Patient Reported Outcomes After Conversion vs. Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Propensity Matched Analysis.

Background: Conversion total hip arthroplasty (cTHA) is increasingly utilized as a salvage procedure for complications associated with fracture fixation around the hip and acetabulum and for failed hip preservation surgery. While primary THA (pTHA) has a high success rate, little is known about outcomes following conversion THA. The purpose of this study is to evaluate patient reported outcomes (PROs) and complication rates following conversion THA compared to primary THA. Methods: Patients that underwent cTHA or pTHA from 2015-2020 at a large tertiary referral academic center were retrospectively identified. THA patients were propensity matched in a 1:1 fashion by age, body mass index (BMI), and sex. Pain scores and PROMIS physical function (PF), pain interference (PI), and depression (DA) scores were compared at preoperative and final postoperative follow up timepoints using independent t-tests. Differences in complication and reoperation rates between cohorts were assessed using chi square analysis. Results: A total of 118 THAs (59 cTHA, 59 pTHA) were included in this analysis with an average follow up of 21.3 months. cTHAs were most commonly performed following hip fracture fixation (50.8%). The conversion cohort had significantly longer lengths of stay (3.6 days vs 1.9 days, p<0.01) and greater use of revision-type implants (39.0% vs 0.0%, p<0.01) compared to pTHA. There was no significant difference in complication rates (cTHA = 15.3%, pTHA = 8.5%; p=0.26), with intraoperative fracture being the most common for both. Primary and conversion THA groups also experienced similar reoperation rates (cTHA = 5.1%, pTHA = 6.8%; p=0.70). No significant differences in PROs at final follow up were identified between groups. Conclusion: Patients undergoing cTHA required increased utilization of revision hip implants and had longer lengths of stay, but had comparable complication and reoperation rates, and ultimately demonstrated similar improvements in PROMIS scores compared to a matched cohort of pTHA patients. Level of Evidence: III.

Immediate Improvement in Physical Function After Symptomatic Syndesmotic Screw Removal.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immediate impact of removing symptomatic syndesmotic screws on PROMIS outcomes and ankle range of motion (ROM) in patients who had previously undergone ankle fracture open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and syndesmotic fixation and later experienced functional limitations. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Level 1-trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: Fifty-eight patients with ankle fractures with syndesmotic instability that required ORIF with syndesmotic fixation who underwent syndesmotic screw removal (SSR) and 71 patients who underwent ankle ORIF with syndesmotic fixation, but without screw removal during the same study period. INTERVENTION: Symptomatic SSR for patients with functional limitations and decreased ankle ROM. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: PROMIS physical function (PF) and pain interference T-scores and ankle ROM before and after screw removal. RESULTS: Patients who underwent SSR had a statistically significant improvement in the PF T-score to 44.5 (P < 0.01) in the early postoperative period (mean 48 days) after screw removal. The screw removal occurred an average of 184 days after initial ORIF. This PF T-score change also met the minimally clinically important difference. There was a trend toward a significant improvement in PF T-scores for the SSR group as compared to the cohort group (44.5 vs. 41.6; P = 0.06) after screw removal. Removal of symptomatic implants resulted in an early mean improvement of total arc ankle ROM by 17 degrees (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients experienced an immediate and significant improvement in PF outcomes and ankle ROM after symptomatic SSR for ankle fracture ORIF with syndesmotic fixation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Expedited surgery in geriatric hip fracture patients taking direct oral anticoagulants is not associated with increased short-term complications or mortality rates.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate potential differences in time to surgery, bleeding risk, wound complications, length of stay, transfusion rate, and 30-day mortality between patients anticoagulated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and those not anticoagulated at the time of evaluation for an acute hip fracture. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review Level III Study. SETTING: One university-based hospital in Rochester, NY. PATIENTS/INTERVENTION: : Patients 65 years and older undergoing operative treatment of a hip fracture over a 5-year period. Chart review identified patients on DOAC therapy at the time of injury as well as an age and sex-matched control group not on anticoagulation. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: : Demographics, procedure type, admission/postoperative laboratory work, perioperative metrics, transfusion metrics, discharge course, reoperation, readmission, wound complications, and 30-day mortality were obtained for comparison. RESULTS: Thirty-six hip fractures anticoagulated on DOACs were compared to 108 controls. The DOAC group had delays to operative treatment (27.6 h, SD 16.3 h, 95% CL [22.0-33.1]) vs the control group (19.8 h, SD 10.5 h, 95% CL [17.7-21.8], P = .01). No differences were found in estimated blood loss, procedure time, or change in hemoglobin. Transfusion rates were not significantly different between groups (58.3% DOAC vs 47.2% control, P = .25). No difference in reoperation, readmission, wound complication, deep venous thrombosis rates, or 30-day mortality rates were found. CONCLUSION: Patients presenting on DOAC therapy at the time of hip fracture have a delay to surgery compared with age and sex-matched controls, but no increase in short term complications or mortality rates. Expedited surgery (within 48 h) appeared to be safe and effective treatment for hip fracture patients on DOAC therapies.

