Utility of White Light Scanning as an Alternative to Computed Tomography to Evaluate Severity of Pectus Excavatum Deformity.

BACKGROUND: Pectus excavatum (PE) severity and surgical candidacy are determined by computed tomography (CT)-delineated Haller Index (HI) and Correction Index (CI). White light scanning (WLS) has been proposed as a non-ionizing alternative. The purpose of this retrospective study is to create models to determine PE severity using WLS as a non-ionizing alternative to CT. METHODS: Between November 2015 and February 2023, CT and WLS were performed for children ≤18 years undergoing evaluation at a high-volume, chest-wall deformity clinic. Separate quadratic discriminate analysis models were developed to predict CT HI ≥ 3.25 and CT CI ≥ 28% indicating surgical candidacy. Two bootstrap forest models were trained on WLS measurements and patient demographics to predict CT HI and CT CI values then compared to actual index values by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). RESULTS: In total, 242 patients were enrolled (86.4% male, mean [SD] age 15.2 [1.3] years). Quadratic discriminate analysis models predicted CT HI ≥ 3.25 with specificity = 91.7%, PPV = 97.7% (AUC = 0.91), and CT CI ≥ 28% with specificity = 92.3%, PPV = 93.5% (AUC = 0.84). Bootstrap forest model predicted CT HI with training dataset ICC (95% CI) = 0.91 (0.88-0.93, R2 = 0.85) and test dataset ICC (95% CI) = 0.86 (0.71-0.94, R2 = 0.77). For CT CI, training dataset ICC (95% CI) = 0.91 (0.81-0.93, R2 = 0.86) and test dataset ICC (95% CI) = 0.75 (0.50-0.88, R2 = 0.63). CONCLUSIONS: Using noninvasive and nonionizing WLS imaging, we can predict PE severity at surgical threshold with high specificity obviating the need for CT. Furthermore, we can predict actual CT HI and CI with moderate-excellent reliability. We anticipate this point-of-care tool to obviate the need for most cross-sectional imaging during surgical evaluation of PE. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III. STUDY TYPE: Study of Diagnostic Test.

Barriers to and solutions for representative inclusion across the lifespan and in life course research: The need for structural competency highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exclusion of special populations (older adults; pregnant women, children, and adolescents; individuals of lower socioeconomic status and/or who live in rural communities; people from racial and ethnic minority groups; individuals from sexual or gender minority groups; and individuals with disabilities) in research is a pervasive problem, despite efforts and policy changes by the National Institutes of Health and other organizations. These populations are adversely impacted by social determinants of health (SDOH) that reduce access and ability to participate in biomedical research. In March 2020, the Northwestern University Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute hosted the "Lifespan and Life Course Research: integrating strategies" "Un-Meeting" to discuss barriers and solutions to underrepresentation of special populations in biomedical research. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how exclusion of representative populations in research can increase health inequities. We applied findings of this meeting to perform a literature review of barriers and solutions to recruitment and retention of representative populations in research and to discuss how findings are important to research conducted during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We highlight the role of SDOH, review barriers and solutions to underrepresentation, and discuss the importance of a structural competency framework to improve research participation and retention among special populations.

Outcomes of a postoperative day one call to families after adenotonsillectomy in children.

Objective: To examine the outcomes of a postoperative day one (POD 1) phone call to families of ambulatory surgical patients, as a means of guiding clinical interventions and quality initiatives, with a focus on children undergoing adenotonsillectomy (T&A). Methods: Retrospective analysis of outcomes of a POD 1 questionnaire completed in children <18 years of age undergoing T&A at a tertiary care children's hospital over a 3-year period (August 14, 2018-August 31, 2021). Results: Responses to the questionnaire were obtained for a total of 1428/3464 (41.2%) children undergoing T&A during the study period. There was no difference in gender, age at surgery, race, ethnicity, insurance product, or preoperative diagnosis for those whose caregiver responded to the questionnaire versus those who did not. Parent responses included 84 (5.9%) who reported problems or concerns postdischarge. These included 18 (1.3%) patients unable to take their pain medication, 9 (0.6%) refusing oral intake, 28 (2.0%) with postoperative emesis, 27 (1.9%) with fevers, and 6 (0.4%) with a change in breathing. A total of 75/122 (61.5%) who reported pain were taking their pain medication as directed. Nineteen (1.3%) patients were noted to have bleeding after surgery, including 4 (21.5%) with nosebleeds, and 12 (63.2%) with oral cavity bleeding requiring no interventions. Conclusions: The POD 1 questionnaire identified patients with common concerns and complications after T&A. Although most of these concerns were infrequent, it afforded the clinical team the opportunity to provide additional education and instructions on care and management to caregivers after their child's surgical procedure.

