Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the finding of failed fracture implants in association with lower extremity long bone fracture nonunion portends worse clinical or functional outcome following surgical nonunion repair. DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. SETTING: Academic Medical Center. PATIENTS: One hundred eighty-one patients who presented to our institution over a 10-year period and underwent surgical repair of a lower extremity fracture nonunion. INTERVENTION: Surgical repair of lower extremity fracture nonunion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Time to union, postoperative complications, VAS pain scores, and Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) scores following lower extremity nonunion repair. Data was analyzed to assess for differences in postoperative outcomes based on the integrity of fracture implants at the time of nonunion diagnosis. Implant integrity was defined using 3 groups: broken implants (BI), implants intact (II), and no implants (NI). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in time to union following surgery between the BI, II, or NI groups (mean 8.1 months vs 7.6 months vs 6.2 months, respectively). Fourteen patients (7.7%) failed to heal, including 5 BI patients, 7 II patients, and 2 NI patients. One tibial nonunion patient in each of the 3 groups underwent amputation for persistent nonunion following multiple failed revision attempts at a mean of 4.8 years after initial injury. There was no difference in postoperative pain scores, the rate of postoperative complications, or functional outcome scores identified between the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: The finding of failed fracture implants at the time of lower extremity long bone nonunion diagnosis does not portend worse clinical or functional outcome following surgical nonunion repair. Patients who present with failed fracture implants at the time of nonunion diagnosis can anticipate similar time to union, complication rates, and functional outcomes when compared to patients who present with intact implants or those with history of nonoperative management. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level IV.

INTRODUCTION: This study sought to assess and compare long-term functional and clinical outcomes in patients with tibial plateau fractures that are treated nonsurgically. METHODS: Over a period of 8 years, 305 consecutive tibial plateau fractures were treated by three surgeons at a single institution and followed prospectively in an Institutional Review Board-approved study. Overall, 41 patients (13%) were treated nonsurgically and 37 were available for follow-up. Indications for nonsurgical management were minimal fracture displacement or preclusion of surgery because of comorbidities. A series of univariate retrospective analyses were used to identify individual risk factors potentially predictive of Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment scores. RESULTS: Thirty-seven patients were included with a mean follow-up of 21 +/- 14.9 months. Overall, 59% of patients (n = 22) attained good to excellent functional outcomes. In patients for whom surgery was precluded because of comorbidities, outcome scores were significantly poorer (38.8 +/- 23.0 versus 12.7 +/- 14.2; P = 0.001). Surgery precluded by a factor other than minimal fracture displacement predicted poor outcome (P = 0.002). DISCUSSION: Carefully selected patients with minimally displaced tibial plateau fractures can expect good to excellent outcomes when treated nonsurgically. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, retrospective comparative study.

Chronic use of selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRI) for the treatment of depression has been linked to osteoporosis. In this study, we investigated the effect of chronic SSRI use on fracture healing in two murine models of bone regeneration. First, we performed a comprehensive analysis of endochondral bone healing in a femur fracture model. C57/BL6 mice treated with fluoxetine, the most commonly prescribed SSRI, developed a normal cartilaginous soft-callus at 14 days after fracture and demonstrated a significantly smaller and biomechanically weaker bony hard-callus at 28 days. In order to further dissect the mechanism that resulted in a smaller bony regenerate, we used an intramembranous model of bone healing and revealed that fluoxetine treatment resulted in a significantly smaller bony callus at 7 and 14 days post-injury. In order to test whether the smaller bony regenerate following fluoxetine treatment was caused by an inhibition of osteogenic differentiation and/or mineralization, we employed in vitro experiments, which established that fluoxetine treatment decreases osteogenic differentiation and mineralization and that this effect is serotonin-independent. Finally, in a translational approach, we tested whether cessation of the medication would result in restoration of the regenerative potential. However, histologic and microCT analysis revealed non-union formation in these animals with fibrous tissue interposition within the callus. In conclusion, fluoxetine exerts a direct, inhibitory effect on osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, shown in two disparate murine models of bone repair. Discontinuation of the drug did not result in restoration of the healing potential, but rather led to complete arrest of the repair process. Besides the well-established effect of SSRIs on bone homeostasis, our study provides strong evidence that fluoxetine use negatively impacts fracture healing