Risk Factors Associated With Cephalomedullary Nail Cutout in the Treatment of Trochanteric Hip Fractures.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association of cephalomedullary nail cutout in trochanteric femur fractures with the presence of the following radiographic variables: lateral wall fracture, posteromedial fragment, angular malreduction, residual basicervical fracture gapping, screw placement, and tip-apex distance. DESIGN: Retrospective review. SETTING: Academic medical center. PATIENTS: A total of 362 patients were included in the study. The average age was 83 years and the majority was female. All sustained low-energy trochanteric femur fractures treated operatively with cephalomedullary nails. Minimum radiographic follow-up was 3 months, with an average of 11 (range 3-88) months. INTERVENTION: Cephalomedullary nailing with either a lag screw or helical blade. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cutout of the lag screw or helical blade. RESULTS: A total of 22 (6%) cutouts occurred. Univariate analysis showed significantly (P ≤ 0.01) more frequent cutout with fracture of the lateral wall, posteromedial fragment, residual gapping (>3 mm) at basicervical component, neck-shaft malreduction >5 degrees varus or 15 degrees valgus, and tip-apex distance >25 mm, and superior screw/blade positioning. There was no difference with unstable fracture pattern (P = 0.58) or fellowship training (P = 0.21). Multivariate regression analysis demonstrates that lateral wall fracture (Odds ratios [OR] = 8.0, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.4-27.1), neck-shaft malreduction (OR = 4.3, CI, 1.3-14.7), and residual basicervical gapping (OR = 3.6, CI, 1.0-13.0) were associated with fixation cutout. CONCLUSIONS: Risk factors for cutout of trochanteric fractures in our study can be viewed as modifiable or nonmodifiable factors. Statistically significant factors included lateral wall fracture (nonmodifiable) as well as basicervical gapping and malreduction (modifiable). LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Radiographic Risk Factors For Interprosthetic Femur Fractures.

PURPOSE: Total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are among the most common orthopaedic procedures performed in the United States annually. As the number of patients undergoing these procedures increases so too does the incidence of periprosthetic femur fractures. A number of these periprosthetic fractures occur between two ipsilateral implants, so-called interprosthetic fractures. Recent biomechanical data has challenged the importance of these interprosthetic distances, relating that cortical width and osteoporotic bone are more closely correlated with fracture than interprosthetic distance. The purpose of the current study is to further define the presence of osteoporosis, cortical width (CW) and medullary diameter (MD) as potential predictive factors for interprosthetic femur fractures. METHODS: Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes were used to identify a cohort of patients undergoing operative treatment for periprosthetic femur fractures. A review of the medical records identified 23 patients (5 male / 18 female) with a femur fracture between two intramedullary implants. CPT codes were also used to identify a second cohort of 25 patients (8 male / 17 female) having undergone ipsilateral THA and TKA. The intact femoral isthmus was identified radiographically and the MD and CW (mm) were measured. A ratio of MD to CW was also determined. Chart review was undertaken and any diagnosis of osteoporosis was recorded. An independent sample T-test was performed comparing the mean MD, CW, and the ratio of MD:CW for these groups. Significance was set at p.

Expedited Operative Care of Hip Fractures Results in Significantly Lower Cost of Treatment.

BACKGROUND: There are an estimated 150,000 hip fractures per year in the United States, with estimated costs of care between $10.3 billion and $15.2 billion. With such high costs and an increasing burden of care, there has been interest in newer methods to increase efficiency of care. One such method is expedited fracture care, with earlier operative intervention. The purpose of this study was to determine if intervention within six hours of admission decreased costs with no change in the rate of major complications. METHODS: A retrospective review of all patients age >65 undergoing operative intervention for a proximal femur fracture over a two year period were identified. Patients were divided into two groups: those undergoing operative intervention < six hours after admission (early) and those undergoing operative intervention > six hours after admission. Patient age, average length of stay, and complication rates were determined for the two groups. RESULTS: Our study identified 657 patients, 111 of which underwent early intervention with the remaining 546 undergoing late intervention. The average length of stay for the early intervention group was 4.11 days, compared to 5.68 days for die late intervention group (p=0.0005). There was a significant difference in average cost between the two groups. The average cost of the early intervention was $49,900, with the average cost of late intervention being $65,300 (p = 0.0086). There was no significant difference in incidence of major complications between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Programs emphasizing early intervention for hip fractures have the potential for large healthcare savings, with an average savings of $15,400. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Finding a job in an overcrowded market: getting what you want.

