Evolution of a Novel Tissue Preservation Protocol to Optimize Osteochondral Transplantation Outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: Osteochondral allograft transplantation is a procedure to treat focal osteochondral lesions (OCLs), but is limited by tissue availability, the quality of transplanted tissue, and inconsistent storage protocols. The objective of this study was to assess the clinical outcomes of a novel tissue procurement, storage, and quality control protocol in treating OCLs. DESIGN: Prospective case series. Donor cadaveric tissue was processed, stored, and the tissue quality analyzed using the unique tissue preservation protocol developed at our institution. Advanced cross-sectional imaging was used to size match donor tissue with recipient patients. Osteochondral allografts were transplanted using the Arthrex Allograft OATS. Patients were evaluated with the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), visual analog scale (VAS), and 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36) preoperatively and at 1 year and 2 years postoperatively. RESULTS: Twenty patients (17 knees, 3 shoulders) were included in the study. There was a significant improvement in the following scores: overall WOMAC score, WOMAC function and pain subcategories; KOOS pain, knee-related symptoms, activities of daily living, sports and recreation, and quality of life; SF-36 physical functioning, physical role, pain, and social functioning subcategories; and VAS at all time points postoperatively. There was a significant improvement in WOMAC stiffness at 2 years postoperatively. There were 2 failures, defined by graft subsidence and persistent pain requiring reoperation. CONCLUSION: The protocol developed at our institution for OAT resulted in significant clinical improvement in patients with OCLs and is an improvement on existing tissue storage techniques.

Development of an orthopedic surgery trauma patient handover checklist.

BACKGROUND: In surgery, preoperative handover of surgical trauma patients is a process that must be made as safe as possible. We sought to determine vital clinical information to be transferred between patient care teams and to develop a standardized handover checklist. METHODS: We conducted standardized small-group interviews about trauma patient handover. Based on this information, we created a questionnaire to gather perspectives from all Canadian Orthopaedic Association (COA) members about which topics they felt would be most important on a handover checklist. We analyzed the responses to develop a standardized handover checklist. RESULTS: Of the 1106 COA members, 247 responded to the questionnaire. The top 7 topics felt to be most important for achieving patient safety in the handover were comorbidities, diagnosis, readiness for the operating room, stability, associated injuries, history/mechanism of injury and outstanding issues. The expert recommendations were to have handover completed the same way every day, all appropriate radiographs available, adequate time, all appropriate laboratory work and more time to spend with patients with more severe illness. CONCLUSION: Our main recommendations for safe handover are to use standardized checklists specific to the patient and site needs. We provide an example of a standardized checklist that should be used for preoperative handovers. To our knowledge, this is the first checklist for handover developed by a group of experts in orthopedic surgery, which is both manageable in length and simple to use.

CONTEXTE: En chirurgie, le transfert préopératoire des polytraumatisés nécessitant une chirurgie est un processus que l'on doit rendre aussi sécuritaire que possible. Nous avons voulu déterminer quels renseignements cliniques vitaux doivent être transmis aux équipes de soins et préparer une liste de vérification standardisée à cette fin. MÉTHODES: Nous avons réalisé des entrevues standardisées par petits groupes au sujet du transfert des polytraumatisés. À partir des renseignements recueillis, nous avons élaboré un questionnaire pour obtenir le point de vue de tous les membres de l'Association canadienne d'orthopédie (ACO) au sujet des éléments jugés les plus importants sur une liste de vérification en vue du transfert. Nous avons analysé les réponses pour dresser une liste de vérification standardisée. RÉSULTATS: Sur les 1106 membres de l'ACO, 247 ont répondu au questionnaire. Les 7 éléments jugés les plus importants pour assurer la sécurité des patients lors du transfert ont été : comorbidités, diagnostic, état de préparation pour le bloc opératoire, stabilité, blessures connexes, histoire et mécanisme du traumatisme et questions en suspens. Les recommandations des experts ont été les suivantes : que les transferts s'effectuent de la même façon chaque jour, qu'on obtienne toutes les radiographies appropriées disponibles, qu'on dispose de temps suffisant, qu'on obtienne toute les analyses de laboratoire appropriées et qu'on aie plus de temps à consacrer aux patients plus grièvement blessés. CONCLUSION: Nos principales recommandations pour un transfert sécuritaire sont d'utiliser des listes de vérification standardisées spécifiques aux besoins des patients et des sites. Nous fournissons un modèle type de liste de vérification pour les transferts qui devrait être utilisée pour le transfert en chirurgie des polytraumatisés. À notre connaissance, il s'agit de la première liste de vérification rapide et simple mise au point à cette fin par un groupe d'experts en chirurgie orthopédique.

