Rising rates of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in Australian adults: An analysis of Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule database.

PURPOSE: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is an evolving field, though there remains sparse epidemiological data on the treatment of ACL ruptures. The objective of this study is to analyse the trends in the rate of ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in adult patients over the past two decades in the Australian population. METHODS: The incidence of ACLR between 2001 and 2020 in patients 15 years and over was analysed using the Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) database. The data reflect patients with private health coverage (45% of the Australian population). An offset term was introduced using national population data to account for population changes over the study period. RESULTS: A total of 160,353 ACLRs were performed in Australia under the MBS in the 20-year period from 2001 to 2020. An annual increase in the total volume and per capita rate of ACLRs was found (p < 0.05). The annual volume of cases increased by 82%, from 5512 in 2001 to a peak of 10,011 in 2017. This increase was seen across all age groups (p < 0.05) and both sexes (p < 0.05), with a greater proportion of reconstructions performed on males (n = 102,357, 64%) than females (n = 57,996, 36%). In 2020, the rate of adult ACLRs decreased to a level last seen in 2004, likely due to the effects of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of ACLR in adult patients has increased in Australia over the 20-year study period. The trends noted provide information that can be used to guide resource allocation and health provision in the future. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Intramedullary Compression Screw Fixation for Middle Phalangeal Fractures.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate short- and medium-term clinical and patient-reported outcomes of intramedullary compression screw fixation for extra-articular middle phalangeal fractures. METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on a series of 20 patients (with a total of 23 fractured digits) who underwent fixation of middle phalangeal fractures between January 2020 and March 2023. The results from this cohort were compared against those for plate and K-wire fixation in the literature. RESULTS: Total active motion was 246°; Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score was 4.9; verbal numerical pain score was 1.1 of 10; mean time for return to work was 62.5 days; and a single complication was noted in the entire cohort. CONCLUSION: Intramedullary screw fixation is a viable option in the treatment of extra-articular middle phalangeal fractures. It offers a favorable postoperative range of motion, good duration for return to function, excellent rates of complication, and low pain scores. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Trends in Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in Australia: An Analysis of Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule Database From 2001 to 2020.

BACKGROUND: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries are common and increasingly prevalent in the pediatric population. However, there remain sparse epidemiological data on the surgical treatment of these injuries. The objective of this study is to assess the trends in the rate of pediatric ACL reconstruction in Australia over the past 2 decades. METHODS: The incidence of ACL reconstruction from 2001 to 2020 in patients 5 to 14 years of age was analyzed using the Australian Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) database. Data were stratified by sex and year. An offset term was introduced using population data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics to account for population changes over the study period. RESULTS: A total of 3719 reconstructions for the management of pediatric ACL injuries were performed in Australia under the MBS in the 20-year period from 2001 to 2020. There was a statistically significant annual increase in the total volume and per capita volume of pediatric ACL reconstructions performed across the study period ( P <0.0001). There was a significant increase in the rate of both male and female reconstructions ( P <0.0001), with a greater proportion of reconstructions performed on males (n=2073, 56%) than females (n=1646, 44%). In 2020, the rate of pediatric ACL reconstructions decreased to a level last seen in 2015, likely due to the effects of COVID-19. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients has increased in Australia over the 20-year study period. This increase is in keeping with evidence suggesting poor outcomes with nonoperative or delayed operative management.

Trends in the use of ankle arthrodesis and total ankle replacements in Australia over the past 20 years.

BACKGROUND: End stage ankle osteoarthritis (OA) is debilitating. Surgical management consists of either ankle arthrodesis (AA) or a total ankle replacement (TAR). The purpose of this study is to assess the trends in operative intervention for end stage ankle OA in an Australian population. METHODS: This is a retrospective epidemiological study of 15,046 surgeries. Data were collected from publicly available national registries including the Australian Medicare Database and Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registrar from 2001 to 2020. RESULTS: There was a significant increase in all ankle surgeries performed across the period of interest. AA remained the more commonly performed procedure throughout the course of the study (11,946 cases, 79.4%) and was never surpassed by TAR (3100, 20.6%). The overall proportions demonstrated no significant changes from 2001 to 2020. CONCLUSION: The incidence of ankle surgeries continues to increase with the ageing and increasingly comorbid population of Australia. Despite demonstrating no significant overall change in the ratio of TAR and AA in our study population and period, there are noticeable trends within the timeframe, with a recent surge favouring TAR in the last 5 years.

