Comparison of rates of emergency department procedures and critical diagnoses in metropolitan and rural hospitals.

INTRODUCTION: Emergency medicine (EM) workforce studies show low rates of board-certified/residency-trained emergency physicians practising in rural emergency departments (EDs) in the USA. Rural ED rotations for EM residents may lead to increased numbers of residency-trained EM providers in rural areas. There is concern that residents trained in rural environments will not get sufficient procedural experience or patient acuity. The current literature contains only one single-residency study that provides procedural experience and patient acuity comparison between metropolitan and rural EDs. The purpose of this study is to utilize the Nationwide Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) to compare the rate of selected procedures and critical diagnoses at rural and metropolitan EDs in the USA. METHODS: The NEDS database contains ED visit records from 958 hospitals and approximates a 20% stratified sample of US hospital-based EDs. The procedures analyzed were chosen based upon the Emergency Medicine Residency Review Committee's guidelines for procedural competency and the critical diagnoses were selected based upon the American College of Emergency Physicians Model of the Clinical Practice of Emergency Medicine. Procedures and critical patient diagnoses were identified in the NEDS database by International Classification of Diseases (9th revision) code. The rates of eight procedures and twelve critical diagnoses are compared between two categories: The metropolitan category includes hospitals that are in counties defined as large or small metropolitan; the rural category includes hospitals that are in counties defined as micropolitan or non-metropolitan. RESULTS: When comparing 22 766 219 rural ED visits to 97 267 531 metropolitan ED visits there were significant differences between the rates of procedures and critical diagnoses. For all procedures analyzed, the rate at which they were performed in the rural setting versus the metropolitan was significantly lower. The decreased performance rate in rural EDs compared to metropolitan EDs was greatest for ED procedures such as fracture reduction, endotracheal intubation and lumbar puncture. Overall, procedures were performed twice as often in metropolitan EDs as compared to rural EDs. Critical diagnosis rates also tended to be lower for rural EDs when compared to metropolitan EDs. This difference in identification of critical diagnosis rate was greatest for acute myocardial infarction, cardiac dysrhythmia and ischemic cerebrovascular accident. CONCLUSIONS: The rates of critical diagnoses are similar, but are still lower in rural EDs as a recent single-site study has shown. The lower rates of procedures and critical diagnoses in rural EDs confirm the concern that residents receiving a substantial portion of their training in rural EDs may not get sufficient experience in certain procedures or critical diagnoses. The benefits of a rural ED rotation must be weighed against the risk of lower procedure and critical diagnosis rates. The impact of a 1-3 month rotation in a rural ED on overall procedural competency and clinical experience cannot, however, be extrapolated, and further study is required to quantify this effect.

Typed versus voice recognition for data entry in electronic health records: emergency physician time use and interruptions.

INTRODUCTION: Use of electronic health record (EHR) systems can place a considerable data entry burden upon the emergency department (ED) physician. Voice recognition data entry has been proposed as one mechanism to mitigate some of this burden; however, no reports are available specifically comparing emergency physician (EP) time use or number of interruptions between typed and voice recognition data entry-based EHRs. We designed this study to compare physician time use and interruptions between an EHR system using typed data entry versus an EHR with voice recognition. METHODS: We collected prospective observational data at 2 academic teaching hospital EDs, one using an EHR with typed data entry and the other with voice recognition capabilities. Independent raters observed EP activities during regular shifts. Tasks each physician performed were noted and logged in 30 second intervals. We compared time allocated to charting, direct patient care, and change in tasks leading to interruptions between sites. RESULTS: We logged 4,140 minutes of observation for this study. We detected no statistically significant differences in the time spent by EPs charting (29.4% typed; 27.5% voice) or the time allocated to direct patient care (30.7%; 30.8%). Significantly more interruptions per hour were seen with typed data entry versus voice recognition data entry (5.33 vs. 3.47; p=0.0165). CONCLUSION: The use of a voice recognition data entry system versus typed data entry did not appear to alter the amount of time physicians spend charting or performing direct patient care in an ED setting. However, we did observe a lower number of workflow interruptions with the voice recognition data entry EHR. Additional research is needed to further evaluate the data entry burden in the ED and examine alternative mechanisms for chart entry as EHR systems continue to evolve.

