Similar QALY gain in primary and revision knee arthroplasty: A cost analysis and Markov model.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the cost-effectiveness of revision total knee arthroplasty compared to primary total knee arthroplasty in terms of cost-per-quality-adjusted life year (QALY). METHODS: Data were retrieved for all primary and revision total knee replacement (TKA) procedures performed at a tertiary Swiss hospital between 2006 and 2019. A Markov model was created to evaluate revision risk and we calculated lifetime QALY gain and lifetime procedure costs through individual EuroQol 5 dimension (EQ-5D) scores, hospital costs, national life expectancy tables and standard discounting processes. Cost-per-QALY gain was calculated for primary and revision procedures. RESULTS: EQ-5D data were available for 1343 primary and 103 revision procedures. Significant QALY gains were seen following surgery in all cases. Similar, but significantly more QALYs were gained following primary TKA (PTKA) (5.67 ± 3.98) than following revision TKA (RTKA) (4.67 ± 4.20). Cost-per-QALY was €4686 for PTKA and €10,364 for RTKA. The highest average cost-per-QALY was seen in two-stage RTKA (€12,292), followed by one-stage RTKA (€8982). CONCLUSION: RTKA results in a similar QALY gain as PTKA. The costs of achieving health gain are two to three times higher in RTKA, but both procedures are highly cost-effective. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic level II.

Can Arthroplasty Stem Influence Outcome: A Randomized Controlled Trial of Stem Length in Cemented Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The primary aim was to assess whether a short (125 millimeter (mm)) stem offered an equivalent hip-specific function compared to the standard (150 mm) stem when used for cemented total hip arthroplasty. Secondary aims were to evaluate health-related quality of life, patient satisfaction, stem height and alignment, as well as radiographic loosenings and complications between the two stems. METHODS: A prospective twin-center double-blind randomized control trial was conducted. During a 15-month period, 220 patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty were randomized to either a standard (n = 110) or a short (n = 110) stem. There were no significant (P ≥ .065) differences in preoperative variables between the groups. Functional outcomes and radiographic assessment were undertaken at a mean of 1 and 2 years. RESULTS: There were no differences (P = .428) in hip-specific function according to the mean Oxford hip scores at 1 year (primary endpoint) or at 2 years (P = .622) between the groups. The short stem group had greater varus angulation (0.9 degrees, P = .003) when compared to the standard group and were more likely (odds ratio 2.42, P = .002) to have varus stem alignment beyond one standard deviation from the mean. There were no significant (P ≥ .083) differences in the forgotten joint scores, EuroQol-5-Dimension, EuroQol-visual analogue scale, short form 12, patient satisfaction, complications, stem height, or radiolucent zones at 1 or 2 years between the groups. CONCLUSION: The cemented short stem used in this study had equivalent hip-specific function, health-related quality of life, and patient satisfaction when compared to the standard stem at mean 2 years post operation. However, the short stem was associated with a greater rate of varus malalignment, which may influence future implant survival.

Evaluation of the patient acceptable symptom state following hip arthroscopy using the 12 item international hip outcome tool.

BACKGROUND: The International Hip Outcome Tool 12 (iHOT-12) is a shorter version of the iHOT-33 which measures health related quality of life following treatment of hip disorders in young, active patients. The purpose of this study was identify a PASS threshold for a UK population undergoing hip arthroscopy for intra-articular hip pathology. METHODS: Data was identified retrospectively from a prospective database of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy under the care of a single surgeon within the date range January 2013 to March 2017. All patients with a diagnosis of femoroacetabular impingment (FAI) undergoing arthroscopic treatment were included. iHOT-12, EuroQol 5D-5 L (EQ-5D-5 L) and a satisfaction questionnaire were available pre and post-operatively. PASS was calculated using an anchor-based approach and receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis. RESULTS: 171 patients underwent hip arthroscopy in the study period. Linked longitudinal follow-up data was available for 122 patients (71.3%) at a median of 24.3 months (740 days, interquartile range 576-1047). The PASS threshold for the iHOT-12 was 59.5 (sensitivity 81.1%, specificity 83.9%; area under the curve (AUC) 0.92, 95% CI 0.87-0.97). 64% of patients achieved this score. The median postoperative iHOT-12 score was 72.5 (IQR 44) and the mean change in score was 35 (SD 25, p < 0.001). The EQ-5D Index improved by 0.18 (SD 0.25, p < 0.001) and there was a mean change of 7.67 (SD 24.82) on the EQ-5D VAS (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: We report a PASS threshold of the iHOT-12 following hip arthroscopy for FAI as a measurable benchmark for clinicians using this outcome measure.

