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Patient-reported outcome measures are helping clinicians to use evidence-based medicine in decision making. The use of computer-based questionnaires to gather such data may offer advantages over traditional paper-based methods. These advantages include consistent presentation, prompts for missed questions, reliable scoring, and simple and accurate transfer of information into databases without manual data entry. The authors enrolled 308 patients over a 16-month period from 3 orthopedic clinics: spine, upper extremity, and trauma. Patients were randomized to complete either electronic or paper validated outcome forms during their first visit, and they completed the opposite modality at their second visit, which was approximately 7 weeks later. For patients with upper-extremity injuries, the Penn Shoulder Score (PSS) was used. For patients with lower-extremity injuries, the Foot Function Index (FFI) was used. For patients with lumbar spine symptoms, the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) was used. All patients also were asked to complete the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) Health Status Survey, version 1. The authors assessed patient satisfaction with each survey modality and determined potential advantages and disadvantages for each. No statistically significant differences were found between the paper and electronic versions for patient-reported outcome data. However, patients strongly preferred the electronic surveys. Additionally, the paper forms had significantly more missed questions for the FFI (P<.0001), ODI (P<.0001), and PSS (P=.008), and patents were significantly less likely to complete these forms (P<.0001). Future research should focus on limiting the burden on responders, individualizing forms and questions as much as possible, and offering alternative environments for completion (home or mobile platforms). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article features William Morris, one of the most celebrated designers of wallpaper in the 19th century. He promoted an early green movement and opposed the environmental degradation in England caused by the Industrial Revolution. On the other hand, his father set up the mining company that produced the greatest amount of arsenic in the world. The pollution produced by the company, of which Morris was a director, continue to exists until today. In 1885, the medical profession and the popular press expressed concerns about wallpaper capable of poisoning its buyers. Morris dismissed their concerns.

The Press Ganey survey is the most widely used instrument for measuring patient satisfaction. Understanding the factors that influence these surveys may permit better use of survey results and may direct interventions to increase patient satisfaction. Press Ganey Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems surveys administered to ambulatory spine surgery clinic patients within a large tertiary care network from May 2016 to September 2017 were retrospectively reviewed. Mean comparison testing was performed to measure associations between patient demographics and responses to "overall provider rating" and "recommend this provider's office" survey questions. Mean difference to achieve significance was set at α<0.05. A multivariate analysis was performed to determine independent factors. A total of 1400 survey responses from the offices of 11 orthopedic spine surgeons were included. Patients 18 to 34 years old had significantly lower responses to the overall provider rating question than older patients (P<.001), and increasing patient age was correlated with improved ratings. Highest education level was inversely correlated with satisfaction scores, with patients who had attained graduate level education having the lowest satisfaction scores (P=.001). Those with commercial insurance had significantly lower ratings for recommend this provider's office (P=.042) and overall provider rating (P=.022) questions than those with other insurance types. Patients administered the survey on paper had significantly lower ratings than those administered the survey online (P=.006). Provider ratings were significantly higher when the sex and ethnicity of the patient were concordant with the provider (P=.021). This study showed that independent, nonmodifiable factors such as age, education level, and survey mode were significantly associated with the satisfaction of ambulatory spine surgery clinic patients. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(3):143-148.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surgical management of benign and benign aggressive bone tumors typically involves intralesional curettage and reconstruction of the resulting defect with cement or bone graft material. At the authors' institution, an injectable synthetic calcium sulfate-calcium phosphate composite is now the standard graft material for these cases. This study reports the long-term follow-up, specifically the stability of bone regeneration, for the use of the synthetic graft material for oncologic reconstruction. Fourteen patients who underwent intralesional curettage of a primary bone tumor followed by cavitary reconstruction with synthetic graft material who had at least 4-year follow-up were identified from an institutional orthopedic oncology database. Clinical outcome data, focusing on long-term clinical and radiographic features of the reconstruction, were extracted from electronic and paper medical records. Seven females and 7 males were included (mean age at surgery, 28.1 years; range, 13-64 years). Follow-up ranged from 50 to 105 months (mean, 68 months). Most surgical reconstructions were done for the lower limb (n=11), and giant cell tumor of bone was the most common tumor treated. The mean amount of synthetic graft material used was 18.6 cm3. Complete radiographic resorption and new bone incorporation was observed within the first year, and bone remodeling was complete in all patients. Bone remodeling remained stable throughout the longer-term follow-up (ie, up to 9 years). The use of an injectable synthetic calcium sulfate-calcium phosphate composite is a viable option in the reconstruction of cavitary bone defects following intralesional curettage of primary benign bone tumors. This reconstruction technique was safe, with no long-term complications, and led to complete radiographic resorption and new bone incorporation with long-lasting stability. