Incidence and clinical impact of lower extremity vascular injuries in the setting of whole body computed tomography for trauma.

PURPOSE: The aims of this study are to determine the incidence of lower extremity fractures and/or vascular injuries in the setting of whole body computed tomography (WBCT) for trauma and to determine lower extremity injury outcomes in this patient population. METHODS: This is a retrospective observational study performed at a large urban Level 1 trauma center. Our institutional trauma registry was queried for patients who were evaluated with WBCT and lower extremity CT angiography (CTA) as a part of their initial imaging evaluation over a 43-month period. Patients with lower extremity fractures and/or vascular injuries were identified. Those patients with both lower extremity vascular injury and fracture were then analyzed to determine the physical relationship of the fracture to the vascular injury. Physical exam findings were extracted from the medical record. Interventions and long-term outcomes were determined from the medical record. RESULTS: A total of 370 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 98% experiencing blunt trauma. Of these, 290 (78.4%) were positive for lower extremity injury, including 266 (71.9%) with isolated fractures, 2 (0.6%) with isolated vascular injury, and 22 (5.9%) with vascular injury associated with long bone fracture. Of the 22 patients with combined fracture and vascular injury, 8 received vascular intervention and 10 had long-term complications as a result of their injuries. Physical exam findings were insufficient to diagnose 57% of the vascular injuries. CONCLUSIONS: The inclusion of lower extremity CTA as part of a WBCT imaging exam for trauma allows for the identification of vascular injuries that otherwise may have gone undetected or resulted in delayed diagnosis. Clinically occult lower extremity vascular injuries may be associated with poor outcomes.

Electroacupuncture Promotes Central Nervous System-Dependent Release of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Electroacupuncture (EA) performed in rats and humans using limb acupuncture sites, LI-4 and LI-11, and GV-14 and GV-20 (humans) and Bai-hui (rats) increased functional connectivity between the anterior hypothalamus and the amygdala and mobilized mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) into the systemic circulation. In human subjects, the source of the MSC was found to be primarily adipose tissue, whereas in rodents the tissue sources were considered more heterogeneous. Pharmacological disinhibition of rat hypothalamus enhanced sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation and similarly resulted in a release of MSC into the circulation. EA-mediated SNS activation was further supported by browning of white adipose tissue in rats. EA treatment of rats undergoing partial rupture of the Achilles tendon resulted in reduced mechanical hyperalgesia, increased serum interleukin-10 levels and tendon remodeling, effects blocked in propranolol-treated rodents. To distinguish the afferent role of the peripheral nervous system, phosphoinositide-interacting regulator of transient receptor potential channels (Pirt)-GCaMP3 (genetically encoded calcium sensor) mice were treated with EA acupuncture points, ST-36 and LIV-3, and GV-14 and Bai-hui and resulted in a rapid activation of primary sensory neurons. EA activated sensory ganglia and SNS centers to mediate the release of MSC that can enhance tissue repair, increase anti-inflammatory cytokine production and provide pronounced analgesic relief. Stem Cells 2017;35:1303-1315.

Impairment of early fracture healing by skeletal muscle trauma is restored by FK506.

BACKGROUND: Heightened local inflammation due to muscle trauma or disease is associated with impaired bone regeneration. METHODS: We hypothesized that FK506, an FDA approved immunomodulatory compound with neurotrophic and osteogenic effects, will rescue the early phase of fracture healing which is impaired by concomitant muscle trauma in male (~4 months old) Lewis rats. FK506 (1 mg/kg; i.p.) or saline was administered systemically for 14 days after an endogenously healing tibia osteotomy was created and fixed with an intermedullary pin, and the overlying tibialis anterior (TA) muscle was either left uninjured or incurred volumetric muscle loss injury (6 mm full thickness biopsy from middle third of the muscle). RESULTS: The salient observations of this study were that 1) concomitant TA muscle trauma impaired recovery of tibia mechanical properties 28 days post-injury, 2) FK506 administration rescued the recovery of tibia mechanical properties in the presence of concomitant TA muscle trauma but did not augment mechanical recovery of an isolated osteotomy (no muscle trauma), 3) T lymphocytes and macrophage presence within the traumatized musculature were heightened by trauma and attenuated by FK506 3 days post-injury, and 4) T lymphocyte but not macrophage presence within the fracture callus were attenuated by FK506 at 14 days post-injury. FK506 did not improve TA muscle isometric torque production CONCLUSION: Collectively, these findings support the administration of FK506 to ameliorate healing of fractures with severe muscle trauma comorbidity. The results suggest one potential mechanism of action is a reduction in local T lymphocytes within the injured musculoskeletal tissue, though other mechanisms to include direct osteogenic effects of FK506 require further investigation.

