Performance Outcomes and Return-to-Sport Rate of National Hockey League Athletes Vary After Common Orthopedic Surgical Procedures.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate performance-based outcomes and return-to-sport rate in National Hockey League (NHL) athletes. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Public records. No direct patient care was provided. PARTICIPANTS: National Hockey League athletes who underwent different orthopedic procedures were identified using public records. Three hundred thirty-seven athletes met inclusion criteria. INDEPENDENT VARIABLES: Common orthopedic surgical procedures in NHL athletes. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Return-to-play and preoperative and postoperative performance measures were collected to calculate a position-specific performance score. Short-term and medium-term outcomes were defined as 1 and 2 to 3 seasons after surgery, respectively. RESULTS: Three hundred seven athletes (92.6%) successfully returned to play. The number of games played during the first season after surgery compared with baseline was significantly decreased for hip arthroscopy (HA), noninstability shoulder arthroscopy (ie, shoulder arthroscopy procedure to address pathology other than shoulder instability), knee arthroscopy, and sports hernia repair (P = 0.002, 0.009, 0.03, and 0.01, respectively). The number of games played for seasons 2 and 3 after surgery was significantly decreased for both HA and noninstability shoulder arthroscopy (P = 0.01 and 0.001, respectively). Short-term postoperative performance scores were significantly decreased for HA, noninstability shoulder arthroscopy, and anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (P = 0.00004, 0.02, and 0.02, respectively) while medium-term scores were significantly decreased for HA only (P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS: National Hockey League athletes return to play at a high rate after common orthopedic surgeries. However, certain procedures portend poorer performance scores and game participation than others. In particular, HA and noninstability shoulder arthroscopy have the greatest negative effect on NHL careers after surgery.

Arthroscopic treatment of type II superior labral anterior to posterior (SLAP) lesions in a younger population: minimum 2-year outcomes are similar between SLAP repair and biceps tenodesis.

PURPOSE: Compared to a relatively older population over 30-40 years of age, the efficacy of biceps tenodesis for type II SLAP lesions in a younger population is not well studied. The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes between biceps tenodesis and labral repair for type II SLAP lesions in a young active population. METHODS: Patients aged 15-40 who underwent primary arthroscopic biceps tenodesis or SLAP repair for type II SLAP tears between 2009 and 2016 were included. Shoulders with intraarticular chondral damage, full thickness rotator cuff tear, rotator cuff repair, labral repair outside of the superior labrum, bony subacromial decompression, and acromioclavicular joint resection were excluded. Patient-reported outcomes were evaluated using the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand Sports/Performing Arts Module (DASH-sport), visual analog scale (VAS) for pain, and satisfaction. Return to sport rates were also recorded. RESULTS: Fifty-three patients (20 tenodesis, 33 repair) were available for minimum 2-year follow-up. Postoperatively, there were no significant differences in mean ASES, DASH-sport, VAS, and satisfaction between groups [ASES: tenodesis 86.3 vs. repair 86.4 (n.s.); DASH-sport: 11.0 vs. 22.5 (n.s.); VAS: 1.85 vs. 1.64 (n.s.); satisfaction: 8.50 vs. 8.00 (n.s.)]. Rate of return to pre-injury level of performance/competition in sport/physical activity was also similar between groups [tenodesis 63% vs. repair 50% (n.s.)]. CONCLUSIONS: In a young active population, primary arthroscopic biceps tenodesis is a viable surgical alternative to labral repair for type II SLAP lesions. The results of this study suggest that indications for arthroscopic tenodesis can safely be expanded to a younger patient group than has previously been demonstrated in the literature. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 versus iliac crest bone graft in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion: Dysphagia and dysphonia rates in the early postoperative period with review of the literature.

Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is a growth factor utilized to stimulate bone development in several clinical scenarios. Although the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved this therapeutic modality for only two applications, it is frequently used off-label in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) procedures as an alternative to iliac crest bone graft (ICBG), the prior standard of care. This usage has been a source of controversy in the medical community due to evidence of increased rates of postoperative edema and dysphagia. This retrospective cohort study investigates two groups of 200 patients having undergone ACDF, one using rhBMP-2 and the other using ICBG, to evaluate the incidence of complications in the early postoperative period. A significant reduction in average length of stay was found in the rhBMP-2 cohort (1.40days) compared to the ICBG cohort (1.85days) as well as a significantly increased rate of dysphagia (25.5% in rhBMP-2 vs. 15% in ICBG; p=0.01). An increased rate of dysphonia was observed among patients undergoing revision surgery (25.0%) compared to primary surgery (1.6%), but stratification by number of levels, gender, and smoking status yielded no differences in complication rates. Our evaluation of two large cohorts along with review of the literature on the topic sheds light on potential benefits and risks of rhBMP-2 in ACDF procedures. Further investigation is warranted to determine if clinical gains outweigh the potential harms of rhBMP-2 use in this setting.

A Qualitative Assessment of Return to Sport After Hip Arthroscopy for Femoroacetabular Impingement.

BACKGROUND: Hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is known to produce excellent outcomes, yet some patients do not return to their preinjury level of sport participation. Much literature on return to sport has revolved around anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and even shoulder instability, but none to date have used qualitative, semistructured patient interviews on patients with hip labral tears. PURPOSE: To understand the factors influencing the decision to return to sport after arthroscopic hip surgery for FAI. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: An experienced interviewer conducted qualitative, semistructured interviews of patients aged 18 to 60 years who had arthroscopic hip surgery for FAI. All had preinjury participation in sport and a minimum 2-year follow-up with no revision surgery. Qualitative analysis was then performed to derive codes, categories, and themes. An assessment of preinjury and current sports participation by type, level of competition, and frequency along with patient-reported hip function was also obtained. In addition, current modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), international Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12), Hip Outcome Score-sports-specific subscale (HOS-SSS), and a coping mechanism evaluation (Brief COPE) were also recorded. RESULTS: A total of 23 patients were interviewed to reveal the overarching themes of internal motivation, external encouragement, and resetting expectations as the predominant factors influencing a patient's decision to return to preinjury sport. Subjective outcome measurements (mHHS, iHOT-12, patient satisfaction) showed significant differences between patients who did and did not return to sport. Interestingly, the adaptive and maladaptive coping mechanisms matched and supported our themes in those patients who described fear and self-motivation as defining features influencing their cessation of or return to play, respectively. CONCLUSION: Self-motivation, aging, pain, encouragement from others, and adapting to physical limitations can largely affect a patient's decision to return to sport after arthroscopic hip surgery for FAI. Innate coping mechanisms may also help to predict the course of and subsequently aid in a patient's postoperative recovery.