Fifteen Years of Spinal Fusion Outcomes in Children With Cerebral Palsy: Are We Getting Better?

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective multicenter study. OBJECTIVE: We reviewed 15-year trends in operative factors, radiographic and quality of life outcomes, and complication rates in children with cerebral palsy (CP)-related scoliosis who underwent spinal fusion. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Over the past two decades, significant efforts have been made to decrease complications and improve outcomes of this population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed a multicenter registry of pediatric CP patients who underwent spinal fusion from 2008 to 2020. We evaluated baseline and operative, hospitalization, and complication data as well as radiographic and quality of life outcomes at a minimum 2-year follow-up. RESULTS: Mean estimated blood loss and transfusion volume declined from 2.7±2.0 L in 2008 to 0.71±0.34 L in 2020 and 1.0±0.5 L in 2008 to 0.5±0.2 L in 2020, respectively, with a concomitant increase in antifibrinolytic use from 58% to 97% (all, P <0.01). Unit rod and pelvic fusion use declined from 33% in 2008 to 0% in 2020 and 96% in 2008 to 79% in 2020, respectively (both, P <0.05). Mean postoperative intubation time declined from 2.5±2.6 to 0.42±0.63 days ( P< 0.01). No changes were observed in preoperative and postoperative coronal angle and pelvic obliquity, operative time, frequency of anterior/anterior-posterior approach, and durations of hospital and intensive care unit stays. Improvements in the Caregiver Priorities and Child Health Index of Life with Disabilities postoperatively did not change significantly over the study period. Complication rates, including reoperation, superficial and deep surgical site infection, and gastrointestinal and medical complications remained stable over the study period. CONCLUSIONS: Over the past 15 years of CP scoliosis surgery, surgical blood loss, transfusion volumes, duration of postoperative intubation, and pelvic fusion rates have decreased. However, the degree of radiographic correction, the rates of surgical and medical complications (including infection), and health-related quality of life measures have broadly remained constant.

The Effect of Socioeconomic Deprivation on Radiographic Deformities in Children With Blount Disease.

BACKGROUND: Blount disease can occur at any time during the growth process, primarily with a bimodal distribution in children younger than 4 years old and adolescents. The disease process most commonly presents in Black adolescents, with disease severity positively correlated with obesity. Given the known associations among race, obesity, and socioeconomic status, we investigated the relationship between the degree of social deprivation and severity of lower extremity deformities among a community-based cohort with Blount disease. METHODS: A retrospective review of hospital records and radiographs of patients with previously untreated Blount disease was conducted. Patients were classified as having early-onset or late-onset Blount disease based on whether the lower limb deformity was noted before or after the age of 4 years. The area deprivation index (ADI), a nationally validated measure that assesses socioeconomic deprivation by residential neighborhood, was calculated for each patient as a surrogate for socioeconomic status. Higher state (range: 1 to 10) or national (range: 1 to 100) ADI corresponds to increased social deprivation. Full-length standing radiographs from index clinic visits were evaluated by 2 reviewers to measure frontal plane deformity. The association of ADI with various demographic and radiographic parameters was then analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 65 patients with Blount disease, 48 (74%) children were Black and 17 (26%) were non-black children. Nineteen children (32 limbs) had early-onset and 46 children (62 limbs) had late-onset disease. Black patients had significantly higher mean state (7.6 vs. 5.4, P =0.009) and national (55.1 vs. 37.4, P =0.002) ADI values than non-black patients. Patients with severe socioeconomic deprivation had significantly greater mechanical axis deviation (66 mm vs. 51 mm, P =0.008). After controlling demographic and socioeconomic factors, the results of multivariate linear regression showed that only increased body mass index (ß=0.19, 95% CI: 0.12-0.26, P <.001) and state ADI (ß=0.021, 95% CI: 0.01-0.53, P =.043) were independently associated with greater varus deformity. CONCLUSIONS: Socioeconomic deprivation was strongly associated with increased severity of varus deformity in children with late-onset Blount disease. Our analysis suggests that obesity and socioeconomic factors are the most influential with regard to disease progression. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Match Rates Among Underrepresented Minority and Female Applicants to Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Programs from 2011 to 2021: How Are We Doing?

