Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To determine the effect of osteonecrosis (ON) on the clinical and functional outcome after open reduction and internal fixation of proximal humerus fractures. DESIGN/METHODS:Prospective cohort study. SETTING/METHODS:Academic medical center. PATIENTS/METHODS:Over a 12-year period, patients were screened and identified on presentation to the emergency department or in the clinical office for inclusion in an institutional review board-approved registry. One hundred sixty-five patients with 166 proximal humerus fractures met inclusion criteria. Eight patients developed radiographic evidence of ON (4.8%). INTERVENTION/METHODS:Surgical repair of proximal humerus fractures. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE/METHODS:Patients were divided into 2 cohorts; 1 cohort being those diagnosed with ON and the other cohort being those who were not. All patients were prospectively followed and assessed for clinical and functional outcomes at the latest follow-up visit (mean = 22.9 months) using the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand survey along with ranges of motion of the injured extremity. RESULTS:Average postoperative forward elevation for patients with ON was worse than those without ON (P = 0.002). Additionally, there was a significant difference in Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand scores at the latest follow-up between the 2 groups (P = 0.026). There was no difference in external rotation or mean length of follow-up between the 2 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:This study demonstrates the negative effects of ON after open reduction and internal fixation of proximal humerus fractures. Those who develop ON have poorer functional and clinical outcomes as compared with patients without ON. Consequently, the development of ON can be used as a predictor of poor outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background: The topical adhesive 2-octyl cyanoacrylate has been used as an alternative to sutures for closure of skin in a variety of surgical procedures. While there have been benefits in terms of ease of application and cosmetic result, a high incidence of allergic contact dermatitis and exothermic reactions has been a barrier to use. Objectives. To investigate the feasibility of using a novel formulation of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate (Actabond-Bergen Medical Products, Morris Plains, New Jersey) for skin closure after surgical excision of cutaneous lesions.
Method(s): We examined the results of office-based surgical excision procedures using a novel formulation of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate for skin closure. Photographs were taken preoperatively, intraoperatively (open wound, before adhesive application, following adhesive application), and 2 weeks after surgery. At follow-up, all incisions were examined for cosmetic result, skin edge separation, erythema, and abscess formation. Patient satisfaction was also assessed.
Result(s): Ten lesions in 9 consecutive patients undergoing cutaneous excision by two surgeons were included in the study. The average age of included patients was 42. Lesions were excised from the trunk (6) and extremities (4). Lesion types included 3 dysplastic nevi, 3 sebaceous cysts, 3 lipomas, and 1 squamous cell carcinoma. At 2-week follow-up, all wounds were healed without any signs of dehiscence or infection. All wounds demonstrated esthetic closure without suture tracts. None of the patients developed allergic contact dermatitis or burns. On a 1-10 scale, respondents' average satisfaction with the method was 7.7. For patients who had previous skin suture closures, 83% preferred adhesive. Conclusion and relevance. A novel formulation of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate topical adhesive demonstrated feasibility as a potential alternative to the use of sutures for skin closure. In this small case series, all patients had an excellent esthetic result with no complications. Compared with previous iterations of 2-octyl cyanoacrylate, there were no allergic or exothermic reactions in this pilot series. Larger studies need to be performed to further determine advantages that may exist using this closure method compared with standard techniques.
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Health-care reform, market competition, cost containment, and pressure for productivity have dramatically impacted the practice of orthopaedic surgery and academic surgical training. Orthopaedic leaders and training programs are striving to identify and solve these contemporary challenges. Herein, we focus on 4 areas that currently pose important challenges to modern orthopaedic surgical departments and academic hospital systems, including the demanding and evolving skill sets that are required of physician leaders, the effects of the changing medical-legal environment on academic medicine, the impact of increased clinical productivity emphasis on surgical education, and departmental leadership transitions.

