Predictors of Osteochondral Lesions of the Talus in Patients Undergoing Broström-Gould Ankle Ligament Reconstruction.

Chronic ankle instability is associated with intra-articular and extra-articular ankle pathologies, including osteochondral lesions of the talus. Patients with these lesions are at risk for treatment failure for their ankle instability. Identifying these patients is important and helps to guide operative versus nonoperative treatment. There is no literature examining which patient characteristics may be used to predict concomitant osteochondral lesions of the talus. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients (N = 192) who underwent a primary Broström-Gould lateral ankle ligament reconstruction for chronic ankle instability from 2010 to 2014. Preoperative findings, magnetic resonance imaging, and operative procedures were documented. Patients with and without a lesion were divided into 2 cohorts. Fifty-three (27.6%) patients had 1 lesion identified on preoperative magnetic resonance imaging. Forty (69.0%) of these lesions were medial, 18 (31.0%) were lateral, and 5 patients had both. Female sex was a negative predictor of a concomitant lesion (p = .013). Patients were less likely to have concomitant peroneal tendinopathy (30.2% vs 48.9%; p = .019) in the presence of a lesion. However, sports participation was a positive predictor of a concomitant lesion (p = .001). The remainder of the variables (age, body mass index, smoking, trauma, duration, contralateral instability, global laxity) did not show a significant difference. In patients who underwent lateral ankle ligament reconstruction, females were less likely to have a lesion than males. Patients with peroneal tendinopathy were less likely to have a lesion compared with patients without. Additionally, athletic participation was a positive predictor of a concomitant lesion.

Proximal stress shielding is decreased with a short stem compared with a traditional-length stem in total shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: This study compared the outcome and radiographic humeral adaptations after placement of a traditional-length (TL) or short-stem (SS) humeral component during total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). The hypothesis was there would be no difference in outcome or radiographic adaptations. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective review was performed of primary TSAs performed with a TL or SS press-fit humeral component. The stems were identical in geometry and coating, with the only variable being stem length. Functional outcome and radiographs were reviewed at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively in 58 TL stems and 56 SSs. RESULTS: There were significant improvements in all range of motion and functional outcome from baseline (P < .001) but no difference between the groups (P > .05). TL stems were placed in anatomic alignment 98% of the time compared with 86% of the SS cases (P = .015), but alignment did not influence outcome. Cortical thinning was more common in the medial metaphysis with the TL stem (74%) than with the SS (50%; P = .008). Partial calcar osteolysis was seen in 31% of TL stems and in 23% of SSs (P = .348). There was no difference in loosening or shift between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: There is no difference in functional outcome at short-term follow-up between a TL stem and a SS in TSA. The pattern of radiographic adaptations may differ based on stem length. Further study is needed to evaluate the mid- to long-term differences, particularly with regard to calcar osteolysis.

Radiographic changes differ between two different short press-fit humeral stem designs in total shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare the radiographic changes of the humerus in the short term after total shoulder arthroplasty with two different short-stem humeral components. The hypothesis was that there would be no difference in radiographic changes or functional outcome based on component type. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of primary total shoulder arthroplasties performed with a short press-fit humeral component. Group A included a collarless humeral stem with an oval geometry and curved stem (Ascend or Ascend Flex; Wright Medical, Memphis, TN, USA). Group B included a humeral stem with a metaphyseal collar, rectangular geometry, and straight stem (Apex; Arthrex, Inc., Naples, FL, USA). Radiographic changes and functional outcome were evaluated at a minimum of 2 years postoperatively. RESULTS: There were 42 patients in group A and 35 patients in group B available for analysis. There was no difference in functional outcome between the groups. In group A, the mean total radiographic change score of the humerus was 3.9, with changes classified as low in 38% and high in 62%. In group B, the mean total radiographic change score of the humerus was 2.5, with changes classified as low in 77% and high in 23% (P < .001). Medial calcar osteolysis was present in 71% of group A compared with 28.5% of group B (P < .001). CONCLUSION: At short-term follow-up, there is no difference in functional outcome or revision between 2 different humeral stem designs. However, bone adaptive changes and the rate of medial calcar osteolysis are significantly different.