Background: Orthopaedic surgery residency programs have traditionally had less representation of underrepresented minority (URM) and female trainees compared with other medical specialties. Widespread efforts have been implemented to increase the diversity of orthopaedic surgery residency programs; however, it is not known whether URM and female applicants are increasingly likely to match as a result. Thus, we aimed to study the independent association between URM and female applicants and matching into orthopaedic surgery over the past decade. Methods: Applicant-level data from the Electronic Residency Application Service were reviewed from 2011 to 2021 with variables including demographic variables, URM status, and matriculation to an orthopaedic surgery residency program. Multivariate logistic regression was used to identify the likelihood of matriculating into orthopaedic surgery when controlling for number of applications, top 40 medical school status, AOA status, and MD/other degree. Results: Twelve thousand one hundred eleven applicants were identified from 2011 to 2021 with a match rate of 70% overall. Two thousand fifty-six applicants (17%) were female and 1,926 (16%) classified as URM. The total number of applications increased from 1,074 in 2011 to 1,229 in 2021. The adjusted odds ratio (OR) associated with matching among all applicants decreased from 0.75 in 2011 to 0.64 in 2021, p < 0.001, and the OR of non-URM male and female applicants also decreased (female: 0.79-0.69, p < 0.001; male: 0.78-0.65, p < 0.001). The OR of URM male applicants did not change significantly (0.57-0.55, p = 0.60). The OR for URM female applicants, however, increased significantly from 0.46 to 0.61, p < 0.001. Over the entire time frame, the odds of matching were significantly lower for URM applicants compared with non-URM applicants (both male and female). Conclusions: Overall, the adjusted odds ratio of matching into orthopaedic surgery among female URM applicants has increased over the past decade, indicating successful efforts to improve the diversity of orthopaedic surgery training programs. The odds of URM male applicants have remained relatively constant, and the odds of URM male and female applicants were significantly lower than all non-URM applicants. Level of Evidence: III.

Updating the Evidence: Systematic Literature Review of Risk Factors and Strategies for Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Surgical Site Infection After Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Surgical site infection (SSI) is a major potential complication following pediatric spinal deformity surgery that is associated with significant morbidity and increased costs. Despite this, SSI rates remain high and variable across institutions, in part due to a lack of up-to-date, comprehensive prevention, and treatment protocols. Furthermore, few attempts have been made to review the optimal diagnostic modalities and treatment strategies for SSI following scoliosis surgery. The aim of this study was to systematically review current literature on risk factors for SSI in pediatric patients undergoing scoliosis surgery, as well as strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. METHODS: On January 19, 2022, a systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies reporting risk factors for acute, deep SSI (<90 d) or strategies for prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of SSI following pediatric scoliosis surgery were included. Each included article was assigned a level of evidence rating based on study design and quality. Extracted findings were organized into risk factors, preventive strategies, diagnostic modalities, and treatment options and each piece of evidence was graded based on quality, quantity, and consistency of underlying data. RESULTS: A total of 77 studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review, of which 2 were categorized as Level I, 3 as Level II, 64 as Level III, and 8 as Level IV. From these studies, a total of 29 pieces of evidence (grade C or higher) regarding SSI risk factors, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment were synthesized. CONCLUSIONS: We present an updated review of published evidence for defining high-risk patients and preventing, diagnosing, and treating SSI after pediatric scoliosis surgery. The collated evidence presented herein may help limit variability in practice and decrease the incidence of SSI in pediatric spine surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-systematic review.

Outcomes of Growth-friendly Instrumentation in Osteogenesis Imperfecta: A Preliminary Report.

