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Background Many strategies for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis following hip and knee arthroplasty exist, with extensive controversy regarding the optimum strategy to minimize risk of VTE and bleeding complications. Data from the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery Part II (oral) Examination case list database was analyzed to determine efficacy, complication rates, and prescribing patterns for different prophylactic strategies. Methods The American Board of Orthopedic Surgery case database was queried utilizing Current Procedural Terminology codes 27447 and 27130 for primary total knee and hip arthroplasty, respectively. Geographic region, patient age, gender, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis strategy, and complications were obtained. Less aggressive prophylaxis patterns were considered if only aspirin and/or sequential compression devises were utilized. More aggressive VTE prophylaxis patterns were considered if any of low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaparin), warfarin, rivaroxaban, fondaparinux, or other strategies was used. Results In total, 22,072 cases of primary joint arthroplasty were analyzed from 2014 to 2016. The national rate of less aggressive VTE prophylaxis strategies was 45.4%, while more aggressive strategies were used in 54.6% of patients. Significant regional differences in prophylactic strategy patterns exist between the 6 regions. The predominant less aggressive prophylaxis pattern was aspirin with sequential compression devises at 84.8% with 14.8% receiving aspirin alone. Use of less aggressive prophylaxis strategy was significantly associated with patients having no complications (95.5% vs 93.0%). Use of more aggressive prophylaxis patterns was associated with higher likelihood of mild thrombotic (0.9% vs 0.2%), mild bleeding (1.3% vs 0.4%), moderate thrombotic (1.2% vs 0.4%), moderate bleeding (2.7% vs 2.1%), severe thrombotic (0.1% vs 0.0%), severe bleeding events (1.2% vs 0.9%), infections (1.9% vs 1.3%), and death within 90 days (0.7% vs 0.3%). Similar results were found in subgroup analysis of total hip and knee arthroplasty patients. Conclusion It was not possible to ascertain the individual rationale for use of more aggressive VTE prophylaxis strategies; however, more aggressive strategies were associated with higher rates of bleeding and thrombotic complications. Less aggressive strategies were not associated with a higher rate of thrombosis. Level of Evidence Therapeutic Level III. Disclaimer All views expressed in the study are the sole views of the authors and do not represent the views of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

Objective To investigate the presence of tibial nerve dysfunction (TND) in operatively treated talar neck fractures. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Urban Level-1 trauma center. Patients Sixty-four patients for a total of 65 talar neck fractures treated with open reduction and internal fixation between January 1, 2014, and May 1, 2018. Main outcome measures Incidence of TND. Results Evidence of TND was documented in 20 of 65 cases (30.8%) of talar neck fractures. There were no cases of TND associated with Hawkins I fractures, but TND was found in 7 of 32 Hawkins II fractures (21.9%), 10 of 24 Hawkins III fractures (41.7%), and 3 of 5 Hawkins IV fractures (60%). TND was reported in 11 of 19 open talar neck fractures (57.9%) (P = 0.002). TND was associated with tibiotalar dislocation (P = 0.017) but not subtalar dislocation (P = 0.17). TND did not occur in the absence of subtalar subluxation/dislocation. Of 18, a total of 6 (33.3%) reported partial recovery, and 6 (33.3%) reported full recovery within 6 months of the initial injury. By 12 months, of the 18, 8 (44.4%) reported partial recovery and 7 (38.9%) reported full recovery. Conclusion The tibial nerve and its distal branches are at risk of injury in the setting of displaced talar neck fracture, tibiotalar subluxation/dislocation, and open talar neck fracture with increasing risk among those with a higher Hawkins grade. Level of evidence: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

