Oral Is as Effective as Intravenous Tranexamic Acid at Reducing Blood Loss in Thoracolumbar Spinal Fusions: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective randomized trial at a university affiliated tertiary medical center between February 2017 and March 2020. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare perioperative blood loss in patients undergoing elective posterior thoracolumbar fusion who were treated with IV versus PO TXA. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The use of antifibrinolytic agents such as tranexamic acid (TXA) to decrease operative blood loss and allogenic blood transfusions is well documented in the literature. Although evidence supports the use of intravenous (IV) and topical formulations of TXA in spine surgery, the use of oral (PO) TXA has not been studied. METHODS: A total of 261 patients undergoing thoracolumbar fusion were randomized to receive 1.95 g of PO TXA 2 hours preoperatively or 2 g IV TXA (1 g before incision and 1 g before wound closure) intraoperatively. The sample was further stratified into three categories based on number of levels fused (one-to two-level fusions, three to five, and more than five). The primary outcome was the reduction of hemoglobin. Secondary outcomes included calculated blood loss, drain output, postoperative transfusion, complications, and length of hospital stay. Equivalence analysis was performed with a two one-sided test. RESULTS: One hundred thirty-seven patients received IV and 124 received PO TXA. The average age was 62 ±â€Š13 years (mean ±â€ŠSD), including 141 females and 120 males. Revision cases comprised of 67% of the total sample. Patient demographic factors were similar between groups except for weight, BMI, and preoperative platelet count. The mean reduction of hemoglobin was similar between IV and PO groups (3.56 vs. 3.28 g/dL, respectively; P = 0.002, equivalence). IV TXA group had a higher transfusion rate compared to PO TXA group (22 patients [19%] vs. 12 patients [10%]; P = 0.03). In addition, IV group had longer length of stay (LOS) than PO group (4.4 vs. 3.7 days; P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Patients treated with IV and PO TXA experienced the same perioperative blood loss after small and large spinal fusions. In subgroup analysis, the intermediate (three to five level) spinal fusions had less blood loss with PO TXA than IV TXA. Given its lower cost, PO TXA represents a superior alternative to IV TXA in patients undergoing elective posterior thoracolumbar fusion and may improve health care cost-efficiency in the studied population.Level of Evidence: 1.

Fatigue Increases Dynamic Knee Valgus in Youth Athletes: Results From a Field-Based Drop-Jump Test.

PURPOSE: To determine whether fatigue increases dynamic knee valgus in adolescent athletes, as measured after a standardized exercise protocol and video-based drop-jump test. A secondary aim was to determine whether individual risk factors place certain athletes at increased risk for dynamic knee valgus. METHODS: Athletes aged 14 to 18 years were recruited for this video analysis study. Athletes were recorded performing a standard drop-jump to assess dynamic valgus. Participants then completed a standardized exercise protocol. Fatigue was quantified using a maximum vertical jump, which was compared with pre-exercise values. The drop-jump was repeated postexercise. All drop-jump recordings were randomized and scored for dynamic valgus by 11 blinded reviewers. Univariate analysis was performed to identify characteristics that predisposed athletes to increased dynamic valgus. RESULTS: Eighty-five (47 female, 38 male) athletes with an average age of 15.4 years were included in this study. Forty-nine percent of athletes demonstrated an increase in dynamic valgus determined by drop-jump assessment after exercise. A significantly greater percentage of athletes were graded "medium or high risk" in jumps recorded after the exercise protocol (68%) as compared with before the exercise protocol (44%; P < .01). Female athletes (P < .01) and those older than 15 years of age (P < .01) were the most affected by fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our study found that exercise increases dynamic knee valgus in youth athletes. Female athletes and those older than 15 years of age were most significantly affected by exercise. Greater fatigue levels were found to correlate with an increase in dynamic knee valgus, which may place athletes at greater anterior cruciate ligament injury risk. The field-based exercise drop-jump test is a low-cost and reproducible screening tool to identify at-risk athletes who could possibly benefit from anterior cruciate ligament injury-prevention strategies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III, Comparative trial.

Mental Health and Tobacco Use Are Correlated With Physical Function Outcomes in Patients With Knee Pain and Injury.

