Lateral extra-articular tenodesis at primary ACL reconstruction increases career length in professional rugby players.

PURPOSE: To assess the effect of preoperative and surgical factors on return to play (RTP) rates and career longevity of professional rugby athletes after primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACL-R). METHODS: A retrospective review of a consecutive cohort of professional rugby players undergoing primary ACL-R by the senior author between 2005 and 2019 was undertaken. Athletes were included if they were under contract with a professional rugby team at the time of injury and had a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine significant predictors of RTP rate, time and career longevity. RESULTS: One hundred and eighteen rugby players with 125 ACL-Rs were identified. Return to professional rugby was achieved in 115/125 (92%) of cases at an average of 9.6 months and those athletes participated at the professional level for 5.9 ± 3.4 years after ACL-R. Younger age (p = 0.006) and ACL-R with a concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) (p = 0.013) were predictors of a longer career. A Cox proportional hazards model that controlled for age revealed that athletes who underwent ACL-R with an LET had increased career longevity compared to those with an ACL-R without LET (hazard ratio = 2.74, p = 0.021). No factors were significantly associated with RTP rate or RTP time. CONCLUSION: In professional rugby players undergoing primary ACL-R, those having ACL-R with a concomitant LET and younger age predicted increased career longevity. Rugby players who underwent LET at the time of ACL-R had an 18% greater chance of still playing professionally at 5 years compared to those who underwent ACL-R alone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Career Length After Surgically Treated ACL Plus Collateral Ligament Injury in Elite Athletes.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available regarding career length and competition level after combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and medial- or lateral-sided surgeries in elite athletes. PURPOSE: To evaluate career length after surgical treatment of combined ACL plus medial collateral ligament (MCL) and ACL plus posterolateral corner (PLC) injuries in elite athletes and, in a subgroup analysis of male professional soccer players, to compare career length and competition level after combined ACL+MCL or ACL+PLC surgeries with a cohort who underwent isolated ACL reconstruction (ACLR). STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A consecutive cohort of elite athletes undergoing combined ACL+MCL and ACL+PLC surgery was analyzed between February 2001 and October 2019. A subgroup of male elite soccer players from this population was compared with a previously identified cohort having had isolated primary ACLR without other ligament surgery. A minimum 2-year follow-up was required. Outcome measures were career length and competition level. RESULTS: A total of 98 elite athletes met the inclusion criteria, comprising 50 ACL+PLC and 48 ACL+MCL surgeries. The mean career length after surgical treatment of combined ACL+MCL and ACL+PLC injuries was 4.5 years. Return-to-play (RTP) time was significantly longer for ACL+PLC injuries (12.8 months; P = .019) than for ACL+MCL injuries (10.9 months). In the subgroup analysis of soccer players, a significantly lower number of players with combined ACL+PLC surgery were able to RTP (88%; P = .003) compared with 100% for ACL+MCL surgery and 97% for isolated ACLR, as well as requiring an almost 3 months longer RTP timeline (12.9 months; P = .002) when compared with the isolated ACL (10.2 months) and combined ACL+MCL (10.0 months) groups. However, career length and competition level were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: Among elite athletes, the mean career length after surgical treatment of combined ACL+MCL and ACL+PLC injuries was 4.5 years. Professional soccer players with combined ACL+PLC surgery returned at a lower rate and required a longer RTP time when compared with the players with isolated ACL or combined ACL+MCL injuries. However, those who did RTP had the same career longevity and competition level.

Determinants of Performance in Professional Soccer Players at 2 and 5 Years After ACL Reconstruction.

BACKGROUND: A number of studies have investigated return to play after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in professional soccer players, but it is unclear which factors are associated with a return to the preinjury performance and ability to play over time. PURPOSE: To identify factors that contribute to a professional soccer player's return to preinjury performance after ACLR, as well as to report their playing performance at 2 and 5 years after ACLR compared with their preinjury performance. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A consecutive cohort of professional soccer players undergoing primary ACLR were analyzed between 2005 and 2019. A minimum 2-year follow-up was required. The effect of patient, surgical, and postoperative factors on performance rates, defined as a combination of league level and playing time, was evaluated with univariate and multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: A total of 200 male professional soccer players were included. When combining league level and playing time, 30% of athletes returned to their preinjury performance at 2 years and 22% at 5 years. However, 53% of athletes returned to their preinjury performance for at least 1 season by year 5. At 2 years, a chondral lesion of grade 3 or 4 decreased the odds of return to preinjury performance (odds ratio [OR], 0.37; P = .010). Athletes receiving an ACLR with the addition of a lateral extra-articular tenodesis procedure were 2.42 times more likely to return to preinjury performance at 2 years than athletes with ACLR alone (P = .004). By 5 years after ACLR, athletes aged ≥25 years at the time of reconstruction were 3 times less likely to be performing at their preinjury performance (OR, 0.32; P < .001), and those with a grade ≥3 chondral lesion were >2 times less likely to be performing at their preinjury performance (OR, 0.43; P = .033). CONCLUSION: The presence of >50% thickness chondral pathology, ACLR without lateral extra-articular tenodesis, and age >25 years at the time of surgery were all significant risk factors of worse performance rates after ACLR. Significant decreases in performance rates were noted at 2 and 5 years postoperatively.

