Growth progression of anterior cruciate ligament bone grafts in a pediatric population: magnetic resonance imaging analysis.

BACKGROUND: In children, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures and reconstructions has significantly risen. Unfortunately, re-rupture rates following surgery are substantially higher in children than adults. Previous research suggests that smaller graft diameters are predictive of re-rupture. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the growth progression of the ACL bone graft, specifically in terms of width and length, within the intra-articular portion and tunnels, using successive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The hypothesis was that the ACL grafts would undergo thinning during growth. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The cohort comprised 100 patients who underwent ACL reconstruction. Among them, 37 patients with significant residual growth were selected for analysis. Of these, 4 patients experienced graft rupture, 5 had "over-the-top" techniques, 12 had missing MRI scans and 5 were lost to follow-up. Each included patient underwent two MRI scans; the analyses of which were conducted in a double-masked manner. RESULTS: A total of 13 knees (and patients) were analyzed, with a mean ± SD (range) delay of residual growth between the two MRI scans of 3.3 + / - 1.4 (1.2-5.2) years. The graft exhibited elongation, thinning and eventual integration with the surrounding bone in the tunnels. Within the intra-articular portion, the mean [95% CI] increase in graft size between the two MRI scans was 30.8% in length and 14.8% in width. The width/length ratio in the intra-articular part was 20.4% on the first MRI and 20.8% on the second MRI. Since this difference in the ratio (+ 0.4%) was not statistically significant (P=0.425), our results indicate that the grafts remained stable in terms of proportions without thinning or thickening. Therefore, the initial hypothesis was validated for the tunnel portion but not the intra-articular portion of the grafts. CONCLUSION: In children with open physes, ACL grafts demonstrate smooth growth progression in all dimensions. However, this finding does not fully explain the high rate of re-rupture observed in children. Further research is needed to elucidate the underlying factors contributing to re-rupture in this population.

Performance of Sonoelastography for predicting malignancy in soft tissue.

BACKGROUND: Separating benign from malignant soft-tissue masses often requires a biopsy. The objective of this study was to assess whether shear-wave elastography (SWE) helped to separate benign from malignant soft-tissue masses. METHODS: In 2015-2016, we prospectively included patients with soft-tissue masses deemed by our multidisciplinary sarcoma board to require a diagnostic biopsy. All patients underwent ultrasonography (US) followed by SWE to measure elasticity. We compared benign and malignant tumors, overall and after separating tumors with vs. without a fatty component. The biopsy findings, and surgical-specimen histology when available, served as the reference standard. RESULTS: We included 136 patients, 99 with non-fatty and 37 with fatty soft-tissue masses. Mean elasticity and tumor-to-fat elasticity ratio (T/F) values were significantly lower for the benign than the malignant soft-tissue masses in the overall cohort (30.9 vs. 50.0 kilopascals (kPa), P = 0.03; and 2.55 vs. 4.30, P = 0.046) and in the non-fatty subgroup (37.8 ± 31.9 vs. 58.9 ± 39.1 kPa, P = 0.049 and 2.89 ± 5.25 vs. 5.07 ± 5.41, P = 0.046). Data for fatty tumors were non relevant due to lack of conclusive results. By receiver operating characteristics curve analysis, a T/F cutoff of 3.5 had 46% sensitivity and 84% specificity for separating benign and malignant soft-tissue masses. CONCLUSIONS: SWE had good specificity and poor sensitivity for separating benign from malignant soft-tissue masses.

Results of slotted acetabular augmentation in adults with Crowe stage 1 and 2 hip dysplasia.

To determine the survival of slotted acetabular augmentation in adult dysplasia, we reviewed all cases operated on between 2002 and 2020 with clinical and radiological assessment and a 2.63 year minimum of follow-up. Twenty-three patients were included, with 91% of Crowe 1 hip dysplasia. Seven patients underwent THA at a mean 6.0 ± 3.5 years; 15 retained SAA without THA at a mean 9.5 years' follow-up; 1 was lost to follow-up. There was a significant improvement in PMA and HHS scores, with decreased pain. WOMAC and SF12 quality-of-life scores were moderate due to frequent pain. The patients with preoperative osteoarthritis showed little progression at seven years 'follow-up. We concluded SAA is a corrective treatment for residual hip dysplasia. Its goal is to normalize joint loading by increasing the contact area and improving the lever arm of the hip. Its postponed onset of osteoarthritis and reduced pain, thereby allowing to postpone THA.

What are the rates and validity of French authors' conflicts of interest disclosures in Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research? Analysis of the year 2017 with comparison versus the Transparence.sante.gouv.fr database.

