Comparison of Outcomes at Midterm Follow-up of Operatively and Nonoperatively Treated Isolated Weber B Ankle Fractures.

OBJECTIVES: A novel protocol was previously presented for nonoperative management of Weber B (OTA/AO 44B) ankle fractures with criteria of medial clear space <7 mm on gravity stress (GS) radiographs and ipsilateral superior clear space and contralateral GS medial clear space within 2 mm. This study recruited an operative cohort for comparison of outcomes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Level 1 academic center. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA: The recruited operative cohort consisted of patients who may have been considered for the nonoperative protocol, but underwent surgery instead. OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS: Kellgren-Lawrence scale for evaluation of arthritis, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society Hindfoot, Olerud Molander Ankle, Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS), and PROMIS (physical function, depression, pain interference) scores for the current operative cohort were compared with that of the original nonoperative cohort. RESULTS: There were 20 patients in the operative cohort and 29 in the original nonoperative cohort. Mean follow-up was 6.9 and 6.7 years, respectively. The following outcome scores were better for the nonoperative cohort compared with the operative, respectively: LEFS, 75.2 and 68.1 ( P = 0.009); Olerud Molander Ankle, 94.1 and 89.0 ( P = 0.05); American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society, 98.5 and 91.7 ( P = 0.0003); PROMIS Physical Function, 58.2 and 50.4 ( P = 0.01); PROMIS Pain Interference, 42.2 and 49.7 ( P = 0.004). The PROMIS Depression, 42.8 and 45.4 ( P = 0.29), was not different between groups. All patients achieved union of their fracture. Surgical complications included implant removal (15%), SPN neurapraxia (5%), and delayed wound healing (5%). CONCLUSIONS: In carefully selected patients with isolated Weber B fractures, nonoperative management may be considered because it can lead to equivalent or superior outcomes with none of the risks typically associated with surgical intervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The rate of disuse osteopenia in admitted, non-weight-bearing patients.

Disuse osteopenia is a well-recognized consequence of prolonged physical inactivity, but its rate after orthopaedic injuries necessitating non-weight-bearing is not well studied. The purpose of this study was to estimate the rate of disuse osteopenia at the lumbar spine and proximal femur in patients with lower extremity trauma admitted to the hospital. We performed a retrospective chart review of patients with lower extremity trauma with a period of strict non-weight-bearing between completion of two computed tomography (CT) scans. The radiodensity of the proximal femur or lumbar vertebrae was measured from the earliest and latest available CT scans within the non-weight-bearing timeframe. The change in estimated bone mineral density (eBMD) was calculated as a proxy for disuse osteopenia. A total of 189,111 patients were screened, with 17 patients in the proximal femur group and 15 patients in the lumbar spine group meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria. The average rate of change in eBMD of the proximal femur was a decrease of 7.54 HU/day, 95% confidence interval (CI) [3.65, 11.43]. The average rate of change in eBMD of the lumbar spine was an increase of 1.45 HU/day, 95% CI [-3.15, 6.06]. In admitted, non-weight-bearing orthopaedic trauma patients, our novel study suggests that the proximal femur experiences disuse osteopenia during periods of non-weight-bearing, although this finding was not observed at the lumbar spine. The clinical significance of this data underscores the important consideration of disuse osteopenia by all physicians when caring for patients that may require non-weight-bearing restrictions.

Ketorolac and bone healing: a review of the basic science and clinical literature.

Although the efficacy of ketorolac in pain management and the short duration of use align well with current clinical practice guidelines, few studies have specifically evaluated the impact of ketorolac on bony union after fracture or surgery. The purpose of this study was to review the current basic science and clinical literature on the use of ketorolac for pain management after fracture and surgery and the subsequent risk of delayed union or nonunion. Animal studies demonstrate a dose-dependent risk of delayed union in rodents treated with high doses of ketorolac for 4 weeks or greater; however, with treatment for 7 days or low doses, there is no evidence of risk of delayed union or nonunion. Current clinical evidence has also shown a dose-dependent increased risk of pseudoarthrosis and nonunion after post-operative ketorolac administration in orthopedic spine surgery. However, other orthopedic subspecialities have not demonstrated increased risk of delayed union or nonunion with the use of peri-operative ketorolac administration. While evidence exists that long-term ketorolac use may represent risks with regard to fracture healing, insufficient evidence currently exists to recommend against short-term ketorolac use that is limited to the peri-operative period. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE V: Narrative Review.

Operative Technique for Sacral Insufficiency Fractures Causing Spinopelvic Dissociation: A Case Report.