A Comparison of All-inside and Inside-out Meniscal Repair in Elite Athletes.

BACKGROUND: The popularization of all-inside (AI) meniscal repair devices has led to a shift away from the historical gold standard of inside-out (IO) meniscal repair without comparative studies to support the change. PURPOSE: To compare the failure rate and time to failure of AI and IO meniscal repair performed in elite athletes. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of all professional and national- and international-level amateur athletes who underwent meniscal repair, with a minimum of 2-year follow-up between January 2013 and September 2019. Meniscal repair was classified as AI or IO depending on the surgical technique performed. Treatment failure was defined as patients having to undergo subsequent surgery to address a persistent meniscal tear after repair. Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to determine if meniscal repair failure rates differed by the location and technique of meniscal repair. Models were controlled for known risk factors such as age, sex, sport, and concurrent cruciate ligament reconstruction. RESULTS: A total of 192 (135 lateral and 57 medial) meniscal repairs were performed in elite athletes during the study period. Overall, 41 (21%) meniscal repairs met the criteria for failure. Medial meniscal tears repaired with the AI technique failed at a significantly higher rate (18/31 [58%]) than medial meniscal tears repaired with the IO technique (6/26 [23%]) or lateral meniscal tears repaired with the AI (9/76 [12%]) or IO (8/59 [14%]) technique (P < .001). Cox proportional hazards modeling revealed that a medial meniscal tear repaired with the AI technique had an almost 8 times greater hazard of failure than a lateral meniscal tear repaired with the AI technique (P < .001). At 1 year postoperatively, 8% of lateral meniscal repairs had failed (regardless of technique), while medial meniscal tears failed at a rate of 16% with the IO technique and 42% with the AI technique. By 2 years, 53% of medial meniscal tears repaired with the AI technique had failed, and by 5 years, 63% had failed. CONCLUSION: AI repair of medial meniscal tears led to a higher rate of failure than IO repair of medial or lateral meniscal tears in elite athletes. Medial meniscal repair failed at a higher rate than lateral meniscal repair.

Quadriceps Strain and TKA: Contribution of the Tourniquet and Intramedullary Rod to Postoperative Thigh Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Thigh pain is relatively common after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and has been attributed to compression of the thigh muscles by the tourniquet used during surgery. Thigh pain that occurs after a TKA that was performed without a tourniquet may be due to a strain of the quadriceps muscle or insertion of the intramedullary (IM) rod. The purpose of the present study was to determine the cause of thigh pain after TKA in a randomized controlled trial evaluating tourniquet use, IM rod use, and quadriceps strain. METHODS: This prospective randomized controlled trial enrolled 97 subjects undergoing primary knee arthroplasty into 4 groups according to tourniquet use (yes or no) and IM rod use (yes or no). Quadriceps strain was evaluated with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on postoperative day 1 (POD 1). Data collected preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively until the 6-week clinical visit included pain levels for the knee and thigh (recorded separately) and knee range of motion. RESULTS: Regardless of tourniquet or IM rod use, 73 (75%) of the 97 patients reported thigh pain on POD 1. Thigh pain at 2 weeks postoperatively was indicative of a quadriceps strain. Use of a tourniquet and patient-reported thigh pain at 2 weeks increased the odds of a quadriceps strain, whereas IM rod use did not significantly contribute to thigh pain. CONCLUSIONS: The etiology of thigh pain after TKA may be multifactorial; however, an iatrogenic quadriceps strain is one source of thigh pain after TKA, especially if the pain persists 2 weeks after surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level I . See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Determination of rotator cuff tear reparability: an ultrasound-based investigation.

