Perioperative Management in the Collegiate Athlete: An Integrated Approach.

Collegiate athletes face rigorous physical, academic, and emotional demands. While significant attention has been paid to injury prevention among young athletes in the past two decades, orthopedic injury rates remain high among collegiate athletes, and a significant number will undergo surgical management for injuries each year. In this narrative review, we describe techniques for perioperative management of pain and stress after surgery in collegiate athletes. In particular, we outline pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic management of surgical pain, with a goal of minimizing opiate consumption. We emphasize a multi-disciplinary approach to optimizing post-operative recovery in collegiate athletes help minimize reliance on opiate pain medication. Additionally, we recommend that institutional resources should be harnessed to support athletes in their well-being, from a nutritional, psychological and sleep standpoint. Critical to success in perioperative pain management is the communication among the athletic medicine team members and with the athlete and family to address pain and stress management and encourage timely, safe return to play.

Opiate Use Patterns Among Collegiate Athletes.

OBJECTIVE/AIM: The purpose of this study is to determine the rates of prescribed opiate use and misuse among current collegiate athletes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was an observational survey study conducted at a single institution; Division I Collegiate Athletics Department. The participants in the study were current Division I Collegiate Student-Athletes. The survey queried athletes' age, gender, and history of injury or orthopedic surgery before and during college. Athletes were asked about prior opiate prescriptions, length of medication use, and reasons for opiate use. RESULTS: Of196 student-athlete respondents, the average age was 20.1 years and 62.8% were female. Pre-collegiate orthopedic injuries/surgeries were reported by 45.4% of athletes, of which 40.4% received an opiate prescription. Collegiate orthopedic injuries/surgeries were reported by 28.6% of athletes; 46.4% received an opiate prescription. Fifty-two student-athletes (26.5%) had received an opiate prescription after an orthopedic injury or surgery. The length of opiate use was most commonly 2 weeks or less. Female athletes had a higher rate of collegiate injuries (P<0.05) and a nonsignificant trend towards more opiate prescriptions. Among the 26 student-athletes who received collegiate opiate prescriptions, the reasons for taking opiates were most commonly pain (84.6%) and sleep (46.2%). Opiate use outside of prescribed indication was present in 14 athletes (7.1% of the total); 12 were female. CONCLUSION: A quarter of collegiate student-athletes had received an opiate prescription due to orthopedic injury or surgery, with a small subset using opiates for non-analgesic functions. Future research should examine risk factors for opiate misuse among collegiate athletes.

Comparison of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears Treated Nonoperatively Versus With Reconstruction: Risk of Subsequent Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears can be devastating injuries, leading to joint instability, meniscal tears, and subsequent arthritis. It is unknown whether ACL reconstruction (ACLR) alters the natural history of joint degeneration in the ACL-deficient knee compared with nonoperative treatment, and few studies have examined outcomes in middle-aged patients. PURPOSE: The objective of this study was to compare the midterm risk of subsequent ipsilateral knee surgery in middle-aged patients after an ACL injury treated with initial conservative (nonoperative) management (CM) versus ACLR (operative management [OM]) within 6 months of the diagnosis. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: We performed an electronic database search from 2011 to 2012 for all patients aged 35 to 55 years with an initial diagnosis of magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed ACL tear. Patients who elected CM and those who underwent ACLR within 6 months of the diagnosis (OM) were identified. Index patient and clinical characteristics were collected from the health record. All patients were longitudinally observed until August 31, 2017. The primary outcome was subsequent ipsilateral knee surgeries, and secondary outcomes included contralateral knee surgeries, deep surgical-site infections, and venous thrombotic events. RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 4.8 ± 0.6 years. The CM group included 463 patients (40.2%) and the OM group included 690 patients (59.8%). The mean ages were 43.9 ± 5.7 years and 42.7 ± 5.3 years for patients in the CM and OM groups, respectively (P < .001). Obesity and smoking were significantly more common in the CM group. During the follow-up, 180 patients (38.9%) in the CM group underwent subsequent ipsilateral knee surgery compared with 73 (10.6%) patients in the OM group (P < .001). The mean time to the first ipsilateral procedure was 0.9 ± 1.1 years in the CM and 2 ± 1.5 years in the OM group (P < .001). Delayed ipsilateral ACLRs were performed in 81 patients in the CM group (17.5%); non-ACLR ipsilateral knee surgeries were performed in 156 patients in the CM group (33.7%). Contralateral knee surgery rates were similar. In a regression model, after controlling for age, sex, the Charlson Comorbidity Index score, and smoking status, it was found that normal body mass index and CM group were risk factors for undergoing subsequent knee surgery or ipsilateral non-ACLR surgery. CONCLUSION: Excluding delayed ACLR, subsequent ipsilateral knee surgeries were more common and occurred earlier in middle-aged patients with nonoperatively managed ACL tears compared with patients managed with reconstruction.