Free Medial Femoral Condyle Flap for Reconstruction of Scaphoid Nonunion: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: The free medial femoral condyle (MFC) bone flap is an attractive option for reconstruction of scaphoid nonunion utilizing vascularized bone to augment bony healing, especially in cases of failed prior treatment or osteonecrosis. This review aims to determine the role and reliability of the free MFC flap for treatment of scaphoid nonunion. METHODS: A search of electronic databases was performed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Articles examining free MFC bone flaps for treatment of scaphoid nonunion were included for analysis. Outcomes of interest included flap failure, postoperative union rate, time to union, carpal indices, functional outcomes, and complications. RESULTS: Twelve articles met the inclusion criteria. A total of 262 patients underwent free MFC flaps for treatment of scaphoid nonunion. The most common site of nonunion was the proximal pole of the scaphoid with 47% of patients receiving prior attempts at operative management. Overall bony union rate was 93.4% with a mean time to union of 15.6 weeks. There were no flap failures reported. Improvements in carpal indices including scapholunate (p < 0.0004), radiolunate (p < 0.004), lateral interscaphoid angles (p < 0.035), and revised carpal ratio height (p < 0.024) were seen postoperatively. Visual analog scale improved postoperatively from 6.5 to 2.3 (p < 0.015). Postoperative complications were observed in 69 cases (26.3%), with 27 patients (10.3%) requiring further operative intervention. However, no major donor or recipient site morbidity was appreciated. CONCLUSION: MFC flaps provide a highly versatile and reliable option for reconstruction of scaphoid nonunion with excellent bony union rates and acceptable complication rates. The present literature suggests that MFC reconstruction of scaphoid nonunion restores radiocarpal anatomy and improves wrist function without causing significant donor or recipient site morbidity.

Prior Lumbar Spinal Fusion is Associated With an Increased Risk of Dislocation and Revision in Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The biomechanical relationship between the lumbar spine and the hip is well-documented. It follows that fusing the lumbar spine would have implications on the outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA). This study aimed to determine the effect of preexisting lumbar spinal fusion surgery on the outcomes of THA by synthesizing the available evidence via systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS: A systematic review with meta-analysis was performed in accordance to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Electronic searches were performed in 6 different databases for studies comparing outcomes in patients after THA with or without a history of lumbar fusion. Studies were required to report at least one outcome out of dislocation, revision due to hip instability or patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: Patients with a history of lumbar spinal fusion are at a significantly increased risk of dislocation (relative risk 2.03, P < .00001) and revision (relative risk 3.36, P = .006) after THA. Patient-reported outcomes were also poorer in patients with prior lumbar fusion compared with those without, although meta-analysis could not be performed due to heterogeneity in the outcome measure used between studies. CONCLUSION: Previous lumbar spinal fusion increases risk of dislocation and revision, and may negatively impacts patient-reported outcomes after THA. Orthopaedic surgeons should pay particular attention to these patients and could use patient-specific planning, instrumentation, and targeted counselling to optimize clinical and subjective outcomes. Future studies could clarify the impact of prior fusion on patient-reported outcomes after THA.