The merits of cell salvage in arthroplasty surgery: an overview.

Arthroplasty entails considerable exposure to allogenic blood transfusion. Cell salvage with washing is a contemporary strategy that is not universally used despite considerable potential benefits. We searched Embase and Medline to determine if blood salvage with washing during primary and/or revision hip and knee arthroplasty results in lower rates of transfusion and postoperative complications. We included 10 studies in our analysis, which we rated according to Downs and Black criteria. With primary knee arthroplasty, there was a reduction in transfusion rate from 22% to 76% and a 48% reduction in transfusion volume (n = 887). With primary hip arthroplasty, there was a reduction from 69% to 73% in transfusion rate and a 31% reduction in transfusion volume (n = 239). There was a significant decrease in length of hospital stay (9.6 v. 13.6 d). Studies of revision arthroplasty reported a 31%-59% reduction in transfusion volume (n = 241). The available evidence demonstrates reduced exposure to allogenic blood with the use of salvage systems. Studies have been underpowered to detect differences in infection rates and other postoperative complications. Future cost analysis is warranted.

Feasibility and fidelity of practising surgical fixation on a virtual ulna bone.

BACKGROUND: Surgical simulators provide a safe environment to learn and practise psychomotor skills. A goal for these simulators is to achieve high levels of fidelity. The purpose of this study was to develop a reliable surgical simulator fidelity questionnaire and to assess whether a newly developed virtual haptic simulator for fixation of an ulna has comparable levels of fidelity as Sawbones. METHODS: Simulator fidelity questionnaires were developed. We performed a stratified randomized study with surgical trainees. They performed fixation of the ulna using a virtual simulator and Sawbones. They completed the fidelity questionnaires after each procedure. RESULTS: Twenty-two trainees participated in the study. The reliability of the fidelity questionnaire for each separate domain (environment, equipment, psychological) was Cronbach α greater than 0.70, except for virtual environment. The Sawbones had significantly higher levels of fidelity than the virtual simulator (p < 0.001) with a large effect size difference (Cohen d < 1.3). CONCLUSION: The newly developed fidelity questionnaire is a reliable tool that can potentially be used to determine the fidelity of other surgical simulators. Increasing the fidelity of this virtual simulator is required before its use as a training tool for surgical fixation. The virtual simulator brings with it the added benefits of repeated, independent safe use with immediate, objective feedback and the potential to alter the complexity of the skill.

CONTEXTE: Les simulateurs chirurgicaux offrent un environnement sécuritaire pour apprendre et pour exercer les habiletés psychomotrices. L'un des objectifs de ces simu - lateurs est de produire des degrés élevés de fidélité. Le but de cette étude était de mettre au point un questionnaire fiable sur la fidélité des simulateurs chirurgicaux et de vérifier si un nouveau simulateur virtuel, avec interface haptique, pour la fixation du cubitus présentait des taux de fidélité comparables à ceux du simulateur Sawbones. MÉTHODES: Des questionnaires sur la fidélité des simulateurs ont été préparés. Nous avons procédé à une étude randomisée stratifiée auprès de stagiaires en chirurgie qui ont effectué une fixation du cubitus à l'aide du simulateur virtuel et à l'aide du simulateur Sawbones. Ils ont répondu au questionnaire sur la fidélité après chaque intervention. RÉSULTANTS: Vingt-deux stagiaires ont participé à l'étude. La fiabilité du questionnaire sur la fidélité pour chaque domaine distinct (environnement, équipement, dimension psychologique) correspondait à un coefficient α Cronbach supérieur à 0,70, sauf pour ce qui est de l'environnement virtuel. Le simulateur Sawbones a présenté des taux de fidélité significativement plus élevés que le simulateur virtuel (p < 0,001), avec une différence importante au plan de la taille de l'effet (indice d de Cohen < 1,3). CONCLUSIONS: Le nouveau questionnaire sur la fidélité s'est révélé un outil fiable qui peut servir à déterminer le degré de fidélité d'autres simulateurs chirurgicaux. Il faudra améliorer la fidélité de ce simulateur virtuel avant de pouvoir l'utiliser comme outil de formation pour la fixation chirurgicale. Ce simulateur virtuel a l'avantage de permettre des utilisations sécuritaires répétées et indépendantes avec des résultats immédiats et objectifs et de modifier la complexité de l'habileté.

