the preoperative presentation of adult acquired flatfoot deformity (AAFD) or the outcome of operative reconstruction. The purposes of this study were to assess the preoperative features and pre- or postoperative function of patients who underwent direct operative repair of an SL tear compared to those without a tear. METHODS: 86 patients undergoing operative correction of grade 2B AAFD by a single fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon were reviewed at an average follow-up of 45.9 months. There were 35 feet found to have an SL tear that underwent concomitant debridement and direct repair of the SL. Patient charts were reviewed for demographic information, preoperative visual analog scale (VAS) pain level, and their Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) activities of daily living (ADL) and sports subscales. Preoperative radiographic parameters were assessed. Patient outcomes of VAS pain, FAAM-ADL, and FAAM-Sports were collected and compared between groups. RESULTS: Those with an SL tear had significantly lower FAAM-ADL and sports scores, with higher VAS pain scores preoperatively. Patient age, talonavicular uncoverage percentage, and talonavicular angle were found to be associated with spring ligament degeneration. At final follow-up, patients demonstrated a significant improvement in all outcome parameters, with no statistical difference found with patient satisfaction, final postoperative VAS pain, FAAM-ADL, or FAAM-Sports in those requiring a repair of their SL as compared to the control group. CONCLUSION: Increasing patient age, increasing talonavicular uncoverage percentage, and decreasing talonavicular angle are all independently associated with increased likelihood of patients with AAFD having an SL tear. At follow-up for operative treatment of grade 2B AAFD flatfoot with our approach, we found no clinical outcomes difference between those without SL tears and those with SL tears treated with concomitant SL debridement and repair. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Long-term Outcomes of Microfracture for Treatment of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus.

BACKGROUND: Microfracture is the most common reparative surgery for osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLTs). While shown to be effective in short- to midterm outcomes, the fibrocartilage that microfracture produces is both biomechanically and biologically inferior to that of native hyaline cartilage and is susceptible to possible deterioration over time following repair. With orthobiologics being proposed to augment repair, there exists a clear gap in the study of long-term clinical outcomes of microfracture to determine if this added expense is necessary. METHODS: A retrospective review of patients undergoing microfracture of an OLT with a single fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon from 2007 to 2009 was performed. Patients meeting the inclusion criteria were contacted to complete the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and Sports subscales and visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, as well as surveyed regarding their satisfaction with the outcome of the procedure and their likelihood to recommend the procedure to a friend with the same problem using 5-point Likert scales. Patient demographics were reviewed and included for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of 45 respondents, 3 patients required additional surgery on their ankle for the osteochondral defect, yielding a 10-year survival rate of 93.3%. Of surviving cases, 90.4% (38/42) reported being "extremely satisfied" or "satisfied" with the outcome of the procedure. The VAS score at follow-up averaged 14 out of 100 (range, 0-75), while the FAAM-ADL and FAAM-Sports scores averaged 90.29 out of 100 and 82 out of 100, respectively. Thirty-six patients (85.7%) stated that their ankle did not prevent them from participating in the sports of their choice. CONCLUSION: The current study represents a minimum 10-year follow-up of patients undergoing isolated arthroscopic microfracture for talar osteochondral defects, with a 93.3% survival rate and 85.7% return to sport. While biological adjuvants may play a role in improving the long-term outcomes of microfracture procedures, larger and longer-term follow-up studies are required for procedures using orthobiologics before their cost can be justified for routine use. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, retrospective cohort case series study.

"Trauma to the Eye"-A Low Fidelity Resident Teaching Module for Identifying and Treating a Retrobulbar Hematoma.

Introduction: A retrobulbar hematoma (RH) is a serious time-dependent diagnosis due to its potential for permanent damage of the optic nerve, resulting in blindness. Emergency medicine (EM) physicians face the challenge of recognizing this time-sensitive injury and treating it before irreversible damage occurs. Due to its relative infrequency in the emergency department, residents may not have adequate experience in recognizing and treating RH. Methods: This educational intervention outlined a simulated scenario that we developed to educate EM residents to diagnose RH and perform an emergent lateral canthotomy and cantholysis (LCC). Participating residents were asked to obtain a history and perform a physical examination that was consistent with a 34-year-old patient presenting with pushing behind the eye suggesting RH. Once residents made a diagnosis, they practiced performing an emergent LCC on a low-fidelity task trainer supplemented with a novel checklist. The residents completed an assessment questionnaire before and after the teaching module to measure the educational intervention's effectiveness. Results: Learners' scores significantly improved in the ability to recognize and treat RH (12%, p < .001), in confidence in performing the procedure (18%, p < .001), but did not significantly decrease in stress (-10%, p = .058). The intervention was effective in improving preparedness, with all participants indicating that they felt more prepared to treat RH compared to before the educational intervention. Discussion: This educational intervention is a successful resource that can decrease cases of preventable blindness by improving EM residents' ability to recognize and treat RHs.