Background: The use of ultrasound as a viable diagnostic tool for routine office visit evaluation of rotator cuff integrity is slowly gaining acceptance in orthopedic practice. However, the reliability of accurately assessing rotator cuff tear reparability by ultrasound has limited evidence in the literature. The purpose of this study was to compare preoperative assessment of cuff tear reparability via ultrasound with the arthroscopic determination of reparability at the time of surgery. Methods: We prospectively collected preoperative ultrasound and arthroscopic imaging data on 145 patients (80 or 55% men and average age of 60.7 years) who underwent arthroscopic posterior superior rotator cuff repair. Three independent experienced orthopedic surgeons retrospectively reviewed all ultrasound studies and arthroscopic imaging and determined if the posterior superior rotator cuff tendon edge was able to be viewed via ultrasound and determined with the arthroscopic images if the tear was reparable. Results: On review of the ultrasound and arthroscopic data, if the edge of the rotator cuff tendon was able to be viewed on the coronal ultrasound image, it was most likely reparable with a positive predictive value of 97.6% and a positive likelihood ratio of 5.8. Sensitivity was 84.4%, and specificity was 76.9%. The negative predictive value was 37.5%, and the negative likelihood ratio was 0.17. The interobserver reliability was 0.63, and the observers were unanimous in determining the tendon edge was able to be visualized in 99 of 145 cases (68%). Conclusion: Preoperative ultrasound evaluation of the shoulder for posterior superior rotator cuff tears is a useful tool for assessing rotator cuff integrity and may help predict intraoperative reparability of the tendon. This study demonstrates that if the cuff tear edge is able to be visualized, there is a high probability of successful arthroscopic restoration of the tendon to its native attachment. Conversely, if the tear edge is unable to be visualized, there is a moderate chance of the tear being irreparable. These results help expand the knowledge base of the usefulness of in-office ultrasound performed by the surgeon in predicting the results of surgical intervention for rotator cuff tears.

Patient satisfaction and clinical outcomes of reverse shoulder arthroplasty: a minimum of 10 years' follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has been shown to reliably improve pain and functional outcomes for multiple pathologies. Despite its increasing use in the United States since its introduction in 2004, few studies have investigated long-term outcomes of this procedure. This information is vital in many ways, including durability of functional outcomes, complication profiles, and implant survivorship. METHODS: Our prospectively collected shoulder arthroplasty registry included 471 patients who had undergone RSA prior to December 31, 2010, by a single surgeon at a high-volume shoulder arthroplasty center. The study sample included 94 patients with a minimum of 10 years' follow-up, and we evaluated the indications for RSA, complications, pain, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), and patient satisfaction on these patients at baseline, 2-5 years, and 10 or more years of follow-up. Prosthesis survivorship was determined by Kaplan-Meier survival analysis performed with revision for any reason as the end point for all 471 patients in the study period regardless of follow-up interval. RESULTS: The 93 patients with at least 10 years of follow-up were 63% female (60) and 37% male (34), with an average age of 66±10 years at the time of RSA. There were 70 (75%) primary RSAs and 23 (25%) revision RSAs. Patient-reported outcome measures at 10 years or more included a current pain rating averaging 2±3 on a 0-10 scale and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) of 73±28. There was no deterioration in function or pain from midterm to long-term follow-up, as the SANE and pain score changed by less than the minimal clinically important difference or improved in 87% and 90% of patients, respectively. Overall, patients were satisfied with the RSA procedure, with 52 (56%) very satisfied, 24 (26%) satisfied, 13 (14%) dissatisfied, and 4 (4%) very dissatisfied. For the subset of 68 patients who were contacted for follow-up, 64 (94%) would have the procedure again and 4 (6%) would not. Kaplan-Meier prosthesis survival rate for all 471 RSA patients was 88% (95% confidence interval [CI] 84%-92%) at 5 years and 81% (95% CI 74%-86%) at 10 years. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the largest American cohort of Grammont design RSA at a minimum 10-year follow-up. Although RSA provided clinically significant and durable improvements in pain and function, the complication and revision rates were higher than prior reports. Despite this, the vast majority of patients were satisfied and would have the procedure again.