OBJECTIVES To explore the association between increased time in traction and in-hospital pulmonary complications in patients with acetabular fractures. DESIGN Retrospective. SETTING Level I trauma center. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS One hundred ninety consecutive patients. INTERVENTION Application of skeletal traction before fixation of acetabular fracture. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome measure was pulmonary complication as defined by pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Secondary outcome measures included length of intensive care unit stay (in days), total length of hospital stay (in days), deep hardware-associated infection, subsequent conversion to total hip arthroplasty, urinary tract infection, and lower-extremity deep venous thrombosis. RESULTS The mean time in traction for patients who developed a pulmonary complication was 210 hours compared with 62 hours for those who did not (P < 0.001). After controlling for Injury Severity Score, chest injury, and concomitant long bone injury requiring intramedullary nailing, the odds of developing a pulmonary complication for patients who spent longer than 120 hours in traction were over 40 times higher than those treated within 5 days (P < 0.001). The mean intensive care unit stay for patients who spent at least 120 hours in traction was 17 days compared with 5 days for those treated in less than 120 hours (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION Early definitive fixation and decreased time in skeletal traction is associated with a lower rate of complications in patients with acetabular fractures. Our results would suggest that fixation of acetabular fractures before 120 hours (5 days) confers a significant risk-reduction benefit. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) increases cardiovascular risk and is associated with poor patient outcomes. We hypothesized that MetS confers an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in severely injured trauma patients.We performed a retrospective review of trauma patients from 2014 through 2018, excluding patients younger than 16 years, with Injury Severity Score16, and with incomplete height and/or weight documentation. Metabolic syndrome was defined as the presence of diabetes, hypertension, and BMI ≥30 kg/mThere were 4,489 patients meeting criteria, of which 100 (2.2%) had MetS. Patients with MetS were older (64.0 vs 38.6 years; p0.0001), but with similar Injury Severity Scores (22 vs 22; p = 0.7). Hospital LOS was significantly longer with MetS (16.5 vs 11 days; p0.0001), as was ICU LOS (9 vs 5 days; p = 0.0002). MetS correlated with higher rates of acute kidney injury (19% vs 3.6%; p0.0001), ARDS (11.0% vs 4.6%; p = 0.01), cardiac arrest (10.0% vs 4.0%; p = 0.01), MI (2.0% vs 0.3%; p = 0.05), severe sepsis (8.0% vs 3.3%; p = 0.03), unplanned intubation (11.0% vs 5.0%; p = 0.02), unplanned ICU admission (13.0% vs 6.1%; p = 0.02), and non-home discharge (51.0% vs 30.2%; p = 0.0007). After controlling for age, Glasgow Coma Scale, Injury Severity Score, sex, and mechanism, MetS remained an independent predictor of mortality (odds ratio 2.5; 95% CI 1.33 to 4.7; p = 0.004).MetS occurs infrequently in our severely injured trauma population, but is strongly associated with increasing LOS, as well as cardiac, pulmonary, infectious, and renal complications. MetS also significantly and independently predicts death and should be identified early to facilitate prompt multidisciplinary treatment.

Background: Malnutrition is known to be negatively associated with outcomes after multiple orthopedic procedures. We hypothesized that admission albumin levels, as a marker for malnutrition, would correlate with postoperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to investigate this relationship following surgery for ankle fracture. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. Patients undergoing operative fixation of an ankle fracture were identified. A total of 6138 patients with albumin available for analysis were identified. Baseline patient information, preoperative serum albumin levels, 30-day postoperative complications, readmission, reoperation, and length of stay data were then collected. Poisson regression with robust error variance was performed to assess the effect of preoperative serum albumin level on postoperative outcomes. Results: The mean albumin level was 3.86 g/dL and 20.3% (1246/6138) of patients with available albumin levels were hypoalbuminemic. Multivariate analysis revealed that an albumin level Conclusion: While complication rates after fixation of ankle fractures remain low, hypoalbuminemia was a predictor of postoperative course. Malnutrition, therefore, may help inform the decision between surgical and conservative management of patients with ankle fractures potentially amenable to nonoperative management. Additionally, hypoalbuminemia should trigger heightened awareness and prophylactic therapy where appropriate. Level of Evidence: Level III, comparative study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between frailty and 30-day morbidity and mortality in patients with intertrochanteric femur fractures. Furthermore, the authors sought to identify a specific frailty index score that would help identify high-risk patients. This retrospective study evaluated 229 consecutive patients 50 years or older who presented to a single level I trauma center for surgical fixation of an intertrochanteric femur fracture. Frailty was determined using a previously validated 11-point modified frailty index (mFI) scale. Primary outcome variables included 30-day morbidity and mortality. Of the 229 patients included in this study, 82 (36%) had a postoperative complication and there were 10 (4%) mortalities. The most common complications were delirium (n=40; 17%) and acute kidney injury (n=25; 11%). Mean mFI score for those who developed a postoperative complication was 0.24 compared with 0.14 for those who did not ( P P =.006). This study demonstrates that the mFI is associated with 30-day morbidity and mortality in patients aged 50 years or older with intertrochanteric femur fractures. The authors identified an mFI score of 0.27 or more as the most robust predictor of increased 30-day morbidity and mortality following surgical fixation of intertrochanteric femur fractures. [ Orthopedics . 2019; 42(6):344–348.]

