Return to Play Outcomes in Elite Athletes after Cervical and Lumbar Motion Preservation Spine Surgery: A Systematic Review.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic Review. OBJECTIVE: The primary purpose of this article was to survey the present literature and report on return to play outcomes in elite athletes after undergoing motion preservation spinal surgery. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: For elite performance, athletes require adequate mobility and throughout the trunk, torso, and spine to achieve maximal force production. Therefore, elite athletes that have failed conservative treatment may seek to undergo motion preserving surgical options such as total disc arthroplasty and lumbar microdiscectomy. Individual studies have reported on return to play (RTP) outcomes following individual motion preservation surgical procedures, no systematic reviews have formally to reported on RTP outcomes, post-operative performance, and reoperation rates on these procedures in elite athletes. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted from inception until February 2024 according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. One reviewer queried PubMed for relevant studies that reported on RTP outcomes in elite athletes following motion preservation spinal surgery (MPSS) based on title and abstract (n=1,404). After the original search query, an additional reviewer screened full length articles. A total of 11 studies met the inclusion criteria. Special consideration was given to RTP rates, post-operative performance, and reoperation rates. RESULTS: A total of 612 elite athletes from the National Basketball Association, Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Hockey League, and other professional sporting organizations underwent cervical and lumbar MPSS to treat various spinal pathologies. Various motion sparing techniques were used to treat various pathologies. After undergoing MPSS, RTP rates ranged from 75-100% for lumbar cases and 83.3-100% for cervical cases. Most athletes successfully returned to sport between. Post-operative performance varied with some athletes performing at the same level prior to surgery and some performing at a decreased level. CONCLUSIONS: Motion preservation spinal surgery is a feasible option when properly indicated. Future studies are needed to compare return to sport rates, post-operative performance, and re-operation rates between motion preservation spinal surgery to spinal arthrodesis.

Patient Preferences for Graft Selection in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background: Selecting an appropriate graft for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction requires consideration of a patient's preferences, goals, age, and physical demands alongside the risks and benefits of each graft choice. Purpose: To determine the most popular ACL reconstruction grafts among patients and the most important factors influencing their decisions. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Patients undergoing ACL reconstruction between October 2022 and April 2023 completed a survey either before (nonconsult group) or after (consult group) speaking with their surgeon, who provided an evidence-based description of the pros and cons of an allograft and the following autografts: bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB), hamstring tendon (HT), and quadriceps tendon (QT). Patient characteristics, graft choice, information influencing their graft choice, and surgeon recommendation were collected and compared between the groups. Results: Among the 100 included patients, 59.0% were male, and the mean age was 28.3 ± 10.4 years. The most popular grafts were the BPTB (56.0%), followed by the QT (29.0%), HT (8.0%), and allograft (7.0%). No significant difference was observed in the graft selection between the consult group (n = 60; BPTB, 46.7%; QT, 38.3%; HT, 8.3%; allograft, 6.7%) and nonconsult group (n = 40; BPTB, 70.0%; QT, 15.0%; HT, 7.5%; allograft, 7.5%) (P = .0757). In the consult group, 81.7% of patients selected the graft recommended to them by their surgeon. The top 2 graft selection reasons were usage in professional athletes and failure rates, while the top 2 ACL surgery concerns were returning to their desired level of athletics and graft failure risk. Among the 93 patients who researched their ACL graft options before their visit, the most popular information source was some form of media (72.0% [67/93]). Conclusion: The study findings underscore the importance of patient preference and surgeon recommendation in a patient's graft selection and highlight the need to be cognizant of the information sources available to patients when researching their graft options.

Predraft elbow magnetic resonance imaging in major league baseball pitchers.

BACKGROUND: Prior to the Major League Baseball (MLB) draft, some pitchers undergo predraft magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This study aimed to evaluate pre-draft elbow MRI on baseball pitchers who were entering the MLB draft to determine the presence or absence of pathology, the associations between these pathologies and ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears, and interobserver reliability regarding common MRI pathology. METHODS: Predraft elbow MRI performed on prospective MLB pitchers between 2011 and 2017 were deidentified and then reviewed by two separate authors. The authors graded the MRI on several factors including presence or absence of: UCL ossification, UCL appearance (heterogeneous or not), UCL thickening (and location), UCL tear (partial vs. full thickness and location), muscle strain, flexor tendon tear, posteromedial osteophyte, sublime tubercle enthesophyte, and osseous stress reactions. RESULTS: Overall, 245 predraft elbow MRI were reviewed. MRI abnormalities were found in 70% (171/245) of pitchers. UCL thickening was found in 20% (50/245) of pitchers. Regarding UCL tears, 3% had a full thickness tear and 24% had a partial thickness tear. Of full thickness tears, 86% were distal and 1 was midsubstance. Of partial thickness tears, 41% (24/58) were distal, 12% (7/58) were midsubstance, and 47% (27/58) were proximal. Periligamentous edema was present in 36% of pitchers while 14% had a flexor pronator muscle strain. CONCLUSION: The majority (70%) of pitchers entering the MLB draft had abnormal findings on their MRI, most commonly involving changes to the UCL. Interobserver reliability was acceptable following the definition of pathology when reading predraft elbow MRI on MLB prospects.