Trauma fellowship impact on trends and complications of operatively treated clavicle fractures in recently trained orthopedic surgeons.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether fellowship training affected trends and complications of operative clavicle fracture treatment in newly trained orthopedic surgeons. METHODS: The American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS) database was utilized to identify cases of open treatment of clavicle fractures submitted by ABOS Part-II Board Certification candidates. From 2005 to 2017, 3148 candidates performed at least one open clavicle fracture treatment. Overall, 6919 cases were included; 3516 of these had over 6 weeks of follow-up. Candidates were divided by fellowship type into 5 groups: Trauma, Sports Medicine, Hand and Upper Extremity or Shoulder, multiple, and other or no fellowship(s). Group differences were analyzed with ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc analysis. Complications, reoperations, nonunion rates, and readmissions between groups were evaluated with Chi-squared test and logistic regression analyses. RESULTS: Case volume during the study period was significantly higher after 2007. Trauma candidates performed significantly more operations for clavicle fracture per candidate while candidates with other or no fellowship(s) performed significantly fewer operations per candidate. Patients treated by Trauma candidates were significantly older, had significantly fewer early surgical complications and significantly more early medical complications. Nonunion rates were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION: Candidates treated clavicle fractures surgically more often in 2007 and beyond. Trauma candidates treated older patients, had fewer early surgical complications, and had more medical complications. Reoperation, readmission and nonunion rates were not significantly different between groups.

Mortality After Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: In counseling patients about the complications of revision total hip arthroplasty (revTHA), it is imperative that mortality be considered. The actual mortality rate by indication of revision is ill-defined. The purpose of this study is to determine the mortality rate after revTHA. METHODS: An institutional database identified 596 patients who had undergone revTHA between 2012 and 2018. Medical records, national, state, and local death indexes were queried for mortality status and indication for revTHA. For survivors, the last clinical visit date was used for censoring in the mortality analysis. Mortality rates were calculated for all clinical patients and then by specific indication for revision. RESULTS: The overall 2-year mortality rate following revTHA was 19.5 deaths per 1000 or 1 in 51 patients. Patients presenting with a periprosthetic fracture had a significantly higher 2-year mortality rate of 74.5 deaths per 1000 or 1 in 13 patients (P < .001), while an indication of dislocation or instability had a slightly higher 2-year mortality rate of 50.3 per 1000 (1 in 20) but this difference was not significant (P = .531). Other indications such as mechanical loosening or infection did not have a significantly different mortality rate. CONCLUSION: The overall 2-year mortality rate following revTHA was 19.5 deaths per 1000 which was largely attributed to patients with a periprosthetic fracture (74.5 per 1000) with other indications not significantly impacting mortality. Mortality rates and specific rates by indication for revision should be considered when counseling patients prior to revTHA.

Anatomic and reverse shoulder arthroplasty in patients 70 years of age and older: a comparison cohort at early to midterm follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has gained popularity in elderly patients because of its limited reliance on rotator cuff function and high survivorship rates. However, although there are theoretical advantages of RSA over anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) in elderly patients, there is little data to guide surgeons on implant selection in this population. METHODS: Patients were identified from our prospectively collected shoulder arthroplasty registry. We included patients between the age of 50 and 89 years who underwent primary TSA for osteoarthritis with intact rotator cuff or primary RSA for cuff tear arthropathy. The minimum and mean clinical follow-up was 2 and 3.1±1.3 years, respectively. Four patient groups were formed for analysis: (1) TSA age 50-69 years (n=274), (2) TSA age 70-89 years (n=208), (3) RSA age 50-69 years (n=81), and (4) RSA age 70-89 years (n=104). We evaluated age group differences in pain, Constant score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) score, patient satisfaction, complications, and revisions. RESULTS: All groups showed significant improvements from preoperative to final follow-up for all outcome measures (P < .001). Visual analog scale for pain average score decreased from 5.8 preoperatively to 1.1, with no significant differences between groups (TSA P = .180; RSA P = .103). Final ASES scores and improvement from preoperative ASES score between the age groups were not significantly different (TSA P = .520; RSA P = .065). There were no significant differences in outcomes between TSA in patients older than 70 years vs. patients younger than 70 years (all P > .05); however, older RSA patients reported better function during activities of daily living (P = .020) than their younger counterparts. Patients undergoing TSA had a lower revision rate of 3.9% compared with 8.1% in the RSA group (P = .043). CONCLUSIONS: TSA and RSA are reliable procedures for patients older than 70 years, and have comparable results to their respective patient cohorts younger than 70 years. Although some surgeons anecdotally advocate for RSA in patients older than 70 years with primary osteoarthritis and an intact rotator cuff, we found no difference in outcomes for TSA based on our age cutoff. Given satisfactory results following TSA in patients 70 years of age and older, we do not routinely perform RSA for primary osteoarthritis with an intact rotator cuff solely based on age. Further studies and longer follow-up are needed to determine the optimal implant selection for elderly patients with primary osteoarthritis.