A comparison of orthopaedic resident performance on surgical fixation of an ulnar fracture using virtual reality and synthetic models.

BACKGROUND: Surgical trainees develop surgical skills using various techniques, with simulators providing a safe learning environment. Fracture fixation is the most common procedure in orthopaedic surgery, and residents may benefit from simulated fracture fixation. The performance of residents on a virtual simulator that allows them to practice the surgical fixation of fractures by providing a sense of touch (haptics) has not yet been compared with their performance using other methods of practicing fracture fixation, such as a Sawbones simulator model. The purpose of this study was to assess whether residents performed similarly on a newly developed virtual simulator compared with a Sawbones simulator fracture fixation model. METHODS: A stratified, randomized controlled study involving twenty-two orthopaedic surgery residents was performed. The residents were randomized to first perform surgical fixation of the ulna on either the virtual or the Sawbones simulator, after which they performed the same procedure on the other simulator. Their performance was evaluated by examiners experienced in fracture fixation who completed a task-specific checklist, global rating scale (GRS) form, and time-to-completion record for each participant on each simulator. RESULTS: Both simulators distinguished between differing experience levels, demonstrating construct validity; for the Sawbones simulator, the Cohen d value (effect size) was >0.90, and for the virtual simulator, d was >1.10 (p < 0.05 for both). The participants achieved significantly better scores on the virtual simulator compared with the Sawbones simulator (p < 0.05) for all measures except time to completion. The GRS scores showed a high level of internal consistency (Cronbach α, >0.80). However, Pearson product-moment correlation analysis showed no significant correlations between the results on the two simulators; therefore, concurrent validity was not achieved. CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed virtual ulnar surgical fixation simulator, which incorporates haptics, shows promise for helping surgical trainees learn and practice basic skills, but it did not attain the same standards as the current standard Sawbones simulator. The procedural measures used to assess resident performance demonstrated good reliability and validity, and both the Sawbones and the virtual simulator showed evidence of construct validity.

Kinematic differences between gender specific and traditional knee implants.

In the ongoing debate about gender-specific (GS) vs. traditional knee implants, there is limited information about patella-specific outcomes. GS femoral component features should provide better patellar tracking, but techniques have not existed previously to test this accurately. Using novel computed tomography and radiography imaging protocols, 15 GS knees were compared to 10 traditional knees, for the 6 degrees of freedom of the patellofemoral and tibiofemoral joints throughout the range of motion, plus other geometric measures and quality of life (QOL). Significant differences were found for patellar medial/lateral shift, where the patella was shifted more laterally for the GS femoral component. Neither group demonstrated patellar maltracking. There were no other significant differences in this well-functioning group.

Computer-assisted patellar resection system: development and insights.

Incorrect resection of the patella during total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can lead to anterior knee pain (AKP), patellar maltracking, patellofemoral impingement, patellar fracture, component loosening, and reduced range of motion. Computer-assisted surgery (CAS) systems for the tibia and femur improve cut accuracy, but no CAS system is available for patellar resection. We developed a system that included an optoelectronic localizer, marker arrays on the patella and instruments, and navigation software. Three users performed resections on artificial patellae mounted in a simulated surgical setup using five techniques (two CAS, three conventional), each repeated at least three times in randomized order. Computer-assisted patellar resection produced better or equal cut symmetry compared to conventional techniques, particularly superoinferiorly. Using CAS with a sawguide produced better results than using CAS freehand with an oscillating saw. This study showed the feasibility of computer-assisted patellar resection, which could lead to reduced pain and complications after TKA. The feedback provided could also make patellar CAS a valuable training tool.