Differences in case mix and outcomes between Swiss and Scottish total knee arthroplasty patients.

PURPOSE: The clinical benefits of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are well defined, but little attention has been paid to the cross-cultural variation. The objective of this study was to compare case mix and outcomes following TKA in Swiss and Scottish patients. METHODS: Data from local registries at a Swiss and a Scottish orthopaedic hospital were extracted to evaluate: (A) age, sex, body mass index (BMI), self-reported health status (EQ-5D), and joint awareness (Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12)) at pre-surgery, (B) improvement in EQ-5D and FJS-12 scores from pre-surgery to 1 year, and (C) patient satisfaction at 1 year. RESULTS: Data from 2075 Swiss and 994 Scottish TKA patients were available from the local registries. Swiss and Scottish patients differed in age (69.3 vs 68.8 years, p = 0.046), sex ratio (62.9% vs 56.9% women, p = 0.002) and BMI (29.6 vs 30.9, p < 0.001). At pre-surgery, FJS-12 scores were comparable (Swiss 12.1 vs Scottish 10.9, n.s.), but EQ-5D scores were better in Swiss patients (0.52 vs 0.40, p < 0.001). Post-operative improvement was greater in Switzerland for the FJS-12 (+ 55.1 vs + 32.2, p < 0.001), but not for the EQ-5D (+ 0.31 vs + 0.29, n.s.). The satisfaction rate was similar in both groups (88.3% vs 89.6%, n.s.). CONCLUSION: Subtle cross-cultural variation was evident in TKA case-mix factors between the two countries. Satisfaction and improvement in health status were similar, while improvement in joint-specific outcome was notably greater in Switzerland. Understanding cross-cultural variability of the outcome has important implications when interpreting study and registry data from other countries and when counselling a patient in daily practice. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Retrospective cohort, Level III.

Variation in ligamentous laxity in well-functioning total knee arthroplasty is not associated with clinical outcomes or functional ability.

BACKGROUND: Around 20% of revision knee arthroplasty procedures are carried out for a diagnosis of instability. Clinical evaluation of instability is primarily through physical stress testing of knee ligamentous laxity and joint space opening. It is assumed that increased knee ligament laxity is associated with instability of the knee and, by association, reduced physical function. The range of knee ligament laxity in asymptomatic patients with total knee arthroplasty has however not been reported, nor has the association with measures of physical outcomes. METHODS: Patients who reported being happy with the outcomes of TKA and denied any feelings of knee instability were evaluated at routine follow-up clinicas. Knee ligamentous stability was evaluated seperately by 2 blinded assessors in both coronal and saggital planes. Assessors classified the ligamentous stability as 'tight', 'neutrol' or 'loose'. Clinical outcome was evaluated by Oxford Knee Score, patient satisfaction metric, timed performance test, range of motion and lower limb power. Analysis of variance was employed to evaluate variables between groups with post hoc pairwise comparisons. RESULTS: In total, 42 patients were evaluated. Mean time since index surgery was 46 (SD 8) months. In the coronal plane, 11 (26.2%) were categorised as 'tight', 22 (52.4%) as 'neutral' and 9 (21.4%) as 'loose'. In the sagittal plane, 15 (35.7%) were categorised as 'tight', 17 (40.5%) as 'neutral' and 10 (23.8%) as 'loose'. There were no between-group differences in outcomes: Oxford Knee Score, range of motion, lower limb power, timed functional assessment score or in satisfaction response in either plane (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: We found a range of ligamentous laxity in asymptomatic patients satisfied with the outcome of their knee arthroplasty, and no association between knee laxity and physical ability.

Normative Values for the Forgotten Joint Score-12 for the US General Population.