Avoid the In-Out-In Posterosuperior Femoral Neck Screw: The Use of the Piriformis Fossa Radiographic Landmark.

OBJECTIVES: The most common screw placement across the femoral neck is the inverted triangle. The posterosuperior screw has a high incidence of cortical breach, creating an in-out-in (IOI) screw. This study examined the use of the radiographic landmark of the piriformis fossa (PF) to prevent screws being placed IOI. The hypothesis was that posterior screws placed below the PF inferior margin would prevent femoral neck cortex breach. METHODS: Five bilateral cadaveric specimens were used to place 10 screws along the femoral neck posterosuperior cortex. On the AP view, 5 screws were placed in a traditional manner, below the femoral neck superior cortex but above the inferior margin of the PF (APF screws), and 5 were placed below the inferior margin of the PF (BPF). All 10 screws were placed inside the posterior cortex on the lateral view. After screw placement, each hip was dissected, and the femoral necks were evaluated for signs of cortical breach. RESULTS: All screws placed below the PF inferior margin were contained within the femoral neck with no incidence of being IOI. All screws placed above the PF inferior margin breached the cortex to a varying degree. All screws were similar in relation to their distance from the posterior cortex on the lateral view, with the APF screws averaging 1.98 mm and the BPF screws averaging 1.82 mm (P value = 0.46). CONCLUSIONS: Placing the posterosuperior screw of the inverted triangle caudal to the PF inferior margin on the AP view seems to avoid cortical breach during percutaneous screw fixation of femoral neck fractures.

Current Role of Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty for Fractures of the Proximal Humerus.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level V. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Suture cerclage for stabilizing the humeral shaft during shoulder arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: In shoulder arthroplasty, cerclage fixation techniques are used to stabilize osteotomies, fractures, and allografts. Fixation techniques including cerclage with metal and polymer cables have been described. The purpose of this study was to evaluate suture cerclage fixation of the humeral shaft during shoulder arthroplasty. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Shoulder arthroplasty cases performed from 2012-2017 by 3 fellowship-trained shoulder arthroplasty surgeons were reviewed. Cases in which suture cerclage was used for osteotomy, fracture, or allograft fixation were identified. Demographic data, indications, implant types, fixation techniques, and complications were reviewed. Postoperative radiographs were analyzed for union, component loosening, and loss of fixation. American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores were collected preoperatively and postoperatively. RESULTS: A total of 27 patients (3 primary and 24 revision cases) with a mean age of 69.6 years (range, 28-88 years) were available for follow-up at a mean of 12.6 months (range, 0.8-42.3 months) postoperatively. Humeral osteotomy alone was performed in 15 cases. Allograft alone was used in 1 case. Both allograft and osteotomy were used in 6 cases. Complications occurred in 3 patients (11%), comprising 1 postoperative periprosthetic fracture and 2 prosthetic joint infections; all required further surgery. Radiographs at final follow-up showed healing of all osteotomies and fractures. No hardware failure or implant loosening occurred. The mean postoperative American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation scores were significantly improved (α = .05) compared with preoperative scores, from 21.4 to 44.5 (P = .002) and from 26.7 to 74.1 (P < .001), respectively. CONCLUSION: Suture cerclage is safe and effective for humeral fixation in shoulder arthroplasty.

Five-year radiographic evaluation of stress shielding with a press-fit standard length humeral stem.

BACKGROUND: Stress shielding of the humeral stem is a known complication in press-fit total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), but there remain limited data on its prevalence and clinical impact in midterm follow-up. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of humeral stem stress shielding and its impact on functional outcomes at minimum 5-year follow-up in standard length press-fit TSA. The hypothesis was that the presence of stress shielding at minimum 5-year follow-up would not affect functional outcome scores or range of motion (ROM). METHODS: A multicenter retrospective review of primary TSAs performed with a press-fit standard length humeral stem. Functional outcome scores, ROM, and radiographs were reviewed at minimum 5-year follow-up. Prevalence of stress shielding was determined by presence of medial calcar osteolysis and adaptive changes. Function was assessed with the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score, Simple Shoulder Test (SST) score, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) score, and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) score, and ROM. RESULTS: Forty-seven patients with 47 TSAs were available for follow-up at a mean of 79 months postoperation. Overall, 15 of 47 humeral stems had high adaptive change scores (31.9%), and 20 demonstrated medial calcar osteolysis (42.6%). Stems with evidence of stress shielding showed no significant change in SST, VAS, ASES, or SANE scores and minimal change in ROM measurements at minimum 5-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Stress shielding is common at midterm follow-up in press-fit TSA but does not appear to affect functional outcomes.