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(6):e868-e875.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific misconduct (fraud) in medical writing is an important and not infrequent problem for the scientific community. Although noteworthy examples of fraud surface occasionally in the media, detection of fraud in medical publishing is generally not as straightforward as one might think. National bodies on ethics in science, strict selection criteria, a robust peer-review process, careful statistical validation, and anti-plagiarism and image-fraud detection software contribute to the production of high-quality manuscripts. This article reviews the various types of fraud in medical writing, discusses the related literature, and describes tools journals implement to unmask fraud. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(2):e176–e183]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Artificial intelligence (AI) generative large language models are powerful and increasingly accessible tools with potential applications in health care education and training. The annual Orthopaedic In-Training Examination (OITE) is widely used to assess resident academic progress and preparation for the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Part 1 Examination. Materials and Methods: Open AI's ChatGPT and Google's Bard generative language models were administered the 2022 OITE. Question stems that contained images were input without and then with a text-based description of the imaging findings. Results: ChatGPT answered 69.1% of questions correctly. When provided with text describing accompanying media, this increased to 77.8% correct. In contrast, Bard answered 49.8% of questions correctly. This increased to 58% correct when text describing imaging in question stems was provided (P<.0001). ChatGPT was most accurate in questions within the shoulder category, with 90.9% correct. Bard performed best in the sports category, with 65.4% correct. ChatGPT performed above the published mean of Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education orthopedic resident test-takers (66%). Conclusion: There is significant variability in the accuracy of publicly available AI models on the OITE. AI generative language software may play numerous potential roles in the future in orthopedic education, including simulating patient presentations and clinical scenarios, customizing individual learning plans, and driving evidence-based case discussion. Further research and collaboration within the orthopedic community is required to safely adopt these tools and minimize risks associated with their use. [Orthopedics. 2024;47(3):e146–e150.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A possible impairment in hip proprioception after total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been an issue of concern. The aims of this study were to investigate the extent of early postoperative change in standing hip rotation angle (HRAng) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) undergoing THA and to consider a possible mechanism behind this. Materials and Methods: A total of 82 hips (82 patients; 63 women and 19 men) undergoing unilateral primary THA with total capsulectomy were included. We characterized the standing HRAng and internal/external range of motion (ROM) in the prone position before THA and 2 weeks after THA. Acetabular/cup and femoral/stem anteversion, combined anteversion (CA), and leg length discrepancy were also characterized. Correlations were examined postoperatively between the HRAng and the other analyzed variables. Results: The median standing HRAng showed a significant internal shift from external to more medial position (6.3° to 1.7°) 2 weeks after THA (P<.0001). The postoperative change in standing HRAng was significantly negatively correlated with the difference between the postoperative femoral anteversion and the stem anteversion (rs=−0.429, P<.0001) and with the pre- to postoperative change in CA (rs=−0.3012, P=.0063). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that the extent of the rotational shift of the distal femur toward medial direction was significantly associated with increasing stem anteversion and CA. This phenomenon can be interpreted as a compensatory mechanism for maintaining the relative positional relationship between the pelvis and the proximal femur using proprioception. Therefore, we conclude that the extracapsular/extra-articular components may be prominent determinants of joint position sense. [Orthopedics. 2024;47(3):e114–e118.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of the levels of evidence system is to provide a framework for critical evaluation of orthopedic literature. This rating system is based on guidelines from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine and is currently in use in several orthopedic surgery journals. The purpose of this study was to investigate resident knowledge of the levels of evidence criteria used in classification of clinical articles. Thirty-eight residents from 5 orthopedic surgery training programs, from year-in-training 3 to 5, determined the levels of evidence rating of 10 blinded articles representing all levels of evidence types in the orthopedic literature. Residents were then provided with a levels of evidence information sheet and asked to re-rate each article. The mean percentage correct for the initial rating was 29.5% and for the posteducation rating was 41.3%, with significant improvement after levels of evidence education (P<.001). The year-in-training--3 group had the highest mean percentage correct for the average of both tests (46.7%) compared to year-in-training--4 (34.2%) and year-in-training--5 (25.4%). Residents were significantly more accurate in scoring therapeutic (41.1% correct pre--levels of evidence; 51.6% post--levels of evidence) than prognostic studies (6.6% correct pre--levels of evidence; 28.9% post--levels of evidence) (P<.001). Residents graded the level of evidence correctly in fewer than half the papers. These findings indicate that resident knowledge of levels of evidence criteria is limited and suggest a need for more education in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cartilage