BACKGROUND:Achieving glenoid fixation with anterior bone loss can be challenging. Limited guidelines have been established for critical defect sizes that can be treated without supplemental bone graft when performing reverse shoulder arthroplasty. METHODS:We quantified the impact of two sizes of anterior glenoid defects on glenoid baseplate fixation in a composite scapula using the ASTM F 2028-14 reverse shoulder glenoid loosening test method. RESULTS:All glenoid baseplates remained well-fixed after cyclic loading in composite scapula without a defect and in scapula with an 8.5 mm anterior glenoid defect; however, one of seven baseplates loosened in a scapula with a 12.5 mm defect. No difference was observed between pre- and post-cyclic baseplate displacements in scapula with 8.5 mm or 12.5 mm defects or in the control group scapula. However, baseplate displacement in scapula with 12.5 mm anterior defects was significantly greater after cyclic loading than that of baseplates in 8.5 mm defects (superior-inferior displacement, p = 0.0004; anterior-posterior displacement, p < 0.0001), where baseplate displacement in 8.5 mm (superior- inferior displacement, p = 0.0003; anterior-posterior displacement, p = 0.0014) and 12.5 mm (superior-inferior displacement, p < 0.0001; anterior-posterior displacement, p < 0.0001) defects after cyclic loading was significantly greater than that of baseplates in scapula without a defect. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS:Adequate and stable fixation can be achieved in scapula with anterior glenoid defects of at least 8.5 mm in this biomechanical model using an established testing methodology; however, supplemental bone grafting should be utilized for anterior glenoid defects of 12.5 mm and larger using the reverse shoulder prosthesis tested in this study.

BACKGROUND:An improved understanding of how gender differences and the natural aging process are associated with differences in clinical improvement in outcome metric scores and ROM measurements after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (rTSA) may help physicians establish more accurate patient expectations for reducing postoperative pain and improving function. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES/OBJECTIVE:(1) Is gender associated with differences in rTSA outcome scores like the Simple Shoulder Test (SST), the UCLA Shoulder score, the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) Shoulder score, the Constant Shoulder score, and the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) and ROM? (2) Is age associated with differences in rTSA outcome scores and ROM? (3) What factors are associated with the combined interaction effect between age and gender? (4) At what time point during recovery does most clinical improvement occur, and when is full improvement reached? METHODS:We quantified and analyzed the outcomes of 660 patients (424 women and 236 men; average age, 72 ± 8 years; range, 43-95 years) with cuff tear arthropathy or osteoarthritis and rotator cuff tear who were treated with rTSA by 13 shoulder surgeons from a longitudinally maintained international database using a linear mixed effects statistical model to evaluate the relationship between clinical improvements and gender and patient age. We used five outcome scoring metrics and four ROM assessments to evaluate clinical outcome differences. RESULTS:When controlling for age, men had better SST scores (mean difference [MD] = 1.41 points [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.07-1.75], p < 0.001), UCLA scores (MD = 1.76 [95% CI, 1.05-2.47], p < 0.001), Constant scores (MD = 6.70 [95% CI, 4.80-8.59], p < 0.001), ASES scores (MD = 7.58 [95% CI, 5.27-9.89], p < 0.001), SPADI scores (MD = -12.78 [95% CI, -16.28 to -9.28], p < 0.001), abduction (MD = 5.79° [95% CI, 2.74-8.84], p < 0.001), forward flexion (MD = 7.68° [95% CI, 4.15-11.20], p < 0.001), and passive external rotation (MD = 2.81° [95% CI, 0.81-4.8], p = 0.006). When controlling for gender, each 1-year increase in age was associated with an improved ASES score by 0.19 points (95% CI, 0.04-0.34, p = 0.011) and an improved SPADI score by -0.29 points (95% CI, -0.46 to 0.07, p = 0.020). However, each 1-year increase in age was associated with a mean decrease in active abduction by 0.26° (95% CI, -0.46 to 0.07, p = 0.007) and a mean decrease of forward flexion by 0.39° (95% CI, -0.61 to 0.16, p = 0.001). A combined interaction effect between age and gender was found only with active external rotation: in men, younger age was associated with less active external rotation and older age was associated with more active external rotation (β0 [intercept] = 11.029, β1 [slope for age variable] = 0.281, p = 0.009). Conversely, women achieved no difference in active external rotation after rTSA, regardless of age at the time of surgery (β0 [intercept] = 34.135, β1 [slope for age variable] = -0.069, p = 0.009). Finally, 80% of patients achieved full clinical improvement as defined by a plateau in their outcome metric score and 70% of patients achieved full clinical improvement as defined by a plateau in their ROM measurements by 12 months followup regardless of gender or patient age at the time of surgery with most improvement occurring in the first 6 months after rTSA. CONCLUSIONS:Gender and patient age at the time of surgery were associated with some differences in rTSA outcomes. Men had better outcome scores than did women, and older patients had better outcome scores but smaller improvements in function than did younger patients. These results demonstrate rTSA outcomes differ for men and women and for different patient ages at the time of surgery, knowledge of these differences, and also the timing of improvement plateaus in outcome metric scores and ROM measurements can both improve the effectiveness of patient counseling and better establish accurate patient expectations after rTSA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level III, therapeutic study.

