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Despite marked advancements in the recognition and diagnosis of spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) over the past decade, knowledge of the basic pathophysiologic mechanisms of disease, contributing factors, and treatment continue to be poorly understood. We describe significant research gaps in our knowledge of SCAD and introduce strategies including the role of patient advocacy, independent registries, and creation of diverse centers of excellence to bridge the gap in clinical care, research, and outcomes. Lastly, we introduce an innovative patient-centered clinical care and research framework established through the SCAD Alliance and International Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection registry as a model for advancing knowledge of SCAD.

Objective: Large language models such as ChatGPT have demonstrated significant potential in question-answering within ophthalmology, but there is a paucity of literature evaluating its ability to generate clinical assessments and discussions. The objectives of this study were to (1) assess the accuracy of assessment and plans generated by ChatGPT and (2) evaluate ophthalmologists’ abilities to distinguish between responses generated by clinicians versus ChatGPT. Design: Cross-sectional mixed-methods study. Subjects: Sixteen ophthalmologists from a single academic center, of which 10 were board-eligible and 6 were board-certified, were recruited to participate in this study. Methods: Prompt engineering was used to ensure ChatGPT output discussions in the style of the ophthalmologist author of the Medical College of Wisconsin Ophthalmic Case Studies. Cases where ChatGPT accurately identified the primary diagnoses were included and then paired. Masked human-generated and ChatGPT-generated discussions were sent to participating ophthalmologists to identify the author of the discussions. Response confidence was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale score, and subjective feedback was manually reviewed. Main Outcome Measures: Accuracy of ophthalmologist identification of discussion author, as well as subjective perceptions of human-generated versus ChatGPT-generated discussions. Results: Overall, ChatGPT correctly identified the primary diagnosis in 15 of 17 (88.2%) cases. Two cases were excluded from the paired comparison due to hallucinations or fabrications of nonuser-provided data. Ophthalmologists correctly identified the author in 77.9% ± 26.6% of the 13 included cases, with a mean Likert scale confidence rating of 3.6 ± 1.0. No significant differences in performance or confidence were found between board-certified and board-eligible ophthalmologists. Subjectively, ophthalmologists found that discussions written by ChatGPT tended to have more generic responses, irrelevant information, hallucinated more frequently, and had distinct syntactic patterns (all P < 0.01). Conclusions: Large language models have the potential to synthesize clinical data and generate ophthalmic discussions. While these findings have exciting implications for artificial intelligence-assisted health care delivery, more rigorous real-world evaluation of these models is necessary before clinical deployment. Financial Disclosures: The author(s) have no proprietary or commercial interest in any materials discussed in this article.

Periprosthetic distal femoral fractures (PDFFs) are increasing in incidence, typically affecting frail elderly patients who have complex needs. Although the use of distal femoral endoprostheses in the management of these fractures is increasing exponentially, concerns about their longevity and mechanical failures in younger patients should limit their use to older patients with limited life expectancies. In this study, we report the surgical technique for dual plating PDFFs using an extensile medial or lateral parapatellar approach and illustrate this technique with case examples. We describe the results of a case series of 15 patients who underwent dual plating for acute PDFF from 2015 to 2021 (87% female, median age 78 years; interquartile range 73-88) at a median follow-up duration of 2.4 years (interquartile range 2.0-4.2).

Background: Forkhead box protein N1 (FOXN1) transcription factor plays an essential role in the development of thymic epithelial cells, required for T-cell differentiation, maturation, and function. Biallelic pathogenic variants in FOXN1 cause severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID). More recently, heterozygous variants in FOXN1, identified by restricted gene panels, were also implicated with causing a less severe and variable immunodeficiency. Objective: We undertook longitudinal follow-up and advanced genetic investigations, including whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing, of newborns with a heterozygous variant in FOXN1. Methods: Five patients (3 female, 2 male) have been followed since they were first detected with low T-cell receptor excision circles during newborn screening for SCID. Patients underwent immune evaluation as well as genetic testing, including a primary immunodeficiency panel, whole exome sequencing, and whole genome sequencing in some cases. Results: Median follow-up time was 6.5 years. Initial investigations revealed low CD3+ T lymphocytes in all patients. One patient presented with extremely low lymphocyte counts and depressed phytohemagglutinin responses leading to a tentative diagnosis of SCID. Over a period of 2 years, CD3+ T-cell counts rose, although in some patients it remained borderline low. One of 5 children continues to experience recurrent upper respiratory infections and asthma episodes. The remaining are asymptomatic except for eczema in 2 of 5 cases. Lymphocyte proliferation responses to phytohemagglutinin were initially low in 3 patients but normalized by age 10 months. In 3 of 5 cases, T lymphocyte counts remain low/borderline low. Conclusion: In cases of monoallelic FOXN1 variants, using whole exome sequencing and whole genome sequencing to rule out possible other significant pathogenic variants allowed us to proceed with confidence in a conservative manner, even in extreme cases consistent with newborn screen–positive early presentation of SCID.

Left ventricular (LV) pseudoaneurysms are a rare disease entity associated with a multitude of etiologies. We describe the radiographic findings of an LV pseudoaneurysm arising as a complication of a leaking left ventricular assist device (LVAD) closure device. Computed tomographic angiography (CTA) imaging demonstrated an apical LV wall defect with a preperitoneal collection of extravasated contrast. A review of the patient's surgical history revealed prior LVAD placement and explant with placement of an LV closure device. Familiarity with the radiologic manifestation of LV pseudoaneurysms is critical to establish a prompt diagnosis and facilitate timely therapeutic intervention.

Introduction: Up to 20% of EGFR-mutated NSCLC cases harbor uncommon EGFR mutations, including atypical exon 19 and compound mutations. Relatively little is known about the efficacy of osimertinib in these cases. Methods: Patients treated with first-line osimertinib for NSCLC with rare EGFR exon 19 (non E746_A750del) or compound mutations were included. Response assessment and time to progression were determined using Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 criteria. Kaplan-Meier analyses were used to estimate progression-free survival (PFS), time to treatment discontinuation (TTD), and overall survival (OS). Results: Thirty-seven patients with NSCLC harboring an atypical EGFR exon 19 mutation or compound mutation were treated with first-line osimertinib at Johns Hopkins from 2016 to 2021. Overall response rate (ORR) was 76% and median PFS, TTD, and OS were 13 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10–15), 22 months (95% CI: 17–32) and 36 months (95% CI, 29–48), respectively. Among atypical exon 19 mutations (n = 25), ORR was 80%, median PFS was 12 months (95% CI: 10–15), median TTD was 19 months (95% CI: 17–38), and median OS was 48 months (95% CI: 25–not reached). Compound mutations (n = 12) had an ORR of 67%, median PFS of 14 months (95% CI: 5–22), median TTD of 26 months (95% CI: 5–36), and median OS of 36 months (95% CI: 20–46). Twelve patients (32%) continued first-line osimertinib after local therapy for oligoprogression. Conclusions: Osimertinib exhibited favorable outcomes for rare EGFR exon 19 and compound mutations. The heterogeneity in outcomes among these groups of tumors with similar mutations underscores the need for continued reporting and further study of outcomes among rare variants to optimize management for each patient.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused tremendous disruption to the U.S. healthcare system and nearly crippled some hospitals during large patient surges. Limited ICU beds across the country further exacerbated these challenges. Telemedicine, specifically tele-critical care (TCC), can expand a hospital’s clinical capabilities through remote expertise and increase capacity by offloading some monitoring to remote teams. Unfortunately, the rapid deployment of telemedicine, especially TCC, is constrained by multiple barriers. In the summer of 2020, to support the National Emergency Tele-Critical Care Network (NETCCN) deployment, more than 50 national leaders in applying telemedicine technologies to critical care assembled to provide their opinions about barriers to NETCCN implementation and strategies to overcome them. Through consensus, these experts developed white papers that formed the basis of this article. Herein, the authors share their experience and propose multiple solutions to barriers presented by laws, local policies and cultures, and individual perspectives according to a minimum, better, best paradigm for TCC delivery in the setting of a national disaster. Cross-state licensure and local privileging of virtual experts were identified as the most significant barriers to rapid deployment of services, whereas refining the model of TCC to achieve the best outcomes and defining the best financial model is the most significant for long-term success. Ultimately, we conclude that a rapidly deployable national telemedicine response system is achievable.