Use of Opioids and Nonopioid Analgesics to Treat Pediatric Postoperative Pain in the Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: The incidence, demographic characteristics, and treatment approaches for pediatric patients who present to the ED with a primary complaint of postoperative pain have not been well described. The purpose of this study was to describe opioid and nonopioid prescribing patterns for pediatric patients evaluated for postoperative pain in the Emergency Department (ED). METHODS: Pediatric Health Information System is an administrative database of encounter-level data from 48 children's hospitals. Emergency department visits for postoperative pain from January 2014 to September 2017 were analyzed. Visits were matched by the Pediatric Health Information System identifier to associate corresponding same site surgery encounters directly preceding ED visits. RESULTS: There were 7365 ED visits for acute postoperative pain, for which 4044 could be linked to corresponding surgical procedure. Eight-one percent of ED visits were within 7 days of surgery. Opioids were given at 1979 (49%) of visits, and nonopioids at 678 (17%) of visits. The most common surgeries preceding a postoperative pain ED visit were for tonsils and adenoids (48.5%). Age, sex, length of stay for both procedure and ED visits, procedure specialty, and the number of days between procedure discharge and admission to ED were associated with opioid administration during ED visits (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients treated in the ED for postoperative pain were often treated with opioid and nonopioid analgesics, with wide prescriber variability. Further research is warranted to help balance optimal pain management and safe prescribing practices.

Outcomes of a Postoperative Data-Extraction Questionnaire After Adenotonsillectomy in Children.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To evaluate outcomes of a postoperative telephone questionnaire for children who underwent adenotonsillectomy (T&A). To determine whether episodes of postoperative hemorrhage were not captured until the call, and whether this impacted knowledge of physician rates of hemorrhage. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective database analysis. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of outcomes of an 11-question data extraction tool utilized at a tertiary care children's hospital for follow-up in T&A patients <18 years of age over a 2-year period. Sub-analysis of positive responses to the question asking about incidence of postoperative hemorrhage. RESULTS: During the study period, 1,068/3,142 (34.0%) parents responded to the phone call. Median age was 6.0 years (interquartile range [IQR] 4.0-8.2), and 566 (53.0%) were male. Ninety (8.4%) noted that the child was still snoring, but only 9 (0.84%) reported signs of obstructed breathing. A total of 402 (37.6%) reported a voice change after surgery. Most children (n = 885, 82.9%) did not receive opioid analgesics, and 252 (23.6%) received acetaminophen/ibuprofen 7 days postoperatively. Return visits to the emergency department were reported in 149 patients; primarily for hemorrhage in 46 (30.8%). In 7 (15.2%) patients, the hemorrhage event was not recorded until the call. The majority-of respondents (n = 1,031, 96.5%) were satisfied with the outcome of the procedure. CONCLUSIONS: The postoperative T&A tool provided a means of gathering information on success and satisfaction with surgical outcomes. Children were able to be managed primarily with acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Most complications were captured in the electronic record, although some episodes of hemorrhage were not noted until the call, emphasizing the importance of follow-up. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 3 Laryngoscope, 131:E2821-E2826, 2021.

Identifying patient decisions and related information needs during decision making related to total knee arthroplasty.

