Methylprednisolone taper is an effective addition to multimodal pain regimens after total shoulder arthroplasty: results of a randomized controlled trial: 2022 Neer Award winner.

BACKGROUND: Perioperative corticosteroids have shown potential as nonopioid analgesic adjuncts for various orthopedic pathologies, but there is a lack of research on their use in the postoperative setting after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of a methylprednisolone taper on a multimodal pain regimen after TSA. METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled trial (clinicaltrials.gov NCT03661645) of opioid-naive patients undergoing TSA. Patients were randomly assigned to receive intraoperative dexamethasone only (control group) or intraoperative dexamethasone followed by a 6-day oral methylprednisolone (Medrol) taper course (treatment group). All patients received the same standardized perioperative pain management protocol. Standardized pain journal entries were used to record visual analog pain scores (VAS-pain), VAS-nausea scores, and quantity of opioid tablet consumption during the first 7 postoperative days (POD). Patients were followed for at least one year postoperatively for clinical evaluation, collection of patient-reported outcomes, and observation of complications. RESULTS: A total of 67 patients were enrolled in the study; 32 in the control group and 35 in the treatment group. The groups had similar demographics and comorbidities. The treatment group demonstrated a reduction in mean VAS pain scores over the first 7 POD. Between POD 1 and POD 7, patients in the control group consumed an average of 17.6 oxycodone tablets while those in the treatment group consumed an average of 5.5 tablets. This equated to oral morphine equivalents of 132.1 and 41.1 for the control and treatment groups, respectively. There were fewer opioid-related side effects during the first postoperative week in the treatment group. The treatment group reported improved VAS pain scores at 2-week, 6-week, and 12-week postoperatively. There were no differences in Europe Quality of Life, shoulder subjective value (SSV), at any time point between groups, although American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons questionnaire scores showed a slight improvement at 6-weeks in the treatment group. At mean follow-up, (control group: 23.4 months; treatment group:19.4 months), there was 1 infection in the control group and 1 postoperative cubital tunnel syndrome in the treatment group. No other complications were reported. CONCLUSIONS: A methylprednisolone taper course shows promise in reducing acute pain and opioid consumption as part of a multimodal regimen following TSA. As a result of this study, we have included this 6-day methylprednisolone taper course in our multimodal regimen for all primary shoulder arthroplasties. We hope this trial serves as a foundation for future studies on the use of low-dose oral corticosteroids and other nonnarcotic modalities to control pain after shoulder surgeries.

Winter sport musculoskeletal injuries: epidemiology and factors predicting hospital admission.

INTRODUCTION: Participation in winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding and snowmobiling is associated with risk of musculoskeletal injury. The purpose of our study was to describe and quantify emergency department encounters associated with these sports. METHODS: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) was queried for skiing-, snowboarding- and snowmobiling-related injuries from 2009 to 2018. Patient demographics and disposition data were collected from emergency department encounters. Descriptive statistics were utilized to describe the trends in injuries from each sport and factors associated with the sports-specific injuries. RESULTS: From 2009 to 2018, there were an estimated 156,353 injuries related to snowboarding, skiing, or snowmobiling. Estimated injury incidence per 100,000 people decreased over time for skiing (3.24-1.23), snowboarding (3.98-1.22,) and snowmobiling (0.71-0.22,). The most common injury location by sport was shoulder for skiing (29.6%), wrist for snowboarding (32.5%) and shoulder for snowmobiling (21.9%), with fractures being the most common diagnosis. Only 4.5% required admission to the hospital. Fracture or dislocation was associated with highest likelihood of hospital admission (OR 42.34; 95% CI 22.59-79.37). Snowmobiling injuries (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.20-2.22) and white race (OR 1.42; 95% CI 1.17-1.72) were also both associated with increased risk of hospital admission. CONCLUSIONS: Upper extremity injuries, particularly those involving fractures, were more common than lower extremity injuries for all three sports, with the shoulder being the most common location of injury for skiing and snowmobiling. This study can serve as the foundation for future research in sports safety and health policy to continue the declining trend of musculoskeletal injuries in the future. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Upper extremity firearm injuries: epidemiology and factors predicting hospital admission.