Introduction/Purpose: There is a paucity of literature investigating the association of operative time and postoperative outcomes following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Thus, this study seeks to evaluate the relationship between total operative time and postoperative outcomes following TAA. Methods: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried from 2007-2020 to identify 2133 TAA patients. Demographics, medical comorbidities, concomitant procedures, hospital length of stay (LOS), and 30-day complication, readmission, and reoperation rates were compared between groups. Patients were excluded based on an operative time greater than 290 minutes to limit the influence of extreme outliers. The cohort was predominantly male (53.8%) and mean patient age was 64.10 (range 19-87) years with a mean BMI of 31.00 (range 17.14-57.78) m/kg2. The mean operative time of the cohort was 149.56 (standard deviation [SD]=49.60) minutes. Results: Demographic characteristics associated with increased operative time were decreased age (p 1 SD above the mean), independently predicted were readmission (OR=2.817; 95%CI=1.334-5.951; p=0.007), urinary tract infection (OR=6.410; 95%CI=1.384-29.6866; p=0.018), wound dehiscence (OR=5.127; 95%CI=1.282-20.508; p=0.021), and bleeding requiring transfusion (OR=18.364; 95%CI=1.846-182.682; p=0.013). Conclusion: The study found longer operative time during TAA is associated with a statistically significant increase in wound dehiscence, urinary tract infection, readmission, reoperation, and increased length of stay. Therefore, surgeons should prioritize measures to reduce operative time when appropriate while optimizing implant placement, deformity correction, and implant stability in TAA.

Introduction/Purpose: Charcot arthropathy is a debilitating and challenging clinical problem for patients and providers. Patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) are an effective tool for gauging a patient’s quality of life and daily functioning, but they have not been reported in the setting of Charcot arthropathy. Our goal is to assess PROMs severity in midfoot Charcot arthropathy (Brodsky Type 1), alongside linked demographics and comorbidities. We will compare these values with PROMs from conditions like ESRD, knee and hip arthritis, highlighting Charcot arthropathy's comparable debilitation. Methods: A retrospective chart review identified 67 patients with Brodsky Type 1 Charcot arthropathy by one of two fellowship- trained foot and ankle surgeons at a single academic medical center between years 2015 and 2023. ICD-10 CM codes E11.610, M14.671, and M14.672 were used to identify diagnosis of Charcot arthropathy and radiological interpretation determined Brodsky type. Data collected from patient charts included demographics, medical history, presence of ulcers, and preoperative Visual Analog Scale (VAS), 12-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-12), Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS), Pain Disability Index (PDI), SSS- 8, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and Foot and Ankle Ability Measure (FAAM) scores and postoperative FAOS and FAAM scores. A One-Way ANOVA was performed to evaluate statistical significance. Averages of preoperative PROM scores were compared to literature values for other diseases. Results: Our cohort was mostly male (58.2%), with mean age 61.73 years, BMI 32.9, and A1C 6.9. Initial presentation revealed 50.7% had ulcers. Brodsky type 1 (midfoot) had notably the lowest pre-op PROM scores when compared to other Brodsky types: PDI Recreation (p=.033), FAOS Symptoms and Stiffness (p=.044), and FAOS Recreation (p=.027). Ulcer presence yielded significantly lower FAAM-ADL scores (p=.038), while other PROMs showed no statistical difference. Our mean VAS score was 53.34 which was higher than hip arthritis VAS (43.0) but lower than ESRD VAS (60.0) and knee arthritis VAS (64.2). Our SF-12 PCS scores (29.4) exceeded prior reports (hip 28.5, knee 28.6), while SF-12 MCS scores were higher in earlier studies (hip 49.6, knee 51.5) than our 43.8. Conclusion: Patients with Charcot arthropathy struggle in daily tasks, reflected in lowered FAOS ADL scores. Brodsky type 1 patients also face challenges in higher-level activities, evident in reduced PDI recreation and FAOS recreation scores. Those with ulcers similarly encounter issues in daily tasks, seen in lower FAAM ADL scores. Brodsky type 1 patients also experience debilitating pain as noted by higher VAS scores when compared to known debilitating conditions such as hip and knee arthritis. Comparatively minor differences in knee and hip arthritis SF-12 PCS scores indicate significant physical limitations for these patients.

