Avoiding deformity in proximal tibial nailing: risk factors, deformity rules, tips, and tricks.

Malalignment is one of the most common problems linked to nailing of proximal tibial fractures. This review will cover technical aspects of intramedullary nailing and will help explain the various risk factors. Deformity rules aid in identifying the likely deformity and help to develop management strategies. Various tools and techniques are discussed which can help optimize the outcome. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level V.

Primary and Periprosthetic Distal Femur Fractures in Older Adults: No Difference in 12-Month Mortality and Patient-Reported Outcomes.

OBJECTIVES: To compare fracture incidence, mortality, and patient-reported health outcomes at 6 and 12 months postinjury between primary and periprosthetic distal femur fractures in older adults. METHODS: A registry-based cohort study was conducted including all adults 70 years of age or older registered by the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry who experienced a primary or periprosthetic distal femur fracture between 2007 and 2017. Outcomes included mortality and health status (Three-Level European Quality of Life-Five Dimensions Scale [EQ-5D-3L]) collected at 6 and 12 months postinjury. All distal femur fractures were confirmed by radiological review. Multivariable logistic regression was conducted to report associations between fracture type and mortality and health status. RESULTS: A final cohort of 292 participants was identified. Overall mortality for the cohort was 29.8%, and no significant differences were found in mortality rate or EQ-5D-3L outcomes between fracture types (ie, primary vs. periprosthetic). A large proportion of participants reported problems across all EQ-5D-3L domains at 6 and 12 months postinjury, with slightly worse outcomes in the primary fracture group. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports high mortality and poor 12-month outcomes in an older adult cohort with both periprosthetic and primary distal femur fractures. Given these poor outcomes, fracture prevention and a greater focus on long-term rehabilitation is needed in this cohort. In addition, the involvement of an ortho-geriatrician should be considered as a routine component of care. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Orthopaedic injuries due to electric scooter trauma presenting to a level 1 trauma centre before and after introduction of a scooter-sharing scheme.

Background: Epidemiological data from various jurisdictions has shown that electric scooters are associated with significant trauma. The Victorian state government introduced a trial scooter sharing scheme on February 1, 2022 in inner city Melbourne. This is a descriptive study from the largest trauma centre in Victoria, geographically at the heart of the government sharing scheme, investigating the "scope of the problem" before and after introduction of the ride sharing scheme. Methods: Retrospective case series. Insitutional orthopaedic department database was searched from 1 Jan 2021 to 30 June 2022 to identify all admissions, requiring orthopaedic management, associated with e-scooter trauma. Data collected included, alcohol/drug involvement, hospital LOS, injury severity score, ICU admission, injuries sustained, surgical procedures, discharge destination, and death. Results: In the 12 months prior to, and five months since introduction of the ride share scheme, 43 patients sustaining e-scooter related injuries were identified. Eighteen patients (42%) presented in the five months since ride sharing was introduced and 25 patients in the preceding 12 months. 58% of patients were found to be intoxicated. Fourteen percent required an ICU admission. Forty-four percent of patients were polytrauma admissions. The median length of stay was two days, longest individual hospital stay was 69 days. There were 49 surgical procedures in 35 patients including neurosurgical, plastics and maxillofacial operations. The mean Injury Severity Score was 17.28. Conclusion: Electric scooters are associated with a significant trauma burden. This data may be combined with other clinical services and could be used to inform policy makers.

The Translated Proximal Humerus Fracture: A Comparison of Operative and Nonoperative Management.