Psychological Impact and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Symptomatology After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries in Baseball Players.

Background: Significant psychological impact and prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been well documented in patients sustaining anterior cruciate ligament injury. Purpose: To examine PTSD symptomatology in baseball players after sustaining elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Male baseball players of various competition levels (high school through Minor League Baseball [MiLB]) who underwent surgery for a UCL injury between April 2019 and June 2022 participated in the study. Before surgery, patients completed the Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) to assess PTSD symptomatology. Subgroup analysis was conducted according to level of play and player position. Results: A total of 104 male baseball players with a mean age of 19.4 years (range, 15-29 years) were included in the study; 32 players (30.8%) were in high school, 65 (62.5%) were in college, and 7 (6.7%) were in MiLB. There were 64 (61.5%) pitchers, 18 (17.3%) position players, and 22 (21.2%) 2-way players (both pitching and playing on the field). A total of 30 (28.8%) patients scored high enough on the IES-R to support PTSD as a probable diagnosis, and another 22 patients (21.2%) scored high enough to support PTSD as a clinical concern. Nineteen patients (18.3%) had potentially severe PTSD. Only 4 players (3.8%) were completely asymptomatic. Subgroup analysis revealed college players as significantly more symptomatic than high school players (P = .02), and 2-way players were found to be significantly less susceptible to developing symptoms of PTSD compared with pitchers (P = .04). Conclusion: Nearly 30% of baseball players who sustained a UCL injury qualified for a probable diagnosis of PTSD based on the IES-R. Pitchers and college athletes were at increased risk for PTSD after UCL injury compared with 2-way players and high school athletes, respectively.

What are our patients asking Google about acromioclavicular joint injuries?-frequently asked online questions and the quality of online resources.

Background: Management of acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries has been an ongoing source of debate, with over 150 variations of surgery described in the literature. Without a consensus on surgical technique, patients are seeking answers to common questions through internet resources. This study investigates the most common online patient questions pertaining to AC joint injuries and the quality of the websites providing information. Hypothesis: 1) Question topics will pertain to surgical indications, pain management, and success of surgery and 2) the quality and transparency of online information are largely heterogenous. Methods: Three AC joint search queries were entered into the Google Web Search. Questions under the "People also ask" tab were expanded in order and 100 results for each query were included (300 total). Questions were categorized based on Rothwell's classification. Websites were categorized by source. Website quality was evaluated by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Benchmark Criteria. Results: Most questions fell into the Rothwell Fact category (48.0%). The most common question topics were surgical indications (28.0%), timeline of recovery (13.0%), and diagnosis/evaluation (12.0%). The least common question topics were anatomy/function (3.3%), evaluation of surgery (3.3%), injury comparison (1.0%), and cost (1.0%). The most common websites were medical practice (44.0%), academic (22.3%), and single surgeon personal (12.3%). The average JAMA score for all websites was 1.0 ± 1.3. Government websites had the highest JAMA score (4.0 ± 0.0) and constituted 45.8% of all websites with a score of 4/4. PubMed articles constituted 63.6% (7/11) of government website. Comparatively, medical practice websites had the lowest JAMA score (0.3 ± 0.7, range [0-3]). Conclusion: Online patient AC joint injury questions pertain to surgical indications, timeline of recovery, and diagnosis/evaluation. Government websites and PubMed articles provide the highest-quality sources of reliable, up-to-date information but constitute the smallest proportion of resources. In contrast, medical practice represents the most visited websites, however, recorded the lowest quality score. Physicians should utilize this information to answer frequently asked questions, guide patient expectations, and help provide and identify reliable online resources.