Introduction/Purpose: With increasing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) being performed and a plethora of new survivorship data available, an updated literature review is needed to better understand the impact of different types of implants on the outcomes of TAA. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcomes of fixed vs mobile bearing TAAs in the literature. Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE for all articles published between 2004 and 2023 was conducted with a minimum two-year mean follow-up. Two reviewers evaluated each study to determine whether it was eligible for inclusion and abstracted the data of interest. Meta-analytic pooling of group results across studies was performed, examining implant survival and component failure. Seventy-three implant groups met inclusion criteria (only 3rd and 4th generation implants), composed of STAR (20), Salto (mobile bearing) (10), Salto Talaris (11), Hintegra (8), Zimmer (6), INBONE II (6), INBONE I (4), Infinity (4), Cadence (4). 41 groups (56.2%) were implanted with mobile bearing devices, and 32 (43.8%) with fixed bearing implants. In total, 6498 subjects were included, with a mean age of 61.77 years and a mean BMI of 28.5 kg/m 2 . At a mean follow-up of 62.2 months, the overall reoperation rate was 21.13% and the metal component revision rate was 10.16%. Results: The mean follow-up of mobile bearing TAA studies (N =41) was 77.8 (range 24-188.4) months, and that of fixed bearing studies (N =32) was 45.3 (range 24-85.2) months. Multivariate analysis of bearing type, controlling for follow-up duration, found fixed bearing implants had statistically significantly higher metal component survival rates (fixed=96.1%, mobile=87.9%, p=.001); however, there were no statistically significant differences in rates of reoperation (fixed=17.0%, mobile=24.8%, p=.768). When examining specifically tibial and talar component failure rates, there was no statistically significant difference between bearing type (fixed tibial=1.46%, mobile tibial=2.95%, p=.472) (fixed talar=2.19%, mobile talar=2.79%, p=.966). Overall implant survival rates at one, two, five, and ten years were 96.4%, 96.0%, 92.7%, and 79.4%, respectively, and did not differ by bearing type (Table 1). Conclusion: Implant survival was statistically significantly better for 3rd and 4th generation fixed bearing TAAs as compared to mobile bearing TAAs, controlling for length of follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in total reoperation rate. This suggests that fixed bearing implants may offer improved implant survival compared to mobile bearing implants, though further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Introduction/Purpose: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to negatively impact outcomes following surgical operations and increase the susceptibility of affected individuals to higher rates of nonunion, surgical site infection, ulceration, increased risk of amputation of the extremities, and various other perioperative complications. A number of in vitro studies suggest that the increase in undesired outcomes is largely secondary to the effects of diabetes-induced prolonged inflammation and advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on these patients' vascular systems and skeletal microarchitecture. However, there is a paucity of literature investigating the effects of blood glucose-regulating medications on the clinical outcomes of diabetic patients following fusion procedures. This study aims to determine the impact of commonly prescribed diabetic medications on bone health and bone healing following foot and ankle operations. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 114 diabetic patients undergoing ankle, hindfoot, or midfoot arthrodesis by one of two fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons from 2015-2022. Patients were identified by having undergone surgery via 27870, 27815, 27825, or 27835 CPT codes, as well as having been diagnosed with diabetes mellitus prior to or at time of surgery. Joints fused included the tibiotalar joint (n=45; 39.5%), subtalar joint (n=62; 54.4%), talonavicular joint (n=31; 27.2%), and calcaneocuboid (n=14; 12.3%). Data collected included demographics, medical history, diabetic medication, postoperative complications, readmission rates, and reoperation rates. 36 patient cases were noted to not have concurrent medications prescribed to control their diabetes, while the other 78 patient cases were concurrently prescribed either metformin (33 cases; 28.9%), insulin (19 cases; 16.7%), both metformin and insulin (18 cases; 15.8%), glipizides (11 cases; 9.6%), dulaglutides (7 cases; 6.1%), semaglutides (9 cases; 7.9%), and sitagliptins (8 cases; 7.0%). Results: The overall cohort was majority male (62.3%) with mean age 60.38 (range 31-76) years, mean BMI 34.00 (range 21.47- 61.38) kg/m 2 and mean follow-up 1.90 (range .50-6.25) years. The cohort had a 27.2% superficial infection rate, 28.9% deep infection rate, 41.2% non-union rate, 47.4% reoperation rate, and a 14% 90-day readmission rate. Except for insulin-treated patients, who had significantly higher infection (insulin=45.9%, non-insulin=18.2%; p=.003) and deep infection rates (insulin=45.9%, non-insulin=18.2%; p=.003), there was no statistically significant difference in any outcomes by specific medication or any diabetic medication use. Patients with Charcot arthropathy (n=42) had significantly higher superficial infection (charcot=42.9%, non- Charcot=18.1%; p=.005), deep infection (Charcot=52.4%, non-Charcot=15.3%; p

Introduction/Purpose: Orthopaedic, vascular, and general surgeons all perform lower extremity amputations. Previous studies have indicated that outcomes may be related surgeon experience or skill, with a similar study indicating that general surgeons experience worst postoperative outcomes than vascular surgeons. In spite of these studies, there is a paucity of literature investigating the difference in outcomes between amputations performed by orthopaedic and vascular surgeons. This study aims to analyze the effect of surgeon specialty on 30-day complication, readmission, reoperation, and mortality rates following below-knee amputation (BKA) procedures between orthopaedic and vascular surgeons. Methods: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried from 2010-2019 to identify 28,776 patients undergoing BKA by either orthopaedic, general, or vascular surgeons using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes 27880, 27881, and 27882. Patients were stratified into groups based on surgeon specialty with 18,935 (66.4%) cases performed by vascular surgeons, 6,146 (21.6%) cases by general surgeons, and 3,429 (15.3%) cases were performed by orthopaedic surgeons. Demographics, comorbid conditions, hospital length of stay (LOS), and 30-day complications, readmission, reoperation, and mortality rates were compared between groups. Univariate and multivariate analysis were performed to examine the associations between outcomes and surgical specialty, while controlling for comorbid conditions as measured by ASA score and 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) score. Results: The cohort was predominantly male (68.4%), white (61.9%), and the mean age was 63.54 (range, 18-90) years. The cohort of patients treated by vascular and general surgeons had significantly higher rates of numerous comorbidities, including mFI-5 score (p

Introduction/Purpose: Fixation of fourth-generation ankle replacements is evolving. Given the concern for tibial tray loosening or radiolucencies, three-dimensional (3-D) printing has been suggested as a solution. Additive manufacturing allows for the creation of an optimal implant surface for improved initial stability and bony on growth. To date, there are no reported data concerning survivorship and clinical improvement following a 3-D printed ankle replacement. Documentation of implant survivability and comparison studies of the latest generation implants are limited. The purpose of this study is report on prospectively-collected patient reported outcome measures (PROMs) in a multi-institutional study of a 3-D printed fourth-generation total ankle. Methods: Patients presenting for a total ankle replacement at 12 institutions were prospectively enrolled and implanted in both academic and private settings. Patients had demographics and PROMs recorded pre-operatively and at 6 month and 12-month intervals. The following PROMs were collected: Ankle Osteoarthritis Score (AOS), PROMIS Global Physical Health, Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS), and satisfaction scores. The preoperative and latest follow-up scores for patients with two years of follow-up were analyzed. Results: 91 of 177 subjects enrolled have reached one-year in follow-up currently. From the 177 enrolled (52.5% male) with an average age of 64.0±10.3 years old with an average BMI of 30.8±6.2. The pre-operative diagnosis for arthritis type was degenerative arthritis (27.7%), rheumatoid arthritis (1.7), post-traumatic arthritis (70.1%), and other (0.50%). There were 3 (1.69%) clinical failures:1 early infection: at 2 months, 1 tibial subsidence at 7 months, and 1 deep infection associated with trauma at 8 months post-operatively. The patients improved in all PROMs domains at one year including: Mean Total AOS (19.0. ± 17.5) p

Sensors that implement laser speckle image streaming provide real-time, noninvasive assessment of peripheral blood flow during endovascular revascularization. This single-center feasibility study evaluated a laser speckle-based peripheral blood flow monitoring system in 24 patients with peripheral arterial disease. System-quantified blood flow values showed improvement at the conclusion of the procedure in 20 of 24 patients (83.3%). Of the four patients without improved flow values, waveform morphology improved in three. Waveforms graded as moderate to severe peripheral arterial disease decreased from 71% before the procedure to 25% after the procedure, with improvement in 19 of 24 patients. In this limited population, laser speckle imaging could offer a highly sensitive method of detecting intraprocedural pedal blood flow changes.

