Increased Risk of Periprosthetic Fractures and Revision Arthroplasty in Patients Undergoing Shoulder Arthroplasty With a History of Prior Fragility Fractures: A Matched Cohort Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: As rates of anatomic and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (SA) continue to grow, an increase in the number of osteoporotic patients undergoing SA, including those who have sustained prior fragility fractures, is expected. The purpose of this study was to examine short-term, implant-related complication rates and secondary fragility fractures after SA in patients with and without a history of fragility fractures. METHODS: A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study was done using the PearlDiver database to characterize the effect of antecedent fragility fractures in short-term complications after SA. Rates of revision SA, periprosthetic fractures, infection, and postoperative fragility fractures were evaluated using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Risks of these complications were also studied in patients with and without preoperative osteoporosis treatment. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 91,212 SA patients were identified, with 13,050 (14.3%) experiencing a fragility fracture within the 3 years before SA. Two years after SA, there were increased odds of periprosthetic fracture (odds ratio [OR] 2.24, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.68 to 2.99), fragility fracture (OR 9.11, 95% CI 8.43 to 9.85), deep infection (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.34 to 2.12), and all-cause revision SA (OR 1.68, 95% CI 1.44 to 1.96) within those patients who had experienced a fragility fracture within 3 years before their SA. Patients who were treated for osteoporosis with bisphosphonates and/or vitamin D supplementation before their SA had similar rates of postoperative periprosthetic fractures, fragility fractures, and all-cause revision SA to those who did not receive pharmacologic treatment. CONCLUSION: Sustaining a fragility fracture before SA portends substantial postoperative risk of periprosthetic fractures, infection, subsequent fragility fractures, and all-cause revision SA at the 2-year postoperative period. Pharmacotherapy did not markedly decrease the rate of these complications. These results are important for surgeons counseling patients who have experienced prior fragility fractures on the risks of SA.

Baseline Frailty Status Influences Recovery Patterns and Outcomes Following Alignment Correction of Cervical Deformity.

BACKGROUND: Frailty severity may be an important determinant for impaired recovery after cervical spine deformity (CD) corrective surgery. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate postop clinical recovery among CD patients between frailty states undergoing primary procedures. METHODS: Patients >18 yr old undergoing surgery for CD with health-related quality of life (HRQL) data at baseline, 3-mo, and 1-yr postoperative were identified. Patients were stratified by the modified CD frailty index scale from 0 to 1 (no frailty [NF] <0.3, mild/severe fraily [F] >0.3). Patients in NF and F groups were propensity score matched for TS-CL (T1 slope [TS] minus angle between the C2 inferior end plate and the C7 inferior end plate [CL]) to control for baseline deformity. Area under the curve was calculated for follow-up time intervals determining overall normalized, time-adjusted HRQL outcomes; Integrated Health State (IHS) was compared between NF and F groups. RESULTS: A total of 106 CD patients were included (61.7 yr, 66% F, 27.7 kg/m2)-by frailty group: 52.8% NF, 47.2% F. After propensity score matching for TS-CL (mean: 38.1°), 38 patients remained in each of the NF and F groups. IHS-adjusted HRQL outcomes from baseline to 1 yr showed a significant difference in Euro-Qol 5 Dimension scores (NF: 1.02, F: 1.07, P = .016). No significant differences were found in the IHS Neck Disability Index (NDI) and modified Japanese Orthopedic Association between frailty groups (P > .05). F patients had more postop major complications (31.3%) compared to the NF (8.9%), P = .004, though DJK occurrence and reoperation between the groups was not significant. CONCLUSION: While all groups exhibited improved postop disability and pain scores, frail patients experienced greater amount of improvement in overall health state compared to baseline disability. This signifies that with frailty severity, patients have more room for improvement postop compared to baseline quality of life.

Malpractice Litigation Involving Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relationship between chiropractic spinal manipulation and medical malpractice using a legal database. METHODS: The legal database VerdictSearch was queried using the terms "chiropractor" OR "spinal manipulation" under the classification of "Medical Malpractice" between 1988 and 2018. Cases with chiropractors as defendants were identified. Relevant medicolegal characteristics were obtained, including legal outcome (plaintiff/defense verdict, settlement), payment amount, nature of plaintiff claim, and type and location of alleged injury. RESULTS: Forty-eight cases involving chiropractic management in the United States were reported. Of these, 93.8% (n = 45) featured allegations involving spinal manipulation. The defense (practitioner) was victorious in 70.8% (n = 34) of cases, with a plaintiff (patient) victory in 20.8% (n = 10) (mean payment $658,487 ± $697,045) and settlement in 8.3% (n = 4) (mean payment $596,667 ± $402,534). Overaggressive manipulation was the most frequent allegation (33.3%; 16 cases). A majority of cases alleged neurological injury of the spine as the reason for litigation (66.7%, 32 cases) with 87.5% (28/32) requiring surgery. C5-C6 disc herniation was the most frequently alleged injury (32.4%, 11/34, 83.3% requiring surgery) followed by C6-C7 herniation (26.5%, 9/34, 88.9% requiring surgery). Claims also alleged 7 cases of stroke (14.6%) and 2 rib fractures (4.2%) from manipulation therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Litigation claims following chiropractic care predominately alleged neurological injury with consequent surgical management. Plaintiffs primarily alleged overaggressive treatment, though a majority of trials ended in defensive verdicts. Ongoing analysis of malpractice provides a unique lens through which to view this complicated topic.

