Orthopaedics in the Real World: The Business and Legal Aspects of Employment in 2022.

As more physicians enter hospital employment on completion of their training, the details and complexity associated with these arrangements are increasing. To better position surgeons to succeed in any employment model, it is important to describe several key topics associated with these business models. First, financial modeling can be used to make smarter choices when evaluating employment opportunities. This tool, applied often in the business world, allows surgeons to truly understand the midterm and long-term financial implications of employment decisions and can help surgeons thrive financially as they progress through their careers. There are both positive and negative intricate points associated with different employment models, including hospital-employed positions. Although each model may have its minor unique differences, a thorough understanding of the basics is critical for success. Contracts and some of the common issues of concern that surgeons should be keenly aware of when negotiating their hospital employment contract are important topics for discussion, along with the concept of ancillary revenue, specifically its unique implications as it applies to hospital-employed physicians; these relationships can be very different from traditional private practice models of ancillary income. Orthopaedic surgeons should be knowledgeable about Stark Law, the Anti-Kickback Statute, and Certificate of Need laws and the potential effect of these and other regulations on physicians.

Professionalism of Admitting and Consulting Services and Trauma Patient Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether trauma patients managed by an admitting or consulting service with a high proportion of physicians exhibiting patterns of unprofessional behaviors are at greater risk of complications or death. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Trauma care requires high-functioning interdisciplinary teams where professionalism, particularly modeling respect and communicating effectively, is essential. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study used data from 9 level I trauma centers that participated in a national trauma registry linked with data from a national database of unsolicited patient complaints. The cohort included trauma patients admitted January 1, 2012 through December 31, 2017. The exposure of interest was care by 1 or more high-risk services, defined as teams with a greater proportion of physicians with high numbers of patient complaints. The study outcome was death or complications within 30 days. RESULTS: Among the 71,046 patients in the cohort, 9553 (13.4%) experienced the primary outcome of complications or death, including 1875 of 16,107 patients (11.6%) with 0 high-risk services, 3788 of 28,085 patients (13.5%) with 1 high-risk service, and 3890 of 26,854 patients (14.5%) with 2+ highrisk services (P < 0.001). In logistic regression models adjusting for relevant patient, injury, and site characteristics, patients who received care from 1 or more high-risk services were at 24.1% (95% confidence interval 17.2% to 31.3%; P < 0.001) greater risk of experiencing the primary study outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma patients who received care from at least 1 service with a high proportion of physicians modeling unprofessional behavior were at an increased risk of death or complications.

Dually Insured Medicare/Medicaid Patients Undergoing Primary TJA Have More Comorbidities, Higher Complication Rates, and Lower Reimbursements Compared to Privately Insured Patients.

BACKGROUND: Dual eligibility status (DES: qualifying for both Medicare and a Medicaid supplement) was recently proposed by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services as a socioeconomic qualifier for risk adjustment in primary total joint arthroplasty. However, the profile and outcomes of DES patients have never been compared to privately insured patients. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study of the Mariner database within the PearlDiver server between 2010 and 2017 was performed. Patients aged 60 to 80 undergoing primary total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) (separately) were stratified based upon payer type: DES versus private payer. A propensity score-matched analysis with nearest neighbor pairing (1:1 ratio) was performed to compare 90-day outcomes and reimbursements. RESULTS: A total of 315,664 private and 3961 DES THA patients and 670,899 private and 2255 DES TKA patients were identified. DES patients were older and had a greater prevalence of comorbidities (31/36, P < .001). The THA DES matched cohort had greater transfusion rates (6.8% versus 3.9%, P < .001), higher 90-day emergency department visits (22.8% versus 16.3%, P < .001) and readmissions (16.8% versus 9.5%, P < .001), and lower reimbursements ($19,615 versus $13,036, P < .001). The TKA DES matched cohort had more cardiac events (0.4% versus 0.09%, P = .03), emergency department visits (25.2% versus 19.9%, P < .001), readmissions (14.4% versus 11.2%, P = .001), and reoperations (0.85% versus 0.35%, P = .03) CONCLUSION: DES patients have different comorbidity profiles, and even after propensity score matching have a greater risk of complications and are reimbursed less compared to privately insured patients. In the setting of alternative payment models, these differences should be accounted for through risk adjustment.