CASE: We present a case of a 54-year-old man with atraumatic, U-type sacral insufficiency and L5 compression fractures leading to spinopelvic dissociation, inability to ambulate, and bowel/bladder compromise. The patient underwent L3-4 percutaneous pedicle screw fixation with bilateral iliac bolts and percutaneous iliosacral screw fixation. Postoperatively, the patient had return of bowel/bladder function and independent ambulation at 2.5 years. CONCLUSION: Atraumatic spinopelvic dissociation is an underappreciated pathology in older patients. Here, we describe the result of our preferred treatment strategy, triangular osteosynthesis, to preserve function and independence. Despite optimal, prompt treatment, these injuries pose a difficult rehabilitation process for patients.

Full Reversal of Anticoagulants Before Cephalomedullary Fixation of Geriatric Hip Fractures May Not Be Necessary.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the relationship between anticoagulant and antiplatelet drugs and surgical blood loss for geriatric patients undergoing cephalomedullary nail fixation of extracapsular proximal femur fractures. DESIGN: Multicenter, retrospective, cohort study using bivariate and multivariable regression analyses. SETTING: Two Level-1 trauma centers. PATIENTS: One thousand four hundred forty-two geriatric (ages 60-105 years) patients undergoing isolated primary intramedullary fixation of nonpathologic extracapsular hip fractures from 2009 to 2018 including 657 taking an antiplatelet drug alone (including aspirin), 99 taking warfarin alone, 37 taking a direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) alone, 59 taking an antiplatelet drug and an anticoagulant, and 590 taking neither. INTERVENTION: Cephalomedullary nail fixation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Blood transfusion and calculated blood loss. RESULTS: More patients taking antiplatelet drugs required a transfusion than controls (43% vs. 33%, P < 0.001), whereas patients taking warfarin or DOACs did not (35% or 32% vs. 33%). Median calculated blood loss was increased in patients taking antiplatelet drugs (1275 mL vs. 1059 mL, P < 0.001) but not in patients taking warfarin or DOACs (913 mL or 859 mL vs. 1059 mL). Antiplatelet drugs were independently associated with an odds ratio of transfusion of 1.45 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.1-1.9] in contrast with 0.76 (95% CI, 0.5-1.2) for warfarin and 0.67 (95% CI, 0.3-1.4) for DOACs. CONCLUSIONS: Geriatric patients taking warfarin (incompletely reversed) or DOACs lose less blood during cephalomedullary nail fixation of hip fractures than those taking aspirin. Delaying surgery to mitigate anticoagulant-related surgical blood loss may be unwarranted. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Comparison of true blood loss between short and long cephalomedullary nail fixation of geriatric hip fractures, a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Existing literature is discrepant on the differences in blood loss and need for transfusion between short and long cephalomedullary nails used for extracapsular geriatric hip fractures. However, prior studies used the inaccurate estimated rather than the more accurate 'calculated' blood loss based on hematocrit dilution (Gibon in IO 37:735-739, 2013, Mercuriali in CMRO 13:465-478, 1996). This study sought to clarify whether use of short nails is associated with clinically meaningful reductions in calculated blood loss and resultant need for transfusion. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study using bivariate and propensity score-weighted linear regression analyses was conducted examining 1442 geriatric (ages 60-105) patients undergoing cephalomedullary fixation of extracapsular hip fractures over 10 years at two trauma centers. Implant dimensions, pre and postoperative laboratory values, preoperative medications, and comorbidities were recorded. Two groups were compared based on nail length (greater or less than 235 mm). RESULTS: Short nails were associated with a 26% reduction in calculated blood loss (95% confidence interval: 17-35%; p < 10-14) and a 24-min (36%) reduction in mean operative time (95% confidence interval: 21-26 min; p < 10-71). The absolute reduction in transfusion risk was 21% (95% confidence interval: 16-26%; p < 10-13) yielding a number needed to treat of 4.8 (95% confidence interval: 3.9-6.4) with short nails to prevent one transfusion. No difference in reoperation, periprosthetic fracture, or mortality was noted between groups. CONCLUSION: Use of short compared to long cephalomedullary nails for geriatric extracapsular hip fractures confers reduced blood loss, need for transfusion, and operative time without a difference in complications.

Compartment Syndrome After Tibial Intramedullary Nail Removal and Intramedullary Debridement: A Case Report.

CASE: A 45-year-old man who sustained an open tibial shaft fracture treated with intramedullary (IM) nailing 9 years earlier presented with persistent pain and concern for occult infection. He underwent tibial nail removal and debridement with reamer-irrigator-aspirator. Postoperative course was complicated by acute compartment syndrome. CONCLUSION: This is a unique case of postoperative compartment syndrome after IM debridement and tibial hardware removal. A high index of suspicion should be prioritized in patients who complain of severe or unexpected pain to mitigate delays in diagnosis and aid in early treatment.