BACKGROUND: Fracture of the metaphyseal region of the distal ulna is an uncommon injury that has been reported to occur concomitantly with distal radius fracture. We aimed to report the incidence and types of distal ulnar head and neck fractures associated with distal radius fractures and compare outcomes in operatively versus non-operatively treated patients. METHODS: Over a 5-year period a distal radius fracture registry was maintained at our institution. Eleven of 512 consecutive patients had metaphyseal distal ulna fractures in association with distal radius fractures and at least 1-year follow-up. Baseline radiographs and functional data were obtained, and patients were followed at 1-week, 2-week, 3-week, 6-week, 3-month, 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year intervals. Patients were split into two treatment groups: Group 1 consisted of five non-operatively treated patients, and Group 2 consisted of six operatively treated patients. RESULTS: Four separate fracture patterns were observed: simple transverse or oblique fracture of the ulnar neck just proximal to the ulnar head, fracture of the neck region with concomitant fracture of the tip of the ulnar styloid, simple fracture of the ulnar head, and comminuted fracture of the ulnar head. There were no statistical differences between the two groups with regard to flexion, extension, supination, pronation, and functional outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Ulnar fracture patterns observed did not easily fall into previously described categories, and we have proposed a new classification system. Simple fractures of the ulnar neck or head often do not require operative fixation.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effect of spinal anesthesia (SA) on short-term outcomes when compared with general anesthesia in operatively managed tibial plateau fractures. DESIGN: This is an institutional review board-approved retrospective review of prospectively collected data. SETTING: Two level-1 trauma centers. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twelve patients with a surgically managed tibial plateau fracture were identified within a registry of patients. INTERVENTION: Of these, 29 (25.9%) received SA and 83 (74.1%) received general anesthesia in a nonrandomized fashion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment scores, pain levels, knee range of motion, complications, and reoperations. RESULTS: SA was found to be a predictor of lower pain scores at 3 months (odds ratio, 0.32; 95% confidence interval, 0.12-0.95; P = 0.039) but not at 6 months (P = 0.266) or the latest follow-up (P = 0.056). In the multivariate Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment model, although anesthesia type was not found to be a statistically significant predictor, other predictors were identified. Anesthesia type was not a predictor of complications or reoperations. In the univariate analysis, SA was associated with an increased knee range of motion at 3 months (121 vs. 111 degrees; P = 0.048) but not at 6 months (P = 0.31) or the latest follow-up (P = 0.053). CONCLUSION: In patients who undergo surgical management of a tibial plateau fracture, the use of SA is associated with decreased pain levels in the early postoperative period; however, there was no effect on functional assessment scores. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The purpose is to identify risk factors of functional outcome following proximal humerus open reduction and internal fixation. Patients treated for proximal humerus fractures with open reduction and internal fixation were enrolled in a prospective data registry. Patients were evaluated for function using the Disability of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand score for 12 months and as available beyond 12 months. Univariate analyses were conducted to identify variables associated with functional outcome. Significant variables were included in a multivariate regression predicting functional outcome. Demographics and minimum of 12 month follow-up were available for 129 patients (75%). Multiple regression demonstrated postoperative complication (B=8.515 p=0.045), education level (B=-6.269p<0.0005), age (B=0.241p=0.049) and Charlson Comorbidity Index (B=6.578, p=0.001) were all significant predictors of functional outcome. Orthopaedic surgeons can use education level, comorbidities, age, and postoperative complication information to screen patients for worse outcomes, establish expectations, and guide care.

BACKGROUND: With an expected doubling of the geriatric population within the next thirty years it is becoming increasingly important to determine who among the elderly population benefit from orthopaedic interventions. This study assesses post-operative outcomes in patients aged seventy or greater who sustained a proximal humerus fracture and were treated surgically as compared to a younger geriatric cohort to determine if there is a chronologic age after which post-operative outcomes significantly decline. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was conducted for 201 patients who sustained fractures of the proximal humerus (OTA 11A-C) and were treated operatively by open reduction and internal fixation. Data from 132 independent, active patients aged fifty-five or older was identified and analyzed. Forty-seven patients age 70 or older were compared to 78 patients aged 55-69. Average length of follow-up was 19.5 months. All complications were recorded. Univariate and multivariate analysis was conducted to assess for differences between groups. RESULTS: 95% of patients achieved fracture union within 6 months. No significant differences were found between cohorts with regard to gender, fracture severity, or CCI (p = 0.197, p = 0.276, p = 0.084, respectively). Functional outcome scores, shoulder range of motion, and complications rates for patients aged 70 and older were not significantly different from patients aged 55-69. There were 10 complications in the older elderly cohort (21%), 6 of which required re-operation and 13 complications in the young elderly cohort (17%), 8 of which required re-operation. CONCLUSIONS: Operative fracture repair using locked plating of the proximal humerus in septuagenarians and octogenarians can provide for excellent long-term outcomes in appropriately selected patients. These patients tend to have long term functional outcome scores, post-operative range of motion, and complication rates that are comparable to younger geriatric patients. Physicians should not exclude patients for repair of proximal humerus fractures based on chronological age cutoffs.

AIMS: To evaluate whether an ultra-low-dose CT protocol can diagnose selected limb fractures as well as conventional CT (C-CT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: We prospectively studied 40 consecutive patients with a limb fracture in whom a CT scan was indicated. These were scanned using an ultra-low-dose CT Reduced Effective Dose Using Computed Tomography In Orthopaedic Injury (REDUCTION) protocol. Studies from 16 selected cases were compared with 16 C-CT scans matched for age, gender and type of fracture. Studies were assessed for diagnosis and image quality. Descriptive and reliability statistics were calculated. The total effective radiation dose for each scanned site was compared. RESULTS: The mean estimated effective dose (ED) for the REDUCTION protocol was 0.03 milliSieverts (mSv) and 0.43 mSv (p < 0.005) for C-CT. The sensitivity (Sn), specificity (Sp), positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the REDUCTION protocol to detect fractures were 0.98, 0.89, 0.98 and 0.89 respectively when two occult fractures were excluded. Inter- and intra-observer reliability for diagnosis using the REDUCTION protocol (kappa = 0.75, kappa = 0.71) were similar to those of C-CT (kappa = 0.85, kappa = 0.82). Using the REDUCTION protocol, 3D CT reconstructions were equivalent in quality and diagnostic information to those generated by C-CT (kappa = 0.87, kappa = 0.94). CONCLUSION: With a near 14-fold reduction in estimated ED compared with C-CT, the REDUCTION protocol reduces the amount of CT radiation substantially without significant diagnostic decay. It produces images that appear to be comparable with those of C-CT for evaluating fractures of the limbs. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B:1668-73.