Objective: To evaluate the ability of a neural network to identify severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection using point-of-care electrocardiography obtained with a portable device. Patient and Methods: We enrolled 2827 patients in a prospective observational study, from December 10, 2020, through June 4, 2021, to determine the accuracy of a point-of-care, handheld, smartphone-compatible, artificial intelligence–enabled electrocardiography (ECG) (POC AI-ECG) in detecting asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection using a modified version of an existing deep learning model framework trained on 12-lead ECG data. Results: Study participants were 48% (n=1067) female, 79% (n=1749) White, and 7% (n=153) endorsed previous COVID-19 infection. We found the POC AI-ECG algorithm was ineffective for detecting asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection (area under curve, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.46-0.66), failing to adequately discriminate between ECGs performed among participants who tested positive compared to those who tested negative. Conclusion: Contrary to the prior 12-lead ECG study, a POC AI-ECG failed to reliably identify asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection among adults. This study underscores the importance of prospective testing, assuring similar populations, and using similar signals or data when developing AI-ECG tools. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT04725097

Chondroblastoma is a rare, benign neoplasm of chondroblast cell origin, accounting for less than 1% of primary bone tumors. It is usually diagnosed in the second decade of life with most of the cases involving the long bones such as the femur and humerus. Furthermore, over 90% of cases are in individuals under 30 years of age. In older adults, chondroblastomas are typically found in bones in the foot, such as the talus and calcaneus. Treatment is usually local curettage of the lesion with a relatively low rate of recurrence. In this case report, we present a patient with an atypical age of initial presentation at 49 years, a rare location of the chondroblastoma in the acetabulum, and a recurrence 14 years after surgical resection in the same location. The lesion's radiographic findings of intralesional calcifications alongside the high-signal, heterogeneous composition on T2-weighted MRI were supportive of the atypical diagnosis of chondroblastoma in this patient.

Background: The ischial tuberosity apophysis serves as an attachment site for the hamstring muscle complex in the pediatric pelvis. Once the apophysis begins to ossify around age 13 to 15 years, decreasing elasticity makes the physis the weakest part of the hamstring attachment to the pelvis. An avulsion injury of the hamstring muscle group in the adolescent therefore results in a fracture in the adolescent and is the functional equivalent to a 3-tendon proximal hamstring injury in an adult. Ischial tuberosity fractures have a higher rate of non-union than other pelvic apophyseal injuries. Endoscopic surgery offers the advantage of smaller incisions, reduced wound complications, and expedited recovery compared with an open procedure. Indications: Controversy exists over which fractures benefit from surgical fixation. Patients with an ischial tuberosity avulsion fracture that is displaced more than 20 mm or that remains symptomatic despite at least 3 months of conservative management are common indications for surgery. Technique Description: The patient is positioned in the prone position and under fluoroscopic guidance 2 endoscopic portals are created. The sciatic nerve is visualized, neurolysis performed, and then protected throughout the remainder of the case. The ischial tuberosity is located along with the avulsed apophysis and hamstring tendon. The bony surfaces are prepared. The fracture fragment is reduced and 3 partially threaded cannulated screws are percutaneously passed across the fracture. The interval between the semimembranosus and conjoined tendons was closed with a suture. Results: There are no results published specific to this technique. Outcome papers are lacking, but cohort studies show significant displacement increases risk for non-union. Displaced ischial tuberosity fractures are also thought to risk sciatic nerve irritation and decreased hamstring strength. Discussion/Conclusion: Recent advancements in periarticular endoscopic surgery of the hip have enabled this historically open procedure to be performed in a minimally invasive fashion. This technique achieves robust fixation of the avulsed fragment and the benefits of anatomic repair of the hamstring origin while avoiding the larger incision and soft tissue dissection required for an open procedure. In time, this technique may become standard of care much like other sports medicine procedures which have transitioned from open to arthroscopic with the development of suitable tools and techniques. Patient Consent Disclosure Statement: The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form of approval from the patient(s) with this submission for publication.

Total ankle arthroplasty has become an increasingly popular surgical treatment option for ankle arthritis. Patient selection for this procedure is a debated topic. Traditionally, total ankle arthroplasty is chosen for patients who perform only low-demand activities, those who are elderly, and those who are not overweight. More recently, foot and ankle surgeons have been expanding this selection criteria. The goal of the present study is to perform a systematic review on the impact of body mass index on total ankle survivorship and complications. 18 articles were included in the present systematic review. Five studies were analyzed for complications and indicated a potential increase in the odds of complications in patients with higher body mass index values, but this did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05). There was not sufficient information to estimate a pooled effect of body mass index on total ankle arthroplasty survivorship. Due to the limited number of studies that met the review's inclusion and exclusion criteria, a statistical analysis was only performed on complication rates. In addition to a slight increase in complication risk for individuals with higher body mass index values, the results of this review also highlight the need for further studies that investigate the impact of body mass index on total ankle arthroplasty outcomes.

Background: Ankle sprains are common injuries that can result in chronic ankle instability. Indications: Indications for surgical management include recurrent instability, failed conservative management for 3 to 6 months, and inability to return to play or activity. Technique Description: The patient’s ankle is initially examined under anesthesia with anterior drawer testing to confirm the diagnosis of ankle instability. Ankle arthroscopy is then preformed to identify and treat additional intra-articular pathology prior to modified Broström repair. During arthroscopy, care is taken to protect the superficial peroneal nerve. Routinely we perform a “drive-through sign” to assess syndesmotic stability and also debride pathologic intra-articular tissue such as hypertrophied synovium. Following the completion of arthroscopy, an incision is made directly over the fibula. The anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), calcaneofibular ligament (CFL), and distal fibular periosteum are dissected off the fibula. Two 3.0-mm suture anchors are placed at the origin of the CFL ligament and the ATFL ligament, and previously dissected tissue is incorporated for repair. We reinforce the CFL and ATFL tissues with incorporation of the distal fibular periosteum. Suture tape augmentation is considered for patients at high risk of recurrence, such as those with ligamentous laxity. After completion of our repair, the ankle is again examined under anesthesia with satisfactory confirmation of improved ankle stability. Results: Outcomes of our technique are promising, with improvement in patient-reported outcome measures, restoration of range of motion, return to sport as high as 94%, and low failure rates. Discussion: For patients with chronic instability, our described technique for sequential examination under anesthesia, ankle arthroscopy, and our modified Broström result in satisfactory improvement in ankle stability and patient symptoms. Patient Consent Disclosure Statement: The author(s) attests that consent has been obtained from any patient(s) appearing in this publication. If the individual may be identifiable, the author(s) has included a statement of release or other written form.