repair with autologous chondrocyte transplantation shows intriguing results. Chondrogenic transplants generally must be inserted into cartilage defects via arthrotomy. The following study showed that arthroscopically-guided navigation could detect and precisely measure the cartilage defect sizes of different geometries. The new cartilage defect-managing module allowed for the precise transfer of navigated cartilage defect geometries for exact size preparation of the tissue engineering scaffolds. Therefore, navigation can help accomplish chondrocyte transplantation arthroscopically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant research documenting the detrimental effects of tobacco, the orthopedic literature lacks evidence regarding how surgeons alter their management of elective surgery when patients use nicotine. To better understand how patients' use of nicotine influences orthopedic surgeons' pre- and postoperative management of elective surgery, a 9-question paper survey was distributed at the 2012 annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons among attending US orthopedic surgeons, including general orthopedists and specialty-trained orthopedic surgeons. Survey questions focused on attitudes and practice management regarding patients who use nicotine. Using a chi-square test, no statistically significant variation was observed between subspecialists and general orthopedists or among different subspecialties. Ninety-eight percent of the orthopedic surgeons surveyed counseled tobacco users about the adverse effects of nicotine. However, approximately half of all of the respondents spent less than 5 minutes on perioperative nicotine counseling. Forty-one percent of all of the respondents never delayed elective surgery because of a patient's nicotine use, followed closely by 39% delaying surgery for less than 3 months. Subspecialty had little influence on how orthopedic surgeons managed nicotine users. The high rate of counseling on the adverse effects of nicotine suggested agreement regarding the detrimental effects of smoking. However, the study population infrequently delayed surgery or used smoking cessation measures. Studies are needed to determine why few surgeons frequently alter the management of nicotine users and what modifications in orthopedic practice could improve outcomes for these patients. [Orthopedics. 2017; 40(1):e90-e94.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing value being placed on patient-centered care and the focus on efficiency and workflow in health care delivery, the authors have implemented a web-based system for demographic, medical history, and patient-reported outcomes data collection for every clinical visit at their specialty upper-extremity center. They evaluated initial success and disparities in use after 12 months. The authors evaluated questionnaire parameters from 2018 patients, focusing primarily on the new patient intake form. They analyzed form-completion time relative to appointment time and form-completion percentage at various times before the appointment. The authors grouped patients by age, sex, race, income, education, employment status, transportation access, self-reported pain, and quality-of-life scores. Waiting room time was evaluated. Of new patients, 94% used the web-based platform to complete the intake form. Of the 4898 completed forms, 69.7% were done more than 1 hour before appointment time, indicating that a personal device was used. When grouped by patient characteristics and controlling for all demographic factors, patients who were male, non-White, and older than 40 years; had lower family income; and had a high school education or less were significantly associated with later form completion. Of the 1136 patients for whom the authors had adequate waiting room time data, late form completion significantly increased odds of waiting more than 15 minutes to be placed into an examination room. These data indicate that the authors are reliably capturing important patient information before appointment time. This could improve clinical workflow and overall quality of care and also identify limits in access and online system use, providing opportunities to improve capture by developing targeted interventions for specific patient populations. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(3):e434-e439.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the overall rate of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) is low, it remains a major complication associated with total joint arthroplasty (TJA). PJI represents a significant economic burden to the health care system that is projected to increase commensurate with increasing joint replacement volumes. This review provides a rank-ordered list of cost-effective strategies that are performable intraoperatively and have data supporting their efficacy at preventing PJI after TJA. This study may be helpful in assisting surgeons, ambulatory surgery center owners, and hospital acquisition committees to make reasonable and cost-conscious decisions in the face of changing reimbursement. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(6):327–332.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anterior cruciate ligament tears or ruptures are common orthopedic injuries. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is an orthopedic procedure allowing for earlier return to sports, improved maintenance of lifestyle demands, and restored knee stability and kinematics. A perioperative rehabilitative adjunct recently gaining interest is blood flow restriction (BFR), a method in which temporary restriction of blood flow to a chosen extremity is introduced and can be used as early as a few days postoperative. There has been increasing investigation and recent literature regarding BFR. This review synthesizes current concepts of BFR use in the ACLR perioperative period. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(6):e333–e340.