Clinical Care Guideline for Improving Pediatric Acute Musculoskeletal Infection Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Acute pediatric musculoskeletal infections are common, leading to significant use of resources and antimicrobial exposure. In order to decrease variability and improve the quality of care, Children's Hospital Colorado implemented a clinical care guideline (CCG) for these infections. The purpose of this study is to evaluate clinical and resource outcomes PRE and POST this CCG. METHODS: Retrospective chart review evaluated patients admitted to a large pediatric quaternary referral center (CHCO) diagnosed with acute osteomyelitis, septic arthritis, pyomyositis, and/or musculoskeletal abscess prior to and after guideline implementation. Primary outcomes included length of stay and overall antibiotic use, with additional secondary clinical, process, and therapeutic outcomes examined. RESULTS: 82 patients were identified in both the pre-CCG and post-CCG cohorts. There was a reduction in the median of all primary outcomes, including length of stay (0.6 median days decrease, P = .04), length of IV antibiotic therapy (4.9 median days decrease, P < .0001), and days of IV antibiotic therapy (6.4 median days decrease, P = .0004). Our median length of stay post-CCG was 4.9 days, the shortest reported length of stay for pediatric acute musculoskeletal infections to date. Additionally, there was a 24.5 hour reduction in median length of fever (P = .02), faster CRP normalization (P < .0001), 50% decrease in the number of related readmissions (P = .02), 34% decrease in central venous catheters placed (P < .0001), decreased time to first culture (P = .02), and 79% pathogen identification post-CCG (P = .056). CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of a CCG for acute musculoskeletal infections improves patient, process and resource outcomes.

Is Assessment of Femoral Head Perfusion During Modified Dunn for Unstable Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis an Accurate Indicator of Osteonecrosis?

BACKGROUND: The modified Dunn procedure, which is an open subcapital realignment through a surgical dislocation approach, has gained popularity for the treatment of unstable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). Intraoperative monitoring of the femoral head perfusion has been recommended as a method of predicting osteonecrosis; however, the accuracy of this assessment has not been well documented. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We asked (1) whether intraoperative assessment of femoral head perfusion would help identify hips at risk of developing osteonecrosis; (2) whether one of the four methods of assessment of femoral head perfusion is more accurate (highest area under the curve) at identifying hips at risk of osteonecrosis; and (3) whether specific clinical features would be associated with osteonecrosis occurrence after a modified Dunn procedure for unstable SCFE. METHODS: Between 2007 and 2014, we performed 29 modified Dunn procedures for unstable SCFE (16 boys, 11 girls; median age, 13 years; range, 8-17 years); two were lost to followup before 1 year. During this period, six patients with unstable SCFE were treated by other procedures. All patients undergoing modified Dunn underwent assessment of epiphyseal perfusion by the presence of active bleeding and/or by intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring. In the initial five patients perfusion was recorded once, either before dissection of the retinacular flap or after fixation by one of the two methods. In the remaining 22 patients (81%), perfusion was systematically assessed before dissection of the retinacular flap and after fixation by both methods. Minimum followup was 1 year (median, 2.5 years; range, 1-8 years) because osteonecrosis typically develops within the first year after surgery. Patients were assessed for osteonecrosis by the presence of femoral head collapse at radiographs obtained every 3 months during the first year after surgery. Seven (26%) of the 27 patients developed osteonecrosis. Measures of diagnostic accuracy including sensitivity, specificity, and the area under the receiver operating curve (AUC) were estimated. Multiple variable logistic regression analyses were used to test whether the test options were better than random chance (AUC > 0.50) at differentiating between patients who did versus did not develop osteonecrosis. Nonparametric methods were used to test for a difference in AUC across the four methods. A secondary analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with osteonecrosis. RESULTS: After adjusting for body mass index, which was found to be a confounding variable, assessment of femoral head perfusion with ICP monitoring before retinaculum dissection (adjusted AUC: 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.58-0.99; p = 0.006), femoral head perfusion with ICP monitoring after definitive fixation (adjusted AUC: 0.82; 95% CI, 0.65-1.0; p < 0.001), bleeding before retinaculum dissection (adjusted AUC: 0.77; 95% CI, 0.58-0.96; p = 0.006), and bleeding after definitive fixation (adjusted AUC: 0.81; 95% CI, 0.63-0.99; p = 0.001) were found to be helpful at identifying osteonecrosis. We were not able to identify a specific test that had performed best because there was no difference (p = 0.8226) in AUC across the four methods. With the numbers available, we were unable to identify clinical factors predictive of osteonecrosis in our cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Assessments of femoral head blood perfusion by ICP monitoring or by the presence of active bleeding in combination with the patient's body mass index are effective at differentiating between patients who do versus do not develop osteonecrosis after a modified Dunn procedure for unstable SCFE. Additional research is needed to determine whether information gained from assessment of femoral head perfusion during surgery should be used to guide targeted treatment recommendations that may reduce the development of femoral head deformity secondary to osteonecrosis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, diagnostic study.

A technique for pediatric chest wall reconstruction using custom-designed titanium implants: description of technique and report of two cases.

PURPOSE: We present a surgical technique for chest wall reconstruction using custom-designed titanium implants developed for two female patients to provide both chest wall symmetry and adequate stability for staged breast reconstruction. METHODS: A retrospective review was performed for two adolescent female patients with large chest wall defects who underwent the described technique. The etiology of the chest wall deficiency was secondary to Poland's syndrome in one patient, and secondary to surgical resection of osteosarcoma in the other patient. For each patient, a fine-cut computed tomography scan was obtained to assist with implant design. After fabrication of the prosthesis, reconstruction was performed though a curvilinear thoracotomy approach with attachment of the implant to the adjacent ribs and sternum. Wound closure was obtained with use of synthetic graft material, local soft tissue procedures, and flap procedures as necessary. RESULTS: The two patients were followed post-operatively for 35 and 38 months, respectively. No intra-operative or post-operative complications were identified. Mild scoliosis that had developed in the patient following chest wall resection for osteosarcoma did not demonstrate any further progression following reconstruction. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that this technique was successful at providing a stable chest wall reconstruction with satisfactory cosmetic results in our patients.