Background Total shoulder arthroplasty has been demonstrated to be an effective treatment for arthritis of the glenohumeral joint. Prior studies have identified longer operative times as a risk factor for complications after numerous types of procedures. We hypothesized that increased operative time, in 20-min intervals, would be associated with complications following total shoulder arthroplasty. Methods Patients undergoing total shoulder arthroplasty from 2006 to 2015 were identified from the ACS-NSQIP database. Patient demographic information, perioperative parameters, and 30-day outcomes were retrieved. Pearson's Chi-square test and multivariate Poisson regression with robust error variance were used to analyze the relationship of operative time and outcomes. Results A total of 10,082 patients were included. Multivariate analysis revealed that for each increase in 20 min of operative time, there were significantly increased rates of any complication (relative risk (RR) 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19–1.26), anemia requiring transfusion (RR 1.33, 95%CI 1.26–1.4), peripheral nerve injury (RR 1.88, 95%CI 1.53–2.31), and urinary tract infection (RR 1.24, 95%CI 1.09–1.41). Discussion This study indicates that increasing operative time confers increased risk for postoperative complications following total shoulder arthroplasty. We anticipate the results of this manuscript will be used for provider education, policy decision-making, and potentially to derive algorithms that can improve safety and efficiency in total shoulder arthroplasty. Level of evidence III.

Malnutrition is known to negatively affect outcomes after arthroplasty, hip fracture, and spine surgery. Although distal radius fracture surgery may be considered in a similar patient cohort, the effect of malnutrition in this scenario is unknown. We hypothesized that admission serum albumin level, as a marker for malnutrition, would correlate with the rate of postoperative complications following surgery for distal radius fracture.We performed a retrospective cohort study of the American College of Surgeons National Surgery Quality Improvement database. Patients undergoing open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture were identified using Current Procedural Terminology codes. We excluded patients who were septic at presentation, were multiply injured, or had open fractures. We collected patient demographics, length of stay, 30-day complications, reoperation, and readmission rates. We performed multivariable linear regression analysis controlling for age, sex, body mass index, operative time, discharge destination, and modified Frailty Index score.We identified 1,989 patients (mean age, 56 years; range, 18-90 years) with available albumin levels, and 14.7% had hypoalbuminemia (albumin,3.5 g/dL). Multivariable regression revealed that malnourished patients had higher rates of postoperative complications (6.5% vs 1.3%; odds ratio [OR] 4.88; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.47-9.66). Specifically, these patients had increased rates of Clavien-Dindo IV (life-threatening) complications (2.4% vs 0%), readmission (7.2% vs 2%; OR, 3.37; 95% CI, 1.88-6.03), and mortality (1.7% vs 0.1%; OR, 9.23; 95% CI, 1.55-54.87). Malnourished patients had significantly longer length of stay (3.55 vs 0.73 days). Albumin concentration was inversely associated with risk of death (OR, 0.12; 95% CI, 0.03-0.52).Malnutrition, indicated by albumin less than 3.5 g/dL, is a powerful predictor of uncommon, but important, postoperative complications, including mortality, following surgery for distal radius fracture. Evaluation of preoperative albumin level may, therefore, help surgeons provide individualized counseling and more accurately stratify the risk of patients.Prognostic II.

Frailty, as quantified by the modified frailty index (mFI), has emerged as a promising method to identify patients at high risk of complications after surgery. Several studies have shown that frailty, as opposed to age, is more predictive of adverse surgical outcomes. We hypothesized that a 5-item mFI could be used to identify patients at elevated risk of complications after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).We identified patients aged 50 years or older who underwent TSA in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Pearson χThe study included 9861 patients with a mean age of 70 years. As the mFI score increased from 0 to 2 or greater, the following rates increased: postoperative complications from 4.2% to 9.4%, readmission from 1.6% to 4.4%, adverse hospital discharge from 6.3% to 19.6%, and LOS from 1.88 days to 2.43 days (P .001). Multivariate analysis showed that patients with an mFI score of 2 or greater were over twice as likely to sustain a postoperative complication (odds ratio [OR], 2.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.86-3.10), readmission (OR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.88-4.17), reoperation (OR, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.02-3.25), and adverse hospital discharge (OR, 3.14; 95% CI, 2.51-3.92). These effects were all significantly higher compared with age.Frailty is associated with increased rates of 30-day postoperative complications, readmission, reoperation, adverse hospital discharge, and hospital LOS after TSA. Use of a simple frailty evaluation may help inform decision making and risk assessment when considering TSA.