INTRODUCTION: Authors are responsible for their own Disclosure of Interests in submitting to Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research (OTSR). Disclosure may be incomplete or false, by deliberate or unintended omission. Omission may impact the analysis of results or at least the reader's perception of it. The rate of validity of disclosure in OTSR is not known, and we therefore conducted a bibliometric study on articles published in 2017, in order to: 1) determine the proportion of articles in which authors disclose interests; and 2), when interests are disclosed, to assess their validity by comparison against the Transparence.gov.fr database. HYPOTHESIS: Disclosure rates exceed 75%. MATERIAL AND METHOD: We analyzed all articles published in OTSR in 2017, and extracted those with at least one French author. We also analyzed data from the Transparence.gouv.fr corporate declaration database, for comparison with the authors' own disclosures in each article. Significant interest was defined by a €1000 threshold, although higher thresholds (>€5000, >€10,000 and >€100,000) were also investigated. RESULTS: In 2017, 337 articles were published in OTSR, 210 of which had at least 1 French author. Of these, 201 (95.7%) had at least 1 author with significant interest (>€1000) according to the Transparence data. In 189 of these 201 articles (94%), authors had failed to disclose at least 1 direct or indirect conflict of interest. This omission rate fell to 22/45 (48.9%) for more substantial interests, which were more faithfully disclosed. At the €1000 threshold, in only 8/201 articles (4%) did authors disclose all their interests with perfect validity, but this rate increased up to 25/45 (55.5%) at higher thresholds. At the €1000 threshold, 66 of the 201 articles cited the trade-name of interest, resulting in 54/66 (82%) correct disclosure of direct interest; this rate increased up to 25/26 (96%) at higher thresholds. DISCUSSION: At a threshold of €1000, the rate of complete and valid disclosure was 4% and the rate of omission 94%. At higher thresholds, rates were better, with just 48.9% omission and, above all, 55.5% validity, even if these rates were lower than hypothesized (75%). Authors and editors need to take greater care. Disclosures were often made, but incompletely, and authors need reminding that they must disclose not only interests related to the article in question but also all interests that might directly or indirectly influence their interpretation of the results reported, allowing readers to make up their own minds. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV; systematic retrospective study.

Place of residence before and place of discharge after femoral neck fracture surgery are associated with mortality: A study of 1238 patients with at least three years' follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Femoral neck fractures constitute a major public health challenge. The risk of death after surgery depends chiefly on the patient's general health and comorbidities. No studies assessing place of residence are available. The objectives of this study were to determine whether mortality differed according to the patient's previous place of residence and to the place of discharge, and to describe the complications occurring after femoral neck fracture surgery. HYPOTHESIS: After femoral neck fracture surgery, the place of discharge is associated with the risk of death, and the complication rate is high. METHODS: This single-centre retrospective study included 1241 adults who sustained a true femoral neck fracture between 2006 and 2016 and were followed up for at least 3 years. The following data were collected: age at the time of the fracture, sex, hospital stay length, place of residence before and after the fracture, characteristics of the fracture, type of treatment, time from the fracture to surgery, and whether anticoagulant therapy was given. We then recorded data on mortality and complications. RESULTS: The 3-year mortality rate was 36.0±1.4% (95%CI, 33.3-38.7). Place of residence before the fracture was strongly associated with mortality: the risk of death was higher in patients who lived in care homes (hazard ratio [HR], 2.18) or were hospitalised (HR, 1.78) and lower in patients who lived at home (HR, 0.46). The risk of death was also higher in patients discharged to care homes (HR, 1.82) or to hospitals (HR, 1.90) and lower in patients discharged home (HR, 0.30). All these differences were statistically significant (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: Place of residence and likely place of discharge should be evaluated as soon as the patient is admitted to the emergency department, in order to provide the best information possible to the patient and family and to establish the most appropriate treatment strategy. Patient self-sufficiency is a major parameter that should be preserved to the extent possible. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Reconsidering olfactory bulb magnetic resonance patterns in Kallmann syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this retrospective study was to perform magnetic resonance imaging assessment of olfactory pathway and skull base abnormalities in Kallmann syndrome (KS) patients with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism and olfaction disorder. METHODS: Magnetic resonance brain patterns were retrospectively studied in 19 patients clinically classified as KS. Qualitative assessment of olfactory bulb region comprised bulb atrophy and rectus and medial orbital gyrus ptosis; quantitative assessment measured olfactory fossa depth and width, sulcus depth and ethmoid angle. Results were compared to an age- and sex-matched control population (n=19) with no impairment in the region of interest. Sixteen of the 19 KS patients were genetically screened for mutations associated with KS. RESULTS: On the above qualitative criteria, 15 of the 19 patients presented either unilateral (n=2) or bilateral (n=13) olfactory bulb agenesis; 16 showed tract agenesis and 16 showed gyrus malformation (ptosis or absence). On the quantitative criteria, 18 of the 19 patients showed abnormal sulcus depth and/or olfactory fossa malformation and/or abnormal ethmoid angle. CONCLUSION: The presence of malformation abnormalities in the olfactory fossae of 18 of the 19 patients appears to be a key factor for etiological diagnosis of hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, and should enable targeted study of genes involved in KS.