Congenital Upper-Limb Differences: A 6-Year Literature Review.

➤ The Oberg-Manske-Tonkin (OMT) classification of congenital hand and upper-limb anomalies continues to be refined as our understanding of the genetic and embryonic etiology of limb anomalies improves.➤ We have conducted an evaluation of graft and graftless techniques for syndactyly reconstruction; strengths and drawbacks exist for each technique.➤ Treatment for radial longitudinal deficiency remains controversial; however, radialization has shown promise in early follow-up for severe deformities.➤ Recent emphasis on psychosocial aspects of care has demonstrated that children with congenital upper-limb differences demonstrate good peer relationships and marked adaptability.

Do Nails and Nubbins Matter? A Comparison of Symbrachydactyly and Transverse Deficiency Phenotypes.

PURPOSE: Transverse deficiency (TD) and symbrachydactyly may be difficult to distinguish due to shared phenotypes and a lack of pathognomonic features. The 2020 Oberg-Manske-Tonkin classification update modified these anomalies to include "with ectodermal elements" for symbrachydactyly and "without ectodermal elements" for TD as a defining differentiating characteristic. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize ectodermal elements and the level of deficiency and to examine whether ectodermal elements versus the level of deficiency was a greater determining factor for Congenital Upper Limb Differences (CoULD) surgeons making the diagnosis. METHODS: This was a retrospective review of 254 extremities from the CoULD registry with a diagnosis of symbrachydactyly or TD by pediatric hand surgeons. Ectodermal elements and the level of deficiency were characterized. A review of the registry radiographs and photographs was used to classify the diagnosis and compare it with the diagnosis given by the pediatric hand surgeons. The presence/absence of nubbins versus the level of deficiency as the determining factor to differentiate the pediatric hand surgeons' diagnosis of symbrachydactyly (with nubbins) versus TD (without nubbins) was analyzed. RESULTS: Based on radiographs and photographs of the 254 extremities, 66% had nubbins on the distal end of the limb; of the limbs with nubbins, nails were present on 51%. The level of deficiency was amelia/humeral (n = 9), <1/3 transverse forearm (n = 23), 1/3 to 2/3 transverse forearm (n = 27), 2/3 to full forearm TD (n = 38), and metacarpal/phalangeal (n = 103). The presence of nubbins was associated with a four times higher likelihood of a pediatric hand surgeon's diagnosis of symbrachydactyly. However, a distal deficiency is associated with a 20-times higher likelihood of a diagnosis of symbrachydactyly than a proximal deficiency. CONCLUSIONS: Although both the level of deficiency and ectodermal elements are important, the level of deficiency was a greater determining factor for a diagnosis of symbrachydactyly versus TD. Our results suggest that the level of deficiency and nubbins should both be described to help provide greater clarity in the diagnosis of symbrachydactyly versus TD. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Diagnostic IV.

Infection from an Iliosacral Screw 16 Years Postoperatively in Demolition Derby Umpire Crushed Between 2 Cars: A Case Report.

CASE: A 47-year-old man crushed between 2 cars during a demolition derby, a nonracing North American motorsport, underwent open reduction and internal fixation, iliosacral screw fixation, arterial embolization, and multiple urologic procedures after massive pelvic ring injury, remarkably recovering nearly full function. Sixteen years after injury, he developed an abscess emanating from an iliosacral screw requiring irrigation, debridement, and hardware removal. CONCLUSION: Deep surgical infections from iliosacral screws may present late, even more than 15 years after the original surgery. Obesity, preoperative embolization, diabetes, and urethral injuries are relevant risk factors. Similar patients should have a low threshold for infection workup when presenting with symptoms, even years after surgery.

A Comparative Analysis of 150 Thumb Polydactyly Cases from the CoULD Registry Using the Wassel-Flatt, Rotterdam, and Chung Classifications.