BACKGROUND: There is limited literature on the outcomes in patients with osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) undergoing growth-friendly instrumentation (GFI). The purpose of this study was to report the outcomes of GFI in patients with early-onset scoliosis (EOS) and OI. We hypothesized that similar trunk elongation could be obtained in OI patients, but with higher complication rates. METHODS: A multicenter database was studied for patients with EOS and OI etiology who had GFI from 2005 to 2020, with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Demographic, radiographic, clinical, and patient-reported outcomes data were collected and compared with an idiopathic EOS cohort matched 2:1 for age, follow-up duration, and curve magnitude. RESULTS: Fifteen OI patients underwent GFI at a mean age of 7.3±3.0 years, with an average follow-up of 7.3±3.9 years. OI patients had a mean preoperative coronal curve of 78.1±14.5 and achieved 35% correction after index surgery. There were no differences in major coronal curves and coronal percent correction between the OI and idiopathic groups at all time points. T1-S1 length (cm) was lower for the OI group at baseline (23.3±4.6 vs. 27.7±7.0; P =0.028) but both groups had similar growth (mm) per month (1.0±0.6 vs. 1.2±1.1; P =0.491). OI patients had a significantly increased risk of proximal anchor failure, which occurred in 8 OI patients (53%) versus 6 idiopathic patients (20%) ( P =0.039). OI patients who underwent preoperative halo-traction (N=4) had greater T1-S1 length gain (11.8±3.2 vs. 7.3±2.8; P =0.022) and greater percent major coronal curve correction (45±11 vs. 23±17; P =0.042) at final follow-up versus patients with no halo-traction (N=11). Staged foundation fusion was performed in 2 cases. CONCLUSION: Compared with matched idiopathic EOS patients, OI patients undergoing GFI achieved similar radiographic outcomes but sustained greater rates of anchor failures, likely due to weakened bone. Preoperative halo-traction was a useful adjunct and may improve final correction. Staged foundation fusion is an idea to consider for difficult cases. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic-III.

Disparities in Elective Spine Surgery for Medicaid Beneficiaries: A Systematic Review.

STUDY DESIGN: Systematic review. OBJECTIVES: We sought to synthesize the literature investigating the disparities that Medicaid patients sustain with regards to 2 types of elective spine surgery, lumbar fusion (LF) and anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). METHODS: Our review was constructed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and protocol. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, CINAHL, and Web of Science databases. We included studies comparing Medicaid beneficiaries to other payer categories with regards to rates of LF and ACDF, costs/reimbursement, and health outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 573 articles were assessed. Twenty-five articles were included in the analysis. We found that the literature is consistent with regards to Medicaid disparities. Medicaid was strongly associated with decreased access to LF and ACDF, lower reimbursement rates, and worse health outcomes (such as higher rates of readmission and emergency department utilization) compared to other insurance categories. CONCLUSIONS: In adult patients undergoing elective spine surgery, Medicaid insurance is associated with wide disparities with regards to access to care and health outcomes. Efforts should focus on identifying causes and interventions for such disparities in this vulnerable population.

The spectrum of foot deformities in Loeys-Dietz syndrome.

Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) is characterized by a wide spectrum of musculoskeletal manifestations, including foot deformities. The spectrum of foot deformities in LDS has not been previously characterized. Our objective was to describe the incidence and characteristics of foot deformities in LDS. We retrospectively reviewed the demographic, clinical and imaging data for patients diagnosed with LDS who were seen at our Orthopedic surgery department from 2008 to 2021. We performed descriptive analyses and compared distributions of deformities by LDS genetic mutations. Of the 120 patients studied, most presented for evaluation of foot deformities ( N = 56, 47%) and scoliosis ( N = 45; 38%). Ninety-seven patients (81%) had at least one foot deformity, and 87% of these patients had bilateral foot deformities. The most common deformities were pes planovalgus (53%) and talipes equinovarus (34%). Of patients with foot deformities, 58% presented for evaluation of the feet. Of patients with pes planovalgus, only 17% presented for evaluation of the feet. Among patients with pes planovalgus, 2% underwent surgery and 16% used orthotics compared with 76% and 42%, respectively, for patients with talipes equinovarus. We found no association between deformities and genetic mutations. Bilateral foot deformities are highly prevalent in patients with LDS and are the most common reason for presentation to orthopedic surgeons. Although pes planovalgus is the most common deformity, it rarely prompted surgical treatment. Orthopedic surgeons treating LDS patients should be aware of the unique characteristics of foot deformities in LDS.

Temporary internal distraction for severe scoliosis: two-year minimum follow-up.

