The Effect of Esophageal Temperature Probes on Postoperative Dysphagia Following Primary Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: A Randomized Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: The anterior approach to the cervical spine is associated with postoperative dysphagia. It is difficult to predict which patients are most at risk for dysphagia. The objective of this study was to determine if placing an esophageal temperature probe preoperatively would affect the severity and length of postoperative dysphagia. We hypothesize that use of an esophageal temperature probe would result in worse postoperative dysphagia at all measured time points as measured by the Swallowing-Quality of Life (SQAL-QOL) survey after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). METHODS: A total of 44 patients were enrolled in a prospective, randomized controlled trial and randomized into groups: 1 with an esophageal temperature probe placed at the time of surgery and 2 without. A total of 39 patients filled out postoperative SWAL-QOL questionnaires at their preoperatives. Using the survey results, the data were analyzed between groups and subanalyzed based on number of operative levels and sex. RESULTS: SWAL-QOL scores for patients undergoing 2-level ACDF with an esophageal temperature probe were significantly better compared with those without a probe at 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. These results were not significant at other time points in in the overall analysis, but a trend toward improved dysphagia scores at each time point postoperatively was seen with the probe group. No differences were found between the 2 groups with respect to age at the time of surgery, sex, and preoperative SWAL-QOL score. CONCLUSIONS: Placement of an esophageal temperature probe at the time of surgery significantly improved postoperative dysphagia scores in patients undergoing 2-level ACDF at 2 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2 CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Placement of a temperature probe is a safe and effective technique that is readily available and easily applicable to the practice of spine surgery and may improve postoperative dysphagia after ACDF.

Surgical Treatment of Adhesive Capsulitis: A Retrospective Comparative Study of Manipulation Under Anesthesia and/or Capsular Release.

Background No consensus exists among orthopedic surgeons regarding the optimal intervention for adhesive capsulitis. The purpose of this study was to determine which treatment provides the best objective outcome following manipulation under anesthesia (MUA), MUA + arthroscopic capsular release (CR), or CR alone. Methods Between 2011 and 2015, 97 shoulders were treated for adhesive capsulitis (MUA, MUA+CR, CR) and followed for three months or until achieving full range of motion (ROM). Patients' charts were reviewed for demographic information, diabetes, pre/post-operative ROM, and complications. Results The average age at surgery was 57 years (range: 31-80 years) with a mean follow-up of 6.2 months (range: 2-43 months). ROM improved significantly regardless of treatment modality (p < 0.001). MUA had significantly more external rotation at follow-up than MUA+CR and CR alone (62 vs 49 vs 48, p = 0.02). Groups were similar in regards to post-operative elevation and internal rotation. Loss of external rotation following surgery was significantly more common in the MUA+CR group (p = 0.03). In diabetics, no treatment option was superior to another in regards to final ROM. Conclusion Operative treatment of idiopathic adhesive capsulitis is efficacious and safe for improving shoulder ROM across treatment modalities. Surgeon preference may effectively guide treatment independent of diabetic status.

Quantitative Anatomical Differences in the Shoulder.

This study explored the radiographic and anatomical differences in normal shoulders between men and women, as well as factors such as race, height, weight, and age. A total of 205 patients with documented normal anatomical radiographs comprised the study population. Five fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon reviewers measured head diameter, humeral head size, head to tuberosity distance, greater tuberosity width, neck-shaft angle, surface-arc angle, glenoid neck length, and distance from the lateral acromion process to the greater tuberosity on anteroposterior radiographs with the shoulder in external rotation. After the reviewers identified and marked defined anatomical landmarks, a comprehensive automated calculator was used to compute all parameters. Between men and women, head diameter (P<.001), humeral head size (P<.001), greater tuberosity width (P<.001), distance from the lateral acromion process to the greater tuberosity (P<.001), and glenoid neck length (P<.001) were significantly different, whereas race was not significantly different for any anatomical parameter. Using Spearman's rho, there was a strong correlation between head diameter/humeral head height and height (rs=0.77/rs=0.68), weight (rs =0.62), and greater tuberosity width (rs=0.66/rs= 0.61); there also was a strong negative correlation between head to tuberosity distance and neck-shaft angle (rs=-0.80). This study demonstrated precisely defined proximal humeral anatomical relationships and sizes using an advanced standardized imaging software program. With these data, orthopedic surgeons and implant designers can better understand the anatomy and glenohumeral relationships to re-create when performing total shoulder arthroplasty. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(3):155-160.].