A localized laminar flow device decreases airborne particulates during shoulder arthroplasty: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Although the rate of periprosthetic joint infection following shoulder arthroplasty is low, it is a morbid and costly complication. Airborne particulates have long been recognized as a potential source of wound contamination, and operating room-mounted and smaller localized laminar airflow devices have been developed to minimize airborne particulates. This randomized controlled trial evaluated the effectiveness of a localized laminar flow device in reducing the intrusion of ambient airborne particles and bacteria into the surgery site during shoulder arthroplasty as measured by overall particle counts and colony-forming units (CFUs). METHODS: Patients undergoing primary anatomic or reverse shoulder arthroplasty were eligible for participation. After providing informed consent, patients were randomly assigned to the Air Barrier System (ABS) group or control group. For all patients, the ABS was placed on the surgical field; however, it was only turned on by the technician for those randomized to the ABS. Study participants, surgeons, and surgical staff were blinded to group assignment. Bacterial CFUs were collected from within 5 cm of the surgical wound every 10 minutes, whereas airborne particulates were collected every minute. Poisson regression models were used to determine whether differences existed in CFUs and particulate counts between the ABS and control groups. RESULTS: A total of 43 patients were randomized into the ABS (n = 21) or control (n = 22) group. Surgical time (P = .53) and the average staff count (P = .16) in the operating room did not differ between groups. Poisson regression showed that the ABS group had significantly lower CFUs (ß = -0.583, P < .001) along with surgical time and particulates with a diameter ≥ 5 µm. Staff count and particulates with a diameter < 5 µm were not significant predictors of CFUs. Infection was not a primary outcome; however, no postoperative infections have been reported in either study group with a minimum of 1-year follow-up for all patients. DISCUSSION: This double-blinded, randomized trial demonstrated that a localized laminar flow device dramatically reduced the count of CFUs in the air directly above the wound and beneath the ABS (adjusted for the number of operating room personnel and surgical time). The use of the device was not associated with a longer case duration; however, some additional setup time was required prior to surgical incision to place the device. Further study is required to determine the clinical implications of this finding-specifically, whether such devices result in lower rates of periprosthetic joint infection after shoulder arthroplasty.

Utility of Common Biomarkers for Diagnosing Infection in Nonunion.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the diagnostic utility of leukocyte count (WBC), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP) for distinguishing between septic and aseptic nonunions. DESIGN: A single-gate (cohort) design was used, using 1 set of eligibility criteria applied to a consecutive sample of nonunions. SETTING: Private quaternary referral center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Inclusion criteria were consecutive patients (≥18 years) with a nonunion requiring surgery that allowed for direct or medullary canal tissue sampling from the nonunion site. The cohort included 204 subjects with 211 nonunions. INTERVENTION: Blood samples were drawn for laboratory analysis of WBC, ESR, and CRP before surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: The reference standard used to define infection was the fracture-related infection confirmatory criteria. Measures of diagnostic accuracy were calculated. To assess the additional diagnostic gain of each index lab test while simultaneously considering the others, logistic regression models were fit. RESULTS: The prevalence of infection was 19% (40 of 211 nonunion sites). The positive likelihood ratios (95% confidence interval) for WBC, ESR, and CRP were 1.07 (0.38-3.02), 1.27 (0.88-1.82) and 1.57 (0.94-2.60), respectively. Multivariable modeling adjusted for the effect of preoperative antibiotics showed that WBC (P = 0.42), ESR (P = 0.48), and CRP (P = 0.23) were not significant predictors of infection. CONCLUSIONS: In this consecutive sample of 211 nonunions in whom standard clinical practice would be to obtain index lab tests, our findings showed that WBC, ESR, and CRP were not significant predictors of infection. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Early to midterm outcomes of anatomic shoulder arthroplasty performed on dysplastic glenoids.

