Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE:: To describe the use of the Saline Load Test (SLT) utilizing a new definition that more adequately characterizes its use in the emergency department (ED) setting. DESIGN:: Retrospective review SETTING:: Level I trauma center PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS:: Fifty consecutive patients who underwent a SLT of the knee in the emergency department and had a minimum of 14 days follow-up. INTERVENTION:: Saline Load Test MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS:: Positive traumatic arthrotomy of the knee (+TAK) defined as OR confirmation of an arthrotomy (assumed to develop a septic knee) or -SLT with follow-up revealing a septic knee. Periarticular wound equivalent to no traumatic arthrotomy of the knee (pw=(-TAK)) defined as OR evaluation revealing no arthrotomy (assumed not to develop a septic knee) or -SLT whose follow-up revealed no septic knee. Development of a septic knee was considered the gold-standard for determining true positives/negatives and false positives/negatives. RESULTS:: The mean wound size was 3.9 +/- 4.3 cm and the mean saline load volume was 74.9 +/- 28.2 cm. There were 19 +SLTs of which there were 16 +TAK and 3 pw=(-TAK). The 3 pw=(-TAK) in the +SLT group were evaluated in the OR where inspection of the joint capsule revealed the absence of a traumatic arthrotomy. There were 31 -SLTs of which there were 1 +TAK and 30 pw=(-TAK). The SLT has a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 91% for detecting +TAKs and ruling-out periarticular wounds not requiring surgical intervention (pw=(-TAK)). The false-positive rate of the SLT to detect +TAK is 9%. CONCLUSION:: Using +TAK and pw=(-TAK) as the newly defined measures of the SLT, we report the sensitivity (94%) and specificity (91%) of the SLT in the ED setting while still maintaining the clinical relevancy of the test. Based on a small sample size, knees with small periarticular wounds and a -SLT and no other radiographic or clinical evidence of an arthrotomy appear to have an infection rate of 0% with non-operative management. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:: Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

A total of 96 displaced tibial plateau fractures in 94 patients (average age, 48 years) were treated with open reduction and internal fixation. At 12 months postoperatively, mean range of knee motion was 126 degrees and 10 (10%) of the patients had required a secondary surgery. Using a binary regression model, no demographic variable such as age, gender, smoking history, diabetes, BMI; or fracture characteristic such as mechanism of injury, initial plateau depression, Schatzker classification was identified that correlated with short-term functional outcome such as a complication, range of motion, healing time, or residual depression. We determined that radiographic fracture reduction was not superior following fractures with less initial displacement, and increased plateau collapse at 12 months postoperatively was not indicative of decreased function. However, an increased postoperative articular step-off was found to be associated with an increased risk of plateau collapse (p < 0.01). Furthermore, at 12 months, 76% of the patients had returned to their preinjury employment and the overall complication rate was 13%.

INTRODUCTION: In the prevention of venous thrombo-embolic events (VTEs) in isolated low-energy fracture patients, management guidelines are conflicting and prior literature is lacking. We aimed to determine the incidence and factors associated with the development of symptomatic VTE in this patient cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: To identify patients with isolated, low-energy fractures, we studied billing records from all admissions to our tertiary care orthopaedic hospital from 2007 to 2009. We used International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision codes to identify patients who developed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE) during their hospital admission or within 90 days of discharge. We also collected data on socio-demographics, type of injury, fracture treatment, co-morbidities and anticoagulation therapy at time of admission. This study was a retrospective review of a database. RESULTS: In total, 1701 admissions fit our criteria. Average patient age was 64.27 years and 64.4% were female. There were 479 (28.2%) upper extremity fractures and 1222 (71.8%) lower extremity fractures. Incidence of clinically significant VTE was 1.4%. Of the 24 patients with 25 documented VTE, there were 13 DVTs and 12 PEs, including 2 fatal PEs (0.012%). Nineteen VTEs occurred in association with lower extremity fractures and six with upper extremity fractures; 74% of patients were chemoprophylaxed. Patients with VTE had an average age of 69.5 years and an average body mass index (BMI) of 28kgm(-2). Logistical regression analysis found female sex (p=0.05) and elevated BMI (p=0.003) to be the only significant predictors of VTE. CONCLUSIONS: Clinically significant VTE among patients who sustained isolated, low-energy fractures was found to be low in the setting of standard VTE prophylaxis. Our incidence was consistent with that of patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. Female sex and increased BMI were statistically significant predictors of VTE.