The effect of pH versus base deficit on organ failure in trauma patients.

BACKGROUND: Base deficit (BD) calculations are affected by trauma-related changes in circulating concentrations of anions after injury. In contrast, pH is a direct measurement that corresponds to hypoperfusion. We hypothesized that changes in pH would more closely correspond to organ dysfunction compared with changes in BD. MATERIALS AND METHODS: BD and pH values were collected for the first 48 h after injury from a retrospective cohort of 74 multiply injured adult patients who were admitted to the surgical intensive care unit for a minimum of 1 wk. Mean and extreme (minimum pH and maximum BD) values of pH and BD were determined for day 1 (0-24 h) and for day 2 (24-48 h) after injury. Organ dysfunction was measured by averaging daily sequential organ failure assessment scores over the entire duration of intensive care unit admission. BD and pH values were compared with mean modified sequential organ failure assessment scores by univariate and multivariate linear regression. RESULTS: Organ dysfunction corresponded more closely with changes in pH compared with those in BD. Minimum pH and maximum BD showed better correspondence to organ dysfunction compared with mean values. Minimum pH values at 24-48 h had the highest univariate (r(2) = 0.43) correspondence to organ dysfunction. In contrast, mean BD values at 24-48 h showed no correspondence (r(2) = 0.07) to organ dysfunction. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that 24-48 h of minimum pH had the highest numerical effect on organ dysfunction. CONCLUSIONS: Correspondence between organ dysfunction and BD deteriorated in contrast to increasing correspondence between organ dysfunction and pH measured within 48 h after injury.

Tissue damage volume predicts organ dysfunction and inflammation after injury.

BACKGROUND: Multiply injured patients (MIPs) are at risk to develop multiple-organ failure (MOF) and prolonged systemic inflammation response syndrome (SIRS). It is difficult to predict which MIPs are at the highest risk to develop these complications. We have developed a novel method that quantifies the distribution and physical magnitude of all injuries identified on admission computed tomography scanning called the Tissue Damage Volume (TDV) score. We explored how individualized TDV scores corresponded to MOF and SIRS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study on 74 MIPs measured mechanical TDV by calculating injury volumes on admission computed tomography scans of all injuries in the head/neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis. Regional and total TDV scores were compared between patients that did or did not develop MOF or sustained SIRS. The magnitude of organ dysfunction was also stratified by the magnitude of TDV. RESULTS: Mean total and pelvic TDV scores were significantly increased in patients who developed MOF. Mean total, chest, and abdominal TDV scores were increased in patients who developed sustained SIRS. The magnitude of organ dysfunction was significantly higher in patients who sustained large volume injuries in the pelvis or abdomen, and in patients who sustained injuries in at least three anatomic regions. CONCLUSIONS: A novel index that quantifies the magnitude and distribution of mechanical tissue damage volume is a patient-specific index that can be used to identify patients who have sustained injury patterns that predict progression to MOF and SIRS. The preliminary methods will need refinement and prospective validation.

Large-magnitude Pelvic and Retroperitoneal Tissue Damage Predicts Organ Failure.