Post-operative Outcomes and Survivorship for Shoulder Arthroplasty following Glenohumeral Tumor Resection.

A paucity of data exists for post-operative complications and survivorship in patients undergoing resection arthroplasty procedures for treatment of glenohumeral tumors. This study investigates patient and tumor characteristics, 90-day and long-term post-operative complications, and overall survivorship following glenohumeral tumor resection arthroplasty procedures. This single-center retrospective review identified 13 patients, with mean age of 51.6 ± 15.7 years, mean body mass index of 26.5 ± 6.4 kg/m2, and mean Charlson Comorbidity Index of 4.9 ± 2.4, who underwent shoulder arthroplasty procedures for glenohumeral tumors, most commonly for chondrosarcoma (n = 5) and metastatic disease (n = 3). Nine patients (69.2%) underwent revision surgeries at a median of 677 days, most commonly for prosthesis instability, dislocation (n=4) or aseptic loosening (n = 3). Seven patients (53.8%) were deceased at a median of 593.6 days. Resection arthroplasty in the treatment of glenohumeral tumors demonstrates low rates of complications during the global period but are fraught with long-term complications. This data provides pertinent information to pre-operatively counsel patients on post-operative expectations. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 31(4):248-251, 2022).

Improved osseointegration using porcine xenograft compared to demineralized bone matrix for the treatment of critical defects in a small animal model.

BACKGROUND: Autograft (AG) is the gold standard bone graft due to biocompatibility, osteoconductivity, osteogenicity, and osteoinductivity. Alternatives include allografts and xenografts (XG). METHODS: We investigated the osseointegration and biocompatibility of a decellularized porcine XG within a critical defect animal model. We hypothesized that the XG will result in superior osseointegration compared to demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and equivalent immune response to AG. Critical defects were created in rat femurs and treated with XG, XG plus bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, DBM, or AG. Interleukin (IL)-2 and IFN-gamma levels (inflammatory markers) were measured from animal blood draws at 1 week and 1 month post-operatively. At 1 month, samples underwent micro-positron-emission tomography (microPET) scans following 18-NaF injection. At 16 weeks, femurs were retrieved and sent for micro-computerized tomography (microCT) scans for blinded grading of osseointegration or were processed for histologic analysis with tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and pentachrome. RESULTS: Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay testing demonstrated greater IL-2 levels in the XG vs. AG 1 week post-op; which normalized by 28 days post-op. MicroPET scans showed increased uptake within the AG compared to all groups. XG and XG + BMP-2 showed a trend toward increased uptake compared with DBM. MicroCT scans demonstrated increased osseointegration in XG and XG + BMP groups compared to DBM. Pentachrome staining demonstrated angiogenesis and endochondral bone formation. Furthermore, positive TRAP staining in samples from all groups indicated bone remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that decellularized and oxidized porcine XG is biocompatible and at least equivalent to DBM in the treatment of a critical defect in a rat femur model.

Investigating the Osteoinductive Potential of a Decellularized Xenograft Bone Substitute.

Bone grafting is the second most common tissue transplantation procedure worldwide. One of the alternative methods for bone repair under investigation is a tissue-engineered bone substitute. An ideal property of tissue-engineered bone substitutes is osteoinductivity, defined as the ability to stimulate primitive cells to differentiate into a bone-forming lineage. In the current study, we use a decellularization and oxidation protocol to produce a porcine bone scaffold and examine whether it possesses osteoinductive potential and can be used to create a tissue-engineered bone microenvironment. The decellularization protocol was patented by our lab and consists of chemical decellularization and oxidation steps using combinations of deionized water, trypsin, antimicrobials, peracetic acid, and triton-X100. To test if the bone scaffold was a viable host, preosteoblasts were seeded and analyzed for markers of osteogenic differentiation. The osteoinductive potential was observed in vitro with similar osteogenic markers being expressed in preosteoblasts seeded on the scaffolds and demineralized bone matrix. To assess these properties in vivo, scaffolds with and without preosteoblasts preseeded were subcutaneously implanted in mice for 4 weeks. MicroCT scanning revealed 1.6-fold increased bone volume to total volume ratio and 1.4-fold increase in trabecular thickness in scaffolds after implantation. The histological analysis demonstrates new bone formation and blood vessel formation with pentachrome staining demonstrating osteogenesis and angiogenesis, respectively, within the scaffold. Furthermore, CD31+ staining confirmed the endothelial lining of the blood vessels. These results demonstrate that porcine bone maintains its osteoinductive properties after the application of a patented decellularization and oxidation protocol developed in our laboratory. Future work must be performed to definitively prove osteogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells, biocompatibility in large animal models, and osteoinduction/osseointegration in a relevant clinical model in vivo. The ability to create a functional bone microenvironment using decellularized xenografts will impact regenerative medicine, orthopedic reconstruction, and could be used in the research of multiple diseases.