Surgical Hip Dislocation for the Treatment of Intra-Articular Injuries and Hip Instability Following Traumatic Posterior Dislocation in Children and Adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Traumatic posterior hip dislocation in children is a rare injury that typically is treated with closed reduction. Surgical treatment is typically recommended for nonconcentric reduction with joint space asymmetry with entrapped labrum or an osteochondral fragment. The surgical hip dislocation (SHD) approach allows for full assessment of the acetabulum and femoral head and has been our preferred surgical strategy. The purpose of this study was to (1) describe the intra-articular pathologic findings seen at the time of SHD; and (2) to investigate hip pain, function, and activity level of a cohort of children and adolescents after open treatment of a posterior hip dislocation using the SHD approach. METHODS: Following IRB approval, 23 patients who sustained a traumatic posterior hip dislocation between January 2009 and December 2013 were identified. In 8/23 (34.8%) patients there was evidence of nonconcentric reduction after closed treatment and surgical treatment was performed using the SHD approach. Seven male and 1 female (mean age, 11.2 y; range, 6 to 14.6 y) were followed for an average of 28 months (range, 13 to 67 mo). The modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and the University of California Los Angeles activity score assessed clinical hip outcome and activity level at minimum of 1 year after surgery. RESULTS: Six patients were treated after an acute trauma, whereas 2 were treated after recurrent dislocations. Five patients were involved in motor vehicle accidents and 3 in sports-related injuries. Intraoperative findings include posterior labral avulsion in all patients, fracture of the cartilaginous posterior wall (n=3), and femoral head chondral injuries (n=5) and fracture (n=1). The labral root was repaired using suture anchor technique in 7/8 patients and resected in 1. In 2 patients, labral repair was complemented by screw fixation of the posterior wall. All but one patient (mHHS=94) reported maximum mHHS. The University of California Los Angeles activity score was 10 for 5/8 patients and 7 in 3 patients. No case of femoral head osteonecrosis was noted. One patient developed an asymptomatic heterotopic ossification. CONCLUSIONS: When open reduction is recommended for the treatment of intra-articular pathologies and hip instability following traumatic dislocation of the hip in children and adolescents, the SHD is an excellent approach that allows surgical correction of the damaged bony and soft-tissue structures including repair of the capsule-labral complex, and reduction and internal fixation of the cartilaginous posterior wall and femoral head fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV.

Modified Dunn Procedure is Superior to In Situ Pinning for Short-term Clinical and Radiographic Improvement in Severe Stable SCFE.

BACKGROUND: In situ pinning is the conventional treatment for a stable slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). However, with a severe stable SCFE the residual deformity may lead to femoroacetabular impingement and articular cartilage damage. A modified Dunn subcapital realignment procedure has been developed to allow for correction at the level of the deformity while preserving the blood supply to the femoral head. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We compared children with severe stable SCFE treated with the modified Dunn procedure or in situ pinning in terms of (1) proximal femoral radiographic deformity; (2) Heyman and Herndon clinical outcome; (3) complication rate; and (4) number of reoperations performed after the initial procedure. METHODS: In this nonmatched retrospective study, 15 patients treated with the modified Dunn procedure (between 2007 and 2012) and 15 treated with in situ pinning (between 2001 and 2009) for severe but stable SCFE were followed for a mean of 2.5 years (range, 1-6 years). During the period in question, the decision regarding which procedure to use was based on the on-call surgeon's discretion; six surgeons performed in situ pinning and three surgeons performed the modified Dunn procedure. A total of 15 other patients were treated for the same diagnosis during the study period but were lost to followup before 1 year; of those, 12 were in the in situ pinning group. Radiographs were reviewed to measure the AP and lateral alpha angles, femoral head-neck offset, and Southwick angle preoperatively and at the latest clinical visit. The Heyman and Herndon clinical outcome, complications, and subsequent hip surgeries were recorded. RESULTS: At latest followup, the median AP alpha angle (52°, range 41°-59° versus 76°, interquartile range [IQR]: 68°-88°; p = 0.0017), median lateral alpha angle (44°, IQR: 40°-51° versus 87°, IQR: 74°-96°; p < 0.001), median head-neck offset (7 mm, IQR: 5-9 mm versus -5, IQR: -11 to -4 mm; p < 0.001), and median Southwick angle (16°, IQR: 6°-23° versus 58°, IQR: 47°-66°; p < 0.001) revealed better deformity correction with the modified Dunn procedure compared with in situ pinning. Nine patients had good or excellent results in the modified Dunn group compared with four of 15 in the in situ pinning group (p = 0.0343; odds ratio, 5.86; 95% CI, 1.13-40.43). With the numbers available, there were no differences in the numbers of complications in each group (five versus three complications in the in situ and modified Dunn groups, respectively; p = 0.66), but there were more reoperations in the in situ pinning group (three versus seven; p = 0.0230). CONCLUSIONS: The modified Dunn procedure results in better morphologic features of the femur, a higher rate of good and excellent Heyman and Herndon clinical outcome, a lower reoperation rate, and a similar occurrence of complications when compared with in situ pinning for treatment of severe stable SCFE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, therapeutic study.