BACKGROUND: Pelvic and retroperitoneal trauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in multiply injured patients. The Injury Severity Score (ISS) has been criticized for underrepresenting and inaccurately defining mechanical injury. The influence of pelvic injury volume on organ dysfunction and multiple organ failure (MOF) has not been described. Through the use of CT, this investigation sought to precisely define volumes of mechanical tissue damage by anatomic region and examine its impact on organ failure. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) Do patients with MOF have a greater volume of pelvic and retroperitoneal tissue damage when compared with those without MOF? (2) In patients who sustained pelvic trauma, does the magnitude of pelvic injury differ in patients with MOF? (3) Does the magnitude of organ dysfunction correlate with pelvic tissue damage volume? METHODS: Seventy-four multiply injured patients aged 18 to 65 years with an ISS ≥ 18 admitted to the intensive care unit for a minimum of 6 days with complete admission CT scans were analyzed. Each identifiable injury in the head/neck, chest, abdomen, and pelvis underwent volumetric determination using CT to generate regional tissue damage volume scores. Primary outcomes were the development of MOF as measured by the Denver MOF score and the degree of organ dysfunction by utilization of the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score. Mean pelvic and retroperitoneal tissue damage volumes were compared in patients who developed MOF and those who did not develop MOF using Student's t-test. Among patients who sustained pelvic injuries, we compared mean volume of tissue damaged in patients who developed MOF and those who did not. We assessed whether there was a correlation between organ dysfunction, as measured by the SOFA score as a continuous variable, and the volume of pelvic and retroperitoneal tissue damage using the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The average volume of tissue damage was greater in patients with MOF when compared with those without (MOF: 685.667 ± 1081.344; non-MOF: 195.511 ± 381.436; mean difference 490.156 cc [95% confidence interval {CI}, 50.076-930.237 cc], p = 0.030). Among patients who sustained pelvic injuries, those with MOF had higher average tissue damage volumes than those without MOF (MOF: 1322.000 ± 1197.050; non-MOF: 382.750 ± 465.005; mean difference 939.250 [95% CI, 229.267-1649.233], p = 0.013). Organ dysfunction (SOFA score) correlated with higher volumes of pelvic tissue damage (r = 0.570, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: This investigation demonstrated that greater degrees of pelvic and retroperitoneal tissue damage calculated from injury CT scans in multiply injured patients is associated with more severe organ dysfunction and an increased risk of developing MOF. Early identification of polytrauma patients at risk of MOF allows clinicians to implement appropriate resuscitative strategies early in the disease course. Improved stratification of injury severity and a patient's anticipated clinical course may aid in the planning and execution of staged orthopaedic interventions. Future avenues of study should incorporate the ischemic/hypoperfusion component of pelvic injury in conjunction with the mechanical component presented here for improved stratification of multiply injured patients at higher risk of MOF. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, prognostic study.

The local and systemic effects of immune function on fracture healing.

The immune system plays an integral role in the regulation of cellular processes responsible for fracture healing. Local and systemic influences on fracture healing correlate in many ways with fracture-related outcomes, including soft tissue healing quality and fracture union rates. Impaired soft tissue healing, restricted perfusion of a fracture site, and infection also in turn affect the immune response to fracture injury. Modern techniques used to investigate the relationship between immune system function and fracture healing include precision medicine, using vast quantities of data to interpret broad patterns of inflammatory response. Early data from the PRECISE trial have demonstrated distinct patterns of inflammatory response in polytrauma patients, which thereby directly and indirectly regulate the fracture healing response. The clearly demonstrated linkage between immune function and fracture healing suggests that modulation of immune function has significant potential as a therapeutic target that can be used to enhance fracture healing.

Persistently elevated joint contact stress after periacetabular osteotomy is associated with joint failure at minimum 10-year follow-up.