PURPOSE: Three commonly used classifications for thumb polydactyly are the Wassel-Flatt, Rotterdam, and Chung. The ideal classification system would have high validity and reliability and be descriptive of the thumb anomaly. The purposes of this investigation were to (1) compare the inter- and intrarater reliability of these 3 classifications when applied to a large sample of patients enrolled in the Congenital Upper Limb Differences (CoULD) Registry and (2) determine the prevalence of radial polydactyly types when using the various classifications in a North American population. METHODS: Inter- and intrarater reliability were determined using 150 cases of radial polydactyly presented in a Web-based format to 7 raters in 3 rounds, a preliminary training round and 2 observation rounds. Raters classified each case according to the Wassel-Flatt, Rotterdam, and Chung classifications. Inter- and intrarater reliability were evaluated with the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) calculated using 2-way random measures with perfect agreement. RESULTS: For Wassel-Flatt, both the interrater (ICC, 0.93) and the intrarater reliability (ICC, 0.91) were excellent. The Rotterdam classification had excellent reliability for both interrater reliability (ICC, 0.98) and intrarater reliability (ICC, 0.94), when considering type alone. Interrater analysis of the additional subtypes demonstrated a wide range of reliabilities. The Chung classification had good interrater (ICC, 0.88) and intrarater reliability (ICC, 0.77). Within the Wassel-Flatt classification, the most frequent unclassifiable thumb was a type IV hypoplastic thumb as classified by the Rotterdam classification. CONCLUSIONS: The Wassel-Flatt and Rotterdam classifications for radial polydactyly have excellent inter- and intrarater reliability. Despite its simplicity, the Chung classification was less reliable in comparison. The Chung and Rotterdam classification systems capture the hypoplastic subtypes that are unclassifiable in the Wassel-Flatt system. Addition of the hypoplastic subtype to the Wassel-Flatt classification (eg, Wassel-Flatt type IVh) would maintain the highest reliability and classify over 90% of thumbs deemed unclassifiable in the Wassel-Flatt system. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The Wassel-Flatt and Rotterdam classifications have excellent inter-and intrarater reliability for the hand surgeon treating thumb polydactyly. Addition of a hypoplastic subtype to the Wassel-Flatt (Type 4h) allows classification of most previously unclassifiable thumbs.

The Influence of Mentors in Orthopedic Surgery.

The importance of mentorship in medicine has been established. However, little is known regarding the influence of mentors in orthopedic surgery. This study sought to (1) determine the prevalence of mentoring relationships in orthopedic surgery, (2) assess the influence of mentors in specialty and subspecialty selection, and (3) evaluate the importance of gender in orthopedic mentoring relationships. An electronic survey was distributed to 358 orthopedic surgeons at academic residency programs. Participants were asked to report mentoring relationships and their attitudes toward mentors, including gender preferences. A total of 117 (95 males and 22 females) surveys were returned. The majority of respondents (66.7%, n=78) had at least one mentor in their career, and the majority of respondents (66.7%, n=52) were satisfied with their mentoring experience. Residency was the most common time to have a mentor, and 73.3% (n=44) of respondents indicated their mentor was influential in determining their subspecialty. Although only 50% of respondents indicated they had a mentor in medical school, 84.2% (n=32) believed their mentor was influential in selecting an orthopedic surgery residency. The majority (79.4%, n=62) of respondents did not have a preference on the gender of their mentor. Many orthopedic surgeons have a mentor at some point in their career who influenced their specialty or subspecialty decision. Mentoring experiences are less prevalent in medical school, and female medical students may lack accessibility to mentoring opportunities. Future efforts should focus on opportunities that connect medical students to orthopedic surgery faculty to further diversify the field and close the gender gap. [Orthopedics. 2020; 43(1):e37-e42.].

Incidence of Sports-Related Concussion Among NCAA Women's Ice Hockey Athletes.

BACKGROUND: There are limited data on the incidence of concussion and concussion symptom nondisclosure among collegiate women's ice hockey athletes. PURPOSE: To determine the incidence of sports-related concussion (SRC) in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) women's ice hockey athletes. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: An anonymous online survey was completed by 459 NCAA women's ice hockey athletes. Players reported diagnosed concussions as well as incidents where they experienced an impact or blow to the head followed by symptoms associated with a concussion; reports spanned the duration of the 2014-2015 season and throughout players' organized hockey career. RESULTS: About half (n = 219, 47.7%) of respondents reported at least 1 diagnosed concussion over the duration of their entire organized ice hockey career. A total of 13.3% (n = 61) of respondents reported a diagnosed concussion during the 2014-2015 season. The incidence rate was 1.18 (95% CI, 0.92-1.51) per 1000 athlete-exposures to a game or practice and 0.58 (95% CI, 0.45-0.74) per 1000 hours of ice time. One-third (34.2%, n = 157) of players reported at least 1 impact where they experienced concussion-like symptoms during the 2014-2015 season; 82.8% of these players reported that they continued to play after at least 1 of these impacts, and 66.8% of players reported at least 1 impact where they never disclosed any symptoms. CONCLUSION: There is a high incidence of SRC in collegiate women's ice hockey and a concerning level of symptom nondisclosure. Additional research is needed to understand the causes of concussion and reasons for the lack of symptom disclosure, including factors specific to female athletes and contextual issues specific to women's collegiate ice hockey.

Qualitative Comparison of Barriers to Antiretroviral Medication Adherence Among Perinatally and Behaviorally HIV-Infected Youth.