Comparison of procedural sedation for the reduction of dislocated total hip arthroplasty.

INTRODUCTION: Various types of sedation can be used for the reduction of a dislocated total hip arthroplasty. Traditionally, an opiate/benzodiazepine combination has been employed. The use of other pharmacologic agents, such as etomidate and propofol, have more recently gained popularity. Currently no studies directly comparing these sedation agents have been carried out. The purpose of this study is to compare differences in reduction and sedation outcomes, including recovery times, of these 3 sedation agents. METHODS: We performed a retrospective chart review examining 198 patients who presented with dislocated total hip arthroplasty at 2 academic affiliated medical centers. The patients were grouped according to the type of sedation agent. We calculated percentages of reduction and sedation complications along with recovery times. Reduction complications included fracture, skin or neurovascular injury, and failure of reduction requiring general anesthesia. Sedation complications included use of bag-valve mask and artificial airway, intubation, prolonged recovery, use of a reversal agent, and inability to achieve sedation. We then compared the data for each sedation agent. RESULTS: We found reduction complications rates of 8.7% in the propofol, 24.7% in the etomidate, and 28.9% in the opiate/benzodiazepine groups. The propofol group was significantly different from the other 2agents (p ≤ 0.01). Sedation complications were found 7.3% of the time in the propofol , 11.7% in the etomidate , and 21.3% in the opiate/benzodiazepine group, (p=0.02 propofol vs. others) . Average recovery times were 25.2 minutes for propofol, 30.8 minutes for etomidate, and 44.4 minutes for opiate/benzodiazepine (p = 0.05 for propofol vs. other agents). CONCLUSION: For reduction of dislocated total hip arthroplasty under procedural sedation, propofol appears to have fewer complications and a trend toward more rapid recovery than both etomidate and opiate/benzodiazepine. These data support the use of propofol as first line agent for procedural sedation of dislocated total hip arthroplasty, with fewer complications and a shorter recovery period.

Impact of an anesthesiology rotation on subsequent endotracheal intubation success.

BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation (ETI) is an essential skill that emergency medicine residents learn throughout their training. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of implementing a postgraduate year (PGY)-1 anesthesiology rotation on ETI success in the emergency department during PGY-2. METHODS: Residents in the study group completed a 4-week PGY-1 anesthesiology rotation. During the first 6 months of PGY-2, we compared ETI performance of the study group with a control group who did not experience a PGY-1 anesthesiology rotation. Data recorded included date, level of training, first- and second-attempt success, rescue devices used, major adverse events, and intubation scenario. A Pearson χ(2) test was used to compare first-attempt success, overall success (≤2 attempts), and adverse events rates between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Overall success rate for the study groups was 95.7% (111 of 116), compared with 94.5% (137 of 145) for the controls (P  =  66). First-attempt success for the study group was 78.4% (91 of 116), compared with 83.4% (121 of 145) for the control group; this was not statistically significant (P  = .30). Observed major and minor adverse events were similar: 19.0% for the study group (22 of 116) versus 24.8% (36 of 145) for the control group (P  = .26). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of an anesthesiology rotation to the PGY-1 curriculum did not have a significant effect on ETI success or the rate of adverse events during the first 6 months of PGY-2. First-attempt overall success and adverse events of our PGY-2 study group were consistent with previously published studies.

Gastric volvulus complication in an infant with undiagnosed congenital diaphragmatic hernia presenting with acute respiratory distress.