Are There Gender Differences Among Leaders of Regional Orthopaedic Societies of the United States?

BACKGROUND: Great efforts are currently being made toward improving gender and racial equity in orthopaedic surgery in the United States. Nonetheless, no research has reported on whether these efforts have increased representation of women and underrepresented minorities in leadership roles in orthopaedic surgery societies. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: Are women proportionally represented in the leadership of regional orthopaedic societies in the United States? METHODS: The latest version of the American Association of Orthopaedic Surgeons census data was evaluated to determine the numbers (and percentages) of women and men practicing orthopaedic surgery in the United States. We also queried data for regional orthopaedic societies members who held a position of leadership (four societies; n = 53) between 2012 and 2017. Collected data included gender, years of experience, and practice setting. A chi-square analysis was conducted to compare the percentage of women in leadership with the percentage of women in practice in each of four geographic regions (Western Orthopaedic Association [WOA]; Southern Orthopaedic Association [SOA]; Eastern Orthopaedic Association [EOA]; Mid-America Orthopaedic Association [MAOA]) to see if the representation of women was proportional to that of men. RESULTS: With the numbers available, there was no difference in the observed-to-expected proportions between men and women in leadership in any of the regional societies we studied For the eastern region, there were 6% (392 of 6514) versus 0% (0 of 12; p = 0.591) of practicing women orthopaedic surgeons versus women orthopaedic surgeons holding positions in EOA leadership. For the Western region, there were 5% (304 of 5744) versus 7% (1 of 14; p = 0.836) practicing women orthopaedic surgeons versus women orthopaedic surgeons holding positions in WOA leadership. For the Midwest United States region, there were 6% (443 of 6937) versus 0% (0 of 15; p = 0.509) of practicing women orthopaedic surgeons versus women orthopaedic surgeons holding positions in MAOA leadership. For the Southern United States region, there were 4% (443 of 9601) versus 0% (0 of 13; p = 0.662) of practicing women orthopaedic surgeons versus women orthopaedic surgeons holding positions in SOA leadership. CONCLUSIONS: We found that women were represented in leadership roles in the regional societies in the United States in proportion to their overall numbers. However, that overall number was small, and so the percentages of regional society leaders who were women were correspondingly small. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The low number of women orthopaedic surgeons holding leadership positions in regional societies are most likely a function of the low overall number of women orthopaedic surgeons, but focused efforts to change the status quo may increase the diversity of leadership in these societies.

Complications and Costs Are Not Increased After Total Hip Arthroplasty in Patients With a History of Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Prostate cancer (PCa) is a largely prevalent disease in the United States. Moreover, it is unclear whether the thromboembolic burden of disease remains present after the cancer has been treated and whether such state impacts the short-term outcomes of orthopedic procedures. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to assess 90-day postoperative complications and costs after total hip arthroplasty (THA) for osteoarthritis in patients with a history of PCa. METHODS: Two groups of patients who underwent THA for osteoarthritis in the Medicare Standard Analytical Files were identified through the PearlDiver server. Both groups were matched based on age, diabetes, smoking status, chronic kidney disease, alcohol abuse, chronic liver disease, and obesity in order to create a case-control study comparison. The 90-day complication rates after THA were compared using univariate regressions (odds ratio). We hypothesized that patients with a history of PCa would develop increased rates of thromboembolic complications based on a prolonged procoagulative state. RESULTS: After matching, each group was comprised of 62,571 patients. Our findings identified greater 90-day pneumonia rates for those without a history of PCa (3.26% vs 2.68%; odds ratio, 0.82). All other complications including thromboembolic diseases were clinically comparable in both groups during the 90-day postoperative period. The charges and reimbursements for the 90-day period were also comparable. CONCLUSION: In our large case-control study of 125,142 patients, we found that patients with a history of PCa do not have increased risk of short-term complications after THA and that the mean 90-day reimbursements were similar for both groups at $14,153 for PCa patients and $14,033 for those without (P = .114).