Accuracy of MRI-based vs. CT-based patient-specific instrumentation in total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: The technical objective of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is to restore normal mechanical parameters to the knee. Patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) was developed to streamline the operative process and improve accuracy. PSI produces individualized cutting guides based on three-dimensional models of the patient's anatomy acquired from computed-tomography (CT) or magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI). However, the superiority of one modality over the other remains unclear. Therefore, we aimed to compare the accuracy of patient-specific cutting guides produced from MRI or CT imaging methods in TKA. METHODS: Electronic databases were systematically searched using relevant keywords and MeSH terms for original-data English-language publications comparing the accuracy of CT and MRI-based PSI cutting guides in TKA. Data was extracted from the text, tables and figures of studies and meta-analysed. RESULTS: MRI-based PSI cutting guides produced a lower proportion of coronal plane outliers (>3°) with regard to overall limb mechanical axis (OR 2.75, p = 0.01). There were no significant differences between the two in terms of sagittal femoral and tibial component placement, or coronal femoral and tibial placement, or femoral component axial rotation. Tibial rotation was not analysed in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: MRI-based patient-specific cutting guides produced a lower proportion of outliers in the overall coronal alignment of the limb compared to CT, with no significant difference between the two in terms of femoral or tibial component placement. Future studies should investigate the differences in resource usage and operative time between the two to inform surgeons' decision making when choosing an ideal imaging modality for PSI TKA. STUDY DESIGN: Meta-analysis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, systematic review of cohort and comparative studies.

Post-traumatic lipid inclusion cyst.

Post-traumatic lipid inclusion cysts are a rare entity seen following fractures in paediatric patients. They often occur in the distal radius, developing 1-3 months following an extra-articular fracture. Although benign and self-limiting in nature, adequate awareness and accurate radiographic interpretation is key in avoiding further unnecessary non-invasive or invasive investigations. We report on a case of post-traumatic lipid inclusion cyst and review the literature.

Outcomes of Arthroscopic Debridement of the First Carpometacarpal Joint: A Systematic Review.

Background: Arthroscopic debridement is increasingly being utilised in patients with early-stage first carpometacarpal joint (FCMCJ) arthritis but has limited supportive evidence. This systematic review evaluates the literature, and reports on outcomes and adverse events following this procedure. Methods: An electronic literature search of PubMed, Embase, Medline and Cochrane Central, looking for studies describing outcomes following arthroscopic debridement in FCMCJ arthritis, was performed in November 2022. Studies where bony resection or interposition was performed as adjuncts were excluded. Reported outcomes included visual analogue scores (VAS) for pain; Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH) scores; pinch and grip strength; complications and re-operations. Results: Out of a total of 90 studies revealed from the search, only two studies were eligible for inclusion, with a cohort of 34 patients. Following arthroscopic debridement for FCMCJ osteoarthritis, the mean VAS improved by four units, mean DASH by 22 points, grip strength by 4.5 kg and pinch strength by 2 kg at mean follow-up of 18 months. The pooled complication and re-operation rates were 8.8% and 23.5%, respectively. Conclusions: There is a lack of evidence supporting the utility of FCMCJ arthroscopy and debridement in the management of patients with early arthritis. Although the limited evidence suggests that there may be some therapeutic benefit, further large-scale prospective studies need to be performed before making conclusive recommendations. Level of Evidence: Level III (Therapeutic).

Examining the role of ChatGPT in the management of distal radius fractures: insights into its accuracy and consistency.

BACKGROUND: The optimal management of distal radius fractures remains a challenge for orthopaedic surgeons. The emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs), especially ChatGPT, affords significant potential in improving healthcare and research. This study aims to assess the accuracy and consistency of ChatGPT's knowledge in managing distal radius fractures, with a focus on its capability to provide information for patients and assist in the decision-making processes of orthopaedic clinicians. METHODS: We presented ChatGPT with seven questions on distal radius fracture management over two sessions, resulting in 14 responses. These questions covered a range of topics, including patient inquiries and orthopaedic clinical decision-making. We requested references for each response and involved two orthopaedic registrars and two senior orthopaedic surgeons to evaluate response accuracy and consistency. RESULTS: All 14 responses contained a mix of both correct and incorrect information. Among the 47 cited references, 13% were accurate, 28% appeared to be fabricated, 57% were incorrect, and 2% were correct but deemed inappropriate. Consistency was observed in 71% of the responses. CONCLUSION: ChatGPT demonstrates significant limitations in accuracy and consistency when providing information on distal radius fractures. In its current format, it offers limited utility for patient education and clinical decision-making.