The use of indomethacin in the prevention of postoperative radioulnar synostosis after distal biceps repair.

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated the incidence of symptomatic radioulnar synostosis/heterotopic ossification after distal biceps tendon repair in patients receiving indomethacin prophylaxis. We hypothesized that indomethacin use postoperatively would decrease the occurrence of symptomatic synostosis. METHODS: A single-center retrospective record review identified 124 patients undergoing distal biceps repair between 2011 and 2014. Patients were analyzed for administration of indomethacin, contraindications to administration, age, time to surgery, fixation method, medical comorbidities, and development of symptomatic synostosis. Oral indomethacin (75 mg, once daily) was prescribed postoperatively for 10 to 42 days per each attendings' protocol. RESULTS: After analysis, 112 patients met the inclusion criteria, with 7 undergoing a 1-incision distal biceps repair and 105 undergoing a 2-incision repair. Of those, 104 received indomethacin postoperatively, with a synostosis rate of 0.96% compared with 37.50% for the untreated group (P < .001). No statistically significant difference was found between fixation methods and synostosis. One patient with synostosis was a single-incision repair, and 3 were 2-incision suture bridge repairs. Three patients with synostosis had relative contraindications to administration of indomethacin, including concomitant warfarin use, clopidogrel use, and ulcerative colitis. CONCLUSION: Indomethacin use after distal biceps repair was associated with a statistically significant reduction in the rate of symptomatic radioulnar synostosis and did not have any associated adverse effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding or rerupture, despite prolonged use of up to 6 weeks. This study represents the largest study to report the outcomes of patients undergoing distal biceps repair with concomitant synostosis prophylaxis using indomethacin.

The unusual presentation of a vascular injury after lumbar microdiscectomy: case report.

Vascular injury during lumbar spine surgery is a relatively rare complication but can have devastating outcomes. The injury may not be apparent during surgery and can present acutely or late in various manners, and some injuries can be asymptomatic. This report discusses the unusual case of a 35-year-old woman who underwent a right L4-5 microdiscectomy for disc herniation and 4 days postoperatively presented with a pulmonary embolus. A subsequent CT scan revealed a pseudoaneurysm and arteriovenous fistula of the right common iliac vein and artery, which gave rise to the embolus. The patient received a right iliac artery stent, and at 4 months after surgery she continues to be symptom free. This report describes the atypical presentation of vascular injury after lumbar microdiscectomy and stresses the importance of cautiously using the pituitary rongeur when removing deeper disc fragments.

Rotator cuff tears in the throwing athlete.

Tears of the rotator cuff, both partial, and less commonly, full thickness, are relatively common in the throwing athlete. The rotator cuff is subjected to enormous stresses during repetitive overhead activity. The supraphysiological strains, especially when combined with pathology elsewhere in the kinetic chain, can lead to compromise of the cuff fabric, most commonly on the undersurface where tensile overload occurs. Exacerbation by a tight posterior capsular, anterior instability, and internal impingement render the cuff progressively compromised, with intrinsic shear stresses and undersurface fiber failure. Advances in imaging technology, including contrast magnetic resonance imaging, dynamic ultrasound, and arthroscopic visualization have enhanced our understanding of cuff pathology in this athletic population. Unfortunately, this has not yet translated into how to best approach these athletes to return them to their previous level of activity. Nonoperative management remains the mainstay for most throwers, with arthroscopic debridement an effective surgical option for those with refractory symptoms. Despite technological advances in cuff repair in the general population, comparable outcomes have not been achieved in high-level throwers. Widespread appreciation that securing the cuff operatively will likely end an athletes' throwing career has led to adopting a surgical approach that emphasizes debridement over repair for nearly all partial and full-thickness tears. Whether advances in surgical technique will ultimately permit definitive and lasting repairs that allow overhead throwers to return to their previous level of sports remains unknown at this time.