BACKGROUND: The Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12) is a patient-reported outcome questionnaire of joint awareness in patients with hip and knee pathologies. To improve interpretability of values derived from this measure, we collected normative values for the US general population. METHODS: A sample of 2000 participants, representative of US general population, was sought via an online panel. Quota sampling was used to obtain age-specific and sex-specific groups of 200 participants each. The FJS-12 is a 12-item questionnaire assessing the ability to forget the hip or knee joint during activities of daily living. To match US national census data from 2010, raking was used for determining data weights. RESULTS: Normative data for the FJS-12 could be established based on a data set from 2017 respondents (50.1% men; mean age, 54.0 years; 66.3% white/Caucasian). Median FJS-12 scores in the total sample were 75.0 points for knees and 87.5 points for hips. In the age-specific and sex-specific groups, the lowest median score for knees was 54.2 points (men aged 18-39 years) and the highest median was 97.0 (men aged above 70 years). Similarly, median scores for hips were lowest in men aged 18-39 years (60.9 points) and highest in men aged above 70 years (100 points). CONCLUSION: Normative values have been established for the FJS-12 for hips and knees in US general population. Age-specific and sex-specific differences require relying on normative values from the respective groups when interpreting FJS-12 data.

Survival and functional outcome of revision total knee arthroplasty with a total stabilizer knee system: minimum 5 years of follow-up.

INTRODUCTION: Revision knee arthroplasty surgery can range from patella resurfacing or polyethylene exchange, to staged revision and revision to a more constrained implant. Subsequently, the ability to elicit outcomes becomes difficult to obtain and hence information on functional outcome and survivorship for all modes of failure with a single revision system is valuable. METHODS: We retrospectively assessed 100 consecutive revision knee replacements that were converted from a primary knee replacement to a Triathlon total stabilizer (TS) knee system (Stryker Orthopaedics, Mahwah, NJ). Inclusion criteria included failure of a primary knee replacement of any cause converted to a Stryker TS knee system. Midterm outcome of at least 5 years was required. Implants survivorship, Oxford Knee Score (OKS), Forgotten Joint Score (FJS-12), Short Form (SF-) 12, reported patient satisfaction and radiographic analysis were recorded. RESULTS: The all-cause survival rate at 5 years was 89.0% [95% confidence interval (CI) 87.3 to 90.7]. The all-cause survival rate was generally static after the first 4 years. The mean OKS was 27 (SD 11.9, range 0 to 46), FJS was 32.3 (SD 30.4, range 0 to 100), SF-12 physical component summary was 40.6 (SD 17.6, range 23.9 to 67.1), and mental component summary was 48.3 (SD 15.5, range 23.9 to 69.1). Reported patient satisfaction in patients who were not re-revised was 82%. CONCLUSION: The midterm survivorship of cemented Stryker Triathlon TS knee revision for all-cause mode of failure is good to excellent; however, future follow-up is required to ensure this survivorship is observed into the long term. Despite limited functional outcome, overall patient satisfaction rates are high.

Patient-reported outcome metrics following total knee arthroplasty are influenced differently by patients' body mass index.

PURPOSE: This study investigated the impact of body mass index (BMI) on improvement in patient outcomes (pain, function, joint awareness, general health and satisfaction) following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: Data were obtained for primary TKAs performed at a single centre over a 12-month period. Data were collected pre-operatively and 12-month postoperatively with the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) measuring pain and function, the EQ-5D-3L measuring general health status, the Forgotten Joint Score-12 (FJS-12) measuring joint awareness and a single question on treatment satisfaction. Change in scores following surgery was compared across the BMI categories identified by the World Health Organization (< 25.0, 25.0-29.9, 30.0-34.9, 35.0-39.9 and ≥ 40.0). Differences in postoperative improvement between the BMI groups were analysed with an overall Kruskal-Wallis test, with post hoc pairwise comparisons between BMI groups with Mann-Whitney tests. RESULTS: Of 402 patients [mean age 70.7 (SD 9.2); 55.2% women] 15.7% were normal weight (BMI < 25.0), 33.1% were overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9), 28.2% had class I obesity (BMI 30.0-34.9), 16.2% had class II obesity (BMI 35.0-39.9), and 7.0% had class III obesity (BMI ≥ 40.0). Postoperative change in OKS (n.s.) and EQ-5D-3L (n.s.) was not associated with BMI. Higher BMI group was associated with less improvement in FJS-12 scores (p = 0.010), reflecting a greater awareness of the operated joint during activity in the most obese patients. Treatment satisfaction was associated with BMI category (p = 0.029), with obese patients reporting less satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS: In TKA patients, outcome parameters are influenced differently by BMI. Our study showed a negative impact of BMI on postoperative improvement in joint awareness and satisfaction scores, but there was no influence on pain, function or general health scores. This information may be useful in terms of setting expectations expectation in obese patients planning to undergo TKA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 1.