Early Sport Specialization Among Former National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes: Trends, Scholarship Attainment, Injury, and Attrition.

BACKGROUND: Many youth athletes focus on 1 sport to gain a competitive advantage, but early sport specialization may increase risk of overuse injuries and burnout. College athletes have successfully achieved advanced status; therefore, the study of their specialization patterns is a method to assess how specialization affects an athletic career. PURPOSE: To determine trends in sport specialization by sex, sport, and decade of participation in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes and assess the effect of specialization on scholarship attainment, injury, and attrition. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: An electronic survey was distributed to NCAA athletes who participated from 1960 to 2018. Survey topics included sex, sport, decade of participation, scholarship status, ≥30-day time-loss injuries sustained in college, orthopaedic surgery in college, career length, and age of single-sport specialization. Early specialization was defined as specialization in a single sport before age 15 years. Rates of early specialization were calculated for each sport, sex, individual and team sports, and decade of participation. Rates of scholarship attainment, injury, and attrition were compared between groups. Univariate associations were queried with logistic regression analysis to determine predictors of specialization, scholarship attainment, injury, and early attrition. RESULTS: Of 1550 athletes who participated (17% response rate), 544 (35.1%) were women. Overall, 18.1% of athletes specialized before age 15 years (n = 281). Athletes in gymnastics, tennis, swimming and diving, and soccer were significantly more likely to specialize early, whereas football and baseball athletes were more likely to specialize late (P < .05 for all groups). Early specialization was more common among women (23.4% vs 15.2%; odds ratio, 1.72; P < .01). There was a trend toward earlier specialization for recent college graduates, with graduates from the last decade more likely to be classified as early specialization than those from previous decades (P = .036). Scholarship attainment was overall equivalent between groups. Time-loss injuries, lower extremity injuries, and orthopaedic surgery in college were not statistically different between groups. Career lengths were similar, but burnout was more common among early specialization athletes (10.5% vs 7.0%; odds ratio, 3.76; P < .01). CONCLUSION: Less than one-fifth of NCAA athletes surveyed specialized before age 15 years, and neither scholarship attainment nor time-loss injury rate was affected by early specialization. Early specialization is on the rise but is associated with increased burnout.

Revision ACL Reconstruction in Adolescent Patients.

BACKGROUND: High failure rates have been documented after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in pediatric patients, and revision surgery is indicated due to high activity levels of children and adolescents. PURPOSE: To define trends in revision ACLR in patients who underwent initial ACLR at younger than 18 years. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: An electronic medical record was used to retrospectively identify revision ACLR procedures performed by 2 surgeons between the years 2010 and 2016 in patients younger than 18 years at initial reconstruction. Descriptive information, intraoperative findings, surgical techniques, and rehabilitation data were recorded from initial and revision surgeries. Descriptive statistics were used. RESULTS: A total of 32 patients (17 girls, 15 boys) met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 15.8 years at initial reconstruction. For initial reconstructions, 15 patients underwent transphyseal procedures, 3 patients underwent adult-type procedures using an anatomic reconstruction technique that did not take into account the physis, and 2 patients underwent partial intraepiphyseal procedures. Graft types included hamstring autograft (n = 17), allograft (n = 5), hybrid (n = 4), and bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft (BTB; n = 3). Average primary reconstruction graft diameter was 8.0 mm (girls, 7.72 mm; boys, 8.36 mm; P = .045). After initial reconstruction, 10 patients had postoperative protocol noncompliance, and 8 patients reported delayed recovery. Mean time to retear was 565 days (range, 25-1539 days). At revision, BTB autograft was used in 50% (n = 16), followed by hamstring autograph (31.3%; n = 10) and allograft (12.5%; n = 4); mean graft diameter was 9.05 mm. Chondral surgery was more common during revision (25% for revision vs 0% for index; P = .031). There were 4 patients who required staged reconstruction with bone grafting. At mean final follow-up of 29.5 months (SD, 22.2 months), there were 3 graft failures (9.4%) and 5 contralateral ACL ruptures (15.6%). CONCLUSION: Most patients with ACL graft failure were adequately treated with a single revision. Conversion from a soft tissue graft to a BTB autograft was the most common procedure. Infrequently, patients required staged reconstructions. Providers should have a high index of suspicion for associated intra-articular injuries resulting from graft failure in adolescent patients.

