Medial Patellofemoral Ligament Reconstruction With or Without Tibial Tubercle Osteotomy in Carefully Selected Patients Results in a 5% Revision Rate: A Preliminary Analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose was to assess the outcomes of medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) allograft reconstruction with or without tibial tubercle osteotomy (TTO) in adolescents, with a focus on evaluating demographic and imaging characteristics on outcomes. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective study was performed of patients ages 12 to 19 years who underwent MPFL reconstruction +/- TTO for the treatment of lateral patellar instability. Demographic, clinical, surgical, and postoperative information was collected. All x-ray and magnetic resonance imaging measurements were completed independently by 2 surgeons. Patients were contacted to complete patient-reported outcomes at a minimum of 2 years following surgery. The primary outcome measure was recurrent instability resulting in revision surgery. RESULTS: Seventy-eight knees in 74 patients, with a median age of 15.3 years (interquartile range: 14.4, 16.1), were included. Forty-five knees underwent isolated MPFL reconstruction and 33 knees had a combined MPFL + TTO. The knees that underwent MPFL + TTO had significantly greater tibial tubercle-trochlear groove distance (19.0 mm vs. 15.4 mm, P =0.015) and patellar tendon-lateral trochlear ridge distance (10.9 mm vs. 5.9 mm, P =0.018) than the knees treated with isolated MPFL reconstruction. Four knees (5.1%) underwent revision stabilization surgery, including 3 knees in the MPFL cohort (6.7%) and 1 knee in the MPFL + TTO cohort (3.0%). The rate of failure between the MPFL and MPFL + TTO knees was not significantly different, P =0.634. There were no differences in age, sex, body mass index, number of dislocations, or any imaging characteristics in patients who underwent revision versus those who did not. Patient-reported outcomes were collected on 50 knees at a median of 36 months (interquartile range: 24, 54) after surgery, and no differences were noted between cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: Patellar stabilization surgery, including MPFL reconstruction and TTO in carefully selected patients, had excellent revision-free outcomes in 95% of this adolescent cohort. In this case series, those patients whose treatment included TTO had greater tibial tubercle-trochlear groove and patellar tendon-lateral trochlear ridge as compared to the isolated MPFL cohort. Despite previous literature suggesting demographic and imaging characteristics as risks for recurrent instability, we identified no characteristics within these two distinct surgical treatment groups to be predictive of the need for revision stabilization, regardless of the treatment group. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III-retrospective comparison study.

What's New in the Management of Pediatric Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears and Tibial Spine Fractures.

As the number of pediatric and adolescent patients participating in sports continues to increase, so too does the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in this population. There is increasing research on pediatric and adolescent ACL tears; hundreds of articles on the topic have been published in the past few years alone. It is important to highlight the most pertinent information in the past decade. In discussing pediatric ACL tears, it is also important to review tibial spine fractures. These injuries are rightfully grouped together because tibial spine fractures often occur with a mechanism of injury similar to that of ACL tears, but typically in a younger age group. Because management is different, understanding the similarities and differences between the two pathologies is important. Recent updates on the epidemiology, diagnosis, management, and outcomes of both pediatric ACL tears and tibial spine fractures need to be reviewed.

Social Media and Pediatric Scoliosis: An Analysis of Patient and Surgeon Use.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this observational study was to investigate and analyze the social media presence of both patients and surgeons in relation to pediatric scoliosis. First, patient Instagram (Instagram, Inc., San Francisco, California) posts were evaluated for 1) media format; 2) timing in relation to surgery; 3) tone; 4) perspective; 5) content; and 6) subject reference. To analyze reciprocal engagement, the presence and activity of pediatric scoliosis surgeons at five major academic centers were subsequently analyzed on Instagram, Twitter (Twitter Inc., San Francisco, California), and LinkedIn (LinkedIn Corporation, Sunnyvale, California). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A search of public Instagram profiles was performed over a one-year period from February 2016 to February 2017. Posts related to pediatric scoliosis were selected for analysis using a hashtag search with 30 related terms. A total of 982 posts were retrieved, with 669 posts meeting the inclusion criteria. Each post was then evaluated for timing, tone, perspective, and content using a categorical scoring system. An additional analysis was performed using academic orthopaedic hospitals' websites, in which the names of scoliosis surgeons were found and searched for on Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Their profiles were analyzed for level and length of activity, number of followers or connections, and references to clinical practice. RESULTS: A total of 669 posts related to scoliosis were analyzed, the majority of which were temporally related to non-operative (74.7%) or post-operative (21.8%) settings. Patients (33.3%), friends and family (34.4%), and professional organizations (23.8%) were the most active contributors. The vast majority of posts were positive in nature (88.9 %) and highlighted the patient experience (79.2%), specifically related to bracing (33.1%), activities of daily living (31.7%), and surgical site or x-rays (25.5%). Of the social media sites analyzed, surgeons were found to have the highest presence on LinkedIn (55% have accounts with a mean of 175 connections) compared to Instagram (8%, 57 followers) and Twitter (33%, 61 followers). Surgeons were also noted to have more information regarding their practice, training, and clinical skills on LinkedIn. CONCLUSIONS: An analysis of Instagram posts related to scoliosis showed that the majority were shared by patients in the non-operative period and overwhelmingly had a positive tone. The content of the posts focused mainly on brace wear, activities of daily living, and post-operative appearance or x-rays. This information provides further insight into what patients deem important regarding pediatric scoliosis care. Analysis of the social media presence of scoliosis surgeons showed that they have an underwhelming presence on Instagram and Twitter, but are more active on LinkedIn, a site geared more toward professional development and networking than other social media options.

