Symptomatic flatfoot in cerebral palsy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this review is to evaluate the current literature and best practices in the evaluation and treatment of symptomatic flatfoot in cerebral palsy. RECENT FINDINGS: While techniques to reconstruct the neuromuscular flatfoot and reestablish bony levers have remained similar over time, the concept of surgical dosing has helped guide appropriate interventions based on the magnitude of disease and functional level of the child. Moreover, the utilization of multisegment foot modeling in motion analysis has allowed quantitative description of such deformities and their impact on gait. SUMMARY: Future research should focus on refining operative indications and interventions with larger, multicenter, prospective cohorts to provide more robust evidence in surgical decision making. Long-term data are needed to confirm and compare efficacy of procedures. Radiographic data alone are not sufficient for describing functional foot position. Gait analysis with foot modeling and pedobarography along with patient-centered subjective outcomes will be needed in such investigations to make conclusive recommendations.

Reliability of a Photo-Based Modified Foot Posture Index (MFPI) in Quantifying Severity of Foot Deformity in Children With Cerebral Palsy.

INTRODUCTION: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have high rates of foot deformity. Accurate assessment of foot morphology is crucial for therapeutic planning and outcome evaluation. This study aims to evaluate the reliability of a novel photo-based Modified Foot Posture Index (MFPI) in the evaluation of foot deformity in children with CP. METHODS: Thirteen orthopaedic surgeons with neuromuscular clinical focus from 12 institutions evaluated standardized standing foot photographs of 20 children with CP, scoring foot morphology using the MFPI. Raters scored the standardized photographs based on five standard parameters. Two parameters assessed the hindfoot: curvature above and below the malleoli and calcaneal inversion/eversion. Three parameters assessed the midfoot and forefoot: talonavicular congruence, medial arch height, and forefoot abduction/adduction. Summary MFPI scores range from -10 to +10, where positive numbers connote planovalgus, whereas negative numbers connote a tendency toward cavovarus. Intra- and interrater reliability were calculated using a 2-way mixed model of the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) set to absolute agreement. RESULTS: Feet spanned the spectrum of potential pathology assessable by the MFPI, including no deformity, mild, moderate, and severe planovalgus or cavovarus deformities. All scored variables showed high intrarater reliability with ICCs from 0.891 to 1. ICCs for interrater reliability ranged from 0.965 to 0.984. Hindfoot total score had an ICC of 0.979, with a 95% CI, 0.968-0.988 (P<0.001). The forefoot total score had an ICC of 0.984 (95% CI, 0.976-0.991, P<0.001). Mean total score by the MFPI was 3.67 with an ICC of 0.982 (95% CI, 0.972-0.990, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The photo-based MFPI demonstrates high intra- and interrater reliability in assessing foot deformities in children with CP. Its noninvasive nature and ease of use make it a promising tool for both clinical and research settings. MFPI should be considered as part of standard outcomes scores in studies regarding the treatment of CP-associated foot deformities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V.

Does Skeletal Maturity Predict the Pattern of Tibial Tubercle Avulsion Fracture?

BACKGROUND: Proximal tibial physeal development and closure is thought to relate to tibial tubercle avulsion fracture (TTAF) patterns. Prior work has yet to formally evaluate the relationship between skeletal maturity and fracture pattern.  Using 2 knee radiograph-derived skeletal maturity assessments [growth remaining percentage (GRP) and epiphyseal union stage], we examined their association with TTAF injury patterns using the Ogden and Pandya fracture classifications. We hypothesized that different TTAF injuries would occur during unique periods of skeletal development. METHODS: Pediatric patients sustaining TTAFs treated at a single institution (2008-2022) were identified using diagnostic and procedural coding. Demographics and injury characteristics were collected. Radiographs were reviewed to assign epiphyseal union stage, Ogden and Pandya classifications and for measurements to calculate GRP. Univariate analyses examined the relationship between injury subgroups, patient demographics, and skeletal maturity assessments. RESULTS: Inclusion criteria identified 173 patients with a mean age of 14.76 (SD: 1.78) and 2.95% (SD: 4.46%) of growth remaining. The majority of injuries were classified Ogden III/Pandya C. Most (54.9%) were the result of the axial loading mechanism. Ogden groups showed no significant differences across all patient characteristics studied including age and GRP. With the exception of Pandya A fractures, we did not identify a direct relationship between GRP, age, and Pandya groups. Epiphyseal union stage differed for Pandya A and D groups. CONCLUSIONS: A predictable pattern in TTAF characteristics across skeletal (GRP), epiphyseal union, or chronologic age was not identified in this study. Distal apophyseal avulsions (Ogden I/II and Pandya A/D) occurred across a broad chronologic and skeletal age range. No differences were identified in epiphyseal or posterior extension (Ogden III/IV and Pandya B/C) injuries. Although differences in age and GRP were identified among Pandya As, this is thought to be due to the degree of skeletal immaturity that is a prerequisite for differentiation from Pandya Ds. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective cohort study.