INTRODUCTION: Civilian gun violence is a public health crisis in the USA that will be an economic burden reported to be as high as $17.7 billion with over half coming from US taxpayers dollars through Medicaid-related costs. The purpose of this study is to review the epidemiology of upper extremity firearm injuries in the USA and the associated injury burden. METHODS: The Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research's Firearm Injury Surveillance Study database, collected from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, was queried from 1993 to 2015. The following variables were reviewed: patient demographics, date of injury, diagnosis, injury location, firearm type (if provided), incident classification, and a descriptive narrative of the incident. We performed chi-square testing and complex descriptive statistics, and binomial logistic regression model to predict factors associated with hospital admission. RESULTS: From 1993 to 2015, an estimated 314,369 (95% CI: 291,528-337,750; 16,883 unweighted) nonfatal firearm upper extremity injuries with an average incidence rate of 4.76 per 100,000 persons (SD: 0.9; 03.77-7.49) occurred. The demographics most afflicted with nonfatal gunshot wound injuries were black adolescent and young adult males (ages 15-24 years). Young adults aged 25-34 were the second largest estimate of injuries by age group. Hands were the most commonly injured upper extremity, (55,014; 95% CI: 75,973-89,667) followed by the shoulder, forearm, and upper arm. Patients who underwent amputation (OR: 28.65; 95% CI: 24.85-33.03) or with fractures (OR: 26.20; 95% CI: 23.27-29.50) experienced an increased likelihood for hospitalization. Patients with a shoulder injury were 5.5× more likely to be hospitalized than those with a finger injury (OR:5.57; 95% CI:5.35-5.80). The incidence of upper extremity firearm injuries has remained steady over the last decade ranging between 4 and 5 injuries per 100,000 persons. Patients with proximal injuries or injuries involving the bone were more likely to require hospital admission. This study should bring new information to the forefront for policy makers regarding gun violence.

A Prospective Randomized Controlled Trial of Methylprednisolone for Postoperative Pain Management of Surgically Treated Distal Radius Fractures.

PURPOSE: Perioperative glucocorticoids have been effectively used as a pain management regimen for reducing pain after hand surgery. We hypothesize that a methylprednisolone taper (MPT) course following surgery will reduce pain and opioid consumption in the early postoperative period. METHODS: This study was a randomized controlled trial of patients undergoing surgical fixation for distal radius fracture. Before surgery, patients were randomly assigned to receive preoperative dexamethasone only or preoperative dexamethasone followed by a 6-day oral MPT. Patient pain and opioid consumption data were collected for 7 days after surgery using a patient-reported pain journal. RESULTS: Our study consisted of 56 patients enrolled from November 2018 to March 2020. Twenty-eight patients each were assigned to the control and treatment groups. Demographic characteristics such as age, body mass index, the dominant side affected, smoking status, diabetes status, and current narcotic use were similar between the control and treatment groups. With a noticeable, significant reduction starting on postoperative day 2, patients who received an MPT course consumed substantially less opioids during the first 7 days (7.8 ± 7.2 pills compared with 15.5 ± 11.5 pills, a 50% reduction). These patients also consumed significantly fewer oral morphine equivalents than the control group (81.2 vs 41.2). A significant difference in the pain visual analog scale scores between the 2 groups was noted starting on postoperative day 2, with 48% of the treatment group reporting no pain by postoperative day 6. No adverse events, including infection or complications of wound or bone healing, were seen in either group. CONCLUSIONS: There was an early improvement in pain and reduction in early opioid consumption with a 6-day MPT following surgical fixation for distal radius fracture. With no increased risk of adverse events in our sample, MPT may be a safe and effective way to reduce postoperative pain. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.

Management and treatment of animal bites.

Animal bites account for 1% of ED visits and more than $50 million in healthcare costs annually in the United States. Managing bite wounds can be challenging and providers must consider the patient's tetanus status, species of animal inflicting the bite, and infection risk. This article describes treatment and care of bites and when rabies prophylaxis is indicated.

Recognizing and treating patients with envenomations.