Diagnosis and Management of Ipsilateral Femoral Neck and Shaft Fractures.

Ipsilateral femoral neck and shaft fractures typically occur as a result of high-energy trauma in young adults. Up to 9% of femoral shaft fractures will have an associated femoral neck fracture. Awareness of this association and the use of a protocolized approach to diagnosis and management can help prevent missed injuries and the associated complications of displacement, nonunion, and osteonecrosis. The femoral neck fracture is often vertically oriented and either nondisplaced or minimally displaced, and thus, these fractures are frequently missed in the initial evaluation. Fixation of these combined injury patterns is challenging, and multiple treatment options exist. Treatment goals should include anatomic reduction and adequate fixation of the femoral neck fracture, as well as restoration of the length, alignment, and rotation of the femoral shaft fracture.

Safety and Accuracy of Core Needle Biopsy for Soft Tissue Masses in an Ambulatory Setting.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous needle biopsy has been found to be a safe and accurate method for the initial investigation of soft tissue masses. The notion exists that needle biopsies should be performed in specialized sarcoma centers, which can place a financial burden on patients without a sarcoma center near their place of residence. There is no consensus in the current literature regarding the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of clinic-based percutaneous core needle biopsy performed by community orthopedic surgeons with fellowship training in musculoskeletal oncology. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: Our primary goal was to determine if office-based core needle biopsy of soft tissue masses could safely yield accurate diagnoses when performed by a community orthopedic surgeon with fellowship training in musculoskeletal oncology. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 105 patients who underwent percutaneous core needle biopsy of soft tissue masses in a community clinic. All procedures were performed by one fellowship-trained musculoskeletal oncologist. Accuracy of the initial clinic-based needle biopsy was determined through comparison to the results of pathological analysis of the surgically excised masses. Final data analysis included 69 patients who underwent both clinic-based biopsy and subsequent surgical excision of their masses. RESULTS: We found clinic-based biopsies to be 87.0% accurate for exact diagnosis and 94.2% accurate in determining whether the mass was benign or malignant (p < 0.0001). Minor complications related to the clinic-based biopsy occurred in 5.80% of cases, with no documentation of major complications. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide evidence that office-based percutaneous biopsy can be administered safely and yield accurate, clinically useful results when performed by a fellowship-trained musculoskeletal oncologist.

Does Greater Trochanter Decortication Affect Suture Anchor Pullout Strength in Abductor Tendon Repairs? A Biomechanical Study.

BACKGROUND: Greater trochanter decortication is frequently performed at the time of abductor tendon repair to theoretically increase healing potential. No previous studies have determined the effect that greater trochanter decortication has on the pullout strength of suture anchors. Hypothesis/Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine whether greater trochanter decortication and bone mineral density affect suture anchor pullout strength in abductor tendon repair. The authors hypothesize that both will have a significant detrimental effect on suture anchor pullout strength. STUDY DESIGN: Controlled laboratory study. METHODS: Nineteen cadaveric proximal femurs with accompanying demographic data and computed tomography scans were skeletonized to expose the greater trochanter. Bone density measurements were acquired by converting Hounsfield units to T-score, based on a standardized volumetric sample in the intertrochanteric region of the femur. The gluteus medius insertion site on the lateral facet of the greater trochanter was evenly divided into 2 regions, anterior-distal and posterior-proximal, and each region was randomly assigned to receive either no decortication or 2 mm of bone decortication. A single biocomposite anchor was implanted in each region and initially tested with cyclic loading for 10 cycles at 0-50 N, 0-100 N, 0-150 N, and 0-200 N, followed by load to failure (LTF) tested at 1 mm/s. For each trial, the number of cycles endured, LTF, mechanism of failure, and stiffness were recorded. RESULTS: Greater trochanters with no decortication and 2 mm of decortication survived a mean ± SD 35.1 ± 6.4 and 28.5 ± 10.6 cycles, respectively ( P < .01). Load to failure for nondecorticated specimens was 206.7 ± 75.0 N versus 152.3 ± 60.2 N for decorticated specimens ( P < .001). In a multivariate analysis, decortication and bone density were determinants in LTF ( P < .05). CONCLUSION: Decortication and decreased bone mineral density significantly decreased the pullout strength of suture anchors in the lateral facet of the greater trochanter. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Bone density should be considered when determining whether to perform greater trochanter decortication in abductor tendon repairs.