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a common treatment for prearthritic hip dysplasia. The goal of this investigation was to determine if computationally assessed hip contact mechanics are associated with joint failure at minimum 10-year follow-up. One hundred patients with hip dysplasia (125 hips) completed patient-reported outcomes an average of 13.8 years (range 10.0-18.0 years) after PAO. 63/125 hips were classified as having failed: 26 converted to total hip arthroplasty (THA) and 37 with significant disability indicated by modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) ≤ 70. Differences in discrete element analysis-computed contact mechanics were compared between (1) preserved and failed hips, (2) preserved hips and hips that failed by THA, and (3) preserved hips and hips that failed by mHHS ≤ 70. Failed hips had significantly higher preoperative contact stress and exposure metrics (p < 0.001-0.009) than preserved hips. Failed hips also had significantly higher postoperative peak contact stress (p = 0.018), higher mean contact stress (p < 0.001), and smaller contact area (p = 0.044). When assessed based on type of failure, hips that failed by THA had significantly higher postoperative contact stress and exposure metrics than preserved hips (p < 0.001-0.020). In hips that failed by mHHS ≤ 70, mean postoperative contact stress exposure was significantly higher compared to preserved hips (p = 0.043). Despite improved radiographic measures of dysplasia after PAO, pathologic joint contact mechanics can persist and predict treatment failure at minimum 10 years after surgery. Operative and nonoperative techniques specifically intended to reduce harmful contact mechanics in dysplastic hips may have the potential to further improve clinical outcomes after PAO.

A Two-Stage Approach Integrating Provisional Biomaterial-Mediated Stabilization Followed by a Definitive Treatment for Managing Volumetric Muscle Loss Injuries.

Treatment of volumetric muscle loss (VML) faces challenges due to its unique pathobiology and lower priority in severe musculoskeletal injury management. Consequently, a need exists for multi-stage VML treatment strategies to accommodate delayed interventions owing to comorbidity management or prolonged casualty care in combat settings. To this end, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was used at concentrations of 5%, 7.5%, and 10% to generate provisional muscle void fillers (MVFs) of varying stiffness values (1.125 kPa, 3.700 kPa, and 7.699 kPa) to stabilize VML injuries as part of a two-stage approach. These were implanted into a rat model for a duration of 4 weeks, then explanted and either left untreated (control) or treated through minced muscle grafting (MMG). Additional benchmarks included acute MMG and unrepaired groups. At the MVF explant, the 7.5% PVA group exhibited superior neuromuscular function compared to the 5% and 10% PVA groups, the least fibrosis, and the largest median myofiber size among all groups at the 12-week endpoint. Despite the 7.5% PVA's superiority amongst the two-stage treatment groups, neuromuscular function was neither improved nor impaired relative to acute treatment benchmarks. This suggests that the future success of a two-stage VML treatment strategy will necessitate a more effective definitive intervention.

Deep Surgical Site Infection after Fracture Has a Profound Effect on Functional Outcomes.

Background: Fracture-related infection is one of the most challenging complications in orthopaedic trauma surgery. However, the effect of infection on functional and pain-related outcomes has not been well established. The aims of this study were to evaluate functional recovery for patients with fracture and a deep surgical site infection compared with patients with fracture without infection and to evaluate whether pain severity, social support, and preinjury mental health have a moderating effect on the magnitude and direction of the relationship between deep surgical site infection and functional recovery. Methods: This is a secondary retrospective cohort study using prospectively collected data from the VANCO trial (Local Antibiotic Therapy to Reduce Infection After Operative Treatment of Fractures at High Risk of Infection) and the OXYGEN (Supplemental Perioperative Oxygen to Reduce Surgical Site Infection After High Energy Fracture Surgery) trial. In this study, 2,116 patients with tibial plateau, pilon, or calcaneal fractures at high risk for infection were included. Patients were divided into cohorts of patients who experienced a deep surgical site infection and those who did not. The primary outcome measure was the functional outcome using the Veterans RAND 12-Item Health Survey (VR-12). Results: After controlling for covariates, deep surgical site infection was independently associated with functional outcome, with a 3.3-point reduction in the VR-12 Physical Component Score, and pain severity was independently associated with functional outcome, with a 2.5-point reduction in the VR-12 Physical Component Score. Furthermore, the Brief Pain Inventory pain severity demonstrated an important moderating effect on the relationship between infection and functional outcome. In patients with lower pain scores, infection had a large negative impact on functional outcome, whereas, in patients with higher pain scores, infection had no significant impact on functional outcome. Furthermore, the functional outcome in the entire cohort remains at only 61% of baseline. Conclusions: This study documents the negative impact of postoperative infection on functional recovery after injury, as well as the novel finding of pain severity as an important moderating factor. This study emphasizes not only the importance of developing effective interventions designed to reduce postoperative infection, but also the role that factors that moderate pain severity plays in limiting recovery of physical function. Level of evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Work Productivity Loss After Minimally Displaced Complete Lateral Compression Pelvis Fractures.

