Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To evaluate factors influencing slide in statically-locked single lag screw cephalomedullary nail (CMN) constructs for reverse obliquity (RO) fractures. METHODS:Design: Retrospective comparative study. SETTING/METHODS:A multi-center academic urban hospital system (4 hospitals). PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA/UNASSIGNED:Patients with an RO fracture (OTA/AO 31A3) treated with a CMN (Gamma or TFNA) and statically-locked single lag screw from 2014 to 2024, with at least one follow-up radiograph (minimum three months or documentation of healing). OUTCOME MEASURES AND COMPARISONS/UNASSIGNED:Lag screw sliding was measured as the difference in screw position between immediate postoperative imaging and final follow-up radiographs. Tip-to-head distance (ΔTHD) and screw protrusion ratio (ΔPR) were recorded. Patients were grouped as <5mm, 5-10mm, or >10mm slide. Comparisons included fracture subtype, nail brand, angle, and length. Bivariate analyses tested associations with slide. RESULTS:Of the 219 patients identified with a 31A3 type fracture, 85 (38.8%) met inclusion criteria. The average age was 81.0 (±9.3) years with 65 (76.5%) females. Mean radiographic follow-up was 19.9 months, with a follow-up range of 74-2,576 days. The mean slide was 7.8mm (±5.2mm). 74 patients (87.1%) had slide >2mm. ΔTHD was negligible (-0.1 ± 7.0mm), and ΔPR 0.2 (±0.1) significantly exceeded zero (p < 0.001). Neither nail length (Short: 9.4 ± 5.3mm vs. Long: 7.1 ± 5.0mm, p = 0.083), nail angle, (125°: 8.0 ± 5.4mm vs 130°: 6.5 ± 4.0mm; p = 0.286), nor nail brand had a significant effect (Gamma: 7.6 ± 5.1mm vs TFNA: 9.1 ± 6.2mm; p = 0.921). Fracture subtype (31A3.1: 9.1 ± 6.1mm vs 31A3.2: 10.4 ± 5.1mm vs 31A3.3: 6.9mm ± 4.6mm; p = 0.114) and demographic factors (p > 0.05) were not significantly associated with slide severity. CONCLUSIONS:Surgeons should expect some degree of lag screw slide and subsequent proximal fragment displacement when a Gamma nail or TFNA nail cephalomedullary nail is used for a reverse obliquity fracture, even when statically locked. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level III.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:To determine the rate at which abstracts accepted for the Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA) Annual Meeting from 2019 to 2024 utilized the Fracture-related Infection (FRI) Consensus Group's definition for infection. METHODS:Data Sources: The data sources for this study included the Orthopedic Trauma Association (OTA) Annual Meeting Programs from 2019-2024 and the "abstract search" portion of OTA Website. STUDY SELECTION/METHODS:All podium and poster abstract presentations that utilized keywords for infection ("fracture-related infection," "infection," or "SSI") in the title. DATA EXTRACTION/METHODS:All abstracts were reviewed, and grouped into one of the four following categories based on the methodologic descriptors used to define infection characteristics: 1) Utilized Consensus Group Definition, 2) Utilized CDC Definition [deep, superficial, organ/space, or SSI terminology], 3) Utilized an Author Specific Definition, 4) Did Not Utilize Any Definition. DATA SYNTHESIS/RESULTS:Univariate statistics were conducted to determine yearly and overall percentages of abstracts that utilized the Consensus Group's definition as compared to the other 3 definition categories. Bivariate analysis was performed to determine if the use of Consensus Group's definition varied from 2019-2024. RESULTS:52 podium abstracts and 59 poster abstracts were included. Among the podium abstracts, 4 (7.7%) utilized the Consensus Group's definition of FRI, 37 (71.2%) utilized language from the CDC definition, 4 (7.7%) used an author specific definition, and 7 (13.5%) abstracts did not utilize any definition of descriptors of infection. Poster abstracts demonstrated similar utilization of methodical infection descriptors, as 5 (8.5%) utilized the Consensus Group's definition of FRI. The number of abstracts that utilized the Consensus Group's Definition did not vary from 2019-2024 (p=0.952 for podiums, p=0.451 for posters). CONCLUSIONS:Adoption of the FRI Consensus Group's definition among accepted OTA 2019-2024 Annual Meeting abstracts was low. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:IV.

INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:Delays in time to surgery (TTS) for patients with a hip fracture negatively affect patient outcomes, including mortality. Surgery within 24 to 48 hours of admission for a hip fracture markedly reduces these risks; however, attempts at improving TTS after hip fracture have had mixed results. Drivers of delays in TTS across different settings in the United States are not well described. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify drivers of delays in TTS for patients with a hip fracture from different settings to inform where patient- and context-specific improvements in TTS may be implemented. METHODS:Semistructured interviews were completed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and Theoretical Domains Framework. Interviews were completed with stakeholders involved in hip fracture care between June 2023 and October 2023. Transcripts were analyzed iteratively through a combined inductive and deductive approach. The data were analyzed to synthesize overarching themes related to drivers of delays of TTS. RESULTS:A total of 25 stakeholders, 24 orthopaedic surgeons, and 1 nurse practitioner, from 22 different hospital systems across the United States participated in semistructured interviews. Eight themes of drivers of delayed TTS emerged: (1) patient health; (2) structural drivers of health; (3) care coordination; (4) prioritization; (5) improvement climate; (6) availability; (7) incentive structure; and (8) empowerment. CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:Eight major themes related to drivers in TTS for patients with a hip fracture were identified across hospital systems. These findings inform the process of identifying site-specific drivers of delayed TTS at individual health systems and implementing targeted improvement programs for TTS for patients with a hip fracture.

BACKGROUND:Understanding the current risk of inpatient mortality following hip fracture in the United States is of significant value to patient families and the health system. Currently, the literature lacks a national representation of the inpatient mortality following hip fracture. PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE:The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of inpatient mortality following hip fracture using Epic Cosmos-an aggregated, de-identified, multi-institutional data that includes over 280 million patients in the United States. METHODS:A "Cosmos hip fracture cohort" that included all adults (18 years or older) who sustained a femoral neck, intertrochanteric, or subtrochanteric hip fracture (ICD 72.0, S72.1, S72.2) between January 2019 and December 2024 was created. The dataset was queried for demographic data including age, sex, geographic location, incidence of inpatient mortality, and bone health medication use at the time of admission. RESULTS:The Cosmos database included 284,455,033 patients, of which 1,232,250 hip fracture hospital admissions between January 2019 and December 2024 were identified. Of these patients, 47,773 (3.9%) expired during their hip fracture hospital admission. The most common age bracket was 85 years or older (39.8%), followed by 75-85 (30.0%), and 65-75 (17.8%). Most patients were white (91%) females (55.5%). Most inpatient mortalities occurred in the South (38.4%), followed by the Midwest (31.8%), followed by the Northeast (23.6%), and last by the West (6.2%). CONCLUSION/CONCLUSIONS:The current inpatient mortality following hip fracture is 3.9%. Most inpatient mortalities occurred in white females above the age of 85 in the South of the country. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Level III.

OBJECTIVE:To define a CT-derived zone-of-injury metric, incorporating normalized soft-tissue air extent and BMI and secondly to determine if this metric was associated with adverse outcomes following an open OTA 42A-C tibia fractures. METHODS:Design: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING/METHODS:Level I trauma center. PATIENT SELECTION CRITERIA/UNASSIGNED:A retrospective review of patients in a tibia fracture registry (2012-2024) meeting inclusion criteria (age ≥18 years old, open OTA 42A-C fractures, preoperative full length tibia CT imaging, ≥6-month follow-up) was performed.Outcome Measures and Comparisons: The CT-based ZOI was measured as the longitudinal extent of soft-tissue air (mm) normalized to tibial length (mm) (ZOIsoft/Tibial Length). The primary outcome was composite complications including fracture related infection, amputation, or nonunion. A logistic regression model using ZOIsoft/Tibial Length and BMI generated predicted probabilities for composite complications. Model discrimination was assessed via area under receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) analysis and compared to Gustilo-Anderson classification using the DeLong test. An optimal probability threshold was derived statistically (Youden Index) for dichotomizing patients into high- and low-risk cohorts. RESULTS:Fifty-five patients (58 fractures) met inclusion criteria (mean age 40.0 ± 15.1 years; 81.0% male; mean follow-up 16.9 ± 9.5 months). Soft-tissue ZOI and BMI were the significant predictors of composite complications (p = 0.006, 0.061). The CT-based ZOI model (log(p/1-p) = 0.601 + (3.343 × soft-tissue ZOI/Tibial Length) + (-0.106 × BMI) demonstrated superior discrimination (AUROC = 0.752) compared to Gustilo-Anderson (AUROC = 0.581, p = 0.042). Patients above the derived threshold (0.403) had significantly worse outcomes: composite complication rate 64.0% vs. 18.2% (p < 0.001) and nonunion (52.0% vs. 9.1%, p < 0.001). Amputation (20.0 vs 3.0%, p = 0.075) and fracture-related infection (32.0% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.203) were not significant. CONCLUSIONS:A novel CT-based ZOI metric integrating soft-tissue injury extent as measured by soft-tissue air and BMI independently predicted overall complications risk. This newly described CT-based ZOIsoft metric provided superior prognostic accuracy compared to Gustilo-Anderson classification and may enhance early risk stratification in open tibia fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE/METHODS:Prognostic Level III.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:While extremes of body mass index (BMI) are known to influence surgical risks, their distinct impacts on short- and long-term outcomes following hip fracture remain poorly defined. This study compared outcomes in severely underweight, normal weight, and obese elderly patients. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a prospectively collected hip fracture database (2014-2024) at a single academic medical center. Patients with BMI ≤16.5 (severely underweight) or ≥35 (class 2+ obesity) were compared to a randomly selected cohort of normal-weight controls (BMI 18.5-25.0). Outcomes included complications, discharge disposition, mortality, and functional recovery. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:A total of 282 patients were included. Obese patients had significantly higher odds of intensive care unit (ICU) admission compared to normal weight patients (OR 5.75 [2.00-16.39], p = .001) and were less likely to be discharged home (OR 0.31 [0.14-0.66], p = .003). In contrast, underweight status was significantly associated with increased six-month mortality compared to normal weight (OR 4.95 [1.34-18.18], p = .016). No significant differences were found in healing or functionality across groups. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:Obese patients were more likely to require ICU admission but did not face increased long-term mortality. Severely underweight patients demonstrated the opposite pattern, with minimal short-term morbidity but significantly higher risk of death at six months. These findings suggest that short- and long-term risks after hip fracture diverge at the extremes of BMI and highlight the need for tailored perioperative strategies based on metabolic status.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:Acute and chronic anemia is common in hip fracture patients, and blood transfusions may be necessary during pre-operative optimization. However, transfusions increase the risk of complications. This study evaluates the impact of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion timing on outcomes including mortality, major complications, and readmission rates for hip fracture patients who present with chronic anemia of at least 6 months. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:A retrospective chart review of chronically anemic hip fracture patients was conducted to assess demographics, lab values, transfusion timing, and outcomes. Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) and Score for Trauma Triage in the Geriatric and Middle Aged (STTGMA) were calculated for each patient. Patients were stratified into three transfusion cohorts: pre-operative transfusion, post-operative transfusion, and no-transfusion. Variables were compared using Chi-square and ANOVA as appropriate. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to account for confounding variables. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED: < 0.001). Post-operative transfusion or no-transfusion was not linked to readmission rates, complications, or mortality. CONCLUSION/UNASSIGNED:Pre-operative RBC transfusion is an independent risk factor for 1-year mortality in chronically anemic hip fracture patients, suggesting careful consideration of transfusion timing.