Assessment of communication, professionalism, and surgical skills in an objective structured performance-related examination (OSPRE): a psychometric study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the reliability and validity of a performance assessment of communication, professionalism, and surgical skills competencies for surgery residents. METHODS: Fourteen residents from the general surgery program of the University of Calgary were assessed in 7 surgical simulation stations that included communication and professionalism skills. RESULTS: The internal consistency reliability of the checklists and global rating scales combined was adequate for communication (α = .75-.92) and surgical skills (α = .86-.96), but not for professionalism (α = 0). There was evidence of validity as surgical skills performance improved as a function of postgraduate year level but not for the professionalism checklist. Surgical skills and communication correlated in the 2 stations assessed (r = .55 and .57; P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: There is evidence for both reliability and validity for simultaneously assessing surgical skills and communication skills. Further instrument development is required to assess professionalism in a structured examination context.

Musculoskeletal education: a curriculum evaluation at one university.

BACKGROUND: The increasing burden of illness related to musculoskeletal diseases makes it essential that attention be paid to musculoskeletal education in medical schools. This case study examines the undergraduate musculoskeletal curriculum at one medical school. METHODS: A case study research methodology used quantitative and qualitative approaches to systematically examine the undergraduate musculoskeletal course at the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada) Faculty of Medicine. The aim of the study was to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the curriculum guided by four questions: (1) Was the course structured according to standard principles for curriculum design as described in the Kern framework? (2) How did students and faculty perceive the course? (3) Was the assessment of the students valid and reliable? (4) Were the course evaluations completed by student and faculty valid and reliable? RESULTS: The analysis showed that the structure of the musculoskeletal course mapped to many components of Kern's framework in course design. The course had a high level of commitment by teachers, included a valid and reliable final examination, and valid evaluation questionnaires that provided relevant information to assess curriculum function. The curricular review identified several weaknesses in the course: the apparent absence of a formalized needs assessment, course objectives that were not specific or measurable, poor development of clinical presentations, small group sessions that exceeded normal 'small group' sizes, and poor alignment between the course objectives, examination blueprint and the examination. Both students and faculty members perceived the same strengths and weaknesses in the curriculum. Course evaluation data provided information that was consistent with the findings from the interviews with the key stakeholders. CONCLUSIONS: The case study approach using the Kern framework and selected questions provided a robust way to assess a curriculum, identify its strengths and weaknesses and guide improvements.

Block to succeed: the Canadian orthopedic resident research experience.

BACKGROUND: We assessed the current state of Canadian orthopedic resident research and the effect of protected block research time on the numbers of grants obtained, research projects completed, submissions for publication, publications and conference presentations. METHODS: We administered a 27-item cross-sectional survey containing quantitative and qualitative questions to postgraduate year (PGY)-3 to -5 residents in all 16 Canadian orthopedic training programs in the academic year of Jul. 1, 2005, to Jun. 30, 2006. RESULTS: There was an overall response rate of 45% (85/188) from residents in 15 of 16 orthopedic programs: 56% (48/85) of respondents took block research time of at least 1 month (mean 5 mo). The number of months taken was positively correlated with the number of grants obtained (r = 0.28, p = 0.011) and publications (r = 0.23, p = 0.031). Residents who took block time obtained more grants (Fisher exact test 3.54, p = 0.048) and publications (Fisher exact test 6.09, p = 0.012) than those who did not take block time. About 41% (35/85) of respondents said time was the biggest obstacle to research. CONCLUSION: Providing protected block research time during residency allows Canadian orthopedic residents greater research success.

Communication skills training in orthopaedics.