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One method of preventing surgical-site infection is lowering intraoperative environmental contamination. The authors sought to evaluate their hospital's operating room (OR) contamination rate and compare it with the remainder of the hospital. They tested environmental contamination in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings for a total joint arthroplasty patient. A total of 190 air settle plates composed of trypsin soy agar were placed in 19 settings within the hospital. Locations included the OR with light and heavy traffic, with and without masks, jackets, and shoe covers; the substerile room; OR hallways; the sterile equipment processing center; preoperative areas; post-anesthesia care units; orthopedic floors; the emergency department; OR locker rooms and restrooms; a resident's home; and controls. The trypsin soy agar plates were incubated at 36 °C for 48 hours. Colony counts were performed for each plate. Average colony-forming units (CFUs) were calculated in each setting. The highest CFUs were in the OR locker room, at 28 CFUs per plate per hour. Preoperative and post-anesthesia care unit holding areas were 7.4 CFUs and 9.6 CFUs, respectively. The main orthopedic surgical ward had 10.0 CFUs per plate per hour, whereas the VIP hospital ward had 17.0 CFUs per plate per hour. All OR environments had low CFUs. A live OR had slightly higher CFUs than settings without OR personnel. In comparison with the local community household, the OR locker room, restrooms, hospital orthopedic wards, emergency department, preoperative holding, post-anesthesia care unit, and OR hallway all had higher airborne contamination. On the basis of these results, the authors recommend environmental sampling as a simple, fast, inexpensive tool for monitoring airborne contamination. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(3):e414-e416.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the population ages and medical care, along with a functional life style, continues to improve the health of this group, the number of joint replacement surgeries will continue to rise each year in the United States. This growing volume carries with it the risk of venous thromboembolism associated with joint replacement surgery. The American College of Chest Physicians and the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgery have provided guidelines for preventing this complication with the use of warfarin, low molecular weight heparins, pentasac- charides, and aspirin. These agents have had variable efficacy and safety preventing postoperative and out-of-hospital venous thromboembolism. New classes of oral agents, which inhibit Factor II or Factor X, have been shown to be an effective and safe class of anticoagulants that do not require monitoring or have food and drug interactions. This paper will review the current data on the new oral anticoagulants in joint replacement surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents papers including "Computer-assisted Dynamic Total Knee Arthroplasty Using Whiteside's Line for Alignment," "Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tunnel Placement: A Radiographic Comparison Between Navigated Versus Manual ACL Reconstruction," and "Minimally Invasive Orthopedic Surgery: First Results in Navigated Total Hip Arthroplasty."

Several papers are presented including "The History of Mobile-bearing Total Knee Replacement Systems," "Trends in Total Knee Arthroplasty," and "The Need for Gender-specific Prostheses in TKA: Does Size Make a Difference?"

Stem designs, which have different design features, may produce similar clinical survival curves. Alteratively, some designs that are considered to be similar in design produce different survival rates. In this paper, design aspects of cemented femoral total hip replacement stems, how they can be grouped to design philosophies, and how they may affect the failure process are discussed. In addition, explanations of unsuccessful designs are posed to learn from previous mistakes and improve understanding of design aspects that affect the longevity of cemented femoral stem designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 78-year-old man with a history of multiple cancers presented with severe shoulder pain, elevated inflammatory markers, an ulcerating skin lesion along the anterior shoulder, symptoms concerning for septic arthritis, and a lytic lesion of the humeral head. A negative work-up for malignancy prompted infectious work-up and biopsies, revealing positive methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus cultures, yet a curious finding of perivascular lymphocytic infiltrates and fibrinoid necrosis from both the dermal vessel wall from a skin biopsy and humeral head bone biopsy, suggestive of pyoderma gangrenosum. This was a previously undocumented presentation of pyoderma gangrenosum invasion into a large joint with concomitant bacterial septic arthritis. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(5):e321–e325.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite its success, total hip arthroplasty (THA) remains associated with potentially significant complications associated with component malposition. Preoperative planning can mitigate some of these potential concerns; however, the accurate intraoperative delivery of preoperative targets can be challenging. Computer-assisted navigation may assist with intraoperative target delivery, although the integration of these two technologies is relatively uncommon. We retrospectively reviewed cases of THA planned with a computed tomography–based preoperative planning software and performed with the use of an imageless, computer-assisted navigation system. Postoperative acetabular component orientation from radiographs was compared with preoperative targets and intraoperative navigation measurements. A total of 76 patients were included in the analysis. The mean anteversion target (20.0°±3.1°) did not differ significantly from the mean intraoperative navigation measurement (20.5°±3.3°; P=.30; mean difference, 2.2°±2.3°). The mean radiographic measurement (26.6°±6.5°) differed from the target by a mean of 7.5°±6.1° (P<.001). The mean inclination target (38.4°±1.9°) did not differ significantly from the mean intra-operative measurement (38.0°±1.5°; P=.20; mean difference, 1.3°±1.7°) but differed from the radiographic measurement by a mean of 5.2°±4.2° (41.8°±5.6°; P<.001). No adverse events were reported in the 90-day period following the index procedure. Our study demonstrated that an imageless navigation system can accurately deliver computed tomography–derived preoperative targets for acetabular component orientation. Differences noted on radiographs may be due to the difference in patient positioning for the postoperative imaging (standing) as compared with preoperative imaging or surgery itself (supine). [Orthopedics. 