Readability of Online Information on Core Decompression of the Hip for Avascular Necrosis.

Introduction Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head is a type of osteonecrosis, which is caused by the disruption of blood flow to the proximal femur, resulting in osteocyte death. Regression of the disease is rare, and most patients will ultimately progress to having a total hip arthroplasty performed. Early diagnosis of AVN allows treatment options beyond total hip arthroplasty. One such procedure described is core decompression of the femoral head. Health literacy is defined as the ability to make health decisions in the context of everyday life. It has been shown that lower levels of health literacy are associated with higher complication rates. It has been recommended that patient information documents are written at a reading grade level (RGL) no higher that the sixth grade to help with health literacy. Methods Twenty-nine websites containing information on core decompression were identified, and the online readability software WebFX (Pennsylvania, USA) was used to carry out analysis on readability. This software was able to generate a Flesch reading ease score (FRES) and an RGL for each website. The search was carried out in the Republic of Ireland. Results The mean FRES score was 48.8 (standard deviation (SD) +/-15.3), which categorizes the data as "difficult to read." The mean RGL was 8.46 (SD +/-2.34), which is higher than the recommended target. Conclusion This study has shown that the material on the Internet regarding core decompression is above the recommended readability levels for the majority of patients. This aligns with results from similar studies that have assessed the readability of online patient information. Given these outcomes, it is imperative for physicians to take an active role in curating and delivering information to their patients, ensuring that it is comprehensible. This approach aims to empower patients with a clearer understanding of core decompression, enabling them to make more informed decisions about their health.

Readability of Online Information on the Latarjet Procedure.

Introduction A common complication of first-time or recurrent shoulder dislocations is bone loss at the humeral head and glenoid. Recurrent shoulder instability is often a result of bony defects in the glenoid following shoulder dislocations. In the setting of glenoid bone loss, surgical interventions are generally required to restore stability. The Latarjet procedure is a challenging operation and, due to its complexity, may be associated with operative complications. It can be difficult to explain the procedure to patients in a manner that is easily comprehensible, which may lead to confusion or being overwhelmed with information. Hence, it is important that the information available to patients is easily accessible and perceivable to allow for adequate health literacy. Health literacy is defined as the ability to make health decisions in the context of everyday life. Methods The search engines Google and Bing were accessed on a single day in the month of July 2023, searching the terms "Latarjet surgery" and "Latarjet procedure." For each term on both search engines, the first three pages were evaluated, resulting in a total of 114 websites for review. Out of these, 25 websites met the inclusion criteria and underwent further in-depth analysis through the online readability software, WEB FX. This software generated a Flesch Reading Ease Score (FRES) and a Reading Grade Level (RGL) for each website. Results In our study, the mean FRES was 50.3 (SD ±12.5), categorizing the data as 'fairly difficult to read.' The mean RGL score was 8.12 (SD ±2.35), which exceeds the recommended target. Conclusion In conclusion, the results of this study have demonstrated that the material available on the Internet about the Latarjet procedure is above the recommended readability levels for the majority of the population. Our findings align with similar studies assessing the readability of online patient information. Based on these findings, physicians should provide patients with vetted information to facilitate a better understanding of the procedure, thereby enabling patients to make more informed decisions regarding their health.

Kocuria rhizophila prosthetic hip joint infection.

We present the first case report of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) caused by Kocuria rhizophila. Our patient is a 74-year-old male who underwent primary total hip replacement for right hip pain. His recovery was uneventful until 6 weeks postoperatively when he presented to his routine outpatient appointment with significant erythema, swelling, and tenderness over his right hip wound. Based on the acuity of his symptoms and the radiological findings, it was determined that the patient should undergo debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR procedure). A consensus decision was also made at our PJI multidisciplinary meeting to treat him with 12 weeks of IV antibiotics. After completing this 12 weeks course of IV Vancomycin, his inflammatory markers returned to normal limits. At 6 months follow-up, our patient was mobilizing independently without any signs of infection recurrence. His radiographs showed the implant was in a satisfactory position with no evidence of loosening. This case adds to an emerging body of literature describing invasive infections associated with Kocuria species. We have demonstrated the effectiveness of managing this condition with debridement, implant retention, and IV Vancomycin therapy for 12 weeks.