Aim: Research regarding decisions patients make about total knee arthroplasty, apart from having the procedure or not, are limited. Understanding patient decision making and related information needs is essential for shared decision making. Methods: Focus groups with an online community-based sample identified decisions about total knee arthroplasty beyond the decision to have the surgery itself. An online survey was used to determine relative importance of five major decisions and evaluate related information available. Results: Patients did not feel they have enough information to make important decisions of surgeon, device type, surgical approach, facility, or timing, for their total knee arthroplasty. Conclusion: Although further research is needed to generalize these findings, physicians should consider these questions during shared decision making with patients considering total knee arthroplasty.

Variables associated with pediatric emergency department visits for uncontrolled pain in postoperative adenotonsillectomy patients.

OBJECTIVE: Returns to the emergency department (ED) for pain or dehydration after adenotonsillectomy (T&A) are frequent. Attempts to associate the specific pain regimens with these visits have been unrevealing, suggesting a need to assess for other potential factors associated with readmission. METHODS: A review of a 2:1 cohort matched by age, gender and payer status compared post-T&A patients who did not return ED for pain or dehydration within 21 days to those who returned. Factors investigated included patient demographics, comorbidities, medication regimen and the presence of postoperative telephone encounters. Patients returning to the ED were further assessed for rates of medication adherence. RESULTS: 7493 patients underwent T&A during the period. Of these, 144 (1.9%) returned for pain/dehydration. Comparison to 285 matched patients revealed an association between ED returns and Hispanic ethnicity (p < 0.001), Spanish language (p = 0.0002), and comorbid Down syndrome and ADHD (p = 0.011 in both). The incidence of parent telephone calls to the office was associated with ED returns (58.7 in the ED cohort, 28.4% in non-ED cohort, p < 0.0001). On multivariable analysis, Hispanic ethnicity and phone calls were associated with ED returns (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively). Only 64.0% of patients returning to the ED were adherent with postoperative pain regimens. CONCLUSIONS: While demographic factors may be associated with rate of ED returns for pain and dehydration, post-operative phone calls were most highly associated with returns. The majority of patients returning to the ED were non-adherent with recommended pain regimens, suggesting an opportunity to investigate medication adherence in all post-tonsillectomy patients.

Pediatric emergency department visits for uncontrolled pain in postoperative adenotonsillectomy patients.

OBJECTIVE: Identify demographic variables related to emergency department (ED) returns, and analgesic administration in the ED for postoperative pain after adenotonsillectomy (T&A). STUDY DESIGN: Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database analysis. METHODS: Forty-seven children's hospitals included in the PHIS database were queried for all ED visits within 30 days of surgery with a diagnosis of acute postoperative pain (n = 2459) from 2014 to 2015. The subset of postoperative T&A patients (n = 861) was further analyzed for variables associated with return, and for pain management strategies, specifically opioids, employed by the ED. RESULTS: Of the 2459 pediatric patients returning to the ED for acute postoperative pain, the largest subset included T&A patients (n = 861, 35%). Patients were seen an average of 4 days (SD 2.4) after their surgery. ED administration of opioids was not associated with gender, race, surgical diagnosis, or ethnicity. The rate of opioid administration by the ED increased with advancing age of the children analyzed (P = .01). The incidence was also higher for those with commercial versus Medicaid insurance carriers. A total of 204 (23.7%) patients received opioids while in the ED, 439 (51%) received both opioids and non-opioids, and only 51 (5.9%) received no pain medication. CONCLUSION: T&A patients make up the largest subset of patients returning to the ED for postoperative pain. A total of 74.7% of patients receive opioids, either alone or in combination with non-opioids, on return to the ED. ED opioid administration was associated with older age of the child and payer, but not with gender, race, surgical diagnosis, or ethnicity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4.