2023;46(4):218–223.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the impact of articles can be performed through bibliometric analysis or social media impact using the Altmetric Attention Score (AAS). The purpose of this study was to report on the social media impact of peripheral nerve studies; how article demographic factors, such as journal specialty (hand, orthopedics, plastic surgery), affect AAS; and how AAS correlates with bibliometrics, namely citation number. While orthopedic journals received the highest academic attention, there was no significant difference in social media attention between journal groups. These findings suggest AAS may be useful to authors in deciding which journal in which to pursue publication. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(3):e143–e148.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis (CRMO) is an idiopathic autoinflammatory disease of the bone that typically occurs in children and adolescents. CRMO is characterized by recurrent periods of exacerbation and remission of symptomatic, osteolytic/sclerotic sterile bone lesions and is often a diagnosis of exclusion. Treatment consists of multimodal anti-inflammatory medication management by rheumatology and rarely involves surgery. This review summarizes the clinical presentation, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and management of this disease and highlights the role of the orthopedic surgeon. With increased familiarity with CRMO, clinicians will be able to diagnose and treat the condition in a more timely manner. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(3):e149–e155.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite increased pressure to capture patient-reported outcome measures for at least 1 year following total joint arthroplasty (TJA), follow-up rates during the first year after TJA are typically lower than desired and may result in biased findings if data are not missing at random. We conducted a retrospective review of medical records of primary total knee arthroplasty patients treated by a single surgeon at an urban academic private hospital. Main measures were demographics (sex, age, race, and insurance), body mass index, travel distance to clinic, and the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Multivariable regression analyses were performed to identify patient characteristics associated with attendance at follow-up visits and predictors of attendance at 6-month follow-up. Among the 205 study patients, follow-up visit attendance declined from a high of 95.7% at day 14 to lows of 69.2% at 6 months and 64.4% at 1 year. Attendance at the previously scheduled follow-up visit was a statistically significant predictor of attendance at 3-month (P=.0015), 6-month (P=.0002), and 1-year (P<.0001) follow-up visits, and travel distance was significantly associated with attending the 1-year follow-up visit (P=.042). Patients with the most favorable KOOS Symptom, Pain, and Function in daily living subscale scores at 3-month follow-up were significantly less likely to attend the 6-month follow-up visit than patients with the least favorable KOOS scores. Prospective studies are needed to identify the full range of factors that may contribute to high rates of loss to follow-up after TJA, which should be of concern to researchers, clinicians, and hospitals. [Orthopedics. 2023;46(2):93–97.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antibiotic prophylaxis before an invasive dental procedure (IDP) for patients with preexisting knee implants has been suggested, but its use has yet to reach consensus. Therefore, we sought to examine antibiotic prophylaxis before an IDP for patients who had undergone a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We specifically assessed 90-day to 1-year (1) periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) and (2) revision. We queried a national, all-payer database for patients undergoing primary TKA between 2010 and 2020 (n=1,952,917). We identified IDP, as defined by any procedure that involves gingival manipulation, and stratified according to antibiotic prophylaxis. A control cohort of TKA recipients without subsequent IDP was then established. All 3 cohorts were matched according to demographic and health metrics (n=496). Chi-square testing generated the odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI for postoperative PJI and revision. The odds for PJI and revision at all time points were statistically similar between antibiotic prophylaxis and no antibiotic prophylaxis (PJI: OR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.11-4.00; P≥.479; revision: OR, ≥0.33; 95% CI, 0.03-4.00; P≥.248). Additionally, both IDP cohorts and the control cohort had similar rates of postoperative PJI (P≥.367) and revision (P≥.173) at all time points. Antibiotic prophylaxis before an IDP for TKA recipients did not decrease the risk of PJI or revision up to 1 year after the index procedure. These results support the trend by dentists and orthopedic surgeons to refrain from antibiotic prophylaxis. However, it likely has utility in patients at high risk, as suggested by current guidelines. [Orthopedics. 20XX;XX(X):xx-xx.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Women are underrepresented across the field of orthopedic surgery and may face barriers to academic advancement. Research presentation at national meetings and publication record are important drivers of advancement in academic orthopedic surgery. However, little is known regarding potential gender differences in publication after orthopedic conference research presentation. This investigation analyzed research presentations at the Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in 2016 and 2017. Author gender was determined through a search of institutional and professional networking websites for gender-specific pronouns. Resulting publications were identified using a systematic search of PubMed and Google Scholar databases. A total of 1696 of 1803 (94.1%) abstracts from 2016 to 2017 had identifiable gender for both the first and last authors, with 1213 (71.5%) abstracts ultimately being published. There were no differences in average sample size or level of evidence between genders. Abstracts authored by women were significantly less likely to lead to publication compared with those by men (67.1% vs 72.1%, P=.023), with articles authored by women having a longer median time to publication (median, 20 months [interquartile range, 19] vs 17 months [interquartile range, 15]; P=.003). This discrepancy was most apparent in adult reconstruction, with women having a 15.5% lower rate of publication (55.1% [27/49] vs 70.6% [307/435]; P=.026) and lower publication journal impact factor (2.7±1.4 vs 3.4±3.4, P=.040) than men. Potential reasons for these discrepancies, including disproportionate domestic obligations, inadequate mentorship, and bias against female researchers, should be addressed. [Orthopedics. 