OBJECTIVES: To report on the long-term outcomes of the management of translated proximal humerus fractures. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study was conducted from January 2010 to December 2018. SETTING: Academic Level 1 trauma center. PARTICIPANTS/PATIENTS: A total of 108 patients with a proximal humerus fracture with ≥100% translation, defined as no cortical bony contact between the shaft and humeral head fragments, were included. INTERVENTION: Patients were managed nonoperatively with sling immobilization or with operative management as determined by the treating surgeon. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Outcome measures were the Oxford Shoulder Score, EQ-5D-5L, return to work, and radiological outcomes. Complications recorded included further surgery, loss of position/fixation, nonunion/malunion, and avascular necrosis. RESULTS: Of the 108 patients, 76 underwent operative intervention and 32 were managed nonoperatively. The mean (SD) age in the operative group was 54.3 (±20.2) years and in the nonoperative group was 73.3 (±15.3) years ( P < 0.001). There was no association between Oxford Shoulder Score and management options (mean 38.5 [±9.5] operative versus mean 41.3 [±8.5] nonoperative, P = 0.48). Operative management was associated with improved health status outcomes; EQ-5D utility score adjusted mean difference was 0.16 (95% CI, 0.04-0.27; P = 0.008); EQ-5D VAS adjusted mean difference was 19.2 (95% CI, 5.2-33.2; P = 0.008). Operative management was associated with a lower odds of nonunion (adjusted OR 0.30; 95% CI, 0.09-0.97; P = 0.04), malunion (adjusted OR 0.14; 95% CI, 0.04-0.51; P = 0.003), and complications (adjusted OR 0.07; 95% CI, 0.02-0.32; P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Translated proximal humerus fractures with ≥100% displacement demonstrate improved health status and radiological outcomes after surgical fixation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Electric scooter-related trauma, alcohol and other drugs.

OBJECTIVE: To report the frequency of electric scooter-related trauma and association with alcohol and other drug (AOD) use. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, including presentations from 1 January 2017 to 31 May 2022 to a metropolitan health service. RESULTS: There were 272 cases included, with increasing frequency, of which 65 (24%) had AOD exposure. Most AOD-related trauma occurred at night, among males, without helmet use, had higher injury severity, requirement for surgical intervention and longer hospital length of stay. CONCLUSIONS: Urgent preventive measures with a focus on reducing AOD exposure and promoting of helmet use is indicated.

Comparison of state-of-the-art machine and deep learning algorithms to classify proximal humeral fractures using radiology text.

INTRODUCTION: Proximal humeral fractures account for a significant proportion of all fractures. Detailed accurate classification of the type and severity of the fracture is a key component of clinical decision making, treatment and plays an important role in orthopaedic trauma research. This research aimed to assess the performance of Machine Learning (ML) multiclass classification algorithms to classify proximal humeral fractures using radiology text data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from adult (16 + years) patients admitted to a major trauma centre for management of their proximal humerus fracture from January 2010 to January 2019 were used (1,324). Six input text datasets were used for classification: X-ray and/or CT scan reports (primary) and concatenation of patient age and/or patient sex. One of seven Neer class labels were classified. Models were evaluated using accuracy, recall, precision, F1, and One-versus-rest scores. RESULTS: A number of statistical ML algorithms performed acceptably and one of the BERT models, exhibiting good accuracy of 61% and an excellent one-versus-rest score above 0.8. The highest precision, recall and F1 scores were 50%, 39% and 39% respectively, being considered reasonable scores with the sparse text data used and in the context of machine learning. CONCLUSION: ML and BERT algorithms based on routine unstructured X-ray and CT text reports, combined with the demographics of the patient, show promise in Neer classification of proximal humeral fractures to aid research. Use of these algorithms shows potential to speed up the classification task and assist radiologist, surgeons and researchers.

Comparison of the quality of documentation between electronic and paper medical records in orthopaedic trauma patients.

