An Eastern Europe and Middle East multinational expert Delphi consensus study on the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip before walking age.

PURPOSE: The incidence of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is higher in Eastern Europeans and Middle Easterners. This study aimed to establish consensus among experts in this geographical area on the management of DDH before walking age. METHODS: Fourteen experienced orthopedic surgeons agreed to participate in a four-round online consensus panel by the Delphi method. The questionnaire included 31 statements concerning the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of DDH before walking age. RESULTS: Consensus was established for 26 (84%) of 31 statements. Hip ultrasonography is the proper diagnostic tool under six months in DDH; universal newborn hip screening between three and six weeks is necessary; positive family history, breech presentation, female gender, and postnatal swaddling are the most important risk factors; Ortolani, Barlow tests, and limitation of abduction are the most important clinical findings; Pavlik harness is the first bracing preference; some Graf type IIa hips and all Graf type IIb and worse hips need abduction bracing treatment; the uppermost age limit for closed and open reductions is 12 months and 12-24 months, respectively; anatomic reduction is essential in closed and open reductions, postoperative MRI or CT is not always indicated; anterior approach open reduction is better than medial approach open reduction; forceful reduction and extreme positioning of the hips (> 60° hip abduction) are the two significant risk factors for osteonecrosis of the femoral head. CONCLUSION: The findings of the present study may be useful for clinicians because a practical reference, based on the opinions of the multinational expert panel, but may not be applicable to all settings is provided.

Metabolic syndrome and the likelihood of knee pain and functional disability: evidence from a large middle eastern population-based study.

OBJECTIVES: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) has been associated with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in animal studies, but epidemiologic evidence of the association remains controversial. We investigated the association between MetS and knee pain and functional disability, the hallmarks of KOA, in a Middle Eastern population with high reported MetS rates. METHODS: A population-based study of adult individuals was conducted between 01/2016 and 03/2019. Data collected included age, sex, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), and comprehensive metabolic panel blood tests. Knee symptoms were assessed using The Western Ontario and McMaster Arthritis index (WOMAC) The Adult Treatment Panel III criteria was applied to determine if participants had MetS. Multivariable regression was used to determine the association of MetS, and its components, with the WOMAC total and subscale scores. RESULTS: Of 6,000 participants enrolled, 15.5% had MetS. The multivariate regression demonstrated that participants with MetS had significantly higher WOMAC total and subscale scores after adjusting for demographic variables; however, these associations were not significant after adjusting for BMI. Multivariate regression examining the association between MetS components and the WOMAC scores showed sex-based significant differences with WOMAC scores; however, the differences were not larger than the minimally clinical important differences. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that after adjustment for BMI, neither MetS nor its individual parameters were associated with worse knee symptoms. As such, the association between MetS and worse knee symptoms requires further study.

Amputation Versus Limb Reconstruction for Fibula Hemimelia: A Meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Fibula hemimelia is the most common congenital deficiency of long bones. Primary treatment options include amputation with prosthetic fitting or limb reconstruction. The aim of our study was to conduct a systematic review comparing amputation with limb reconstruction for fibula hemimelia. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, Elsevier Scopus, and the Cochrane Registry of Clinical Trials were searched from 1951 to 2019 for studies that evaluated amputation versus limb reconstruction for fibula hemimelia. Random effect models were utilized for the meta-analytic comparisons of amputation versus limb reconstruction for patient satisfaction and surgical complications. Descriptive, quantitative, and qualitative data were extracted. RESULTS: Seven retrospective cohort studies were eligible for the meta-analysis, with a total of 169 fibula hemimelia cases. Amputation resulted in an odds ratio of 6.8 (95% confidence interval: 2.4, 19.2) when compared with limb reconstruction in terms of patient satisfaction. Furthermore, limb reconstruction was found to have an odds ratio of 28 (95% confidence interval: 7.8, 100.3) for complications. The total surgical complication rates in the amputation and limb reconstruction groups were 0.2 and 1.2 complications per limb. The rate of surgical procedures per patient was 1.5 and 4.2 for amputation and limb reconstruction, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative evidence at present indicates better patient satisfaction with less surgical complications and less number of procedures with amputation for fibula hemimelia when compared with limb reconstruction. Absence of uniform protocols make it difficult to compare results accurately. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-therapeutic.

