Femorotibial rotation is Linearly Associated with Tibial Tubercle-Trochlear Groove Distance: A Cadaveric Study.

OBJECTIVES: A tibial tubercle-trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance of 20 millimeters (mm) is typically used when determining whether tibial tubercle medialization is performed for surgical treatment of patellar instability. Without knowledge of the variability of an individual's TT-TG distance influenced by through-the-knee femorotibial rotation, the use of a specific TT-TG distance during pre-operative planning for patellar instability may lead to incorrect decisions on the use of tibial tubercle medializtion. We hypothesized that knee joint IE rotation is related to the TT-TG distance. METHODS: Eight independent human cadaveric knee specimens (age: 32 ± 6 years; 4 males, 4 females) were utilized. A robotic manipulator (ZX165U, Kawasaki Robotics, Wixom, MI, USA) instrumented with a universal force/moment sensor was used to determine knee joint IE rotation under applied moments of ±5 newton-meters (Nm) at full extension. Two independent reviewers selected the trochlear groove and tibial tuberosity points on computerized tomography (CT) images of each specimen to define TT-TG. To determine the influence of knee joint IE rotation on TT-TG distance, three-dimensional (3D) models generated from CT scans were registered to tibiofemoral kinematics. Linear regression was performed to determine the relationship between knee joint IE rotation and TT-TG distance. The regression coefficient and standard error of measurement (α = 0.05), and coefficient of determination (r2) were reported. RESULTS: At 0° of rotation, the mean TT-TG distance was 14.2 ± 5.0 mm. Knee joint IE rotation averaged 23.0 ± 4.2°. For every degree of knee joint IE rotation, TT-TG distance changed by 0.52 mm. CONCLUSION: TT-TG distance was linearly dependent on knee joint IE rotation changing by 0.52 mm for every degree of knee joint IE rotation. Thus, an offset of IE rotation of 10° would lead to a change in TT-TG distance of 5.2 mm, enough to alter surgical decision-making for/or against tibial tubercle medialization. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Measurement of TT-TG can change with sequential MRIs due to variations in tibiofemoral rotation in patellofemoral instability patients.

PURPOSE: There are various anatomic risk factors for patellofemoral instability (PFI) that help guide surgical treatment, including the tibial tubercle to trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance. However, no study has analysed the temporal changes in TT-TG prior to surgical intervention. This study sought to understand the variations in TT-TG over time for pediatric patients suffering from PFI prior to surgical intervention. The authors hypothesised that the TT-TG would substantially change between time points. METHODS: Patients undergoing medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) reconstruction between 2014 and 2019 by one of two fellowship-trained orthopaedic surgeons were identified. Patients were included if they had two preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) performed on the same knee within 7.5 months of each other prior to any surgical intervention and had an initial TT-TG greater than 10 mm. RESULTS: After considering 251 patients for inclusion, 21 patients met the final inclusion criteria. The mean age was 14.5 ± 2.5 years and 61.9% were female. TT-TG was initially noted to be 15.1 ± 1.8 mm. At mean time after sequential MRIs of 5.0 ± 1.9 months, TT-TG was noted to be 16.7 ± 3.2 mm. The differences between initial and subsequent TT-TG ranged from a 21.2% decrease to a 61.1% increase, with a mean difference of an 11.3% increase. Comparison between initial and subsequent TT-TG values demonstrated a significant difference (p = 0.017). Change in tibiofemoral rotation ranged from -9.2° to 7.5°. When comparing the change in TT-TG to change in tibiofemoral rotation, a significant correlation was found (p = 0.019). CONCLUSION: Despite only a mean time between MRIs of 5 months, variations in TT-TG ranged from a decrease of 21.2% to an increase of 61.1%. The significant relationship between the changes in TT-TG and changes in tibiofemoral rotation between MRIs suggest that TT-TG measurements may vary due to variations in tibiofemoral rotation at the time of individual MRIs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Risk Factors for Graft Failure After Meniscal Allograft Transplantation: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Graft failure after meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) may necessitate revision surgery or conversion to arthroplasty. A comprehensive understanding of the risk factors for failure after MAT of the knee may facilitate more informed shared decision-making discussions before surgery and help determine whether MAT should be performed based on patient risk. Purpose: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of risk factors associated with graft failure after MAT of the knee. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: The PubMed, OVID/Medline, and Cochrane databases were queried in October 2021. Data pertaining to study characteristics and risk factors associated with failure after MAT were recorded. DerSimonian-Laird binary random-effects models were constructed to quantitatively evaluate the association between risk factors and MAT graft failure by generating effect estimates in the form of odds ratios (ORs) with 95% CIs. Qualitative analysis was performed to describe risk factors that were variably reported. Results: In total, 17 studies including 2184 patients were included. The overall pooled prevalence of failure at the latest follow-up was 17.8% (range, 3.3%-81.0%). In 10 studies reporting 5-year failure rates, the pooled prevalence of failure was 10.9% (range, 4.7%-23%). In 4 studies reporting 10-year failure rates, the pooled prevalence was 22.7% (range, 8.1%-55.0%). A total of 39 risk factors were identified, although raw data presented in a manner amenable to meta-analysis only allowed for 3 to be explored quantitatively. There was strong evidence to support that an International Cartilage Regeneration & Joint Preservation Society grade >3a (OR, 5.32; 95% CI, 2.75-10.31; P < .001) was a significant risk factor for failure after MAT. There was no statistically significant evidence to incontrovertibly support that patient sex (OR, 2.16; 95% CI, 0.83-5.64; P = .12) or MAT laterality (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.38-3.28; P = .85) was associated with increased risk of failure after MAT. Conclusion: Based on the studies reviewed, there was strong evidence to suggest that degree of cartilage damage at the time of MAT is associated with graft failure; however, the evidence was inconclusive on whether laterality or patient sex is associated with graft failure.

