Higher return to sport and lower revision rates when performing arthroscopic Bankart repair with remplissage for anterior shoulder instability with a Hill-Sachs lesion: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent anterior shoulder instability remains the most common complication from a prior shoulder dislocation, especially among young and active individuals who engage in athletic activities. This instability can lead to repeated subluxation or dislocations of the humeral head from the glenoid fossa. The purpose of this study is to compare postoperative recurrence rates, instability-related revision and return to sport (RTS) rates between isolated arthroscopic Bankart repair (ABR) and ABR with remplissage (ABR + R) for anterior shoulder instability with subcritical glenoid bone loss (GBL) and a Hill-Sachs lesion (HSL). METHODS: PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science were searched on June 2022. Studies sought were those comparing postoperative outcomes of ABR + R versus isolated ABR for subcritical GBL and an HSL. Study quality was evaluated using the revised Cochrane tool. Redislocations, instability-related revisions, and RTS rates were extracted and pooled estimates were calculated using the random-effect model. RESULTS: Twelve studies were included with a mean follow-up of 48.2 months for isolated ABR and 43.2 months for ABR + R. The meta-analytic comparison demonstrated that ABR + R resulted in statistically significant improvement in Rowe and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores by 6.5 and 2.2 points, respectively; however, the improvements in patient-reported outcomes were not clinically meaningful. ABR + R resulted in reduced external rotation at the side by 1° which was not clinically meaningful and there was no significant difference in terms of forward elevation. ABR + R resulted in a statistically significant reduction of overall postoperative recurrences (odds ratio [OR]: 9.36), postoperative dislocations (OR: 6.28), instability-related revision (OR: 3.46), and RTS to any level (OR: 2.85). CONCLUSION: The addition of remplissage to ABR for recurrent anterior shoulder instability with subcritical GBL and HSL results in significantly lower postoperative instability recurrence, lower instability-related revisions, and higher RTS to any level.

A Prospective Analysis of the Supine and Sitting Straight-Leg Raise Test and Its Performance in Litigation Patients.

BACKGROUND: The supine straight-leg raise (SLR) test has the potential to be exploited by malingering patients. The sitting SLR is believed to be less recognizable, therefore decreasing the chance of fabrication. The authors aim to compare the supine and sitting SLR test in patients with radiculopathy. METHODS: A total of 107 patients with radiculopathy were included in this study. Two groups were created: patients with workman's compensation (Group 1) and a control group of patients without litigation claims (Group 2). RESULTS: Mean age was 47.3 ± 1.3 years with a 51% female population. Correlation analysis demonstrated association between mean angles in both positions, r = 0.248 with significance P = .01. There was equivalence in the mean angles in sitting position of 37 ± 3° compared to 35 ± 2° in supine position (P = .549). There was no significant difference in the mean angle at which the test became positive in the litigation group in the sitting or supine position compared to the nonlitigation group, P = .616 and P = .49 respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that the SLR test is equivalent in the sitting and supine position. Therefore, patients with a positive test should have similar angles in both positions, decreasing the chance of falsifying the examination. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prospective analysis. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Clinical practice.

Fixation of Metacarpal Shaft Fractures: Biomechanical Comparison of Intramedullary Nail Crossed K-Wires and Plate-Screw Constructs.

OBJECTIVES: Metacarpal (MC) fractures are very common, accounting for 18% of all fractures distal to the elbow. Many MC fractures can be treated non-operatively; however, some are treated most effectively with surgical stabilization, for which there are multiple methods. It was postulated that plates would have a significantly higher (P < 0.05) load to failure than crossed K(XK)-wires and that intramedullary metacarpal nails (IMNs) and XK-wires would have equivalent load to failure. METHODS: Mid-diaphyseal transverse fractures were created in 36 synthetic metacarpals and stabilized using nails, XK-wires or non-locking plates. Three-point bending was performed with continuous recording of load and displacement. Statistical analysis was performed using single factor ANOVA and Scheffe's test. Statistical significance was defined as P < 0.05. RESULTS: Biomechanical testing revealed significant differences between groups in load-to-failure. Average load to failure was significantly greater in the plate (1669 ± 322 N) than the XK-wire (146 ± 56 N) or IMN (110 ± 43 N) groups. The loads to failure of the K-wires and nails were equivalent. Plates were 11 and 15 times stronger in three-point bending than the K-wires and nails, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between strengths of the K-wires and nails. CONCLUSIONS: Although plates are the most stable means of fixation of midshaft metacarpal fractures, if minimally-invasive techniques are indicated, intramedullary nails may provide equivalent stability as commonly-used XK-wires. Although some studies have shown favorable clinical outcomes with IMNs, additional clinical correlation of these biomechanical results to fracture healing and outcomes is needed.

Correlation between distal radial cortical thickness and bone mineral density.

PURPOSE: To determine interobserver reliability in measuring the cortical thickness of distal radiuses on posteroanterior radiographs obtained at the time of injury and to determine whether there is a correlation between distal radius cortical thickness and hip and lumbar spine scores on dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). METHODS: Four orthopedic surgeons at 2 academic institutions who were blinded to the study protocol reviewed standard posteroanterior wrist radiographs of 80 women over age 50 years with distal radius fractures with DXA data obtained within the past 2 years. Radial bicortical widths were measured at 50 and 70 mm proximal to the distal ulnar articular surface, and mean bicortical thickness was calculated from radiographs of the injured wrist. Average bicortical width was compared with each patient's femoral and lumbar spine bone density measures. Data were analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients and simple linear regression. Inter-rater reliability was evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The inter-rater reliability for average bicortical thickness had a high intra-class correlation coefficient value of 0.91. Average bicortical thickness showed a statistically significant positive relationship with femoral bone density. Average bicortical thickness was statistically correlated with femoral bone density values, with a 1-mm increase in average bicortical thickness associated with a 0.05 g/cm(2)-increase in femoral density. Average bicortical thickness was not associated with lumbar bone density. CONCLUSIONS: Bicortical thickness of the distal radius was positively correlated with femoral bone density but not with lumbar spine density. This may reflect similarity in quality and loading properties of the femur and radius as appendicular bones, compared with the axial spine. Identification of thinned distal radial cortices in association with distal radius fracture is a simple qualitative observation that should prompt further evaluation with DXA and medical management of bone insufficiency. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic II.

Spontaneous, chronic expanding posterior thigh hematoma mimicking soft-tissue sarcoma in a morbidly obese pregnant woman.

Soft-tissue sarcomas are rare and often confused for more common and benign disorders during diagnosis. Chronic expanding hematomas are particularly difficult to distinguish from soft-tissue malignancy. We describe the case of a morbidly obese patient with a chronic expanding hematoma in the distal posterior thigh whose definitive treatment was delayed 6 months because of her pregnancy status and inability to lie prone for open biopsy.

Gadolinium-associated nephrogenic systemic fibrosis.

The authors explain why physicians should refrain from ordering MRIs for patients with renal dysfunction unless the test is essential to provide diagnostic information. A possibly class-wide toxicity from the contrast agent gadolinium has been reported.