Faculty Bibliography

Increased risk of mortality with time has been established in association with femoral neck fractures. However, little is known about the in-hospital mortality risk associated with femoral neck fractures in the US population. This study was conducted to determine the in-hospital mortality rate associated with femoral neck fractures and to identify independent demographic features associated with an increased risk of this primary outcome. The authors queried the PearlDiver database (PearlDiver Technologies, Inc, West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania) of Medicare patients from 2005 to 2010 for International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision (ICD-9), diagnostic codes for femoral neck fractures and related conditions. Stratified sampling was conducted by creating a group within the data set that included patients with a death discharge using ICD-9-D-820.0 through ICD-9-D-820.13. Age, sex, and year of injury were analyzed as specific demographic variables related to mortality. A total of 751,232 femoral neck fractures occurred during the index study period. There were 11,420 deaths during the initial hospital stay, for an overall mortality rate of 1.52%. The mortality rate in patients older than 84 years was 2.06%. Of all deaths, 89% occurred in patients who were 75 years and older. The mortality rate for femoral neck fractures was 1.22% in women and 2.32% in men (odds ratio, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.25-1.04). The overall mortality rate for patients in the Medicare population who were treated at an inpatient center for femoral neck fractures from 2005 to 2010 was 1.5%. Men had a mortality rate almost twice that of women. Patients older than 84 years were the most likely to die soon after sustaining a femoral neck fracture.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The clinical outcomes and complications of tension-band plating have been well documented, and commonly include a post-operative delay in return of function. We performed a retrospective comparison study to evaluate the capacity of immediate post-operative physical therapy to prevent this post-operative delay in return of function. METHODS:Sixty-seven consecutive growth-deformity patients who were treated with tension-band plating at a single institution fulfilled the study criteria. Patients were allocated into two treatment groups: no post-operative physical therapy and immediately post-operative physical therapy. All patients were evaluated for delayed return of function, which was defined as use of crutches, lack of >90° flexion and full extension of the knee, or persistent pain requiring medication at the initial 2-week follow-up visit. Rates of delayed function were compared between the two treatment groups. RESULTS:Among the study participants, 48 patients had no physical therapy and 19 patients had immediate post-operative physical therapy. Eighteen patients in the no physical therapy group reported a delay (37.5 %) while only 2 patients in the physical therapy treatment group reported a delay (10.5 %); p = 0.0386. CONCLUSIONS:Delayed return of function dramatically affects pediatric patients, causing unnecessary absence from school and strain on the caregiver. Therefore, it is important to identify treatment modalities to help mitigate the complications of surgery. We conclude that the use of immediate post-operative physical therapy statistically significantly helps patients to return more rapidly to their functional level.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of radiographic findings suggestive of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) in asymptomatic individuals. METHODS:A systematic review was performed using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies reporting radiographic, computed tomographic, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings that were suggestive of FAI in asymptomatic volunteers were included. Cam, pincer, and combined pathologic conditions were investigated. RESULTS:We identified 26 studies for inclusion, comprising 2,114 asymptomatic hips (57.2% men; 42.8% women). The mean participant age was 25.3 ± 1.5 years. The mean alpha angle in asymptomatic hips was 54.1° ± 5.1°. The prevalence of an asymptomatic cam deformity was 37% (range, 7% to 100% between studies)-54.8% in athletes versus 23.1% in the general population. Of the 17 studies that measured alpha angles, 9 used MRI and 9 used radiography (1 study used both). The mean lateral and anterior center edge angles (CEAs) were 31.2° and 30°, respectively. The prevalence of asymptomatic hips with pincer deformity was 67% (range 61% to 76% between studies). Pincer deformity was poorly defined (4 studies [15%]; focal anterior overcoverage, acetabular retroversion, abnormal CEA or acetabular index, coxa profunda, acetabular protrusio, ischial spine sign, crossover sign, and posterior wall sign). Only 7 studies reported on labral injury, which was found on MRI without intra-articular contrast in 68.1% of hips. CONCLUSIONS:FAI morphologic features and labral injuries are common in asymptomatic patients. Clinical decision making should carefully analyze the association of patient history and physical examination with radiographic imaging. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level IV, systematic review if Level II-IV studies.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:As the number of total ankle replacements (TARs) performed has risen, so has the need for revision. The purpose of this investigation was to perform a systematic review of clinical outcomes following a salvage ankle arthrodesis from a failed TAR to identify patient- and technique-specific prognostic factors and to determine the clinical outcomes and complications following an ankle arthrodesis for a failed TAR. METHODS:We searched PubMed, Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies that analyzed ankle fusion after failed TAR with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. RESULTS:We included 16 studies (193 patients). The majority of patients (41%) underwent the index TAR for rheumatoid arthritis. The majority of these revision surgeries were secondary to component loosening, frequently of the talar component (38%). In the cases that were revised to an ankle arthrodesis, 81% fused after their first arthrodesis procedure. The intercalary bone graft group and the blade plate group had the highest rate of fusion after the first attempt at fusion at 100%, whereas the tibiotalocalcaneal fusion with cage group had the lowest fusion rate at 50%. The overall complication rate was 18.2%, whereas the overall nonunion rate was 10.6%. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:A salvage ankle arthrodesis for a failed TAR results in favorable clinical end points and overall satisfaction at short-term follow-up if the patients achieve fusion. The bone graft fusion and blade plate group resulted in the highest first-attempt fusion rate, with a low complication rate. Future studies should include prospective, comparative control or surgical groups and use standardized outcome measurements that will make direct comparisons easier. LEVELS/UNASSIGNED:Level IV: Systematic Review of Level IV Studies.

BACKGROUND:There has been recent increased emphasis on the publication quality and levels of evidence in orthopaedic sports medicine clinical research. The American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM) began publishing levels of evidence in the abstracts of clinical articles in 2005. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To analyze trends in the characteristics and levels of evidence of articles published in AJSM. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Meta-analysis. METHODS:All articles in AJSM from 1996, 2001, 2006, and 2011 were analyzed. Articles were analyzed for type: clinical original research, basic science, current concepts review, and case report. Clinical articles were assigned a level of evidence from 1 to 4 and categorized as therapeutic, prognostic, diagnostic, or economic. Descriptive information was collected regarding funding, authorship, and study characteristics. Statistics were calculated using χ2 tests. RESULTS:A total of 795 articles were analyzed. From 1996 to 2011, there has been a significant increase in the percentage of level 1 and 2 articles (9.4% to 23.0%; P=.007) and a significant decrease in the percentage of level 3, 4, and 5 articles (55.1% to 45.1%; P=.037). There was a significant increase in the percentage of therapeutic studies (46.8% to 68.6%; P=.004) and a decrease in prognostic studies (36.7% to 22.2%; P=.03). Publishing authors were from 31 countries, notable for a significant increase in the percentage of studies published by authors from outside the United States from 1996 to 2011 (20.3% to 53.0%; P<.001). The percentage of articles reporting a financial conflict of interest significantly increased during this time (26.1% to 42.2%; P=.006). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:From 1996 to 2011, the proportion of level 1 and 2 evidence studies published in AJSM has increased significantly. There has been an increase in therapeutic studies and a decrease in prognostic studies. There has been an increase in the number of international studies published.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:Multiple meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the highest available level of evidence, have been conducted to determine whether autograft or allograft tissue provides superior clinical outcomes and structural healing in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR); however, results are discordant. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review of meta-analyses comparing ACLR with autografts and allografts to elucidate the cause of discordance and to determine which meta-analyses provide the current best available evidence. METHODS:In this study we evaluated available scientific support for autograft versus allograft use in ACLR by systematically reviewing the literature for published meta-analyses. Data regarding patient outcomes and structural healing were extracted from these meta-analyses. Meta-analysis quality was assessed using the Oxman-Guyatt and Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses (QUOROM) systems. The Jadad algorithm was then applied to determine which meta-analyses provided the highest level of evidence. RESULTS:Eight meta-analyses containing a total of 15,819 patients met the eligibility criteria, 2 of which included Level II evidence and 6 of which included Level III/IV evidence. Four meta-analyses found no differences between autografts and allografts for patient outcomes, whereas 4 found autografts superior in one or more respects. Four meta-analyses reported higher graft rupture rates in the allograft group, and 2 found superior hop test performance in autograft-treated patients. Six meta-analyses had low Oxman-Guyatt scores (<4) indicative of major flaws. CONCLUSIONS:According to this systematic review of overlapping meta-analyses comparing autografts and allografts for ACLR, the current best available evidence suggests no differences in rupture rates and clinical outcomes. Lower quality meta-analyses indicate that autografts may provide a lower rerupture rate, better hop test performance, and better objective knee stability than do allografts. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Systematic review of Level II, III, and IV meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND:Multiple meta-analyses have been published in efforts to determine whether operative or nonoperative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures affords superior outcomes. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:To perform a systematic review of overlapping meta-analyses comparing operative and nonoperative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures to determine which meta-analyses provide the highest level of evidence for treatment recommendations. STUDY DESIGN/METHODS:Systematic review; Level of evidence, 3. METHODS:A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify meta-analyses that fit the study inclusion criteria. Data were extracted from these meta-analyses regarding patient outcomes and reruptures. Meta-analysis quality was assessed using the Oxman-Guyatt and QUOROM (Quality of Reporting of Meta-analyses) systems. The Jadad algorithm was applied to determine the meta-analyses with the highest level of evidence. RESULTS:Nine meta-analyses met the eligibility criteria, with all but 1 study including level 1 evidence. A total of 5842 patients were included. Seven studies found a higher rate of rerupture in the nonoperative group but a higher rate of complications in the operative group. One study found no differences in rerupture or complication rates, and 1 study found surgery decreased rerupture rates only when compared with nonoperative treatment without a functional brace. Three studies also identified an earlier return to work in the operative group. Almost all (8 of 9) of the meta-analyses had Oxman-Guyatt scores >3, indicating no major flaws. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Operative treatment of Achilles tendon ruptures decreases rerupture rates but increases the risk for minor complications when compared with nonoperative treatment. Additionally, surgical treatment may allow earlier return to work.

We conducted an online survey of National Hockey League (NHL), Major League Soccer (MLS), and US Olympic/World Cup Ski/Snowboard (Olympic) team orthopedic surgeons to determine practice patterns relating to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in elite athletes. Of the 94 team orthopedic surgeons surveyed, 47 (50%) responded. Mean (SD) experience as a team physician was 7.73 (5.33) years for NHL, 6.77 (6.64) years for MLS, and 1.14 (0.36) years for Olympic. Mean (SD) number of ACL reconstructions performed in 2012 was 101 (51) for NHL, 78 (38) for MLS, and 110 (105) for Olympic. Overall, 33 surgeons (70.2%) indicated they would use bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) autograft to treat their starting athletes. Twenty-one (44.7%) drilled the femoral tunnel through a transtibial portal, 36.2% through an anteromedial portal, and 12.8% by a 2-incision technique. All the surgeons used a single-bundle technique. Thirty-three (70.2%) did not recommend a brace for their elite athletes during play on return to sport (RTS). Twenty-seven NHL and MLS surgeons (81.8%) recommended RTS only after an athlete has passed a series of RTS tests (eg, Vail, single-leg hop). Most of the NHL, MLS, and Olympic team orthopedic surgeons who were surveyed perform their ACL reconstructions using BPTB autograft, using a single-bundle technique, and through a transtibial portal, and do not require bracing for their athletes returning to sport. Most required their athletes to complete a series of RTS tests before resuming competitive play.