Impact of Information Presentation Format on Preference for Total Knee Replacement Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Patients have a poor understanding of outcomes related to total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, with most patients underestimating the potential benefits and overestimating the risk of complications. In this study, we sought to compare the impacts of descriptive information alone or in combination with an icon array, experience condition (images), or spinner on participants' preference for TKR. METHODS: A total of 648 members of an online arthritis network were randomized to 1 of 4 outcome presentation formats: numeric only, numeric with an icon array, numeric with a set of 50 images, or numeric with a functional spinner. Preferences for TKR were measured before and immediately after viewing the outcome information using an 11-point numeric rating scale. Knowledge was assessed by asking participants to report the frequency of each outcome. RESULTS: Participants randomized to the icon array, images, and spinner had stronger preferences for TKR (after controlling for baseline preferences) compared to those viewing the numeric only format (P < 0.05 for all mean differences). Knowledge scores were highest in participants randomized to the icon array; however, knowledge did not mediate the association between format and change in preference for TKR. CONCLUSION: Decision support at the point-of-care is being increasingly recognized as a vital component of care. Our findings suggest that adding graphic information to descriptive statistics strengthens preferences for TKR. Although experience formats using images may be too complex to use in clinical practice, icon arrays and spinners may be a viable and easily adaptable decision aid to support communication of probabilistic information.

Prevention of hypergranulation tissue after gastrostomy tube placement: A randomised controlled trial of hydrocolloid dressings.

Hypergranulation tissue formation is a common complication after gastrostomy tube (G-tube) placement, occurring in 44%-68% of children. Hydrocolloid dressings are often used in the treatment of hypergranulation tissue but have not been studied for the prevention of postoperative hypergranulation tissue. An institutional review board (IRB)-approved, prospective, randomised study was performed in paediatric patients who underwent G-tube placement at a single, large children's hospital from January 2011 to November 2016. After placement, patients were randomly assigned to (1) standard postoperative G-tube care, (2) standard hydrocolloid G-tube dressing, or (3) silver-impregnated hydrocolloid G-tube dressing, and the incidences of postoperative hypergranulation tissue formation, tube dislodgement, infection, and emergency department use were compared. A total of 171 patients were enrolled; 128 patients (75%) had at least 4 months of follow up and were included in the analyses. Eighty-nine patients (69.5%) developed hypergranulation tissue during the postoperative period, with no significant differences in incidence among the three treatment arms. Of those who developed hypergranulation tissue, 46 (56%) visited the emergency department, compared with 6 of the 39 patients (19%) who did not develop hypergranulation tissue. Hydrocolloid dressings (standard or silver-impregnated) do not prevent the development of hypergranulation tissue or other complications after G-tube placement in paediatric patients.

Using accelerometers to characterize recovery after surgery in children.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of recovery after surgery in children remains highly subjective. However, advances in wearable technology present an opportunity for clinicians to have an objective assessment of postoperative recovery. The aims of this pilot study are to: (1) evaluate acceptability of accelerometer use in pediatric surgical patients, (2) use accelerometer data to characterize the recovery trajectory of physical activity, and (3) determine if postoperative adverse events are associated with a decrease in physical activity. STUDY DESIGN: Children aged 3-18-years-old undergoing elective inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures were invited to participate. Physical activity was measured using an Actigraph GT3X wristworn accelerometer for ≥2days preoperatively and 5-14days postoperatively. Time spent performing light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) was expressed in minutes/day. Physical activity for each postoperative day was calculated as a percentage of preoperative activity, and recovery trajectories were produced. Adverse events were reported and mapped against recovery trajectories. RESULTS: Of 60 patients enrolled, 25 (10 inpatients, 15 outpatients) completed the study procedures and were included in the analysis. For outpatient procedures, LPA recovered to preoperative level on postoperative day (POD) 7 and MVPA peaked at 90% on POD 8. For inpatient procedures, LPA peaked at 70% on POD 11, and MVPA peaked at 53% on POD 10. Adverse events in 2 patients were associated with a decline in activity. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that objective monitoring of postoperative physical activity using accelerometers is feasible in the pediatric surgical population. Recovery trajectories for inpatient and outpatient procedures differ. Accelerometer technology presents clinicians with a new potential tool for assessing and managing surgical recovery, and for determining if children are not recovering as expected. TYPE OF STUDY: Diagnostic Study. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Automated data extraction: merging clinical care with real-time cohort-specific research and quality improvement data.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Although prohibitively labor intensive, manual data extraction (MDE) is the prevailing method used to obtain clinical research and quality improvement (QI) data. Automated data extraction (ADE) offers a powerful alternative. The purposes of this study were to 1) assess the feasibility of ADE from provider-authored outpatient documentation, and 2) evaluate the effectiveness of ADE compared to MDE. METHODS: A prospective collection of data was performed on 90 ADE-templated notes (N=71 patients) evaluated in our bowel management clinic. ADE captured data were compared to 59 MDE notes (N=51) collected under an IRB-exempt review. Sixteen variables were directly comparable between ADE and MDE. RESULTS: MDE for 59 clinic notes (27 unique variables) took 6months to complete. ADE-templated notes for 90 clinic notes (154 unique variables) took 5min to run a research/QI report. Implementation of ADE included eight weeks of development and testing. Pre-implementation clinical documentation was similar to post-implementation documentation (5-10min). CONCLUSIONS: ADE-templated notes allow for a 5-fold increase in clinically relevant data that can be captured with each encounter. ADE also results in real-time data extraction to a research/QI database that is easily queried. The immediate availability of these data, in a research-formatted spreadsheet, allows for rapid collection, analyses, and interpretation of the data. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: IV. TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective Study.

