Impact of Social Determinants of Health on Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Curve Severity.

INTRODUCTION: Social determinants of health have been shown to influence the health and outcomes of pediatric patients. Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) may be particularly sensitive to such factors as early diagnosis and treatment can obviate the need for surgical intervention. The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect that social determinants of health have on the severity of AIS at presentation and at the time of surgery. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted for consecutive patients who underwent posterior spinal fusion for AIS from 2020 to 2022. Demographic data was collected, while insurance status (private vs. public) and childhood opportunity index (COI) categories (LOW vs. HIGH) were used as a proxy for socioeconomic status. Curve magnitude at the initial presentation and at the latest preoperative visit were recorded with a threshold of 25 to 40 degrees considered within the bracing range. Univariate and multivariate analysis was done to compare differences between subgroups as appropriate. RESULTS: A total of 180 patients with mean initial and preoperative major curve angles of 48 and 60 degrees were included. Statistically significant differences in race and insurance types were appreciated, with the LOW COI group having a higher proportion of underrepresented minority and publicly insured patients than the HIGH COI group ( P <0.001). Patients within the LOW COI group presented with an initial curve that was, on average, 6 degrees more severe than those within the HIGH group ( P =0.009) and a preoperative curve that was 4 degrees larger than those within the HIGH group ( P =0.015). Similarly, only 13% of patients within the LOW COI group presented with curves within the bracing threshold, compared with 31% in the HIGH COI group ( P =0.009). CONCLUSION: Socioeconomic status plays a significant role in the severity of AIS. Specifically, patients with lower COI tend to present with curve magnitudes beyond what is responsive to nonsurgical treatment, leading to larger curves at the time of surgery. Future work should focus on addressing social inequalities to optimize the treatment and outcomes of AIS patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III- Retrospective Comparative Study.

Inappropriate Pediatric Orthopaedic Emergency Department Transfers: A Burden on the Health Care System.

BACKGROUND: Though the importance of level 1 pediatric trauma has repeatedly been shown to lessen both morbidity and mortality in critically injured children, these same tertiary referral centers also receive numerous transfers of patients with less severe injuries. This not only leads to increased costs and use of limited facility resources but, oftentimes, frustration and unnecessary expense to those families for whom transfer was avoidable. Prior work has demonstrated that half of all inappropriate pediatric interfacility transfers are due to orthopedic injuries. This study aims to evaluate the incidence of inappropriate transfers of pediatric patients with isolated orthopedic injuries to a pediatric level 1 trauma center and identify factors associated with such transfers. METHODS: All patients transferred to a large metropolitan level 1 pediatric trauma center for isolated orthopedic injuries over a 6-year period were retrospectively evaluated. Medical records were reviewed for demographic and injury data, including age, gender, race, social deprivation index, insurance status, location of transferring institution, timing of transfer, and availability of orthopedic on-call coverage at transferring institution. The transfer was deemed to be appropriate if the patient required a sedated reduction, was admitted to the hospital, or was taken to the operating room within 24 hours of transfer. Regression analysis was reviewed for each of the demographic, patient, and transfer characteristics in an attempt to isolate those associated with inappropriate transfer. RESULTS: In all, 437 transfers occurred during the study period. Of these, 112 (26%) were deemed inappropriate. 4% of patients transferred for orthopedic injuries did not receive an orthopedic consult following the transfer. Non-white patients were more likely than white patients to be transferred inappropriately (34.01% vs. 21.58%, P=0.009 ). No other demographic characteristic was predictive of inappropriate transfer. There was no difference in the rate of appropriate transfer between patients with private insurance versus government-funded, self-paying, or uninsured patients. The timing of transfer (night vs. day and weekday vs. weekend) did not affect the appropriateness of transfer. Facilities with orthopaedic on-call coverage were more likely to inappropriately transfer patients than those without (26.6% vs. 23.4%, P<0.001 ). CONCLUSION: A quarter of patients transferred for isolated orthopaedic injuries were inappropriately transferred. Unlike studies published in adult literature, the timing of transfer (overnight and weekend) and the insurance status of the patient did not appear to play a role in the appropriateness of transfer. Inappropriate and unnecessary trauma transfers create a significant burden on tertiary referral centers. Raising awareness of the high incidence of unnecessary transfers coupled with enhanced education of outside emergency medicine providers may result in better stewardship of health care resources, limit delays in patient care, and reduce strain on both the health care delivery system and the families of injured children. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-Therapeutic Study.

Predictors of Persistent Limp Following Proximal Femoral Varus Osteotomy for Perthes Disease.