Neuropathic arthropathy, also known as Charcot arthropathy, is a degenerative disorder most commonly characterized by rapid destruction of the joint with extensive involvement of the bone and soft tissue. The underlying pathophysiology is thought to be due to loss of nociception (pain sensation), most frequently caused by diabetes mellitus, syphilitic myelopathy, or syringomyelia. A neuropathic shoulder is rare, with historic case series forming the bulk of the literature. The purpose of this review is to better understand the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, and management of neuropathic arthropathy of the glenohumeral joint. It should be stressed that the identification and management of the underlying etiology is paramount if the disease process is to be positively impacted. Although the mainstay of orthopedic management is non-surgical, little evidence exists to support the use of any specific therapeutic intervention. Recent literature suggests surgical reconstruction may be considered in very select patients.

BACKGROUND:Clinician-scientist numbers have been stagnant over the past few decades despite awareness of this trend. Interventions attempting to change this problem have been seemingly ineffective, but research residency positions have shown potential benefit. OBJECTIVE:We sought to evaluate the effectiveness of a clinician-scientist training program (CSTP) in an academic orthopedic residency in improving academic productivity and increasing interest in academic careers. METHODS:Resident training records were identified and reviewed for all residents who completed training between 1976 and 2014 (n = 329). There were no designated research residents prior to 1984 (pre-CSTP). Between 1984 and 2005, residents self-selected for the program (CSTP-SS). In 2005, residents were selected by program before residency (CSTP-PS). Residents were also grouped by program participation, research vs. clinical residents (RR vs. CR). Data were collected on academic positions and productivity through Internet-based and PubMed search, as well as direct e-mail or phone contact. Variables were then compared based on the time duration and designation. RESULTS:Comparing all RR with CR, RR residents were more likely to enter academic practice after training (RR, 34%; CR, 20%; p = 0.0001) and were 4 times more productive based on median publications (RR, 14; CR, 4; p < 0.0001). Furthermore, 42% of RR are still active in research compared to 29% of CR (p = 0.04), but no statistical difference in postgraduate academic productivity identified. CONCLUSIONS:The CSTP increased academic productivity during residency for the residents and the program. However, this program did not lead to a clear increase in academic productivity after residency and did not result in more trainees choosing a career as clinician-scientists.

BACKGROUND:An understanding of the substantial clinical benefit (SCB) after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) may help to gauge a minimum threshold beyond which a patient perceives his or her outcome as being substantially better. This study quantifies SCB for 7 outcome metrics and active motion measurements after shoulder arthroplasty and determines how these values vary based on prosthesis type, patient age at surgery, sex, and length of follow-up. METHODS:A total of 1,568 shoulder arthroplasties with 2-year minimum follow-up were performed by 13 shoulder surgeons and enrolled in a multicenter registry. The SCB for the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Shoulder Assessment, Constant Score, University of California Los Angeles Shoulder Rating Scale, Simple Shoulder Test, Shoulder Pain and Disability Index, global shoulder function, and visual analog scale pain scores, as well as active abduction, flexion, and external rotation were calculated for different patient cohorts using an anchor-based method. RESULTS:The anchor-based SCB results were American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score, 31.5 ± 2.0; Constant Score, 19.1 ± 1.7; University of California Los Angeles Shoulder Rating Scale score, 12.6 ± 0.5; Simple Shoulder Test score,  3.4 ± 0.3; Shoulder Pain and Disability Index score,  45.4 ± 2.2; global shoulder function, 3.1 ± 0.2; visual analog scale, 3.2 ± 0.3; active abduction, 28.5° ± 3.1°; active forward flexion, 35.4° ± 3.5°; and active external rotation, 11.7° ± 1.9°. Anatomic TSA patients, male patients, and patients of longer follow-up duration were associated with higher SCB values than female patients, reverse TSA patients, and patients of shorter follow-up duration. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Our analysis demonstrated two-thirds of patients achieved the SCB threshold after TSA. Generally, a change of 30% of the total possible score for each outcome metric approximates or exceeds this SCB threshold.