Percutaneous Transiliac-Transsacral Screw Fixation of Sacral Fragility Fractures Improves Pain, Ambulation, and Rate of Disposition to Home.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether percutaneous transiliac-transsacral screw fixation improves pain, ambulation, length of stay, and the rate of disposition to home in patients with sacral fragility fractures. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Single academic Level 1 trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Elderly patients who presented with an isolated sacral fragility fracture between August 2015 and August 2017. Of the 41 patients included in the study, 16 were treated operatively and 25 were treated nonoperatively. INTERVENTION: Percutaneous transiliac-transsacral screw fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Pain, ambulation, length of stay, complications, and disposition. RESULTS: Patients treated operatively reported a greater improvement in pain as measured by the visual analog scale (3.9 vs. 0.6 points, P < 0.001). At the time of discharge, 100% of surgically treated patients were able to ambulate compared with 72% in the nonoperative group (P = 0.03). Average distance ambulating at the time of discharge was higher in the operative group (95 vs. 35 ft, P < 0.01). Length of stay was similar between the 2 groups (3.6 days in operative group vs. 4.2 days in nonoperative group, P = 0.5). Of the patients treated operatively, 75% were discharged to home compared with only 20% in the nonoperative group (P < 0.001). There were no complications related to surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous transiliac-transsacral screw fixation of sacral fragility fractures lessens pain, improves ambulation, and increases the rate of disposition to home. Further investigation is needed to determine if surgical fixation provides benefit regarding medium- and long-term outcome variables. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Minimum Clinically Important Difference: Current Trends in the Spine Literature.

STUDY DESIGN: Review of the 2011 to 2015 minimum clinically important difference (MCID)-related publications in Spine, Spine Journal, Journal of Neurosurgery-Spine, and European Spine Journal. OBJECTIVE: To summarize the various determinations of MCID and to analyze its usage in the spine literature of the past 5 years in order to develop a basic reference to help practitioners interpret or utilize MCID. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: MCID represents the smallest change in a domain of interest that is considered beneficial to a patient or clinician. The many sources of variation in calculated MCID values and inconsistency in its utilization have resulted in confusion in the interpretation and use of MCID. METHODS: All articles from 2011 to 2015 were reviewed. Only clinical science articles utilizing patient reported outcome scores (PROs) were included in the analysis. A keyword search was then performed to identify articles that used MCID. MCID utilization in the selected papers was characterized and recorded. RESULTS: MCID was referenced in 264/1591 (16.6%) clinical science articles that utilized PROs: 22/264 (8.3%) independently calculated MCID values and 156/264 (59.1%) used previously published MCID values as a gauge of their own results. Despite similar calculation methods, there was a two- or three-fold range in the recommended MCID values for the same instrument. Half the studies recommended MCID values within the measurement error. Most studies (97.2%) using MCID to evaluate their own results relied on generic MCID. The few studies using specific MCID (MCID calculated for narrowly defined indications or treatments) did not consistently match the characteristics of their sample to the specificity of the MCID. About 48% of the studies compared group averages instead of individual scores to the MCID threshold. CONCLUSION: Despite a clear interest in MCID as a measure of patient improvement, its current developments and uses have been inconsistent. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: N/A.