Factors That Influence Orthopedic Women Residents' Selection of Adult Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: Stereotypes may discourage women from going into the historically male-dominated field of Adult Reconstruction. Other factors such as interest, confidence, and a sense of belonging may influence subspecialty choice. The objective of this study was to survey orthopedic surgery residents regarding their perceptions about Adult Reconstruction. METHODS: A validated survey evaluating social determinants of behavior was adapted to assess orthopedic surgery residents' perceptions of Adult Reconstruction. The survey was electronically distributed to residents from 16 United States and Canadian Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited residency programs. There were 93 respondents including 39 women (42%) and 54 men (58%). Study data were collected and managed using an electronic data capture tool. Descriptive statistics were reported for all continuous variables. Percentiles and sample sizes were reported for categorical variables. RESULTS: Women and men reported similar interest in Adult Reconstruction (46% versus 41%, P = .60). Fewer women reported that they were encouraged to go into Adult Reconstruction by faculty (62% versus 85%, P = .001). Women and men reported similar confidence in their own ability to succeed in the subspecialty of Adult Reconstruction. However, when asked about the ability of other residents, both sexes rated men as having higher levels of confidence. Women and men perceived other residents and faculty felt "men are better Adult Reconstruction surgeons," but did not personally agree with this statement. CONCLUSION: Women and men residents expressed similar rates of interest and self-confidence in Adult Reconstruction, but there were social barriers including negative stereotypes that may prevent them from pursuing careers in Adult Reconstruction.

Allergies, Preoperative Narcotic Use, and Increased Age Predict Failed Same-Day Discharge After Joint Replacement.

BACKGROUND: Identifying predictors of failed same-day discharge (SDD) is critical for patient selection. We evaluated patient factors associated with failure of SDD in patients undergoing elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in a hospital setting. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) between January 31, 2018 and February 1, 2020 by one of the 3 fellowship-trained arthroplasty surgeons. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and clinical data were collected. Analysis was performed to assess risk factors for failed SDD. RESULTS: In total, 2615 TJAs (1425 TKAs, 1190 THAs) were performed over the study period. Two hundred seventy-one (10.4%) were SDDs (80 TKAs, 191 THAs). There were fewer TKAs than THAs (5.6% vs 16.1%, P < .001). Forty-five patients failed SDD (16.6%). Failure rates were similar in TKA and THA (18.8%, 15.7%, P = .54). The most common reasons for failure of SDD were hypotension (11, 24.4%), delayed resolution of spinal anesthesia (11, 24.4%), and nausea (5, 11.1%). Age over 70 years (P = .007), greater than 2 self-reported allergies (P < .001), and preoperative narcotic use (P = .01) were associated with failure of SDD. Gender, body mass index, American Society of Anesthesiologists class, and prior TJA were not significantly associated (P > .05). CONCLUSION: Success of SDD was greater than 80%. Hypotension, delayed resolution of spinal anesthesia, and nausea accounted for 60% of failures of SDD. Patients >70 years, those with >2 self-reported drug allergies, or patients who used preoperative narcotics were at high risk for failure of SDD after THA or TKA.

Patients With Symptomatic Sequelae of Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis Have Advanced Cartilage Wear at the Time of Surgical Intervention.