PURPOSE: To examine the relation between the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) domains of Pain Interference (PROMIS-PI), Depression (PROMIS-D), and Physical Function (PROMIS-PF) for nonoperative patients presenting to our ambulatory sports orthopaedic clinic with knee complaints and to determine whether patient demographic characteristics influence PROMIS scores, particularly tobacco use. METHODS: All patients treated nonoperatively for a primary complaint of knee pain were recruited for participation. Patients were included if they completed all 3 PROMIS questionnaires prior to their clinical evaluation. Patients were excluded if their treatment plan determined that surgical intervention was warranted. Survey results were compiled, and statistical correlations were run between PROMIS domains and patient demographic characteristics. RESULTS: A total of 527 PROMIS questionnaire sets were included. PROMIS-PF had a strong negative correlation with PROMIS-PI (R = -0.75, P < .001) and a nearly moderate negative correlation with PROMIS-D (R = -0.47, P < .001). When evaluating patient demographic characteristics, we found a significant decrease in physical function scores and increases in pain and depression scores in both current and former tobacco users compared with nonsmokers. Differences in all PROMIS domains between smokers and nonsmokers exceeded minimal clinically important differences. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed an inverse correlation between PROMIS-PI and PROMIS-PF, as well as between PROMIS-D and PROMIS-PI, in patients seen in the ambulatory setting for knee complaints treated nonoperatively. A positive correlation was found between PROMIS-PI and PROMIS-D. Tobacco use was a patient demographic factor found to significantly impact PROMIS scores leading to minimal clinically important differences across all 3 PROMIS domains. The findings of this study may be used to identify patients at high risk of poor outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, observational study.

Diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound for rotator cuff tears.

Ultrasonography (US) is an inexpensive, convenient, and effective tool that can be used to evaluate the shoulder. It does not expose the patient to harmful radiation and can be used to evaluate the musculoskeletal system dynamically. Additionally, US is not subject to metal artifacts when evaluating patients with previously placed hardware. Over the years, US has been found to be reliable and accurate for diagnosing rotator cuff tears (RCTs), despite its operatordependence. The usage of US for diagnosing RCTs in orthopedic practice varies depending on practitioners' familiarity with the exam and the availability of experienced technicians. The purpose of this article is to review the diagnostic accuracy of US for identifying RCTs.

Length of Time Between Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction and Return to Sport Does Not Predict Need for Revision Surgery in National Football League Players.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the length of time between primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) and return to sport (RTS) predicted the need for revision ACLR in National Football League (NFL) athletes. METHODS: All NFL players who underwent ACLR from 2009 to 2015 were identified. The date of index ACLR and date of return to NFL regular-season game play after surgery were recorded. The length of time between ACLR and RTS was compared between players who required revision ACLR and those who did not. Correlation coefficients were used to assess whether players who RTS sooner sustained recurrent anterior cruciate ligament injury at an earlier date. RESULTS: A total of 130 NFL players (average age, 25.3 ± 3.2 years) who underwent ACLR and returned to sport were identified. The average time to RTS after ACLR was 49.7 weeks after surgery. Of the players, 23 (18%) required revision ACLR. There was no significant difference in the length of time between ACLR and RTS in players who did not require revision ACLR (50.2 ± 10.1 weeks) and those who did (48.3 ± 11.0 weeks, P = .40). Time to RTS was not found to correlate with time to reinjury in athletes requiring revision ACLR (R = 0.21; 95% confidence interval, -0.18 to 0.54). A large proportion of players (56%) sustained a reinjury within the first 10 weeks of returning to NFL game play. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found that timing of RTS after ACLR was not a significant risk factor for revision surgery in NFL athletes. Time to RTS was also not shown to correlate with time to reinjury. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, case-control study.

Using Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Computer Adaptive Testing Domains to Investigate the Impact of Obesity on Physical Function, Pain Interference, and Mental Health in Sports Medicine Patients.

BACKGROUND: While obesity has become an increasingly prevalent health concern in the United States, little emphasis has been placed on utilizing patient reported outcome measures (PROM) to investigate its impact on life from the patients' perspective. The purpose of the study was to determine the association between patients' body mass index (BMI) and three Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) computer adaptive test scores: upper extremity physical function (UE) or lower extremity physical function (PF), pain interference (PI), and depression (D). METHODS: Patients were recruited from two sports medicine orthopedic surgery clinics. PROMIS questionnaires were administered to patients arriving for their first visit. Patients were stratified into BMI groupings according to the National Institute of Health standards. Patients' BMI, sex, race, ethnicity, and injury were determined retroactively. Data were analyzed using a Pearson correlation and a least significant difference post hoc test. RESULTS: A total of 833 patients completed the set of PROMIS questionnaires that were retrospectively analyzed. BMI was found to have a correlation with PROMIS-UE (R=-0.111, P<0.05), PROMIS-PF (R=-0.174, P<0.01), PROMIS-PI (R=0.224, P<0.01), and PROMIS-D (R=0.092, P<0.05). Obese patients also portrayed the worst PROMIS-UE, PROMIS-PI, and PROMIS-PF. CONCLUSION: We found BMI to correlate with each PROMIS domain: negatively with PROMIS-UE, PROMIS-PF, PROMIS-D, and positively with PROMIS-PI. Additionally, overweight and obese BMI patients portrayed worse physical function and pain interference scores than their healthy group counterparts.

