Orthopaedic Surgery Training in North Carolina: The Impact of The Flexner Report and The Sherman Antitrust Act.

The current medical schools and orthopaedic residency programs in the state of North Carolina have evolved based upon geopolitical, economic events, historical reports and regulations. The American Medical Association Committee on Medical Education, the Flexner Report and the Sherman Antitrust Act and their recommendations were codified by state regulatory agencies and state law. These important pressures created the programs as they are known today. The result was the forced closure of most early medical institutions in the state of North Carolina in the early 1900s. Industrial resource consolidation by monopolies was the motivation for the Sherman antitrust act. Enforced by Theodore Roosevelt, this legislation disbanded major monopolies and encouraged philanthropy. This manuscript details the evolution of modern medical education and highlights the impact of historical social, economic and political events on the development of Duke, Wake Forest, University of North Carolina and Charlotte/ Atrium Health orthopedic programs in North Carolina. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 31(3):139-143, 2022).

An Innovative Seven-year Physician Scientist Residency Training Program That Addresses the Shortage of Academic Surgeons.

Due to the declining number of scientifically trained physicians and increasing demand for high-quality literature, our institution pioneered a seven-year Physician Scientist Training Program (PSTP) to provide research-oriented residents the knowledge and skills for a successful academic career. The present study sought to identify orthopaedic surgeons with MD/PhD degrees, residency programs with dedicated research tracks, and to assess the effectiveness of the novel seven-year program in training prospective academic orthopaedic surgeons. Surgeons with MD/PhD degrees account for 2.3% of all 3,408 orthopaedic faculty positions in U.S. residency programs. During the last 23 years, our PSTP residents produced 752 peer-reviewed publications and received $349,354 from 23 resident-authored extramural grants. Eleven of our seven-year alumni practice orthopaedic surgery in an academic setting. The seven-year PSTP successfully develops clinically trained surgeon scientists with refined skills in basic science and clinical experimental design, grant proposals, scientific presentations, and manuscript preparation. (Journal of Surgical Orthopaedic Advances 31(3):144-149, 2022).

Revision periarterial sympathectomy for recurrent digital ischaemia: a report with 11 patients.

Following periarterial sympathectomy, patients with recurrent digital ischemia due to vasospastic or vaso-occlusive disease have few remaining treatment options. We performed a retrospective review from 1997 to 2019 to determine the safety and efficacy of revision periarterial sympathectomy. Eleven patients were identified who underwent revision periarterial sympathectomy, performed on average 84 months after their initial procedure. Preoperatively, all patients had worsening ischemic pain and five had non-healing digital ulcers. Revision digital periarterial sympathectomy alone was performed in seven patients, while four had a more extensive sympathectomy. Mean follow-up after revision was 23 months (range 3 to 76). Eight patients had symptomatic improvement and four healed their digital ulcers. Three patients developed new ulcers during follow-up, of which two healed with conservative management and one required three digital amputations. Revision periarterial sympathectomy is effective in providing symptomatic improvement and digital ulcer healing with minimal postoperative complications.Level of evidence: IV.

Technique of Dynamic Flexor Digitorum Superficialis Transfer to Lateral Bands for Proximal Interphalangeal Joint Deformity Correction in Severe Dupuytren Disease.

Pseudo-boutonniere deformity is an uncommon complication from long-standing proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint contracture in Dupuytren disease. Prolonged flexion contracture of the PIP joint can lead to central slip attenuation and resultant imbalances in the extensor mechanism. We present a technique of flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) tendon transfer to the lateral bands to correct pseudo-boutonniere deformity at the time of palmar fasciectomy for the treatment of Dupuytren disease. The FDS tendon is transferred from volar to dorsal through the lumbrical canal and sutured into the dorsally mobilized lateral bands. This technique presents an approach to the repair of pseudo-boutonniere deformity in Dupuytren disease.

An Analysis of Orthopaedic Job Trends in the United States Over the Past 30 years.

INTRODUCTION: Orthopaedic surgery residency training requires 5 clinical years; fellowship subspecialty training requires an additional year. Orthopaedic surgery fellowship training has financial implications regarding potential career earnings and opportunity cost. To evaluate the effect of fellowship training on employment, 30 years of orthopaedic job advertisements were analyzed to determine fellowship requirements for academic centers, private practices, urban areas, and rural areas. It was hypothesized that subspecialty training is an important prerequisite for orthopaedic employment. METHODS: Job advertisements in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS Am) and Orthopedics were analyzed to determine whether fellowship training versus "generalist" (no subspecialty fellowship) positions were advertised for the years 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004, 2009, and 2014. Jobs were categorized as academic (defined by the requirement to teach medical students, residents, or fellows); private practice; rural (defined as population under 200,000); and urban. "General" orthopaedic surgery job postings were defined as job advertisements that did not require fellowship training. RESULTS: A total of 4,720 job advertisements were analyzed. From 1984 to 2014, the percentage of advertised jobs requiring fellowship training increased from 5% to 68% (P < 0.05). Conversely, from 1984 to 2014, the percentage of advertised jobs targeting general orthopaedic surgeons decreased from 95% to 32% (P < 0.05). Between 2009 and 2014, advertised jobs requiring fellowship surpassed general orthopaedic surgery jobs. CONCLUSIONS: Over the past 30 years, there was a trend toward fellowship being required as part of the advertised orthopaedic jobs available to graduates of orthopaedic training programs. The reasons for increased orthopaedic training are likely multifactorial, including limited clinical duty hours during orthopaedic residency, advertisement and marketing forces emphasizing super-sub-specialty care in multispecialty orthopaedic groups, and the greater complexity of orthopaedic procedures being performed.