Surgical Stabilization of Shoulder Instability in Patients With or Without a History of Seizure: A Comparative Analysis.

PURPOSE: To compare patients from a large multicenter cohort with a history of seizure and those without a history of seizure regarding preoperative and intraoperative findings and surgical procedures performed. METHODS: Patients undergoing shoulder stabilization from 2011 to 2018 at 11 orthopaedic centers were prospectively enrolled. Those with a history of seizure were identified and compared with non-seizure controls. Preoperative demographic, history, physical examination, and imaging findings were collected. Intraoperative findings and surgical procedures performed were recorded. The Mann-Whitney test, χ2 test, and logistic regression analysis were used to examine differences between the groups and define independent risk factors. Owing to the number of statistical tests performed, the false discovery method was used to determine adjusted P values to achieve α < .05. RESULTS: During enrollment, 25 of 1,298 shoulder stabilization patients (1.9%) had a history of seizure. The sex ratio and age were similar between groups, as was posterior instability incidence (23.2% in control group vs 28.0% in seizure group). Seizure patients more frequently had more than 5 dislocations in the year preceding surgery (P = .016) and had increased preoperative radiographic evidence of bone loss (P < .001). Intraoperatively, seizure patients had a higher prevalence of reverse Hill-Sachs lesions (P < .001) and large (>30% of glenoid fossa) bony Bankart lesions (P < .001). Arthroscopic Bankart repair was the most common procedure in both groups. However, open procedures were performed in 15.6% of controls and 40.0% of seizure patients (P = .001). These procedures were most commonly bony procedures. CONCLUSIONS: Seizure patients had more prior dislocations, had more preoperative bone loss, and underwent more open stabilization procedures than controls because of bone loss. Studies examining recurrence after stabilization will help establish appropriate management practices in this population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective review of prospectively collected cohort.

Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty: Biomechanics and Indications.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Over the past decade, our understanding of the biomechanics of the reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has advanced, resulting in design adjustments, improved outcomes, and expanding indications. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent literature regarding the biomechanics of RTSA and the evolving indications for its use. RECENT FINDINGS: While Grammont's principles of RTSA biomechanics remain pillars of contemporary designs, a number of modifications have been proposed and trialed in later generations to address complications such as impingement and glenoid failure. Clinical and biomechanical literature suggest that less medialized, more inferior glenospheres result in less impingement and notching. On the humerus, a more vertical neck cut is associated with less impingement. Indications for RTSA continue to expand beyond the classic indication of cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). Patients without a functional cuff but no arthritis now have a reliable option in the RTSA. RTSA has also replaced hemiarthroplasty as the implant of choice for displaced three- and four-part proximal humerus fractures in the elderly. Finally, updated design options and modular components now allow for treatment of glenoid bone loss, failed arthroplasty, and proximal humerus tumors with RTSA implants. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty design has been modernized on both the glenoid and humerus to address biomechanical challenges of early implants. As outcomes improve with these modifications, RTSA indications are growing to address complex bony pathologies such as tumor and bone loss. Longitudinal follow-up of patients with updated designs and novel indications is essential to judicious application of RTSA technology.

The impact of prior upper-extremity surgery on orthopedic injury and surgery in collegiate athletes.

BACKGROUND: The influence of prior upper-extremity (UE) surgery on a collegiate athletic career is poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of prior UE surgery on participation, injury, and surgery rates in collegiate athletes. METHODS: Division I athletes who commenced collegiate athletics from 2003-2009 were retrospectively identified. Pre-participation evaluation forms were queried for the history of pre-collegiate UE surgery. Data on sport played, seasons played, injuries, days missed, and orthopedic imaging and surgical procedures were collected through athletic and medical records and compared with those of athletes without prior UE surgery. Subgroup analysis was performed for shoulder surgery, elbow surgery, and wrist and/or hand surgery. RESULTS: Between 2003 and 2009, 1145 athletes completed pre-participation evaluations. Of these athletes, 77 (6.7%) underwent at least 1 pre-collegiate UE surgical procedure. Prior UE surgery was most common in men's water polo (15.0%), baseball (14.9%), and football (12.6%). The UE surgery group had a higher rate of collegiate UE injury (hazard ratio, 4.127; P < .01) and missed more days per season because of UE injury (16.5 days vs. 6.7 days, P = .03) than controls. Athletes with prior shoulder surgery (n = 20) also experienced more UE injuries compared with controls (hazard ratio, 15,083; P = .02). They missed more days per season (77.5 days vs. 29.8 days, P < .01), underwent more magnetic resonance imaging scans (0.96 vs. 0.40, P < .01), and underwent more orthopedic surgical procedures per season (0.23 vs. 0.08, P < .01). The elbow subgroup and wrist and/or hand subgroup were comparable with controls on all measures. CONCLUSIONS: Collegiate athletes with prior shoulder surgery missed more days and underwent more magnetic resonance imaging scans and surgical procedures in college, whereas those with prior elbow surgical procedures and wrist and/or hand surgical procedures were comparable with controls.