Objective The medical record is critical for documentation and communication between healthcare professionals. This study compared the completeness of orthopaedic documentation between the electronic medical record (EMR) and paper medical record (PMR). Methods A review was undertaken of 400 medical records (200 EMR, 200 PMR) of patients with operatively managed traumatic lower limb injury. The operative report, discharge summary and first and second out-patient reviews were evaluated using criteria designed by a senior orthopaedic surgeon and senior physiotherapist. The criteria included information deemed critical to the post-operative care of the patient in the first 6 weeks post-surgery. Results In all cases, an operative report was completed by a senior surgeon. Notable findings included inferior documentation of patient weight-bearing status on the operative report in the EMR than PMR group (P = 0.018). There was a significant improvement in the completion of discharge summaries in the EMR compared with PMR cohort (100% vs 82.5% respectively; P < 0.001). In the PMR group, 70.0% of discharge summaries were completed and adequately documented, compared with 91.5% of those in the EMR group (P < 0.001). At out-patient review, there was an improvement in documentation of weight-bearing instructions in the EMR compared with PMR group (81.1% vs 76.2% respectively; P = 0.032). Conclusion The EMR is associated with an improvement in the standard of orthopaedic medical record documentation, but deficiencies remain in key components of the medical record. What is known about the topic? Medical records are an essential tool in modern medical practice and have significant implications for patient care and management, communication and medicolegal issues. Despite the importance of comprehensive documentation, numerous examples of poor documentation continue to be demonstrated. Recently, significant changes to the medical record in Australia have been implemented with the conversion of some hospitals to an EMR and the implementation of the My Health Record. What does this paper add? Standards of patient care should be monitored continuously and deficiencies identified in order to implement measures for improvement and to close the quality loop. This study has highlighted that although there has been improvement in medical record keeping with the implementation of an EMR, the standard of orthopaedic medical record keeping continues to be below what is expected, and several key areas of documentation require improvement. What are the implications for practitioners? The implications of these findings for practitioners are to highlight current deficiencies in documentation and promote change in current practice to improve the quality of medical record documentation among medical staff. Although the EMR has improved documentation, there remain areas for further improvement, and hospital administrators will find these observations useful in implementing ongoing change.

Predicting fracture outcomes from clinical registry data using artificial intelligence supplemented models for evidence-informed treatment (PRAISE) study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Distal radius (wrist) fractures are the second most common fracture admitted to hospital. The anatomical pattern of these types of injuries is diverse, with variation in clinical management, guidelines for management remain inconclusive, and the uptake of findings from clinical trials into routine practice limited. Robust predictive modelling, which considers both the characteristics of the fracture and patient, provides the best opportunity to reduce variation in care and improve patient outcomes. This type of data is housed in unstructured data sources with no particular format or schema. The "Predicting fracture outcomes from clinical Registry data using Artificial Intelligence (AI) Supplemented models for Evidence-informed treatment (PRAISE)" study aims to use AI methods on unstructured data to describe the fracture characteristics and test if using this information improves identification of key fracture characteristics and prediction of patient-reported outcome measures and clinical outcomes following wrist fractures compared to prediction models based on standard registry data. METHODS AND DESIGN: Adult (16+ years) patients presenting to the emergency department, treated in a short stay unit, or admitted to hospital for >24h for management of a wrist fracture in four Victorian hospitals will be included in this study. The study will use routine registry data from the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR), and electronic medical record (EMR) information (e.g. X-rays, surgical reports, radiology reports, images). A multimodal deep learning fracture reasoning system (DLFRS) will be developed that reasons on EMR information. Machine learning prediction models will test the performance with/without output from the DLFRS. DISCUSSION: The PRAISE study will establish the use of AI techniques to provide enhanced information about fracture characteristics in people with wrist fractures. Prediction models using AI derived characteristics are expected to provide better prediction of clinical and patient-reported outcomes following distal radius fracture.

Outcomes of severe lower limb injury with Mangled Extremity Severity Score ≥ 7.