Preoperative Comorbidities Associated With Early Mortality in Hip Fracture Patients: A Multicenter Study.

OBJECTIVE: Multiple comorbidities in hip fracture patients are associated with increased mortality and complications. The goal of this study was to characterize the relationship between specific patient factors including comorbidities and outcomes in geriatric hip fractures, including length of stay, unplanned ICU admission, discharge disposition, complications, and mortality. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of a trauma database from five Level 1 and Level 2 trauma centers of patients with hip fractures of the femoral neck and intertrochanteric region who underwent treatment using hip pinning, hemiarthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty, cephalomedullary nailing, or dynamic hip screw fixation. Mortality was the primary outcome variable (including in-hospital mortality, 30-day mortality, 60-day mortality, and 90-day mortality). Secondary outcome variables included in-hospital adverse events, unplanned transfer to the ICU, postoperative length of stay, and discharge disposition. Regression analyses were used for evaluation of relationships between comorbidities as independent variables and primary and secondary outcomes as dependent variables. RESULTS: Two thousand three hundred patients were included. The mortality was 1.8%, 7.0%, 10.9%, and 14.1% for in-hospital, 30-day, 60-day, and 90-day mortality, respectively. Diabetes and cognitive impairment present on admission were associated with mortality at all-time intervals. COPD was the only comorbidity that signaled in-hospital adverse event with an odds ratio of 1.67 (P = 0.012). No patient factors, time to surgery, or comorbidities signaled unplanned ICU transfer. Patients with renal failure and COPD had longer hospital stays after surgery. CONCLUSION: Geriatric hip fractures continue to have high short-term morbidity and mortality. Identifying patients with increased odds of early mortality and adverse events can help teams optimize care and outcomes. Patients with diabetes, cognitive impairment, renal failure, and COPD may benefit from continued and improved medical optimization during the perioperative period as well as being more closely managed by a medicine team without delaying time to the operating room.

The geriatric distal femur fracture: nail, plate or both?

Surgical fixation of distal femur fractures in geriatric patients is an evolving topic. Unlike hip fractures, treatment strategies for distal femur fractures are ill-defined and lack substantive high-quality evidence. With an increasing incidence and an association with significant morbidity and mortality, it is essential to understand existing treatment options and their supporting evidence. Current fixation methods include the use of either retrograde intramedullary nails, or plate and screw constructs. Due to the variability in fracture patterns, the unique anatomy of the distal femur, and the presence or absence or pre-existing implants, decision-making as to which method to use can be challenging. Recent literature has sought to describe the advantages and disadvantages of each, however, there is currently no consensus on a standard of care, and little randomized evidence is available that directly compares intramedullary nails with plating. Future randomized studies comparing intramedullary nails with plating constructs are necessary in order to develop a standard of care based on injury characteristics.

Are resident research projects correlated to future subspecialty choice in orthopaedic surgery? A ten-year retrospective review of a single centre's experience.

AIM: To determine (1) frequency of resident research projects being in the same orthopaedic subspecialty that they ultimately choose for fellowship and practice; (2) percentage of research projects that were published. METHODS: Resident Thesis Day programs were independently assessed by two reviewers from 2010 to 2020. Reviewers classified projects based on orthopaedic subspecialty: Spine, Joints, Trauma, Hand, Foot and Ankle, Sports, Pediatrics, Oncology, and Shoulder Elbow. Presenting residents' fellowship subspecialty, current practice specialty, and geographic state of current practice were collected using internet searches. Correlation of residents who completed a thesis day project in the same subspecialty as their fellowship and current practice was calculated. RESULTS: A total of 81 resident physicians, 11 (13.6%) female, were included. In the entire cohort, 50.6% did a thesis day project in a different field than their current or projected subspecialty. Of those who completed, or are currently completing fellowship, 33 (52.4%) did their thesis day project in the same subspecialty as their fellowship. Of the current residents who have matched into fellowship, 46.7% did a thesis day project in the same subspecialty. A total of 51 (63.0%) projects were published. CONCLUSION: The majority of resident research projects were published, and about 50% of orthopaedic residents went on to complete a fellowship and practice in the same subspecialty as their research project. As residents often spend a considerable amount of time and effort on their projects, these findings may help tailor resident education and research curriculums to focus more on research principles than specific orthopedic content.

Retrograde Intramedullary Nail for Distal Femur Fracture, Through a Total Knee Arthroplasty.

