Fractures of the Coracoid Process: Evaluation, Management, and Outcomes.

Fractures of the coracoid process are relatively rare, and current management guidelines remain unclear. Most coracoid fractures occur in conjunction with other shoulder injuries, including dislocations and fractures. Identifying coracoid fractures can be difficult because most fractures are nondisplaced and can be missed on radiographs or may be masked by other injuries. Management is largely guided by fracture location and displacement. Conservative treatment is preferred for fractures that are minimally displaced, whereas indications for surgical fixation include fractures that are displaced (>1 cm), have progressed to a painful nonunion, or are associated with the disruption of the superior shoulder suspensory complex. Although conservative treatment has been historically favored, satisfactory outcomes have been reported for both surgical and nonsurgical treatment. We provide a comprehensive review of diagnosis and management strategies for coracoid fractures.

Surgical Treatment of Femoral Neck Fractures: A Brief Review.

Hip fracture is a cause for concern in the geriatric population. It is one of the leading causes of traumatic injury in this demographic and correlates to a higher risk of all-cause morbidity and mortality. The Garden classification of femoral neck fractures (FNF) dictates treatment via internal fixation or hip replacement, including hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty. This review summarizes existing literature that has explored the difference in outcomes between internal fixation, hemiarthroplasty, and total hip arthroplasty for nondisplaced and displaced FNF in the geriatric population, and more specifically highlights the risks and benefits of a cemented vs. uncemented approach to hemiarthroplasty.

Arthroscopic Lysis of Adhesions and Anterior Interval Release With Manipulation Under Anesthesia for Severe Post-traumatic Knee Stiffness: A Simple and Reproducible Step-by-Step Guide.

Post-traumatic knee stiffness can present after injuries around the knee and surgery. Management is guided by the type of initial injury, amount of range-of-motion loss, time since injury, and cartilage status. Cases refractory to conservative management may conventionally be treated with manipulation under anesthesia (MUA), arthroscopic lysis of adhesions, or open quadricepsplasty. We describe our arthroscopic technique of lysis of adhesions with anterior interval release and intraoperative MUA, which has been shown to provide sustainable range-of-motion improvement in a subset of patients with severe knee arthrofibrosis. Although technically demanding, this technique benefits from being minimally invasive, allows for direct visualization of intra-articular structures, and allows all-round arthroscopic release of adhesions to improve patellar mobility and decrease the risk of fracture prior to MUA. A rigorous postoperative formal physical therapy protocol and patient compliance are imperative to achieve good outcomes.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Intra-articular Findings After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in Ice Hockey Versus Other Sports.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of comorbid knee pathology has been examined for sports-related anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries, but it has not been examined in ice hockey players. PURPOSE: To compare concomitant bone bruising, collateral ligament injuries, and intra-articular injuries in ACL injuries suffered during ice hockey versus other sports. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS: A total of 20 patients with ACL injuries sustained during ice hockey were identified from a prospective registry, of which 95% were male and 90% had a contact mechanism of injury (MOI). Thirteen cases and 46 controls who sustained ACL injuries from ice hockey and other sports, respectively, were included. Inclusion criteria for cases and controls were male sex, contact MOI, no prior knee surgery, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) within 6 weeks of injury, and surgery within 3 months of injury. Age, body mass index (BMI), MRI findings (bone bruising, medial and lateral collateral ligament [MCL, LCL] injuries), and arthroscopic findings (meniscus tears, chondral injuries) were compared for cases versus controls using t tests or exact chi-square tests. RESULTS: Age (22.9 ± 8.8 vs 23.4 ± 10.4 years, P = .88) and BMI ≥25 kg/m(2) (50% vs 65.9%, P = .66) did not differ between cases and controls. Cases had less lateral bone bruising (lateral femoral condyle: 54.6% vs 93%, P = .01; lateral tibial plateau: 72.7% vs 93%, P = .09) and no medial bone bruising (medial femoral condyle: 0% vs 7%, P = .06; medial tibial plateau: 0% vs 32.6%, P = .05) compared with controls. Cases had less frequent lateral meniscus tears than controls (23.1% vs 58.5%, P = .05). There were no significant differences in MCL (40% vs 31.2%, P = .77), LCL (0% vs 3.9%, P > .999), medial meniscus tears (7.7% vs 37%, P = .08), and chondral injuries (10% vs 9.4%, P > .999) for cases versus controls. CONCLUSION: Male ice hockey players with ACL injuries had less lateral femoral condyle and medial tibial plateau bone bruising compared with other sports injuries. They also had fewer lateral meniscus tears, and there was a trend toward fewer medial meniscus tears. These differences may reflect different MOIs, or the ability to dissipate energy, for contact ACL injuries that occur during ice hockey versus other sports.