BACKGROUND: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is a common hip problem in children. The resulting deformity can cause impingement similar to cam-type idiopathic femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). Although there are similarities between FAI and SCFE, deformity patterns, severity, and time of onset of symptoms varies, which may impact management. The purpose of this study was to describe patterns of articular cartilage damage in patients undergoing surgical hip dislocation for sequelae of SCFE in comparison to patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery for primary FAI. METHODS: Patients were identified who underwent surgical treatment for hip pain due to primary FAI (cam type) or sequelae of SCFE. Clinical data and radiographic measurements were recorded. Cartilage was assessed intraoperatively. Severity was classified using the modified Beck classification, while location was classified into 6 sectors. Statistical analysis was performed to test for differences in demographic and radiographic characteristics between the SCFE and FAI patients. χ2 or Fisher exact tests were used to evaluate trends in patterns of acetabular and femoral cartilage wear between SCFE and FAI groups. RESULTS: The SCFE group had 28 hips compared with 304 in the FAI group. SCFE patients were younger (19 vs. 32, P<0.001), had higher body mass index (30±5.9 vs. 24±4.8, P<0.001), and were more often male (61% vs. 27%, P<0.001). Deformity severity based on α-angle was higher in the SCFE group [AP 74 vs. 55 (P=0.001) and Dunn 72 vs. 58 (P<0.001)]. There were no significant differences with regards to lateral center edge angle, anterior center edge angle, or Tonnis angle. In both groups the most common locations for cartilage lesions in both groups were the anterior peripheral and superolateral peripheral regions with fewer but more widely distributed femoral head lesions. The SCFE group had higher rates of femoral head and superolateral central cartilage lesions compared with the FAI group. There was no statistical difference between high-grade femoral or acetabular cartilage lesions between groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with SCFE were younger at the time of surgery and presented with more severe deformity based on radiographic α-angle compared to patients with FAI. Our results suggest higher prevalence of femoral head lesions and more diffuse cartilage injury in patients with SCFE. This study can be used to support early surgical intervention in patients with symptomatic sequelae of SCFE due to risk of premature joint damage. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-prognostic study.

Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Urinary Bother Are Common in Patients Undergoing Elective Cervical Spine Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and urinary bother have been reported in adults undergoing surgery and have been associated with urinary tract infections, longer hospital stays, increased surgical costs, and decreased patient satisfaction. Previous reports indicate that up to one in two patients with lumbar spine pathology have moderate-to-severe LUTS, but little is known about LUTS in patients with cervical spine conditions. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What is the prevalence of moderate-to-severe LUTS and clinically relevant urinary bother among patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery? (2) Does the presence of myelopathy affect frequency of moderate-to-severe LUTS or clinically relevant urinary bother among patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery? (3) Do MRI findings of spinal cord injury or compression correlate with presence and severity of LUTS? METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study using clinical data collected from adult patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery. Over an approximately 30-month period, we approached all patients who were evaluated in the preoperative clinic before undergoing elective cervical spine surgery. Of the 257 approached, 242 participated (94%). Study participants ranged in age from 34 to 83 years with a mean age of 58 years (SD 12). There were 108 males (45%) and 134 females (55%). A validated questionnaire, the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), was used to identify LUTS. The IPSS score ranges from 0 to 35 points with LUTS presence defined as a score of ≥ 8 and LUTS severity categorized as mild (IPSS 0-7), moderate (IPSS 8-19), or severe (IPSS 20-35). Quality of life resulting from urinary bother is scored 0 to 6 with scores ≥ 4 considered clinically relevant urinary bother. Patients were grouped into a myelopathy group and a nonmyelopathy group based on diagnosis as assigned by the operating surgeon. MRIs were analyzed by one spine surgeon to identify the presence of cord signal, number of levels with cord compression (mm), and a calculated compression ratio score with cord compression and with compression ratio among patients with myelopathy. RESULTS: The prevalence of moderate LUTS in our patient sample was 40% (97 of 242; 95% confidence interval [CI], 34%-47%). The prevalence of severe LUTS in our patient sample was 8% (19 of 242; 95% CI, 5%-12%). Clinically relevant urinary bother was reported in 18% of patients (41 of 228; 95% CI, 13%-24%). After adjustment for age and sex, the odds of moderate-to-severe LUTS among patients with myelopathy was greater than that observed in patients without myelopathy (adjusted odds ratio, 2.0; p = 0.015). The prevalence of clinically relevant urinary bother was higher in patients with myelopathy (30% [26 of 88]) compared with those with no myelopathy (11% [15 of 140]; p < 0.001). With the numbers available, among patients with myelopathy, there was no difference in distribution of LUTS symptom severity or IPSS score according to cord signal presence (50% [23 of 46]) and absence (65% [31 of 48]; p = 0.153), number of levels with compression (70% [seven of 10 with four levels]; 59% [13 of 22 with three levels]; 51% [19 of 37] with two levels; and 60% [15 of 25] with one level; p = 0.730), millimeters of cord compression (r = 0.02; p = 0.854), or compression ratio (r = 0.09; p = 0.413). CONCLUSIONS: Nearly half of all patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery had moderate-to-severe LUTS. This is more than double the prevalence that has been reported in a community-dwelling adult population. These symptoms can impair quality of life, lead to surgical complications (urinary retention or incontinence), and may be mistaken for cauda equina, prompting potentially unnecessary imaging and studies. Given that urinary bother is reported less frequently than LUTS, patients may be less likely to seek care for urinary symptoms before undergoing surgery. Therefore, it is important to increase provider awareness of the high prevalence of LUTS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, prognostic study.