Many strategies for venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis following hip and knee arthroplasty exist, with extensive controversy regarding the optimum strategy to minimize risk of VTE and bleeding complications. Data from the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery Part II (oral) Examination case list database was analyzed to determine efficacy, complication rates, and prescribing patterns for different prophylactic strategies.The American Board of Orthopedic Surgery case database was queried utilizing Current Procedural Terminology codes 27447 and 27130 for primary total knee and hip arthroplasty, respectively. Geographic region, patient age, gender, deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis strategy, and complications were obtained. Less aggressive prophylaxis patterns were considered if only aspirin and/or sequential compression devises were utilized. More aggressive VTE prophylaxis patterns were considered if any of low-molecular-weight heparin (enoxaparin), warfarin, rivaroxaban, fondaparinux, or other strategies was used.In total, 22,072 cases of primary joint arthroplasty were analyzed from 2014 to 2016. The national rate of less aggressive VTE prophylaxis strategies was 45.4%, while more aggressive strategies were used in 54.6% of patients. Significant regional differences in prophylactic strategy patterns exist between the 6 regions. The predominant less aggressive prophylaxis pattern was aspirin with sequential compression devises at 84.8% with 14.8% receiving aspirin alone. Use of less aggressive prophylaxis strategy was significantly associated with patients having no complications (95.5% vs 93.0%). Use of more aggressive prophylaxis patterns was associated with higher likelihood of mild thrombotic (0.9% vs 0.2%), mild bleeding (1.3% vs 0.4%), moderate thrombotic (1.2% vs 0.4%), moderate bleeding (2.7% vs 2.1%), severe thrombotic (0.1% vs 0.0%), severe bleeding events (1.2% vs 0.9%), infections (1.9% vs 1.3%), and death within 90 days (0.7% vs 0.3%). Similar results were found in subgroup analysis of total hip and knee arthroplasty patients.It was not possible to ascertain the individual rationale for use of more aggressive VTE prophylaxis strategies; however, more aggressive strategies were associated with higher rates of bleeding and thrombotic complications. Less aggressive strategies were not associated with a higher rate of thrombosis.Therapeutic Level III.All views expressed in the study are the sole views of the authors and do not represent the views of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery.

To examine the relationship of nutrition parameters with the modified frailty index (mFI) and postoperative complications in hip fracture patients.Retrospective observational cohort study.Urban, American College of Surgeons-Verified, Level-1, Trauma Center.Three hundred seventy-seven consecutive patients with isolated hip fractures.N/A.On admission, albumin and total lymphocyte count (TLC) levels and complication data were collected. Additionally, mFI scores were calculated. Statistical analysis was then used to analyze the association between frailty, malnutrition, and postoperative complications.Overall, 62.6% and 17.5% of patients were malnourished as defined by TLC of1500 cells per cubic millimeter and albumin of3.5 g/dL, respectively. Both TLC (P = 0.024; r = -0.12) and albumin (P0.001; r = -0.23) weakly correlated with frailty. Combining malnutrition and frailty revealed predictive synergy. Albumin of3.5 g/dL and mFI of ≥0.18 in the same patient resulted in a positive predictive value of 69% and a likelihood ratio of 4 (2.15-7.43) for postoperative complications. Similarly, the combination of hypoalbuminemia and frailty resulted in a positive predictive value of 23.3% and likelihood ratio of 8.52 (P0.001) for mortality.When patients are frail and malnourished, there is a risk elevation beyond that of frailty or malnutrition in isolation. This high-risk cohort can be easily identified at admission with routine laboratory values and clinical history. There is an opportunity to improve outcomes in frail hip fracture patients because malnutrition represents a potentially modifiable risk factor.Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the prevalence of closed suction drainage after a Kocher–Langenbeck (K–L) approach for surgical fixation of acetabular fractures and to determine the impact of closed suction drainage on patient outcomes. This retrospective study reports on 171 consecutive patients that presented to a single level I trauma center for surgical fixation of an acetabular fracture. Medical records were reviewed to evaluate the use of closed suction drains. The primary outcomes measures were rate of packed red blood cell (PRBC) transfusion and length of hospital stay (LOS). Secondary outcome measures were 30-day post-operative wound complication and 1-year deep infection rates. Of the 171 patients included in this study, 140 (82%) patients were treated with drains. There was a significant association between the use of closed suction drainage and post-operative blood transfusion rate (p = 0.002). Thirty-five patients (25%) treated with drains required a post-operative blood transfusion compared to 0% in the no drain cohort. Regarding the total number of drains used, for every additional closed suction drain that was placed beyond a single drain, the odds of receiving a blood transfusion doubled (p = 0.002). Use of closed suction drainage was associated with a significantly longer LOS (p = 0.015), and no difference in wound complication or deep infection rates. The use of closed suction drains for treatment of acetabular fractures using a K–L approach is associated with increased rates of blood transfusion and increased length of hospital stay, with no impact on surgical site infection rates. The results of this study suggest against routine drain usage in acetabular surgery.