The Burden of Back and Neck Strains and Sprains in Professional Baseball Players.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case series study. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiology of diagnoses of back and neck strains and sprains among Major League (MLB) and Minor League (MiLB) Baseball players. BACKGROUND: Baseball players perform unique sets of repetitive movements that may predispose to neck and back strains and sprains. Data are lacking concerning the epidemiology of these diagnoses in this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: De-identified data on neck/back strains and sprains were collected from all MLB and MiLB teams from 2011 to 2016 using the MLB-commissioned Health and Injury Tracking System database. Diagnosis rates of conditions related to cervical, thoracic, and lumbar musculature and their impact on days missed due to injury, player participation, and season or career-ending status were assessed. Injury rates were reported as injuries per 1000 athlete exposures (AEs). RESULTS: There were 3447 cases of neck/back strains and sprains in professional baseball players from 2011 to 2016. Seven hundred twenty-one of these occurred in MLB versus 2726 in MiLB. Of injuries 136 were season-ending (26 in MLB, 110 in MiLB); 22 were career-ending (2 in MLB, 20 in MiLB). The total days missed were 39,118 (8838 from MLB and 30,280 from MiLB). Excluding season or career-ending injuries, the mean days missed were 11.8 (12.7 and 11.6 in MLB and MiLB, respectively). The median days missed were 4 (3 and 5 in MLB and MiLB, respectively). Combining MLB and MiLB, the pitcher injury rate was 1.893 per 1000 AEs versus 0.743 per 1000 Aes for other position players ( P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: There was a high incidence of neck/back strains and sprains in MLB and MiLB players, with nearly 40,000 aggregate days missed in our 6-year study period. The median days missed were lower than the mean days missed, indicating rightward outliers. Pitchers had over double the rates of injuries compared with other position players. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Particulated Juvenile Articular Cartilage Allograft Transplantation for Patellofemoral Defects Shows Favorable Return-to-Sport Rates and Patient-Reported Outcomes.

PURPOSE: To report return-to-sport rates, postoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs), complication rates, and reoperation rates of a cohort of patients undergoing particulated juvenile articular cartilage (PJAC) allograft transplantation for patellofemoral articular cartilage defects. METHODS: We performed a single-institution retrospective review of all patients with patellofemoral articular cartilage defects who received PJAC allograft transplantation from 2014 to 2022. Baseline demographic characteristics and surgical data, including concomitant surgical procedures, were collected. Clinical outcomes recorded included return-to-sport rates, complications, reoperations, and the following PRO scores: Kujala knee score, Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference score, and PROMIS Physical Function score. RESULTS: Forty-one knees with a mean age of 23.4 ± 9.7 years and mean follow-up period of 30.3 months (range, 12-107 months) were included. The mean postoperative PROMIS Pain Interference, PROMIS Physical Function, and Kujala knee scores were 47.4 ± 7.7, 52.2 ± 10.8, and 81.7 ± 16.1, respectively, reflecting low residual anterior knee pain and a return to normal function. For patients playing organized sports at the high school and collegiate levels, the overall return-to-sport rate was 100% (17 of 17). During follow-up, complications developed in 12 knees (29.3%), the most common of which was anterior-based knee pain, and 6 knees (14.6%) required a total of 8 reoperations, which occurred from 6 to 32 months postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: The 100% return-to-sport rate and satisfactory PRO scores in our study suggest that PJAC allograft transplantation can effectively address patellofemoral cartilage defects in many patients. The complication and reoperation rates of 29.3% and 14.6%, respectively, are consistent with the challenging and heterogeneous etiology and treatment of patellofemoral articular defects. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, case series.

Increased age and modified fragility index increases risk of short-term complications after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery.

BACKGROUND: Large data analysis of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) short-term complications on age will help surgeons stratify and counsel at-risk patients. The purpose of this study is to assess if older patients are at greater risk for short-term complications after ACLR. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included patients who underwent elective ACLR with or without concomitant meniscal procedures in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program from 2005 to 2017. Patients were divided into age groups 16-30, 31-45, and > 45. Modified fragility index-5 (mFI-5), demographics and short-term outcomes were examined with bivariate and multivariate analysis to determine if age was a risk factor for complications. RESULTS: A total of 23,581 patients (35.4% female) were included in this analysis. Mean age was 32.1 ± 10.8 years. Older patients had higher mFI-5 scores (p < 0.001), shorter operative times (p < 0.001), lower use of only general anesthesia (p < 0.001). The oldest patients had similar rates of complications as the two younger groups. Older age was an independent risk factor for VTE, but decreased risk of prolonged operations. A mFI-5 > 0 increased risk factors for readmission (Odds ratio 2.2, P = 0.006). Infection was the most common cause 30-day readmissions (40/135, 29.6%). CONCLUSION: In the early postoperative period, older age is an independent risk factor for VTE and younger age is a significant factor for prolonged surgeries. Having an mFI-5 > 0 increased risk factors for readmission.