INTRODUCTION: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia is an embryologic defect that creates a passage for herniation of abdominal structures into the thoracic cavity. This can lead to a variety of complications, including gastric volvulus that can present acutely with epigastric distention and vomiting. In cases of late-onset congenital diaphragmatic hernia, symptoms may be vague and often necessitate further investigation. CASE: Our patient is a 12-month-old previously healthy female infant who presented to the emergency department with a history of vomiting and acute onset respiratory distress. Her SaO(2) was 94% to 98% on room air, her respiratory rate was in the 80s breaths per minute, and she was noted to have severe retractions. Her chest examination revealed absent breath sounds on the left side. Her abdominal examination was unremarkable. The acute presentation of respiratory distress was initially concerning for a foreign body aspiration, but a chest radiograph demonstrated left-sided opacification and mediastinal shift to the right. The patient required intubation for respiratory decompensation and a subsequent computed tomographic scan showed diaphragmatic hernia with gastric volvulus. CONCLUSIONS: This patient's presentation highlights one of the complications that may occur owing to congenital diaphragmatic hernia. Computed tomographic scan is the confirmatory test for diaphragmatic hernia and, in this case, also uncovered a concomitant gastric volvulus. Treatment includes early resuscitation, a definitive airway, and emergent surgery to prevent ischemic necrosis of the stomach owing to strangulation, gastric perforation, and serious cardiorespiratory decompensation.

Application of statistical process control to physician-specific emergency department patient satisfaction scores: a novel use of the funnel plot.

OBJECTIVES: Emergency department (ED) patient satisfaction remains a high priority for many hospitals. Patient surveys are a common tool for measuring patient satisfaction, and process improvement efforts are aimed at improving patient satisfaction scores. In some institutions, patient satisfaction scores can be calculated for each emergency physician (EP). ED leaders are faced with the task of interpreting individual as well as group physician scores to identify opportunities for improvement. Analysis of these data can be challenging because of the relatively small numbers of returned surveys assignable to a single physician, variable numbers of surveys returned for each physician and high standard deviations (SDs) for individual physician scores. The objective was to apply statistical process control methodology to analyze individual as well as group physician patient satisfaction scores. The novel use of funnel plots to interpret individual physician patient satisfaction scores, track individual physician scores over two successive 8-month periods, and monitor physician group performance is demonstrated. METHODS: Patient satisfaction with physicians was measured using Press Ganey surveys for a 65,000-volume ED over two successive 8-month periods. Using funnel plots, individual physician patient satisfaction scores were plotted against the number of surveys completed for each physician for each 8-month period. Ninety-fifth and 99th percentile control limits were displayed on the funnel plots to illustrate individual physician patient satisfaction scores that are within, versus those that are outside of, expected random variation. Control limits were calculated using mean patient satisfaction scores and SDs for the entire group of physicians. Additional funnel plots were constructed to demonstrate changes in individual physicians' patient satisfaction scores as a function of increasing numbers of returned surveys and to illustrate changes in the group's patient satisfaction scores between the first and second 8-month intervals after the institution of process improvement efforts aimed at improving patient satisfaction. RESULTS: For the first 8-month period, 34,632 patients were evaluated in and discharged from the ED, with 581 surveys returned for 21 physicians. The mean (±SD) overall group physician patient satisfaction score was 81.8 (±24.7). Returned surveys per physician ranged from 2 to 58. For the second period, 34,858 patients were evaluated and discharged from the ED, with 670 patient satisfaction surveys returned for 20 physicians. The mean (±SD) overall physician score for all surveys returned during the second period was 85.0 (±22.2). Returned surveys per physician ranged from 8 to 65. CONCLUSIONS: The application of statistical control methodology using funnel plots as a means of analyzing ED group and physician patient satisfaction scores was possible. The authors believe that using funnel plots to analyze scores graphically can rapidly help determine the significance of individual physician patient satisfaction scores. In addition, serial funnel plots may prove to be useful as a means of measuring changes in patient satisfaction, particularly in response to quality improvement interventions.

Predictive measures of a resident's performance on written Orthopaedic Board scores.