Category: Ankle; Basic Sciences/Biologics Introduction/Purpose: Next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technologies have increased the sensitivity of bacterial cultures and has been used in other areas of orthopaedics to better understand the native microbiome of various joints. This study uses NGS to determine whether (1) a unique microbiome exists in human ankle tissues, (2) if components of the ankle microbiome impact patient outcomes, and (3) whether microbes found on the skin are a normal part of the ankle microbiome. Methods: A prospective study recruited 32 patients undergoing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA, n=23) or ankle arthrodesis via an anterior approach (n=9) during 2020-2021 with one of two fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons at an academic medical center. During the operation, the surgeon would swab five layers of the ankle for analysis at a CLIA-licensed molecular diagnostic laboratory: skin (n=32), retinaculum (n=31), tibialis anterior tendon (n=31), joint capsule (n=31), and distal tibia (n=32). Demographics, medical comorbidities, surgical indication, postoperative complications, and readmission and reoperation rates were collected from patient records. Results: Of the 157 swabs sent for NGS, 19 (12.1%) indicated 27 bacteria were present (positive), while the remaining 138 (87.9%) had no bacteria present (negative). The most common organisms were Cutibacterium acnes, present in 11 ankles (34.4%), and Staphylococcus epidermidis, present in 3 ankles (9.4%). The most bacteria were found in the retinaculum (29.6%). No PROM nor follow-up duration was associated with the presence of bacteria, or the number of bacteria or affected layers. Similarly, complication (positive=18.2%, negative=23.8%; p=1.000), nonunion (positive=0.0%, negative=28.6%; p=1.000), infection (positive=0.0%, negative=4.8%; p=1.000), 90-day readmission (positive=0.0%, negative=4.8%; p=1.000), and reoperation (positive=0.0%, negative=4.8%; p=1.000) rates did not differ if a subject’s NGS profile was positive or negative. Conclusion: This study found that C. acnes and S. epidermidis were most commonly found in the ankle microbiome, with C. acnes being present in 34% of ankles. There was no difference in complication rates between patient with and without positive bacterial cultures following TAA or ankle arthrodesis.

Category: Ankle; Other Introduction/Purpose: The American Society of Anesthesiologist (ASA) physical status classification system serves as a useful measure of patient comorbidities. Multiple studies have found an increased risk of readmission in patients undergoing total knee or hip arthroplasty with elevated ASA scores. There is a paucity of literature investigating the association of ASA score and postoperative outcomes following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Thus, this study seeks to evaluate the relationship between ASA score and postoperative outcomes following TAA. Methods: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried from 2007-2020 to identify 2210 TAA patients. Patients were stratified based on preoperative ASA score, 1-normal healthy patient (n=101), 2-mild systemic disease (n=1228), 3-severe systemic disease (n=855), 4-severe, life-threatening systemic disease (n=26). Demographics, medical comorbidities, concomitant procedures, hospital length of stay (LOS), and 30-day complication, readmission, and reoperation rates were compared between groups. The cohort was predominantly male (54.0%) and mean patient age was 63.99 (range 19-87) years with a mean BMI of 31.01 (range 17.14-57.78) m/kg2. Results: Patients with an ASA score ≥3 were significantly older (≤2 =62.78, ≥3 =65.81%; p

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: With the increasing total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) literature, there is a need to further examine the outcomes across a wide variety of implants. The purpose of this study is to review the existing literature and identify trends among current individual TAA implants. Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE for all articles published between 1996 and 2021 was conducted with a minimum two-year mean follow-up. Two reviewers evaluated each study to determine whether it was eligible for inclusion and abstracted the data of interest. Meta-analytic pooling of group results across studies was performed, examining for individual implant survival and component failure. Seventy-three implant groups met inclusion criteria (3rd and 4th generation implants only), composed of STAR (20), Salto (mobile bearing) (10), Salto Talaris (11), Hintegra (8), Zimmer (6), INBONE II (6), INBONE I (4), Infinity (4), Cadence (4). 41 groups (56.2%) were implanted with mobile bearing devices and 32 (43.8%) with fixed bearing implants. In total, 6498 subjects were included with a mean age of 61.77 years and mean BMI of 28.5 kg/m 2 . At mean follow-up of 62.2 months, the overall reoperation rate was 21.13% and metal component revision rate was 10.16%. Results: Multivariate analysis of all implants, controlling for follow-up duration, found a statistically significant difference in the metal component survival rate (p=.036) and reoperation rate (p=.007) with the STARs TAAs surviving significantly worse and undergoing reoperation at a significantly higher rate than all other implants. There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of metal component revision (p=.768), tibial component failure rate (p=.095), or talar component failure rate (p=.089). Analysis of the Salto Talaris vs Salto found a significant difference in metal component survival rate (Salto=90.68%, Salto Talaris=97.81%; p=.002). Lastly, analysis of the INBONE I vs II implants found INBONE I had a significantly greater rate of revision due to metal component failure (INBONE I=9.8%, INBONE II=3.4%; p=.002). Conclusion: Based on current literature, it appears that the STAR total ankle implant has a statistically significantly lower rate of metal component survival and higher rate of reoperation than the other 3rd and 4th generation implants examined, even when controlling for study follow-up duration. The fixed bearing Salto Talaris had statistically significantly better survival rate than the mobile bearing Salto. These findings are important to physicians when considering implants for total ankle arthroplasty.

Purpose: To quantify rate of change of retinal microvascular and choroidal structural parameters in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) compared with controls using OCT and OCT angiography (OCTA). Design: Prospective longitudinal study. Participants: Seventy-four eyes of 40 participants with PD and 149 eyes of 78 control individuals from the Eye Multimodal Imaging in Neurodegenerative Disease database. Methods: Subjects underwent OCT and OCTA imaging at 2 time points approximately 12 months apart. Main Outcome Measures: Imaging parameters included central subfield thickness, ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thickness, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, choroidal vascularity index, superficial capillary plexus perfusion density (PFD), vessel density (VD), and foveal avascular zone area. Results: Participants with PD had greater rate of yearly decrease in GC-IPL (PD = −0.403μm, control = + 0.128 μm; P = 0.01), greater yearly decline in PFD in the 3 × 3 mm ETDRS circle (PD = −0.016, control = + 0.002; P

Category: Ankle; Hindfoot Introduction/Purpose: A nonunion is a challenging clinic problem following foot and ankle arthrodeses. There is great interest in orthobiologics as surgical adjuvants. The purpose of this study is to compare three orthobiologics (PDGF-B agonist [PDGF-B], allograft bone morphogenetic protein [ABMP], crushed cancellous allograft [CC]) to determine if there is a difference in union rates following foot and ankle arthrodeses. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 258 feet (255 patients) with minimum 3-month follow-up, undergoing arthrodesis by a single fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeon from 2016-2022. Patients underwent ankle, pantalar, triple, subtalar (ST), midfoot, or talonavicular fusion. Data collected included demographics, medical history, orthobiologics used, postoperative complications, readmission and reoperation rates. 83 (34.0%) cases used PDGF-B with CC, 32 (13.1%) used solely ABMP, 66 (27.0%) used ABMP with CC, and 63 (25.8%) used solely CC. Union was defined as bridging bone on three joint quadrants on AP and lateral radiographs, or greater than 50% bridging bone of the joint space on computed tomography (CT). Results: Of the 258 cases, the ST joint was most commonly fused (53.7%). Cases using ABMP had statistically significantly shorter mean time to fusion (ABMP=120.81 days, no ABMP=162.04 days). Patients treated with ABMP were also significantly less likely to undergo reoperation or removal of hardware. Between PDGF-B+CC and ABMP+CC groups, only reoperation rates differed significantly (PDGF-B+CC=26.5%, ABMP+CC=7.6%,). Multivariate regression modeling for time to fusion found ABMP usage to be the only statistically significant predictor of time to fusion, predicting patients will achieve fusion nearly 40.7 days quicker with the use of ABMP. Conclusion: Joints treated with PDGF-B and ABMP demonstrated equivalent fusion rates. Treatments using ABMP and CC achieved quicker time to fusion and lower rates of reoperation when compared to treatments using PDGF-B and CC.