OBJECTIVE: : To describe the outcomes for patients treated at a single institution, who sustained incomplete bisphosphonate-induced femoral fractures. DESIGN: : Retrospective review. SETTING: : University-based academic medical center. PATIENTS: : Thirty-one patients with 43 incomplete fractures met the inclusion criteria. INTERVENTION: : Nonoperative management or surgical intervention for fractures with refractory symptoms or progression of fracture lucency on radiographs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: : Radiographic assessments and the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment to gauge functional status. RESULTS: : The cohort was all women with an average age of 69.2 (range: 46-92) years and had been treated with bisphosphonate therapy for an average of 9.1 (range: 5-20) years. The average healing time for all incomplete fractures was 9.4 (range: 1.5-36) months. Forty-nine percent of the fractures (21 of 43 fractures) were ultimately treated with surgery for impending complete fracture or failure of nonsurgical management. Of the incomplete fractures treated with surgery, 81% became pain free and 100% were radiographically healed at a mean of 7.1 (range: 1.5-12) months. In contrast, of the nonoperatively treated incomplete fractures, only 64% were pain free at latest follow-up, with only 18% of fractures demonstrating radiographic evidence of healing at an average of 11 (range: 6-24) months. Standardized dysfunction index from the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment was better (19.7) in the surgical group than in the nonsurgical group (19.7 vs. 25.7, P = 0.0017). CONCLUSIONS: : A higher percentage of patients treated surgically became asymptomatic and demonstrated radiographic evidence of healing earlier than those treated nonsurgically. Surgical intervention is effective for relief of symptoms when treating incomplete bisphosphonate-related femur fractures, and patients should be counseled to the potential benefits of prophylactic surgery. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: : Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

OBJECTIVES: : A unique complication of using full-length intramedullary nails for pertrochanteric and subtrochanteric femur fractures is nail penetration of the anterior cortex at the distal end of the femur because of a mismatch of the anatomic femoral bow with that of currently available cephalomedullary nails (CMNs). This study was performed to determine the rate of distal femoral cortical penetration after stabilization of the proximal femur in a consecutive series of patients using a long CMN with a curvature of 180 cm and to examine the final location of the nails within the femoral canal. DESIGN: : Retrospective chart review. SETTING: : Level 1 trauma center with tertiary care. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS: : Between June 2005 and September 2008, 271 consecutive proximal femoral fractures or impending fractures were stabilized using a specially designed CMN [pertrochanteric nail (PTN) system; Biomet, Warsaw, IN]. Fifty-seven fractures were excluded because of inadequate lateral radiographs, leaving 214 nails in 212 patients available for analysis. INTERVENTION: : The proximal femur fractures or impending fractures were stabilized with a full-length CMN with a shaft diameter of 11 mm and a radius of curvature of 180 cm. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: : Nail position was determined from the lateral radiograph, which included the minimal distance from the nail to the anterior cortex of the distal femur and the relative position of the nail within the medullary canal, at a level within 2 cm proximal to the superior pole of the patella. Based on the nail position within the distal femoral canal, the following were calculated: (1) the overall rate of distal femoral anterior cortical penetration, (2) the distribution of nail distances to the anterior cortex, and (3) the proportion of nails lying in each quarter of the space available for the nail. RESULTS: : Four surgeries (1.9%) were performed for pathologic fracture and 22 (10.3%) for impending pathologic fracture. The remaining 188 CMNs were used to stabilize OTA Type 31A1 fractures (52 nails, 24.3%), Type 31A2 fractures (62 nails, 29%), Type 31A3 fractures (15 nails, 6.5%), and Type 32 fractures (59 nails, 27.6%). Of the 214 cases available for radiographic analysis, there was 1 case (0.47%) of distal femoral anterior cortical penetration. Of the remaining 213 CMNs, 40% of nails ended up far anterior, 48% anterior, 10% posterior, and 2% far posterior. Sixteen percent (1/6) were within 3 mm of the anterior cortex and half were within 7 mm. The average distance from nail to the anterior cortex was 8.5 mm. CONCLUSION: : Use of a CMN with a radius of curvature of 180 cm to stabilize the proximal femur resulted in a very low rate of distal femoral anterior cortical penetration. However, most of the intramedullary nails ended up in the anterior half of the space available for the nail with 16% within 3 mm of the anterior cortex. These results highlight the importance of being aware of the complication of anterior cortical impingement and perforation during CMN insertion. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: : Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The posteromedial fragment in tibial plateau fractures is considered unstable and requires specific fixation. However, if not loaded by the femur, it may remain stable and not require additional fixation. Our purpose was to determine the size of the posteromedial fragment that would remain unloaded by the femoral-tibial contact area, as a function of fracture line orientation and knee flexion angle. Seven human cadaveric knees with intact capsule and ligaments were mounted in a mechanical rig and flexed from 0 to 30, 90, 105, and 120 degrees of flexion. The fiducial points and articular surfaces were digitized, and 3-dimensional software models of the knees at each flexion angle were created. The femoral-tibial contact areas were determined using the software under high- and low-load conditions. Posteromedial fragments of various sizes and fracture line orientations relative to the posterior femoral condylar axis (PFCA) were modeled, and their locations relative to contact areas were determined. The size of unloaded fragments decreased with increased flexion angle. Fragments occupying 60% of the medial plateau were loaded at all angles, but fragments with 30% of the plateau became loaded at 90 degrees under high load and 120 degrees under low load. Fracture line orientations of 0 to 20 degrees external rotation relative to PFCA allowed for the largest fragments to remain unloaded. The size of posteromedial tibial plateau fracture fragment that remains unloaded by the femur varies with knee flexion angle and fracture line orientation. This may have implications for the management of posteromedial tibial plateau fractures.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes following operative treatment of nonunited rotational distal fibula and medial malleolar ankle fractures. METHODS: Seventeen patients were identified as having a nonunion of a rotational ankle fracture. All patients were evaluated clinically, radiographically, and functionally with the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment (SMFA) questionnaire. They were divided into lateral and medial malleolus groups and compared with 44 patients following a nonoperative (SE2/3) ankle fracture and 25 patients who underwent operative fixation of their SE4 ankle fracture for functional comparison. RESULTS: Two of the 17 patients were excluded. The patients in the medial malleolar group were notably older than those in the other groups. Nonunions included 12 distal fibulas and 3 medial malleoli. All patients were treated with open reduction with plate and screw fixation or screw fixation alone. Adjunctive grafting was performed in all but 2 cases. The average time to healing was 5.2 months post surgery. At latest follow-up, mean 33.9 months, all nonunions had resolved. Standardized SMFA scores differed notably among the groups in the Bothersome, Emotional, and Mobility categories. There was no difference between lateral malleolar nonunion patients and surgically treated SE4 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Reports of nonunions of fractures of lateral and medial malleoli have been rarely reported. Operative treatment of these nonunions in this study led to reliable bony healing. Patients who underwent surgery for these nonunions ultimately had similar outcomes and range of motion compared with patients who underwent operative treatment for acute ankle fractures. Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative series.