OBJECTIVE: To quantify work impairment and economic losses due to lost employment, lost work time (absenteeism), and lost productivity while working (presenteeism) after a lateral compression pelvic ring fracture. Secondarily, productivity loss of patients treated with surgical fixation versus nonoperative management was compared. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of a prospective, multicenter trial. SETTING: Two level I academic trauma centers. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA: Adult patients with a lateral compression pelvic fracture (OTA/AO 61-B1/B2) with a complete posterior pelvic ring fracture and less than 10 mm of initial displacement. Excluded were patients who were not working or non-ambulatory before their pelvis fracture or who had a concomitant spinal cord injury. OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS: Work impairment, including hours lost to unemployment, absenteeism, and presenteeism, measured by Work Productivity and Activity Impairment assessments in the year after injury. Results after non-operative and operative treatment were compared. RESULTS: Of the 64 included patients, forty-seven percent (30/64) were treated with surgical fixation, and 53% (30/64) with nonoperative management. 63% returned to work within 1 year of injury. Workers lost an average of 67% of a 2080-hour average work year, corresponding with $56,276 in lost economic productivity. Of the 1395 total hours lost, 87% was due to unemployment, 3% to absenteeism, and 10% to presenteeism. Surgical fixation was associated with 27% fewer lost hours (1155 vs. 1583, P = 0.005) and prevented $17,266 in average lost economic productivity per patient compared with nonoperative management. CONCLUSIONS: Lateral compression pelvic fractures are associated with a substantial economic impact on patients and society. Surgical fixation reduces work impairment and the corresponding economic burden. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The VANCO Trial Findings Are Generalizable to a North American Trauma Registry.

OBJECTIVES: To estimate the generalizability of treatment effects observed in the VANCO trial to a broader population of patients with tibial plateau or pilon fractures. METHODS: Design and Setting: Clinical trial data from 36 United States trauma centers and Trauma Quality Programs registry data from more than 875 Level I-III trauma centers in the United States and Canada.Patient Selection Criteria: Patients enrolled in the VANCO trial treated with intrawound vancomycin powder from January 2015 to June 2017 and 31,924 VANCO-eligible TQP patients admitted in 2019 with tibial plateau and pilon fractures.Outcome Measure and Comparisons: Deep surgical site infection and gram-positive deep surgical site infection estimated in the TQP sample weighed by the inverse probability of trial participation. RESULTS: The 980 patients in the VANCO trial were highly representative of 31,924 TQP VANCO-eligible patients (Tipton generalizability index 0.96). It was estimated that intrawound vancomycin powder reduced the odds of deep surgical infection by odds ratio (OR) = 0.46 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.25-0.86) and gram-positive deep surgical infection by OR = 0.39 (95% CI, 0.18-0.84) within the TQP sample of VANCO-eligible patients. For reference, the trial average treatment effects for deep surgical infection and gram-positive deep surgical infection were OR = 0.60 (95% CI, 0.37-0.98) and OR = 0.44 (95% CI, 0.23-0.80), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This generalizability analysis found that the inferences of the VANCO trial generalize and might even underestimate the effects of intrawound vancomycin powder when observed in a wider population of patients with tibial plateau and pilon fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Do the results of the OXYGEN trial change if analyzed as "as-treated?": A secondary analysis of the OXYGEN trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if the results of the OXYGEN trial changed using an "as-treated" approach instead of the original "intention-to-treat" approach. The multi-center randomized controlled OXYGEN trial aimed to determine the effectiveness of high FiO2 in decreasing infection rates for high-risk tibial plateau, tibial pilon, and calcaneus fractures. METHODS: A secondary analysis of a multi-center randomized controlled trial conducted at 29 US trauma centers was performed. A total of 1231 patients aged 18-80 years with tibial plateau, tibial pilon, or calcaneus fractures thought to be at elevated risk of infection were enrolled. Patients were randomly assigned to receive inspired oxygen at a concentration of 80 % FiO2 (treatment) or 30 % FiO2 (control). Adherence was defined using two different criteria. Criterion 1 required at least 80 % of the surgery time ≤40 % FiO2 for the control group or ≥70 % FiO2 for the treatment group. Criterion 2 required at least 80 % of surgery time within 20-40 % (control) or 70-90 % FiO2 (treatment). The primary outcome was surgical site infection (SSI) within 182 days of definitive fracture fixation. Secondary outcomes were deep and superficial surgical site infections within 90, 182, and 365 days of definitive fixation. RESULTS: Under Criterion 1, the primary outcome occurred in 7 % (38/523) and 10 % (49/471) of patients in the treatment and control groups, respectively (p = 0.10). Deep infection occurred in 30 (6 %) treatment and 30 (6 %) control patients (p = 0.75). Superficial infection occurred in 9 (2 %) treatment and 20 (4 %) control patients (RR, 0.41; p = 0.03). Using Criterion 2, the primary outcome occurred in 7 % (36/498) of treatment and 10 % (48/468) of control patients (p = 0.12). Deep infection occurred in 28 (6 %) treatment and 29 (6 %) control patients (p = 0.81). Superficial infection occurred in 9 (2 %) treatment and 20 (4.3 %) control patients (RR = 0.43; p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: When re-analyzing based on which patients actually received high or control levels of perioperative oxygen fraction, the results are somewhat consistent with the original "intent-to-treat" analysis. Specifically, high perioperative oxygen lowered the risk of superficial SSI but did not affect deep infections.