Disseminated Cryptococcal Osteomyelitis to the Hand in an Immunosuppressed Lymphoma Patient.

Fungal osteomyelitis of the hand is rare with limited evidence-based literature to guide diagnosis and management. We report a case of disseminated cryptococcal osteomyelitis in the middle phalanx from a pulmonary fungal infection in a patient with a history of lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma. Although rare, cryptococcosis should be considered in the differential diagnosis of aggressive lytic lesions with bone pain and associated large soft tissue masses, especially in the immunosuppressed host.

History of Breast Cancer Increases 90-Day Pulmonary Embolism Rates and Reimbursements After Total Hip Arthroplasty: A National Matched-Pair Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Rates of total hip arthroplasty (THA) are projected to increase in the coming decades. Multiple studies have focused on identifying risk factors for adverse events after joint arthroplasty, and recent attention has been directed toward cancer. Very limited data have been published examining the effects of history of malignancy on outcomes after THA. With a concomitant increase in breast cancer diagnosis and treatments in recent years, it is expected that orthopedic surgeons will likely see more breast cancer survivors in clinic. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of a personal history of breast cancer on 90-day outcomes after THA. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective case-control study of the entire Medicare records. The endpoints of this study included length of stay, medical complications, surgical complications, and costs (examined here as reimbursements). Patients were matched by age and gender in order to decrease confounding. A 1:1 matching was performed. RESULTS: After age and demographics matching, our findings demonstrated that patients with a history of breast cancer have increased rates of pulmonary embolism (0.59% vs 0.45%, P = .003), increased use of chest computed tomography (1.72% vs 1.18%, P < .001), and higher mean 90-day reimbursements (mean $15,432 vs mean $14,701, P = .011) in the 90 days following surgery. Other medical and surgical complications were equally distributed in both cohorts. CONCLUSION: Surgeons should be aware of the increased rate of pulmonary embolism and have a more aggressive thromboprophylaxis protocol in these patients.

Nutritional markers may identify patients with greater risk of re-admission after geriatric hip fractures.

PURPOSE: Osteoporotic hip fractures are increasing in prevalence with the growing elderly population. Morbidity and mortality remain high following osteoporotic hip fractures despite advances in medical and surgical treatments. The associated costs and medical burdens are increased with a re-admission following hip fracture treatment. This study sought to identify demographic and clinical values that may be a predictive model for 30-day re-admission risk following operative management of an isolated hip fracture. METHODS: Between January 1, 2013 and April 30, 2015 all patients admitted to a single academic medical centre for treatment of a hip fracture were reviewed. Candidate variables included standard demographics, common laboratory values, and markers of comorbid conditions and nutrition status. A 30-day, all-cause re-admission model was created utilizing multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: A total of 607 patients with hip fractures were identified and met the inclusion criteria; of those patients, 67 were re-admitted within 30 days. Univariate analysis indicates that the re-admission group had more comorbidities (p < 0.001) and lower albumin (p = 0.038) and prealbumin (p < 0.001). The final, reduced model contained 12 variables and incorporated four out of five nutritional makers with an internally, cross-validated C-statistic of 0.811 (95% CI: 0.754, 0.867). CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that specific nutritional laboratory markers at the index admission may identify patients that have a greater risk of re-admission after hip fracture. This model identifies potentially modifiable risk factors and may allow orthogeriatricians to better educate patients and better treat post-operative nutritional status and care.

Ascorbic Acid and Its Clinical Role in Orthopaedic Surgery.