Treatment Success Following Joint Arthroplasty: Defining Thresholds for the Oxford Hip and Knee Scores.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome scores are the mainstay method for quantifying success following arthroplasty. However, it is unclear when a "successful outcome" is achieved. We calculated threshold values for the Oxford Hip and Knee Score (OHS and OKS) representing achievement of a successful treatment at 12-month follow-up. METHODS: Questionnaires were administered to patients undergoing total hip (THA) or knee (TKA) arthroplasty before and 12 months after surgery alongside questions assessing key aspects of treatment success. A composite success criterion was used to perform receiver operator characteristic analysis. Thresholds providing maximum sensitivity and specificity were determined for the total sample and subgroups defined by presurgery scores. RESULTS: Data were available for 3203 THA and 2742 TKA patients. Applying the composite treatment success criterion, 67.3% of the TKA and 77.6% of the THA sample reported treatment success. Accuracy for predicting treatment success was high for the OHS and OKS (both areas under the curve, 0.87). For the OHS, a threshold value of 37.5 points showed highest sensitivity and specificity in the total sample, while for the OKS the optimal threshold was 32.5 points. Depending on presurgery scores, optimal thresholds varied between 32.5 and 38.5 for the OHS and 28.5 and 36.5 for the OKS. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to apply a composite "success" anchor to the OHS and OKS to evaluate outcome following total joint arthroplasty. Notably fewer patients report a "successful outcome" using a composite outcome threshold than report being "satisfied."

Aseptic Revision Knee Arthroplasty With Total Stabilizer Prostheses Achieves Similar Functional Outcomes to Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty at 2 Years: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Patient function is poorly characterized following revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA), although is generally accepted to be inferior to that following primary procedures. METHODS: Fifty-three consecutive aseptic revisions to total stabilizer devices were prospectively evaluated, preoperatively and at 6, 26, 52, and 104 weeks postoperatively, using the Oxford Knee Score (OKS), range of motion, pain rating scale, and timed functional performance battery. Data were assessed longitudinally and in comparison to primary TKA data with identical outcome assessments at equivalent time points. RESULTS: Mean outcome changes were: 13 point increase in the OKS (from 17.5 [standard deviation-SD 7.4]-32.4 [SD 7.9] points); 21 degree improvement in the knee flexion (80.6 [SD 20.5]-101.5 [SD 13.2] degrees); 60% reduction in the pain report (7.7 [SD 2.3]-1.3 [SD 0.4] points); and 15 second improvement in the timed performance assessment (47.2 [SD 19.1]-32.0 [SD 7.0] seconds; P < .001). No difference was seen between primary and revision cohorts in OKS or pain scores (analysis of variance, P = .2 and .19). Knee flexion and timed performance assessment were different between primary and revision groups (analysis of variance, P = .03 and P = .02); however, this was due to differing preoperative values. The revision cohort achieved the same postoperative scores as the primary cohort at all postoperative time points. CONCLUSION: Patients undergoing revision TKA for aseptic failure with total stabilizer implants made substantial improvements in the initial 2 years following surgery in both patient-reported and directly assessed function, comparable with that achieved following primary knee arthroplasty.

Impact of Comorbidities on Outcome After Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Patient-reported outcome scores gain increasing importance in quantifying clinical success and procedure remuneration. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of comorbidity on joint-specific outcome and general health in patients undergoing elective total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: Longitudinal data on THA procedures were used to evaluate the association between comorbidity and surgical outcome in terms of joint-specific measures and general health (Forgotten Joint Score-12 [FJS-12], Oxford Hip Score [OHS], and Short Form-12) at 1-year follow-up. Comorbidities comprised the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), low back pain (LBP), pain from other joints (POJ), and body mass index. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 251 THA patients (age: 67.7 ± 11.8 years; 58.2% female). Most common conditions were POJ (75.9%), LBP (55.1%), connective tissue disease (12.1%), and diabetes (5.6%). With regard to postoperative improvement, we did not find statistically significant differences between patients with or without CCI comorbidities (FJS-12, +38.7 vs +43.2, P = .370; OHS, +15.6 vs +17.9, P = .100) or POJ (FJS-12, +39.9 vs +45.1, P = .325; OHS, +17.3 vs +16.6, P = .645). Patients with LBP showed less improvement on the FJS-12 than those without LBP (+35.6 vs +49.1; P = .002), whereas no difference was found for the OHS (+17.9 vs +16.5; P = .266). CONCLUSION: Patients with comorbid conditions report lower preoperative and postoperative outcome scores compared with patients with no such conditions; however, there was no statistically significant association of CCI comorbidities and POJ with postoperative improvement in joint-specific outcomes. LBP was found to have a negative impact on postoperative improvement in terms of joint awareness.