Venomous spiders and snakes are found throughout the United States, and clinicians often encounter patients with suspected spider or snakebites. Due to the significant morbidity and mortality that can be related to a particular envenomation, clinicians must be able to recognize the species of spiders and snakes that are capable of delivering a venomous bite. Through proper species identification, recognition of the specific signs and symptoms that specific venom produces, and understanding the treatment guidelines for the envenomation, clinicians can properly diagnosis, treat, and manage patients with venomous bites.

Evaluating postoperative fever.

Fever is one of the most common postoperative complications seen in medical and surgical settings. Clinicians taking care of these patients need to be able to differentiate between a normal physiologic response to surgery and one that may be pathologic. Pathologic causes should be further separated into infectious and noninfectious causes. A systematic approach to febrile postoperative patients can help clinicians make better use of resources, limit costly workups, and improve patient outcomes.

Preoperative Depression Is Associated With Increased Complications Following Distal Radius Fracture Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Depression is a known risk factor for inferior outcomes after orthopedic procedures, but its specific relationship with distal radius fractures remains unknown. This study investigates the relationship between preoperative diagnosed depression and common postoperative complications occurring within the first year after open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) for distal radius fractures. METHODS: This retrospective study used Truven MarketScan database and the Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes to identify distal radius fracture patients who underwent ORIF in the United States between January 1, 2009, and December 31, 2019. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes were used to identify patients with and without a diagnosis of preoperative depression. Univariate, multivariate, t test, and χ2 analyses were performed to determine the association between preoperative depression and postoperative complications following a distal radius fracture surgery. RESULTS: Of the 75 098 eligible patients, 9.9% had at least one ICD code associated with preoperative depression. Preoperative depression was associated with increased odds for surgical site infection (odds ratio [OR] 1.25, confidence interval [CI] 1.14-1.37), emergency department visits for postoperative pain (OR 1.28, CI 1.15-1.36), hardware complication (OR 1.18, CI 1.07-1.30), removal of hardware within 1 year (OR 1.16, CI 1.09-1.27), wound complication (OR 1.17, CI 1.08-1.27), and 30-day readmission (OR 1.21, CI 1.07-1.31). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative diagnosed depression is associated with increased complications following distal radius fracture surgery. These results can help guide preoperative and postoperative protocols in these higher risk patients. More research is needed to investigate if depression is a modifiable risk factor, as depression treatment could potentially improve postsurgical outcomes.

Predictive Factors Associated with the Need for Simultaneous Carpal Tunnel and Ulnar Nerve at the Elbow Releases.

INTRODUCTION: Carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar nerve compression at the elbow (e.g., cubital tunnel syndrome) are the most common upper extremity compressive neuropa- thies treated by hand surgeons. The aim of this study was to determine demographic factors and comorbidities that can help predict those patients most likely to undergo concurrent release of both the carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve at the elbow. We hypothesized that certain comorbidities, such as diabetes, would be associated with an increased risk for the necessity of concomitant procedures. METHODS: Using Truven Marketscan® database, all patients who underwent carpal tunnel release were identified from 2010 to 2017 using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes. Patients were only included if they had continuous enrollment in the database for 12 months preoperatively. Preoperative comorbidities and concurrent procedures were collected us- ing CPT and ICD-9 and 10 codes. Patients who underwent simultaneous carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve at the elbow release on the same day were compared to those patients who underwent carpal tunnel release alone. Additionally, patients who underwent either procedure initially and then went on to have the other procedure at a later date were compared. Univariate analysis and binomial logistic regression were performed to assess the contribution of patient demographics and comorbidities on the necessity of simultaneous release. RESULTS: 259,574 patients underwent carpal tunnel release surgery and were included in the study. 24,401 (7.9%) of pa- tients also underwent simultaneous ulnar nerve release at the elbow on the same day. Significant risk factors associated with the need for simultaneous release, were male gender [(Odds Ratio (OR): 2.05, Confidence Interval (CI): 2.00-2.11, p < 0.001)], chronic pain (OR: 1.78, CI: 1.68-1.87, p < 0.001), diabetes (OR: 1.29, CI: 1.25-1.33, p < 0.001), history of al- coholism (OR: 1.23, CI: 1.10-1.38, p < 0.001), chronic renal disease (OR: 1.26, CI: 1.18-1.34, p < 0.001), tobacco use (OR: 1.49, CI: 1.42-1.56, p < 0.001), and patients with congestive heart failure (OR: 1.26, CI: 1.17-1.35, p < 0.001). Patients with consumer driven health plans and high deductible health plans (HDHP) were 1.5 times more likely to have simultane- ous release compared to those with comprehensive plans (OR: 1.46, CI: 1.37-1.56, p < 0.001; OR: 1.45, CI: 1.34-1.57, p < 0.001; respectively). For necessity of subsequent carpal or ulnar nerve release after either primary procedure, patients with a minimum of 3 years enrollment in the database were analyzed. Of the 113,505 patients who underwent initial carpal tunnel release, 1,746 (1.5%) went on to undergo release of the ulnar nerve at the elbow. Of the 12,673 patients who had initial ulnar nerve releases at the elbow, 721 (5.7%) required additional release of the carpal tunnel. CONCLUSION: Identification of patient demographic factors and comorbidities that can help predict the likelihood of si- multaneous release of both the carpal tunnel and ulnar nerve at the elbow can help direct management of these patients. Combining the two procedures can help save resources, minimize patient burden, and help reduce excess health care utilization.