Do anatomic changes found in the throwing arm after a season of pitching resolve with off-season rest? A dynamic ultrasound study.

HYPOTHESIS: Our hypothesis was that seasonal adaptive changes in the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL), ulnohumeral joint space (UHJS), and glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) of the pitching extremity would subsequently resolve with off-season rest. METHODS: Eleven collegiate pitchers underwent preseason, postseason, and off-season evaluations including physical examination; dynamic ultrasound imaging of the UCL and UHJS; and the short version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire. Ultrasound images were evaluated by 2 fellowship-trained musculoskeletal radiologists. RESULTS: All 11 pitchers were included in the final analysis, with an average age of 20.1 years and with 14.1 years of playing experience. After a season of pitching, we found significant increases in GIRD (P = .004) and UCL thickness (P = .033) and nonsignificant increases in both unloaded (P = .069) and loaded (P = .122) UHJS. Preseason GIRD correlated with this increase in loaded UHJS (r = 0.80, P = .003). The increase in UCL thickness was significantly greater in pitchers with GIRD greater than 10° (P < .05). After the off-season, UCL thickness returned to baseline and significant decreases were noted in both unloaded (P = .004) and loaded (P = .041) UHJS, but a progression in GIRD was found (P = .021). Pitchers with GIRD of 10° or less showed greater improvement in UHJS after the off-season (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: The pitching season produced adaptive changes in the throwing elbow that subsequently resolved after off-season rest. However, shoulder range-of-motion deficits were progressive and did not resolve. Ultrasound adaptations of the pitching elbow were significantly related to GIRD.

Anterolateral Ligament Reconstruction Practice Patterns Across the United States.

BACKGROUND: A proposed mechanism for recurrent instability following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is failure of the anterolateral ligament (ALL). Presently, there are a number of approaches to treating ALL pathology. PURPOSE: To determine practice patterns among orthopaedic surgeons regarding ALL during ACL reconstruction. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. METHODS: An online 7-question survey was sent to all physicians registered with the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine between June and July 2017. Results were analyzed with the survey website. RESULTS: Overall, 225 of 3467 surgeons responded to the survey, 86 of whom performed ALL reconstruction and completed each question in the survey. Eighty-six (38.2%) surgeons who responded to the questionnaire stated that they perform ALL reconstruction/lateral extra-articular tenodesis in conjunction with ACL reconstruction. The most common indications for ALL reconstruction were grade III pivot-shift test (46.0%) on physical examination and revision ACL reconstruction (46.0%). The most common technique used to perform ALL reconstruction was hamstring autograft (48.2%). The majority of participating surgeons (87.5%) stated that they do not make any alterations to their postoperative rehabilitation protocol after they perform ALL reconstruction. In addition, most surgeons responding to the survey (91.3%) anticipated either an increase in or the same number of ALL procedures performed in the coming year. CONCLUSION: The majority of surgeons who responded to the survey did not routinely reconstruct the ALL. Revision procedures and grade III pivot shift were the most cited indications for performing lateral augmentation. Anatomic reconstruction with hamstring was the most commonly used procedure, although there was no consensus among surgeons responding to the survey. Understanding the ALL and its contribution to knee stability is essential. For a community of physicians, it is useful to discover how fellow sports orthopaedic surgeons address ALL pathology to integrate effective and efficient treatment strategies into practice.

The Correlation Between PROMIS Pain Interference and VAS Pain in Ambulatory Orthopedic Patients.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference (PI) score with traditionally collected visual analog scale (VAS) scores and to determine the influence of patient demographics on PROMIS PI and VAS scores. Patient demographics were collected, and PROMIS PI, PROMIS Physical Function (PF), and VAS questionnaires were distributed to 215 patients in orthopedic ambulatory clinics. The primary outcome was correlation between PROMIS PI and VAS questionnaires. The statistical method of seemingly unrelated regressions was used to identify significant predictors and strengths of correlation between PROMIS PI and conventional forms. The PROMIS PI score was highly correlated to conventional pain and functional scores, with each standard deviation increase in PROMIS PI score predicting a 16-point increase for pain-related VAS scores (current pain, pain at rest, pain during activity, pain at night), an 18-point decrease in satisfaction of function score, and a 6-point decrease in general health score. Each standard deviation increase in PROMIS PF score for black patients predicted a reduction of 11 points for current pain, 10 points for pain at rest, 10 points for pain during activity, and 12 points for pain at night scores. The PROMIS PI score consistently predicts changes in VAS pain scores and can be considered a useful, standardized tool for measuring pain for clinical and research purposes. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(6):e813-e819.].

Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System and Legacy Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in the Field of Orthopaedics: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE: To compare Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) physical function (PF) with legacy patient-reported outcome measures with regard to correlations, ease of use, and quality criteria for orthopaedic conditions. METHODS: A systematic search of the PubMed/MEDLINE database was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines to identify published articles that referenced the various PROMIS PF measures. Three authors independently reviewed selected studies. The search returned 130 studies, 44 of which underwent review. Of these, 18 were selected for inclusion. A general linear model and paired t-tests were used to assess for differences between legacy patient-reported outcome measures and PROMIS. RESULTS: The combined sample size of all articles yielded 3,047 total patients. Overall, PROMIS PF measures and legacy scores showed strong correlations (range: 0.59-0.83) when evaluating upper extremity, lower extremity, and spine patients. PROMIS questionnaires (6.04, standard error [SE] = 0.7) have significantly fewer questions than legacy forms (24.27, SE = 4.36). In lower extremity studies, the PROMIS PF (100.14 seconds, SE = 28.41) forms were completed in significantly less time (P = .03) than legacy forms (243.70 seconds, SE = 45.8). No significant difference was found between the reliabilities of the 2 types of measures. CONCLUSIONS: PROMIS PF scores correlate strongly, particularly in lower extremity patients, with some of the most commonly used legacy measures in orthopaedics. PROMIS can be administered quicker and applied to a broader patient population while remaining highly reliable. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, systematic review of Level I-IV evidence.

Return to play after shoulder instability in National Football League athletes.

HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesized that National Football League (NFL) players sustaining a shoulder destabilizing injury could return to play (RTP) successfully at a high rate regardless of treatment type. METHODS: We identified and evaluated 83 NFL players who sustained an in-season shoulder instability event while playing in the NFL. NFL RTP, incidence of surgery, time to RTP, recurrent instability events, seasons/games played after the injury, and demographic data were collected. Overall RTP was determined, and players who did and did not undergo operative repair were compared. RESULTS: Ninety-two percent of NFL players returned to NFL regular season play at a median of 0.0 weeks in those sustaining a shoulder subluxation and 3.0 weeks in those sustaining a dislocation who did not undergo surgical repair (P = .029). Players who underwent operative repair returned to play at a median of 39.3 weeks. Forty-seven percent of players had a recurrent instability event. For players who were able to RTP, those who underwent surgical repair (31%) had a lower recurrence rate (26% vs. 55%, P = .021) and longer interval between a recurrent instability event after RTP (14.7 vs. 2.5 weeks, P = .050). CONCLUSION: There is a high rate of RTP after shoulder instability events in NFL players. Players who sustain shoulder subluxations RTP faster but are more likely to experience recurrent instability than those with shoulder dislocations. Surgical stabilization of the shoulder after an instability event decreases the chances of a second instability event and affords a player a greater interval between the initial injury and a recurrent event.

Clinical Evaluation and Physical Exam Findings in Patients with Anterior Shoulder Instability.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The goal of this paper is to provide an overview in evaluating the patient with suspected or known anteroinferior glenohumeral instability. RECENT FINDINGS: There is a high rate of recurrent subluxations or dislocations in young patients with history of anterior shoulder dislocation, and recurrent instability will increase likelihood of further damage to the glenohumeral joint. Proper identification and treatment of anterior shoulder instability can dramatically reduce the rate of recurrent dislocation and prevent subsequent complications. Overall, the anterior release or surprise test demonstrates the best sensitivity and specificity for clinically diagnosing anterior shoulder instability, although other tests also have favorable sensitivities, specificities, positive likelihood ratios, negative likelihood ratios, and inter-rater reliabilities. Anterior shoulder instability is a relatively common injury in the young and athletic population. The combination of history and performing apprehension, relocation, release or surprise, anterior load, and anterior drawer exam maneuvers will optimize sensitivity and specificity for accurately diagnosing anterior shoulder instability in clinical practice.