Effects of delayed postoperative void and preoperative urologic symptoms on delay in time of discharge for elective lumbar decompression surgery.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Almost half of all patients undergoing lumbar spine surgery have preoperative lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). These symptoms could affect postoperative voiding and subsequently length of stay. PURPOSE: To investigate the association between preoperative LUTS and time to first void and between time to first void and time to discharge among patients undergoing elective lumbar decompression surgery. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data among patients at a single academic medical center. PATIENT SAMPLE: All patients ≥18 years of age undergoing elective lumbar decompression surgery between July 2017 and March 2020. OUTCOME MEASURES: The physiologic measure of a delayed time to first void was defined as an initial postoperative void of > 4 hours after anesthesia stop time. The outcome of prolonged time to discharge was defined as a stay of >24 hours after anesthesia stop time. METHODS: At their preoperative visit, patients completed the validated International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) (range, 0-35 points), which is applicable for LUTS assessment in both sexes. Clinically relevant LUTS are defined as an IPSS score of ≥8. Patients were followed from their preoperative visit to surgery admission discharge. Association of LUTS with time to first void and time to first void with admission discharge were estimated using risk ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) from a multivariable Poisson regression with a robust variance estimate adjusted for potential confounding variables including age, sex, IPSS, and intraoperative Foley catheter use. RESULTS: The analytic cohort included 170 patients with an average age of 57 years and 103 (61%) were men. Preoperative LUTS prevalence was 45%, and 111 (65%) of patients voided within 4 hours after surgery. For patients with preoperative LUTS, the unadjusted RR for a first void of >4 hours was 1.04 (95% CI: 0.82-1.32) (p=.77). Adjustment for age, sex, intraoperative Foley catheter use, revision surgery, previous spine surgery, single versus multiple levels, and lumbar location did not materially alter the risk: the multivariable RR was 1.04 (95% CI: 0.82-1.31) (p=.74). The unadjusted RR for a discharge of > 24 hours for patients with a time to first void of > 4 hours was 2.17 (95% CI: 1.51-3.10) (p<.001). After adjusting for age, sex, intraoperative Foley catheter use, IPSS, revision surgery, previous spine surgery, single versus multiple levels, and lumbar location, the multivariable RR was 1.72 (95% CI: 1.22-2.41) (p=.002). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of preoperative LUTS status, an initial first void of >4 hours after surgery is associated with a longer time to discharge among patients undergoing elective lumbar decompression surgery. Future studies are needed to determine if encouraging early postoperative voiding results in timely discharge and shorter length of stay.

Suspected Metal Allergy and Femoral Loosening After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Metal sensitivity is increasingly prevalent and is associated with negative outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Currently, there is no consensus on diagnostic criteria for TKA failure from immune reaction. We present a patient who had pain and aseptic effusion 2 years after TKA. Radiographs were concerning femoral loosening. Lymphocyte transformation testing showed nickel sensitivity. During revision surgery, the femoral component was loose. The histologic aseptic lymphocyte-dominated vasculitis-associated lesion score was 4 with elevated CD4+ lymphocytes, consistent with sensitization. Nickel-free revision implants were used. One year after surgery, the patient is symptom-free. This case has features suggestive of an immune reaction, with femoral loosening, and is illustrative of the diagnostic dilemma. Using a hypoallergenic knee eliminates future concern for nickel sensitivity.