BACKGROUND: Treatment of primary osteoarthritis with glenoid dysplasia or Walch type C glenoids remains controversial. There is scant literature available on patient outcomes after anatomic shoulder arthroplasty in patients with Walch type C glenoids. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes of total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) for Walch type C dysplastic glenoids with standard (nonaugmented) glenoid components compared with TSA for glenoids with concentric wear and minimal erosion (Walch type A1). We hypothesized that TSA performed for Walch type C dysplastic glenoids with standard glenoid components can reliably produce successful results at short- to midterm follow-up. METHODS: We identified all patients who had primary anatomic TSA performed for osteoarthritis in a prospective shoulder arthroplasty registry collected from 2004 to the present time. Twenty-nine patients met inclusion criteria of a preoperative Walch type C dysplastic glenoid, treatment with TSA using standard (nonaugmented) glenoid components, and a minimum of 2-year clinical follow-up. A matched cohort of 58 patients with a type A1 glenoid and minimum of 2-year clinical follow-up for anatomic shoulder arthroplasty served as the control group. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), patient satisfaction, complications, and revisions were evaluated in both cohorts. RESULTS: The mean follow-up for this study was 4.5 years (standard deviation, 2.6 years; range, 2-10 years). Baseline measures were not significantly different between the Walch type C dysplastic group and the matched type A1 cohort (all P > .05). Both groups showed significant improvements in ASES, ASES pain, and SANE scores from baseline to the final follow-up (all P < .001). The Walch type C group had no significant differences in ASES score (P = .118), ASES pain (P = .730), or SANE score (P = .168) compared with the matched type A1 cohort. The complication rate of patients with a type C glenoid was 14% (4 of 29) with a 7% (2 of 29) revision rate. Similarly, the complication rate for the A1 matched cohort was 17% (10 of 58) with a 12% (7 of 58) revision rate. Both groups had high patient satisfaction without statistical differences (P = .549). In addition, there were no differences in the rate of radiographic lucencies or Lazarus scores (P = .222). CONCLUSIONS: Anatomic TSA reliably produced clinically significant improvements in pain and function and similar short- to midterm outcomes in patients with Walch type C dysplastic glenoids compared with patients with type A1 glenoids. Anatomic TSA with standard (nonaugmented) glenoid components should remain an option in patients with Walch type C dysplastic glenoids despite emerging treatment options including augmented glenoid components and reverse TSA.

Outcomes of anatomic shoulder arthroplasty performed on B2 vs. A1 type glenoids.

BACKGROUND: Glenoid component malpositioning and glenoid component retroversion have been associated with higher rates of radiolucencies, raising concerns about its implications on glenoid loosening and ultimate failure of anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). Although there is literature regarding the relative advantages of techniques to address posterior glenoid bone loss, we are not aware of studies comparing outcomes of TSA on these challenging Walch type B2 glenoids vs. more common A1 glenoids. The purpose of this study is to compare outcomes of TSA performed on A1 glenoids and B2 glenoids treated with asymmetric glenoid reaming. METHODS: We identified 1045 shoulders that had primary TSAs performed for osteoarthritis in a prospective shoulder arthroplasty registry. Two hundred eighty-nine shoulders met inclusion criteria of a preoperative Walch type A1 (178) or B2 (111) glenoid morphology, treatment with TSA, asymmetric reaming in the B2 group, and a minimum of 2-year clinical and radiographic follow-up. Postoperative radiographs were assessed for lucencies, and patient-reported outcome measures were collected at all follow-up visits. RESULTS: Follow-up averaged 40 ± 15 months for all patients, and more men presented with a B2 glenoid (80 of 111; 72%) compared with A1 (101 of 178; 57%) (P = .009). Age at surgery (P = .166), dominant-sided surgery (P = .281), body mass index (P = .501), smoking (P = .155), preoperative opioid use (P = .154), and diabetes (P = .331) were not significantly different between groups. Both groups had similar Constant Strength scores preoperatively (A1: 4.7 ± 7.1, and B2: 4.3 ± 7.3) but the B2 group improved significantly more at final follow-up (A1: 10.3 ± 6.2 vs. B2: 12.7 ± 6.7, P = .005). The Total Constant score was also significantly better at follow-up in the B2 glenoid group (P = .039). All other Constant subscales, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES), and Single Assessment Numerical Evaluation (SANE) measures showed significant improvement preoperatively to final follow-up (all P <.001) but there were no significant differences between the A1 and B2 glenoid groups (all P > .05). A similar proportion of patients rated their satisfaction as either very satisfied or satisfied between the A1 (160; 90%) and B2 (100; 90%) (P = .613). Lazarus scores were also similar between the A1 and B2 groups (P = .952) as were the rates of humeral radiolucent lines (P = .749) and humeral osteolysis (P = .507). CONCLUSIONS: Although patients with B2 glenoids may present a more technically challenging anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty, treatment with concurrent asymmetric glenoid reaming produced similar, successful clinical and radiographic early to midterm outcomes for patients undergoing TSA compared with A1 glenoids. Additional follow-up on this cohort will be important to confirm the durability of these early results.

Risk Factors for Preoperative Opioid Use in Patients Undergoing Primary Anatomic Total Shoulder Arthroplasty.

