Faculty Bibliography

PURPOSE/UNASSIGNED:This study sought to examine the utilization of bone health evaluations in geriatric hip fracture patients and identify risk factors for the development of future fragility fractures. MATERIALS AND METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A consecutive series of patients ≥55 years who underwent surgical management of a hip fracture between September 2015 and July 2019 were identified. Chart review was performed to evaluate post-injury follow-up, performance of a bone health evaluation, and use of osteoporosis-related diagnostic and pharmacologic treatment. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:A total of 832 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 81.2±9.9 years. Approximately 21% of patients underwent a comprehensive bone health evaluation. Of this cohort, 64.7% were started on pharmacologic therapy, and 73 patients underwent bone mineral density testing. Following discharge from the hospital, 70.3% of the patients followed-up on an outpatient basis with 95.7% seeing orthopedic surgery for post-fracture care. Overall, 102 patients (12.3%) sustained additional fragility fractures within two years, and 31 of these patients (3.7%) sustained a second hip fracture. There was no difference in the rate of second hip fractures or other additional fragility fractures based on the use of osteoporosis medications. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:Management of osteoporosis in geriatric hip fracture patients could be improved. Outpatient follow-up post-hip fracture is almost 70%, yet a minority of patients were started on osteoporosis medications and many sustained additional fragility fractures. The findings of this study indicate that orthopedic surgeons have an opportunity to lead the charge in treatment of osteoporosis in the post-fracture setting.

OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to perform a network meta-analysis of level I and II evidence comparing different management techniques to define the optimum treatment method for humeral shaft fractures (HSFs). DATA SOURCES/METHODS:A systematic review of the literature using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines of MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library was screened from 2010 to 2023. STUDY SELECTION/METHODS:Inclusion criteria were evidence level I or II studies comparing nonoperative and/or operative repair techniques including open reduction internal fixation plate osteosynthesis (ORIF-Plate), minimally invasive percutaneous plating (MIPO), and intramedullary nail (IMN) fixation for the management of HSFs (OTA/AO 12A, B, C). DATA EXTRACTION/METHODS:The risk of bias and methodologic quality of evidence were assessed according to the guidelines designed by the Cochrane Statistical Methods Group and Cochrane Methods Bias Group. DATA SYNTHESIS/RESULTS:Network meta-analysis was conducted with a frequentist approach with a random-effects model using the netmeta package version 0.9-6 in R. RESULTS:A total of 25 studies (1908 patients) were included. MIPO resulted in the lowest complication rate (2.1%) when compared with ORIF-Plate (16.1%) [odds ratio (OR), 0.13; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.04-0.49]. MIPO resulted in the lowest nonunion rate (0.65%) compared with all management techniques (OR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.08-0.98), whereas Non-Op resulted in the highest (15.87%) (OR, 3.48; 95% CI, 1.98-6.11). MIPO demonstrated the lowest rate of postoperative radial nerve palsy overall (2.2%) and demonstrated a significantly lower rate compared with ORIF-Plate (OR, 0.22; 95% CI, 0.07-0.71, P = 0.02). IMN resulted in the lowest rate of deep infection (1.1%) when compared with ORIF-Plate (8.6%; P = 0.013). MIPO resulted in a significantly lower Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand score (3.86 ± 5.2) and higher American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score (98.2 ± 1.4) than ORIF-Plate (19.5 ± 9.0 and 60.0 ± 5.4, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The results from this study support that surgical management results in better postoperative functional outcomes, leads to higher union rates, reduces fracture healing time, reduces revision rate, and decreases malunion rates in patients with HSFs. In addition, MIPO resulted in statistically higher union rates, lowest complication rate, lowest rate of postoperative radial nerve palsy, and lower intraoperative time while resulting in better postoperative Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons scores when compared with nonoperative and operative (ORIF and IMN) treatment modalities. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Infection and chronic post-traumatic osteomyelitis of the tibia after open fracture are complex problems that cause significant morbidity and threaten the viability of a limb. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for the orthopaedic surgeon to understand both patient and treatment factors that modify the risk of developing these disastrous complications. Infection risk is largely based on severity of open injury in addition to inherent patient factors. Orthopaedic surgeons can work to mitigate this risk with prompt antibiotic administration, thorough and complete debridement, expedient fracture stabilization, and early wound closure. In the case osteomyelitis does occur, the surgeon should use a systematic multidisciplinary approach for eradication.