SUMMARY: Distal femur fractures are common in the elderly population. The risk of sustaining a distal femur fracture is increased with the presence of total knee arthroplasty components. Fixation with a retrograde intramedullary nail is a viable option for treatment of these injuries. This case-based video demonstrates the preoperative planning, techniques, and potential technical pitfalls to performing a retrograde intramedullary nail through a total knee arthroplasty in patients with a distal femur fracture.

Management of Open Segmental Tibial Fractures.

SUMMARY: Open segmental tibial fractures are difficult injuries fraught with potential for complications. Delays or missteps in treatment and soft tissue coverage can lead to disastrous outcomes. This article and the accompanying video demonstrate an example of a timely, team-based approach for management of an open segmental tibial shaft fracture with complex osseous fixation and soft tissue reconstruction.

Masquelet's induced membrane technique: Review of current concepts and future directions.

Masquelet's induced membrane technique (MIMT) is a relatively new, two-stage surgical procedure to reconstruct segmental bone defects. First performed by Dr. Masquelet in the mid-1980s, MIMT has shown great promise to revolutionize critical-sized bone defect repair and has several advantages over its alternative, distraction osteogenesis (DO). Also, its success in extremely challenging cases (defects > 15 cm) suggests that its study could lead to discovery of novel biological mechanisms that might be at play during segmental defect healing and fracture non-union. MIMT's advantages over DO have led to a world-wide increase in MIMT procedures over the past decades. However, MIMT often needs to be repeated and so the average initial success rate in adults lags significantly behind that of DO (86% vs 95%, respectively). The autologous foreign-body membrane created during the first stage by the immune system's response to a polymethyl methacrylate bone cement spacer is critical to supporting the morselized bone graft implanted in the second stage. However, the biological and/or physical mechanisms by which the membrane supports graft to bone union are unclear. This lack of knowledge makes refining MIMT and improving the success rates through technique improvements and patient selection a significant challenge and hinders wider adoption. In this review, current knowledge from basic, translational, and clinical studies is summarized. The dynamics of both stages under normal conditions as well as with drug or material perturbations is discussed along with perspectives on high-priority future research directions.

Validation of a prospective mortality prediction score for hip fracture patients.

PURPOSE: Although mortality prediction tools are the subject of significant interest as components of comprehensive hip fracture protocols, few have been applied or validated to prospectively inform ongoing patient management. Five regional hospitals are currently generating real-time mortality risk scores for all adults at the time of admission using available laboratory and comorbidity data (Cowen et al. J Hosp Med 9(11):720-726, 2014). Although results for aggregated conditions have been published, the primary aim of this study is to determine how well prospectively calculated scores predict mortality for hip fracture patients specifically. METHODS: Using a five-hospital database, 1376 patients who were prospectively scored on admission were identified from January 2013 to April 2017, cross-referencing ICD9/10 diagnosis and procedure codes for AO/OTA 31A1 through 31B3 fractures. Prospective mortality scores have been previously divided into 5 risk categories to facilitate ease of clinical use. Vital status was determined from hospital data, Social Security and Michigan Death Indices. RESULTS: Prospective scores demonstrated good mortality prediction, with AUCs of 0.80, 0.73, 0.74 and 0.74 for in hospital, 30-, 60- and 90-day mortality, respectively. Patients in the top 2 mortality risk categories represented 30% (410/1376) of the cohort and accounted for 78% (25/32) of the inpatient and 59% (57/97) of the 30 day deaths. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of this real-time mortality risk tool is feasible and valid for the prediction of short- to medium-term mortality risk for hip fracture patients, and potentially offers valuable information to guide ongoing patient management decisions such as admitting service or level of care.

Intramedullary Nail for a Distal Tibia Fracture.

Extraarticular fractures of the distal tibia have historically been treated with open reduction and fixation with plates and screws. This technique requires a more extensive dissection and comes with a higher risk of wound complications than intramedullary nail fixation. This article and the accompanying video demonstrate the use of closed reduction and suprapatellar nail fixation appropriate for the treatment of most extraarticular distal tibial fractures. A variety of treatment decisions are discussed, including the nail insertion method, fixation of associated fibular fractures, and postoperative immobilization.

Evaluation of global gene expression in regenerate tissues during Masquelet treatment.