Medication adherence among youth living with HIV (28%-69%) is often insufficient for viral suppression. The psychosocial context of adherence barriers is complex. We sought to qualitatively understand adherence barriers among behaviorally infected and perinatally infected youth and develop an intervention specific to their needs. We conducted in-depth interviews with 30 youth living with HIV (aged 14-24 years) and analyzed transcripts using the constant comparative method. Barriers were influenced by clinical and psychosocial factors. Perinatally infected youth barriers included reactance, complicated regimens, HIV fatigue, and difficulty transitioning to autonomous care. Behaviorally infected youth barriers included HIV-related shame and difficulty initiating medication. Both groups reported low risk perception, medication as a reminder of HIV, and nondisclosure, but described different contexts to these common barriers. Common and unique barriers emerged for behaviorally infected and perinatally infected youth reflecting varying HIV experiences and psychosocial contexts. We developed a customizable intervention addressing identified barriers and their psychosocial antecedents.

Low Energy Availability, Menstrual Dysfunction, and Low Bone Mineral Density in Individuals with a Disability: Implications for the Para Athlete Population.

Low energy availability, functional hypothalamic amenorrhea, and low bone mineral density are three interrelated conditions described in athletic women. Although described as the female athlete triad (Triad), males experience similar health concerns. The literature suggests that individuals with a disability may experience altered physiology related to these three conditions when compared with the able-bodied population. The goal of this review is to describe the unique implications of low energy availability, low bone mineral density, and, in females, menstrual dysfunction in individuals with a disability and their potential impact on the para athlete population. A literature review was performed linking search terms related to the three conditions with six disability categories that are most represented in para sport. Few articles were found that directly pertained to athletes, therefore, the review additionally characterizes literature found in a non-athlete population. Review of the available literature in athletes suggests that both male and female athletes with spinal cord injury demonstrate risk factors for low energy availability. Bone mineral density may also show improvements for wheelchair athletes or athletes with hemiplegic cerebral palsy when compared with a disabled non-athlete population. However, the prevalence of the three conditions and implications on the health of para athletes is largely unknown and represents a key gap in the sports medicine literature. As participation in para sport continues to increase, further research is needed to understand the impact of these three interrelated health concerns for athletes with a disability, accompanied by educational initiatives targeting athletes, coaches, and health professionals.

Corticosteroid Injections: A Review of Sex-Related Side Effects.

Corticosteroid injections are used as a nonoperative modality to combat acute inflammation when conservative treatments fail. As female patients are regularly seen by orthopedic physicians, it is essential to identify and understand potential sex-related side effects. The aim of this article is to examine available literature for sex-related side effects of orthopedic-related corticosteroid injections. Although the incidence is low, sex-related side effects, such as abnormal menstruation, lactation disturbances, facial flushing, and hirsutism, are associated with corticosteroid injections. Physicians should be aware of these female-specific side effects and relay this information as part of the informed consent process. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(2):e211-e215.].

Let's Talk!, A South African worksite-based HIV prevention parenting program.

PURPOSE: South African adolescents have high HIV risk, yet few prevention interventions are effective. Parents play a pivotal role in youths' healthy sexual development and may be at risk themselves. We tested whether Let's Talk!, a worksite-based parenting program, improves parent-child communication about HIV and sexual health and parent condom use self-efficacy and behavior. METHODS: We culturally adapted Let's Talk! in two languages, drawing on formative research and community stakeholder input. We then conducted a small randomized test at a large public worksite in Cape Town, South Africa. The intervention consisted of 5 weekly 2-hour group sessions for parents of youth aged 11-15. Sixty-six parents (64% female) and their 64 adolescents (41% female) completed surveys before and 1-2 weeks post-intervention; surveys assessed comfort with talking about sex, communication about 16 HIV- and sex-related topics, and parents' condom use self-efficacy and behavior. Thirty-four black African (Xhosa language) and 32 coloured (mixed-race; Afrikaans language) parent-child dyads participated. Parents were randomized to intervention (n = 34) and control (n = 32) groups; randomization was stratified by language. RESULTS: Multivariate regressions indicated that the intervention significantly increased parents' comfort with talking to their adolescent about sex, b(SE) = .98(.39), p = .02, and the number of sex- and HIV-related topics discussed with their adolescent, b(SE) = 3.26(1.12), p = .005. Compared with control parents, intervention parents were more likely to discuss new sex- and HIV-related topics not discussed before the intervention, b(SE) = 2.85(.80), p <.001. The intervention significantly increased parents' self-efficacy for condom use, b(SE) = .60(.21), p = .007. CONCLUSIONS: Let's Talk! holds promise for improving parent-child communication, a critical first step in preventing HIV among youth.