Preoperative Depression is Associated With Increased Complications Following Ankle Fracture Surgery.

BACKGROUND: The effects of preoperative depression following ankle fracture surgery remains unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between preoperative depression and outcomes following ankle fracture surgery. METHODS: This retrospective study used the Truven MarketScan database to identify patients who underwent ankle fracture surgery from January 2009 to December 2018. Patients with and without a diagnosis of preoperative depression were identified based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes. Chi-squared and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association between preoperative depression and postoperative complications following ankle fracture surgery. RESULTS: In total, 107,897 patients were identified for analysis, 13,981 of whom were diagnosed with depression (13%). Preoperative depression was associated with the increased odds for postoperative infection (odds ratio [OR]: 1.33, confidence interval [CI]: 1.20-1.46), wound complications (OR: 1.13, CI: 1.00-1.28), pain-related postoperative emergency department visits (OR: 1.58, CI: 1.30-19.1), 30-day and 90-day readmissions (OR: 1.08, CI: 1.03-1.21 and OR: 1.13, CI: 1.07-1.18), sepsis (OR: 1.39, CI: 1.12-1.72), and postoperative development of complex regional pain syndrome (OR: 1.46, CI: 1.18-1.81). CONCLUSION: Preoperative depression is associated with increased complications following ankle fracture surgery. Further studies are warranted to investigate the degree to which depression is a modifiable risk factor. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3.

Racial Disparities in the Utilization of Shoulder Arthroplasty in the United States: Trends from 2011 to 2017.

As the incidence of shoulder arthroplasty rises at exponential rates, race is an important consideration, as racial disparities have been reported in lower-extremity arthroplasty in the United States. Our study sought to examine these disparities. Methods: Using the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database, all anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA) and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) procedures from 2011 to 2017 were analyzed. The patients were divided into the Black, Hispanic, and White groups. Results: Overall, 91.4% of the patients undergoing any shoulder arthroplasty procedure were White, 4.75% were Black, and 3.85% were Hispanic. Age and sex-standardized RSA utilization rates (per 100,000) in White patients increased by 139% from 6.94 in 2011 to 16.60 in 2017. The disparity for Black patients, compared with White patients, was 118% in 2011 and 124% in 2017; the disparity for Hispanic patients was 112% in 2011 and 103% in 2017. Similar disparities in aTSA utilization rates were seen; when compared with White patients, there was a 150% disparity in 2011 and a 197% disparity in 2017 for Black patients, and a 169% disparity in 2011 and a 262% disparity in 2017 for Hispanic patients. Finally, Blacks had a higher rate of non-home discharge, longer length of stay, and higher overall costs, while Hispanics had a longer length of stay and higher cost than Whites. Conclusions: Despite many efforts to reduce racial disparities in health-care utilization, the chasm in shoulder arthroplasty in the United States appears to be large and widening further. The exponential increase in utilization of shoulder arthroplasty has not been shared equally among races, and the disparities are larger than those reported in lower-extremity arthroplasty.