Recommendations for the conduct of efficacy trials of treatment devices for osteoarthritis: a report from a working group of the Arthritis Research UK Osteoarthritis and Crystal Diseases Clinical Studies Group.

OBJECTIVE: There are unique challenges to designing and carrying out high-quality trials testing therapeutic devices in OA and other rheumatic diseases. Such challenges include determining the mechanisms of action of the device and the appropriate sham. Design of device trials is more challenging than that of placebo-controlled drug trials. Our aim was to develop recommendations for designing device trials. METHODS: An Arthritis Research UK study group comprised of 30 rheumatologists, physiotherapists, podiatrists, engineers, orthopaedists, trialists and patients, including many who have carried out device trials, met and (using a Delphi-styled approach) came to consensus on recommendations for device trials. RESULTS: Challenges unique to device trials include defining the mechanism of action of the device and, therefore, the appropriate sham that provides a placebo effect without duplicating the action of the active device. Should there be no clear-cut mechanism of action, a three-arm trial including a no-treatment arm and one with presumed sham action was recommended. For individualized devices, generalizable indications and standardization of the devices are needed so that treatments can be generalized. CONCLUSION: A consensus set of recommendations for device trials was developed, providing a basis for improved trial design, and hopefully improvement in the number of effective therapeutic devices for rheumatic diseases.

Development of an item list to assess the forgotten joint concept in shoulder patients.

BACKGROUND: To generate an item list for the assessment of joint awareness in shoulder patients and to collect patient feedback on the comprehensibility of the items and the forgotten joint concept. METHODS: Item content was generated on the basis of literature search and expert ratings following a stepwise refinement procedure, including final evaluation by an international expert board (n = 12) including members with various professional backgrounds. Items were translated from English to German and evaluated in 30 German-speaking shoulder patients in Switzerland and 30 shoulder patients in the UK. RESULTS: Literature search identified 45 questionnaires covering 805 issues potentially relevant for the assessment of joint awareness. Stepwise item selection resulted in 97 items to be evaluated by the international expert board leaving 70 items for collecting patient feedback. The majority of patients indicated that the introductory text explaining the forgotten joint concept was easy or very easy to understand (79.3%) and that the items were clear (91.4%). CONCLUSION: We developed a list of 70 questions for the assessment of joint awareness in shoulder patients and obtained positive patient feedback for these. In a next step, we will administer the items to a large international patient sample to obtain data for psychometric analysis and development of a measurement model, which is the basis for creation of computer-adaptive assessments or static short-forms.

Five-year survivorship and patient-reported outcome of the Triathlon single-radius total knee arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: The Triathlon single-radius total knee arthroplasty (TKA) was used in 11% of primary procedures in England and Wales in 2011 making it the third most common prosthesis implanted. To date, there has been no independent report of survivorship or outcome for this implant. The aim of this study was to report the 5-year survival and patient-reported outcome of the Triathlon TKA in a single independent centre. METHODS: Four hundred and sixty-two consecutive Triathlon TKAs were implanted at the study centre from 2006 to 2007. The mean age was 68.7 (21-89) years, and 290 patients were women (62.7%). The Short Form 12 and Oxford Knee Score (OKS) were obtained pre-operatively and at 1 and 5 years post-operatively when satisfaction was also assessed and radiographs reviewed. RESULTS: Forty-one had died and nine were lost to follow-up. There were three aseptic failures: two cases of tibial aseptic loosening and one of secondary instability. There were five additional septic failures. OKS improved by a mean of 17.4 points at 1 year from 41.3 pre-operatively (p < 0.001). This was unchanged at 5 years (n.s.). Patient satisfaction was high with 88% being satisfied or very satisfied at 1 and 5 years. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated a 5-year survival of 97.6% (95% CI 95.6-99.6) for failure for any reason, and 99.5% (95% CI 98.7-100) for aseptic loosening. CONCLUSION: The Triathlon TKA offers good mid-term survivorship and functional outcome, which is reflected by a high patient satisfaction rate. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic, Level IV.