AIMS: Complex fractures of the femur and tibia with associated severe soft tissue injury are often devastating for the individual. The aim of this study was to describe the two-year patient-reported outcomes of patients in a civilian population who sustained a complex fracture of the femur or tibia with a Mangled Extremity Severity Score (MESS) of ≥ 7, whereby the score ranges from 2 (lowest severity) to 11 (highest severity). METHODS: Patients aged ≥ 16 years with a fractured femur or tibia and a MESS of ≥ 7 were extracted from the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (January 2007 to December 2018). Cases were grouped into surgical amputation or limb salvage. Descriptive analysis were used to examine return to work rates, three-level EuroQol five-dimension questionnaire (EQ-5D-3L), and Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended (GOS-E) outcomes at 12 and 24 months post-injury. RESULTS: In all, 111 patients were included: 90 (81%) patients who underwent salvage and 21 (19%) patients with surgical amputation. The mean age of patients was 45.8 years (SD 15.8), 93 (84%) were male, 37 (33%) were involved in motor vehicle collisions, and the mean MESS score was 8.2 (SD 1.4). Two-year outcomes in the cohort were poor: six (7%) patients achieved a GOS-E good recovery, the mean EQ-5D-3L summary score was 0.52 (SD 0.27), and 17 (20%) patients had returned to work. CONCLUSION: A small proportion of patients with severe lower limb injury (MESS ≥ 7) achieved a good level of function 24 months post-injury. Further follow-up is needed to better understand the long-term trajectory of these patients, including delayed amputation, hospital readmissions, and healthcare utilization. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2021;103-B(4):769-774.

Outcomes following operatively managed acetabular fractures in patients aged 60 years and older.

AIMS: Acetabular fractures in older adults lead to a high risk of mortality and morbidity. However, only limited data have been published documenting functional outcomes in such patients. The aims of this study were to describe outcomes in patients aged 60 years and older with operatively managed acetabular fractures, and to establish predictors of conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective, registry-based study of 80 patients aged 60 years and older with acetabular fractures treated surgically at The Alfred and Royal Melbourne Hospital. We reviewed charts and radiological investigations and performed patient interviews/examinations and functional outcome scoring. Data were provided by the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR). Survival analysis was used to describe conversion to THA in the group of patients who initially underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Multivariate regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with conversion to THA. RESULTS: Seven patients (8.8%) had died at a median follow-up of 18 months (interquartile range (IQR) 12 to 25), of whom four were in the acute THA group. Eight patients (10%) underwent acute THA. Of the patients who underwent ORIF, 17/72 (23.6%) required conversion to THA at a median of 10.5 months (IQR 4.0 to 32.0) . After controlling for other factors, transport-related cases had an 88% lower rate of conversion to THA (hazard ratio (HR) 0.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.02 to 0.91). Mean standardized Physical Component Summary Score (PCS-12) of the 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12) was comparable with the general population (age-/sex-matched) by 12 to 24 months. Over half of patients working prior to injury (14/26) returned to work by six months and two-thirds of patients (19/27) by 12 months. CONCLUSION: Patients over 60 years of age managed operatively for displaced acetabular fractures had a relatively high mortality rate and a high conversion rate to THA in the ORIF group but, overall, patients who survived had mean PCS-12 scores that improved over two years and were comparable with controls. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2020;102-B(12):1735-1742.

PRECICE intramedullary nail in the treatment of adult leg length discrepancy.

