Assessment of Intra-articular Screw Penetration During Radial Head and Olecranon Locking Plate Fixation: A Cadaveric Study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of radiographic and clinical exams in predicting screw penetration into the proximal radioulnar joint and ulnohumeral joint during open reduction and internal fixation of the radial head and proximal ulna. METHODS: Olecranon and radial head plates were applied to 15 cadaveric elbows. Screws were assessed for intra-articular joint penetration using both clinical exam and radiographic evaluation. Clinical exam consisted of evaluation for crepitus. Radiographs demonstrating screws positioned near the joint surface were evaluated for penetration by 3 fellowship trained hand surgeons. Elbows were disarticulated and screw prominence was determined and recorded using standardized calipers. The ability of clinical and radiographic exams to correctly predict a breach in the articular surface was determined by calculating sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values. Consideration was given to screw position. RESULTS: The sensitivity of crepitus was 81.1% for screws in the radial head plate and 72.6% for screws in the olecranon plate. The sensitivity of radiographs was 72.4% for the screws in the radial head plate and 55.0% for screws in the olecranon plate. Correct radiographic assessment of penetration varied but position o-2 on the olecranon plate consistently resulted in the lowest sensitivity of 30.3%. CONCLUSIONS: The study evaluates sensitivity and specificity of clinical and radiographic means when assessing for articular penetration of screws during olecranon and radial head locking plate fixation. Certain screw locations are more difficult to evaluate than others and may go undetected by standard means of assessment used in a surgical setting.

Epidemiology of Elbow Dislocations in High School Athletes.

BACKGROUND: The elbow is the second most commonly dislocated major joint in the general population. Previous studies that focused on emergency department populations indicate that such injuries occur most frequently among adolescent athletes. PURPOSE: To describe the epidemiological rates and patterns of sports-related elbow dislocations in high school athletes. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive epidemiology study. METHODS: Sports-related injury data for the 2005-2006 through 2013-2014 academic years from a national convenience sample of high schools participating in the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study (High School Reporting Information Online [RIO]) were analyzed. RESULTS: Certified athletic trainers participating in High School RIO reported 115 of 1246 (9.2%) elbow injuries as elbow dislocations. A total of 30,415,179 athlete exposures (AEs) were reported during the study period, resulting in a dislocation rate of 0.38 per 100,000 AEs. The majority of the dislocations resulted from boys' wrestling (46.1%) and football (37.4%). Elbow dislocation rates were higher in competition than in practice. Also, 91.3% of dislocations occurred in boys' sports. Among both boys (60.4%) and girls (88.9%), the majority of injuries occurred during varsity sports activities. Contact with another person was the most common injury mechanism (46.9%), followed by contact with the playing surface (46.0%). Dislocations more commonly resulted in removal from play for more than 3 weeks (23.4% vs 6.9%, respectively) or medical disqualification (36.9% vs 7.0%, respectively) compared with other elbow injuries. Dislocations were also more likely to result in surgical treatment than other elbow injuries (13.6% vs 4.7%, respectively). CONCLUSION: In high school athletes, elbow dislocations result in longer removal from play and are more likely to require surgical treatment than nondislocation-associated elbow injuries. Rates and patterns of elbow dislocations vary by sport. In high-risk sports, focused sport-specific prevention strategies may help to decrease the rates and severity of elbow dislocation injuries.

Approach to the pediatric athlete with back pain: more than just the pars.

Back pain in a pediatric patient can present a worrisome and challenging diagnostic dilemma for any physician. Although most back pain can be attributed to muscle strains and poor mechanics, it is necessary to appreciate the full differential of etiologies causing back pain in the pediatric population. The physician must recognize areas of mechanical weakness in the skeletally immature spine and the sport specific forces that can predispose a patient to injury. A comprehensive history involves determining the onset, chronicity, and location of the pain. A focused physical exam includes a neurological exam as well as provocative testing. The combination of a thorough history and focused physical exam should guide appropriate imaging. Radiographic tests are instrumental in narrowing the differential, making a diagnosis, and uncovering associated pathology. Treatment modalities such as activity modification, heat/cold compresses, and NSAIDs can provide pain relief and allow for effective physical therapy. In most cases nonoperative methods are successful in providing a safe and quick return to activities. Failure of conservative measures requires referral to an orthopedic surgeon, as surgical intervention may be warranted.

Patients with uncontrolled components of metabolic syndrome have increased risk of complications following total joint arthroplasty.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS)-a diagnostic grouping of diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and obesity-has been indicated as a risk factor for perioperative complications following total joint arthroplasty (TJA). This study investigates the impact of MetS on perioperative complications, specifically the importance of controlling MetS components. One hundred thirty-three patients undergoing TJA with all four components of MetS were identified. They were matched one-to-one with patients without MetS. Control of diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension was assessed. Thirty-five patients with MetS were found to have at least a single uncontrolled component. The complication rates were 49%, 8%, and 8% for uncontrolled MetS, controlled MetS, and no MetS, respectively. Multivariate analysis confirmed independent associations between control of MetS components and both perioperative complications and length of stay. Both surgeons and patients should be aware of the substantial risk of dangerous complications following TJA in patients with uncontrolled metabolic syndrome.

Continuous glucose monitor shows potential for early hypoglycemia detection in hospitalized patients.

OBJECTIVE: This study shows the potential of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) for the detection of hypoglycemia in hospitalized patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: A Medtronic Diabetes (Northridge, CA) CGMS iPro continuous glucose recorder was inserted into the subcutaneous tissue of a hospitalized orthopedic surgery patient with type 1 diabetes the day after a moderate hypoglycemia event. The interstitial fluid glucose concentration was recorded every 5 min. Both the patient and the hospital staff were blinded to the CGM data. Bedside capillary blood glucose measurements were performed per hospital protocol. RESULTS: The CGM recorded a repeat severe episode of hypoglycemia the next day. The hospital-defined threshold for hypoglycemia (70 mg/dL) was crossed 4.5 h prior to the patient being found unconscious by the nursing staff. CONCLUSION: Data from the CGMS iPro Recorder illustrate the potential benefit of using a real-time CGM in the hospital to detect hypoglycemia in a more timely fashion compared to infrequent point-of-care glucose meter measurements.