20XX;XX(X):xx-xx.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to increasing rates of self-reported latex allergies, changes have been made to prevent anaphylaxis in the operating room, including the use of latex-free gloves. However, the impact of these changes on the risk of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) after arthroplasty is unclear. This study evaluated whether documented latex allergy is an independent risk factor for PJI and aseptic revision surgery after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A retrospective matched cohort study was conducted with an administrative claims database. A total of 17,501 patients who underwent TKA and had documented latex allergy were matched 1:4 with 70,004 control subjects, and 8221 patients who underwent THA and had documented latex allergy were matched 1:4 with 32,884 control subjects. Multivariable logistic regression showed that patients who had TKA and had a latex allergy showed significantly higher risk of PJI at both 90 days (odds ratio [OR], 1.26) and 1 year (OR, 1.22) and significantly higher risk of aseptic revision TKA at 1 year (OR, 1.21) after surgery compared with control subjects. Patients who had THA and had a latex allergy had significantly higher risk of PJI at 1 year (OR, 1.19) compared with control subjects. Rates of aseptic revision THA were higher in the latex allergy cohort but statistically comparable (P>.05). Latex allergy was associated with significantly increased risk of PJI and aseptic revision after TKA and significantly increased risk of PJI after THA. More work is needed to determine whether these risks can be mitigated or if latex allergy is an inherent, nonmodifiable risk factor requiring modification to typical arthroplasty pathways. [Orthopedics. 2022;45(4):244-250.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Routine follow-up approximately every 2 to 5 years after total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a common practice. However, although patients are informed of the importance of follow-up, our mean follow-up rate for patients after standard non-metal-on-metal (MOM) THA is only 19%. The US Food and Drug Administration has released several statements on the importance of follow-up every 2 years after MOM THA. With the potential risks of MOM THA apparently widely known, we report on our ability to obtain timely follow-up at 2 separate centers. Two separate centers performed 570 MOM THA procedures between 2002 and 2010. An attempt was made to reach every patient by either telephone or letter to obtain ion levels, radiographs, and examinations. Repeat telephone calls and/or letters to those not reached were made annually. Patients were told of the unique importance of follow-up at each contact. Of the patients, 43% had not been seen within the past 5 years, and only 26% had been seen within the past 2 years. Only 61% had their first measurement of ion levels, and only 30% of patients had a second set of measurement of ion levels. A total of 48 revisions occurred in this group, and 36 patients died. Despite the apparent widespread dissemination of information regarding the potential risks of MOM THA and concerted efforts to contact patients for follow-up, we have been able to achieve a follow-up rate of only 26%. This rate is only marginally better than the mean follow-up for non-MOM THA in our practices. The implications of this poor follow-up are unknown. [Orthopedics. 2022;45(4):e196-e200.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite significant advances in intraoperative antimicrobial procedures, deep wound infection remains the most serious complication associated with primary, cemented total joint arthroplasty. A systematic review was conducted to evaluate studies of antibiotic bone cement prophylaxis for reducing the risk of deep wound infection. The literature included 22 articles providing estimates of the prophylactic effectiveness of antibiotic cement. In reducing deep wound infection, antibiotic cement was consistently superior to plain cement, similar to systematic antiobiotics, and independent and additive in effect when combined with other prophylactic measures. Randomized controlled trials in particular had important methodological limitations. However, the collective results nearly unanimously favored prophylactic use of antibiotic cement in primary arthoplasty procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

European surgeons and North American surgeons have different approaches to minimally invasive total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Computer-assisted navigation emphasizes these differences. In this article, the author rethinks what surgeons are trying to achieve and notes that quality control is demanded by patients and surgeons. Although minimally invasive TKA is an accepted procedure, reflection on the facts suggests that the use of minimally invasive surgery and TKA navigation are intertwined and cannot be separated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outcome instrument use is becoming widespread. They must fit smoothly into the office flow and show the physician and patient value. Five practices incorporated the Short Musculoskeletal Functional Assessment (SMFA) into their office. Existing staff scored the SMFA. At the conclusion of the visit, the patient and physician assessed the impact of the SMFA on their interaction. Five hundred ten patients completed the SMFA. Physicians believed the verbal interaction had some effect with their patients 44% of the time. Physicians reported the SMFA had some