Fracture blisters: predictors for time to definitive fixation in pilon fractures.

PURPOSE: Fracture blisters, a common soft-tissue complication of pilon fractures, are associated with post-operative wound infections, delays in definitive fixation, and alterations in surgical plan. The purpose of this study was to (1) identify the delay in surgery attributable to the presence fracture blisters and (2) investigate the relationship of fracture blisters to comorbidities and fracture severity. METHODS: Patients with pilon fractures at an urban level 1 Trauma center from 2010 to 2021 were identified. The presence or absence of fracture blisters was noted, along with location. Demographic information, time from injury to external fixator placement, and time to definitive open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) were collected. Pilon fractures were classified according to AO/OTA guidelines using CT imaging and plain radiographs. RESULTS: 314 patients with pilon fractures were available for analysis, eighty (25%) of whom were found to have fracture blisters. Patients with fracture blisters had longer time to surgery compared to those without fracture blisters (14.2 days vs 7.9 days, p < 0.001). A greater proportion of patients with fracture blisters had AO/OTA 43C fracture patterns, compared with those without fracture blisters (71.3% vs 53.8%, p = 0.03). Fractures blisters were less likely to be localized over the posterior ankle (12%, p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: The presence of fracture blisters in pilon fractures are associated with significant delays in time to definitive fixation and higher energy fracture patterns. Fracture blisters are less commonly located over the posterior ankle which may support the implementation of a staged posterolateral approach when managing these injures.

The association of depression and anxiety with postoperative opioid use following total joint arthroplasty.

Background: The devastating opioid epidemic in the United States has been exacerbated by health care practices as well as underlying individual factors. Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) is one of the most common surgical procedures performed annually and patients frequently require opioids for pain control. Patient anxiety and depression has been shown to be associated with increased pain and poorer outcomes after TJA. Our study sought to determine if there was an association between depression/anxiety and postoperative opioid use following TJA. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, postoperative outcomes after TJA were compared among three cohorts of patients: 1) no depression; 2) mild depression; or 3) moderate or severe depression at our institution from 2017 to 2019. Our primary outcome was persistent opioid use ≥3 months after surgery. Secondary outcomes included postoperative day 1 opioid consumption and hospital length of stay (LOS). Multivariable regression modeling was performed to control for various potential confounders. Results: Of the 542 total patients that met inclusion criteria for this study, 53 (9.8%) had mild depression and 67 (12.4%) had moderate or severe depression. Persistent opioid use ≥3 months after surgery was found in 132 (24.3%) patients. Mild depression was associated with increased odds of persistent opioid use (odds ratio 4.11, 95% confidence interval 1.65-10.18, P = 0.002). Depression was not associated with immediate postoperative opioid use or hospital LOS. Conclusion: Mild depression was associated with persistent opioid use after surgery. Future studies should investigate if better management of this comorbidity could improve outcomes in patients undergoing joint arthroplasty.

Review of perioperative outcomes and management of hip fracture patients on direct oral anticoagulants.

Anticoagulation use is common in elderly patients presenting with hip fractures and has been shown to delay time to surgery (TTS). Delays in operative treatment have been associated with worse outcomes in hip fracture patients. Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) comprise a steadily increasing proportion of all oral anticoagulation. Currently, no clear guidelines exist for perioperative management of hip fracture patients taking DOACs. DOAC use is associated with increased TTS, with delays frequently greater than 48 h from hospital presentation. Increased mortality has not been widely demonstrated in DOAC patients, despite increased TTS. Timing of surgery was not found to be associated with increased risk of transfusion or bleeding. Early surgery appears to be safe in patients taking DOACs presenting with a hip fracture, but is not currently widely accepted due to factors such as site-specific anesthesiologic protocols that periodically delay surgery. Direct oral anticoagulant use should not routinely delay surgical treatment in hip fracture patients. Surgical strategies to limit blood loss should be considered and include efficient surgical fixation, topical application of hemostatic agents, and the use of intra-operative cell salvage. Anesthesiologic strategies have utility in minimizing risk and a collaborative effort to minimize blood loss should be undertaken by the surgeon and anesthesiologist. Anesthesia team interventions include considerations regarding positioning, regional anesthesia, permissive hypotension, avoidance of hypothermia, judicious administration of blood products, and the use of systemic hemostatic agents.

Racial Differences in 30-Day Reintubation After Head and Neck Surgery.

Background This study aimed to examine the association of race and ethnicity with 30-day unplanned reintubation following head and neck surgery. Methodology A retrospective analysis of head and neck surgery patients aged greater than or equal to 18 years was extracted from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database from 2015 to 2020. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and 30-day reintubation were included in the analysis. Pearson's chi-square and independent samples t-test were used to compare reintubation cohorts. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify the association of race and ethnicity with 30-day reintubation. Results Of the total 108,442 head and neck surgery cases included, 74.9% of patients were non-Hispanic White, 17.3% were non-Hispanic Black, and 7.7% were Hispanic. The overall 30-day reintubation rate was 0.33%. After adjusting for age, body mass index, sex, and comorbidities, non-Hispanic Black patients had increased 30-day reintubation compared to non-Hispanic White patients (odds ratio [OR] = 2.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.70-2.69, and P < 0.0001). There was no difference in 30-day reintubation for Hispanic patients compared to non-Hispanic White patients (OR = 1.08, 95% CI 0.67-1.65, and P = 0.747). Conclusions This analysis showed that non-Hispanic Black patients disproportionately had higher odds of 30-day reintubation following head and neck surgery. Hispanic ethnicity was not associated with increased odds of 30-day reintubation. More studies are needed to investigate the reasons for these racial differences.