The Masquelet induced-membrane (IM) technique is indicated for large segmental bone defects. Attributes of the IM and local milieu that contribute to graft-to-bone union are unknown. Using a rat model, we compared global gene expression profiles in critically sized femoral osteotomies managed using a cement spacer as per Masquelet to those left empty. At the end of the experiment, IM and bone adjacent to the spacer were collected from the Masquelet side. Nonunion tissue in the defect and bone next to the empty defect were collected from the contralateral side. Tissues were subjected to RNA isolation, sequencing, and differential expression analysis. Cell type enrichment analysis suggested the IM and the bone next to the polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) spacer were comparatively enriched for osteoblastic genes. The nonunion environment was comparatively enriched for innate and adaptive immune cell markers, but only macrophages were evident in the Masquelet context. iPathwayGuide was utilized to identify cell signaling pathways and protein interaction networks enriched in the Masquelet environment. For IM vs nonunion false-discovery rate correction of P values rendered overall pathway differences nonsignificant, and so only protein interaction networks are presented. For the bone comparison, substantial enrichment of pathways and networks known to contribute to osteogenic mechanisms was revealed. Our results suggest that the PMMA spacer affects the cut bone ends that are in contact with it and at the same time induces the foreign body reaction and formation of the IM. B cells in the empty defect suggest a chronic inflammatory response to a large segmental osteotomy.

Comparison of reamed long and short intramedullary nail constructs in unstable intertrochanteric femur fractures: A biomechanical study.

OBJECTIVES: There is no definitive evidence to guide clinicians in their decision-making for implant choice regarding long or short intramedullary nails for unstable fracture patterns. Historically short nails were associated with higher rates of perisprothetic fractures which seem to have improved with newer designs. Long intramedullary nails have higher blood loss and time under anesthesia. The purpose of this study was to assess stability of long and short intramedullary nail constructs in unstable intertrochanteric fracture patterns to better elucidate if unstable intertrochanteric fractures are amenable to treatment with short intramedullary nails. METHODS: This study utilized composite model femurs which were assigned to either a comminuted or reverse obliquity fracture pattern, then subsequently assigned to implantation with either a long or short intramedullary nail. All the samples were reamed to the level of the distal femur and instrumented with the appropriate nail. Axial and torsional stiffness as well as axial load to failure values were determined using a servohydraulic loading system. RESULTS: Short nail constructs exhibited significantly greater axial stiffness in A1 fractures and torsional stiffness in A3 fractures when compared with long nails. There was no significant difference between axial load to failure between long nails and short nails. DISCUSSION: We found no significant difference in axial load to failure values between long and short intramedullary nail fixation in 2 unstable intertrochanteric fracture patterns in a composite femur model. Short nails exhibited greater stiffness in axial loads in the A1 pattern and torsional stiffness in the A3 pattern. This suggests short or long intramedullary nails could be appropriately employed for fixation of unstable intertrochanteric hip fracture patterns.

Examination Under Anesthesia for Evaluation of Hip Stability in Posterior Wall Acetabulum Fractures.

Posterior wall fractures of the acetabulum are the most common acetabular fracture pattern. Stable, congruous hips are amenable to nonoperative management, whereas any instability in the hip is an indication for operative management of the posterior wall fracture. Stability cannot adequately be predicted by static imaging alone. Therefore, the dynamic stress examination under anesthesia remains the gold standard in determining hip stability to guide treatment. This case-based video demonstrates a systematic technique for performing an examination under anesthesia and explains how to interpret the fluoroscopic imaging to differentiate stable and unstable hips.

Irrigation and Debridement of an Open Ankle Fracture With Open Reduction and Internal Fixation and Syndesmotic Fixation Using a Suture Button Device.

Ankle fractures are among the most common surgically treated fractures. The incidence of syndesmotic injury in ankle fractures is 13%-20%. The goal of syndesmotic fixation is a stable, symmetric ankle joint. Missing or poorly reducing a syndesmotic injury can result in diminished function and tibiotalar arthritis. Recently, a suture button-type device has been used instead of the traditional trans-syndesmotic screw-type fixation. This case-based video demonstrates a technique for using suture button-type devices to repair syndesmotic ankle injuries and presents the data regarding the outcomes of this novel technique.

Percutaneous Fixation of Calcaneal Tuberosity Avulsion Fracture.

There are little data published regarding percutaneous fixation of calcaneal tuberosity avulsion fractures, but tongue-type calcaneal fracture literature can be extrapolated to these injuries because they can be considered the extra-articular form of a tongue-type calcaneus fracture. Both injuries involve similar considerations regarding skin compromise and need for urgent management with similar percutaneous techniques to minimize further soft-tissue injury. Percutaneous fixation of tongue-type calcaneus fractures was first reported by Weshues and Gissane in their description of the Essex Lopresti maneuver as an alternative to open approaches to minimize the risk of soft-tissue complications and flap necrosis and provide a means of improving reductions in smokers and diabetics who may not otherwise be good operative candidates.