Arthroscopic Bankart Repair for Adolescent Anterior Shoulder Instability: Clinical and Imaging Predictors of Revision Surgery and Recurrent Subjective Instability.

BACKGROUND: Multiple clinical and radiologic risk factors for recurrent instability after arthroscopic Bankart repair have been described. Humeral bone loss has gained more recent attention, particularly with respect to "off-track" lesions and increased rates of recurrent instability and revision surgery. PURPOSE: To evaluate clinical and radiologic predictors of failure after arthroscopic Bankart repair in adolescents. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: A single-institution retrospective study was performed in patients <19 years of age treated with arthroscopic Bankart repair from 2011 to 2017. Magnetic resonance imaging measurements of glenoid and humeral bone loss, the glenoid track, and the presence of off-track Hill-Sachs (HS) lesions were assessed. All patients had a minimum follow-up of 24 months and completed patient-reported outcome scores. Failure was defined as revision surgery or postoperative subjective instability. RESULTS: A total of 59 patients (46 male, 13 female) with a median age of 16 years (range, 12-18 years) were included. Ten patients (17%) had revision surgery and 8 patients (14%) had subjective instability without revision surgery. No clinical or radiologic factors were significantly different between the failure cohort and the nonfailure cohort. Four patients (7%) measured off-track, and 2 of these patients experienced failure. A total of 38 patients (64%) were identified to have an HS defect. Subgroup analysis of these patients identified a greater HS interval (HSI) in patients who underwent revision surgery as compared with those patients who did not have revision surgery. Among patients with GT ratio ≥15 mm, there was a 50% rate of revision surgery. The Pediatric/Adolescent Shoulder Survey (PASS) and Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores at the final follow-up were not significantly different among patients with or without revision surgery. However, those with subjective instability who had not undergone revision surgery had significantly lower PASS and SANE scores as compared with the remainder of the cohort. CONCLUSION: Of the adolescents in this cohort, 31% either had revision surgery (17%) or reported subjective feelings of instability (14%) after arthroscopic Bankart repair. Off-track instability was identified in 7% of the cohort but was not predictive of failure. Among the subgroup of patients with an HS defect, those who underwent revision surgery had a significantly larger HSI.

Transosseous Repair of Patellar Sleeve Fractures: A Case Series and Surgical Technique Guide.

The purpose of this study is to describe the surgical technique and outcomes of transosseous repair of patellar sleeve fractures in a pediatric cohort. A retrospective review was performed on patients younger than 16 years undergoing transosseous repair of distal patellar sleeve fractures. A chart review was performed on demographics, surgical repair technique, and postoperative care. Primary outcomes included intact extensor mechanism function and range of motion (ROM) at final follow-up. In this study, 20 patients, 17 males and 3 females, with a mean age of 11.7 years were included. ROM was initiated at a median of 27.5 days following surgery. All patients had a healed patellar sleeve fracture and intact extensor function at final follow-up. Final mean knee ROM among the 18 patients with minimum 3-month follow-up was 132 degrees. Thirteen patients (72%) achieved full ROM (≥ 130 degrees) and 5 patients (28%) achieved less than 130 degrees knee flexion. Duration of initial immobilization was found to be the only variable strongly associated with final postoperative ROM. Mean duration of immobilization for patients achieving ≥ 130 degrees was 24 days versus 44 days in those patients achieving < 130 degrees, p = 0.009. All patients who began knee ROM within 21 days of surgery obtained full knee ROM. No patients experienced construct failure or extensor lag. Operative management of displaced patellar sleeve fractures with anatomic transosseous suture repair of the sleeve fracture, brief immobilization no more than 21 days, and initiation range of early ROM results in excellent outcomes.