Accuracy of Component Placement in Robotic-Assisted Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Robotic-assisted total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a recent platform introduced to decrease the risk of malpositioned components. The goals of this study were to determine whether intraoperative data on robotic-assisted THA acetabular component position accurately predict postoperative radiographic acetabular component position and to determine whether intraoperative data on robotic-assisted THA leg length and offset accurately predict postoperative radiographic leg length and offset data. In 146 patients, pre- and postoperative radiographs and intraoperative component measurements were reported for acetabular inclination, anteversion, leg length change, and offset change. Component position obtained by the robotic system and radiographic data were compared with subgroup analysis for the posterior and direct anterior approaches. The average difference between groups was 3.3°±3.1° for inclination, 2.9°±2.3° for anteversion, 3.0±2.3 mm for leg length change, and 4.0±3.1 mm for change in global offset. Correlation between the robotic system and postoperative radiographs was within 10° for 95.9% of cases for inclination and 99.3% for anteversion. Posterior approach correlation was within 10° for 97.1% of cases for inclination and 100% for anteversion. Anterior approach correlation was within 10° for 92.7% of cases for inclination and 97.6% for anteversion. Intraoperative data on component position obtained from the robotic system compared well with radiographic data on component position. Surgeons must remain vigilant to ensure outliers related to robotic system malfunction do not occur. [Orthopedics. 2016; 39(3):193-199.].

Outcomes of Revision Hip Arthroscopy: 2-Year Clinical Follow-up.

PURPOSE: To evaluate clinical outcomes, pain, and patient satisfaction following revision hip arthroscopy with a minimum 2-year follow-up. METHODS: From April 2008 to October 2011, data were prospectively collected on all patients undergoing revision hip arthroscopy. All patients were assessed pre- and postoperatively with 4 patient-reported outcome (PRO) measures: the modified Harris hip score (mHHS), nonarthritic hip score (NAHS), hip outcome score-activities of daily living (HOS-ADL), and hip outcome score-sport-specific subscales (HOS-SSS). Pain was estimated on the visual analog scale (VAS). Patient satisfaction was measured on a scale from 0 to 10. The number of patients who underwent subsequent revision arthroscopy or total hip arthroplasty during the study period is also reported. RESULTS: Eighty-seven patients underwent revision hip arthroscopy during the study period. Seventy (80.5%) patients were included in our study. Average follow-up time was 28 months (range, 20 to 47.4 months). In terms of residual femoroacetabular impingement morphology, 45.7% of patients had preoperative alpha angles ≥ 55°, and 7.14% of patients had a lateral center-edge angle ≥ 40°. The score improvement from preoperative to 2-year follow-up was 57.84 to 73.65 for mHHS, 62.79 to 83.04 for HOS-ADL, 37.33 to 54.93 for HOS-SSS, and 55.65 to 70.79 for NAHS. VAS decreased from 6.72 to 4.08. All scores demonstrated statistically significant improvement (P < .001). Overall patient satisfaction was 7.67. Our success rate was 74.58%. Ten (14.29%) patients underwent total hip arthroplasty during the study period. Our hip survivorship was 85.7%. Five (7.14%) patients underwent secondary revision hip arthroscopy during the study period. We found an overall minor complication rate of 10%. CONCLUSIONS: Revision hip arthroscopy for all procedures performed on aggregate has improved clinical outcomes for all PROs, high survivorship, and high patient satisfaction scores at short-term follow-up. Patients should be counseled regarding the potential progression of degenerative change leading to arthroplasty and the potential for revision surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV retrospective case series.