OBJECTIVE: Residency programs are continually attempting to predict the performance of both current and potential residents. Previous studies have supported the use of USMLE Steps 1 and 2 as predictors of Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) and eventual American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery success, while others show no significant correlation. A strong performance on OITE examinations does correlate with strong residency performance, and some believe OITE scores are good predictors of future written board success. The current study was designed to examine potential differences in resident assessment measures and their predictive value for written boards. DESIGN/METHODS: A retrospective review of resident performance data was performed for the past 10 years. Personalized information was removed by the residency coordinator. USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2, Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (from first to fifth years of training), and written orthopaedic specialty board scores were collected. Subsequently, the residents were separated into two groups, those scoring above the 35(th) percentile on written boards and those scoring below. Data were analyzed using correlation and regression analyses to compare and contrast the scores across all tests. RESULTS: A significant difference was seen between the groups in regard to USMLE scores for both Step 1 and 2. Also, a significant difference was found between OITE scores for both the second and fifth years. Positive correlations were found for USMLE Step 1, Step 2, OITE 2 and OITE 5 when compared to performance on written boards. One resident initially failed written boards, but passed on the second attempt This resident consistently scored in the 20(th) and 30(th) percentiles on the in-training examinations. CONCLUSIONS: USMLE Step 1 and 2 scores along with OITE scores are helpful in gauging an orthopaedic resident's performance on written boards. Lower USMLE scores along with consistently low OITE scores likely identify residents at risk of failing their written boards. Close monitoring of the annual OITE scores is recommended and may be useful to identify struggling residents. Future work involving multiple institutions is warranted and would ensure applicability of our findings to other orthopedic residency programs.

Surgical simulators and hip fractures: a role in residency training?

BACKGROUND: Orthopedic surgery residency training requires intellectual and motor skill development. In this study, we utilized a computer-based haptic simulator to examine a potential model for evaluation of resident proficiency and efficiency in the placement of a center guide wire during fixation of an intertrochanteric proximal femur fracture. We hypothesize the junior residents will utilize more fluoroscopy and require more time to complete the task. METHODS: Postgraduate year (PGY) 1-5 residents completed the same task of placing a single central guide pin into a femoral head for a dynamic hip screw construct utilizing a haptic surgical simulator. Residents were divided into 2 groups (PGY 1-2 and PGY 3-5) and then evaluated based on final tip-apex distance (TAD), fluoroscopy time, time to complete the task, total number of distinct attempts at pin placement for each femur construct, as well as final 3-dimensional location of the pin from the isometric center of the femoral head. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were noted between the 2 groups in total time or for tip-apex distance, anterior/posterior medial/lateral position, anterior/posterior superior/inferior, and lateral x-ray medial/lateral positioning measurements. Significant differences between Groups I and II were observed in anterior/posterior final position on the lateral view (p = 0.01), unique attempts (0.77 and 1.5, p = 0.03), and total fluoroscopic time (18.4 seconds and 12.9 seconds, p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In this study, we displayed that based on our simulator model there was no statistical difference between Group I and II in time to completion, final placement on anterior/posterior (A/P) view, and tip-apex distance. There was a statistically significant difference in the anterior/posterior placement of the wire in lateral view between the 2 groups, fluoroscopy time, and number of attempts per trial. Our findings suggest a computer-based surgical simulator can identify measurable differences in surgical proficiency between junior and senior orthopedic surgery residents and may play an expanding role in resident education.

Radiographic evaluation of midterm failure rates following metal-on-metal hip resurfacing.

This prospective study examined patient characteristics and radiographic findings for 89 subjects undergoing total hip resurfacing. Thirteen (14.6%) of 89 hips have required revision. Female sex, smaller implant size, and diagnosis of osteonecrosis were associated with lower device survival. No significant differences in acetabular cup angle and stem angle were observed between revised and nonrevised hips. Revision rates for the first 25 hips were 24% and 8% for the last 64 hips. Females accounted for 56% of subjects 1 to 25 and 23% of subjects 26 to 89. Despite representing only 33% of included subjects, females accounted for 62% of revision procedures. The lower device survival proportion in subjects 1 to 25 could not be attributed to acetabular or femoral component malpositioning and can likely be explained by a significantly higher proportion of females enrolled early in the study.

Bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome following robotic-assisted prostatectomy.

Bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome is a rare condition. Only 6 previous cases have been reported in the literature. Two previous cases involved positioning for urological procedures, while the other cited causes of bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome include exercise-induced, trauma, and prolonged immobilization from substance abuse. The 2 previously published reports of bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome associated with urologic positioning were treated conservatively due to late presentation and onset of rhabdomyolysis. This article presents a case of a 61-year-old man who developed bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome following prolonged urologic surgery in a dorsal lithotomy position. Orthopedic evaluation revealed physical examination findings and intracompartment pressures consistent with bilateral gluteal compartment syndrome. He underwent bilateral gluteal compartment fasciotomies. An expansile-type Kocher Langenbach incision was made, extending from lateral to the posterior superior iliac spine inferior to the level of the greater trochanter. The 3 compartments were decompressed bilaterally. At completion, the compartments showed definite objective softening. He was treated with delayed closure of his fasciotomy wounds. He was discharged home on sixth postoperative day 6. His wounds healed without difficulty and he regained normal strength and sensation in his lower extremities. Gluteal compartment syndrome following surgery is a preventable condition. Prevention should center on intraoperative padding and positioning, intraoperative repositioning, and restricting the length of the procedure. Once it is identified, early diagnosis and treatment can prevent long term complications.

Trace metal analysis following locked volar plating for unstable fractures of the distal radius.

An increase in the utilization of metallic devices for orthopaedic interventions from joint replacement to fracture fixation has raised concern over local metal ion release and possible systemic sequelae due to dissemination of these ions. Our purpose was to determine whether serum titanium concentrations were elevated in patients who had previously received a locked volar distal radius plate. Our hypothesis was that the simple presence of titanium alone in a relatively fixed implant was not enough to raise serum titanium levels. Twenty-two potential subjects who had received a volar locked distal radius plate were identified through review of a single surgeon's operative logs. Eleven met inclusion criteria. Serum titanium levels were measured in these subjects and compared to both current and historical control groups. We found no difference between controls and our study group with the exception of one control subject who is employed as a welder. This is in contrast to previous studies from our institution which found increases in titanium levels in hip and spine implants. We conclude that a locking titanium volar distal radius plate does not raise serum titanium levels in this population.

Torsional stiffness of an intramedullary nail versus blade plate fixation for tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis: a biomechanical study.

The purpose of this investigation is to compare the rotational stability of intramedullary rod fixation with blade plate and screw fixation in tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis. Five matched pairs of cadaver ankles were randomly fixated with a lateral blade plate and screws or a retrograde intramedullary nail. The bone mineral density (BMD) for each sample was ascertained. These samples were tested through internal and external rotation of 0.5 degrees/s until 7 N-m was achieved. The torsional stiffness of each specimen was determined from the linear slope of the torque-rotation curve. No statistical difference in internal (p=.11) or external (p=.36) rotation for the matched pairs was noted. Data were excluded from one intramedullary sample secondary to early failure of the tibia. A trend toward increased rotational stability in the intramedullary group versus plate fixation in specimens with lower BMD was observed. These findings suggest no rotational biomechanical advantage of intramedullary nail compared to blade plate fixation in a cadaveric tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis model.

Hospital outcome after emergent vs elective revision total hip arthroplasty.

This is a retrospective review of inpatient outcomes, based upon emergent or elective admission for revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) procedures performed between 2000 and 2006. Three hundred forty-two revision THA procedures (291 elective, 51 emergent) were identified. Emergent revisions were more likely to be older (69.9 vs 62.7; P = .003), women (72% vs 54%), require longer hospitalization (8.3 vs 3.8 days), and require a skilled care facility at discharge. No significant difference was observed in mortality. We identified 2 basic outcome measures suggesting that patients undergoing emergent revision will have a more complex hospitalization and require more assistance at discharge. Clarifying emergent vs elective THA at admission may assist in better planning and assessment of patient needs regarding rehabilitation, hospital management, and discharge planning.