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) is an essential micronutrient with evidence supporting its role in bone formation, tissue repair, and collagen production. Its clinical importance to the field of orthopaedic surgery has yet to be fully defined. Several observational studies have shown improved bone density and reduced hip fracture risk with supplementation. Its effect on bone fracture and soft tissue injury has been promising in animal models, but is not adequately studied in human trials. Results have been mixed concerning its role in chondroprotection and osteoarthritis treatment. Evidence suggesting reduced incidence of complex regional pain syndrome following distal radius fracture when treated with adjuvant ascorbic acid has prompted much debate but has received an endorsement of moderate support from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Given its potential benefits, low cost, and safety profile, ascorbic acid supplementation warrants consideration by orthopaedic surgeons in the treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal injuries (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 27(4):261-268, 2018).

Hemiarthroplasty for Fractures of Metastatic Bone Disease Have Different Outcomes Compared to Fractures Without Metastasis: A Matched-Pair Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Hemiarthropalsty (HA) for proximal femur fractures (PFF) has shown good results in the elderly patient population. It has also been used to treat fractures of the proximal femur in patients with metastatic bone disease (MBD). Nonetheless, complications still occur in both patient populations and their effect on 90-day costs can be a great burden to the healthcare system. Thus, the purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the outcomes and costs of HA for PFF in patients with bone metastasis versus those without it. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The Medicare standard analytical files were queried through International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, ninth edition (ICD-9) codes. A case-control study comparing PFF in patients with and without MBD treated with HA was performed. Medical and surgical complications, mortality, discharge disposition, and length of stay were analyzed and compared. Outcomes were tracked for the 90-day period after surgery. Statistical analysis was performed through odds ratios, unpaired t-tests, and chi-squares. RESULTS: Patients treated with HA for fractures with MBD have higher rates of medical complications compared to fracture patients without MBD. Mortality was found to be significantly greater in the MBD cohort (8.8% vs. 2.3%), as were medical complications and length of stay. Both charges and reimbursements were also significantly greater in the MBD cohort. CONCLUSION: Patients who undergo hip HA for MBD are at increased risks of medical complications compared to patients who undergo HA for fractures without metastasis, and surgeons should be aware of these increased risks.

Randomized comparison of volar locking plates and intramedullary nails for unstable distal radius fractures.

PURPOSE: To compare minimally invasive intramedullary nails (IMN) and volar locking plates (VLP) for the treatment of unstable distal radius fractures by evaluating postoperative subjective, radiographic, and functional outcomes. The hypothesis was that IMN patients would have less pain and required less pain medication in the early postoperative period and returned to work earlier than VLP patients. METHODS: Sixty patients with closed, displaced, unstable, extra-articular, metaphyseal fractures of the distal radius were randomized to receive a VLP or an IMN for internal fixation. Functional outcomes (Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, Michigan Hand Questionnaire), radiographic measurements (ulnar variance, radial height, inclination, and volar tilt), and range of motion were assessed until final follow-up at 2 years after surgery. Narcotic pain medication use was documented for 5 weeks following surgery. RESULTS: There were 2 groups of 30 patients with IMN (mean age, 55 ± 14 y) or VLP (mean age, 55 ± 16 y) with similar demographics and comorbidities. Patients with IMN regained extension earlier but had similar range of motion to patients with VLP at final follow-up. There was similar improvement in Michigan Hand Questionnaire, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, and strength between groups. Five weeks after surgery, fewer IMN patients required narcotic pain medication (13%) than VLP patients (33%). Radiographic outcomes were similar at final follow-up. There were 3 failures with IMN versus 1 failure with VLP. All 10 employed patients with IMN returned to previous work compared with 10 of the 12 employed patients with VLP. Time to return to work was similar for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of similar patients, IMN and VLP provided comparable improvement in functional and radiographic outcomes. Patients with IMN required less narcotic pain medication after surgery than VLP patients. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.

Physician Specialty Differences in Unprofessional Behaviors Observed and Reported by Coworkers.