With an aging population, and an anticipated increase in overall fracture incidence, a sound understanding of bone healing and how technology can optimize this process is crucial. Concentrated bone marrow aspirate (cBMA) is a technology that capitalizes on skeletal stem and progenitor cells (SSPCs) to enhance the regenerative capacity of bone. This overview highlights the science behind cBMA, discusses the role of SSPCs in bone homeostasis and fracture repair, and briefly details the clinical evidence supporting the use of cBMA in fracture healing. Despite promising early clinical results, a lack of standardization in harvest and processing techniques, coupled with patient variability, presents challenges in optimizing the use of cBMA. However, cBMA remains an emerging technology that may certainly play a crucial role in the future of fracture healing augmentation.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The primary goal of this study was to determine the anatomic relationship between the clavicle and the apical lung segment. The secondary goal was to determine the incidence of pneumothorax (PTX) in patients who underwent clavicle ORIF to analyze the utility of postoperative chest radiographs. METHODS:Six hundred thirty-one patients with a midshaft clavicle fracture who underwent superior plating at a single institution were identified. Forty-two patients had a CT scan of the chest. Three points on the uninjured clavicle were defined: 2 cm from the medial end of the clavicle, the mid-point of the clavicle, and 2 cm from the lateral end of the clavicle. At each point, the distance from both the inferior cortex and the superior cortex of the clavicle to the apical lung segment was measured. All 631 patients who underwent Open Reduction and Internal Fixation had a postoperative chest radiograph to evaluate implant placement, restoration of clavicular length, and presence of PTX. RESULTS:From the lateral end of the clavicle, the mean distance of the lung was 60.0 ± 14.9 mm (20.1 to 96.1 mm) from the inferior cortex of the clavicle. At the mid-point, the mean distance of the lung was 32.3 ± 7.2 mm (20.4 to 45.5 mm) from the inferior cortex of the clavicle. At the medial end, the mean distance of the lung was 18.0 ± 5.5 mm (8.1 to 28.9 mm) from the inferior cortex of the clavicle. A review of postoperative radiographs for all 631 patients revealed none (0%) with a postoperative iatrogenic PTX. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The risk of injury is minimal in all three zones. Postoperative chest radiographs after clavicle fracture repair to rule out PTX are unnecessary.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Significant heterogeneity in the classification and treatment of zone 3 proximal fifth metatarsal base fractures ("true Jones fractures") exists. This study compared time to clinical and radiographic healing between patients treated operatively and nonoperatively. We hypothesized that patients treated nonoperatively may demonstrate a greater time to clinical healing. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:This was a retrospective cohort study of patients presenting to a large, urban, academic medical center with "Jones" fractures between December 2012 and April 2022. Jones fractures were defined as fifth metatarsal base fractures occurring in the proximal metadiaphyseal region, distal to the articulation of the fourth and fifth metatarsals on the oblique radiographic view. Clinical healing was the time point at which the patient had returned to their baseline ambulatory status with no tenderness to palpation. Radiographic healing was the presence of bridging callus across at least 3 cortices. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED: = .331). Overall healing rate was 96% for the nonoperative group compared with 96.2% for the operative group. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:In this study, nonoperative and operative treatment of true Jones fractures were associated with equivalent clinical and radiographic healing. The rate of delayed union in true Jones fractures was lower than previously described, and there was no difference in delayed union rate between nonoperative and operative management. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/UNASSIGNED:Level III, retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:The authors report no conflict of interest.To determine if short-term immobilization with a rigid long arm plaster elbow splint after surgery of the arm, elbow, or forearm results in superior outcomes compared with a soft dressing with early motion. DESIGN/METHODS:Prospective Randomized Control Trial. SETTING/METHODS:Academic Medical Center. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA/UNASSIGNED:Patients undergoing operative treatment for a mid-diaphysis or distal humerus, elbow, or forearm fracture were consented and randomized according to the study protocol for postoperative application of a rigid elbow splint (10-14 days in a plaster Sugar Tong Splint for forearm fracture or a Long Arm plaster Splint for 10-14 for all others) or soft dressing and allowing immediate free range of elbow and wrist motion (range of motion [ROM]). OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS/UNASSIGNED:Self-reported pain (visual analog score or VAS), Healthscale (0-100, 100 denoting excellent health), and physical function (EuroQol 5 Dimension or EQ-5D) surveyed on postoperative days 1-5 and 14 were compared between groups. Patient-reported pain score (0-10, 10 denoting highest satisfaction) at week 6, time to fracture union, ultimate disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand score, and elbow ROM were also collected for analysis. Incidence of complications were assessed. RESULTS:Hundred patients (38 men to 62 women with a mean age of 55.7 years) were included. Over the first 5 days and again at postop