Early versus late treatment of paediatric femoral neck fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Femoral neck fractures in children represent less than 1% of all paediatric fractures. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is one of the devastating complications of this fracture. Time to treatment is one of the most important predictors of this outcome with no clear consensus in the literature. The aim of this study was to determine whether early treatment (< 24 hours) of pediatric femoral neck fractures is associated with a lower rate of osteonecrosis of the femoral head compared to late treatment (> 24 hours). METHODS: We searched several databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane library), from January 1966 to November 2017 for any comparative studies that evaluated early (< 24 hours) versus late (> 24 hours) treatment of paediatric femoral neck fractures. We pooled the effect sizes using fixed effects model that compared the rate of osteonecrosis of the femoral head between children undergoing early versus late treatment, open versus closed reduction, displaced versus non-displaced and different Delbet type femoral neck fractures. Descriptive and qualitative data was also extracted. RESULTS: Of the 391 articles identified, six studies (prospective and retrospective cohort studies) were eligible for the meta-analysis, with a total of 231 paediatric femoral neck fractures. The pooled odds ratio (OR) for osteonecrosis of the femoral head did not show any statistically significant difference between early (< 24 hours) versus late (> 24 hours) treatment (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 0.56, 2.51, I2 = 23.6%), nor between open versus closed reduction of paediatric femoral neck fractures (OR = 1.62, 95% CI 0.82, 3.22, I2 = 19.57%). Displaced and Delbet type I/II femoral neck fractures were 3.8 (OR = 3.81, 95% CI 1.49, 9.78, I2 = 0.00%) and 2.4 (OR = 2.43, 95% CI 1.28, 4.61, I2 = 0.57%) times more associated with osteonecrosis of the femoral head compared to non-displaced and Delbet type III/IV fractures respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative evidence at present does not indicate an association between the time to treatment or method of reduction of femoral neck fractures in children and the risk of osteonecrosis of the femoral head. However, initial expedient treatment of femoral neck fractures in children should always remain the rule especially for displaced and Delbet type I/II femoral neck fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II/III.

Vitamin D and tibiofemoral joint orientation angles in children.

Vitamin D is an important component in musculoskeletal development and function in children. The aim of our study was to investigate serum vitamin D levels and tibiofemoral joint orientation angles in children. We performed a retrospective review on a consecutive series of children presenting with lower limb complaints. The children underwent an assessment of serum vitamin D level and full-length standing lower limb anteroposterior radiographs, and were divided into normal and deficient vitamin D groups. Tibiofemoral angles (TFAs) [lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA); medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA)] were measured by three independent observers and compared between the groups. Correlation tests between serum vitamin D level and TFAs were also performed. Sixty (39 boys, 21 girls) children were reviewed. The mean serum vitamin D level for the entire group was 26.8 ng/ml and 75% of the children were deficient. The mean serum vitamin D levels in the normal (11 boys, four girls) and deficient (28 boys, 17 girls) groups were 46.7 ng/ml (range: 32-100) and 20.2 ng/ml (range: 4-29), respectively. The mean right and left LDFAs were significantly higher in the normal compared to the deficient vitamin D group (right LDFA: 98.7° vs. 92.2°, P=0.031; left LDFA: 99.1° vs. 92.6°, P=0.018). We also found a correlation between serum vitamin D level and LDFAs (right ρ=0.29, P=0.03; left ρ=0.30, P=0.02). We found no difference in the right and left MPTAs in the normal and deficient vitamin D groups. In addition, we could not find a correlation between serum vitamin D level and MPTAs. The majority of children were vitamin D deficient. Serum vitamin D level was associated with a change and correlation to the LDFAs compared to MPTAs. Further work is required to investigate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on TFAs in children.

Applicability of the AAOS appropriate-use criteria for distal radius fractures in surgical practice.