Does Primary Hip Arthroscopy Result in Improved Clinical Outcomes?: 2-Year Clinical Follow-up on a Mixed Group of 738 Consecutive Primary Hip Arthroscopies Performed at a High-Volume Referral Center.

BACKGROUND: Hip arthroscopy has gained increasing popularity over the past decade. The need to develop metrics to evaluate success and complications in primary hip arthroscopy is an important goal. PURPOSE: To evaluate 2-year patient-related outcome (PRO) scores and patient satisfaction scores for a single surgeon at a high-volume referral center for all primary hip arthroscopy procedures performed. STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. METHODS: During the study period between April 2008 and October 2011, data were collected on all patients who underwent primary hip arthroscopy. All patients were assessed pre- and postoperatively with 4 PRO measures: the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Non-Arthritic Hip Score (NAHS), Hip Outcome Score-Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL), and Hip Outcome Score-Sport-Specific Subscale (HOS-SSS). Pain was estimated on the visual analog scale (VAS), and satisfaction was measured on a scale from 0 to 10. The number of patients who underwent revision arthroscopy, total hip arthroplasty (THA), or a resurfacing procedure during the study period was also reported. RESULTS: A total of 595 patients were included in the study. The score improvement from preoperative to 2-year follow-up was 61.29 to 82.02 for mHHS, 62.79 to 83.05 for HOS-ADL, 40.96 to 70.07 for HOS-SSS, 57.97 to 80.41 for NAHS, and 5.86 to 2.97 for VAS. All scores were statistically significantly different (P < .0001). Overall patient satisfaction was 7.86 ± 2.3 (range, 1-10). Forty-seven (7.7%) patients underwent revision hip arthroscopy, and 54 (9.1%) patients underwent either THA or the hip resurfacing procedure during the study period. The multivariate regression analysis showed that increased age at time of surgery was a significant risk factor for conversion to THA, revision arthroscopy, and change in NAHS <10 points. Acute injury, acetabuloplasty, iliopsoas release, and patient sex were significant for 2 of these 3 types of failure. CONCLUSION: Primary hip arthroscopy for all procedures performed in aggregate had excellent clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction scores at short-term follow-up in this study. More studies must be conducted to determine the definition of a successful outcome. There was a 6.1% minor complication rate, which was consistent with previous studies. Patients should be counseled regarding the potential progression of degenerative change leading to arthroplasty as well as the potential for revision surgery.

Concomitant Hip Arthroscopy and Periacetabular Osteotomy.