BACKGROUND: Limb length discrepancy in adults is not an uncommon occurrence following trauma and limited literature exists on limb lengthening in skeletally mature populations using modern techniques. This study aimed to evaluate outcomes of limb lengthening surgery using the PRECICE magnetic limb lengthening intramedullary nail in an adult population. METHOD: From 2013 to 2018, 21 adult patients were operated by a single surgeon, using the PRECICE nail, for lower limb length discrepancies. Low energy femoral osteotomies were performed via a limited approach. Tibial osteotomies were performed using a percutaneous technique and Gigli saw. A distraction rate of 0.75 mm/day was used as a standard protocol with change in rate of 0.25 mm/day implemented as required. Patients were followed up until radiological evidence of consolidation. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 36.4 years (range 21-65), with 19 patients being male. Seventeen femoral and four tibial lengthenings were performed. Mean follow up was 15.1 months (range 6-30). Eleven patients underwent deformity correction at time of nail insertion (10 femoral, 1 tibial). All patients achieved correct lengthening (mean gain 36.5 mm, range 18-80 mm). All patients consolidated their regenerate bone (mean 268 days, range 99-825). Mean femoral consolidation index was 6.5, mean tibial consolidation index was 16.1 (p = 0.002). Six patients had delayed consolidation of regenerate bone. Increasing age (p = 0.04), number of prior operations (p = 0.03), and smoking (p = 0.01) were associated with delayed consolidation. Four of 21 (19%) patients suffered a complication, with one implant failure. CONCLUSIONS: The PRECICE intramedullary nail is a reliable limb lengthening device in skeletally mature patients, providing predictable lengthening and bone regeneration.

Discharge destination and patient-reported outcomes after inpatient treatment for isolated lower limb fractures.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the association between discharge destination (home or inpatient rehabilitation) for adult patients treated in hospital for isolated lower limb fractures and patient-reported outcomes. DESIGN: Review of prospectively collected Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR) data. SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Adults (18-64 years old) treated for isolated lower limb fractures at four Melbourne trauma hospitals that contribute data to the VOTOR, 1 March 2007 - 31 March 2016. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Return to work and functional recovery (assessed with the extended Glasgow Outcomes Scale, GOS-E); propensity score analysis of association between discharge destination and outcome. RESULTS: Of 7961 eligible patients, 1432 (18%) were discharged to inpatient rehabilitation, and 6775 (85%) were followed up 12 months after their injuries. After propensity score adjustment, the odds of better functional recovery were 56% lower for patients discharged to inpatient rehabilitation than for those discharged directly home (odds ratio, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.37-0.51); for the 5057 people working before their accident, the odds of return to work were reduced by 66% (odds ratio, 0.34; 95% CI, 0.26-0.46). Propensity score analysis improved matching of the discharge destination groups, but imbalances in funding source remained for both outcome analyses, and for also for site and cause of injury in the GOS-E analysis (standardised differences, 10-16%). CONCLUSIONS: Discharge to inpatient rehabilitation after treatment for isolated lower limb fractures was associated with poorer outcomes than discharge home. Factors that remained unbalanced after propensity score analysis could be assessed in controlled trials.

Twelve month mortality rates and independent living in people aged 65 years or older after isolated hip fracture: A prospective registry-based study.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigated which patient and injury characteristics are associated with 12-month mortality rates and living independently after isolated hip fracture. METHODS: Older adults aged ≥65 years were included if they had an isolated hip fracture, were admitted to hospital between July 2009 and June 2016, inclusive, and were registered to the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry. Mortality up to 12 months (365 days) post-injury, and functional outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale-Extended; GOS-E) at 12 months post-injury were examined. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs), and multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of living independently compared with severe disability or death on the GOS-E. RESULTS: 4,912 patients were included, of whom 28% died, 46% had moderate-severe disability, and 26% were living independently 12 months post-injury. Mortality rates were lower in women (aHR=0.56, 95%CI: 0.50, 0.63), and in people injured in a high fall vs low fall (aHR=0.47, 95%CI: 0.31, 0.72). Mortality rates were higher in people in the older age groups (75-84 years: aHR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.21, 1.93; 95+ years: aHR=3.58, 95%CI: 2.68, 4.77), living in areas with the highest level of socioeconomic disadvantage (aHR=1.25, 95%CI: 1.01, 1.55), with a Charlson Comorbidity Index weighting of one (aHR=1.60, 95%CI: 1.36, 1.88) or more than one (aHR=2.21, 95%CI: 1.94, 2.53), whose injury occurred in a residential institution versus at home (aHR=2.63, 95%CI: 1.97, 3.52), that resulted in intensive care unit admission (aHR=1.68, 95%CI: 1.21, 2.32), and in people who did not have surgery versus people who had internal fixation (aHR=1.65, 95%CI: 1.33, 2.04). Independent living was inversely associated with most of the same characteristics; however, people also had lower odds of living independently if they were from metropolitan residential areas versus rural areas (aOR=0.77, 95%CI: 0.62, 0.96), or had mild to moderate (aOR=0.33, 95%CI: 0.27, 0.39) or marked to severe (aOR=0.13, 95%CI: 0.09, 0.20) preinjury disability vs no preinjury disability. CONCLUSIONS: Characteristics that are associated with social disadvantage, frailty, poor health and reduced independence before injury were associated with increased rates of death and reduced odds of living independently 12 months after isolated hip fracture.