PURPOSE: The appropriate-use criteria (AUC) for distal radius fracture (DRF) was developed by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons (AAOS) to aid surgeons in making evidence-based treatment decisions for DRFs. The aim of our study was to cross-reference the management of operatively treated DRFs with the web-based AAOS published AUC recommendations. METHODS: The AUC for DRF evaluates the appropriateness of ten treatment options for each of 240 mutually exclusive patient scenarios based on the combination of five factors. For every scenario, each treatment is classified as appropriate, maybe appropriate or rarely appropriate. We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts and radiographs of all adult patients ≥19 years who underwent surgery for DRFs between 1 January and 31 December 2014 and determined the rate of appropriateness of treatment in this consecutive series of patients. RESULTS: Over the study period, 108 patients (83.3% men; mean age 39.8 years) with 113 DRFs (five bilateral) were treated surgically. The most frequent scenario was represented by a type C fracture, high-energy mechanism, normal functional demand, American Society Anesthesiologists (ASA) status 1-3 and no associated injuries. The most frequently used treatment was volar locking plate (54.0%). Based on the AUC, treatment was appropriate for 96 cases (85.0%), maybe appropriate for 15 (13.2%), and rarely appropriate for two (1.8%). CONCLUSIONS: A web-based electronic AUC application can be an attractive and easy decision-making aid for orthopaedic surgeons. Application of the AUC to clinical data was relatively simple, and most operatively treated DRFs were managed appropriately. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV.

Utility of the AAOS Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fractures in Clinical Practice.

BACKGROUND: The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recently developed an Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for pediatric supracondylar humerus fractures (PSHF). The AUC is intended to improve quality of care by informing surgeon decision making. The aim of our study was to cross-reference the management of operatively treated PSHF with the AAOS-published AUC. METHODS: The AUC for PSHF include 220 patient scenarios, based on different combinations of 6 factors. For each patient scenario, 8 treatment options are evaluated as "appropriate," "maybe appropriate," and "rarely appropriate." We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts and radiographs of all operatively treated PSHF at our hospital from January 2013 to December 2014 and determined the appropriateness of the treatment. RESULTS: Over the study period, 94 children (mean age: 5.2 y; 51 male, 43 female) were admitted with PSHF and underwent a surgical procedure (type IIA: 7, type IIB: 14, type III: 70, flexion type: 3). Only 8 of the 220 scenarios were observed in our patient cohort. The most frequent scenario was represented by a type III fracture, palpable distal pulse, no nerve injury, closed soft-tissue envelope, no radius/ulna fracture, and typical swelling. Of the 94 fractures, the AUC was "appropriate" for 84 cases and "maybe appropriate" for 9 cases. There was only 1 case of "rarely appropriate" management. Closed reduction with lateral pinning and immobilization was the most prevalent treatment option (58.5%). The rate of appropriateness was not affected by the operating surgeon. However, the definition of a case as emergent had a significant impact on the rate of appropriateness. CONCLUSIONS: Application of the AUC to actual clinical data was relatively simple. The majority of operatively treated PSHF (89.4%) were managed appropriately. With the introduction of electronic medical charts, an AUC application becomes attractive and easy for orthopaedic surgeons to utilize in clinical practice. However, validity studies of the AUC in different clinical settings are still required. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Unusual Femur Stress Fractures in Children With Osteogenesis Imperfecta and Intramedullary Rods on Long-term Intravenous Pamidronate Therapy.

In this report, we describe 6 children with osteogenesis imperfecta with unusual stress femoral fractures. All children were on long-term cyclic pamidronate treatment. All fractures occurred without trauma or with minimal trauma and were located in the subtrochanteric or the diaphyseal regions of the femur over preexisting intramedullary rods. These fractures have very similar features to the reported minimal trauma atypical femoral fractures in adults on long-term bisphosphonate treatment. These fractures raise concerns about the role of prolonged remodeling suppression and microdamage accumulation and the risk of increased bone fragility.

The prevalence of developmental dysplasia of the hip in idiopathic clubfoot: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) and idiopathic clubfoot are both common paediatric orthopaedic conditions. There is conflicting evidence in the literature as to whether the prevalence of DDH is higher in children with idiopathic clubfoot. The aim of our study was to systematically review the literature and determine the prevalence of DDH in idiopathic clubfoot. METHODS: We searched several databases from 1946 to 2014 for observational studies that reported the prevalence of DDH in idiopathic clubfoot. We performed a meta-analysis using random effects model to pool the prevalence of DDH in idiopathic clubfoot. We also investigated the imaging modality utilised to diagnose and treat DDH in idiopathic clubfoot. Descriptive, quantitative and qualitative data were extracted. RESULTS: Twelve studies (ten case series, one retrospective cohort and one retrospective case-control) were eligible for the meta-analysis, with a total of 2,549 children with idiopathic clubfoot including 83 with DDH. The pooled prevalence estimate of DDH in children with idiopathic clubfoot was 4.1% (95% CI, 2.1-7.7%). There was a substantial amount of between study heterogeneity (I (2) = 87.1%, p < 0.001) due to variability between studies rather than chance variability. Sensitivity analyses showed that the pooled prevalence estimate was 3.5% (95% CI, 1.1-10.8 %) and 3.8% (95% CI, 1.0-13.7%) for studies utilising ultrasound as the imaging modality of diagnosis and treatment with a Pavlik harness respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall pooled prevalence of DDH in idiopathic clubfoot is similar to the normal population. The cumulative evidence at present does not indicate an association between DDH and idiopathic clubfoot. Therefore, we do not recommend routine screening for DDH in children with idiopathic clubfoot. However, future retrospective and/or prospective cohort studies of better quality will be able to answer this question with more certainty.