Effect of hand packing versus cement gun pressurization on cement mantle in total knee arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Gun pressurization in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may result in better cement penetration than hand packing, leading to fewer tibial plate failures. We compared cement intrusion characteristics between vacuum mixing and gun pressurization versus hand mixing and packing in the proximal tibia among patients undergoing TKA. METHODS: We analyzed 6-week radiographs from 77 consecutive patients for cement area and zone-specific intrusion using computer-assisted image analysis. RESULTS: Penetration into tibial anteroposterior zones 1-6 was not significantly different between the techniques. Intrusion depths in anteroposterior zone 7 and lateral zone 2 were significantly increased with gun pressurization, but this increase was associated with significantly longer operating room and tourniquet times. CONCLUSION: We identified no obvious advantage of vacuum mixing with gun pressurization, suggesting that continued use of the hand-packing technique may be warranted. Additional long-term failure studies must be completed to compare these techniques.

Effect of bone cement viscosity and set time on mantle area in total knee arthroplasty.

To assess the impact of bone cement viscosity on total knee arthroplasty, we compared 1 high-viscosity and 2 medium-viscosity cements with respect to mantle area and zone-specific intrusion depths into the tibial plateau. We analyzed postoperative radiographs to determine penetration area and depth in 72 consecutive patients (79 knees) in whom DePuy II (n = 11), Endurance (n = 34), or Simplex-P (n = 34) cement was used. Penetration into the tibial plateau (anteroposterior zones 1-4) was significantly reduced with use of the high-viscosity DePuy II cement but did not differ significantly between the 2 medium-viscosity cements, Endurance and Simplex-P. Surgical and tourniquet times were significantly decreased with the quicker setting DePuy II cement. Given these findings, additional studies are warranted to assess the long-term impact of the lower intrusion depths found with DePuy II cement. Such differences in cement penetration could jeopardize long-term fixation and lead to higher long-term device failure rates.

Acetabular cup malalignment after total hip resurfacing arthroplasty: a case for elective revision?

This article describes the clinical course of a patient with a resurfacing implant in a poor cup position in combination with elevated serum metal ions prior to implant failure. Following resurfacing, the patient had substantial improvement from baseline in pain and functional status. Postoperative radiographs indicated the acetabular cup in an abducted and excessively anteverted position. The acetabular component ultimately failed after 4.5 years and a traditional total hip arthroplasty revision was performed. Serum cobalt (Co) and chromium (Cr) concentrations had been collected postoperatively of the index procedure at 6 months, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, and pre- and postoperatively at the time of implant revision. Serum cobalt and chromium ion levels were progressively elevated to approximately 400 times more than the expected range at all time points prior to revision. Elective revision had been considered due to acetabular malalignment and elevated metal ion levels, but not performed since the patient was doing well clinically. A recent study has shown a correlation between increased cup inclination and increased serum cobalt or chromium levels and this patient's levels were >40 times greater than that typically observed with this device. Early revision should be strongly considered if component malpositioning is noted, and abnormally elevated ion concentrations should signal the need for revision regardless of the patient's clinical status. The relationship of a malpositioned cup and uncharacteristically elevated metal ion levels is related to the metal-on-metal bearing coupling and likely applies to conventional metal-on-metal total hip prostheses as well.

Component version in modular total hip revision.

Morphologic changes of the proximal femur make revision total hip arthroplasty challenging. Metaphyseal retroversion and diaphyseal varus are common in this scenario. Twenty-one total hip revisions using a modular femoral prosthesis were examined by obtaining three radiographs (A/P, surgical lateral, and true lateral of the femur) to assemble CAD models for determining the range of modular component positioning. An average of femoral neck anteversion was observed. Seventeen of 21 cases (81%) had retroverted metaphyseal segments (-23.2 degrees +/-17.4 degrees ) and/or varus stems (-32.1 degrees +/-13.0 degrees ). Neck anteversion averaged 21.4 degrees (+/-10.0 degrees ). One of 21 cases (5%) resulted in component orientation similar to a non-modular prosthesis. Modular components provide options to accommodate proximal femoral remodeling not afforded by monobloc stems in total hip revision surgery.