PURPOSE: Temporary internal distraction (TID) is a surgical technique used to correct severe scoliosis. We sought to evaluate the long-term outcomes associated with temporary internal distraction (TID) for severe scoliosis. METHODS: Scoliosis patients who underwent TID from 2006 to 2019 at a single institution were identified. Patients with coronal Cobb angles ≥ 90° or congenital scoliosis, and ≥ 2-year follow-up were included. Clinical and imaging data were reviewed for patient and operative characteristics and complications. Patient-reported outcomes were also analyzed. RESULTS: 51 patients (37 female) were included. Mean age at surgery was 14.3 ± 3.5 years. Mean follow-up was 5.8 ± 3.0 years. Eighteen (35%) curves were idiopathic, 24 (47%) were cerebral palsy (CP) related, and 9 (18%) were congenital. Mean Cobb angle was 103° preoperatively and 20° at final follow-up, with an intermediate angle of 55º in staged procedures. Intraoperative neuromonitoring changes occurred in 13 (25.4%) cases, but all returned to baseline with immediate lessening of distraction. Overall, three (5.8%) cases of wound dehiscence, five (9.7%) cases of deep infections, one (2%) case of screw protrusion, and one (2%) case of delayed extremity weakness occurred. Patient-reported outcomes significantly improved at final follow-up. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that TID is a valuable adjunct for correcting severe scoliosis. The mean Cobb reduction achieved (81%) was higher than that reported for halo-traction and was sustained over long-term follow-up. TID also allowed a shorter a hospital stay. While intraoperative neuromonitoring changes were not uncommon, they were reversible. However, care must always be exercised as major corrections may rarely result in delayed neurologic deficits despite intact neuromonitoring. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic-Level III.

AAMC Guidance on Interviewing for the 2022-2023 Residency Application Cycle: Orthopaedic Program Director Perspectives.

In May 2022, the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) published guidelines regarding interviews for the 2022-2023 residency application cycle. These guidelines recommended virtual interviews and discouraged "hybrid" interviewing. We conducted a survey of orthopaedic program directors (PDs) to understand their perspectives on these new guidelines and their plans for the upcoming cycle. Methods: A 19-question multicenter, cross-sectional research survey was emailed to 98 PDs (38.8% response rate) through Qualtrics XM. Contact information was obtained from a public national database. Results: Most orthopaedic residency programs (60.5%) were planning on conducting in-person interviews before any AAMC and hospital guidelines, and most (65.8%) will likely be conducting virtual interviews post-guidelines. PDs voiced mixed opinions about virtual interviews (39.4% in favor vs. 47.4% against). PDs were also split on whether forgoing the AAMC guidance would be irresponsible for residency programs (47.4% believe it would be irresponsible vs. 44.8% believe it would not); however, a plurality are in favor of the AAMC's guidance (42.1%). Furthermore, PDs agreed that virtual interviews have disadvantages including favoring top-tier applicants, students from home institutions, and in-person rotators, making ranking applicants and learning about a program's culture more difficult. Most PDs (84.2%) felt that hybrid interviews would disadvantage applicants who would choose the virtual option. Conclusion: AAMC guidance seems to be influencing how most orthopaedic surgery programs will conduct residency interviews for the 2022-2023 cycle. Most PDs agreed with the AAMC guidelines but voiced concerns regarding several disadvantages for all 3 proposed interview options (virtual, in-person, and hybrid). Our results indicate that the recent AAMC guidelines may have contributed to a shift in opinions among PDs but are not sufficient to create a consensus on the best practices for residency interviews. Our findings should encourage solutions focused on the deeper systemic issues within the orthopaedic application process in the post-coronavirus 2019 pandemic era.

Early Postoperative Complications in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasties Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Analysis of 38,234 Patients.

Background: The outcomes of total joint arthroplasty during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are unknown. We sought to compare early postoperative complications in total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database who had THA or TKA in the latter halves (July to December) of 2019 and 2020 were identified. Patients were divided into pre-COVID-19 (2019) and during-COVID-19 (2020) cohorts. Propensity score matching and logistic regression were used to detect correlations between operative period and outcomes. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05. Results: A total of 38,234 THA and 61,956 TKA patients were included. There was a significantly higher rate of outpatient procedures in 2020 than that in 2019 for both THA (41.68% vs 6.59%, P < .001) and TKA (41.68% vs 7.56%, P < .001). On matched analysis, surgery in 2020 had lower odds of hospital stay for >1 day (THA: odds ratio [OR] 0.889; P < .001) (TKA: OR 0.644; P < .001) and nonhome discharge (THA: 0.655; P < .001) (TKA: 0.497; P < .001). There was also increased odds of superficial surgical site infection in THA (OR 1.272; P = .040) and myocardial infarction in TKA patients (OR 1.488; P = .042) in 2020 compared to those in 2019. There was no difference in the 15 other outcomes assessed. Conclusions: Total joint arthroplasty surgery remains safe despite the COVID-19 pandemic. A statistically significant increase was detected in superficial surgical site infection and myocardial infarction risk during 2020 compared to 2019; however, the clinical significance of this is questionable. A shift away from inpatient stay was also present, possibly reflecting efforts to minimize nosocomial exposure to COVID-19.