Hip decompression of unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE) is one of the most common adolescent hip conditions. Unstable SCFE is characterized by sudden and severe hip pain with the inability to weight bear, even with crutches. Osteonecrosis of the femoral head is increased in patients with unstable SCFE. The aim of our study was to systematically review the literature that compares hip decompression to no hip decompression of unstable SCFE. METHODS: We searched several databases from 1946 to 2014 for any observational or experimental studies that evaluated hip decompression and osteonecrosis of unstable SCFE. We performed a meta-analysis using a random effects model to pool odds ratios (ORs) for the comparison of osteonecrosis between patients undergoing hip decompression and no hip decompression. We also investigated the type of hip decompression performed. Descriptive, quantitative, and qualitative data were extracted. RESULTS: Of the 17 articles identified, nine studies (eight case series and one retrospective cohort study) were eligible for the meta-analysis, with a total of 302 unstable SCFE. The pooled OR = 0.91 of osteonecrosis between hip decompression and no hip decompression was in favor of hip decompression, but was not statistically significant [95 % confidence interval (CI): 0.47, 1.75; p = 0.54, I (2) = 0 %]. No significant differences in the rates of osteonecrosis were detected in unstable SCFE with open and percutaneous hip decompression alone (OR = 0.97, 95 % CI: 0.36, 2.62; p = 0.69, I (2) = 19.1 %) or hip decompression with bony procedures (OR = 0.99, 95 % CI: 0.35, 2.79; p = 0.69, I (2) = 0 %). CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative evidence at present does not indicate an association between hip decompression and a lower rate of osteonecrosis of unstable SCFE. However, hip decompression of unstable SCFE remains an option that can potentially decompress the intracapsular hip pressure and optimize the blood flow to the femoral head. Thus, multicenter prospective cohort studies are required and will be able to answer this question with more certainty and a higher level of evidence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III/IV.

Delayed surgical debridement in pediatric open fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: Open fractures are considered orthopedic emergencies that are traditionally treated with surgical debridement within 6 h of injury to prevent infection. However, this proclaimed "6-h rule" is arbitrary and not based on rigorous scientific evidence. The aim of our study was to systematically review the literature that compares late (>6 h from the time of injury) to early (<6 h from the time of injury) surgical debridement of pediatric open fractures. METHODS: We searched several databases from 1946 to 2013 for any observational or experimental studies that evaluated late and early surgical debridement of pediatric open fractures. We performed a meta-analysis using a random effects model to pool odds ratios for a comparison of infection rates between children undergoing late versus early surgical debridement. We also investigated the infection rates in upper- and lower-limb pediatric open fractures. Descriptive, quantitative, and qualitative data were extracted. RESULTS: Of the 12 articles identified, three studies (retrospective cohort studies) were eligible for the meta-analysis, encompassing a total of 714 open fractures. The pooled odds ratio (OR = 0.79) for infection between late and early surgical debridement was in favor of late surgical debridement but was not statistically significant (95 % CI 0.32, 1.99; p = 0.38, I (2) = 0 %). No significant difference in infection rate was detected between pediatric open fractures in the upper and lower limbs according to the time threshold in the included studies (OR = 0.72, 95 % CI 0.29, 1.82; p = 0.40, I (2) = 0 %). CONCLUSIONS: The cumulative evidence does not, at present, indicate an association between late surgical debridement and higher infection rates in pediatric open fractures. However, initial expedient surgical debridement of open fractures in children should always remain the rule. Thus, multi-center randomized controlled trials or prospective cohort studies will be able to answer this question with more certainty and a higher level of evidence. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.