Surgical repair of extracapsular hip fractures is associated with a higher rate of successful healing compared to intracapsular fractures; however, a small subset of patients may still experience complications or treatment failure. Potential modes of failure include nonunion, peri-implant fracture, malalignment, cortical impingement or perforation and hardware failure with or without lag screw cutout. Factors determining salvage method include physiologic age, functionality, bone quality, and fracture stability. In this review, potential complications of extracapsular hip fracture repair are described with proposed solutions and supporting literature, when available.

OBJECTIVES/OBJECTIVE:Altered patellar height following patella fracture repair may affect clinical outcomes, but the significance remains unclear. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of immediate and final follow-up Insall-Salvati Ratio (ISR) on postoperative outcomes following patella fracture fixation. METHODS:A retrospective review at a multi-site academic urban hospital system was conducted. All patients underwent patella open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for displaced patella fracture (OTA 34) from 2012 to 2024. Final intraoperative and final follow-up radiographs were assessed by Insall-Salvati ratios (ISR). Patients were categorized into groups based on intraoperative ISR measurements: normal ISR, defined as .8-1.2 and abnormal ISR, outside of the 0.8-1.2 range. Follow-up radiographs were also assessed for abnormal ISR. Knee range of motion (ROM), post-operative complications, and fracture union were collected. Statistical analysis included Pearson Chi-squared tests, independent t-tests, and ANOVA tests. RESULTS:Of 191 patients, 163 (85.3%) had normal ISR and 28 (14.7%) had abnormal ISR postoperatively. Abnormal ISR was associated with higher complication rates (14.3% vs. 4.3%, p = 0.037), hardware failure (10.7% vs. 1.2%, p = 0.004), reduced knee range-of-motion at three months (105.13 ± 21.38 vs. 117.22 ± 13.75, p < .001) and six months (119.25 ± 14.26 vs. 127.37 ± 13.27, p = .020). Among patients with initially normal ISR, 12.3% developed patella baja, which was associated with higher rates of hardware removal (20% vs. 3.1%, p = 0.004) and infection (10% vs. 0.8%, p = 0.015) when compared to patients maintaining a normal ISR. CONCLUSIONS:Abnormal intraoperative Insall-Salvati ratio following patella fracture repair was associated with poorer knee ROM and increased complication rate. Progressive development of patella baja during fracture healing was associated with hardware removal and fracture related infection. Attention to intraoperative ISR optimization may improve outcomes.