Best Practice Guidelines for Surgical Site Infection in High-risk Pediatric Spine Surgery: Definition, Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment.

BACKGROUND: Prior "best practice guidelines" (BPG) have identified strategies to reduce the risk of acute deep surgical site infection (SSI), but there still exists large variability in practice. Further, there is still no consensus on which patients are "high risk" for SSI and how SSI should be diagnosed or treated in pediatric spine surgery. We sought to develop an updated, consensus-based BPG informed by available literature and expert opinion on defining high-SSI risk in pediatric spine surgery and on prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of SSI in this high-risk population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: After a systematic review of the literature, an expert panel of 21 pediatric spine surgeons was selected from the Harms Study Group based on extensive experience in the field of pediatric spine surgery. Using the Delphi process and iterative survey rounds, the expert panel was surveyed for current practices, presented with the systematic review, given the opportunity to voice opinions through a live discussion session and asked to vote regarding preferences privately. Two survey rounds were conducted electronically, after which a live conference was held to present and discuss results. A final electronic survey was then conducted for final voting. Agreement ≥70% was considered consensus. Items near consensus were revised if feasible to achieve consensus in subsequent surveys. RESULTS: Consensus was reached for 17 items for defining high-SSI risk, 17 items for preventing, 6 for diagnosing, and 9 for treating SSI in this high-risk population. After final voting, all 21 experts agreed to the publication and implementation of these items in their practice. CONCLUSIONS: We present a set of updated consensus-based BPGs for defining high-risk and preventing, diagnosing, and treating SSI in high-risk pediatric spine surgery. We believe that this BPG can limit variability in practice and decrease the incidence of SSI in pediatric spine surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Not applicable.

Height Gain After Spinal Fusion for Idiopathic Scoliosis: Which Model Fits Best?

BACKGROUND: Patients will often inquire about the magnitude of height gain after scoliosis surgery. Several published models have attempted to predict height gain using preoperative variables. Many of these models reported good internal validity but have not been validated against an external cohort. We attempted to test the validity of 5 published models against an external cohort from our institution. Models included were Hwang, Van Popta, Spencer, Watanabe, and Sarlak models. METHODS: We retrospectively queried our institution's records from 2006 to 2019 for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis treated with posterior spinal fusion. We recorded preoperative and postoperative variables including clinical height measurements. We also performed radiographic measurements on preoperative and postoperative radiographic studies. We then tested the ability of the models to predict height gain by evaluating Pearson correlation coefficient, root mean square error, Akaike Information Criterion for each model. RESULTS: A total of 387 patients were included. Mean clinical height gain was 3.1 (±1.7) cm.All models demonstrated a moderate positive Pearson correlation coefficient, except the Hwang model, which demonstrated a weak correlation. The Spencer model was the only model with acceptable root mean square error (≤0.5) and was also the best fitting with the lowest Akaike Information Criterion (-308). The mean differences in height gain predictions between all models except the Hwang model was ≤1 cm. CONCLUSIONS: Four of the 5 models demonstrated moderate correlation and had good external validity compared with their development cohorts. Although the Spencer model was the best fitting, the clinical significance of the difference in height predictions compared with other models was low. The Watanabe model was the second best fitting and had the simplest formula, making it the most convenient to use in a clinical setting. We offer a simplified equation to use in a preoperative clinical setting based on this data-ΔHeight (mm)=0.77*(preoperative coronal angle-postoperative coronal angle). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Not Applicable.

Emergency Department Visits After Outpatient Spine Surgery.

STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective study. OBJECTIVE: This study sought to characterize the incidence and timing of postoperative emergency department (ED) visits after common outpatient spinal surgeries performed at ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and at hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Outpatient spine surgery has markedly grown in popularity over the past decade. The incidence of ED visits after outpatient spine surgery is not well established. METHODS: This study was a retrospective analysis of a large commercial claims insurance database of patients 65 years old and below. Patients who underwent single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion, laminectomy, and microdiscectomy were identified. Incidence, timing, and diagnoses associated with ED visits within the postoperative global period (90 d) after surgery were assessed. RESULTS: In total, 202,202 patients received outpatient spine surgery (19.1% in ASC vs. 80.9% in HOPD). Collectively, there were 22,198 ED visits during the 90-day postoperative period. Approximately 9.0% of patients had at least 1 ED visit, and the incidence varied by procedure: anterior cervical discectomy and fusion 9.9%, laminectomy 9.5%, and microdiscectomy 8.5% ( P <0.0001). After adjusting for age, sex, and comorbidity index, the odds of at least 1 ED visit were higher among patients who received surgery at HOPD versus ASC for all 3 procedures. The majority (56.1%) ED visits occurred during the first month postoperatively; 30.8% (n=6841) occurred within the first week postoperatively, and 10.7% (n=2370) occurred on the same day as the surgery. Postoperative pain was the most common reason for ED visits. CONCLUSIONS: Among commercially insured patients who received outpatient spine surgery, the incidence of ED visits during the 90-day postoperative period was ~9%. Our results indicate opportunities for improved postoperative care planning after outpatient spinal surgery.

Patient Out-of-Pocket Cost Burden With Elective Orthopaedic Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for medical and surgical care can result in substantial financial burden for patients and families. Relatively little is known regarding OOP costs for commercially insured patients receiving orthopaedic surgery. The aim of this study is to analyze the trends in OOP costs for common, elective orthopaedic surgeries performed in the hospital inpatient setting. METHODS: This study used an employer-sponsored insurance claims database to analyze billing data of commercially insured patients who underwent elective orthopaedic surgery between 2014 and 2019. Patients who received single-level anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF), single-level posterior lumbar fusion (PLF), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and total hip arthroplasty (THA) were identified. OOP costs associated with the surgical episode were calculated as the sum of deductible payments, copayments, and coinsurance. Monetary data were adjusted to 2019 dollars. General linear regression, Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney, and Kruskal-Wallis tests were used for analysis, as appropriate. RESULTS: In total, 10,225 ACDF, 28,841 PLF, 70,815 THA, and 108,940 TKA patients were analyzed. Most patients in our study sample had preferred provider organization insurance plans (ACDF 70.3%, PLF 66.9%, THA 66.2%, and TKA 67.0%). The mean OOP costs for patients, by procedure, were as follows: ACDF $3,180 (SD = 2,495), PLF $3,166 (SD = 2,529), THA $2,884 (SD = 2,100), and TKA $2,733 (SD = 1,994). Total OOP costs increased significantly from 2014 to 2019 for all procedures (P < 0.0001). Among the insurance plans examined, patients with high-deductible health plans had the highest episodic OOP costs. The ratio of patient contribution (OOP costs) to total insurer contribution (payments from insurers to providers) was 0.07 for ACDF, 0.04 for PLF, 0.07 for THA, and 0.07 for TKA. CONCLUSION: Among commercially insured patients who underwent elective spinal fusion and major lower extremity joint arthroplasty surgery, OOP costs increased from 2014 to 2019. The OOP costs for elective orthopaedic surgery represent a substantial and increasing financial burden for patients.