OBJECTIVES: : The purpose of this study was to evaluate forearm rotation after volar plating of the distal radius fractures with and without pronator quadratus repair. DESIGN: : This was an institutional review board-approved retrospective review of prospectively collected data. SETTING: : The study was conducted at an Academic Medical Center. PATIENTS: : Over a 5-year period, 606 patients with distal radius fractures (OTA classifications 23-A through 23-C) were enrolled in an institutional review board-approved, prospectively collected, distal radius database. One hundred and seventy-five patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation with volar plating. Of these, 112 patients had complete 1-year follow-up (6 weeks, 3, 6, and 12 months) and were included in this study. INTERVENTION: : Volar plating of the distal radius was performed with pronator quadratus repair (group A), versus volar plating without pronator quadratus repair (group B). Surgeries in group A were performed by a fellowship trained hand surgeon utilizing volar plates from Depuy Orthopedics (Warsaw, IN), whereas the surgeries in group B were performed by a fellowship trained orthopedic trauma surgeon utilizing volar plates from Stryker (Mahwah, NJ). MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: : Primary outcomes include forearm range of motion. Secondary outcomes include grip strength, pain levels, functional outcomes (DASH scores), radiographs, and complications. RESULTS: : Baseline and demographic characteristics of the patients were similar between the 2 groups. There was no difference in mean pronation (P = 0.08) at 1 year. Among secondary analyses, radial deviation was significantly different (P = 0.03); however, pain (P = 0.13) and DASH scores (P = 0.14) were not. The only patient that requested plate removal had the pronator repaired (group A). CONCLUSIONS: : We conclude that there is no advantage in repairing the pronator quadratus during volar plating of distal radius fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: : Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about the moral reasoning utilized by orthopaedic surgery residents when resolving moral dilemmas. METHODS: Sixty-three residents in an accredited program took the Defining Issues Test-2, an online examination designed to measure and analyze moral reasoning. Scores approximate how often residents utilize three schemas in their moral reasoning: personal interest, maintaining social norms, and postconventional. Scores were analyzed for differences among years of training, previous literature, and established norms. RESULTS: Approximately 9.5% of residents utilized personal interest heavily in their moral reasoning, 27% utilized maintaining norms, and 63.5% utilized postconventional reasoning. There were no significant differences between years of training. The fourth-year (R4) class recorded the highest utilization of principled reasoning, while the fifth-year (R5) class recorded the lowest. The range of principled reasoning scores narrowed from the first year (R1) to R5. The principled reasoning scores of residents were significantly lower than previously reported scores of professional degree-holders and medical students, and empirically lower than previously reported scores of orthopaedic attendings and medical students. CONCLUSIONS: Residents utilized principled reasoning less frequently than expected for physicians. It remains unclear as to what factors contributed to high utilization of principled reasoning in the R4 class but low utilization in the R5 class. Our cross-sectional data suggest that each year of training homogenizes toward a class-specific utilization of principled reasoning. It remains unclear why residents utilized principled reasoning less than orthopaedic attendings, medical students, and other professional degree-holders.

The education of orthopaedic residents is an important responsibility shared by all those involved in residency training. The education of orthopaedic residents begins with the selection process, which recognizes the importance of choosing qualified individuals who can successfully complete the training program. Education during the 5 years of required training entails the acquisition of a body of knowledge, the development of surgical skills, and the exhibition of a level of professionalism consistent with being a physician and surgeon. Residency training also requires an evaluation of performance and, when necessary, measures to improve performance or correct inappropriate behaviors. The goal at the end of the 5-year training period is to have well-qualified, skilled, and knowledgeable orthopaedic surgeons who can enter practice and provide the highest level of patient care.