As the number of fellowship-trained orthopaedic trauma surgeons entering the workforce increases, so does the competition for available practice opportunities. The process of finding employment has seemingly become more involved as the relative availability of positions has declined over recent years. To manage this new environment, new graduates need to become much more proactive in the process of seeking and obtaining orthopaedic trauma positions.

Cartilage-on-cartilage versus metal-on-cartilage impact characteristics and responses.

A common in vitro model for studying acute mechanical damage in cartilage is to impact an isolated osteochondral or cartilage specimen with a metallic impactor. The mechanics of a cartilage-on-cartilage (COC) impact, as encountered in vivo, are likely different than those of a metal-on-cartilage (MOC) impact. The hypothesis of this study was that impacted in vitro COC and MOC specimens would differ in their impact behavior, mechanical properties, chondrocyte viability, cell metabolism, and histologic structural damage. Osteochondral specimens were impacted with either an osteochondral plug or a metallic cylinder at the same delivered impact energy per unit area, and processed after 14 days in culture. The COC impacts resulted in about half of the impact maximum stress and a quarter of the impact maximum stress rate of change, as compared to the MOC impacts. The impacted COC specimens had smaller changes in mechanical properties, smaller decreases in chondrocyte viability, higher total proteoglycan content, and less histologic structural damage, as compared to the impacted MOC specimens. If MOC impact conditions are to be used for modeling of articular injuries and post-traumatic osteoarthritis, the differences between COC and MOC impacts must be kept in mind.

Correlation of orthopaedic trauma practice opportunities and number of fellows trained: are trauma-specific practice opportunities scarce?

SUMMARY: : Recent trauma fellows are concerned with difficulty finding a job. Our hypothesis was that the increased number of trauma fellows has led to a decrease in the number of jobs available and a subsequent decrease in advertised trauma positions. To determine the number of advertised positions, a review and tabulation of the advertised trauma specific orthopaedic surgery practice opportunities for the past 9 years (2003-2011) was completed. The number of trauma fellows has increased significantly in the last decade from 19 to 64. The number of Trauma fellowship positions available has increased from 58 to 81. We found that from 2003 to 2011 fewer advertised practice opportunities were present overall. The increase in number of orthopedic trauma fellows correlates closely with the decrease in advertised, trauma specific practice opportunities implying a relationship between the two.

Concomitant infection and local metal reaction in patients undergoing revision of metal on metal total hip arthroplasty.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) with conventional polyethylene bearings is traditionally the standard operative treatment for endstage arthritis of the hip. This design has excellent survivorship in most populations, with a low occurrence of infection and other associated complications. Due to concern over increased wear in younger, more active populations, other bearing surfaces have been evaluated, particularly metal-on-metal with wear rates theorized to be lower than conventional THA. Unique to metal-on-metal THA, however, is the possibility of local soft tissue reactions that can mimic infection, making proper diagnosis and treatment difficult. We present a case series of nine hips in eight patients undergoing revision of metal-on-metal THA for local soft tissue reactions, three of which were also found to be concomitantly infected. The laboratory and hip aspirate data described show significant overlap between the infected and non-infected cases. Care must be taken when evaluating patients with failed metal-on-metal THA as there may be an increased incidence of co-infection in this group of patients.

Measuring contact area, force, and pressure for bioengineering applications: using Fuji Film and TekScan systems.

The goal of this study was to compare the TekScan I-Scan Pressure Measurement System with two methods of analysis involving the Fuji Film Prescale Pressure Measuring System in estimating area, force and pressure. Fuji Film and TekScan sensors were alternately placed between a cylindrical peg and a finely ground steel base plate, and compressed with known forces. All Fuji stains were digitally scanned and analyzed. The Erase method of Fuji Film analysis consisted of manually removing portions of the image judged by the user to be outside the perimeter of the stain. The second method of Fuji Film analysis, termed the Threshold method, used the threshold tool to analyze only those pixels that were stained from loading. The TekScan system utilized special matrix-based sensors interfaced with a Windows compatible desktop computer that was equipped with specialized data acquisition hardware and analysis software. The data from this study did not support the hypothesis that all three methods would have accuracies within +/-5% of a known value, when estimating area, force and pressure. Specifically, the TekScan system was found to be more accurate than either of the Fuji Film methods when estimating area and pressure.