The impact of preoperative opioid use on complications, readmission, and cost following ankle fracture surgery.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of ankle fractures requiring surgical fixation is increasing. Although there has been increasing evidence to suggest that preoperative opioid use negatively impacts surgical outcomes, literature focusing primarily on ankle fractures is scarce. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between preoperative opioid use and outcomes following ankle fracture open reduction and surgical fixation (ORIF). We hypothesized that patients prescribed higher preoperative oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) would have poorer postoperative outcomes. METHODS: The Truven Marketscan claims database was used to identify patients who underwent ankle fracture surgery from 2009 to 2018 based on CPT codes. We used preoperative opioid use status to divide patients into groups based on the average daily OMEs consumed in the 6 months before surgery: opioid-naive,<1, 1-<5, 5-<10, and ≥10 OMEs per day. We retrieved 90-day complication, ER visit, and readmission rates. Opioid use groups were then compared with binomial logistic regression and generalized linear models. RESULTS: We identified 61,424 patients. Of those patients, 80.9% did not receive any preoperative opioids, while 6.6%, 6.9%, 1.7%, and 3.9% received <1, 1-<5, 5-<10, and ≥10 OMEs per day over a 6-month time period, respectively. Complications increased with increasing preoperative OMEs. Multivariate analysis revealed that patients using 1-<5 OME per day had increased rates of VTE and infections, while patients using >5 OME per day had higher rates of ED visits, and patients using >10 OMEs had higher rates of pain related ED visits and readmissions. Adjusted differences in 6-month preoperative and 3-month postoperative health care costs were seen in the opioid use groups compared with opioid-naive patients, ranging from US$2052 to US$8,592 (P<.001). CONCLUSION: Opioids use prior to ankle fracture surgery is a common scenario. Unfortunately preoperative opioid use is a risk factor for postoperative complications, ER visits, and readmissions. Furthermore this risk is greater with higher dose opioid use. The results of this study suggests that surgeons should encourage decreased opioid use prior to ankle fracture surgery.

Albumin and hydroxyethyl starch modulate oxidative inflammatory injury to vascular endothelium.

BACKGROUND: Human serum albumin is used clinically to maintain colloid osmotic pressure and is viewed to serve an antioxidant role in the vascular compartment via binding of redox-active metal complexes, transport of nitric oxide, and the oxidant-scavenging reactions of the single thiol of human serum albumin, cys34. Because of these potentially desirable adjunctive actions, we evaluated the purity and thiol redox state and compared the relative effects of clinically available 25% human serum albumin preparations with a starch-derived colloid, 6% hydroxyethyl starch, in in vitro models of inflammatory vascular injury. METHODS: Bovine aortic endothelial cell responses to chemical, enzymatic, and cell-derived reactive inflammatory mediators in the presence of human serum albumin or hydroxyethyl starch were assessed. RESULTS: The cys34 thiol of fresh human serum albumin preparations was 70-85% oxidized and contained a population of human serum albumin (approximately 25% of total) having the cys34 resistant to reduction by 2-mercaptoethanol and NaBH4. Treatment of bovine aortic endothelial cells with human serum albumin dose-dependently protected from HOCl-mediated 14C-adenine release, with this protective effect of human serum albumin not dependent on protein thiol status. Addition of human serum albumin to cell media provided no protection from the cytotoxic actions of peroxynitrite and xanthine oxidase-derived reactive species. Binding of activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes to bovine aortic endothelial cells was significantly amplified by hydroxyethyl starch and inhibited by human serum albumin administration. The binding of neutrophil-derived myeloperoxidase to bovine aortic endothelial cells, a mediator of multiple oxidative and nitric oxide-consuming reactions, was also inhibited by human serum albumin and enhanced by hydroxyethyl starch. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical human serum albumin preparations show modest intrinsic non-thiol-dependent antiinflammatory properties in vitro, a phenomenon that was not observed with hydroxyethyl starch.