Prescription Patterns, Associated Factors, and Outcomes of Opioids for Operative Foot and Ankle Fractures: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: Pain management after foot and ankle surgery must surmount unique challenges that are not present in orthopaedic surgery performed on other parts of the body. However, disparate and inconsistent evidence makes it difficult to draw meaningful conclusions from individual studies. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: In this systematic review, we asked: what are (1) the patterns of opioid use or prescription (quantity, duration, incidence of persistent use), (2) factors associated with increased or decreased risk of persistent opioid use, and (3) the clinical outcomes (principally pain relief and adverse events) associated with opioid use in patients undergoing foot or ankle fracture surgery? METHODS: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines for our review. We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science on October 15, 2021. We included studies published from 2010 to 2021 that assessed patterns of opioid use, factors associated with increased or decreased opioid use, and other outcomes associated with opioid use after foot or ankle fracture surgery (principally pain relief and adverse events). We excluded studies on pediatric populations and studies focused on acute postoperative pain where short-term opioid use (< 1 week) was a secondary outcome only. A total of 1713 articles were assessed and 18 were included. The quality of the 16 included retrospective observational studies and two randomized trials was evaluated using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies criteria and the Jadad scale, respectively; study quality was determined to be low to moderate for observational studies and good for randomized trials. Mean patient age ranged from 42 to 53 years. Fractures studied included unimalleolar, bimalleolar, trimalleolar, and pilon fractures. RESULTS: Proportions of postoperative persistent opioid use (defined as use beyond 3 or 6 months postoperatively) ranged from 2.6% (546 of 20,992) to 18.5% (32 of 173) and reached 39% (28 of 72) when including patients with prior opioid use. Among the numerous associations reported by observational studies, two or more preoperative opioid prescriptions had the strongest overall association with increased opioid use, but this was assessed by only one study (OR 11.92 [95% confidence interval (CI) 9.16 to 13.30]; p < 0.001). Meanwhile, spinal and regional anesthesia (-13.5 to -41.1 oral morphine equivalents (OME) difference; all p < 0.01) and postoperative ketorolac use (40 OME difference; p = 0.037) were associated with decreased opioid consumption in two observational studies and a randomized trial, respectively. Three observational studies found that opioid use preoperatively was associated with a higher proportion of emergency department visits and readmission (OR 1.41 to 17.4; all p < 0.001), and opioid use at 2 weeks postoperatively was associated with slightly higher pain scores compared with nonopioid regimens (ß = 0.042; p < 0.001 and Likert scale 2.5 versus 1.6; p < 0.05) in one study. CONCLUSION: Even after noting possible inflation of the harms of opioids in this review, our findings nonetheless highlight the need for opioid prescription guidelines specific for foot and ankle surgery. In this context, surgeons should utilize short (< 1 week) opioid prescriptions, regional anesthesia, and multimodal pain management techniques, especially in patients at increased risk of prolonged opioid use. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.

Critically Appraising the Quality of Reporting of American College of Surgeons TQIP Studies in the Era of Large Data Research.

BACKGROUND: The American College of Surgeons-Trauma Quality Improvement Program (ACS-TQIP) database is one of the most widely used databases for trauma research. We aimed to critically appraise the quality of the methodological reporting of ACS-TQIP studies. STUDY DESIGN: The ACS-TQIP bibliography was queried for all studies published between January 2018 and January 2021. The quality of data reporting was assessed using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational studies in Epidemiology-Reporting of Studies Conducted Using Observational Routinely Collected Health Data (STROBE-RECORD) statement and the JAMA Surgery checklist. Three items from each tool were not applicable and thus excluded. The quality of reporting was compared between high- and low-impact factor (IF) journals (cutoff for high IF is >90th percentile of all surgical journals). RESULTS: A total of 118 eligible studies were included; 12 (10%) were published in high-IF journals. The median (interquartile range) number of criteria fulfilled was 5 (4-6) for the STROBE-RECORD statement (of 10 items) and 5 (5-6) for the JAMA Surgery checklist (of 7 items). Specifically, 73% of studies did not describe the patient population selection process, 61% did not address data cleaning or the implications of missing values, and 76% did not properly state inclusion/exclusion criteria and/or outcome variables. Studies published in high-IF journals had remarkably higher quality of reporting than those in low-IF journals. CONCLUSION: The methodological reporting quality of ACS-TQIP studies remains suboptimal. Future efforts should focus on improving adherence to standard reporting guidelines to mitigate potential bias and improve the reproducibility of published studies.

Talipes Equinovarus in Loeys-Dietz Syndrome.

BACKGROUND: Loeys-Dietz syndrome (LDS) commonly presents with foot deformities, such as talipes equinovarus (TEV), also known as "clubfoot." Although much is known about the treatment of idiopathic TEV, very little is known about the treatment of TEV in LDS. Here, we summarize the clinical characteristics of patients with LDS and TEV and compare clinical and patient-reported outcomes of operative versus nonoperative treatment. METHODS: We identified 47 patients with TEV from a cohort of 252 patients with LDS who presented to our academic tertiary care hospital from 2010 to 2016. A questionnaire, electronic health records, clinical photos and radiographs, and telephone calls were used to collect baseline, treatment, and outcome data. The validated disease-specific instrument was used to determine patient-reported foot/ankle functional limitations after treatment. Patients were categorized into nonoperative and operative groups, with the operative group subcategorized according to whether the posteromedial release was performed. RESULTS: Within our TEV cohort, bilateral TEV was present in 40 patients (85%). Thirty-seven patients underwent surgery (14 involving posteromedial release), and 10 were treated nonoperatively. The operative group had a higher incidence of posttreatment foot/ankle functional limitation (71%) than the nonoperative group (25%) ( P =0.04). The pain was the most common functional limitation (54%). The posteromedial release was associated with a higher incidence of developing hindfoot valgus compared with surgery not involving posteromedial release (43% vs. 8.7%, P =0.04) and compared with nonoperative treatment (43% vs. 0.0%, P =0.02). CONCLUSIONS: We found that patients with LDS have a high incidence of bilateral TEV. Operative treatment was associated with posttreatment foot/ankle functional limitations, and posteromedial release was associated with hindfoot valgus overcorrection deformity. These findings could have implications for the planning of surgery for TEV in LDS patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective comparative study.