Are honors received during surgery clerkships useful in the selection of incoming orthopaedic residents?

The purpose of this study was to review institutional statistics provided in dean's letters and determine the percentage of honors awarded by institution and clerkship specialty.Institutional and clerkship aggregate data were compiled from a review of dean's letters from 80 United States medical schools. The percentage of honors awarded during 3rd year clerkships during 2005 were collected for analysis. Across clerkship specialties, there were no statistically significant differences between the mean percentage of honors given by the medical schools examined with Internal Medicine (27.6%) the low and Psychiatry (33.5%) the high. However, inter-institutional variability observed within each clerkship was high, with surgery clerkship percentage of honors ranging from 2% to 75% of the students. This suggests some schools may be more lenient and other more stringent in awarding honors to their students. This inter-institutional variability makes it difficult to compare honors received by students from different medical schools and weakens the receipt of honors as a primary tool for evaluating potential incoming residents.

Impact of the 80-hour workweek on surgical exposure and national in-training examination scores in an orthopedic residency program.

OBJECTIVES: This study examines the impact of the 80-hour workweek on the number of surgical cases performed by PGY-2 through PGY-5 orthopedic residents. We also evaluated orthopedic in-training examination (OITE) scores during the same time period. METHODS: Data were collected from the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) national database for 3 academic years before and 5 years after July 1, 2003. CPT surgical procedure codes logged by all residents 3 years before and 5 years after implementation of the 80-hour workweek were compared. The average raw OITE scores for each class obtained during the same time period were also evaluated. Data were reported as the mean +/- standard deviation (SD), and group means were compared using independent t-tests. RESULTS: No statistical difference was noted in the number of surgical procedure codes logged before or after the institution of the 80-hour week during any single year of training. However, an increase in the number of CPT codes logged in the PGY-3 years after 2003 did approach significance (457.7 vs 551.9, p = 0.057). Overall, the average number of cases performed per resident increased each year after implementation of the work-hour restriction (464.4 vs 515.5 cases). No statistically significant difference was noted in the raw OITE scores before or after work-hour restrictions for our residents or nationally. CONCLUSIONS: We found no statistical difference for each residency class in the average number of cases performed or OITE scores, although the total number of cases performed has increased after implementation of the work-hour restrictions. We also found no statistical difference in the national OITE scores. Our data suggest that the impact of the 80-hour workweek has not had a detrimental effect on these 2 resident training measurements.

Multi-modal, pre-emptive analgesia decreases the length of hospital stay following total joint arthroplasty.

Traditional treatment of pain following total joint arthroplasty involves postoperative oral narcotic medications and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia, both of which can result in significant postoperative morbidity. Multi-modal analgesia involving >or=2 classes of drugs acting on different receptor types may be as effective as single-narcotic/patient-controlled analgesia with fewer analgesic-related side effects. In addition, administering analgesia prior to surgery (pre-emptive) may reduce postoperative pain intensity. The current study was designed to compare the impact of multi-modal pre-emptive analgesia versus patient-controlled analgesia on postoperative nausea, rehabilitation participation, and length of stay following total joint arthroplasty. A retrospective chart review and comparison was performed for patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty who received either postoperatively patient-controlled analgesia or pre-emptive analgesia (scheduled postoperative oxycodone and a COX-2 inhibitor). Length of hospital stay for the pre-emptive group averaged 2.74 vs 3.28 days for patient-controlled analgesia patients. The patient-controlled analgesia group consumed significantly more intravenous morphine (17.7 mg vs 7.2) and experienced a three-fold increase in nausea. In addition, the patient-controlled analgesia group was twice as likely to miss therapy and nearly 2 times more likely to be discharged to an extended care facility. The use of pre-emptive oxycodone and a selective COX-2 inhibitor decreased postoperative narcotic requirements and increased participation in rehabilitation. In addition, patients receiving pre-emptive analgesics had a decreased hospital length of stay and reduced likelihood of discharge to a skilled nursing facility. These data support the continued study and use of pre-emptive multi-modal analgesia paradigms in this population.