The risk of pain syndrome affecting a previously non-painful limb following trauma or surgery in patients with a history of complex regional pain syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) is a challenging complication after surgery or trauma. This study sought to determine the incidence of CRPS after a second inciting event in a previously unaffected extremity in patients with a history of an ongoing CRPS diagnosis in another extremity. METHODS: A retrospective review identified patients with CRPS seen in clinic over a 20-month period. The incidence of CRPS after subsequent surgery or injury in a previous unaffected extremity was determined and compared to an average incidence reported in the literature. RESULTS: Ninety-three patients had a diagnosis of primary CRPS. Nineteen (20.4%) developed CRPS in one or more additional extremity compared to the incidence of 23.4 per 100,000 (0.0234%) in the literature (odds ratio 1069.6, p<0.0001, 95% CI 562.0-2035.7). Twenty patients had a documented secondary injury or surgery in a second extremity. Fifteen (75%) developed secondary CRPS compared to a CRPS incidence rate of 6.4% following distal radius fracture, as determined by literature review (odds ratio 11.7, p<0.001, 95% CI 5.9-23.2). CONCLUSIONS: These result suggest that patients with a history of CRPS are more likely to develop secondary CRPS compared to the rates reported in the literature among the general population. IMPLICATIONS: Patients with a history of CRPS should be counselled that they may be at risk for developing secondary CRPS if they undergo surgery or sustain trauma to another extremity.

Surgical Algorithm and Results of Isolated Traumatic Axillary Nerve Injuries.

BACKGROUND: Axillary nerve injuries are common and typically occur during high-energy, traumatic events. The purpose of this study is to propose a treatment algorithm for acute isolated axillary nerve injuries and report the outcomes of surgically treated patients. METHODS: A retrospective review identified 14 patients surgically treated for an isolated axillary nerve injury. Axillary nerve neurolysis was performed for all patients, and a triceps branch of the radial nerve was transferred to the axillary nerve in patients without evidence of deltoid function following intraoperative axillary nerve stimulation. Four patients were treated with neurolysis alone and 10 patients received a transfer. Pre- and postoperative deltoid strength, shoulder abduction, and the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) outcome score were evaluated. RESULTS: At most recent follow-up, both the neurolysis and nerve transfer groups had significant improvement in deltoid strength, with 86% achieving M4 or greater. Shoulder abduction improved from a mean of 63 to 127 degrees. This difference was significant in the nerve transfer group and when all patients were analyzed together. DASH scores significantly improved from a mean of 47 to 34 when all patients were analyzed together. No patients experienced a decrease in elbow extension strength following nerve transfer. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with preserved triceps strength, a triceps branch of the radial nerve can be coapted directly to the axillary nerve in the absence of deltoid contraction following electrical stimulation. Functional improvements were seen in patients treated with neurolysis alone and in combination with nerve transfer, supporting the use of intraoperative axillary nerve stimulation to guide treatment.

A randomized trial of diagnostic ultrasound to improve outcomes in focal neuropathies.

INTRODUCTION: Neuromuscular ultrasound is valid, reliable, and accurate, but it is not known whether combining it with electrodiagnostic studies leads to better outcomes in individuals with focal neuropathies. METHODS: One hundred twenty individuals with focal neuropathy, based on history, examination, and electrodiagnosis, were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent neuromuscular ultrasound and were randomized to either have their ultrasound results sent to the referring physician or not have them sent. Outcomes were assessed at 6 months by evaluators blinded to group assignment. RESULTS: The Overall Disability Sum Score and 7 of 8 domains of the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36) showed more improvement in the "report sent" group, although only the general health perception domain was significant (P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: Most 6-month outcomes did not reach statistical significance between the 2 groups. However, the "report sent" group had trends toward better outcomes, with significance being reached in the general health perception domain of the SF-36.

Randomized comparison of volar locking plates and intramedullary nails for unstable distal radius fractures.