The road to recovery for vulnerable road users hospitalised for orthopaedic injury following an on-road crash.

BACKGROUND: Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists are vulnerable to serious injury due to limited external protective devices. Understanding the level of recovery, and differences between these road user groups, is an important step towards improved understanding of the burden of road trauma, and prioritisation of prevention efforts. This study aimed to characterise and describe patient-reported outcomes of vulnerable road users at 6 and 12 months following orthopaedic trauma. METHODS: A registry-based cohort study was conducted using data from the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR) and included pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists who were hospitalised for an orthopaedic injury following an on-road collision that occurred between January 2009 and December 2016. Outcomes were measured using the 3-level EuroQol 5 dimensions questionnaire (EQ-5D-3 L), Glasgow Outcome Scale - Extended (GOS-E) and return to work questions. Outcomes were collected at 6 and 12 months post-injury. Multivariable generalized estimating equations (GEE), adjusted for confounders, were used to compare outcomes between the road user groups over time. RESULTS: 6186 orthopaedic trauma patients met the inclusion criteria during the 8-year period. Most patients were motorcyclists (42.8%) followed by cyclists (32.6%) and pedestrians (24.6%). Problems were most prevalent on the usual activities item of the EQ-5D-3 L at 6-months post-injury, and the pain/discomfort item of the EQ-5D-3 L at 12 months. The adjusted odds of reporting problems on all EQ-5D-3 L items were lower for cyclists when compared to pedestrians. Moreover, an average cyclist had a greater odds of a good recovery on the GOS-E, (AOR 2.75, 95% CI 2.33, 3.25) and a greater odds of returning to work (AOR = 3.13, 95% CI 2.46, 3.99) compared to an average pedestrian. CONCLUSION: Pedestrians and motorcyclists involved in on-road collisions experienced poorer patient-reported outcomes at 6 and 12 months post-injury when compared to cyclists. A focus on both primary injury prevention strategies, and investment in ongoing support and treatment to maximise recovery, is necessary to reduce the burden of road trauma for vulnerable road users.

Patient Comprehension of Common Orthopedic Terminology.

BACKGROUND: Medical terminology is often complex and confusing to lay people. Even common terms used by health care professionals often have other meanings and can easily be misinterpreted. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify patient comprehension of common orthopedic terminology across multiple hospital settings. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2016 until November 2016 at an Academic Level 1 trauma center. One hundred and fifty emergency department patients and 150 orthopedic inpatients with isolated orthopedic injuries were included. Participants completed a questionnaire consisting of 12 multiple-choice questions determining patient comprehension of common orthopedic terminology. KEY RESULTS: Total comprehension scores on the questionnaire were scored as number correct out of 11. In the emergency department, the mean total score was 5.01 compared to 5.45 in orthopedic inpatients (p = .046). Patients in both groups demonstrated poor understanding of medical terms (including fracture, ruptured tendon) and anatomical terms. In contrast, nonmedical terminology such as broken bone was better understood. Fifty-seven percent of participants stated that they understood their orthopedic condition completely. Notably, there was no correlation (r = .15) between comprehension and participants describing that they completely understood their orthopedic condition. CONCLUSIONS: Emergency department patients and orthopedic inpatients demonstrate poor comprehension of orthopedic terminology. Health care professionals should assume a poor level of comprehension during their interactions with orthopedic patients and ensure that patient communication is clear, concise, and informative to facilitate better patient comprehension, informed consent, and an improved doctor-patient relationship. [HLRP: Health Literacy Research and Practice. 2019;3(3):e187-e193.]. PLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARY: This study evaluated patient comprehension of common orthopedic terminology in orthopedic inpatients and patients presenting to the emergency department with orthopedic injuries. This study found that patients demonstrate poor understanding of terminology used commonly by health care professionals, and that patients demonstrated little insight into their lack of comprehension. These findings have implications for doctor-patient communication, informed consent, and patient satisfaction.