effect on their management decisions 36% of the time. Physicians reported that the total score was helpful 43% of the time and the category scores were helpful 65% of the time. On completing the SMFA, patients reported no effect on their physician interaction 74% of the time and 88% believed it was worthwhile to complete. This validated musculoskeletal questionnaire adds value to the physician-patient interaction in approximately 30%-40% of encounters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hippocratic oath is traditionally taken by medical school graduates at the time of their graduation, either in its original form or in a modern variation. It is considered the earliest expression of medical ethics, establishing principles of ethics that remain of paramount significance today. However, it was written in antiquity, whereas medicine has been constantly evolving. This article reviews, analyzes, and interprets each section of the oath to determine to what extent it remains relevant to contemporary medicine. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(5):264-272.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dissatisfaction after shoulder arthroscopy may be influenced by the information that patients receive. Multimedia is an emerging modality of information delivery. The goal of this study was to evaluate whether providing patients with a personalized video of their arthroscopic shoulder surgery improved satisfaction through a multisurgeon randomized controlled study. Patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder decompression, rotator cuff repair, or labral repair were randomized to either the intervention group, receiving a video recording of their surgery, or the control group, not receiving a video. Patients who had previous ipsilateral shoulder arthroscopy or who could not participate in follow-up were excluded. Patient satisfaction was assessed at 3 months with a visual analog scale (VAS), Likert scale, and Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Hand and Shoulder (QuickDASH) score. The intervention group included 50 participants, and the control group included 47 participants, with 18% loss to follow-up. Mean control group VAS score was 8.5±2.2 and intervention group VAS score was 9.0±1.5, a difference that was not significantly different (P=.27). No statistically significant differences were noted for Likert scale scores and QuickDASH scores. A subgroup analysis of age group, sex, surgeon, and surgical procedure showed no significant differences. Based on these findings, personalized patient videos do not appear to improve satisfaction with surgery. Surgeons should investigate other means to improve patient satisfaction in the small group of dissatisfied patients. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(3):e331-e336.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients have limited involvement in the development of quality measures that address the experience of undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA). Current quality measures may not fully assess the aspects of care that are important to patients. The goal of this study was to understand quality of care in TJA from the patient perspective by exploring patients' knowledge gaps, experiences, and goals. The authors completed a prospective qualitative analysis of patients who had undergone hip or knee TJA. Patients completed an open-ended, structured questionnaire about the surgical and recovery process as it relates to quality of care. The authors used a phenomenologic approach and purposeful sampling to enroll 74 patients 6 to 8 weeks after TJA. Responses underwent thematic analysis. Codes were used to identify themes that were important to patients in quality of care in TJA. The authors identified 3 themes: (1) returning to activity without pain or complication, which included psychological, functional, and complication-related goals; (2) negotiating the physical and psychological challenges of recovery, which encompassed the need for assistance from the caregiver as well as psychological and physical barriers to recovery; and (3) being prepared and informed for the process of surgery, including physical, logistical, and psychological preparation. Both patients and health systems may benefit from efforts to address these patient-centered themes of quality care through quality measures for TJA (eg, improving the psychological challenges of recovery). Future quality measures, such as assessment of patient experience, may be made more patient centered if they measure and improve aspects of care that matter to patients. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(2):117-122.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative acute kidney injury occurs in 7% to 11% of orthopedic surgeries. The effect of preoperative angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) on the development of postoperative acute kidney injury remains controversial. Adipose tissue has its own independently regulated angiotensin system. The primary aim of this study was to examine the effects of obesity and preoperative ACEIs and ARBs on postoperative acute kidney injury. Charts were reviewed of adult elective orthopedic surgery patients during a 2-year period when patients were instructed to take their ACEI or ARB on the morning of surgery. The patients were divided into an obese cohort (body mass index [BMI] ≥30 kg/m2) and a nonobese cohort (BMI <30 kg/m2). A multivariable model was created for the outcome of acute kidney injury, using obesity as a primary predictor and adjusting for demographics, medications, comorbidities, and intraoperative parameters in a logistic regression analysis. Obesity increased the likelihood of developing acute kidney injury after orthopedic surgery (odds ratio [OR], 1.86; 95% CI, 1.07-3.22; P=.028). For every 5-unit increase in BMI, the odds of acute kidney injury were 1.43 (95% CI, 1.26-1.62; P<.001). When receiving ACEIs or ARBs, only the nonobese patients had a statistically increased likelihood of postoperative acute kidney injury (OR, 3.30; 95% CI, 1.12-9.70; P=.030). Obesity is an independent risk factor for postoperative acute kidney injury. Obesity appears to influence the effect that preoperative ACEIs and ARBs have on postoperative acute kidney injury. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(2):e253-e258.