Clinical impact of component placement in manually instrumented total knee arthroplasty : a systematic review.

AIMS: The goal of the current systematic review was to assess the impact of implant placement accuracy on outcomes following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: A systematic review was performed in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using the Ovid Medline, Embase, Cochrane Central, and Web of Science databases in order to assess the impact of the patient-reported outcomes measures (PROMs) and implant placement accuracy on outcomes following TKA. Studies assessing the impact of implant alignment, rotation, size, overhang, or condylar offset were included. Study quality was assessed, evidence was graded (one-star: no evidence, two-star: limited evidence, three-star: moderate evidence, four-star: strong evidence), and recommendations were made based on the available evidence. RESULTS: A total of 49 studies were identified for inclusion. With respect to PROMs, there was two-star evidence in support of mechanical axis alignment (MAA), femorotibial angle (FTA), femoral coronal angle (FCA), tibial coronal angle (TCA), femoral sagittal angle (FSA), femoral rotation, tibial and combined rotation/mismatch, and implant size/overhang or offset on PROMs, and one-star evidence in support of tibial sagittal angle (TSA), impacting PROMs. With respect to survival, there was three- to four-star evidence in support FTA, FCA, TCA, and TSA, moderate evidence in support of femoral rotation, tibial and combined rotation/mismatch, and limited evidence in support of MAA, FSA, and implant size/overhang or offset impacting survival. CONCLUSION: Overall, there is limited evidence to suggest that PROMs are impacted by the accuracy of implant placement, and malalignment does not appear to be a significant driver of the observed high rates of patient dissatisfaction following TKA. However, FTA, FCA, TCA, TSA, and implant rotation demonstrate a moderate-strong relationship with implant survival. Efforts should be made to improve the accuracy of these parameters in order to improve TKA survival. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(9):1449-1456.

Hip Arthroscopy Complicated by a Deep Vein Thrombosis in a Patient with May-Thurner Syndrome: A Case Report.

CASE: A 20-year-old woman underwent hip arthroscopy with a labral repair, a femoral neck osteoplasty, and acetabular rim trimming. Six weeks after surgery, she presented with leg pain and edema, and was found to have an extensive deep vein thrombosis (DVT). Additional imaging studies revealed apparent extrinsic compression of the left common iliac vein, a vascular anatomic variant consistent with May-Thurner syndrome (MTS). CONCLUSION: Thromboembolic events in patients undergoing low-risk procedures should raise concern for additional risk factors, including MTS. Identifying this variant in patients is important to prevent future thrombotic complications.

Comparison of fluoroscopic techniques for assessment of femoral rotational alignment.

OBJECTIVES: Anatomic rotational reduction of diaphyseal femur fractures is essential in restoring limb mechanics. Errors in reproducing anteroposterior (AP) or lateral knee reference radiographs of the contralateral limb could result in inaccuracies during rotational reduction. The objective of this study was to examine whether fluoroscopic rotational variation can be observed with the same degree of precision with AP and lateral distal femur projections. METHODS: AP and lateral radiographs were obtained from intact knees of 7 cadaveric specimens using fluoroscopy. The lateral condylar width and coronal femoral width from the AP images and the posterior condylar offset and sagittal femoral width from the lateral images were measured by 3 reviewers. Interclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) among the 3 reviewers were calculated. The mean data from all reviewers were plotted against angle of rotation, and the slope (M) and regression of the line were then determined. RESULTS: ICCs were 0.997 (lateral) and 0.994 (AP), demonstrating excellent interobserver agreement. The mean (±SD) M value for lateral images was 0.016 ±â€Š0.001 and for AP images was 0.009 ±â€Š0.001 (P < .0001). The higher lateral M value represents a more appreciable difference in size of the measured segment for the same rotational change. CONCLUSIONS: The observed rotational change was 1.76 times greater on lateral images compared to AP images; thus, the lateral images may be more precise as a reference for rotation. The routine use of lateral knee radiographs to guide intraoperative rotational alignment of the femur may therefore be justified.