Importance: Because unprofessional behaviors are associated with patient complications, malpractice claims, and well-being concerns, monitoring concerns requiring investigation and individuals identified in multiple reports may provide important opportunities for health care leaders to support all team members. Objective: To examine the distribution of physicians by specialty who demonstrate unprofessional behaviors measured through safety reports submitted by coworkers. Design, Setting, and Participants: This retrospective cohort study was conducted among physicians who practiced at the 193 hospitals in the Coworker Concern Observation Reporting System (CORS), administered by the Vanderbilt Center for Patient and Professional Advocacy. Data were collected from January 2018 to December 2022. Exposure: Submitted reports concerning communication, professional responsibility, medical care, and professional integrity. Main Outcomes and Measures: Physicians' total number and categories of CORS reports. The proportion of physicians in each specialty (nonsurgeon nonproceduralists, emergency medicine physicians, nonsurgeon proceduralists, and surgeons) who received at least 1 report and who qualified for intervention were calculated; logistic regression was used to calculate the odds of any CORS report. Results: The cohort included 35 120 physicians: 18 288 (52.1%) nonsurgeon nonproceduralists, 1876 (5.3%) emergency medicine physicians, 6743 (19.2%) nonsurgeon proceduralists, and 8213 (23.4%) surgeons. There were 3179 physicians (9.1%) with at least 1 CORS report. Nonsurgeon nonproceduralists had the lowest percentage of physicians with at least 1 report (1032 [5.6%]), followed by emergency medicine (204 [10.9%]), nonsurgeon proceduralists (809 [12.0%]), and surgeons (1134 [13.8%]). Nonsurgeon nonproceduralists were less likely to be named in a CORS report than other specialties (5.6% vs 12.8% for other specialties combined; difference in percentages, -7.1 percentage points; 95% CI, -7.7 to -6.5 percentage points; P < .001). Pediatric-focused nonsurgeon nonproceduralists (2897 physicians) were significantly less likely to be associated with a CORS report than nonpediatric nonsurgeon nonproceduralists (15 391 physicians) (105 [3.6%] vs 927 [6.0%]; difference in percentages, -2.4 percentage points, 95% CI, -3.2 to -1.6 percentage points; P < .001). Pediatric-focused emergency medicine physicians, nonsurgeon proceduralists, and surgeons had no significant differences in reporting compared with nonpediatric-focused physicians. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study, less than 10% of physicians ever received a coworker report with a concern about unprofessional behavior. Monitoring reports of unprofessional behaviors provides important opportunities for health care organizations to identify and intervene as needed to support team members.

Femoral stress fractures associated with long-term bisphosphonate treatment.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have described unique clinical and radiographic characteristics of femoral stress fractures or low-energy fractures associated with long-term bisphosphonate therapy. However, it is unclear whether these fractures require subsequent surgery after the initial treatment. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We performed a cohort analysis of bisphosphonate-associated femoral stress fractures to (1) confirm the unique clinical and radiographic findings compared with existing literature, (2) determine whether any patients with completed fractures had no preexisting transverse stress fracture lines, (3) assess the need for additional surgical procedures, and (4) determine whether the hospital length of stay (LOS) differed for patients with prophylactic fixation of stress fractures versus fixation of completed fractures. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 16 patients with 24 diaphyseal and subtrochanteric femoral stress fractures (14) or low-energy fractures (10) who had been on bisphosphonates for 3 to 10 years. Data included demographics, symptoms, medication history, radiographic characteristics, treatment parameters, LOS, and outcome. Minimum followup was 9 months (average, 44.0 months; median, 31 months; range, 9-112 months). RESULTS: All patients had clinical and radiographic findings similar to those reported in the literature. Two of four patients sustained completed fractures after radiographs failed to reveal transverse lateral fracture lines. None of the 14 prophylactically treated impending fractures progressed or required additional surgery; however, in five of 10 femurs treated after fracture completion, six additional surgeries were performed. The average hospital LOS was shorter in patients who underwent prophylactic fixation (3.8 days) than in patients treated for completed fractures (5.6 days). CONCLUSIONS: Bisphosphonate-associated stress fractures and completed fractures are unique, possessing subtle characteristic radiographic features. Completed fractures may occur through the thickened bone in the absence of an appreciable transverse stress fracture line. Our observations suggest prophylactic reconstruction nail fixation may avoid fracture completion and may be associated with a shorter hospital LOS and less morbidity than treatment of completed fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, diagnostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.