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hip subluxation occurs frequently in children with severe cerebral palsy. This retrospective study examined the effects of age and type of bony surgery on radiographic outcomes of children with severe cerebral palsy who were treated for hip subluxation. The study included nonambulatory children with cerebral palsy undergoing bony hip reconstructive surgery consisting of proximal femoral varus derotational osteotomy (VDRO) alone or combined with pelvic osteotomy. The migration index was recorded for preoperative, postoperative, and final follow-up (minimum 2 years) radiographs. Failure was defined as subsequent bony hip reconstructive surgery or final follow-up migration index greater than 50%. Seventy-seven hips in 40 patients younger than 6 years (55 VDRO alone, 22 combined) and 73 hips in 43 patients older than 6 years (27 VDRO alone, 46 combined) met inclusion criteria. For VDRO alone, the failure rate for patients younger than 6 years (33%) was significantly higher than for patients older than 6 years (7%). For combined procedures, failure rates between younger (0%) and older groups (9%) were not significantly different. Patients younger than 6 years undergoing combined procedures started with a significantly worse migration index than patients undergoing VDRO alone, 72% vs 46%, yet had significantly better final migration indices of 13% vs 31%, respectively. For surgeons performing bony reconstructive surgery to treat hip subluxation in younger children with severe cerebral palsy who are nonambulatory, the findings of this study support the use of combined VDRO and pelvic osteotomy. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(2):e294-e300.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) is a validated and disease-specific instrument commonly used to assess outcomes in total hip arthroplasty (THA). The Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) is a validated, computer adaptive testing (CAT)-based global health assessment tool. The authors' goal was to examine the correlation between PROMIS Pain Interference and Physical Function CATs and the mHHS in patients undergoing primary THA. All THAs were performed by 1 of 2 fellowship-trained dedicated total joint surgeons at 1 academic institution. Patients completed PROMIS and mHHS assessments preoperatively and at 3, 6, 12, and 52 weeks postoperatively. Descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation values were determined. A total of 48 patients were prospectively enrolled in the study. Preoperatively, mean total PROMIS score (Pain Interference and Physical Function) was 74.2 and mHHS was 50.8. Preoperatively, mean total PROMIS score showed a moderate correlation (r=0.56; P<.0001) with total mHHS. Postoperatively, mean total PROMIS score at 3, 6, 12, and 52 weeks was 82.4, 93.4, 100, and 100, respectively (all P<.01 vs baseline), and mHHS was 68.2, 81.1, 85.9, and 88.6, respectively (all P<.01). At 3, 6, 12, and 52 weeks postoperatively, a strong and consistent correlation was observed between the total PROMIS score and mHHS (r=0.74, 0.74, 0.73, and 0.80, respectively; all P<.0001). The PROMIS Pain Interference and Physical Function CATs accurately assessed preoperative pain and dysfunction, as well as clinical improvement following THA. Combined PROMIS Pain Interference and Physical Function is comparable to the mHHS when assessing outcome following THA for osteoarthritis. [Orthopedics. 2021;44(1):e19-e25.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to electronic residency applications, US Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores are frequently used by orthopedic surgery program directors to screen applicants. Prospective applicants therefore often use Step 1 scores as a proxy for specialty competitiveness. The goal of this investigation was two-fold: (1) to determine whether trends in Step 1 scores are indicative of trends in competitiveness of orthopedic surgery and (2) to report the characteristics that optimize a US medical student's match success. A retrospective review of published National Resident Matching Program data from 2009 to 2018 was performed for orthopedic surgery residency applicants. Additional data from the Charting Outcomes reports were used for specific analyses of applicant characteristics. From 2009 to 2018, the number of orthopedic surgery residency positions grew at an annual rate of 1.51% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.37% to 1.64%; P<.001), accommodating the 1.26% (95% CI, 0.63% to 1.90%; P=.006) annual increase in the number of applicants who ranked orthopedic surgery as their preferred specialty choice (only choice or first choice). There were no significant changes in the applicant-to-position ratio (95% CI, -0.85% to 0.37%; P=.483) or the match rate for US seniors who ranked orthopedic surgery as their preferred choice (95% CI, -0.23% to 0.87%; P=.313). Increases in mean Step 1 scores of matched orthopedic surgery applicants parallel national Step 1 growth trends (0.49% vs 0.44%, respectively). Although orthopedic surgery is currently a competitive specialty to match into, this has been the case since 2009. Increasing Step 1 scores of matched applicants is not unique to orthopedic surgery and should not be misinterpreted as a proxy for increasing competitiveness of the specialty. [Orthopedics. 2020;43(6):e616-e622.]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The improvement in Achilles tendon pain and lack of wound complications with gastrocnemius-soleus recession comparees favorably with other surgical treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The published clinical and radiographic outcomes data for primary cementless low-contact stress (LCS) total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were examined. The majority of patients (92.6%) were pain free or had only mild pain, and excellent or good knee scores (99.1%) at follow-up. Patella difficulties and significant radiolucent lines were rare, occurring in less than 1% of patients. The average range of motion (ROM) for patients without a history of previous knee surgeries was 112.1°. Previous knee procedures had a negative impact on ROM. Overall, primary cementless LCS TKA achieves excellent clinical and radiographic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]