The effect of preoperative opioid use in orthopedic patients has been highlighted. Numerous studies have identified worse patient outcomes with pre-operative opioid use; however, there is currently no information identifying risk factors for preoperative opioid use in the total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) population. The purpose of this study was to determine risk factors for preoperative opioid use in patients undergoing primary anatomic TSA for primary osteoarthritis (OA) and to determine baseline preoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in preoperative opioid users compared with nonopioid users. The authors studied 982 TSAs performed for primary glenohumeral joint OA in a prospective TSA registry. Patient demographic and clinical characteristics were prospectively assessed and included age; sex; socioeconomic status (SES); smoking status; body mass index (BMI); and history of chronic back pain, depression, diabetes mellitus, and heart disease. Preoperative PROs, range of motion measurements, and preoperative opioid use for shoulder pain were assessed. Overall, 254 (25.9%) of 982 total patients were taking preoperative opioids for shoulder pain in the setting of primary OA. Female sex (P=.023), younger age (P=.019), obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2) (P=.043), chronic back pain (P<.001), and lower SES (P=.002) were associated with increased preoperative opioid use following multivariate logistic regression. Patients with opioid use had significantly worse preoperative pain scores (P<.001), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores (P<.001), and total Constant scores (P<.002) compared with the non-opioid group. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(6):356-360.].

Treatment of Periprosthetic Nonunions of the Lower Extremity.

Multiple studies have reported nonunion rates of 3% to 17% following peri-prosthetic fractures. Determining management strategies based on the available literature is difficult because existing studies are small and involve heterogeneous treatments and multiple surgeons. The purpose of this study was to describe a consecutive series of patients who presented to the authors' clinic with a periprosthetic nonunion of the lower extremity and to report the methods used to achieve limb salvage and the associated complications. Patients were included if they were indicated for surgery for a nonunion of a periprosthetic fracture of the lower extremity that had previously undergone either closed or open intervention. A total of 26 patients were included in this study. Average follow-up was 58 months. Average age was 69 years, and 77% of the patients were female. Twenty-three patients had periprosthetic nonunions of the femur, with 6 being associated with total hip arthroplasty, 15 with total knee arthroplasty, and 2 with both a total hip arthroplasty and a total knee arthroplasty. Three patients had a periprosthetic nonunion of the tibia associated with a total knee arthroplasty. Limb salvage was successful in 25 of 26 cases. This was achieved by either healing of the nonunion using exuberant fixation with prosthesis revision when necessary (n=20) or resection of the nonunion with placement of a tumor prosthesis (n=5). Four of the 26 patients (15%) incurred at least 1 complication during treatment. Exuberant fixation of the nonunion (with prosthesis revision when necessary) or nonunion resection with placement of a tumor prosthesis was successful in 96% of cases. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(4):209-214.].

Outcomes of total shoulder arthroplasty for instability arthropathy with a prior coracoid transfer procedure: a retrospective review and matched cohort.

BACKGROUND: Many surgeons are concerned about reports of increased complications, worse outcomes, and early failures in patients undergoing anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty after coracoid transfer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate minimum 2-year outcomes following anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty for instability arthropathy with a prior coracoid transfer procedure and compare them with a matched cohort of patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis. METHODS: We identified 11 primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasties performed by a single surgeon for instability arthropathy with a prior coracoid transfer procedure with a minimum of 2 years' follow-up (mean, 58 ± 35 months). A matched cohort of 33 patients with a total shoulder arthroplasty for primary osteoarthritis served as the control group. The American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score, patient satisfaction, complications, and revisions were evaluated in both cohorts. RESULTS: The coracoid transfer cohort showed no difference in the final ASES score (88 vs. 82, P = .166) or SANE score (85 vs. 67, P = .120) vs. the matched cohort. The postoperative ASES pain score (45 vs. 41, P = .004) was higher in the coracoid transfer cohort, but the mean improvement from preoperative to postoperative values for the ASES score (P = .954), ASES pain score (P = .183), and SANE score (P = .293) was no different between cohorts. Both cohorts had high patient satisfaction without a statistically significant difference (P = .784). CONCLUSION: At early- to mid-term follow-up, total shoulder arthroplasty performed after a coracoid transfer demonstrated similar results to total shoulder arthroplasty performed for primary osteoarthritis. Longer follow-up and larger patient cohorts will provide further insights and highlight any potential differences in outcomes or revision rates.

The impact of fellowship type on trends and complications following total shoulder arthroplasty for osteoarthrosis by recently trained board-eligible orthopedic surgeons.