The pathogenesis and management of cuff tear arthropathy.

Massive rotator cuff tears may lead to the development of cuff tear arthropathy (CTA). Although this pathology has been recognized for more than 150 years, treatment strategies have continued to evolve. During the last decade, there has been increased understanding of the molecular and cellular changes that govern rotator cuff tear outcomes and development of new treatment strategies to repair or reconstruct the rotator cuff. These have included an expansion of the use of arthroscopic double-row transosseous-equivalent repairs and the development of superior capsule reconstruction. However, the greatest change in the management of CTA has been the expansion of the use of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty, which has become the standard of care for patients who do not have a repair option and when nonoperative management has failed. This review article summarizes the current literature on the management of CTA, including nonoperative, repair, reconstruction, and replacement options, with a focus on literature in the last 5 years.

Surgical stabilization for first-time shoulder dislocators: a multicenter analysis.

BACKGROUND: Anterior shoulder dislocations in young patients are associated with high rates of recurrent instability. Although some surgeons advocate for surgical stabilization after a single dislocation event in this population, there is sparse research evaluating surgical treatment for first-time dislocators. METHODS: Patients undergoing surgical stabilization for anterior shoulder instability were prospectively enrolled at multiple institutions from 2015-2017 and stratified by number of dislocations before surgery. Demographic data, preoperative patient-reported outcomes, imaging findings, surgical findings, and procedures performed were compared between groups. Analysis of variance, χ2, and multivariate logistic regression were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The study included 172 patients (mean age, 25.3 years; 79.1% male patients) for analysis (58 patients with 1 dislocation, 69 with 2-5 dislocations, 45 with >5 dislocations). There were no intergroup differences in demographic characteristics, preoperative patient-reported outcomes, or physical examination findings. Preoperative imaging revealed increased glenoid bone loss in patients with multiple dislocation events (P = .043). Intraoperatively, recurrent dislocators were more likely to have bony Bankart lesions (odds ratio [OR], 3.26; P = .024) and biceps pathology (OR, 6.27; P = .013). First-time dislocators more frequently underwent arthroscopic Bankart repair and/or capsular plication (OR, 2.22; P = .016), while recurrent dislocators were more likely to undergo open Bristow-Latarjet procedures (OR, 2.80; P = .049) and surgical treatment for biceps pathology (OR, 5.03; P = .032). CONCLUSIONS: First-time shoulder dislocators who undergo stabilization are more likely to undergo an arthroscopic procedure and less likely to have bone loss or biceps pathology compared with recurrent dislocators. Future studies are needed to ascertain long-term outcomes of surgical stabilization based on preoperative dislocation events.

Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test Scores and Lower Extremity Injury in NCAA Division I Athletes.

BACKGROUND: Functional movement tests that are predictive of injury risk in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) athletes are useful tools for sports medicine professionals. The Lower Quarter Y-Balance Test (YBT-LQ) measures single-leg balance and reach distances in 3 directions. PURPOSE: To assess whether the YBT-LQ predicts the laterality and risk of sports-related lower extremity (LE) injury in NCAA athletes. STUDY DESIGN: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: The YBT-LQ was administered to 294 NCAA Division I athletes from 21 sports during preparticipation physical examinations at a single institution. Athletes were followed prospectively over the course of the corresponding season. Correlation analysis was performed between the laterality of reach asymmetry and composite scores (CS) versus the laterality of injury. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the optimal asymmetry cutoff score for YBT-LQ. A multivariate regression analysis adjusting for sex, sport type, body mass index, and history of prior LE surgery was performed to assess predictors of earlier and higher rates of injury. RESULTS: Neither the laterality of reach asymmetry nor the CS correlated with the laterality of injury. ROC analysis found optimal cutoff scores of 2, 9, and 3 cm for anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral reach, respectively. All of these potential cutoff scores, along with a cutoff score of 4 cm used in the majority of prior studies, were associated with poor sensitivity and specificity. Furthermore, none of the asymmetric cutoff scores were associated with earlier or increased rate of injury in the multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION: YBT-LQ scores alone do not predict LE injury in this collegiate athlete population. Sports medicine professionals should be cautioned against using the YBT-LQ alone to screen for injury risk in collegiate athletes.