Category: Basic Sciences/Biologics; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: Next-generation DNA sequencing (NGS) technologies have increased the sensitivity of bacterial cultures and helped to better understand the normal flora of different joints. Researchers have utilized NGS to identify organisms associated with reoperations in shoulder surgery, but there is very little data on the field of foot and ankle. This study uses NGS to determine whether there is a unique microbiome that exists on orthopaedic hardware in the foot and ankle. Methods: A prospective study recruited 34 patients undergoing hardware removal surgery from the foot or ankle during 2020- 2023 with one of two fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons at an academic medical center. Patients were excluded based on the diagnosis or suspicion of infection prior to surgery. Explanted hardware was sent for analysis at a CLIA-licensed molecular diagnostic laboratory. Demographics, medical comorbidities, surgical indication, postoperative complications, readmission, and reoperation rates were collected from patient records. The majority of patients underwent surgery for diagnosis with painful orthopaedic hardware (70.6%). The cohort was majority female (67.6%) and average age was 53.15 (range 18-78) years. Results: Of the 34 samples sent for NGS, 5 (14.7%) indicated 9 bacteria were present (positive), while the remaining 29 (85.3%) had no bacteria present (negative). The most common organisms were of the genus Staphylococcus, representing 4 bacteria (44.4%), and Corynebacterium, representing 2 bacteria (22.2%). C. acnes was only present in one sample. There was no relationship between bacterial presence and patients undergoing hardware removal for diagnosis of painful orthopaedic hardware. No demographics nor postoperative outcomes were statistically associated with the presence of bacteria on removed hardware samples. The overall rate of complication, reoperation, and readmission were 8.8%, 2.9%, and 2.9%, respectively. Conclusion: This study found that there is no common microbial community present in patients undergoing hardware removal surgery. The most commonly present bacteria were of the genus Staphylococcus, bacteria overall were isolated in 14.7% of specimens. C acnes appeared to be uncommon. Further research should be done with a larger sample to support these findings.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: With increasing numbers of total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) procedures being performed and a plethora of new survivorship data available, an updated literature review is needed to better understand the impact of different types of implants on outcomes of TAA. The purpose of this study is to compare the outcomes of fixed vs mobile bearing TAAs in the literature. Methods: A comprehensive search of MEDLINE for all articles published between 2004 and 2021 was conducted with a minimum two-year mean follow-up. Two reviewers evaluated each study to determine whether it was eligible for inclusion and abstracted the data of interest. Meta-analytic pooling of group results across studies was performed, examining implant survival and component failure. Seventy-three implant groups met inclusion criteria (only 3rd and 4th generation implants), composed of STAR (20), Salto (mobile bearing) (10), Salto Talaris (11 ), Hintegra (8), Zimmer (6), INBONE II (6), INBONE I (4), Infinity (4), Cadence (4). 41 groups (56.2%) were implanted with mobile bearing devices and 32 (43.8%) with fixed bearing implants. In total, 6498 subjects were included with a mean age of 61.77 years and mean BMI of 28.5 kg/m 2 . At mean follow-up of 62.2 months, the overall reoperation rate was 21.13% and metal component revision rate was 10.16%. Results: The mean follow-up of mobile bearing TAA studies (N=41) was 77.8 (range 24-188.4) months and fixed bearing studies (N=32) was 45.3 (range 24-85.2) months. Multivariate analysis of bearing type, controlling for follow-up duration, found fixed bearing implants had statistically significantly higher metal component survival rates (fixed=96.1%, mobile=87.9%, p=.001) ; however, there were no statistically significant differences in rates of reoperation (fixed=17.0%, mobile=24.8%, p=.768). When examining specifically tibial and talar component failure rates, there was no statistically significant difference between bearing type (fixed tibial=1.46%, mobile tibial=2.95%, p=.472) (fixed talar=2.19%, mobile talar=2.79%, p=.966). Overall implant survival rate at one, two, five, and ten years was 96.4%, 96.0%, 92.7%, and 79.4%, respectively, and did not differ by bearing type (Table 1). Conclusion: Implant survival was statistically significantly better for 3rd and 4th generation fixed bearing TAAs as compared to mobile bearing TAAs, controlling for length of follow-up. There was no statistically significant difference in total reoperation rate. This suggests that fixed bearing implants may offer improved implant survival compared to mobile bearing implants, though further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Category: Ankle Arthritis; Ankle Introduction/Purpose: The INBONE II is a fixed-bearing implant with a stemmed tibial component commonly used for total ankle arthroplasty (TAA). Despite its frequent use and previously reported outcomes within individual clinical studies, no study has systematically reviewed outcomes of TAA with this implant. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the literature and report on outcomes of TAA with the INBONE II. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Databases searched included PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS and CINAHL from database date of inception through February 28th, 2023. Clinical studies of INBONE II outcomes in peer reviewed journals were included. Outcomes included were survivorship, patient reported outcome measures (PROMs), and complications. Outcome results were compiled using weighted averages when possible. This review of 26 articles included 808 patients with 667 primary TAA and 141 revision TAA. Results: Survivorship, with failure defined as metal component revision, was 97.8% at an average follow-up of 49 months (range, 14-85.4 months) and 94.2% at an average follow-up of 25.7 months (range, 9.1-47.5) months for primary and revision TAA respectively. Complication rates for primary TAA included: 3.8% intra-operative fractures, 2.5% post-operative fractures, 1.8% deep infection, 8.0% wound complications, 1.6% rate of poly exchange, and 1.6% nerve injuries. Revision TAA complication rates included: 12.3% intra-operative fractures, 6.9% wound complications, 3.3% deep infections, and a 5.5% incidence of nerve injury. Average PROMs for primary TAA included: AOFAS American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot score improved 41 points, visual analog scale (VAS) scores decreased 5.9, and patient satisfaction of 92.6%. Revision TAA PROMs were not consistently reported. Conclusion: This study is the largest compilation of INBONE II outcomes and survivorship. Primary and revision TAA with the INBONE II results in satisfactory improvement in PROMs and low complication rates. The overall survivorship is 97.8% and 94.2% at an average follow-up of 49 months (range, 14-85.4 months) and 25.7 months (range, 9.1-47.5) for primary and revision total ankle arthroplasty respectively. These findings support continued use of this implant in primary and revision TAA.