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis: A review of pathogenic mechanisms and novel targets for mitigation.

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) develops secondary to a joint injury and accounts for 12 % of all osteoarthritis. These injuries, often of the lower extremity joints, occur due to trauma or accidents related to athletic or military activities. They primarily affect younger individuals although PTOA can occur across the spectrum of age. Pain and functional disability caused by PTOA confer a heavy economic toll on patients, in addition to detrimentally affecting their quality of life. Both high energy injuries that cause articular surface fracture with or without subchondral bone disruption and low-energy injuries involving joint dislocations or ligamentous injury cause PTOA, albeit through different mechanisms. Regardless, chondrocyte death, mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species production, subchondral bone remodeling, inflammation and cytokine release in the cartilage and synovium play integral roles in the pathogenesis of PTOA. Evolving surgical methods are focused on stabilizing articular surface and joint structure congruity. However, to date there are no disease modifying medical therapies against PTOA. Increased recent understanding of the pathogenesis of the subchondral bone and synovial inflammation as well as that of chondrocyte mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis have led to the investigation of new therapeutics targeting these mechanisms to prevent or delay PTOA. This review discusses new advances in our understanding of cellular mechanisms underlying PTOA, and therapeutic approaches that are potentially effective in reducing the self-propagating cycle of subchondral bone alterations, inflammation, and cartilage degradation. Within this context, we focus therapeutic options involving anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic candidates that could prevent PTOA.

A Reproducible Cartilage Impact Model to Generate Post-Traumatic Osteoarthritis in the Rabbit.

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is responsible for 12% of all osteoarthritis cases in the United States. PTOA can be initiated by a single traumatic event, such as a high-impact load acting on articular cartilage, or by joint instability, as occurs with anterior cruciate ligament rupture. There are no effective therapeutics to prevent PTOA currently. Developing a reliable animal model of PTOA is necessary to better understand the mechanisms by which cartilage damage proceeds and to investigate novel treatment strategies to alleviate or prevent the progression of PTOA. This protocol describes an open, drop tower-based rabbit femoral condyle impact model to induce cartilage damage. This model delivered peak loads of 579.1 ± 71.1 N, and peak stresses of 81.9 ± 10.1 MPa with a time-to-peak load of 2.4 ± 0.5 ms. Articular cartilage from impacted medial femoral condyles (MFCs) had higher rates of apoptotic cells (p = 0.0058) and possessed higher Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scores of 3.38 ± 1.43 compared to the non-impacted contralateral MFCs (0.56 ± 0.42), and other cartilage surfaces of the impacted knee (p < 0.0001). No differences in OARSI scores were detected among the non-impacted articular surfaces (p > 0.05).