Intra-articular Hip Injuries in National Basketball Association Players: A Descriptive Epidemiological Study.

Background: Since the most recent epidemiologic study of injuries in National Basketball Association (NBA) players was completed in 2012, the understanding and diagnosis of intra-articular hip injury has advanced. Purpose: To report the epidemiology of intra- versus extra-articular hip injuries in NBA players with regard to missed games, risk factors for injury, and treatment types. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The NBA injury database was queried for all reported hip and groin injuries from 2013 to 2017. The injuries were then divided into intra-articular and extra-articular types. Variables compared between injury types included player age, NBA tenure, season schedule (preseason or offseason), onset type, injury mechanism, roster position, games missed, time to return to play, and need for surgery. Results: A total of 224 athletes sustaining 353 total hip pathologies were identified. Of these injuries, 216 (61.2%) were sustained during game competition and affected 156 (69.6%) of the athletes. Intra-articular injuries represented 39 (11.0%) cases and involved 36 (16.1%) players. The time to return to play was significantly longer after intra-articular versus extra-articular injury (44.6 ± 96.0 vs 11.8 ± 32.0 days; P = .03), and the number of games missed was significantly greater after intra-articular versus extra-articular injury (8.0 ± 18.7 vs 1.54 ± 4.9 games; P = .03). Patients with intra-articular hip injuries were more likely to undergo surgery (odds ratio, 5.5 [95% CI, 1.8-16.7]; P = .005). There was no statistically significant difference in the number of games missed due to surgery (35.2 ± 8.3 [intra-articular] vs 35.4 ± 11.6 [extra-articular]; P = .42) or nonoperative treatment (4.2 ± 3.4 [intra-articular] vs 1.3 ± 0.5 [extra-articular]; P = .11). Years of NBA tenure were not significantly different between intra-articular and extra-articular injuries (7.1 ± 3.7 vs 6.3 ± 4.0 years). For both types of hip injury, there was no correlation between player age and either days to return to play or number of games missed (R 2 = 0.014). Conclusion: NBA players with intra-articular hip injuries underwent surgery more frequently and had a longer return-to-play time compared with those with extra-articular hip injuries. NBA tenure and player age were not correlated with the risk of developing hip injury or the need for surgery.

Pectoralis minor syndrome - review of pathoanatomy, diagnosis, and management of the primary cause of neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome.

Thoracic outlet syndrome is an umbrella term for compressive pathologies in the supraclavicular and infraclavicular fossae, with the vast majority being neurogenic in nature. These compressive neuropathies, such as pectoralis minor syndrome, can be challenging problems for both patients and physicians. Robust understanding of thoracic outlet anatomy and scapulothoracic biomechanics are necessary to distinguish neurogenic vs. vascular disorders and properly diagnose affected patients. Repetitive overhead activity, particularly when combined with scapular dyskinesia, leads to pectoralis minor shortening, decreased volume of the retropectoralis minor space, and subsequent brachial plexus compression causing neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome. Combining a thorough history, physical examination, and diagnostic modalities including ultrasound-guided injections are necessary to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Rigorous attention must be paid to rule out alternate etiologies such as peripheral neuropathies, vascular disorders, cervical radiculopathy, and space-occupying lesions. Initial nonoperative treatment with pectoralis minor stretching, as well as periscapular and postural retraining, is successful in the majority of patients. For patients that fail nonoperative management, surgical release of the pectoralis minor may be performed through a variety of approaches. Both open and arthroscopic pectoralis minor release may be performed safely with effective resolution of neurogenic symptoms. When further indicated by the preoperative workup, this can be combined with suprascapular nerve release and brachial plexus neurolysis for complete infraclavicular thoracic outlet decompression.