BACKGROUND: Communication skills play a key role in many aspects of both medical education and clinical patient care. The objectives of this study were to identify the key components of communication skills from the perspectives of both orthopaedic residents and their program directors and to understand how these skills are currently taught. METHODS: This study utilized a mixed methods design. Quantitative data were collected with use of a thirty-item questionnaire distributed to all Canadian orthopaedic residents. Qualitative data were collected through focus groups with orthopaedic residents and semistructured interviews with orthopaedic program directors. RESULTS: One hundred and nineteen (37%) of 325 questionnaires were completed, twelve residents participated in two focus groups, and nine of sixteen program directors from across the country were interviewed. Both program directors and residents identified communication skills as being the accurate and appropriate use of language (i.e., content skills), not how the communication was presented (i.e., process skills). Perceived barriers to effective communication included time constraints and the need to adapt to the many personalities and types of people encountered daily in the hospital. Residents rarely have explicit training in communication skills. They rely on communication training implicitly taught through observation of their preceptors and clinical experience interacting with patients, peers, and other health-care professionals. CONCLUSIONS: Orthopaedic residents and program directors focus on content and flexibility within communication skills as well as on the importance of being concise. They value the development of communication skills in the clinical environment through experiential learning and role modeling. Education should focus on developing residents' process skills in communication. Care should be taken to avoid large-group didactic teaching sessions, which are perceived as ineffective.

A randomized pilot validation of educational measures in teaching shoulder arthroscopy to surgical residents.

BACKGROUND: Injuries to the shoulder joint commonly require the attention of an orthopedic surgeon. Shoulder arthroscopy plays an increasingly important role in the diagnosis and repair of shoulder pathology; however, the most effective manner in which to teach orthopedic residents fundamental knowledge of diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy before entering the operating room is unclear. We aimed to compare the existing cadaver-based teaching of diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy knowledge with a method that combines model- and video-based teaching to orthopedic surgery residents in a randomized pilot trial. METHODS: A composite (model/video teaching) method was designed, using prepared teaching videos and the commercially available ALEX shoulder arthroscopy model. First- and second-year orthopedic surgery residents from the University of Calgary were consented, surveyed for their arthroscopy experience and randomized to either cadaver or composite teaching. Subjects wrote a pretest before their teaching session and a posttest afterwards to assess their knowledge of diagnostic arthroscopy. The tests were multiple choice, containing text and pictorial-based questions. The posttest was modified to minimize recall bias. Subjects were also surveyed for their comments regarding the teaching sessions. RESULTS: Nine of 10 subjects increased their test scores after the teaching sessions, with 4 of 5 in the cadaver-based and 5 of 5 in the composite groups. There were no differences between the teaching groups on their mean pre- or posttest scores. The composite group, but not the cadaver-based group, had a statistically significant increase in posttest scores. When the text- and pictorial-based question sections were analyzed separately, both groups significantly improved their mean text-based score, whereas only the composite group increased their mean pictorial-based questions score. Surveying the residents elicited positive comments regarding both manners of teaching. CONCLUSION: This pilot trial suggests that a composite teaching curriculum is at least as effective as a cadaver-based environment for teaching orthopedic surgery residents fundamental knowledge of diagnostic shoulder arthroscopy.

Teaching cognitive skills improves learning in surgical skills courses: a blinded, prospective, randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the teaching of cognitive skills within a technical skills course, we carried out a blinded, randomized prospective study. METHODS: Twenty-one junior residents (postgraduate years 1-3) from a single program at a surgical-skills training centre were randomized to 2 surgical skills courses teaching total knee arthroplasty. One course taught only technical skill and had more repetitions of the task (5 or 6). The other focused more on developing cognitive skills and had fewer task repetitions (3 or 4). All were tested with the Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skill (OSATS) both before and after the course, as well as a pre- and postcourse error-detection exam and a postcourse exam with multiple-choice questions (MCQs) to test their cognitive skills. RESULTS: Both groups' technical skills as assessed by OSATS were equivalent, both pre- and postcourse. Taking their courses improved the technical skills of both groups (OSATS, p < 0.01) over their pre-course scores. Both groups demonstrated equivalent levels of knowledge on the MCQ exam, but the cognitive group scored better on the error-detection test (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive skills training enhances the ability to correctly execute a surgical skill. Furthermore, specific training and practice are required to develop procedural knowledge into appropriate cognitive skills. Surgeons need to be trained to judge the correctness of their actions.