WOMAC, EQ-5D and Knee Society Score Thresholds for Treatment Success After Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Our study aimed at developing clinical thresholds (cut-off scores) for the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) osteoarthritis index, EQ-5D and Knee Society Score for discriminating between patients with and without treatment success following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We performed a retrospective analysis of 1055 patients 2 months after TKA and 765 patients 1 year after TKA. We considered treatment successful if the patient reported high levels of satisfaction and pain relief, functional increase, and a willingness to undergo the same procedure again. Based on this criterion we identified cut-off scores that will facilitate interpretation of the WOMAC, the EQ-5D and the KSS in TKA patients.

The influence of facemasks on communication in healthcare settings: a systematic review.

PURPOSE: Although a well-established aspect of healthcare practice, the impact of facemasks on verbal communication is surprisingly ambiguous. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic search was conducted in APA PSYCHinfo, CINAHL, NHS Knowledge Network, Medline and SPORTDiscus databases from inception to November 2022 according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies reporting an objective measure of speech understanding in adults, where information was transmitted or received whilst wearing a facemask were included. Risk of bias of included studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa score. RESULTS: Four hundred and thirty-three studies were identified, of which fifteen were suitable for inclusion, incorporating 350 participants with a median age of 49 (range 19 to 74) years. Wide heterogeneity of test parameters and outcome measurement prohibited pooling of data. 93% (14 of 15) studies reported a deleterious effect of facemasks on speech understanding, and 100% (5 of 5) of the included studies reported attenuation of sound with facemask usage. Background noise added further deleterious effects on speech understanding which was particularly problematic within hearing-impaired populations. Risk of bias in included studies varied but overall was modest. CONCLUSIONS: Despite considerable complexity and heterogeneity in outcome measure, 93% (14 of 15) articles suggest respiratory protective equipment negatively affects speech understanding in normal hearing and hearing-impaired adults.

As a result of the covid-19 pandemic, facemask use is now commonplace across all healthcare and rehabilitation settings and has material implications for interpersonal communication.This systematic review of human communicative studies highlights that the use of facemasks does indeed inhibit communication through effects on speech intelligibility and through sound attenuation.These effects are evident in both normal hearing and hearing-impaired adults due to the visual cues required with lipreading and facial expressions during communication.The presence of background noise also produces deleterious effects on speech understanding and is more problematic for hearing-impaired populations.Simple recommendations to reduce background noise (where possible), to step closer (where social-distancing rules permit), to speak louder or to use speech to text applications (if practical) could all mitigate these communicative barriers. Further an awareness of persons with hearing impairments, the function (or otherwise) of hearing aids in those patients that require these, and an ability to use transparent facemasks can be specifically helpful.

Rehabilitation of brachial plexus injury in contact sport: Where are the data that underpin clinical management? A scoping review.

BACKGROUND: Although a common injury there is a lack of published primary data to inform clinical management of sports related brachial plexus injuries. METHODS: A systematic search was completed in Medline, CINAHL, PubMed, SPORTDiscus and Web of Science databases and Google Scholar from inception to August 2023 according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Methodological quality assessment of included articles was with the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. Studies providing primary data as to the rehabilitative management of diagnosed or suspected brachial plexus injuries sustained when playing contact sports were included. RESULTS: Sixty-five studies were identified and screened, of which, 8 case reports were included, incorporating 10 participants with a mean age of 19.8 (±4.09) years. There was wide heterogeneity in injury severity, injury reporting, physical examination and imaging approaches documented. 9 of 10 participants returned to competitive sports, though follow-up periods also varied widely. Whilst return to play criteria varied between studies, the most consistent indicator was pain-free shoulder range of motion and strength. CONCLUSIONS: There is a distinct lack of data available to inform evidence-based rehabilitation management of sports related brachial plexus injury. Only 8 individual case reports contain published data reporting on 10 athletes. Further reporting is critical to inform clinical management.