PURPOSE: To compare minimally invasive intramedullary nails (IMN) and volar locking plates (VLP) for the treatment of unstable distal radius fractures by evaluating postoperative subjective, radiographic, and functional outcomes. The hypothesis was that IMN patients would have less pain and required less pain medication in the early postoperative period and returned to work earlier than VLP patients. METHODS: Sixty patients with closed, displaced, unstable, extra-articular, metaphyseal fractures of the distal radius were randomized to receive a VLP or an IMN for internal fixation. Functional outcomes (Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, Michigan Hand Questionnaire), radiographic measurements (ulnar variance, radial height, inclination, and volar tilt), and range of motion were assessed until final follow-up at 2 years after surgery. Narcotic pain medication use was documented for 5 weeks following surgery. RESULTS: There were 2 groups of 30 patients with IMN (mean age, 55 ± 14 y) or VLP (mean age, 55 ± 16 y) with similar demographics and comorbidities. Patients with IMN regained extension earlier but had similar range of motion to patients with VLP at final follow-up. There was similar improvement in Michigan Hand Questionnaire, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, and strength between groups. Five weeks after surgery, fewer IMN patients required narcotic pain medication (13%) than VLP patients (33%). Radiographic outcomes were similar at final follow-up. There were 3 failures with IMN versus 1 failure with VLP. All 10 employed patients with IMN returned to previous work compared with 10 of the 12 employed patients with VLP. Time to return to work was similar for both groups. CONCLUSIONS: In a cohort of similar patients, IMN and VLP provided comparable improvement in functional and radiographic outcomes. Patients with IMN required less narcotic pain medication after surgery than VLP patients. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.

Five-year mortality for patients with end-stage renal disease who undergo upper extremity amputation.

PURPOSE: To compare the 5-year survival rate of patients on dialysis requiring an upper extremity amputation with those who did not require such surgery and to analyze whether such an amputation was prognostic for mortality. METHODS: The medical records of 20 consecutive patients with end-stage renal disease who received upper extremity amputations were reviewed. Control patients (n = 40) were matched based on age, sex, and duration of dialysis treatment. A Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed. RESULTS: The mean survival time after the index surgery for the surgical group was 4.95 years ± 0.90 years, and the mean survival for the control group was 8.40 years ± 0.61 years. The probability of death (the event) was statistically greater in the surgical group. The overall 5-year survival rates for the surgical and the nonsurgical groups were 35% (7 of 20) and 70% (28 of 40), respectively. Patients with diabetes in the surgical group had a significantly lower 5-year survival rate, a greater number of amputations, and a greater number of wound-healing failures. CONCLUSIONS: The 5-year survival rate from the index surgery of the surgical group was half that of the nonsurgical group. Increased mortality may be partially attributed to the poor vascular health of the patient. This analysis may help the hand surgeon to more effectively counsel patients with end-stage renal disease about the prognosis associated with an upper extremity amputation and, more importantly, supports the goal of timely intervention by the multidisciplinary team to optimize care planning and to improve surgical outcomes and quality of life. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic III.

A human hair keratin hydrogel scaffold enhances median nerve regeneration in nonhuman primates: an electrophysiological and histological study.

A human hair keratin biomaterial hydrogel scaffold was evaluated as a nerve conduit luminal filler following median nerve transection injury in 10 Macaca fascicularis nonhuman primates (NHP). A 1 cm nerve gap was grafted with a NeuraGen® collagen conduit filled with either saline or keratin hydrogel and nerve regeneration was evaluated by electrophysiology for a period of 12 months. The keratin hydrogel-grafted nerves showed significant improvement in return of compound motor action potential (CMAP) latency and recovery of baseline nerve conduction velocity (NCV) compared with the saline-treated nerves. Histological evaluation was performed on retrieved median nerves and abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscles at 12 months. Nerve histomorphometry showed a significantly larger nerve area in the keratin group compared with the saline group and the keratin APB muscles had a significantly higher myofiber density than the saline group. This is the first published study to show that an acellular biomaterial hydrogel conduit filler can be used to enhance peripheral nerve regeneration and motor recovery in an NHP model.

Effect of cyclic strain on tensile properties of a naturally derived, decellularized tendon scaffold seeded with allogeneic tenocytes and associated messenger RNA expression.

Naturally derived tendon scaffolds have the potential to improve the treatment of flexor tendon injuries. Seeded and unseeded tendon scaffolds were maintained in the presence or absence of physiologic strain for 7 days. After 7 days, the tensile properties and associated messenger RNA expression were compared. Seeded scaffolds maintained in the absence of strain had significantly lower tensile properties than unseeded tendons and fresh-frozen tendons. The loss of tensile properties was associated with elevated matrix metalloproteinase-2 and collagen III expression. Tensile properties of seeded scaffolds maintained in the presence of strain for 7 days after seeding did not differ from those of fresh-frozen tendons. This study demonstrates that the tensile properties of seeded, naturally derived tendon scaffolds will degrade rapidly in the absence of cyclic strain. Seeded scaffolds used for tendon reconstruction should be maintained under cyclic strain to maintain essential tensile properties.

Longitudinal melanonychia: detection and management of nail melanoma.

Malignant melanoma of the nail confers a higher mortality rate compared to other cutaneous melanomas, which is often attributable to delayed diagnosis. Two-thirds of nail melanomas present as longitudinal melanonychia (LM), longitudinally-oriented brown-black bands of pigment in the nail plate. This article delineates the appropriate clinical approach toward evaluation and management of a patient with longitudinal melanonychia, which includes determining risk factors for melanoma, recognizing scenarios in which biopsy is indicated, selecting the appropriate biopsy technique, and managing a patient in whom the diagnosis of nail melanoma has been made.