Using Patient-Reported Outcomes to Predict Revision Arthroplasty Following Femoral Neck Fracture: Enhancing the Value of Clinical Registries through Data Linkage.

The aim of this study was to determine the association between patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) six months following femoral neck fracture after a low fall and future arthroplasty, and the factors associated with this. Six-month post-fracture PROMs were collected from the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR) for patients aged >55 years who were admitted for a femoral neck fracture after a low fall between March 2007 and June 2015. These cases were linked with those registered by Australian Orthopaedic Association National Joint Replacement Registry (AOANJRR) up to October 2016. Multivariable analysis was performed using a Cox proportional hazards model to determine factors associated with future arthroplasty, including six-month PROMs. Of the 7077 hip fracture patients registered by VOTOR during the study period, 2325 met the inclusion criteria. Internal fixation being used for the initial hip fracture surgery, being younger and having no pre-injury disability were all independently associated with future revision or conversion to arthroplasty. Out of all PROMs, reporting pain and discomfort six months post-fracture was associated with a 9.5-fold increase in the risk of future arthroplasty (95% CI: 3.81, 23.67). The value of clinical registries can be enhanced via data linkage, in this case by using PROMs to predict arthroplasty following femoral neck fracture.

Incidence, Costs and Predictors of Non-Union, Delayed Union and Mal-Union Following Long Bone Fracture.

Fracture healing complications are common and result in significant healthcare burden. The aim of this study was to determine the rate, costs and predictors of two-year readmission for surgical management of healing complications (delayed, mal, non-union) following fracture of the humerus, tibia or femur. Humeral, tibial and femoral (excluding proximal) fractures registered by the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry over five years (n = 3962) were linked with population-level hospital admissions data to identify two-year readmissions for delayed, mal or non-union. Study outcomes included hospital length-of-stay (LOS) and inpatient costs. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine demographic and injury-related factors associated with admission for fracture healing complications. Of the 3886 patients linked, 8.1% were readmitted for healing complications within two years post-fracture, with non-union the most common complication and higher rates for femoral and tibial shaft fractures. Admissions for fracture healing complications incurred total costs of $4.9 million AUD, with a median LOS of two days. After adjusting for confounders, patients had higher odds of developing complications if they were older, receiving compensation or had tibial or femoral shaft fractures. Patients who are older, with tibial and femoral shaft fractures should be targeted for future research aimed at preventing complications.

