Female Residents Give Themselves Lower Scores Than Male Colleagues and Faculty Evaluators on ACGME Milestones.

OBJECTIVE: Orthopedic surgery is one of the specialties with the lowest number of women residents and practicing surgeons. The gender discrepancy in orthopedic residency training may drive a competency bias. We asked whether female orthopedic surgery residents score themselves lower on the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Milestones than their male counterparts, and lower than their faculty evaluators. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective review of ACGME Milestone data from faculty and residents over a 4-year period. The data were analyzed using a snapshot of PGY2 (n = 20 residents) and PGY4 (n = 19 residents) scores, and using a Generalized Estimation Equation (GEE) to account for additional data points from the same residents over the 4-year data collection period. SETTING: Assessment scores were compiled from a single orthopedic surgery residency at Oregon Health & Science University from 2014 to 2017. PARTICIPANTS: The residency program has 5 residents in each program year (PGY1 through PGY5); a total of 25 residents during each year of the study were included. RESULTS: On average, female residents scored themselves lower than both their male counterparts and their faculty mentors. Female PGY2 self-evaluation scores were lower than males in both patient care (p = 0.005) and medical knowledge (p < 0.001). When the GEE model was applied to 99 responses from 41 residents over a 4-year period, there were no gender-related differences in resident self-evaluation scores and in faculty scores of male and female residents, with the exception of meniscal tear. For this milestone, faculty rated female residents lower than males. Furthermore, the differences between faculty evaluation scores and resident self-evaluation scores were significantly lower for males than for females for 4 of the clinical domains, as well as the systems-based practice domains of cost and communication. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate female residents are at risk for a competency bias during training, as reflected by evaluations using the ACGME Milestones.

Outcomes of the Bridle Procedure for the Treatment of Foot Drop.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical outcomes and objective measures of function that can be expected for patients following the Bridle procedure (modification of the posterior tibial tendon transfer) for the treatment of foot drop. METHODS: Nineteen patients treated with a Bridle procedure and 10 matched controls were evaluated. The Bridle group had preoperative and 2-year postoperative radiographic foot alignment measurements and completion of the Foot and Ankle Ability Measure. At follow-up, both groups were tested for standing balance (star excursion test) and for ankle plantarflexion and dorsiflexion isokinetic strength, and the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society and Stanmore outcome measures were collected only on the Bridle patients. RESULTS: There was no change in radiographic foot alignment from pre- to postoperative measurement. Foot and Ankle Ability Measure subscales of activities of daily living and sport, American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society, and Stanmore scores were all reduced in Bridle patients as compared with controls. Single-limb standing-balance reaching distance in the anterolateral and posterolateral directions were reduced in Bridle participants as compared with controls (P < .03). Isokinetic ankle dorsiflexion and plantarflexion strength was lower in Bridle participants (2 ± 4 ft·lb, 44 ± 16 ft·lb) as compared with controls (18 ± 13 ft·lb, 65 ± 27 ft·lb, P < .02, respectively). All Bridle participants reported excellent to good outcomes and would repeat the operation. No patient wore an ankle-foot orthosis for everyday activities. CONCLUSION: The Bridle procedure was a successful surgery that did not restore normal strength and balance to the foot and ankle but allowed individuals with foot drop and a functional tibialis posterior muscle to have significantly improved outcomes and discontinue the use of an ankle-foot orthosis. In addition, there was no indication that loss of the normal function of the tibialis posterior muscle resulted in change in foot alignment 2 years after surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative series.

Anatomic guidelines for harvesting a quadriceps free tendon autograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to review the anatomy of the quadriceps tendon and provide guidelines for harvesting the quadriceps tendon for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS: Eleven cadaveric knees were dissected, and the quadriceps tendon was analyzed. Multiple measurements of length, depth, and width were taken in a standardized manner for each cadaver and recorded. RESULTS: The quadriceps tendon superficial morphology showed 2 distinct peaks, with the maximum length correlating with the lateral peak. The mean tendon peak length was 88.3 ± 8.4 mm (range, 78.3 to 99.7 mm). The mean width of the quadriceps tendon at its insertion onto the patella was 43.3 ± 5.8 mm (range, 34.3 to 54.1 mm). The quadriceps tendon was noted to be asymmetric, with the maximum tendon length located at 61.6% ± 4.1% of the width from the medial border of the quadriceps tendon insertion. This point was also the maximum tendon depth at insertion. CONCLUSIONS: Quadriceps free tendon graft harvesting should begin by locating the apex (maximum length) of the quadriceps tendon (61% of the distance from the patella's medial edge). The surgeon should then harvest a 10-mm-wide graft centered about 2 mm medial to this point, using the depth of a No. 10 scalpel blade (7 mm) as a guide to thickness to harvest an optimal quadriceps free tendon graft for ACL reconstruction. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: This anatomic study identifies the site of harvest of a quadriceps free tendon autograft (without a patellar bone block) to maximize the length and bulk of the graft for its use in ACL reconstruction.

Inter-rater agreement of the Goutallier, Patte, and Warner classification scores using preoperative magnetic resonance imaging in patients with rotator cuff tears.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine the interobserver reliability of 3 commonly used classification systems in describing preoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of patients undergoing surgery for full-thickness rotator cuff tears. METHODS: Thirty-one patients who underwent arthroscopic rotator cuff repair and had preoperative MRI studies available were selected over a 2-year period. Three board-certified shoulder surgeons independently reviewed these images. Each was instructed in the published method for determining the Patte score on the T2 coronal images, supraspinatus and infraspinatus atrophy on the T1 sagittal images as described by Warner et al., and the Goutallier score of fatty infiltration of the supraspinatus on the T1 coronal/sagittal images. Statistical analysis was then performed to determine the interobserver agreement using the κ statistic, with the level of significance set a priori at P < .01. RESULTS: None of the classification systems studied yielded excellent or high interobserver reliability. The strongest agreement was found with the Patte classification assessing tendon retraction in the frontal plane (κ = 0.58). The Goutallier classification, which grades fatty infiltration of the supraspinatus, showed moderate interobserver agreement (κ = 0.53) when dichotomized into none to mild (grades 0, 1, and 2) and moderate to severe (grades 3 and 4). Muscle atrophy of both the supraspinatus and infraspinatus yielded the worst interobserver reliability, with only 28% agreement. CONCLUSIONS: The Goutallier, Patte, and Warner MRI classification systems for describing rotator cuff tears did not have high interobserver reliability among 3 experienced orthopaedic surgeons. Fatty infiltration of the supraspinatus and tendon retraction in the frontal planes showed only moderate reliability and moderate to high reliability, respectively. These findings have potential implications in the evaluation of the literature regarding the preoperative classification of rotator cuff tears and subsequent treatment algorithms. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, diagnostic agreement study with nonconsecutive patients.