Demographic and Diagnostic Factors in Physical Therapy Attendance.

Introduction Physical therapy (PT) is an effective nonoperative treatment for various orthopedic diagnoses. However, patients may have many reasons to dismiss PT, including favoring another intervention for their injury, time constraints, transportation, and cost. This dismissal of PT may contribute to inadequate patient compliance. This study aimed to elucidate patient compliance with a basic PT prescription and whether PT led to subjective injury improvement. Methods This is a retrospective study of patients observed in Stony Brook Orthopedic clinics from 08/01/2022 to 12/23/2022. Patients prescribed PT received a phone call six weeks after the PT prescription. The primary outcome was patient attendance at PT. Secondary outcomes were subjective; symptomatic improvement was listed as better, worse, or the same. Chi-square testing was used to compare outcomes. Results A total of 100 patients were enrolled in the study. Patients prescribed PT following surgery were more likely to attend compared to patients prescribed PT as a primary treatment (P value=0.027). The association between attendance at PT and a change in subjective symptoms (better, worse, same) was not significant. Patients' age, sex, and chronicity of injury were not significant factors in PT attendance. Of the 40 patients who did not attend PT, 14 cited time constraints, 11 utilized self-directed treatment, three cited insurance, two cited transportation, and 10 cited other reasons. Conclusions Overall, postoperative patients were more likely to attend PT compared to patients prescribed PT as a primary treatment. Factors such as age, sex, and chronicity of injury did not affect whether a patient attended PT. Of the patients enrolled, 71% stated subjective improvement in symptoms, but there was no association between symptoms and PT attendance. This study highlights the characteristics of those patient factors that may influence PT compliance and underscores the importance of further research into the population most likely to attend and benefit from PT.

Role of insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes in aseptic revision total shoulder arthroplasty.

PURPOSE: This study investigates the association between insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent diabetes and 30-day postoperative complications following aseptic revision total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA). METHODS: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for all patients who underwent aseptic revision TSA from 2015 to 2021. The study population was divided into three groups based on diabetic status: nondiabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes, and non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the relationship between diabetic status and postoperative complications. RESULTS: Compared to nondiabetes, insulin-dependent diabetes was independently associated with a significantly greater likelihood of experiencing any complication (OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.08-2.35; P = 0.020) and LOS > 2 days (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.13-2.65; P = 0.012). Compared to nondiabetes, non-insulin-dependent diabetes was not independently associated with a significantly greater likelihood of experiencing complications. Preoperative insulin-dependent diabetic status was significantly associated with a greater rate of early postoperative complications following aseptic revision TSA, while preoperative non-insulin-dependent diabetic status was not. CONCLUSION: Preoperative insulin-dependent diabetic status was significantly associated with a greater rate of early postoperative complications following aseptic revision TSA. A better understanding of the role diabetes, both insulin-dependent and non-insulin-dependent, as a risk factor may help physicians better risk stratify and select surgical candidates for revision TSA.

Disparities in postoperative total shoulder arthroplasty outcomes between Black and White patients.

Background: Despite the rise in surgical volume for total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) procedures, racial disparities exist in outcomes between White and Black populations. The purpose of this study was to compare 30-day postoperative complication rates between Black and White patients following TSA. Methods: The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried for all patients who underwent TSA between 2015 and 2019. Patient demographics and comorbidities were compared between cohorts using bivariate analysis. Multivariate logistic regression, adjusted for all significantly associated patient demographics and comorbidities, was used to identify associations between Black or African American race and postoperative complications. Results: A total of 19,733 patients were included in the analysis, 18,669 (94.6%) patients in the White cohort and 1064 (5.4%) patients in the Black or African American cohort. Demographics and comorbidities that were significantly associated with Black or African American race were age 40-64 years (P < .001), body mass index ≥40 (P < .001), female gender (P < .001), American Society of Anesthesiologists classification ≥3 (P < .001), smoking status (P < .001), non-insulin and insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (P < .001), hypertension requiring medication (P < .001), disseminated cancer (P = .040), and operative duration ≥129 minutes (P = .002). Multivariate logistic regression identified Black or African American race to be independently associated with higher rates of readmission (odds ratio: 1.42, 95% confidence interval: 1.05-1.94; P = .025). Conclusion: Black or African American race was independently associated with higher rates of 30-day readmission following TSA.