The Quality of YouTube Content on Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries Is Low: A Systematic Review of Video Content.

Purpose: To provide an evaluation of the quality of diagnostic and treatment information regarding ulnar collateral ligament injuries on YouTube. Methods: YouTube was searched using the terms "ulnar collateral ligament," "Tommy John surgery," and "UCL surgery." The first 100 results for each 3 terms were screened for inclusion. Each included video was graded based on its diagnostic and treatment content and assigned a quality assessment rating. Video characteristics such as duration, views, and "likes" were recorded and compared between video sources and quality assessment ratings. Results: A total of 120 videos were included in the final analysis. Only 17.5% provided very useful to excellent quality content. Only 3 videos (2.5%) provided excellent quality content; these were all physician-sponsored videos. These 3 videos only achieved an excellent score for diagnostic content; no video achieved an excellent score for treatment content. Most videos were scored as somewhat useful for both diagnostic (40%) and treatment (56.7%) content. Videos classified as somewhat useful had the highest number of average views (27,197), with a mean duration of 7 minutes 40 seconds. The most common video source was physician sponsored (32%), followed by educational (26%). Physician videos had the lowest number of views (5,842 views). Conclusions: The quality of ulnar collateral ligament-related information on YouTube is low. Differential diagnoses for related symptoms, accurate surgical indications, and thorough discussions of adverse outcomes were the most lacking information. Physician-sponsored and educational videos provided the highest-quality information but had the lowest number of average views. Clinical Relevance: Because most Internet users in the United States search for information regarding their medical issues online, it is important to understand the quality of available online medical information. Knowing this can help inform the necessary next steps to improve the quality and comprehensibility of online medical information.

Factors Important to Patient Decision-Making After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury in Competitive High School and Collegiate Baseball Players.

Background: Patients are faced with several treatment decisions after an ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury: nonoperative versus operative treatment, repair versus reconstruction, and immediate versus delayed surgery. Purpose/Hypothesis: The aim of this study was to investigate the factors important to patients when deciding which treatment to pursue after a UCL injury. We hypothesized that (1) length of time away from sports and seasonal timing would be important to patients and (2) treatment decision-making would be heavily influenced by how many and which seasons of their baseball career would be missed. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: High school and collegiate baseball players with UCL tears treated at an academic institution were surveyed retrospectively on their sports participation at the time of injury and their UCL injury treatment decisions. Respondents rated the influence of various factors on a 5-point Likert scale, and they selected the top 3 factors and the single most important factor influencing their treatment decisions. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between player characteristics and factors important to their treatment decision. Results: A total of 83 athletes completed the survey; 40 were in high school and 43 were in college at the time of injury; 7 were treated nonoperatively and 76 underwent surgery (66 immediately and 10 in a delayed fashion), 10 with UCL repair and 66 with UCL reconstruction. The ability to play competitive baseball in the long term was very important or extremely important to 90% of players, while the ability to play in the short term was very important or extremely important to 17%. Length of recovery and seasonal timing were also important factors for 53% and 54% of players, respectively, and almost all (90%) highly valued advice from a surgeon. Possible failure of nonoperative treatment leading to increased time away and the possible loss of 2 consecutive baseball seasons heavily influenced decision-making in 41% of respondents. Conclusion: Survey respondents were driven by the desire to play baseball in the long term. Treatment decisions were influenced by the length of recovery and by the seasonal timing of their injury, both of which affect how many and which seasons of baseball a player may miss. Patients found advice from their surgeon to be extremely important to decision-making.