BACKGROUND: Total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) with an anatomic or reverse prosthesis is a commonly used and successful treatment option for many degenerative shoulder conditions. There is an increasing trend toward fellowship training and subspecialization in newly trained orthopedic surgeons. The literature also suggests that subspecialization and high volume are associated with better clinical outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of fellowship training on the trends and outcomes of TSA in board-eligible orthopedic surgeons. METHODS: The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery database was used to identify primary TSA cases performed for osteoarthrosis submitted by American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Part II Board Certification candidates. Candidates were grouped based on fellowship training and subspecialty examination being taken. Groups were analyzed with analysis of variance and Bonferroni post hoc analysis to evaluate significant differences between groups for a number of candidates, cases per candidate, and patient age/sex. Differences in complications, reoperations, and readmissions were statistically evaluated with χ2 tests and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: From 2010 to 2017, 854 candidates performed at least 1 primary TSA (anatomic or reverse) after a diagnosis of osteoarthritis and 2720 submitted cases met inclusion criteria. Candidates completing a Shoulder fellowship performed significantly more TSAs per candidate compared with all other groups (Shoulder = 8.0 ± 6.2, Sports Medicine = 2.4 ± 2.1, Hand and Upper Extremity = 2.9 ± 2.9, General Orthopedics = 2.4 ± 2.3, P < .001). The Shoulder fellowship group had significantly lower complication rates (17.9%) as compared with the Sports Medicine fellowship (23.7%, P = .008) and Hand and Upper Extremity fellowship (25.0%, P = .008) groups. CONCLUSIONS: Shoulder fellowship-trained surgeons performed significantly more TSAs per year than other groups, with a lower complication rate when compared with other fellowship-trained candidates. Fellowship type had no effect on reoperation or readmission rates.

Lower Socioeconomic Status Is Associated With Worse Preoperative Function, Pain, and Increased Opioid Use in Patients With Primary Glenohumeral Osteoarthritis.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have identified differences in patient-reported outcome scores and complication rates based on various measures of socioeconomic status (SES); however, there is limited information regarding the role of SES in the shoulder arthroplasty cohort. The purpose of this study was to characterize the role of SES in patients undergoing primary anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) for primary glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA). METHODS: We identified 1,045 patients who had primary TSA done for OA in a prospective shoulder arthroplasty registry, and 982 patients met inclusion criteria. We prospectively assessed patient demographics, comorbidities, patient-reported outcome scores, range of motion, and preoperative opioid use. Each patient was assigned to a quartile according to the Area Deprivation Index using their home address as a measure of SES. RESULTS: The most disadvantaged patients (lower SES) reported to our center with a higher body mass index and higher rates of preoperative opioid use and diabetes. Patients in the most disadvantaged quartile reported more preoperative pain (Constant-Pain and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons [ASES]-Pain) and lower function (Constant-ADL, Constant-Total, and ASES). Multivariate regression identified that male patients and advanced age at surgery had better reported ASES pain scores, while preoperative opioid use, chronic back pain, and the most disadvantaged quartile were associated with worse ASES pain scores. CONCLUSION: Lower SES correlates with worse preoperative function and pain in patients undergoing anatomic TSA for primary glenohumeral OA. Providers should be cognizant of the potential impact of SES when evaluating quality metrics for patients with primary glenohumeral OA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 3, cross-sectional study.

B cell homeostasis is maintained during long-duration spaceflight.

Long-duration spaceflights reportedly induce immune dysregulation, which is considered a risk to astronaut safety and mission success. Recent studies have examined the impact of spaceflight on markers of adaptive and innate immunity, but no study, to date, has comprehensively evaluated humoral immunity and serological markers of B cell function. The aim of this study was to characterize changes in B cell numbers and phenotypes, along with plasma Igs and polyclonal free light chains (FLCs)-near-"real-time" biomarkers of Ig synthesis-in response to an ~6-mo mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Whole-blood samples were collected before flight, during flight ("Early flight," "Mid-flight," and "Late flight"), immediately upon return, and during a recovery period (R + 18, R + 30/R + 33, and R + 60/R + 66) from 23 ISS crew members. B Cell counts and phenotypes were measured throughout the duration of the mission, along with total plasma Ig and FLC levels. There was no effect of spaceflight on the number and proportion of the different B cell subsets. There was no difference in kappa FLC between preflight samples and either in-flight or recovery samples ( P > 0.05), and only a marginal reduction was observed in lambda FLC levels upon return to Earth ( P < 0.05). Furthermore, IgG and IgM remained unchanged during and after spaceflight compared with preflight values ( P > 0.05). Of note, plasma IgA concentrations were elevated in-flight compared with baseline and recovery values ( P < 0.05). These results indicate that B cell homeostasis is maintained during long-duration spaceflight, advocating for potential in-flight vaccination as viable countermeasures against viral reactivation during exploration-class missions.