Nutrition in Surgery: An Orthopaedic Perspective.

➤ Malnutrition is common among subsets of patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery and is associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications.➤ Serum proteins, in particular, albumin, may be used in the evaluation of nutritional status.➤ Anthropometric measurements and surveys also play a role in the evaluation of nutritional status.➤ Increased energy and nutrient requirements due to surgical procedures necessitate increased caloric and protein intake in the perioperative period, which may be achieved through diet or supplementation.➤ Evidence supports the use of protein-calorie, amino acid, and immunonutrition supplements. Vitamin D supplementation is an area of further consideration.➤ Diet restriction, activity alterations, pharmacotherapy, and bariatric surgery are all safe, effective approaches to weight loss, although the optimal timing and magnitude of preoperative weight loss require further investigation.

Heterotopic Ossification Remodeling After Acetabular Surgery: A Natural History Case Report.

CASE: A 30-year-old woman presented with a transverse plus posterior wall acetabular fracture and underwent operative fixation through a Kocher-Langenbeck approach. Shared decision was made for no heterotopic ossification (HO) prophylaxis. The patient developed symptomatic HO and was scheduled for resection, which was delayed because of the pandemic. She returned with interval remodeling of HO and symptom resolution. No surgery was required. CONCLUSION: HO is a common complication after acetabular injury. Resection is the treatment of choice for symptomatic HO. We are not aware of other reports of spontaneous remodeling of symptomatic HO such that it no longer required surgery.

Risk factors for Staphylococcus aureus colonization in a presurgical orthopedic population.

BACKGROUND: Preoperative colonization with Staphylococcus aureus (SA) increases risk of surgical site infection. Screening for SA followed by skin and nasal decolonization can help to reduce the risk of postoperative infections. Risk factors for colonization are, however, not completely understood. METHODS: A case-control study using questionnaires and patient demographics specifically designed to observe SA colonization risk factors in a presurgical orthopedic population. A total of 115 subjects with a positive preoperative screen for SA nasal colonization prior to orthopedic surgery completed a questionnaire to assess for SA risk factors: these subjects served as our cases. An additional 476 controls completed similar questionnaires. Data collected included demographic, health, and lifestyle information. Multivariable logistic regression was used to generate odds ratios (OR) for risk of SA colonization. RESULTS: Several risk factors were identified. Male sex (OR 2.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], [1.4-3.8]) and diabetes (OR 3.8 [1.8-7.8]) significantly increased the risk of SA colonization. Older age, visiting public places (OR 0.2 [0.1-0.3]), recent antibiotic use (OR 0.2 [0.1-0.6]), and the presence of facial hair (OR 0.3 [0.1-0.6]) significantly lowered the risk of SA colonization. CONCLUSIONS: By identifying patients who may be at greater risk of SA colonization, we can better streamline our presurgical techniques to help reduce risk of surgical site infections and improve patient outcomes.

Prospective Randomized Trial Comparing Femoral Nerve Block With Intraoperative Local Anesthetic Injection of Liposomal Bupivacaine in Total Knee Arthroplasty.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) may impact long-term results and incidence of complications. Femoral nerve block (FNB) provides excellent pain relief after TKA, although associated risks include weakness, delayed participation in therapy, and nerve injury. Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) is a potentially longer acting local anesthetic that may reduce postoperative pain. METHODS: We performed a prospective, randomized, double-blind study of 373 TKA patients randomized to receive either an FNB (control group), or an intraoperative periarticular injection (PAI) with LB and a placebo saline FNB (experimental group). Patients were evaluated with visual analog scores for pain, range of motion, performance of straight leg raise (SLR), walking distance, and Short Form-12 up to 1 year postoperatively. RESULTS: Twelve and 24 hours postoperatively, the control group had significantly lower pain scores (mean 3.24 vs 3.87; P = .02) and higher range of motion (84.54° vs 78°; P < .001). The patients receiving LB PAI were significantly more likely to perform a straight leg raise 12 hours postoperatively (73% vs 50%; P = .0003). Patients in the LB (experimental) group scored better in the physical function component of the Short Form-12 (-23 vs -27, P = .01) 3 months postoperatively. CONCLUSION: While pain scores were slightly lower in the control group in the first 24 hours after TKA compared with LB PAI, the magnitude of the difference was small, and excellent pain relief was provided by both interventions. Use of LB PAI in TKA is a reasonable alternative to FNB, which avoids the additional weakness and other risk associated with FNB procedures.

A prospective randomized clinical trial of prescription of full-time versus as-desired splint wear for de Quervain tendinopathy.

PURPOSE: There is no consensus on the best protocol for splint wear in the non-operative management of de Quervain tendinopathy. This study aimed to determine if there is a difference between prescription of strict splint wear compared to selective splint wear in patients with de Quervain tendinopathy. We tested the primary null hypothesis that there is no difference in upper-extremity disability eight weeks after initiating splinting between patients prescribed full-time or as-desired splint wear. Secondary study questions addressed differences in grip strength, pain intensity, and treatment satisfaction. Additionally, we evaluated the influence of psychological factors on disability. METHODS: Eighty-three patients diagnosed with de Quervain tendinopathy were randomly allocated into two different splint-wearing instructions: full-time wear (N = 43) or as-desired wear (N = 40). At enrollment, patients had grip strength measured and completed measures of upper-extremity disability, pain intensity, and psychological distress. An average of 7.5 weeks later, patients returned for a second visit. Analysis was by intention-to-treat and with use of mean imputation for missing data. RESULTS: Fifty-eight patients (70 %; 26 in the full-time cohort and 32 in the as-desired cohort) completed the study. There were no statistically significant differences in disability (p = 0.77), grip strength (p = 0.82), pain intensity (p = 0.36), and treatment satisfaction (p = 0.91) between patients instructed to wear the splint full-time and those instructed to use it as desired. Disability at final evaluation correlated significantly with baseline levels of pain anxiety (p = 0.008), catastrophic thinking (p = 0.001), and symptoms of depression (p < 0.001). The best multivariable linear regression model included symptoms of depression alone and accounted for 32 % of the variability in disability (p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: There is no difference in patient-reported outcomes and grip strength with prescription of full-time or as-desired splinting, and patients can wear the splint as they prefer. These results suggest that splinting for de Quervain tendinopathy is palliative at best and strict rest is not disease modifying.

Physicians' and patients' views of cancer care by family physicians: a report from the American Academy of Family Physicians National Research Network.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: There has been little research describing the role of family physicians in the care of patients with an active diagnosis of cancer. METHODS: Using qualitative methods, we interviewed 15 family physicians and 15 of their cancer patients. We asked physicians about care of cancer patients in general and of the specific patient included in this study. Patient interviews focused on the role their family physician played in their care and their satisfactions and frustrations with that care. RESULTS: The physicians reported coordinating referrals, providing general medical care, helping with decisions, and providing emotional support. Their involvement was more intense at the time of diagnosis and near death. The patients gave similar responses and also said they valued clear explanations and spending time with and feeling comfortable with their family physicians. CONCLUSIONS: Family physicians fulfill a number of important roles in caring for their patients with an active diagnosis of cancer. More research using representative samples is needed to determine the generalizability of these findings, but this study gives us some preliminary insight into the role family physicians play in cancer care.