Posteromedial Osteophyte Resection in Baseball Players Undergoing Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Has no Effect on Return to Play but Decreases Patient-Reported Satisfaction and Throwing Control.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare patient-reported outcomes and return to play (RTP) rates following ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR) in patients with and without posteromedial elbow impingement (PI) treated with concomitant arthroscopic posteromedial osteophyte resection. Methods: Baseball players who underwent UCLR performed by the senior surgeon with minimum follow-up of 2 years were surveyed in this retrospective cohort study. Primary outcomes included Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic Shoulder and Elbow (KJOC) score, Andrews-Timmerman score, and RTP rate. Secondary outcomes included patient satisfaction scores. Results: 35 baseball players were included. Eighteen had no preoperative impingement (mean age: 19.06 ± 3.28 years), while 17 had PI treated with concomitant arthroscopic osteophyte resection (mean age: 20.06 ± 2.68 years). Following surgery, there was no difference in mean Andrews-Timmerman score (no impingement = 91.67 ± 8.04 vs PI = 92.06 ± 7.92, P = .89) nor KJOC score (no impingement = 83.36 ± 11.72 vs PI = 79.88 ± 12.35, P = .40), but there was a decreased mean KJOC throwing control sub-score in the PI group (7.65 ± 2.40 vs 9.11 ± 1.32, P = .04). There was no difference in RTP rate between the groups (no impingement = 72.22%, PI = 94.12%, χ2 = 1.28; P = .26). There was significantly higher mean satisfaction score in the no impingement group (96.67 ± 4.58 vs 90.12 ± 11.91; P = .04), and those patients were also more likely to pursue surgical treatment again (94.44% vs 52.94%, χ2 = 7.88; P = .005). Conclusions: There was no difference in RTP rate following ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in baseball players with and without posteromedial impingement treated with arthroscopic resection. Outcomes on the KJOC and Andrews-Timmerman scores were good to excellent in both groups. Players in the posteromedial impingement group were less satisfied with their outcome, however, and less likely to elect for surgery if they were to sustain the injury again. Additionally, players in the posteromedial impingement group were found to have decreased throwing control on the KJOC questionnaire, which may suggest that the presence of posteromedial osteophytes represent adaptive changes to stabilize the elbow while throwing. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective cohort study.

Inconsistencies in reporting risk factors for ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction failure: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND: When return to sport (RTS) at a competitive level is desired, treatment of injury to the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) frequently involves surgical reconstruction. Although RTS rates between 66% and 98% have been reported, there remains a paucity of comparative clinical studies, with far fewer reporting statistically significant risk factors for reconstruction failure. The goal of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature to demonstrate the variety and inconsistency with which risk factors associated with reconstruction failure are reported. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A systematic review of the PubMed Central and MEDLINE databases was performed to identify clinical outcome studies reporting ≥1 statistically significant risk factor associated with failure of UCL reconstruction. Failure was defined as (1) reinjury, recurrent instability, or need for revision surgery; (2) failure show improvement in postoperative patient-reported outcomes (PROs); or (3) failure to RTS at the preinjury level (RSL). RESULTS: A total of 349 unique studies were initially identified, of which 12 were deemed eligible for inclusion in our study. Of these 12 studies, 4 defined outcomes based on recurrent instability, reinjury, or revision surgery; 2 defined outcomes based on PROs; and 6 defined outcomes based on RSL. In the group with instability, reinjury, or revision failure, 11 significant risk factors were identified across all studies: age, height, body mass index, professional experience, injury to the nondominant arm, history of competitive throwing, mechanism of injury, history of a psychiatric diagnosis, presence of preoperative instability or stiffness, postoperative workload, and time to RTS. In the PRO failure group, 12 risk factors were identified across all studies: age, status as a military cadet, injury to the nondominant arm, graft type, baseball position, current injury to the ipsilateral arm, current level of competition attributed to reconstruction surgery, shoulder surgery after reconstruction, no competitive throwing history, non-throwing mechanism of injury, history of a psychiatric diagnosis, and preoperative instability or stiffness. In the RSL failure group, 4 risk factors were identified across all studies: age, ulnar neuritis, level of professional play, and amount of time spent at the professional level. CONCLUSIONS: Age, level of professional play prior to surgery, postoperative workload, and time at the professional level are the most commonly reported risk factors associated with UCL reconstruction failure. There remains a paucity of data associating risk factors with patient-specific outcomes and marked levels of inconsistency and conflict among the studies that report such data.

Systematic Assessment of the Quality and Comprehensibility of YouTube Content on Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury and Management.