Onlay cortical strut grafting in revision arthroplasty of the hip.

Cortical strut allografts are used to restore uncontained noncircumferential femoral defects, to bypass stress risers, to stabilize proximal femoral allograft host junctions, and to fix periprosthetic fractures. These struts can be made from hemicylinders of diaphyseal bone or from fibulae. They are fixed to host bone by circumferential wires. If autograft bone is available, it is placed between the strut and host, particularly at the ends of the strut. A radiographic study of 52 cortical strut allografts with an average follow-up of 4.8 years revealed 2 nonunions and 2 progressive resorptions. All other struts united with minimal resorption.

Evaluating the effectiveness of a 2-year curriculum in a surgical skills center.

BACKGROUND: This study was a formative evaluation of a 2-year Surgical Skills Center Curriculum (SSCC) using objective measures of surgical performance and self-reported process-oriented evaluations. METHODS: Fifty postgraduate third-year (PGY-3) residents participated in an Objective Structured Assessment of Technical Skills (OSATS) examination. Nineteen residents underwent the SSCC and 31 residents did not. During the SSCC, self-reported student and faculty evaluations were completed after each session. RESULTS: For the OSATS examination, scores were not significantly different between treatment and control groups, on either the checklist (66.4 +/- 6.1 versus 64.1 +/- 10.8) or global rating scale scores (66.9 +/- 6.9 versus 68.0 +/- 9.6). Further comparisons between groups on individual OSATS stations revealed no significant differences between groups. The majority of student and faculty evaluation remarks were highly positive. CONCLUSIONS: The OSATS results failed to support our hypothesis that training on a core procedure in a single session during a SSCC would have an appreciable and sustained effect after 2 years. Self-reported process-oriented evaluations support the utility of our SSCC.

Septic arthritis of the hip after percutaneous femoral artery catheterization.

Infection of the hip joint can cause severe articular damage. Standard treatment of septic arthritis includes surgical débridement and intravenous antibiotics. Options for definitive management in the presence of joint destruction include excision arthroplasty, arthrodesis, and total hip arthroplasty. Two cases of septic arthritis of the hip as a complication of femoral artery cannulation are presented. These cases highlight a potential complication that may not be readily appreciated by clinicians who routinely perform femoral vascular cannulation. After all evidence of ongoing infection had disappeared, both cases ultimately were treated with total hip arthroplasty. Both patients have improved function and pain at 2.5 and 5 years of follow-up. Given the frequency with which femoral intravascular catheters are used in numerous procedures, methods of avoiding infection of the hip joint must be implemented. These 2 cases emphasize the potential risks of these procedures and show management with total hip arthroplasty.

Learning to use minimal access surgical instruments and 2-dimensional remote visual feedback: how difficult is the task for novices?

Performing minimal access surgery requires the use of 2-dimensional information to produce 3-dimensional movements, as well as precise motor control for manipulating laparoscopic tools. The added visuomotor demands of this task make it more demanding and complex than traditional open surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the relative task difficulty of performing laparoscopic tool movements with normal vision or 'laparoscopic vision' provided by a remote 2-D monitor. A second purpose of this study was to evaluate whether movement performance changes are induced by practice with normal vision (NV) and laparoscopic vision (LV). The study was also designed to determine whether order of visual condition (NV or LV) practice impacts the rate of performance acquisition when transferred to the opposing visual condition. Eleven individuals participated in this study. All subjects performed a bean grasping and a suturing task in two visual conditions: normal vision and laparoscopic vision. Results revealed that laparoscopic tools themselves do not appear to be problematic in performing minimal access surgery. Furthermore, performance ability in normal vision does not positively transfer to performance when switched to a laparoscopic vision condition. The 2-dimensional video does appear to be problematic for skill acquisition, as performance levels decreased as complexity of the task increased.