Precollegiate Knee Surgery Predicts Subsequent Injury Requiring Surgery in NCAA Athletes.

BACKGROUND: The effect of precollegiate orthopaedic surgery on injury risk in the elite collegiate athlete is unknown. PURPOSE: To (1) assess the relationship between precollegiate surgery and subsequent injury requiring surgery in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes at a single institution and (2) compare the risk of subsequent surgery in the ipsilateral versus contralateral extremity in those with a history of precollegiate surgery. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was performed of all athletes who began participation from 2003 to 2009 until completion of eligibility. Athletes who received orthopaedic surgery in college were identified through the Sports Injury Monitoring System and were cross-referenced with medical records. The risk of orthopaedic surgery was evaluated using multivariate Cox and Poisson regression models, with sex and sport as additional covariates. Risk of subsequent surgery in the ipsilateral versus contralateral extremity was compared using Kaplan-Meier survival estimates and Cox proportional hazards regression. Hazard ratios (HRs) and rate ratios (RRs) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals were used to compare groups. RESULTS: In total, 1141 athletes were identified for analysis. Of these, 186 athletes (16.3%) had a history of precollegiate orthopaedic surgery. There were 261 documented intracollegiate orthopaedic surgeries in 181 athletes (15.9%). Precollegiate knee surgery was an independent predictor of orthopaedic surgery (HR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.16-2.83) in college. When examining only surgeries resulting from acute or primary injuries, precollegiate knee surgery was an independent predictor of primary knee injury requiring surgery in college (HR, 4.45; 95% CI, 2.51-7.59). Athletes with a history of precollegiate surgery were more susceptible to subsequent surgery in their ipsilateral extremity compared with their other extremities (HR, 1.89; 95% CI, 1.03-3.53). In contrast, there was no additional risk of receiving subsequent surgery in the contralateral extremity (P = .54). CONCLUSION: Precollegiate knee surgery in the Division I athlete is associated with subsequent injury requiring surgery in college. Athletes with a history of precollegiate surgery are at higher risk of subsequent surgery in their ipsilateral extremity compared with other extremities.

Effects of prior knee surgery on subsequent injury, imaging, and surgery in NCAA collegiate athletes.

BACKGROUND: High school and professional athletes with a history of orthopaedic surgery have decreased career lengths and are at a greater risk for reinjury compared with their peers. It is unknown whether the same risk applies to intercollegiate athletes. PURPOSE: To determine the effect of prior knee surgery in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I athletes in the United States. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: Division I athletes who began participation in collegiate athletics at a single institution from fall 2003 to spring 2008 were identified. Athletes with a history of orthopaedic surgery were identified through preparticipation evaluation forms. Data on the number of seasons and games played, number of days missed, diagnostic imaging, athletic injuries sustained, and surgical operations during college were collected through medical records and the Sports Injury Monitoring System (SIMS). RESULTS: During the 5-year study period, 456 athletes completed preparticipation evaluation forms. Of these, 104 athletes (22.8%) had a history of orthopaedic surgery (Ortho group). Forty-eight (10.5% of all athletes) had a history of knee surgery (Knee group), 16 (3.5%) had a history of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACL group), and 28 (6.1%) had a history of multiple surgeries (Multiple group). Days missed per season due to any injury and due to knee injury were increased for all surgical groups compared with controls (P < .016). The rate of knee injury and knee surgery while in college was significantly increased for all surgery groups. Athletes in the Knee and ACL groups were 6.8- and 19.6-fold more likely to sustain a knee injury and 14.4- and 892.9-fold more likely to undergo a knee surgery during their collegiate careers compared with controls (P < .001). The number of MRIs per season were 0.83 for the Knee group (P < .001), 1.29 for the ACL (P = .009), and 0.97 for the Multiple group (P < .001), compared with 0.37 for controls. Average career length and percentage of games played were not significantly different between any of the surgery groups compared with controls. CONCLUSION: Athletes who had a history of knee surgery before participation in collegiate athletics miss more days due to injury, have increased rates of knee injury and knee surgery, and require more MRIs during their collegiate careers than their peers.