Reliability of the Modified Radiographic Union Score for Tibia Fractures (mRUST) for Femoral Shaft Fractures.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the interobserver and intraobserver reliability of the modified Radiographic Union Score for Tibia Fractures (mRUST) and the effect of rater experience in evaluation of femoral fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Single Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Patients 18-55 years of age with a femur shaft fracture. INTERVENTION: Intramedullary nail fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENT: Interobserver and intraobserver reliability using the intraclass correlation coefficient. RESULTS: The overall interobserver reliability was 0.96. Among fellowship-trained evaluators, the interobserver reliability was 0.94, and it was 0.92 among trainees. The overall intraobserver reliability was 0.98. The intraobserver reliability was 0.97 among fellowship-trained evaluators and 0.96 for trainees. CONCLUSIONS: These results show high interobserver and intraobserver reliability of mRUST in the evaluation of radiographic healing for femur shaft fractures treated with intramedullary nail. This high reliability was further demonstrated throughout different postoperative healing time frames. In addition, mRUST appears to be reliable when used both by trainees and experienced surgeons for the evaluation of femur shaft fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

In situ forming biomaterials as muscle void fillers for the provisional treatment of volumetric muscle loss injuries.

Volumetric muscle loss (VML) represents a devastating extremity injury which leads to chronic functional deficits and disability and is unrecoverable through normal healing pathways. When left untreated, the VML pathophysiology creates many challenges towards successful treatment, such as altered residual muscle architecture, excessive fibrosis, and contracture(s). As such, innovative approaches and technologies are needed to prevent or reverse these adverse sequelae. Development of a rationally designed biomaterial technology which is intended to be acutely placed within a VML defect - i.e., to serve as a muscle void filler (MVF) by maintaining the VML defect - could address this clinical unmet need by preventing these adverse sequelae as well as enabling multi-staged treatment approaches. To that end, three biomaterials were evaluated for their ability to serve as a provisional MVF treatment intended to stabilize a VML defect in a rat model for an extended period (28 days): polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), hyaluronic acid and polyethylene glycol combination (HA + PEG), and silicone, a clinically used soft tissue void filler. HA + PEG biomaterial showed signs of deformation, while both PVA and silicone did not. There were no differences between treatment groups for their effects on adjacent muscle fiber count and size distribution. Not surprisingly, silicone elicited robust fibrotic response resulting in a fibrotic barrier with a large infiltration of macrophages, a response not seen with either the PVA or HA + PEG. Taken together, PVA was found to be the best material to be used as a provisional MVF for maintaining VML defect volume while minimizing adverse effects on the surrounding muscle.

Incidence and risk factors for non-union of the superior ramus osteotomy when hip dysplasia is treated with periacetabular osteotomy.

Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is a well-established surgical treatment for hip dysplasia. Few studies report risk factors for the development of superior ramus osteotomy non-union. The purpose of this investigation was to document the incidence and risk factors for this complication. We identified 316 consecutive hips that underwent PAO for symptomatic acetabular dysplasia with a minimum 1-year radiographic follow-up. We developed and validated a technique to measure the superior ramus osteotomy location on anterior-posterior (AP) pelvis radiographs and computed tomography. Logistic regression with generalized estimating equations was used to evaluate the relationships between odds of non-union and potential demographic and radiographic predictor variables in univariate and multivariate analyses. Twenty-nine (9.2%) hips developed superior ramus non-union. Age {median [interquartile range (IQR)] 23 years (18-35) healed versus 35 years (26-40) non-united, P = 0.001}, pre-operative lateral center-edge angle (LCEA) [16° (11-20) healed versus 10° (6-13) non-united, P < 0.001] and the distance from the superior ramus osteotomy to the ilioishial line [15.8 mm (13.2-18.7) healed versus 18.1 mm (16.2-20.5) non-united, P < 0.001] varied significantly between groups. Using multivariate analysis, moderate-to-severe dysplasia [LCEA < 15°, odds ratio (OR) 5.95, standard error (SE) 3.32, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.99-17.79, P = 0.001], increased age (5-year increase, OR 1.29, SE 3.32, 95% CI 1.105-1.60, P-value = 0.018) and distance from the ilioishial line (3-mm increase, OR 1.67, SE 0.22, 95% CI 1.29-2.18, P < 0.001) were at increased risk of developing non-union. Superior ramus osteotomy non-union is common after PAO. Older age, moderate-to-severe dysplasia, and more medial osteotomy location were independent risk factors for non-union. Consideration should be made in high-risk patients for a more lateral superior ramus osteotomy and adjuvant medical and surgical interventions.