Prevalence of Preoperative Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Patients Undergoing Elective Lumbar Spine Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study. OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of moderate-to-severe lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery, and to describe associations between prevalence, severity of symptoms, demographic variables, and spine pathology. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The prevalence of LUTS is unknown in patients with lumbar spine disease. Furthermore, the extent of LUTS severity and the relationship between spine pathology and LUTS is not well documented. METHODS: We used the validated International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) to assess LUTS severity among elective lumbar spine surgery patients from October 2015 to April 2017 at a single academic institution. Moderate-to-severe LUTS was defined as IPSS score of 8 or more. The IPSS also includes a question to assess urinary bother, for which a score of 4 or more indicates clinically significant bother. Prevalence estimates and 95% confidence intervals were computed in the sample overall, and according to sex, age, and lumbar spine diagnosis. RESULTS: IPSS data were obtained from 373 patients (97% of those eligible) undergoing elective lumbar spine surgery. Moderate-to-severe urinary symptoms were reported by 46% of these patients, and by 51% of women and 42% of men. Prevalence of moderate-to-severe urinary symptoms increased with age, rising from 38% in patients younger than 40 years to 57% in patients 70 years or older. LUTS prevalence according to spondylolisthesis, stenosis, scoliosis, and herniated nucleus pulposus diagnostic groups were 51%, 50%, 50%, and 31%, respectively. Clinically significant urinary bother was reported by 14% overall, 10% of men, and 18% of women, and prevalence also increased with age. CONCLUSION: Moderate-to-severe LUTS were highly prevalent in this sample. Urinary symptoms are more prevalent with increasing age, in women, and in patients with stenosis, spondylolisthesis, and scoliosis. Proportionally, fewer patients reported clinically significant urinary bother, which may impact patient reporting and physician identification of urinary symptoms. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

A scoring system to predict postoperative medical complications in high-risk patients undergoing elective thoracic and lumbar arthrodesis.

BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Various surgical factors affect the incidence of postoperative medical complications following elective spinal arthrodesis. Because of the inter-relatedness of these factors, it is difficult for clinicians to accurately risk-stratify individual patients. PURPOSE: Our goal was to develop a scoring system that predicts the rate of major medical complications in patients with significant preoperative medical comorbidities, as a function of the four perioperative parameters that are most closely associated with the invasiveness of the surgical intervention. STUDY DESIGN/SETTING: This study used level 2, Prognostic Retrospective Study. PATIENT SAMPLE: The patient sample consisted of 281 patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores of 3-4 who underwent elective thoracic, lumbar, or thoracolumbar fusion surgeries from 2007 to 2011. OUTCOME MEASURES: Physiologic risk factors, number of levels fused, complications, operative time, intraoperative fluids, and estimate blood loss were the outcome measures of this study. METHODS: Risk factors were recorded, and patients who suffered major medical complications within the 30-day postoperative period were identified. We used chi-square tests to identify factors that affect the medical complication rate. These factors were ranked and scored by quartiles. The quartile scores were combined to form a single composite score. We determined the major medical complication rate for each composite score, and divided the cohort into quartiles again based on score. A Pearson linear regression analysis was used to compare the incidence of complications to the score. RESULTS: The number of fused levels, operative time, volume of intraoperative fluids, and estimated blood loss influenced the complication rate of patients with ASA scores of 3-4. The quartile ranking of each of the four predictive factors was added, and the sum became the composite score. This score predicted the complication rate in a linear fashion ranging from 7.6% for the lowest risk group to 34.7% for the highest group (r=0.998, p<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the four factors, though not independent of one another, proved to be strongly predictive of the major medical complication rate. This score can be used to guide medical management of thoracic and lumbar spinal arthrodesis patients with preexisting medical comorbidities.