Background: Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction has received a unique level of attention in the press and social media. There has also been an increasing use of the internet by patients to seek medical information. Concern exists regarding the quality and comprehensibility of online information when used for patient education. Purpose: To evaluate the quality and comprehensibility of the most-viewed YouTube videos related to the diagnosis and management of UCL injuries. Based on our new evidence-based scoring rubrics, we hypothesized that the quality and comprehensibility of these videos would be poor. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The YouTube platform was searched on September 7, 2021, with the terms "UCL injury," "ulnar collateral ligament injury," "UCL surgery," "ulnar collateral ligament surgery," and "Tommy John surgery," and the 50 most-viewed videos from each search were compiled, yielding 250 videos. After removal of duplicates and application of exclusion criteria, the 100 most-viewed videos remained. Basic attributes, including duration of video and number of views, were recorded. Each video was then analyzed by 2 independent reviewers and evaluated for 4 key parameters (quality of diagnostic content [QAR-D], quality of treatment content [QAR-T], presence of inaccurate information, and comprehensibility) and graded on a novel scale from 1 to 4 (4 being the most appropriate for patient education). Results: The mean QAR-D was 4.83 ± 3.41 (fair quality), and the mean QAR-T was 2.76 ± 3.26 (poor quality). Physician-led educational videos had both the highest mean QAR-D (6.37) and the highest mean QAR-T (4.34). No correlation was observed between video quality and views/likes. A total of 12 videos included ≥1 inaccuracy. The mean comprehensibility score was 2.66 ± 1.12, with 39 videos falling below the acceptable comprehensibility threshold (score <3). Conclusion: The overall quality of UCL injury-related YouTube content was low. In addition, the absence of correlation between video quality and views/likes suggests that patients are not preferentially utilizing the limited high-quality content that does exist on the YouTube platform. In addition, inaccurate videos were prevalent (12%), and almost half of all videos were deemed inappropriate for patient education in terms of comprehensibility, as defined by our comprehensibility parameter.

Epidemiology of Lumbar Spine Conditions in Professional Baseball Players.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case series study. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiology and burden of diagnoses of lumbar spinal conditions affecting Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball players. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Lumbar spinal conditions are a common cause of low back pain in the general population and can be caused by participation in sports and athletics. Data concerning the epidemiology of these injuries in professional baseball players are limited. METHODS: We collected deidentified MLB and Minor League Baseball data concerning lumbar spine conditions (lumbar disk herniations, lumbar degenerative disease, or pars conditions) from 2011 to 2017 using the MLB-commissioned Health and Injury Tracking System database. Data concerning days missed because of injury, need for surgery, and player participation and career-ending status were assessed. Injury rates were reported as injuries per 1000 athlete exposures in concordance with prior studies. RESULTS: Over 2011-2017, 5948 days of play were missed because of 206 lumbar spine-related injuries, of which 60 (29.1%) were season ending. Twenty-seven (13.1%) of these injuries required surgery. The most common injury among both pitchers and position players were lumbar disk herniations (45, 44.1% and 41, 39.4%, respectively). More surgeries were performed for lumbar disk herniations and degenerative disk disease compared with pars conditions (74% and 18.5% vs. 3.7%). Injury rates for pitchers was significantly higher than those of other position players 0.111 per 1000 AEs versus 0.040 per 1000 AEs ( P <0.0001). Injuries requiring surgery did not vary significantly by league, age group, or player position. CONCLUSIONS: Lumbar spine-related injuries incurred substantial disability and days missed from play in professional baseball players. Lumbar disk herniations were the most common injury, and together with pars conditions led to higher rates of surgery compared with degenerative conditions. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Rotator Cuff Repair With Acromioplasty Is Associated With an Increased Rate of Revision and Subsequent Procedures.

Purpose: To evaluate the mid-term rate of revision arthroscopic rotator cuff repair as well as ipsilateral shoulder reoperations after index rotator cuff repair performed with or without acromioplasty in the United States. Methods: The Medicare Standard Analytic File, which encompasses the entire Medicare billing and payment data, was queried between 2005 and 2014. Patients undergoing arthroscopic rotator cuff repair were identified and stratified based on whether ipsilateral acromioplasty was concurrently performed using Current Procedural Terminology codes. Groups were matched by age, sex, year of index procedure, and Elixhauser index at a 2:1 ratio. Primary end point was defined as undergoing a repeat ipsilateral shoulder surgery related to the rotator cuff at 5 years of follow-up. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were constructed, and the 2 groups were compared using the log-rank test. Results: After matching, 54,209 shoulders in the rotator cuff repair with acromioplasty group and 26,448 shoulders in the rotator cuff repair without acromioplasty group were identified. Shoulders undergoing concurrent acromioplasty at index rotator cuff repair had a significantly increased rate of repeat ipsilateral cuff repair at 5 years postoperatively (8.5% vs 6.8%, P < .001). Similarly, there was an increased rate of reoperation of all types to the ipsilateral shoulder in cases where concurrent acromioplasty was performed (9.6% vs 9.1%, P < .001). Conclusions: Using a large, national database, concurrent acromioplasty at the time of rotator cuff tear was found to be associated with both an increase rate of overall subsequent procedures and revision rotator cuff repair. Level of Evidence: III, retrospective comparative study.