Biomechanical comparison between titanium and cobalt chromium rods used in a pedicle subtraction osteotomy model.

Instrumentation failure is a common complication following complex spinal reconstruction and deformity correction. Rod fracture is the most frequent mode of hardware failure and often occurs at or near a 3-column osteotomy site. Titanium (Ti) rods are commonly utilized for spinal fixations, however, theoretically stiffer materials, such as cobalt-chrome (CoCr) rods are also available. Despite ongoing use in clinical practice, there is little biomechanical evidence that compares the construct ability to withstand fatigue stress for Ti and Co-Cr rods. Six models using 2 polyethylene blocks each were used to simulate a pedicle subtraction osteotomy. Within each block 6.0×45 mm polyaxial screws were placed and connected to another block using either two 6.0×100 mm Ti (3 models) or CoCr rods (3 models). The rods were bent to 40° using a French bender and were secured to the screws to give a vertical height of 1.5 cm between the blocks. The blocks were fatigue tested with 700N at 4 Hz until failure. The average number of cycles to failure for the Ti rod models was 12840 while the CoCr rod models failed at a significantly higher, 58351 cycles (P=0.003). All Ti models experienced rod fracture as the mode of failure. Two out of the three CoCr models had rod fractures while the last sample failed via screw fracture at the screw-tulip junction. The risk of rod failure is substantial in the setting of long segment spinal arthrodesis and corrective osteotomy. Efforts to increase the mechanical strength of posterior constructs may reduce the occurrence of this complication. Utilizing CoCr rods in patients with pedicle subtraction osteotomy may reduce the rate of device failure during maturation of the posterior fusion mass and limit the need for supplemental anterior column support.

Orthopaedic Surgeon Burnout: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention.

Burnout is a syndrome marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and low job satisfaction. Rates of burnout in orthopaedic surgeons are higher than those in the general population and many other medical subspecialties. Half of all orthopaedic surgeons show symptoms of burnout, with the highest rates reported in residents and orthopaedic department chairpersons. This syndrome is associated with poor outcomes for surgeons, institutions, and patients. Validated instruments exist to objectively diagnose burnout, although family members and colleagues should be aware of early warning signs and risk factors, such as irritability, withdrawal, and failing relationships at work and home. Emerging evidence indicates that mindfulness-based interventions or educational programs combined with meditation may be effective treatment options. Orthopaedic residency programs, departments, and practices should focus on identifying the signs of burnout and implementing prevention and treatment programs that have been shown to mitigate symptoms.

Preliminary biomechanical proof of concept for a hybrid locking plate/variable pitch screw construct for anterior fixation of type II odontoid fractures.

STUDY DESIGN: A human cadaveric biomechanical proof-of-concept study. OBJECTIVE: To test whether adding a locking plate to the anterior surface of C2 attaching directly to the interfragmentary screw may reduce potential for anterior screw cutout and improve construct strength. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The most common mode of failure for screw fixation of dens fractures is via cutout at the anterior body of C2. METHODS: A human, cadaveric model of type II dens fractures was created and fixed using either a headless, fully threaded variable pitch screw (FTVPS) or a screw with an attachable locking plate construct (LPC). Following quasistatic loading to failure, stiffness and load to failure were compared using t tests. Mode of failure was determined from radiographical and gross inspection. RESULTS: Load to failure was greater for the LPC than for the FTVPS alone (498 N vs. 362 N, P = 0.04). The LPC consistently failed via compression of cancellous bone posterior to the lag screw, whereas the FTVPS constructs failed via cutout of the screw from the anterior C2 body. CONCLUSION: Locking plate supplementation of anterior screw fixation of type II odontoid fractures improves construct strength and changes the failure mechanism from anterior screw cutout to posterior displacement of the screw. An attachable locking plate/interfragmentary screw construct may improve clinical outcomes for these fractures.