day 14, the splint cohort reported a higher "Healthscale" from 0 to 100 than the nonsplint group on all study days ( P = 0.041). There was no difference in reported pain between the 2 study groups over the same interval ( P = 0.161 and 0.338 for least and worst pain, respectively), and both groups reported similar rates of treatment satisfaction ( P = 0.30). Physical function ( P = 0.67) and rates of wound problems ( P = 0.27) were similar. Additionally, the mean time to fracture healing was similar for the splint and control groups (4.6 ± 2.8 vs. 4.0 ± 2.2 months, P = 0.34). Ultimate elbow ROM was similar between the study groups ( P = 0.48, P = 0.49, P = 0.61, and P = 0.51 for elbow extension, flexion, pronation, and supination, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Free range of elbow motion without splinting produced similar results compared with elbow immobilization after surgical intervention for a fracture to the humerus, elbow, and forearm. There was no difference in patient-reported pain outcomes, wound problems, or elbow ROM. Immobilized patients reported slightly higher "healthscale" ratings than nonsplinted patients and, however, reported similar rates of satisfaction. Both treatment strategies are acceptable after upper extremity fracture surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:The objective of this study was to ascertain outcome differences after fixation of unstable rotational ankle fractures allowed to weight-bear 2 weeks postoperatively compared with 6 weeks. DESIGN/METHODS:Prospective case-control study. SETTING/METHODS:Academic medical center; Level 1 trauma center. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA/UNASSIGNED:Patients with unstable ankle fractures (OTA/AO:44A-C) undergoing open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) were enrolled. Patients requiring trans-syndesmotic fixation were excluded. Two surgeons allowed weight-bearing at 2 weeks postoperatively (early weight-bearing [EWB] cohort). Two other surgeons instructed standard non-weight-bearing until 6 weeks postoperatively (non-weight-bearing cohort). OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS/UNASSIGNED:The main outcome measures included the Olerud-Molander questionnaire, the SF-36 questionnaire, and visual analog scale at 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months postoperatively and complications, return to work, range of ankle motion, and reoperations at 12 months were compared between the 2 cohorts. RESULTS:One hundred seven patients were included. The 2 cohorts did not differ in demographics or preinjury scores ( P > 0.05). Six weeks postoperatively, EWB patients had improved functional outcomes as measured by the Olerud-Molander and SF-36 questionnaires. Early weight-bearing patients also had better visual analog scale scores (standardized mean difference -0.98, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.27 to -0.70, P < 0.05) and a greater proportion returning to full capacity work at 6 weeks (odds ratio = 3.42, 95% CI, 1.08-13.07, P < 0.05). One year postoperatively, EWB patients had improved pain measured by SF-36 (standardized mean difference 6.25, 95% CI, 5.59-6.92, P < 0.01) and visual analog scale scores (standardized mean difference -0.05, 95% CI, -0.32 to 0.23, P < 0.01). There were no differences in complications or reoperation at 12 months ( P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS:EWB patients had improved early function, final pain scores, and earlier return to work, without an increased complication rate compared with those kept non-weight-bearing for 6 weeks. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) for Knee Osteoarthritis Technology Overview is based on a systematic review of current scientific and clinical research. Through analysis of the current best evidence, this technology overview seeks to evaluate the efficacy of PRP for patients with knee osteoarthritis. The systematic literature review resulted in 54 articles: 36 high-quality and 18 moderate-quality. The findings of these studies were summarized to present findings on PRP versus control/placebo, acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, exercise, prolotherapy, autologous conditioned serum, bone marrow aspirate concentrate, hyaluronic acid, and ozone therapy. In addition, the work group highlighted areas that needed additional research when evidence proved lacking on the topic and carefully noted the potential harms associated with an intervention, required resource utilization, acceptability, and feasibility.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease. Currently there are no effective methods that simultaneously prevent joint degeneration and reduce pain¹. Although limited evidence suggests the existence of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) in chondrocytes², their expression and function in chondrocytes and in OA remain essentially unknown. Here we identify Na_v1.7 as an OA-associated VGSC and demonstrate that human OA chondrocytes express functional Na_v1.7 channels, with a density of 0.1 to 0.15 channels per µm² and 350 to 525 channels per cell. Serial genetic ablation of Na_v1.7 in multiple mouse models demonstrates that Na_v1.7 expressed in dorsal root ganglia neurons is involved in pain, whereas Na_v1.7 in chondrocytes regulates OA progression. Pharmacological blockade of Na_v1.7 with selective or clinically used pan-Na_v channel blockers significantly ameliorates the progression of structural joint damage, and reduces OA pain behaviour. Mechanistically, Na_v1.7 blockers regulate intracellular Ca²⁺ signalling and the chondrocyte secretome, which in turn affects chondrocyte biology and OA progression. Identification of Na_v1.7 as a novel chondrocyte-expressed, OA-associated channel uncovers a dual target for the development of disease-modifying and non-opioid pain relief treatment for OA.