INTRODUCTION: One of the most popular containment procedures for Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease (LCPD) is proximal femur varus osteotomy (PFO). While generally successful in achieving containment, PFO can cause limb length discrepancy, abductor weakness, and (of most concern for families) a persistent limp. While many studies have focused on radiographic outcomes following containment surgery, none have analyzed predictors of this persistent limp. The aim of this study was to determine clinical, radiographic, and surgical risk factors for persistent limp 2 years after PFO in children with LCPD. METHODS: A retrospective review of a prospectively collected multicenter database was conducted for patients aged 6 to 11 years at disease onset with unilateral early-stage LCPD (Waldenström I) who underwent PFO. Limp status (no, mild, and severe), age, BMI, and pain scores were obtained at initial presentation, 3-month, and 2-year postoperative visits. Preoperative and follow-up radiographs were used to measure traditional morphologic hip metrics including acetabular index (AI), lateral center-edge angle (LCEA), and femoral neck-shaft angle (NSA). Univariate analysis as well as multivariate logistic regression models were used to analyze factors associated with mild and severe limp at the 2-year visit. RESULTS: A total of 95 patients met the inclusion criteria, and of these 50 patients underwent concomitant greater trochanter apophysiodesis (GTA) at the time of PFO. At the 2-year visit, there were 38 patients (40%) with a mild or severe limp. Multivariate logistic regression revealed no significant radiographic factors associated with a persistent limp. However, lower 2-year BMI and undergoing GTA were associated with decreased rates of persistent limp regardless of age ( P <0.05). When stratifying by age of disease onset, apophysiodesis appeared to be protective against any severity of limp in patients aged 6 to 8 years old ( P = 0.03), but not in patients 8 years or older ( P = 0.49). CONCLUSIONS: Persistent limp following PFO is a frustrating problem that was seen in 40% of patients at 2 years. However, lower follow-up BMI and performing a greater trochanter apophysiodesis, particularly in patients younger than 8 years of age, correlated with a lower risk of postoperative limp.

Rotator Cuff Injuries in the Pediatric Population: A Retrospective Review of Patient Characteristics and Treatment at a Single Center.

BACKGROUND: As youth participation in contact and overhead sports has increased in recent decades, so has the occurrence of injuries of the shoulder. Rotator cuff injury (RCI) is an infrequent shoulder pathology in pediatric patients and its description in the literature has been scarce. A greater understanding of RCI characteristics and treatment outcomes in children and adolescents would improve our understanding of this pathology and help to better guide clinical decision-making. HYPOTHESIS: To identify pediatric patients with magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed RCI treated at a single center to summarize injury characteristics, treatment, and outcomes. It was hypothesized that injuries would occur predominantly in overhead throwing athletes and would demonstrate good outcomes among both operatively and nonoperatively treated patients. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level 4. METHODS: A retrospective review of pediatric patients (<18 years old) diagnosed with and treated for an RCI between January 1, 2011 and January 31, 2021. Patient demographics, injury mechanism and type, treatment, and outcomes were collected. Descriptive statistics were performed. Bivariate testing was used to compare operatively and nonoperatively treated cohorts. RESULTS: A total of 52 pediatric patients treated for a rotator cuff avulsion, partial tear, or complete tear were identified. Mean age was 15 years and 67% of patients were male. Injuries were related most commonly to participation in throwing sports. Operative management occurred in 23% of patients, while 77% were managed nonoperatively. Treatment cohorts differed based on tear type, with all complete tears being managed operatively (P < 0.01). Associated shoulder pathology was common, with the most frequent finding being anterior shoulder instability pathology. Return to play was longer for operatively managed patients (7.1 vs 4.5 months; P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The present study expands the limited data available regarding RCIs in pediatric patients. Most injuries are associated with sports and involve the supraspinatus tendon. RCIs were associated with good outcomes and low rates of reinjury in patients managed both nonoperative and operatively. RCI should be considered in throwing athletes with shoulder pain, even in skeletally immature patients. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This retrospective study fills the hole in the literature by detailing the patterns associated with RCI characteristics and treatment outcomes. In contrast to studies of adult RCIs, our results suggest that outcomes are good regardless of treatment type.

Tibial Spine Fractures in the Child and Adolescent Athlete: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tibial spine fractures (TSFs) are uncommon injuries that may result in substantial morbidity in children. A variety of open and arthroscopic techniques are used to treat these fractures, but no single standardized operative method has been identified. PURPOSE: To systematically review the literature on pediatric TSFs to determine the current treatment approaches, outcomes, and complications. STUDY DESIGN: Meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analyses) guidelines using PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Studies evaluating treatment and outcomes of patients <18 years old were included. Patient demographic characteristics, fracture characteristics, treatments, and outcomes were abstracted. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize categorical and quantitative variables, and a meta-analytic technique was used to compare observational studies with sufficient data. RESULTS: A total of 47 studies were included, totaling 1922 TSFs in patients (66.4% male) with a mean age of 12 years (range, 3-18 years). The operative approach was open reduction and internal fixation in 291 cases and arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation in 1236 cases; screw fixation was used in 411 cases and suture fixation, in 586 cases. A total of 13 nonunions were reported, occurring most frequently in Meyers and McKeever type III fractures (n = 6) and in fractures that were treated nonoperatively (n = 10). Arthrofibrosis rates were reported in 33 studies (n = 1700), and arthrofibrosis was present in 190 patients (11.2%). Range of motion loss occurred significantly more frequently in patients with type III and IV fractures (P < .001), and secondary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury occurred most frequently in patients with type I and II fractures (P = .008). No statistically significant differences were found with regard to rates of nonunion, arthrofibrosis, range of motion loss, laxity, or secondary ACL injury between fixation methods (screw vs suture). CONCLUSION: Despite variation in TSF treatment, good overall outcomes have been reported with low complication rates in both open and arthroscopic treatment and with both screw and suture fixation. Arthrofibrosis remains a concern after surgical treatment for TSF, but no significant difference in incidence was found between the analysis groups. Larger studies are necessary to compare outcomes and form a consensus on how to treat and manage patients with TSFs.