Total shoulder arthroplasty with nonspherical humeral head and inlay glenoid replacement: clinical results comparing concentric and nonconcentric glenoid stages in primary shoulder arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Glenoid morphology can influence the outcomes of total shoulder arthroplasty. This study examines the results of a new technique according to preoperative glenoid staging. We hypothesized that there would be no statistically significant difference in outcomes between Levine concentric (Walch A) and Levine nonconcentric (Walch B) glenoids treated for primary glenohumeral arthritis using nonspherical humeral head and inlay glenoid replacement. METHODS: This retrospective case series included 31 shoulders in 29 patients (25 male, 4 female), with an average age of 58.5 years. Outcomes included the Penn Shoulder Score (PSS), visual analog scale for pain (VAS-Pain), range of motion, radiographic analysis, and complications. Inclusion criteria were primary glenohumeral arthritis, intact rotator cuff, and no prior open shoulder surgeries. RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 42.6 months (range, 24-74 months). The study included 7 concentric and 24 nonconcentric glenoids. Outcomes comparison showed no statistically significant differences in PSS domains including Pain (P = .92), Function (P = .98), Satisfaction (P = .89), and Total (P = .98); forward flexion (P = .78); external rotation (P = .64); and VAS-Pain (P = 0.12). At the last follow-up, the mean PSS Pain was 25.3/30, Function 52.7/60, Satisfaction 8.4/10, and Total 87.0/100. The mean forward flexion was 167.3°, external rotation 56.6°, and VAS-Pain 0.9. There were no signs of periprosthetic fracture, component loosening, osteolysis, and hardware failure, and no revisions or 90-day rehospitalizations were required. One patient was prophylactically treated with oral antibiotics for a history of prior infection and 1 patient required a later open biceps tenodesis after a traumatic proximal biceps rupture postoperatively. CONCLUSION: Nonspherical shoulder arthroplasty with inlay glenoid replacement demonstrated excellent clinical benefits for both concentric and nonconcentric glenoids. The technique appears to be a promising option for glenohumeral arthritis even in the presence of posterior glenoid erosion.

The Effects of Endurance Sports on Children and Youth.

In the United States, youth participation in sports continues to increase yearly. This increase in participation, in conjunction with the trend toward early sports specialization and year round training, has led to a similar increase in athletically developed injuries. These injuries vary in nature and acuity, with the type of injury often related to the athlete's age, sport, and level of training. Endurance athletes are at an elevated risk of injury as they frequently push their body to the limit during their arduous training. Pediatric endurance athletes can be particularly vulnerable, especially to overuse injuries, given their unique and ever-changing physiological state. It is important to understand the specific challenges facing not only the physical, but also the emotional well-being of these pediatric endurance athletes to maximize performance while minimizing injury and potential long-term sequelae.

Acute Rupture of Achilles Tendon in an Adolescent with a History of Ponseti Casting and Achilles Tenotomy: A Case Report.

CASE: We present the case of a 15-year-old girl who has a history of Ponseti casting followed by Achilles tenotomies for congenital clubfeet as an infant and subsequently suffered an acute traumatic midsubstance Achilles tendon rupture on the left and midsubstance Achilles tendinosis on the right. CONCLUSIONS: Traumatic pediatric Achilles ruptures are rare. There are no prior reported cases in patients with a history of Achilles tenotomy, despite it being a described potential complication. This case highlights the potential for an Achilles rupture years after tenotomy and presents surgical repair as a satisfactory treatment option for Achilles ruptures in adolescents.

Influence of Intraoperative Neuromonitoring on the Outcomes of Surgeries for Pediatric Scoliosis in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) is used to detect impending neurologic damage during complex spinal surgeries. Although IONM is increasingly used during pediatric scoliosis surgeries in the United States, the effect of IONM on the outcomes of such surgeries at a national level is unclear. METHODS: Using National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from 2009 to 2012, 32,305 spinal fusions performed in children 18 years old or younger of age with scoliosis were identified using ICD-9 procedure and diagnosis codes. IONM was identified using the ICD-9 procedure code 00.94. The effects of IONM use on length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, hospital charges, and in-hospital complications were assessed using multivariate regression analysis adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics. RESULTS: IONM was used in 5,706 (18%) of the surgeries. IONM was associated with increased home discharge (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.25 [95% confidence interval 1.10-1.40], p = .001). There was no difference in LOS (p = .096) and hospital charges (p = .750). Neurologic complications were noted in 52 (0.9%) surgeries using IONM and 368 (1.4%) surgeries without IONM (p = .005). Although IONM use trended toward lower risk of neurologic complications in multivariate analysis, it failed to achieve statistical significance (AOR = 0.77 [0.57-1.04], p = .084). CONCLUSIONS: Reported use of IONM in this database was significantly less compared with other databases, suggesting that IONM might be underreported in the NIS database. Nevertheless, in this database, IONM was significantly associated with increased home discharge. Hospital charges and LOS were not affected by IONM. There was a trend toward lower risk of neurologic complications with IONM use, though this finding was not statistically significant.

