Risk of Acute Compartment Syndrome in Pediatric Patients With Tibial Tubercle Avulsion Fractures: A Retrospective Review.

OBJECTIVE: Tibial tubercle avulsion fractures (TTAFs) represent 0.4% to 2.7% of pediatric physeal injuries. These injuries are thought to confer a risk of acute compartment syndrome (ACS), and these patients are often admitted for compartment monitoring and, in many cases, undergo prophylactic fasciotomy. This study sought to review our institution's experience with TTAF and associated compartment syndrome in pediatric patients. METHODS: All patients aged 8 to 18 years with TTAF at our institution from January 1, 2017 to January 1, 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, injury mechanism, fracture morphology, and postinjury course were reviewed. ACS was diagnosed by clinical exam or necessitating therapeutic compartment fasciotomy. RESULTS: A total of 49 TTAFs in 47 patients were included in the final analysis. The mean age was 14.5 ± 1.2 years (range: 11 to 17), and males were significantly older than females (14.6 ± 1.1 vs 13.3 ± 1.3 y, P = 0.01). The average body mass index was 27.1 ± 7.0, and males had a significantly lower body mass index than females (26.3 ± 6.5 vs 34.1 ± 8.5, P = 0.03). Basketball was the most common mechanism of injury (49%), followed by soccer (13%), football (11%), trampoline (6%), fall (6%), jumping (4%), lacrosse (4%), running (4%), and softball (2%). The Ogden fracture types were as follows: I: 10%; II: 16%; III: 41%; IV: 24%; V: 8%. Thirty-four patients (69%) were admitted to the hospital for at least one night after presentation. Forty-six (96%) underwent surgical fixation an average of 3.5 days after injury. No patients developed ACS during their post-injury or postoperative course. Three patients underwent the removal of hardware. No other complications were observed. The average follow-up duration was 238 days. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study suggest that the risk of ACS in pediatric patients with TTAF may be small enough to allow for same-day discharge after diagnosis or operative management in patients deemed to be sufficiently low risk by clinical judgment. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective comparative study.

Bilateral Tibial Tubercle Avulsion Fractures With an Associated Patellar Tendon Avulsion in an Adolescent Patient.

Tibial tubercle fractures in pediatric patients are increasing in frequency as more children participate in sports. These injuries are often seen in boys engaging in jumping activities before closure of their proximal tibial physis. Bilateral tibial tubercle fractures have been reported in the literature, but less frequent are associated patellar tendon ruptures with fracture of the tubercle. In this case report, we present an 11-year-old girl who sustained bilateral tibial tubercle fractures, including an associated patellar tendon rupture from the tubercle on the right lower extremity. We describe our technique for the management of both injuries, which included a primary patellar tendon repair for the right leg and Kirschner wire fixation of the displaced tubercle for the left leg. The patient ultimately had a successful outcome at the final follow-up with healed fractures and full range of motion of both knees. In this case report, we also present similar cases from the literature and the differing treatment strategies.

What Are the Rates and Trends of Women Authors in Three High-impact Orthopaedic Journals from 2006-2017?

BACKGROUND: The gender gap among authors publishing research in journals is narrowing in general medicine and various medical and surgical subspecialties. However, little is known regarding the gender gap among authors publishing research in orthopaedic journals. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: (1) What is the proportion of women first and last authors of original research articles in three high-impact orthopaedic journals from 2006 to 2017? (2) What is the proportion women first authors of original research by orthopaedic subspecialty from 2006 to 2017? METHODS: A sample of original research publications from the even numbered months of issues of Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® (CORR®), the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, American volume (JBJS), and the American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM) were examined from 2006 to 2017. These journals were selected because of their clinical relevance, target audience, and relatively high impact factors. Over the studied period, a single author extracted and reviewed pertinent data, including the gender of the first and last authors and the primary subspecialty of the research article. The senior author refereed disputes regarding the primary subspecialty of each included article. The proportion of women first and last authors in each journal was compared between 2006 to 2017 using chi-square analysis. The proportion of women first authors according to orthopaedic subspecialty in which an article primarily focused its study was also compared between 2006 to 2017 using chi-square analysis. RESULTS: Data were collected from 6292 articles, 13% (800) of which were first-authored by women and 10% (604) of which were last-authored by women. From 2006 to 2017, the overall percentage of women first authors in the examined journals increased (from 11% in 2006 to 17% in 2017; odds ratio 1.6563 [95 % CI 1.4945 to 1.8356]; p < 0.001). Overall across the period studied, the percentage of women first authors in JBJS was 14% while 12% of first authors in CORR and AJSM were women. Regarding subspecialty, the percentage of women first authorship ranged from 9% in the shoulder subspecialty to 21% in pediatric orthopaedics across all three journals. CONCLUSIONS: There has been an increase in the percentage of women first authors in articles published in three high-impact orthopaedic journals from 2006 to 2017. This observed increase is encouraging in terms of promoting gender diversity in orthopaedics and may be reflective of a modest increase in the number of women entering the orthopaedic workforce. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Between 2006 and 2017, the overall number of women first authors in CORR, JBJS, and AJSM modestly increased. This may suggest a nascent narrowing of the gender gap in orthopaedics. Although this is a welcome finding in terms of promoting and encouraging gender diversity in this man-dominated field, the overall percentage of women authorship remains modest, at best. Future investigations should examine whether the modest increase in women first authorship over time found in this study translates into an increased percentage of senior/last authorship in the future, as this may have implications for women orthopaedic workforce retention.

Risk factors for in-season injury in varsity collegiate cross-country athletes: an analysis of one season in 97 athletes.