Implicit Racial Bias in Pediatric Orthopaedic Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Racial and ethnic minority patients continue to experience disparities in health care. It is important to understand provider-level factors that may contribute to these inequities. This study aims to evaluate the presence of implicit racial bias among pediatric orthopaedic surgeons and determine the relationship between bias and clinical decision making. METHODS: A web-based survey was distributed to 415 pediatric orthopaedic surgeons. One section measured for potential implicit racial bias using a child-race implicit association test (IAT). IAT scores were compared with US physicians and the US general population using publicly available data. Another section consisted of clinical vignettes with associated questions. For each vignette, surgeons were randomly assigned a single race-version, White or Black. Vignette questions were grouped into an opioid recommendation, management decision, or patient perception category for analysis based on subject tested. Vignette answers from surgeons with IAT scores that were concordant with their randomized vignette race-version (ie, surgeon with pro-White score assigned White vignette version) were compared with those that were discordant. RESULTS: IAT results were obtained from 119 surveyed surgeons (29% response rate). Overall, respondents showed a minor pro-White implicit bias ( P <0.001). Implicit bias of any strength toward either race was present among 103/119 (87%) surgeons. The proportion of pediatric orthopaedic surgeons with a strong pro-White implicit bias (29%) was greater than that of US physicians overall (21%, P =0.032) and the US general population (19%, P =0.004). No differences were found in overall opioid recommendations, management decisions, or patient perceptions between concordant and discordant groups. CONCLUSION: Most of the pediatric orthopaedic surgeons surveyed demonstrated implicit racial bias on IAT testing, with a large proportion demonstrating strong pro-White bias. Despite an association between implicit bias and clinical decision making in the literature, this study observed no evidence that implicit racial bias affected the management of pediatric fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Limb Lengthening in Russell-Silver Syndrome: An Update Confirming Safe and Speedy Healing.

INTRODUCTION: Russell-Silver syndrome (RSS) is a unique cause of syndromic, and often severe, limb length discrepancy (LLD). RSS causes growth retardation both in utero and postnatally, with asymmetry in limb length more noticeable as growth progresses throughout childhood and adolescent. We aim to present the largest cohort in the literature on limb lengthening in patients with RSS and to validate previous literature supporting faster bony consolidation in these patients with more robust data. We further aim to establish differences in healing within this cohort based on age, sex, segment lengthened, or type of lengthening procedure performed, to help refine patient expectations and guide practitioners in treating this population. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of patients with a diagnosis of RSS who underwent a limb lengthening procedure for the purpose of limb equalization. They were compared with a historic control group of patients who underwent limb lengthening for LLD of a non-RSS etiology. The primary outcome measure was bone healing index (BHI). RESULTS: The RSS group consisted of 24 patients with 29 segments lengthened, and was compared with a historic control group consisting of 20 patients with 22 segments lengthened (Goldman). Patients with RSS had a significantly lower BHI, and therefore faster healing of their lengthening site, than their non-RSS peers (P=0.02). Within the RSS cohort, we did not detect a difference in BHI based on intervention type or sex, but we did find a trend toward faster healing in femurs over tibiae (P=0.08), and established that younger patients tended toward lower BHIs (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirmed with more robust data the prior finding that patients with RSS may undergo limb lengthening procedures at least as safely as their non-RSS counterparts, and with even faster bony consolidation, especially in younger patients. We hypothesize that concurrent treatment with growth hormone supplementation may contribute to this finding, although further study is necessary. This is the largest cohort of RSS patients treated with limb lengthening for LLD reported in the literature, and these findings will help to guide surgeon decision-making when treating this unique population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective comparative study.

Presentation of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: The Bigger the Kid, the Bigger the Curve.

BACKGROUND: It is our clinical suspicion that children with higher body mass index (BMIs) who are diagnosed with scoliosis tend to have larger curves on presentation. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of BMI on severity of curve at initial presentation of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. METHODS: This is a retrospective, descriptive cohort study of consecutive patients age 10 or greater referred to a single large tertiary care center with concern for spinal asymmetry. Patients were separated into 3 BMI categories as measured on the presenting visit: normal weight-≥5th and <85th percentile, overweight-≥85th and <95th percentile, and obese-≥95th percentile. In addition to demographic information, data collected included BMI, curve magnitude, curve location, Risser stage, and where or by whom spinal asymmetry was noted. RESULTS: A total of 150 patients, 50 in each the normal weight, overweight, and obese categories, were included in this study. Average curve at presentation for normal weight patients was 18.1 degrees, for overweight patients 23.9 degrees (P=0.02), and for obese patients 24.5 degrees (P=0.02). As compared with the normal weight group, odds ratio of presenting with a curve of 40 degrees or above was 10.8 for the overweight group (95% confidence interval, 1.3-88.5, P=0.03) and 12.2 for the obese group (95% confidence interval, 1.5-99.8, P=0.02). Assuming a cut-off of 45 degrees as surgical range, no normal weight patients presented in surgical range (0%), but 7/50 (14%, P=0.01) overweight and 8/50 (16%, P<0.01) obese patients did. Moreover, higher BMI patients were significantly more likely to present at a higher degree of skeletally maturity, with an average Risser of 1.8 for normal weight patients, 2.7 (P=0.01) for overweight patients, and 2.9 (P=0.01) for obese patients. CONCLUSIONS: Overweight and obese patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis present at significantly larger curve magnitudes and significantly higher degrees of skeletal maturity. Moreover, these patients were significantly more likely to present with very large curves and, in our study, all patients presenting with a surgical range curve were either overweight or obese. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-Retrospective case-control.