Category: Ankle; Other Introduction/Purpose: Chronic ankle instability (CAI) is one of the most commonly encountered clinical problems by orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons, however, little research exists on the impact of insurance status on the incidence and outcomes of CAI. This study aims to investigate the association between psychiatric diagnosis and insurance status in CAI patients to determine if insurance subgroups differ in rate of surgery and postoperative success, as well as identify if psychiatric diagnoses are more common within certain insurance types. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 276 patients (280 ankles) treated between 2005 and 2021 at an academic medical center by one of three fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons, of which 56 (20.0%) underwent surgery, seven (2.5%) underwent reoperation, and 130 (46.4%) had a concomitant psychiatric diagnosis (i.e., anxiety=111, depression=105, post-traumatic stress disorder [PTSD]=19, obsessive-compulsive disorder [OCD]=6, bipolar disorder [BPD]=5). Insurance type was categorized as privately- (n=147) or government-funded (n=121). For further analysis, the government-funded cohort was broken into the following groups: Medicare (n=77), Veterans Affairs (n=20), Worker’s Compensation (n=18), and Medicaid (n=6). Eleven patients (12 feet) were uninsured. Data collected included demographics, conservative and operative treatments, patient- reported outcome measures (PROMs) (e.g., Foot and Ankle Ability Measure [FAAM]), and reoperation rate. Results: When examining binomial insurance groups, rate of surgery (private=15.6%, government=24.8%; p=.061) approached, but did not reach, significance and reoperation rate (private=17.4%, government=10.0%; p=.451) did not differ. Postoperatively, PROMs did not differ between private and government insurance types, but FAAM Physical Function (p=.046) and Total (p=.035) scores were best with Medicare insurance when analyzing all insurance groups. Instance of mental illness (p=.111) or certain psychiatric diagnoses did not differ between privately- and government-insured patients, but depression (p=.013) and PTSD (p=.050) were significantly less common among patients with Veterans Affairs insurance. Conclusion: CAI patients were not found to have differing need for surgery between insurance types. This was similar for postoperative success, aside from Medicare patients having better reported FAAM scores. Furthermore, patients with a psychiatric diagnosis were not more common to an insurance group, but specific depression and PTSD diagnoses were least common for Veterans Affairs patients.

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Diabetes Introduction/Purpose: Charcot arthropathy is a neurotraumatic foot disorder seen in patients with peripheral neuropathy. Surgical reconstruction via medial column arthrodesis with beams can restore plantigrade foot anatomy with decreased soft tissue dissection and improved bony compression. Methods: We identified 12 patients with midfoot (n=7) or hindfoot (n=5) Charcot who underwent medial column beaming arthrodesis between 2015 and 2021 b y one of two fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeons at an academic medical center. Data collected from patient charts included demographics, medical history, complications, and reoperation rate. Meary’s angle was measured on lateral weightbearing radiographs preoperatively and up to two years postoperatively. Mean follow-up time was 2.50 (range, 1.04-6.98) years. Statistical analysis included correlation, two-tailed Student t-test, and Chi-squared test. Results: Meary’s angle was recorded preoperatively for 12 patients (19.3° ± 6.7°) and postoperatively at three months for 12 patients (4.0° ± 6.7°), at six months for 12 patients (7.1° ± 9.7°), at one year for 11 patients (6.1° ± 9.4°), and at two years for five patients (10.2° ± 6.4°). However, two (16.7%) patients showed a loss of deformity correction, which was demonstrated by a Meary’s angle that was greater at final follow-up than preoperatively. Overall complication, infection, reoperation rates were 50.0%, 41.7%, and 58.3%, respectively. Finally, dependent on preoperative ulceration, those with and without an ulcer did not differ in Meary’s angle at any time point, overall complication, infection, nor reoperation rate. Conclusion: Although the results showed a relatively high complication rate, the use of beaming arthrodesis was generally able to maintain a plantigrade foot and overall alignment, while decreasing the recurrence of plantar ulceration.

Category: Ankle; Diabetes Introduction/Purpose: Charcot arthropathy of the foot and ankle is a challenging complication of peripheral neuropathy with a 0.1% and 5.0% incidence in the diabetic population. The purpose of this study is to assess rates of foot or ankle reconstructions (fusions) for Charcot arthropathy, describe the associated patient demographics and hospital settings, and project the volume of Charcot reconstructions anticipated to be performed in 2030. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample database was queried from 2016-2019 using International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for foot or ankle fusion (midfoot, hindfoot, or ankle) and a diagnosis of Charcot arthropathy, ultimately identifying 1,343 patients undergoing surgical procedures. Patient information collected included age, sex, race, primary payer status, year of surgery, length of hospital stays, and median household income quartile. Hospital information included bed size, census region, teaching status, and ownership. Results: Between 2016-2019, there were approximately 1,343 patients treated surgically with midfoot, hindfoot, or ankle arthrodesis for Charcot arthropathy, and the number of cases increased by 12.11% annually. Between 2019-2030, there is projected to be a 121.41% increase in the frequency of Charcot reconstruction procedures from 383 to 848 total annual cases. Patients undergoing these procedures are predominantly white, male, and in their 50s. The most common payers were Medicare and private insurance. The mean hospital length of stay was 5.80 days. The procedures performed were predominantly large, urban teaching hospitals in the south with a private, non-profit ownership structure. Conclusion: Surgical reconstruction of Charcot arthropathy of the foot and ankle is steadily increasing in prevalence. These patients are predominantly white, male, and in their 50s. It is important for orthopaedic foot and ankle surgeons to be trained in the surgical management and reconstruction of Charcot arthropathy to meet the expected growing surgical need, which is projected to be 848 procedures annually by 2030.

Category: Midfoot/Forefoot; Other Introduction/Purpose: Midfoot osteoarthritis affects over 16% of adults over the age of 50, interfering with activities of daily living and leisure. One form of non-operative management is cortico-steroid injections, which are often done under fluoroscopic guidance to improve accuracy. Operative intervention is sometimes performed, although non-union rates and continued pain after surgery can be challenging. This study aims to quantify how well midfoot and transverse tarsal joint arthritis can be treated non- operatively with fluoroscopic-guided injections. Methods: We reviewed the records of 132 patients (155 feet), who were newly diagnosed with midfoot arthritis between 2015 and 2019. Conservative management included periodic fluoroscopic-guided steroid injections at an academic medical center by a single fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon. These joints were identified by computed tomography prior. Mean age was 62.7 years and mean BMI was 30.9 kg/m 2 . Twenty-five feet (16.1%) eventually underwent surgical treatment, and one of those (4.0%) underwent reoperation. Results: On average, each foot received 3.1 (range, 1-21) injections, this did not differ between the surgical and conservative cohorts (operative=3.9, non-operative=3.0; p=.147). Of the 95 feet (61.3%) that received more than one injection, mean duration was 21.6 (range, 0.9-67.4) months. Injection duration did not differ between cohorts (operative=21.8 months, non-operative=21.6 months; p=.952). Cases treated surgically did not receive any injections postoperatively. Patients with higher pre-treatment Pain Catastrophizing Scale (PCS) scores in all subsection5-depression=2.9, p=.046) over a greater injection duration (depression=22.2 months, non-depression=11.4 months, p=.046). Conclusion: Overall, fluoroscopic-guided injections are sufficient for the non-operative treatment of midfoot and transverse tarsal joint arthritis, as only 16.1% of our cohort failed conservative treatment and required surgery. Therefore, although not always successful, non-operative treatment with fluoroscopic guidance injections is able to provide patients relief for an extended period.