BACKGROUND: Cross-country runners experience high rates of injury. This prospective cohort study aimed to identify pre-season risk factors for in-season injury in a cohort of collegiate cross-country athletes. METHODS: Pre-season and post-season electronic surveys were designed and administered to 297 NCAA Division I and III runners in August and November 2016, respectively. Pre-season surveys queried athletes' training methods, lifestyle habits, and history of previous injuries. Post-season surveys queried occurrence of new injuries sustained during the season. The risk of new injury was examined based on weekly mileage, sleep, diet, training routines, BMI, and history of previous injuries. RESULTS: Fifty-three percent of athletes sustained a new injury (acute injury or exacerbation of a chronic injury) during the season. In univariate analysis, the existence of a pre-season injury (RR 1.57, 95% CI 1.11-2.23, P=0.01), large mileage increases (RR 1.55, 95% CI 1.09-2.22, P=0.02), and poor sleep quality (P=0.04) were significantly associated with higher risk for injury among collegiate cross-country athletes. CONCLUSIONS: Cross-country athletes with an existing injury during the pre-season, large mileage increases during the season, and poor sleep quality may be at increased risk of sustaining a new acute injury or exacerbate an existing injury during the cross-country season. Coaches, athletic trainers, and athletes can use these results to modify training regimens and lifestyle factors to decrease the risk of injury.

Matched Cohort Analysis of Elective Lumbar Spinal Fusion in Patients With and Without Parkinson's Disease: In-hospital Complications, Length of Stay, and Hospital Charges.

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort. OBJECTIVES: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. PD patients often develop spinal conditions and are known to have high complication rates following surgery. This study evaluated the outcomes of lumbar fusion surgery in patients with PD using a large, public, national database. METHODS: The Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) was used to identify elective lumbar spinal fusion patients with and without PD for the years 2000 to 2012. PD patients were matched with non-PD controls for comorbidity and age using propensity score matching. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the relationship between PD and surgical outcomes in the matched cohort. RESULTS: A total of 231 351 elective lumbar fusion patients were examined, of which 1332 had PD. Before matching, elective lumbar fusion patients with PD were significantly older (P < .001) and more likely male (P < .001) compared with non-PD patients. In the matched cohort, PD was associated with increased length of stay (6.91 vs 5.78 days) (P < .001) and total hospital charges ($129 212.40 vs $110 324.40) (P < .001). There was no significant difference in overall in-hospital complication rate between PD patients and matched non-PD patients (22.3% vs 21.4%) (P = .524). CONCLUSIONS: Analysis demonstrated significant increases in length and cost of hospitalization for elective lumbar spinal fusion in patients with PD. However, inpatient complication rates in PD patients were not significantly increased. As a growing number of PD patients undergo elective spine surgery, further studies are needed to optimize operative planning. Further study is needed to assess the long-term outcomes of lumbar spinal fusion in PD.

Inpatient orthopaedic hardware removal in children: A cross-Sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Few data describe the specific reasons for inpatient hardware removal in the pediatric population. This study was designed to understand the conditions necessitating inpatient removal following fracture surgery. Cost data was analyzed to understand the financial implications of these procedures. METHODS: The Kids' Inpatient Database (KID) was evaluated for the year 2012. Patients undergoing open reduction internal fixation following upper and lower extremity fractures as well as those undergoing hardware removal due to hardware complications were identified using ICD-9 CM diagnosis and procedure codes. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine predictors of surgical removal due to complications, controlling for patient demographics and comorbidities. RESULTS: The most common indication for removal was infection (1141 patients; 32%), followed by mechanical dysfunction (923; 25.4%), and pain (472; 13%). Logistic regression analysis showed that femur fractures (OR = 8.27, 95% CI: 7.63-8.96) and tibia/fibula fractures (OR = 1.24, 95% CI: 1.17-1.35) were independent predictors of infection-related hardware removal (P < 0.001). Patients who underwent removal due to infection were more likely to have asthma (OR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.62-2.07), smoke tobacco (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.05-1.23), and suffer from developmental delays (OR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.19-1.54) (P < 0.001). Average hospital charges and costs were $36,349 and $11,792 respectively. CONCLUSION: While most commonly performed as an outpatient procedure, inpatient hardware removal occurs with relative frequency and is most often performed for infection, mechanical failure, or pain. Risk factors for infection-related removal were identified and provide a basis for further investigation.

Neonatal Sepsis in Haiti.

Infections (including sepsis, meningitis, pneumonia and tetanus) stand as a major contributor to neonatal mortality in Haiti (22%). Infants acquire bacteria that cause neonatal sepsis directly from the mother's blood, skin or vaginal tract either before or during delivery. Nosocomial and environmental pathogens introduce further risk after delivery. The absence of cohesive medical systems and methods for collecting information limits the available data in countries such as Haiti. This study seeks to add more information on the burden of severe bacterial infections and their etiology in neonates of Haiti. Researchers conducted a secondary retrospective analysis of a de-identified database from the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) at Nos Petit Frères et Soeurs-St. Damien Hospital (NPFS-SDH). Records from 1292 neonates admitted to the NICU at NPFS-SDH in Port-au-Prince Haiti from 2013 to 2015 were reviewed. Sepsis accounted for 708 of 1292 (54.8%) of all admissions to the NICU. Infants admitted for sepsis had a mortality rate of 23% (163 of 708 infants admitted for sepsis). The most common organism cultured was Streptococcus agalactiae, followed by Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeroginusa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Staphylococcus aureus and Proteus mirabillis Failure to order or obtain a culture was associated with an increased fatality (odds ratio 2.4) for infants with sepsis. Resistance should be a concern when treating empirically.