Titanium Elastic Nailing for Pediatric Tibia Fractures: Do Older, Heavier Kids Do Worse?

BACKGROUND: Elastic nailing is a common method of fixation for tibial shaft fractures in skeletally immature individuals. Poor outcomes of titanium elastic nails for femoral shaft fractures have been associated with increasing patient age and weight, especially patients weighing >50 kg. Our objective is to determine if there is an upper weight or age limit to the safe and effective use of titanium elastic nails for tibial shaft fractures in the pediatric population. METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent stabilization of a tibial shaft fracture with titanium elastic nails at a large tertiary-care pediatric trauma center. Data collected included patient demographics, injury characteristics, and radiographic data. Weight groups were stratified as ≥ or <50 kg, and age groups as 14 years or older or less than 14 years old. Malunion was defined as 10 degrees of angulation in either the sagittal or coronal plane. Union was defined as bridging of ≥3 cortices on orthogonal radiographs. A significant difference in time to union was considered to be 3 weeks. RESULTS: Ninety-five patients were included with a mean age of 12.1 years (range, 6 to 16 y) and a mean weight of 50.2 kg (range, 21 to 122 kg). Malunion rate was similar between weight cohorts: 13.3% (6/45) in the ≥50-kg group and 10% (5/50) in the <50-kg group (P=0.61). Malunion rate was similarly comparable between age groups: 17.6% (6/34) in the 14 years and older group and 8.2% (5/61) in the less than 14-year-old group (P=0.17). There was no statistically significant difference in time to union between weight or age cohorts. In sum, we did not find a significant difference in the rate of malunion or time to healing between younger and older patients or between lighter and heavier patients. CONCLUSION: The use of titanium elastic nails for tibial shaft fractures, unlike for other long bone fractures, seems not to be precluded in older and heavier patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Ifosfamide dose-intensification for patients with metastatic Ewing sarcoma.

BACKGROUND: Outcomes for patients with metastatic Ewing sarcoma (ES) remain poor. We investigated whether the intensification of ifosfamide improved survival for patients with metastatic ES. PROCEDURE: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 30 patients with metastatic ES treated with the MSKCC "EFT regimen." The regimen included an intensification of ifosfamide dosing from 1,800 mg/m(2) /day × 5 days per cycle to 2,800 mg/m(2) /day × 5 days per cycle. RESULTS: Twenty six of the 30 patients completed planned chemotherapy. Two patients experienced disease progression during therapy. There were no toxic deaths. One patient developed secondary leukemia. The 4-year event free survival (EFS) was 27% and the overall survival (OS) was 39%. CONCLUSIONS: Intensification of ifosfamide was tolerated and did not increase toxicity in patients with metastatic ES. The intensification did not improve outcomes for these patients with metastatic disease.

It's not just the big kids: both high and low BMI impact bracing success for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

PURPOSE: Bracing is a common treatment for patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) and is recommended for most skeletally immature patients with a curve of 25-45° in order to prevent or delay curve progression. The aim of this study was to determine at which body habitus orthotic management for AIS becomes less effective. We hypothesize that overweight children are more likely to fail brace treatment. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study involving consecutive patients with AIS treated with a thoracolumbosacral orthosis at a large pediatric tertiary care center. Patients were divided into three groups based on BMI: (1) high-BMI group (BMI >85th percentile); (2) low-BMI group (BMI <20th percentile); (3) mid-BMI group (BMI 20th-85th percentile). Successful orthotic treatment was defined as an increase in the primary curve of <5°, prevention of progression past 45°, and avoidance of surgery. RESULTS: The study cohort comprised 182 patients with a mean age of 12.5 years at brace prescription and a mean follow-up of 2 years. Compared to the mid-BMI group, high- and low-BMI patients were significantly more likely to fail orthotic management. The association between high-BMI and orthotic failure disappeared when compliance and in-brace correction were taken into account, but the association between low-BMI and each poor outcome remained significant. CONCLUSIONS: Based on our results, children on either end of the BMI spectrum are more likely to fail brace treatment for scoliosis than their mid-BMI counterparts. In high-BMI patients, this appears to be in large part attributable to an inadequacy of in-brace curve correction as well as to poorer brace compliance, while a low BMI appears to be an independent risk factor for brace failure.