Hip Sideline Emergencies and Hip Injuries in Elite Athletes.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Hip injuries in elite athletes are an increasingly recognized problem and range from chronic overuse injuries, such as adductor strains and labral tears, to acute traumatic injuries such as hip dislocations. In this article, we review common hip pathology experienced by elite athletes and sideline management of emergent hip injuries. RECENT FINDINGS: Elite athletes are subject to unique physical and mental stresses and therefore must be evaluated and treated in a unique manner. Hip and groin injuries account for approximately 6% of sport injuries overall and 3-15% of all injuries in professional sports. Hip sideline emergencies were rare but can include hip dislocations, subluxations, and avulsion fractures. Hip and groin injuries represent an important subset of injuries which can greatly impact an athlete's ability to perform. Understanding the physiology and types of hip/groin injuries, which athletes are prone to injuries, the impact on recovery time, recurrence risk, and the potential need for surgery aid sports medicine physicians in decision-making.

Are tourniquets indicated in total knee arthroplasty in the era of tranexamic acid: A meta-analysis and systematic review.

Introduction: There is conflicting evidence in the literature regarding the clinical utility of tourniquets in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), specifically in regards to perioperative blood loss. In this meta-analysis and systematic review, we aim to evaluate the clinical advantages and disadvantages associated with tourniquet use in the setting of TKA. Methods: A systematic review was conducted through April 2017 using keywords: "tourniquet" and "total knee arthroplasty" or "total knee replacement". Perioperative variables including TXA use, blood loss, incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), and wound complications were either extracted from the studies or corresponding authors were contacted. A sub-analysis was conducted to evaluate the effects of TXA on intraoperative and total blood loss (TBL), and VTE incidence. Results: After review of 558 articles, 19 studies reporting outcomes in 1094 patients were analyzed. Intraoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the tourniquet cohorts compared to non-tourniquet (p < 0.01). TBL was reduced in tourniquet groups but not significantly (p = 0.08). In contrast, calculated blood loss was greater in tourniquet groups, but this difference was not significant (p = 0.43). There was a greater likelihood for wound complications and VTE among tourniquet assisted TKA, albeit only significant for the former (p = 0.01). TXA sub-analysis demonstrated intraoperative blood loss was significantly reduced with tourniquet use regardless of TXA implementation (p < 0.01). In studies without TXA, tourniquet patients were at greater risk of developing VTE (p = 0.08). These risks decreased with TXA administration. Conclusion: This meta-analysis demonstrates that tourniquets prevent intraoperative blood loss, yet within the postoperative period, there is no significant difference in TBL between tourniquet and non-tourniquet assisted TKA. Level of evidence: Level II; Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Predicting Pulmonary Embolism in Total Joint Arthroplasty Patients A Pilot Study.

Postoperative venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common and costly complication following total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Development of a refined thrombophilic screening panel will better equip clinicians to identify patients at high-est risk for developing VTEs. In this pilot study, 62 high-risk TJA recipients who had developed pulmonary emboli (PE) within 90-days of surgery were eligible to participate. Of these patients, 14 were enrolled and subsequently adminis-tered a pre-determined panel of 18 hematologic tests with the aim of identifying markers that are consistently elevated or deficient in patients developing PE. A separate cohort of seven high-risk TJA recipients who did not report a symp-tomatic VTE within 90-days of surgery were then enrolled and Factor VIII and lipoprotein(a) levels were assessed. The most common aberrance was noted in 10 patients (71.4%) who had elevated levels of Factor VIII followed by five patients (35.7%) who had elevated levels of lipoprotein(a). Factor VIII was significantly prevalent (p < 0.001) while lipoprotein(a) failed to achieve statistical significance (p = 0.0708). Of the patients who were within normal limits of Factor VIII, three-fourths were "high-normal" with Fac-tor VIII levels within 5% of the upper limit of normal. This study demonstrates the potential utility of this hematologic panel as part of a perioperative screening protocol aimed at identifying patients at risk for developing VTEs. However, future larger scale studies assessing the capabilities and limitations of our findings are warranted.