PURPOSE: To detail our early experience using concomitant hip arthroscopy and periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) for the treatment of acetabular dysplasia. METHODS: We prospectively collected and retrospectively reviewed the surgical and outcome data of 17 patients who underwent concomitant hip arthroscopy and PAO between October 2010 and July 2013. Preoperative and postoperative range of motion, outcome and pain scores, and radiographic data were collected. Intraoperative arthroscopic findings and postoperative complications were recorded. RESULTS: The group consisted of 3 male and 14 female patients with a mean follow-up period of 2.4 years. Three patients had undergone previous surgery on the affected hip. Chondrolabral pathology was identified in all 17 patients. Twelve patients underwent labral repair, and five patients underwent partial labral debridement. No patient was converted to total hip arthroplasty or required revision surgery at short-term follow-up. All 4 patient-reported outcome scores showed statistically significant changes from baseline to latest follow-up (P < .001). An excellent outcome was obtained in 82% of patients (13 of 16). The lateral center-edge angle averaged 11° preoperatively and 29° postoperatively. The acetabular inclination averaged 18° preoperatively and 3° postoperatively. The anterior center-edge angle averaged 7° preoperatively and 27° postoperatively. At most recent radiographic follow-up, 1 patient had progression of arthritic changes but remained asymptomatic. No other patient showed any radiographic evidence of progression of arthritis. Complications included 3 superficial wound infections, 1 pulmonary embolism, and 1 temporary sciatic neurapraxia. CONCLUSIONS: Our initial experience with concomitant hip arthroscopy and PAO has been favorable. We noted that all our patients have evidence of chondrolabral damage at the time of PAO when the joint is distracted and evaluated. All patients in this series had intra-articular pathology treated arthroscopically and showed satisfactory mean clinical improvement. Hip arthroscopy with PAO did not appear to introduce complications beyond the PAO alone. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, therapeutic case series.

Leg-Length Discrepancy After Total Hip Arthroplasty: Comparison of Robot-Assisted Posterior, Fluoroscopy-Guided Anterior, and Conventional Posterior Approaches.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) effectively provides adequate pain relief and good long-term outcomes in patients with hip osteoarthritis. However, leg-length discrepancy (LLD) remains the most common cause of patient dissatisfaction and malpractice litigation in hip arthroplasty. We conducted a study to compare LLD in patients who underwent THA performed with a robot-assisted posterior approach (RTHA), a fluoroscopy-guided anterior approach (ATHA), or a conventional posterior approach (PTHA). We reviewed all RTHA, ATHA, and PTHA cases performed by Dr. Domb between September 2008 and December 2012. Patients included in the study had a primary diagnosis of hip osteoarthritis and proper postoperative anteroposterior pelvis radiographs available. Two blinded observers calibrated and measured all radiographs twice. After exclusions, 67 RTHA, 29 ATHA, and 59 PTHA cases remained in the study. There were strong interobserver and intraobserver correlations for all LLD measurements (r > 0.9; P < .001). Mean (SD) LLD was 2.7 (1.8) mm (95% CI, 2.3-3.2) in the RTHA group, 1.8 (1.6) mm (95% CI, 1.2-2.4) in the ATHA group, and 1.9 (1.6) mm (95% CI, 1.5-2.4) in the PTHA group (P = .01). When LLD of more than 3 mm was set as an outlier, percentage of outliers was 37.3% (RTHA), 17.2% (ATHA), and 22% (PTHA) (P = .06-.78). When LLD of more than 5 mm was set as an outlier, percentage of outliers was 10.4% (RTHA), 6.9% (ATHA), and 8.5% (PTHA) (P = .72 to > .99). No patient in any group had LLD of 10 mm or more. RTHA, ATHA, and PTHA did not differ in obtaining minimal LLD. All 3 techniques are effective in achieving accuracy in LLD.

Best Practices During Hip Arthroscopy: Aggregate Recommendations of High-Volume Surgeons.

PURPOSE: To survey surgeons who perform a high volume of hip arthroscopy procedures regarding their operative technique, type of procedure, and postoperative management. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey of 27 high-volume orthopaedic surgeons specializing in hip arthroscopy to report their preferences and practices related to their operative practice and postoperative rehabilitation protocol. All participants completed the survey in person in an anonymous fashion during a meeting of the American Hip Institute. RESULTS: All surgeons perform hip arthroscopy with the patient in the supine position, accessing the central compartment of the hip initially, using intraoperative fluoroscopy. All surgeons perform labral repair (100%), with the majority performing labral reconstructions (77.8%) and gluteus medius repairs (81.5%). There is variability in the type of anchors used during labral repair. Most surgeons perform capsular closure in most cases (88.9%), inject either intra-articular cortisone or platelet-rich plasma at the conclusion of the procedure (59%), and prescribe a postoperative hip brace for some or all patients (59%). There is considerable variability in rehabilitation protocols. All surgeons routinely prescribe postoperative heterotopic ossification prophylaxis to their patients, with most surgeons (88.9%) prescribing a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication for 3 weeks. Forty percent of the respondents use the modified Harris Hip Score as the most important outcome measure. CONCLUSIONS: Consistent practices such as use of intraoperative fluoroscopy, heterotopic ossification prophylaxis, and labral repair skills were identified by surveying 27 hip arthroscopy surgeons at high-volume centers. Most of the surgeons performed routine capsular closure unless underlying conditions precluded capsular release or plication. The survey identified higher variability between surgeons regarding postoperative rehabilitation protocols and use of intra-articular pharmacologic injections at the end of the procedure. These data may provide surgeons with a set of aggregate trends that may help guide training, clinical practice, and research in the evolving field of hip arthroscopy.