Operative Treatment of the Malunited Fibula Fracture.

Failure to anatomically reduce and stabilize the fractured distal fibula can result in malunion of the fibula and malreduction of the ankle mortise. Fibular malunion results in altered ankle joint biomechanics which often leads to the development of pain, stiffness, and premature joint degeneration. Fortunately, many fibular malunions can be successfully salvaged using osteotomy techniques to restore anatomic fibular length and rotation. Different osteotomy techniques are indicated depending on the location and characteristics of the malunion. In this review, the oblique fibular osteotomy is described for the reconstruction of SER-type fibular fractures. For more proximal fibular malunion, the transverse osteotomy technique with lengthening and structural bone graft is reviewed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level V, expert opinion.

Evidence-Based Thresholds for the Volume-Value Relationship in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Outcomes and Economies of Scale.

OBJECTIVES: Increased surgeon and hospital volume has been associated with improved patient outcomes and cost effectiveness for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, no evidence-based thresholds that clarify the volume at which these strata occur exist. The objective of this study was to establish statistically meaningful thresholds that define high-volume surgeons and hospitals performing spinal fusion for AIS from those that are low volume with respect to length of stay (LOS) and cost. METHODS: Using 3,224 patients undergoing spinal fusion for AIS from an administrative database, we created and applied four models using stratum-specific likelihood ratio (SSLR) analysis of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We generated four sets of thresholds predictive of adverse outcomes, namely, increased cost and LOS, for both surgeon and hospital volume. RESULTS: For both LOS and cost, surgeon volume produced the same strata with low volume identified as 0-5 annual surgeries and high as greater than 5. LOS and cost decreased significantly (p < .05) between volume strata. For hospital volume in terms of LOS, low volume was identified as 0-10 annual surgeries and high as greater than 10; in terms of cost, low volume was identified as 0-15 annual surgeries and high as greater than 15. LOS decreased significantly (p < .05) and cost was $1,500 less but not statistically significant between volume strata for hospital volume. CONCLUSIONS: Our study of risk-based volume stratification established a direct volume-value relationship for surgeons and hospitals performing fusion for AIS. A meaningful threshold for low- and high-volume surgeons was established at 5 annual surgeries, but no consensus or clinically meaningful conclusion was reached for hospitals, although the threshold approached 10-15 annual surgeries. This analysis should aid patients, surgeons, and administration reach value-based decisions in the optimal delivery of pediatric spinal fusion for AIS.

Achilles tendon injuries.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this study is to review the current literature of Achilles tendon injuries, specifically chronic tendinopathy and acute ruptures in regard to etiology, diagnosis, treatment options, and outcomes. RECENT FINDINGS: The incidence of Achilles tendon injuries is increasing, but the necessity for surgical intervention is decreasing due to improved conservative therapies, which may provide comparable outcomes without the implied surgical risk. If surgery is undertaken, no difference has been noted between open and minimally invasive techniques. The majority of patients are able to return to pre-injury level of activity, with the elite athlete as an unfortunate exception. Achilles injuries can be devastating injuries, but if addressed early and appropriately, most patients have good self-reported long-term outcomes regardless of the treatment modality implemented. Further research is needed into the etiology, potential preventative measures, and longer-term outcomes of the different treatment options for wide range of Achilles pathology.

Osteonecrosis of the Femoral Head in an Adolescent on Long-Term Inhalational Corticosteroids.

A relationship between the development of osteonecrosis of the femoral head and systemic corticosteroids has been well established in the literature, particularly in adults. However, the link between osteonecrosis and inhaled corticosteroids is less researched and understood. We report an usual case report of a 10-year-old male who developed ipsilateral femoral head osteonecrosis after long-term inhalational corticosteroid and intermittent short courses of oral steroid usage with a unique presentation and delayed diagnosis.

Femoroacetabular Impingement: A Review.

Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is one of the most researched conditions in sports medicine today. FAI occurs due to abnormal morphology and subsequently contact between the proximal femur and the acetabulum. With repetitive loading, this femoroacetabular mismatch can be a source of labral and chondral injuries. FAI is more prevalent in the athletic population, particularly those athletes who participated in high level activities at a younger age. If nonoperative management is failed, surgical treatment is often done arthroscopically and with good results. This review attempts to provide an overview of the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and potential treatment options of FAI with a focus on the most recent literature.