Availability of global health opportunities in North American Paediatric Orthopaedic Fellowship Programmes.

PURPOSE: Orthopaedic residents are increasingly seeking international health electives (IHEs) during training, many of which involve providing paediatric orthopaedic care. However, little is known about the availability of IHEs during orthopaedic fellowship training. Our study sought to assess the global health opportunities available to North American paediatric orthopaedic fellows. METHODS: We conducted an online, REDCap-based survey of paediatric orthopaedic fellowship programme directors (PDs) in the United States and Canada. The survey link was sent by the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) Evidence-Based Medicine Committee to all POSNA-approved paediatric orthopaedic fellowship PDs. Follow-up reminder emails were delivered at set time intervals. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 55% (26/47). Only three of 26 responding programmes (11.5%) offered a structured global health programme but 42.3% of programmes (11/26) reported fellow IHE participation within the last ten years. In all, 91% of PDs reported that fellows were extremely satisfied with their IHE, and 91% agreed that IHEs are valuable for trainees. Perceived barriers to fellow participation in IHEs included lack of funding, lack of established partner sites, lack of interest among fellows and concerns related to time away compromising clinical/call coverage. In all, 65.4% of PDs agree that IHE participation during training plays a major role in shaping fellows' future volunteer activities. CONCLUSION: There are limited global health opportunities among North American paediatric orthopaedic fellowship programmes, with only 11.5% offering a structured global health programme. Greater efforts to establish sustainable funding and international partnerships may increase opportunities for IHEs during paediatric orthopaedic fellowship training. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level II.

Body mass index predicts perioperative complications following orthopaedic trauma surgery: an ACS-NSQIP analysis.

PURPOSE: The impact of obesity on outcomes has been documented extensively in the elective orthopaedic literature, but little is known about the impact of obesity on outcomes following orthopaedic trauma surgery. Utilizing the ACS-NSQIP database, we sought to investigate the relationship between BMI and perioperative complications in orthopaedic trauma patients. METHODS: 53,219 orthopaedic trauma patients were identified using a CPT code search between 2005 and 2013 in the NSQIP database. Patient demographics, and perioperative complications (including minor, major, and total) were collected. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to control for baseline demographics and comorbidities. RESULTS: Compared with patients of normal weight, underweight patients had significantly greater odds of minor [OR 1.12, 95 % CI (1.0, 1.26), p = 0.04], major [OR 1.20, 95 % CI (1.1, 1.3), p = 0.0009], and total complications [OR 1.18, 95 % CI (1.1, 1.3), p = 0.0003]. Morbidly obese patients had significantly greater odds of major [OR 1.22, 95 % CI (1.0, 1.5), p = 0.023] and total complications [OR 1.18, 95 % CI (1.0, 1.4), p = 0.023] compared to normal weight patients. When wound-related complications were examined independently, obesity was associated with increased odds of superficial [OR 1.67, 95 % CI (1.3, 2.1), p < 0.0001] and deep wound infection [OR 1.52, 95 % CI (1.075, 2.144), p = 0.018], and morbid obesity was associated with increased odds of wound dehiscence [OR 2.29, 95 % CI (1.1, 4.9), p = 0.034] and deep infection [OR 2.51, 95 % CI (1.6, 3.9), p < 0.0001]. CONCLUSIONS: Morbidly obese patients have significantly greater odds of wound dehiscence, deep wound infection, major complications, and total complications compared to patients of normal weight. Additionally, BMI under 18.5 is associated with increased odds of minor, major, and total perioperative complications. Interventions aimed at decreasing complication rates should be targeted at these high-risk patient populations on both ends of the BMI spectrum.

The Gustilo-Anderson classification system as predictor of nonunion and infection in open tibia fractures.

PURPOSE: We sought to conduct the largest retrospective study to date of open tibia fractures and describe the incidence of complications and evaluate the potential predictive risk factors for complications. METHODS: Patients with open tibia fractures treated with reamed intramedullary nail (IMN) across a 10-year period were evaluated. Patient charts were reviewed for demographics, type of open fracture (T), comorbidities, and postoperative complications. A multivariate model was conducted to determine the risk factors for each type of complication. RESULTS: Of the 486 patients with open tibia fractures, 13 % (n = 64) had infections, 12 % (n = 56) had nonunions, and 1 % (n = 7) had amputations. TIII fractures had much higher rates of each complication than TI and TII fractures. Fracture type was the only significant risk factor for both nonunion and infection. CONCLUSION: Our study found that the Gustilo grade of open tibia fracture is by far the greatest predictor of nonunion and infection.