Trends in Pediatric Head and Facial Trauma During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

INTRODUCTION: The effect of physical-distancing policies and school closures on pediatric health has been a topic of major concern in the United States during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The objective of this study was to assess the immediate impact of these public policies on patterns of head and facial trauma in the pediatric population. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) was queried to identify patient encounters at 46 children's hospitals across the United States in 2016-2020. Encounters were included if resultant in ICD-10 diagnosis for head or facial trauma in a child under 18 between April 1 and June 30 in 2020 (first COVID-19 school closures) and during the same period in the previous 4 years (for comparison). RESULTS: A total of 170,832 patient encounters for pediatric head and facial trauma were recorded during the study period, including 28,030 (16.4%) in 2020 and 142,802 (83.6%) in 2016-2019. Patient encounters declined significantly in 2020 among children of all age groups relative to previous years. Relative reductions were greatest in children aged 11 to 17 (middle/high school) and 6 to 10 (elementary school), at -34.6% (95% confidence interval: -23.6%, -44%; P <0.001) and -27.7% (95% confidence interval: -18.4%, -36%; P <0.001). Variation in relative reductions by race/ethnicity, sex, and rural/urban status were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: Physical-distancing policies and school closures at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic correlated with significant reductions in pediatric head and facial trauma patient encounters. As in-person activities resume, reductions in head and facial trauma during the pandemic may indicate a range of possible preventable injuries in the future.

Extra-Articular Base Fractures of the Proximal Phalanx in Adults: A Systematic Review.

Background: Extra-articular proximal phalanx base fractures are common in adults and can lead to permanent finger stiffness and joint contractures. The purpose of this review is to summarise the evidence for operative and non-operative management of this fracture type. Methods: The MedLine, Embase, PubMed, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases were searched using the following key terms: 'proximal phalanx', 'base', 'fracture', 'repair' and 'fixation'. A total of 2,889 unique records were extracted. All studies with primary data on the management of extra-articular proximal phalangeal base fractures in adults were included for initial review. Results: Eleven studies met inclusion criteria with a total of 441 extra-articular proximal phalanx base fractures. Outcomes were determined by final total active range of motion. 182 extra-articular proximal phalangeal base fractures were treated non-operatively, with excellent or good outcomes attained in 80% of cases. Another 259 extra-articular proximal phalangeal base fractures were treated operatively, including 236 with Kirschner wires (K-wires), 18 with plates, and five with intramedullary screws. Case-level data were available in 186 fractures managed by K-wire fixation, with excellent or good outcomes achieved in 79% of cases. Excellent or good outcomes were achieved in 35% of cases treated by plates, and 80% of five cases treated by intramedullary screw fixation. Three (1.6%) patients managed conservatively required surgery after reduction loss. No patients managed with K-wires required re-operation for reduction loss; tenolysis/capsulotomy was required in 11 (4.5%) cases for stiffness, and pin site infections occurred in eight (3.5%) cases. Complex regional pain syndrome occurred in five cases (28%) of plate fixation. Conclusions: In summary, excellent or good results may be achieved by K-wire pinning or conservative management. Current evidence is limited for plate or intramedullary screw fixation. Prospective trials and outcomes standardisation are needed to improve the evidence base. Level of Evidence: Level III (Therapeutic).

Trends in orthoplastic operative exposure for plastic surgery residents in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Recent trials have demonstrated clinical benefits to a combined orthoplastic approach for complex reconstructive surgery of the hand, upper and lower extremity. PURPOSE: We sought to assess recent trends in exposure to orthoplastic-type procedures among plastic surgery residents training in the United States. METHODS: Independent plastic surgery residents' case logs were extracted from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (2011-2022). Select reconstructive procedure were taken as proxies for orthoplastic-type cases and analyzed by descriptive statistical analysis. RESULTS: The average number of orthoplastic-type cases completed per resident per year increased from 168.2 to 189.2 (12.5% increase) between 2011-2022. The greatest increase was in exposure to peripheral nerve injury repair of the hand and upper extremity (22.6 to 39.1, 73% increase). As a proportion of total procedures during the study period, orthoplastic-type procedures remained relatively unchanged (range 9.5-10.4%). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that plastic surgery residents may be increasingly well-prepared to contribute to orthoplastic care during and following their training. The steady proportion of cases that orthoplastic-type procedures represented over the study period suggests the increase in relevant orthoplastic case volume may be incidental and secondary to an overall rise among all procedures. Given evidence of the benefits of an orthoplastic approach, we recommend consideration of explicit benchmarks for orthoplastic training among plastic surgery residents.

Impact of Adding Augmented Superior Rectus Transpositions to Medial Rectus Muscle Recessions When Treating Esotropic Moebius Syndrome.