Hip Arthroplasty or Medical Management: A Challenging Treatment Decision for Younger Patients.

The two main treatment options for total hip arthroplasty (THA), medical management and surgical intervention, have advantages and disadvantages, creating a challenging decision. Treatment decisions are further complicated in a younger population (≤50) as the potential need for revision surgery is probable. We examined the relationship of selected variables to the decision-making process for younger patients with symptomatic OA. Thirty-five participants chose surgical intervention and 36 selected medical management for their current treatment. Pain, activity restrictions, and total WOMAC scores were statistically significant (P < .05) for patients selecting surgical intervention. No difference in quality of life was shown between groups. Pain was the only predictor variable identified, however, activity restrictions were also influential variables as these were highly correlated with pain.

Does obesity affect outcomes after hip arthroscopy? A cohort analysis.

BACKGROUND: Obesity presents a challenging problem in surgical treatment and has led to poorer postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether hip arthroscopy in the obese patient influences postoperative clinical and patient-reported outcome scores. METHODS: From February 2008 to February 2012, data were collected prospectively on all patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy. A total of 680 patients were included. All patients were assessed preoperatively and postoperatively with four patient-reported outcome measures. Pain was estimated on the visual analog scale. The patient satisfaction score was measured. Three groups were stratified by body mass index. The non-obese group, those with a body mass index of <30 kg/m(2) (mean, 23.61 kg/m(2)), included 562 patients with a mean age of 34.78 years. The class-I obese group, those with a body mass index of ≥30 to 34.9 kg/m(2) (mean, 33.85 kg/m(2)), included ninety-four patients with a mean age of 44.02 years. The class-II obese group, those with a body mass index of ≥35 to 39.9 kg/m(2) (mean, 39.11 kg/m(2)), included twenty-four patients with a mean age of 39.33 years. RESULTS: In the non-obese group, the score improvement from the preoperative assessment to the two-year follow-up visit was 63.41 to 83.81 points for the modified Harris hip score, 60.86 to 83.62 points for the Non-Arthritic Hip Score, 66.24 to 86.24 points for the Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living, and 44.01 to 73.26 points for the Hip Outcome Score Sport-Specific Subscale. In the class-I obese group, the score improvement from the preoperative assessment to the two-year follow-up visit was 54.81 to 75.95 points for the modified Harris hip score, 48.98 to 72.51 points for the Non-Arthritic Hip Score, 53.22 to 72.99 points for the Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living, and 30.56 to 60.75 points for the Hip Outcome Score Sport-Specific Subscale. In the class-II obese group, the score improvement from the preoperative assessment to the two-year follow-up visit was 50.81 to 80.01 points for the modified Harris hip score, 42.36 to 72.50 points for the Non-Arthritic Hip Score, 48.11 to 74.73 points for the Hip Outcome Score Activities of Daily Living, and 28.25 to 62.56 points for the Hip Outcome Score Sport-Specific Subscale. Traction time did not vary significantly between groups (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrated that obese patients started with lower absolute scores preoperatively and ended with lower overall absolute postoperative scores. However, obese patients showed substantial benefit from hip arthroscopy and demonstrated a degree of improvement that was similar to that of the control non-obese group.