The Role of Advanced Academic Degrees in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Faculty.

BACKGROUND: Limited knowledge exists on the role of advanced academic degrees within faculty positions in orthopaedic sports medicine. PURPOSE: To 1) provide an assessment of the baseline demographics of advanced degrees among orthopaedic sports medicine faculty and 2) examine the impact of advanced degrees on research productivity and career attainment of orthopaedic sports medicine faculty. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: Orthopaedic sports medicine academics were identified using faculty listings on websites of the 200 orthopaedic surgery residency programs during the 2020-2021 academic year. Advanced degrees were defined as those additional to the primary medical degree (Doctor of Medicine [MD] or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine [DO]). Outcome measures included timing of advanced degree obtainment, residency program rankings, research productivity, and current academic rank and leadership roles. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests to determine the association of advanced degrees on outcome measures. RESULTS: In total, 911 orthopaedic sports medicine faculty members were identified, of whom 100 had an advanced degree. The most common advanced degrees were Master of Science (MS/MSc; 38%), Doctor of Philosophy (PhD; 23%), and Master of Business Administration (MBA; 13%). The presence of an advanced degree was associated with greater research productivity, including higher h-index and number of publications, as well as more editorial board positions on orthopaedics journals (P < .001). Advanced degrees were not significantly associated with attending a higher ranked orthopaedic surgery residency program, current academic rank, or leadership roles. At the institutional level, orthopaedic sports medicine programs that employed faculty with an advanced degree had a higher residency program ranking and the presence of a sports medicine fellowship was more likely (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Advanced degrees in orthopaedic sports medicine were associated with greater faculty research engagement and employment at a higher ranked institution; they were not associated with matching to a highly ranked orthopaedic surgery residency program, higher faculty rank, or academic leadership roles.

Return-to-Competition Criteria After Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Injury to the ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is common among overhead throwing athletes and can result in significant functional limitations. While surgical reconstruction offers high rates of return to competition, there are no validated or universally accepted guidelines for determining when an athlete can safely resume play. PURPOSE: To assess the existing scientific literature for return-to-competition criteria utilized after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: The PubMed database was searched for clinical investigations of ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in overhead throwing athletes published between January 2000 and June 2020. Only studies that had a minimum follow-up of 1 year and included at least 1 specific return-to-competition criterion were considered. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies were included in the final analysis, encompassing 1156 patients with an average age of 20.7 years (SD, 2.0 years). Baseball players composed 96.3% of patients for whom sport was specified, and 92.4% of baseball players were pitchers. The most common return-to-competition criterion, identified in 87% of studies, was completion of a return-to-throwing program, which started on average 16.7 weeks (range, 12-18 weeks) after surgery. A return-to-mound program was utilized in 53% of studies, starting on average 7.4 months (range, 6-9 months) postoperatively. Minimum time from surgery was used in 73% studies, with players waiting 7 to 12 months (mean, 9.7; SD, 1.4 months) after surgery before return-to-competition consideration. The overall rate of return to competition at the preinjury level or higher was 85.7% (SD, 8.5%) at an average of 12.2 months (SD, 0.6 months). CONCLUSION: In general, we observed a paucity of literature describing the return-to-competition process after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction in overhead throwing athletes. Only 3 explicit return-to-competition criteria were identified across all studies: completion of a return-to-throwing program, completion of a return-to-mound program for pitchers, and minimum time from surgery. Increased transparency regarding postoperative rehabilitation protocols and further research are necessary to identify and validate sport-specific return-to-competition criteria, which will ultimately help athletes return to play in a safe and timely fashion after ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction.

Epidemiology of Spine-Related Neurologic Injuries in Professional Baseball Players.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective case series study. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the epidemiology of diagnoses of degenerative cervical and lumbar spinal conditions among Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) players. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Repetitive high-energy forces in professional baseball players may predispose them to degenerative cervical and lumbar spinal conditions. There is a lack of data concerning the epidemiology of these injuries in professional baseball. METHODS: Deidentified data on spine injuries were collected from all MLB and MiLB teams from 2011 to 2016 from the MLB-commissioned Health and Injury Tracking System database. Rates of diagnoses of common degenerative spinal conditions as well as their impact on days missed due to injury, necessitation of surgery, and player participation and career-ending status were assessed. Injury rates were reported as injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures in concordance with prior studies. RESULTS: Over 2011 to 2016, 4246 days of play were missed due to 172 spine-related injuries. 73.3% were related to the lumbar spine and 26.7% to the cervical spine. There were similar rates of surgery required for these injuries (18.3% of lumbar injuries vs. 13.0% of cervical injuries, P = 0.2164). Mean age of players with cervical injuries was higher compared with the lumbar group (27.5 vs. 25.4, P = 0.0119). Average number of days missed due to lumbar injuries was significantly higher than those due to cervical injuries (34.1 vs. 21.6 d, P = 0.0468). Spine injury rates for pitchers were significantly higher than those of other position players (0.086 per 1000 athlete-exposures vs. 0.037, P < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Neurologic diagnoses relating to the cervical and lumbar spine lead to substantial disability among MLB and MiLB players as well as days missed from play. Pitchers have over double the rates of injury compared with other position players. Lumbar conditions were associated with significantly higher numbers of days missed from play.Level of Evidence: 4.