Single-cell RNAseq provides insight into altered immune cell populations in human fracture nonunions.

Nonunion describes bone fractures that fail to heal, resulting in the fracture callus failing to fully ossify or, in atrophic cases, not forming altogether. Fracture healing is regulated, in part, by the balance of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory processes occurring within the bone marrow and surface cell populations. We sought to further understand the role of osteoimmunology (i.e., study of the close relationship between the immune system and bone) by examining immune cell gene expression via single-cell RNA sequencing of intramedullary canal tissue obtained from human patients with femoral nonunions. Intramedullary canal tissue samples obtained by reaming were collected at the time of surgical repair for femur fracture nonunion (n = 5) or from native bone controls when harvesting autologous bone graft (n = 4). Cells within the samples were isolated and analyzed using the Chromium Single-Cell System (10x Genomics Inc.) and Illumina sequencers. Twenty-three distinct cell clusters were identified, with higher cell proportions in the nonunion samples for monocytes and CD14 + dendritic cells (DCs), and lower proportions of T cells, myelocytes, and promyelocytes in nonunion samples. Gene expression differences were identified in each of the cell clusters from cell types associated with osteoimmunology, including CD14 + DC, monocytes, T cells, promyelocytes, and myelocytes. These results provide human-derived gene profiles that can further our understanding of pathways that may be a cause or a consequence of nonunion, providing the clinical rationale to focus on specific components of osteoimmunology. Clinical significance: The novel single-cell approach may lead to clinically relevant diagnostic biomarkers during earlier stages of nonunion development and/or investigation into therapeutic options.

Application of Bayesian Methods to Help Interpret the VANCO Trial Results.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether a Bayesian analysis changes the results of the VANCO trial. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial using Bayesian methods. SETTING: Thirty-six US trauma centers. PATIENTS: Patients ages 18-80 years with a tibial plateau or pilon fracture deemed high risk of infection and definitively treated with plate and screw fixation. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly allocated to receive 1000 mg of intrawound vancomycin powder at their definitive fixation or to a control group that received no topical antibiotics. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: A deep surgical site infection requiring operative treatment within 6 months of definitive fixation. Secondary outcomes included gram-positive and gram-negative-only deep surgical site infections. RESULTS: Of the 980 patients randomized, 874 (89%) had at least 140 days of follow-up and were included in this Bayesian analysis. The estimated probability that intrawound vancomycin powder reduces the risk of a deep surgical site infection is >98% [relative risk (RR), 0.66; 95% credible interval (CrI), 0.46-0.98]. There is a >99% chance intrawound vancomycin powder reduces gram-positive infections and an 80% chance the magnitude of this risk reduction exceeds 35% (RR, 0.52; 95% CrI, 0.33-0.84) exists. It is unlikely (44%) that intrawound vancomycin powder prevents gram-negative surgical site infections (RR, 1.06; 95% CrI, 0.48-2.45). CONCLUSIONS: There is a high probability (>98%) that intrawound vancomycin powder reduces deep surgical site infections in patients with tibial plateau or pilon fractures at high risk of infection and even more likely it reduces deep infections with gram-positive pathogens (>99%). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.