Is There Unconscious Bias in the Orthopaedic Residency Interview Selection Process?

OBJECTIVE: Orthopaedic surgery has historically been a white male-dominated field. Given the diverse patient population presenting to providers with musculoskeletal pathology, it is thought that it would be beneficial for the orthopaedic workforce to more closely mirror this patient population. This study aims to elucidate whether unconscious bias may have an effect on the scoring of applications for residency interview selection. DESIGN: Applications for the 2019-2020 residency match cycle were initially reviewed and scored by faculty members. Applications were then redacted of all information suggestive of race or gender and returned to evaluators for rescoring after at least 6 months. The pre and post-redaction data was compared using ANOVA and student's two-tailed t tests. SETTING: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen attending surgeons scored 320 2019-2020 Electronic Residency Application System (ERAS) applications, unblinded and blinded of applicant identifying information. RESULTS: Interviewed applicants were similar to the non-interviewed group in all measured variables except for higher pre-redaction scores (8.73-7.81; p = 0.02) which was expected (Table 2). Minority applicants had significant differences in Step 1 scores (243 vs 247; p < 0.01), Step 2 scores (251 vs 254; p = 0.01), articles (5.9 vs 3.8; p < 0.01), posters (5.9 vs 3.5; p < 0.01), and pre-redaction scores (7.44 vs 8.07; p = 0.01) compared to white applicants (Table 4). There was no relationship noted between step score and number or type of research items (Table 5). Pre-redaction and post-redaction scores were significantly different in white applicants who experienced a negative change (8.07-7.88; p = 0.03 (Table 6)). Males had statistically significant differences compared to females in Step 1 score (246 vs 243; p = 0.01) (Table 7). CONCLUSIONS: This study was unable to prove unconscious bias based on a lack of statistically significant change of score when blinded, however the direction in change of scores was unlikely to be accounted for exclusively by objective differences between applicants, suggesting a trend toward unconscious bias. It remains unclear how influential subjective portions of the ERAS application such as personal statements, Letters of Recommendation, hobbies, and activities are on the overall assessment of an applicant and whether or not unconscious bias manifests in these subjective portions. Further investigation is needed in this area. Until then, residency programs should take immediate measures to mitigate potential implicit bias in the residency interview selection process. Actions can include implicit bias training for all faculty members involved in resident selection, standardization of application scoring and possibly redacting all or portions of the ERAS application so that only objective academic markers are presented to evaluators. Gaining a better understanding of these barriers is not only essential for their removal, but also allows for better preparation of applicants for success in the match with the ultimate goal being to correct the persistent disparity in the field of orthopaedic surgery.

A case of Leclercia adecarboxylata endocarditis in a 62-year-old man.

Leclercia adecarboxylata is a motile, gram negative bacillus in the Enterobacteriaceae family that is a rarely isolated cause of disease, despite being ubiquitous in nature. A 2019 review article identified only 74 reported cases, most often in immunocompromised patients [1]. The organism is generally susceptible to most antibiotics although multiantibiotic resistant strains have been reported. We report a case of a 62-year-old Caucasian man with multiple co-morbidities treated for L. adecarboxylata endocarditis with intravenous ceftriaxone.