Stationary bike injuries prompting emergency department presentation in pediatric patients: an epidemiological study.

OBJECTIVES: Potential harms of stationary bike injuries in pediatric patients have been highlighted in the literature, but prior work is limited to case series and without population-level analysis. The purpose of this study is to examine the epidemiology of pediatric stationary bike injuries occurring in the US over the last decade using a national database. METHODS: Injuries resulting from stationary bike use in pediatric patients from 2012 to 2021 were identified using coding from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database. Patient demographics, injury characteristics, and case narratives were examined. National annual estimates of injury frequency/incidence were calculated using weighting and survey package in R. Univariate analyses were used to compare injuries among groups. RESULTS: We identified 525 stationary bike injuries representing an estimated total of 15,509 injuries in the population. Pediatric patients sustained an average of 1,551 injuries annually, with an estimated yearly increase of 288 injuries (p < 0.01) after 2019. While males sustained more injuries, there were age-dependent differences in frequency of injuries between sexes (p < 0.01). The upper extremity was the most commonly injured body region overall, but children 5 and under sustained more injuries to the head/neck. The most common overall injury type was lacerations, while fractures predominated in the 6 to 11-year-old age group. Fifty-six percent of injuries were sustained not while riding the bike, most notably among children under 12. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that the impact of stationary bike injury in the pediatric population is not insignificant, and most injuries are related to improper play rather than traditional exercise use. Gender and age-related patterns differed in regard to the type and mechanism of injury sustained. Children 5 and under sustain a disproportionate amount of injuries to the head, neck, and upper extremity. As stationary bikes grow in popularity, preventative measures should be considered to reduce injuries to young children.

Natural history of neonatal radial nerve palsy.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Rotator cuff injury in the pediatric population: a systematic review of patient characteristics, treatment, and outcomes.

Rotator cuff injuries (RCIs), traditionally thought to be an adult-type pathology, have been reported in the pediatric population, but there remains limited evidence regarding this injury pattern in pediatric patients. The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature to characterize the epidemiology, injury patterns, treatment modalities, and outcomes for pediatric patients with RCIs. A systematic review was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines, reviewing Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, and CINAHL databases. Studies reporting imaging confirmed RCIs, and treatment outcomes in patients less than 18 years of age were included. Patient demographics, mechanism, injury type, and injury location were recorded. Treatment type and patient outcomes were abstracted when available and summarized with descriptive statistics. Our search identified 28 studies published from 1994 to 2020, which included 215 total tendons injured in 185 patients. Twenty-six studies were classified as level IV evidence, whereas only two were level III. When described, the most injured tendon ( n = 184) was the supraspinatus, whereas the most described injury type ( n = 215) was a partial tear. Surgical intervention was pursued in 75.8% of injuries, with arthroscopy being more common than open repair (79.4% vs. 20.6%). Nonoperative treatment was primarily utilized for partial tears. Among the 24 studies reporting on return to sports, nonoperatively managed patients returned later than those treated operatively (mean: 10.7 vs. 7 months). Only eight studies included patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), and just five had pre- and posttreatment scores. Three complications were noted, all in operative patients. RCIs in pediatric patients have been reported in the literature with increasing frequency over the last decade, but the quality of evidence remains poor with inconsistent injury descriptions and outcome reporting. Excellent results were seen for all injury types and locations with both operative and nonoperative treatments. The literature for pediatric RCIs remains limited in guiding management decisions indicating a need for more high-quality studies to compare outcomes across injury and treatment type. Level of evidence: level III.

Radiographic Evaluation of Pediatric Patients with Patellofemoral Instability.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to highlight the radiographic assessments of utility in the evaluation of a pediatric patient with patellofemoral instability to facilitate a thorough work-up. Understanding of these measures is useful in understanding evolving research in this field, providing accurate patient risk assessment, and appropriately directing surgical decision-making. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent literature has broadened the radiographic characterization of the pediatric patellar instability and its anatomic risk factors. Knee MRI can inform the assessment of skeletal maturity and novel axial alignment measurements may enhance our identification of patients at increased risk of recurrent instability. Additional improvements have been made in the objective measurement and classification of trochlear dysplasia. Knee MRI-based skeletal age assessments may obviate the need for hand bone age assessments in growing children with patellofemoral instability. Novel objective measures exist in the evaluation of pediatric patellar instability both in the assessment of axial alignment and trochlear dysplasia. Future work should focus on how these measures can aid in guiding surgical decision-making.