A retrospective cohort study.The aim of this study was to compare 30-day postoperative outcomes between patients undergoing outpatient and inpatient single-level cervical total disc replacement (TDR) surgery.Cervical TDR is a motion-sparing treatment for cervical radiculopathy and myelopathy. It is an alternative to anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) with a similar complication rate. Like ACDF, it may be performed in the inpatient or outpatient setting. Efforts to reduce health care costs are driving spine surgery to be performed in the outpatient setting. As cervical TDR surgery continues to gain popularity, the safety of treating patients on an outpatient basis needs to be validated.The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried for patients who underwent single-level cervical disc replacement surgery between 2006 and 2015. Complication data including 30-day complications, reoperation rate, readmission rate, and length of stay data were compared between the inpatient and outpatient cohort using univariate analysis.There were 531 (34.2%) patients treated as outpatients and 1022 (65.8%) were treated on an inpatient basis. The two groups had similar baseline characteristics. The overall 30-day complication rate was 1.4% for inpatients and 0.6% for outpatients. Reoperation rate was 0.6% for inpatient and 0.4% for outpatients. Readmission rate was 0.9% and 0.8% for inpatient and outpatient, respectively. There were no statistical differences identified in rates of readmission, reoperation, or complication between the inpatient and outpatient cohorts.There was no difference between 30-day complications, readmission, and reoperation rates between inpatients and outpatients who underwent a single-level cervical TDR. Furthermore, the overall 30-day complication rates were low. This study supports that single-level cervical TDR can be performed safely in an outpatient setting.3.

There is a select number of massive-volume, high-acuity trauma centers (HACs) in the United States. Expertise in polytrauma care has been associated with improved mortality in general surgery trauma, though has not been investigated in orthopaedic trauma. With complex polytrauma proficiency comes the inherent risk of intensive care, complications, and prolonged inpatient stays, without a commensurate increase in allocated resources. The purpose of this study was to compare mortality, complications, and length of stay in polytraumatized orthopaedic patients treated at HACs vs. low-acuity trauma centers (LACs).The National Trauma Data Bank was queried for orthopaedic injuries with injury severity score (ISS)15 and mortality, complications, hospital length of stay, ICU length of stay, ventilation duration, and demographics. Hospitals where at least 13% (median percentage of patients with ISS15 admitted to all hospitals) of total admissions had an ISS15 were classified as HAC; all others were LACs.HACs admitted 86.8% of 28,314 patients with ISS15. On univariate analysis, patients at HACs have 16% decreased odds of in-hospital mortality vs. LACs (p=0.005); the effect increased to 27% (p=0.002) on multivariate analysis. Patients at HACs have 63% greater odds of ICU admission (p0.001), 48% higher odds of ventilatory support (p=0.001), 38% increased odds of unplanned reoperation (p=0.007), and 37% increased odds of medical complications (p0.001). On multivariate analysis, secondary outcome measures showed no significant difference between HACs and LACs. Patients at HACs had 2.8 days longer length-of-stay (p0.001).Severely injured orthopaedic trauma patients have decreased mortality at HACs, despite having a higher average ISS and a higher prevalence of obesity and active smoking. While there is a higher incidence of ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, complications, and unplanned reoperation on univariate analysis, correction for ISS and patient factors enhances the effect of HACs on mortality, but removes the effect on secondary measures. Thus, HACs are life-saving institutions for polytraumatized orthopaedic patients, and the known resource demand of these hospitals is supported by their favorable outcome profile.IV.