PURPOSE: To describe outcomes after treatment of Moebius syndrome (MBS) esotropia by adjustable bilateral medial rectus recession (BMR) with and without augmented superior rectus transposition (SRT). DESIGN: Retrospective case series. METHODS: Patients meeting 2014 diagnostic criteria for MBS and treated at Boston Children's Hospital between 2003 and 2019 were identified via billing records and chart review. Visual acuity, sensorimotor evaluations, strabismus procedures, and other clinical features were recorded. Surgical outcomes for patients treated with strabismus surgery (excluding those with prior surgery elsewhere) were evaluated. The primary outcome measure was postoperative alignment comparing treatment by adjustable BMR vs adjustable BMR+SRT. RESULTS: A total of 20 patients had MBS, and 12 of these (60%) were male. Fifteen patients (75%) had primary position esotropia, and all had bilateral abduction deficit. Eight of 20 patients met inclusion criteria for primary strabismus surgery outcome. Five had undergone adjustable BMR ranging from 4.5 to 6.5 mm. Three had undergone adjustable BMR+SRT, all with 4-mm medial rectus muscle recessions. Mean preoperative esotropia before treatment by BMR was 39.5 PD (± 15 PD) with mean postoperative esotropia 9 PD (± 7.9 PD) at 6 months. Mean preoperative esotropia before treatment by BMR+SRT was 70.8 PD (± 5.9 PD) with mean postoperative esotropia 2.5 PD (± 3.5 PD) at 6 months. Significantly greater reduction in esotropia resulted from BMR+SRT than from BMR (P = .036). CONCLUSIONS: BMR proved sufficient to treat esotropia <50 PD and BMR+SRT for greater esotropia in patients with MBS-associated abduction limitation.

Discrepancies between Conference Abstracts and Published Manuscripts in Plastic Surgery Studies: A Retrospective Review.

BACKGROUND: Inconsistency in results and outcomes between presented abstracts and corresponding published articles can negatively affect clinical education and care. The objective of this study was to describe the frequency of clinically meaningful change in results and outcomes between abstracts presented at the American Association of Plastic Surgeons annual conference and the corresponding published articles, and to determine risk factors associated with discrepancies. METHODS: All abstracts delivered as oral presentations at the American Association of Plastic Surgeons conference (2006-2016) were reviewed. Results and outcomes were compared with those in corresponding articles. We defined clinically meaningful discrepancy as any change in the directionality of an outcome, or a quantitative change in results exceeding 10%. RESULTS: Four hundred eighty-six abstracts were identified. Of these, 63% (N = 305) advanced to publication. Of the published studies, 19% (N = 59) contained a discrepancy. In 85% of these (N = 50), discrepancies could not be explained by random variation. Changes in sample size were associated with heightened risk for a discrepancy (OR 10.38, 95% CI 5.16-20.86, P < 0.001). A decrease in sample size greater than 10% increased the likelihood of a discrepancy by 25-fold (OR 24.92, 95% CI 8.66-71.68, P < 0.001), whereas an increase in sample size greater than 10% increased the likelihood of a discrepancy by eight-fold (OR 8.36, CI 3.69-19.00, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Most discrepancies between abstract and published article were not due to random statistical variation. To mitigate the possible impact of unreliable abstracts, we recommend abstracts be marked as preliminary, that authors indicate whether sample size is final at time of presentation, and that changes to previously reported results be indicated in final publications.

Legislation, Market Size, and Access to Gender-affirming Genital Surgery in the United States.

The value of gender-affirming genital surgery (GAGS) has been established for certain transgender or gender non-conforming patients. This study aimed to determine the availability of GAGS by state and region in the United States, and to query possible associations of access to care with healthcare legislation and local market size. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study reporting on the distribution of hospitals and private practices offering GAGS in the United States. A list of prospective gender surgeons was compiled from 18 online databases. All surgeons were individually verified and were excluded if they did not perform phalloplasty, metoidioplasty, or vaginoplasty. Pertinent legislative and transgender or gender non-conforming population data were derived from the Movement Advancement Project and the Williams Institute. RESULTS: Seventy-one practices in the United States offered GAGS in 2019. Forty-seven percent of states did not have a practice offering GAGS. A large prospective transgender or gender non-conforming market size increased the odds of GAGS availability in a state more than did local healthcare legislation supporting insurance coverage for gender-affirming care in 2019. CONCLUSIONS: Access to gender-affirming genital surgery was highly disparate in 2019. Factors that predicted access to care, including state healthcare legislation and prospective market sizes, may indicate strategies for overcoming disparities.

Pericardial patch graft repair of severe localized scleral thinning encountered during strabismus surgery.

This article presents a surgical technique using a pericardial patch for the permanent repair of severe scleral thinning encountered during strabismus surgery. In the present case scleral thinning resulted from buckle removal. Familiarity with this technique may prove important for the strabismus surgeon treating patients with a history of surface ocular hardware or disease-induced scleral thinning. This video article may be viewed atjaapos.org.