The Fragility of Statistical Significance in Patellofemoral Instability Research: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Fragility analysis is increasingly utilized to evaluate the robustness of results within the orthopaedic literature and has frequently revealed instability of reported outcomes. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this investigation was to utilize a fragility analysis to evaluate the stability of reported results in the patellofemoral instability (PFI) literature. We hypothesized the demonstration of significant fragility in patellofemoral research to be similar to that identified throughout other areas of the orthopaedic literature. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: The PubMed database was queried from January 1, 2000, to October 10, 2020 for comparative trials in 10 prominent orthopaedic journals that reported dichotomous outcomes related to the management of PFI. The fragility index (FI) and the fragility quotient (FQ) were calculated for each individual outcome event, and the overall FI and FQ were determined for all included studies. RESULTS: A total of 22 comparative studies comprising 11 randomized controlled trials and 11 nonrandomized trials were included for the analysis. A total of 75 outcome events underwent a fragility analysis and revealed a median FI and FQ of 3 (interquartile range [IQR], 1-5) and 0.043 (IQR, 0.018-0.081), respectively. Also 27% of included studies reported loss to follow-up greater than the overall FI, therefore suggesting the maintenance of the follow-up may have resulted in the reversal of significance. CONCLUSION: The result of the comprehensive fragility analysis demonstrated a lack of robustness in PFI research with the alteration of only a few outcome events required to reverse statistical significance. We therefore recommend the triple reporting of the P value, the FI, and the FQ to aid in the interpretation of the statistical integrity of future comparative trials in the PFI literature.

Current Trends in Orthobiologics: An 11-Year Review of the Orthopaedic Literature.

BACKGROUND: The use of "orthobiologics" or regenerative therapies in orthopaedic surgery has grown in recent years. Particular interest has been raised with regard to platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate, adipose-derived cells, and amniotic cells. Although studies have analyzed outcomes after orthobiologic treatment, no study has analyzed how the literature as a whole has evolved. PURPOSE: To evaluate trends in platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate, adipose-derived cells, and amniotic cell publications and to assess how these might inform efforts to establish minimum reporting standards and forecast future use. STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: A database was compiled systematically using PubMed to identify articles published between 2009 and 2019 within 9 prominent orthopaedic journals and pertaining to the use of platelet-rich plasma, bone marrow aspirate, adipose-derived cells, and amniotic cells in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions. Included articles were classified as clinical, nonclinical (translational or basic science), or review, and a variety of study parameters were recorded for each. Additional queries were performed to identify articles that utilized minimum reporting standards. RESULTS: A total of 474 articles (132 clinical, 271 nonclinical, 71 review) were included, consisting of 244 (51.5%) platelet-rich plasma, 146 (30.8%) bone marrow aspirate, 72 (15.2%) adipose-derived cells, and 12 (2.5%) amniotic cells. The greatest annual increase in publications for each orthobiologic topic was from 2018 to 2019. The American Journal of Sports Medicine demonstrated the highest number of overall (34.2%) and clinical (50.0%) publications, and accounted for 44.3% of all platelet-rich plasma publications. The Journal of Orthopaedic Research accounted for the second highest overall number of publications (24.9%) and highest nonclinical publications (41.0%). Platelet-rich plasma accounted for 91.5% of all level 1 clinical studies, while much greater than half of bone marrow aspirate, adipose-derived cells, and amniotic cell publications were level 3 or lower. Out of the 207 articles that used some form of reporting protocol, 59 (28.5%) used an established algorithm and 125 (60.4%) used their own. CONCLUSION: Interest in orthobiologics continues to grow, as evidenced by an increasing trend in publications over an 11-year period. However, current reporting on orthobiologic formulations is largely heterogeneous, emphasizing the need for minimum reporting standards and higher-quality studies.