Objective To review the current literature on the use of viscoelastic hemolytic assays, such as thromboelastography (TEG) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), during the perioperative period of patients and determine the ability of TEG and ROTEM to detect hypercoagulability and identify increased risk of the development of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Data sources PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane online databases were queried through February 11, 2018, by pairing the terms "thromboelastography," "viscoelastic hemostatic assays," and "rotational thromboelastometry" with "venous thromboembolism," "deep vein thrombosis," "pulmonary embolism," and "hypercoagulability." Study selection Inclusion and exclusion criteria were established to determine relevance and quality of data, of which 2.54% of initially identified studies met. Data extraction and synthesis Articles and citations were reviewed for relevance by 2 independent individuals following PRISMA guidelines as well as a quality assessment of data as established by Zaza et al. In studies that separated patients postoperatively by VTE development or no VTE development, data were pooled utilizing a modified DerSimmion and Laird random effects model. Results One thousand eight hundred ninety-three articles were assessed for eligibility, yielding 370 abstracts. Of the 370 abstracts, 35 studies were included, and of these, only 5 were included in the meta-analysis. Studies included postsurgical patients in a variety of surgical fields, encompassing a total of 8939 patients, with 717 thrombotic events reported. Elevated maximum amplitude (MA) was a statistically significant indicator of hypercoagulability across at least 1 perioperative time point in 17 (50%) of the articles reviewed, consisting of 6348 (72%) patients. The pooled mean MA value for defining hypercoagulability was greater than 66.70 mm. Using a prepublished value for hypercoagulability of 65 mm, the combined effect of MA on the development of VTE in postsurgical patients was determined to be 1.31 (95% confidence, 0.74-2.34, P = 0.175) and was 46% sensitive and 62% specific in predicting a postoperative VTE. Conclusions Only 1 parameter, MA, was consistently used to both define hypercoagulability and be predictive of VTE after traumatic injury and surgical intervention; however, there remains a broad variability in the definition of hypercoagulability as determined by MA and thus limits its predictive ability. In addition, when hypercoagulability was measured throughout the perioperative period, TEG consistently demonstrated hypercoagulability starting on post-op day 1 (POD1). Level of evidence Diagnostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Purpose Compared with cast treatment, surgery may expose patients with distal radius fractures to undue risk. Surgical intervention in this cohort may offer less benefit than previously thought and appropriate patient selection is imperative. The modified Frailty Index (mFI) predicts complications after other orthopedic surgeries. We hypothesized that this index would predict, and might ultimately prevent, complications in patients older than 50 years with distal radius fractures. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the American College of Surgeons—National Surgery Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database, including patients older than 50 years who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of a distal radius fracture. A 5-item mFI score was then calculated for each patient. Postoperative complications , readmission and reoperation rates, as well as length of stay (LOS) were recorded. Bivariate and multivariable statistical analysis was then performed. Results We identified 6,494 patients (mean age, 65 years). Compared with patients with mFI of 0, patients with mFI of 2 or greater were nearly 2.5 times as likely to incur a postoperative complication (1.7% vs 7.4%). Specifically, the rates of Clavien-Dindo IV, wound, cardiac, and renal complications were increased significantly in patients with mFI of 2 or greater. In addition, as mFI increased from 0 to 2 or greater, 30-day reoperation rate increased from 0.8% to 2.4%, 30-day readmission from 0.8% to 4.6%, and LOS from 0.5 days to 1.44 days. Frailty was associated with increased complications as well as rates of readmission and reoperation even when controlling for demographic data, LOS, and operative time. Age alone was not significantly associated with postoperative complications, readmission, reoperation, or LOS. Conclusions A state of frailty is highly predictive of postoperative complications, readmission, reoperation, and increased LOS following open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures. Our data suggest that a simple frailty evaluation can help inform surgical decision making in patients older than 50 years with distal radius fractures. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic II.

The historical "six-hour rule" as a golden hour for timing to debridement has been refuted in modern literature. Current standards prompt a timely debridement; however, in the setting of polytrauma, patients are often resuscitated for periods24 h, with delayed orthopedic intervention. Therefore, we sought to determine the association between prolonged time to operative debridement (24 h) and infection.We conducted a retrospective review of patients with open fractures that underwent irrigation and debridement at a single institution from 2008 to 2016. Demographic, injury, and operative variables were collected. Infection was defined as the need for intravenous antibiotics and/or repeat irrigation and debridement. Chi-squared test and univariate logistic regression were performed. P 0.05 was the cutoff for significance.Of 642 patients examined, 56 (8.7%) developed an infection. Prolonged time to debridement was not associated with increased infection rates (P = 1.00). Gustilo-Anderson classification was associated with increased risk of infection (type I: 2.1%, type II: 7.6%, and type III: 14.6%; P 0.001). In univariate analysis, infection was associated with after-hours surgery (between 7 PM and 7 AM (odds ratio [OR] = 2.02; P 0.02), definitive fixation more than 24 h post-admission (OR = 3.08; P 0.001), wound closure more than 24 h post-admission (OR = 4.36; P 0.001), and more than two operations performed post-admission (OR = 8.73; P 0.001). Multivariate analysis of these factors found number of operations (OR = 7.13; P 0.001) and time to definitive wound closure (OR = 4.04; P 0.001) to be independent predictors of developing an infection.Our data suggests that there is no association between infection and prolonged time to debridement.