Epidemiology and outcomes of traumatic knee dislocations: Isolated vs multi-trauma injuries.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Traumatic dislocation of the knee (TKD) is a rare injury, accounting for approximately 0.02% of orthopaedic injuries. They are a challenging entity for orthopaedic surgeons to manage, and can have devastating consequences. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiology of traumatic knee dislocations (TKD'S) and contrast the incidence of neurovascular injury between isolated and multi-trauma dislocations as well as key patient reported outcomes achieved between these groups. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Patients who had a traumatic disruption of the tibiofemoral articulation between March 1 2007 and February 31, 2015 were identified from the Victorian Orthopaedic Trauma Outcomes Registry (VOTOR). Data was cross-checked with medical records and radiological reports to confirm true multi-ligamentous dislocation. VOTOR collects information pertaining to orthopaedic injuries, treatment, complications and outcomes from four adult hospitals in Victoria, Australia, including the major trauma centers. Patient-reported outcomes are collected by VOTOR at 12 months post-injury including the EQ-5D-3L (EQ-5D) and Glasgow Extended Outcome Scores (GOS-E) and return to work status. Patient reported functional and quality of life outcomes at 12 months after injury were analysed. RESULTS: A cohort of 88 patients were identified that fit the inclusion criteria for the study, and at 12 months post-injury there was data available for 80 patients (90.9%). There were 38 (42.9%) patients who experienced an isolated traumatic knee dislocation and 52 (57.1%) who experienced a traumatic knee dislocation in association with another injury. Of the 88 patients identified as eligible for the study, two had bilateral knee dislocations, hence there were 90 multi-ligamentous knee injuries. Those who were injured at a higher velocity were more likely to have additional injuries. Dislocations that occurred at a lower velocity were shown to have better overall outcomes, as did dislocations that occurred in isolation. CONCLUSIONS: Traumatic knee dislocations that occur in isolation typically result in better outcomes than those that occur with associated injuries. TKD's are a rare but severe injury that requires further research in order for functional outcomes to be optimized.

Nail Fit: Does Nail Diameter to Canal Ratio Predict the Need for Exchange Nailing in the Setting of Aseptic, Hypertrophic Femoral Nonunions?

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate patient-independent risk factors for aseptic femoral hypertrophic nonunion requiring exchange nailing, with particular reference to the fit of the nail at the isthmus within the canal. DESIGN: Retrospective case control study. SETTING: Level 1 trauma center. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Between 2008 and 2012, 211 patients without any patient-dependent risk factors for nonunion were treated with a locked reamed intramedullary nail for a femoral shaft fracture. Twenty-three cases went on to hypertrophic nonunion requiring exchange nailing (treatment group) and 188 cases went on to union (control group). Patient-independent risk factors for exchange nailing were documented. RESULTS: Patient-independent risk factors for exchange nailing were poor fracture reduction [Odds ratio (OR): 11.5, 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.0-33.4, P < 0.001], open fracture (OR: 7.6, 95% CI, 3.0-19.6, P = 0.004), Winquist classification of 4 (OR: 4.4, 95% CI, 1.9-6.7, P = 0.016), and poor nail fit (OR: 10.3, 95% CI, 5.1-28.4, P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed nail fit as an independent predictor of femoral nonunion requiring exchange nailing (OR: 11.4, 95% CI, 6.9-15.2, P < 0.001). Moreover, we found a direct relationship between increasingly poor nail fit and increased risk of exchange nailing, with the criterion occurring at a nail fit ratio <70%. CONCLUSION: When proceeding to femoral fracture reamed intramedullary nailing, we recommend a minimum nail fit of 70% at the isthmus and ideally 90% or more, to avoid surgical reintervention. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Comparing ICD-10 external cause codes for pedal cyclists with self-reported crash details.

Accurate coding of injury event information is critical in developing targeted injury prevention strategies. However, little is known about the validity of the most universally used coding system, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10), in characterising crash counterparts in pedal cycling events. This study aimed to determine the agreement between hospital-coded ICD-10-AM (Australian modification) external cause codes with self-reported crash characteristics in a sample of pedal cyclists admitted to hospital following bicycle crashes. Interview responses from 141 injured cyclists were mapped to a single ICD-10-AM external cause code for comparison with ICD-10-AM external cause codes from hospital administrative data. The percentage of agreement was 77.3% with a κ value of 0.68 (95% CI 0.61 to 0.77), indicating substantial agreement. Nevertheless, studies reliant on ICD-10 codes from administrative data should consider the 23% level of disagreement when characterising crash counterparts in cycling crashes.