Diversity in Leadership at Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowships in the United States.

Musculoskeletal oncology fellowship directors (MOFDs) possess the unique ability to influence treatment paradigms in musculoskeletal oncology through teaching and research. Currently, the characteristics that define this important role including demographics, training characteristics, research activity, and grant funding are poorly defined. A list of musculoskeletal oncology fellowship programs was obtained from the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons and Musculoskeletal Oncology Fellowship Match. Bibliometric data including the h-index were abstracted from Scopus. Demographics, training, and federal grant characteristics were collected from academic websites. Comparisons were made using t-tests and data were presented as means ± SD. The average age at the appointment was 41±9 years and most were male (80%) and Caucasian (85%). Few had an additional graduate degree (10% MS, 5% PhD). The mean h-index was 23±15 resulting from 91±56 publications. There was a positive correlation between age and h-index (r=0.398, p=0.082). Four MOFDs (20%) had at least one National Institutes of Health research grant. Sex, race, additional graduate degree, and procurement of NIH funding were not associated with higher h-index values. Full professors had higher h-index values than assistant/associate professors (p=0.014). Women and racial minorities are underrepresented among leadership positions in musculoskeletal oncology fellowship programs. This study can help provide a benchmark for departments in orthopedic surgery and aspiring orthopedic surgeons for MOFD positions.

Can low-grade chondrosarcoma in flat bones be treated with intralesional curettage and cryotherapy?

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chondrosarcomas in flat bones are thought to be more aggressive in their behavior, and little is known about intralesional treatment outcomes of low-grade chondrosarcoma in these locations. We tried to find the differences between patients who had low-grade chondrosarcoma in their flat bones versus those with long bone involvement with regard to (1) disease outcome, (2) functional outcome, and (3) treatment complications. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 44 patients with primary low-grade chondrosarcoma who were treated with intralesional curettage and cryotherapy. The patients were divided by location of tumor, group I (flat bones, seven patients) and group II (long bones, 37 patients). RESULTS: The local recurrence rate was higher in group I with 5 years disease-free survival of 80.0% in group I and 97.0% in group II (p = 0.001). All recurrent cases were noted to have initially presented with soft tissue extension (Enneking stage IB). The mean Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score at the last follow-up was 21.7 in group I and 27.9 in group II (p = 0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Intralesional curettage and cryotherapy for low-grade chondrosarcoma appear to be a safe and reasonable surgical option for patients with lesions confined to bone (Enneking stage IA). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective cohort study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Radiolucent Implants for Fixation of Impending and Pathologic Fractures.

Radiolucent implants offer theoretical advantages of increased ability to evaluate the fracture site for healing and recurrence and potentially less effect on radiation treatment, avoiding scatter. Their clinical utility and outcomes have yet to be proven in a well-designed randomized trial or large cohort study, although studies based on other indications have shown relative safety and they are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for treatment of pathologic fractures. Further research is necessary to better understand when and how these implants should be implemented in practice. [Orthopedics. 2022;45(3):e115-e121.].

Fibro-Osseous Pseudotumor Arising From Nail Bed of the Great Toe: A Rare Case of Recurrence.

A fibro-osseous pseudotumor (FOPT) is a rare, rapidly enlarging, benign soft-tissue neoplasm that presents with localized pain, swelling, and redness. It typically presents in the hands and much less frequently in the feet. FOPT is characterized histologically by foci of osseous differentiation within the proliferated fibroblasts. This must be differentiated from other benign and malignant lesions. FOPT of the toes has been described in a few reports, but recurrence, following surgical excision, is extremely rare. Here we report a young, healthy female patient who presented with a rapidly growing FOPT of the left great toe. This unusual case had recurred twice following surgical excision, all within a 2-month period of time. The lesion was again completely excised, with no recurrences at follow-ups of 18 and 36 months. In conclusion, FOPT is a rare soft tissue lesion of the toes. It features fibroblastic proliferation and osseous differentiation, which needs to be differentiated from other benign and malignant tumors. The standard treatment is complete surgical excision with an excellent prognosis.