Temporary Internal Distraction for Severe Scoliosis.

Temporary internal distraction (TID) is a surgical technique that can be utilized to correct severe scoliotic deformities. It allows the correction of severe curves (i.e., exceeding 90° to 100°) while minimizing the risk of neurologic injury associated with large corrections1,2. Description: TID can be performed as a single or staged procedure. During the first part, cephalad anchors are placed on the spine or ribs, and caudad anchors are placed on the spine or pelvis. Temporary distraction rods are inserted, osteotomies and/or releases are performed, and iterative distractions are utilized for the duration of the procedure. If adequate correction is achieved, the final fusion may be completed at this time. If not, a staged approach may be performed: the wound is closed and the patient is returned to the operating room 1 to 3 weeks later, at which time the temporary rods are removed, further distraction is performed, and the final fusion instrumentation is placed. Around 80% to 90% cumulative correction of the major coronal angle should be achievable. Alternatives: The mainstay of treatment for large scoliotic curves is typically surgical correction and fusion. The main alternative to TID is traditional halo-gravity traction followed by fusion3-5. In rare cases, nonoperative treatment may be appropriate if comorbidities and/or prognoses that preclude surgery exist. Rationale: Halo traction is an effective adjunct for the treatment of large scoliotic curves; nonetheless, it has several disadvantages. First, halo traction requires a prolonged hospital stay with restriction of mobility and interference with daily activities. Second, this procedure may be less effective in cases of lumbar deformity, in which halo traction achieves limited tensile forces. Third, this procedure is associated with several risks, such as cranial nerve injuries and pin track complications3-6. Finally, halo traction is contraindicated for certain conditions, such as cervical instability.TID, on the other hand, involves the application of iterative corrective forces directly to the area of deformity, allowing a stronger correction1. TID takes advantage of the viscoelastic nature of the spine to achieve a higher percent correction compared with halo traction, with a low risk of neurologic injury1,2. TID also avoids the prolonged hospital stay, mobility restriction, and complications associated with halo traction. When performed as a staged procedure, TID allows accurate assessment of neurologic function with the patient awake and moving.TID is most effective for severe scoliotic multisegment deformities rather than short rigid curves, which are better treated by osteotomies. Expected Outcomes: This procedure provides satisfactory outcomes and a low risk of complications. In our retrospective case series, TID resulted in a mean major coronal angle correction of 53% after the first distraction and 80% to 90% after definitive fusion1. The overall percent correction was higher than that reported for halo traction1.The major risks of TID include infection and spinal injury. The risk of infection is decreased by antibiotic prophylaxis, perioperative nutritional optimization, and careful soft-tissue handling and wound closure. The risk of spinal cord injury is decreased by intraoperative neuromonitoring. Neuromonitoring changes occur in around 40% of cases, but these are almost always reversible and seldom lead to neurologic deficits if detected and appropriately treated, as described below2.Although risks exist, no complications have occurred among the 32 cases we presented in our series1,2. Important Tips: Temporary anchors should be expected to loosen during distraction. Therefore, temporary anchors must be placed strategically so as to not jeopardize the purchase of the final implants.Gradual corrections must be performed over time, utilizing the viscoelastic nature of the spine to minimize risk of neurologic injury.Accurate neuromonitoring is essential for this procedure.If neuromonitoring changes occur, distraction must be stopped and the correction attained must be decreased. Acronyms and Abbreviations: TID = temporary internal distractionLIV = lowest instrumented vertebraAP = anteroposteriorTP = transverse processSAI = sacral-alar-iliacMAP = mean arterial pressureTPN = total parenteral nutritionVCR = vertebral column resectionJIS = juvenile idiopathic scoliosisAIS = adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.