A Patella-Sided Tensioning Technique for Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction.

Reconstruction of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is a common procedure for treatment of recurrent patellofemoral instability. Over the last two decades, multiple surgical techniques for MPFL reconstruction have been described with no clear consensus on a superior reconstruction technique. Appropriate graft tensioning is one of the most important factors for a successful MPFL reconstruction. Overtensioning of the MPFL graft can lead to patellofemoral joint overload and undertensioning can lead to recurrent instability. Current literature demonstrates descriptions of MPFL reconstruction with final graft tensioning performed off of the femoral side. We describe a technique in this article for performing final graft tensioning from the patellar side, which gives the surgeon an option for intraoperative tension adjustments after evaluating patellar tracking.

Evaluation of zoledronate, cytochalasin-D, and desferrioxamine on osseointegration in an intra-medullary femoral implant model.

OBJECTIVE: The rise in primary and revision surgeries utilizing joint replacement implants suggest the need for more reliable means of promoting implant fixation. Zoledronate-(Zol), cytochalasin-D-(cytoD), and desferrioxamine-(DFO) have been shown to enhance mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation into osteoblasts promoting bone formation. The objective was to determine whether Zol, cytoD, and DFO can improve fixation strength and enhance peri-implant bone volume about intra-medullary femoral implants. METHODS: 48 Sprague-Dawley female rats were randomized into four treatments, saline-control or experimental: Zol-(0.8 µg/µL), cytoD-(0.05 µg/µL), DFO-(0.4 µg/µL). Implants were placed bilaterally in the femoral canals following injection of treatment solution and followed for 28 days. Mechanical push-out testing and micro-CT were our primary evaluations, measuring load to failure and bone volume. Qualitative evaluation included histological assessment. Data was analyzed with a one-way ANOVA with Holm-Sidak mean comparison testing. RESULTS: Significant results included pushout tests showing an increase in maximum energy for Zol (124%) and cytoD (82%); Zol showed an increase in maximum load by 48%; Zol micro-CT showed increase in BV/TV by 35%. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that locally applied Zol and cytoD enhance implant mechanical stability. Bisphosphonates and actin regulators, like cytoD, might be further investigated as a new strategy for improving osseointegration.

Effect of local zoledronic acid administration in a rat model of posterolateral spinal fusion.

STUDY DESIGN: Randomized animal model study. PURPOSE: Posterolateral spinal fusion represents a common surgical procedure in the United States. The effect of bisphosphonate administration in these patients is poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to determine whether local administration of bisphosphonate by soaking bone autograft would affect the apparent bone density or structural properties of the fusion mass in a rat model of posterolateral spinal fusion. METHODS: 36 Spring Dawley rats underwent L4-5 posterolateral spinal fusion with bone autograft. These rats were divided into three groups, two experimental groups and one control group. Each of the experimental groups underwent spinal fusion with morselized vertebral cortical and cancellous autograft soaked in zoledronic acid solution; one group 20 mcg/mL, another 200 mcg/mL. The control group underwent L4-5 spinal fusion with cancellous allograft soaked with saline. At 8 weeks, the rats were euthanized for analysis. Evaluations consisted of micro-CT scanning, four-point bending biomechanical testing, histology, and radiographs. RESULTS: Both of the experimental groups showed statistically significant increase in apparent bone density and bone volume fraction at the fusion mass. Biomechanical measures revealed a trend for improvement in the experimental groups, but these did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: This data suggest that locally administered bisphosphonate medications result in increased apparent bone density and bone volume fraction at the fusion mass in posterolateral spinal fusion, and that there appear to be no deleterious consequences with regards to the stiffness or maximum load to failure of the fusion mass under flexion bending evaluation.