Malnutrition, as indicated by hypoalbuminemia, is known to have detrimental effects on outcomes after arthroplasty, geriatric hip fractures, and multiple general surgeries. Hypoalbuminemia has been examined in the critically ill but has largely been ignored in the orthopaedic trauma literature. We hypothesized that admission albumin levels would correlate with postoperative course in the nongeriatric lower extremity trauma patient.Patients with lower extremity (including pelvis and acetabulum) fracture who underwent operative intervention were collected from the ACS-NSQIP database. Patients younger than 65 years were included. Patient demographic data, complications, length of stay, reoperation rate, and readmission rate were collected, and patient modified frailty index scores were calculated. Poisson regression with robust error variance was then conducted, controlling for potential confounders.Five thousand six hundred seventy-three patients with albumin available were identified, and 29.6% had hypoalbuminemia. Hypoalbuminemic patients had higher rates of postoperative complications [9.3% vs. 2.6%; relative risk (RR) 1.63] including increased rates of: mortality (3.2% vs. 0.4%; RR 4.86, 95% confidence interval 2.66-8.87), sepsis (1.5% vs. 0.5%, RR 2.35), and reintubation (2.3% vs. 0.4%; RR 3.84). Reoperation (5.5% vs. 2.6%, RR 1.74) and readmission (11.4% vs. 4.1%; RR 2.53) rates were also higher in patients with low albumin.Hypoalbuminemia is a powerful predictor of acute postoperative course and mortality after surgical fixation in nongeriatric, lower extremity orthopaedic trauma patients. Admission albumin should be a routine part of the orthopaedic trauma workup. Further study into the utility of supplementation is warranted, as this may represent a modifiable risk factor.Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

The aim of this study was to compare hospital outcomes for patients in a motorcycle collision with and without helmet use. The study was conducted as a retrospective analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank's 2013 data set, which included reported data from 100 hospitals across the United States.Inclusion criterion for this study is a motorcycle crash involving a driver or passenger. The total number of patients in motorcycle crashes as reported by the National Trauma Data Bank in 2013 was 10,345. Helmet use, hospital stay, ICU and ventilation days, mortality, Glasgow Coma Score, Injury Severity Score, patient payer mix, and complication data were obtained.Patients were divided into two groups: those wearing a helmet (n = 6250) and those without (n = 4095). Patients not wearing a helmet had an increased risk of admission to the ICU (OR = 1.36, P 0.001, CI 1.25-1.48), requiring ventilation support (OR = 1.55, P 0.001, CI 1.39-1.72), presenting with a Glasgow Coma Score of eight or below (OR = 2.15, P 0.001), and in-patient mortality (OR = 2.00, P 0.001, CI 1.58-2.54). Unhelmeted patients were more likely to have government insurance or be uninsured than those patients wearing a helmet (P 0.001).It is not well understood why many states are repealing or have repealed universal helmet laws. Lack of helmet use increases the severity of injury in traumatized patients leading to a substantial financial impact on health care costs. Our analysis suggests the need to revisit the issue regarding laws that require protective headwear while riding motorcycles because of the individual and societal impact.III.

As morbidity and mortality from traumatic orthopaedic injuries continues to rise, increased research is being conducted on how to best predict complications in at risk patients. Recently, frailty indices have been validated in a variety of surgical subspecialties as predictors of morbidity and mortality. However, the vast majority of research has been conducted on geriatric patient populations, with little evidence on patients who are chronologically young. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of a modified frailty index (mFI) in predicting mortality and complications after pelvis, acetabulum, and lower extremity trauma in patients of all ages.The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried from 2005 to 2014 for all patients who underwent surgery for pelvis, acetabulum, and lower extremity trauma. The sample size was divided into geriatric (age ≥ 60) and young (age 60) cohorts. The mFI score was calculated for each patient. Bivariate analysis was performed using logistic regression and a chi-square test to determine the relationship between mFI and both primary and secondary outcomes while adjusting for age. Univariate analysis and multivariate analyses were performed. All analyses were done using SAS 9.4 (Cary, NC) and a p 0.05 was considered significant.56,241 patients were identified to have undergone surgery for pelvis, acetabulum, or lower extremity trauma. 28% of patients were identified under the age of 60. In the young cohort, mFI was a strong predictor of thirty-day mortality (OR 11.02, 95% CI 6.26-19.39, p 0.001). With regards to Clavien-Dindo grade IV complications, MFI is also a strong predictor in the young cohort (OR 28.82, 95% CI 16.05-51.77, p 0.001).The mFI score was a significant predictor of morbidity and mortality in chronologically young orthopaedic trauma patients. The use of the mFI score can provide an individualized risk assessment to interdisciplinary teams for perioperative counseling and to improve outcomes.

Background: The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether USMLE board scores correlate with the emotional intelligence of medical students. We hypothesized that higher Step 1 scores would be associated with lower emotional intelligence.Methods: This prospective study included medical students who self-reported their USMLE Step 1 score and completed a survey designed to measure their emotional intelligence. The survey was composed of a Grit Scale, a Hardiness-Resilience quiz, and the “Reading the Mind in the Eyes” quiz. For participants who completed all three instruments, a composite score was equal to the sum of the three scoresThis study was performed at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. Of the 85 medical students who were recruited to participate, 72 completed all aspects of this study (85% completion rate).Results: Pearson correlation analyses showed that grit (r=-0.105, P=0.34), hardiness-resilience (r=-0.230, P=0.04), the eye quiz (r=-0.033, P=0.79), and the composite score (r=-0.187, P=0.12) wereinversely correlated with USMLE scores. Participants who scored higher than the national average had a lower mean hardiness score compared to those who scored lower than the national average (P=0.03). Those who scored at least one standard deviation above the national average had a lowermean hardiness score (P=0.05) and a lower composite score (P=0.04).Conclusion: Higher USMLE Step 1 scores are associated with lower emotional intelligence, namely hardiness, in medical students.Keywords: EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE, USMLE STEP 1, HARDINESS, GRIT, RESIDENCY SELECTION

Background. Repeated, self-damaging behaviour occurring in the context of borderline personality disorder (BPD) may reflect impairments in decision-making and planning cognition. However, there has been no systematic neuropsychological examination of these particular cognitive functions in patients diagnosed with BPD. Such investigations may improve our understanding of the possible role of brain dysfunction in BPD and improve the characterization of the psychological difficulties associated with this disorder.Method. Forty-two psychiatric patients with a diagnosis of DSM-III-R BPD (41 of whom gave a history of self-harm), without a history of specified ‘psychoses’ or current major affective disorder, were clinically assessed before completing computerized tasks of decision-making and planning previously shown to be sensitive to frontal lobe dysfunction, and tests of spatial and pattern visual recognition memory previously shown to be sensitive to frontal lobe damage and temporal lobe damage respectively. The performance of the BPD patient group was compared with that of a non-clinical control group consisting of 42 subjects.Results. The performance of the BPD patients on the decision-making task was characterized by a pattern of delayed and maladaptive choices when choosing between competing actions, and by impulsive, disinhibited responding when gambling on the outcome of their decisions. BPD patients also showed impairments on the planning task. There was no evidence of impaired visual recognition memory. Additional analyses suggested only limited effects of current medication and history of previous substance use disorder.Conclusions. These findings suggest that BPD is associated with complex impairments in dissociable cognitive processes mediated by circuitry encompassing the frontal lobes. These impairments may mediate some of the behavioural changes evident in BPD. Further work is needed to examine the specificity of these findings.

High-grade versions of appendiceal goblet cell carcinoids (‘adenocarcinoma ex-goblet cell carcinoids’) are poorly characterized. We herein document 77 examples. Tumors occurred predominantly in females (74%), mean age 55 years (29–84), most with disseminated abdominal (77% peritoneal, 58% gynecologic tract involvement) and stage IV (65%) disease. Many presented to gynecologic oncologists, and nine had a working diagnosis of ovarian carcinoma. Metastases to liver (n =3) and lung (n =1) were uncommon and none arose in adenomatous lesions. Tumors had various histologic patterns, in variable combinations, most of which were fairly specific, making them recognizable as appendiceal in origin, even at metastatic sites: I: Ordinary goblet cell carcinoid/crypt pattern (rounded, non-luminal acini with well-oriented goblet cells), in variable amounts in all cases. II: Poorly cohesive goblet cell pattern (diffusely infiltrative cords/single files of signet ring-like/goblet cells). III: Poorly cohesive non-mucinous cell (diffuse-infiltrative growth of non-mucinous cells). IV: Microglandular (rosette-like glandular) pattern without goblet cells. V: Mixed ‘other’ carcinoma foci (including ordinary intestinal/mucinous). VI: goblet cell carcinoid pattern with high-grade morphology (marked nuclear atypia). VII: Solid sheet-like pattern punctuated by goblet cells/microglandular units. Ordinary nested/trabecular (‘carcinoid pattern’) was very uncommon. In total, 33(52%) died of disease, with median overall survival 38 months and 5-year survival 32%. On multivariate analysis perineural invasion and younger age (