Category: Ankle Arthritis Introduction/Purpose: Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) and ankle arthrodesis (AA) are common surgical treatment options for end-stage ankle arthritis. Previous studies of trends in TAA utilization have shown a rapid increase in use from 2000-2010, likely due to improvements in implants and surgical techniques. The purpose of this study is to assess relative rates of TAA and AA utilization, investigate these trends in across populations and hospital settings, and project these trends in 2030. Methods: The National Inpatient Sample database was queried from 2016-2019 using International Classification of Diseases codes for TAA and AA to identify 8,787 patients (TAA=4,664, AA=4,123). Patient information collected included age, sex, race, primary payer status, year of surgery, length of hospital stay, and median household income quartile. The latter was determined by the NIS database using patient zip code, with the first quartile being the poorest and fourth quartile the richest. Hospital information included bed size, census region, teaching status, and ownership. Results: The ratio of TAA to AA increased from 0.90 in 2016 to 1.33 in 2019. Compared to AA patients, TAA patients were more significantly likely to be male (p=.004), white (p

Background: The Forgotten Joint Score (FJS) is a 12-question patient-reported outcomes measure created to measure a patient’s awareness of their artificial joint. The FJS has attained wide usage, though it is not without weaknesses. Our patients report that the semantics of the English translation are flawed and that the 5 answer options for each question are poorly differentiated. Additionally, the FJS will result in no score if 3 or more questions are unanswered. This prompted the development of an alternative patient-reported outcomes measure, the Joint Awareness Score (JAS), that builds upon the core concept of joint awareness underlying the FJS, but that is easier to understand and shorter to complete. We completed an exploratory, pilot study to evaluate this outcomes instrument. Our hypothesis is that the JAS will correlate strongly with the FJS and could be used as a substitute. Methods: Knee arthroplasty patients in a prospective registry were administered the FJS and the JAS. Internal consistency and correlation were calculated with Cronbach’s alpha and Pearson’s correlation coefficient, respectively. Results: This study included 174 patients. Cronbach’s alpha for FJS was 0.97 for 6 months and 0.97 for 12 months, whereas JAS was 0.89 at 6 months and 0.85 at 12 months. Pearson correlation comparing FJS and JAS at 6 months was 0.88 (95% confidence interval: 0.83, 0.92) and 0.86 (95% confidence interval: 0.78, 0.92) at 12 months. Conclusions: The Joint Awareness Score is a new patient-reported outcomes measure that is a substitute for the FJS, with half the number of questions, improved semantics, and simplified answers.

Tibial plateau fractures (TPFs) in older adults are increasing in incidence and now account for 8% of all fractures in patients over 60 years of age. Although primary fixation remains standard, the risk of fixation failure, loss of reduction, and the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis are all markedly increased in this age group with higher rates of conversion to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) of 12%. When joint depression is severe with significant subchondral bone loss, up to half ultimately require TKA. TPFs with unicondylar depression can be managed primarily using tibial cones in acute TKA. In this study, we report the surgical technique for performing acute TKA using tibial cones for the primary management of TPFs in older adults and illustrate this technique with case examples.

Objectives: The 2018 change in the heart transplant allocation system resulted in greater use of temporary mechanical circulatory support. We hypothesized that the allocation change has increased hospital resource utilization, including length of stay and cost. Methods: All heart transplant patients within a regional Society of Thoracic Surgeons database were included (2012-2020). Patients were stratified before and after the transplant allocation changes into early (January 2012-September 2018) and late eras (November 2018-June 2020). Costs were adjusted for inflation and presented in 2020 dollars. Results: Of 535 heart transplants, there were 410 early and 125 late era patients. Baseline characteristics were similar, except for greater lung and valvular disease in the late era. Fewer patients in the late era were bridged with durable left ventricular assist devices (69% vs 31%; P

Given the significant advance of virtual care in the past year and half, it seems timely to focus on quality frameworks and how they have evolved collaboratively across health care organizations. Massachusetts General Hospital’s (MGH) Center for TeleHealth and Mass General Brigham's (MGB) Virtual Care Program are committed to hosting annual symposia on key topics related to virtual care. Subject matter experts across the country, health care organizations, and academic medical centers are invited to participate. The inaugural MGH/MGB Virtual Care Symposium, which focused on rethinking curriculum, competency, and culture in the virtual care era, was held on September 2, 2020. The second MGH/MGB Virtual Care Symposium was held on November 2, 2021, and focused on virtual care quality frameworks. Resultant topics were (1) guiding principles necessary for the future of virtual care measurement; (2) best practices deployed to measure quality of virtual care and how they compare and align with in-person frameworks; (3) evolution of quality frameworks over time; (4) how increased adoption of virtual care has impacted patient access and experience and how it has been measured; (5) the pitfalls and barriers which have been encountered by organizations in developing virtual care quality frameworks; and (6) examples of how quality frameworks have been applied in various use cases. Common elements of a quality framework for virtual care programs among symposium participants included improving the patient and provider experience, a focus on achieving health equity, monitoring success rates and uptime of the technical elements of virtual care, financial stewardship, and clinical outcomes. Virtual care represents an evolution in the access to care paradigm that helps keep health care aligned with other modern industries in digital technology and systems adoption. With advances in health care delivery models, it is vitally important that the quality measurement systems be adapted to include virtual care encounters. New methods may be necessary for asynchronous transactions, but synchronous virtual visits and consults can likely be accommodated in traditional quality frameworks with minimal adjustments. Ultimately, quality frameworks for health care will adapt to hybrid in-person and virtual care practices.

Background:. Beta-adrenergic receptor blocker (BB) administration has been shown to improve survival after traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, studies to date that observe a benefit did not distinguish between continuation of preinjury BB versus de novo initiation of BB. Objectives:. To determine the effect of continuation of preinjury BB and de novo initiation of BB on risk-adjusted mortality and complications for patients with TBI. Methods:. Trauma quality collaborative data (2016–2021) were analyzed. Patients were excluded with hospitalization 2 injuries in all other body regions to create a cohort of isolated TBI patients. Results:. A total of 15,153 patients treated at 35 trauma centers were available for analysis. Patients were divided into 4 cohort groupings related to preinjury BB use and postinjury receipt of BB. The odds of mortality was significantly reduced for patients with a TBI on a preinjury BB who had the medication continued in the acute setting (as compared with patients on preinjury BB who did not) (odds ratio [OR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.54–0.98; P = 0.04). Patients with a TBI who were not on preinjury BB did not benefit from de novo initiation of BB with regard to mortality (OR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.64–1.08; P = 0.2). In the sensitivity analysis, excluding polytrauma patients, patients on preinjury BB who had BB continued had a reduction in mortality when compared with patients in which BB was stopped following a TBI (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.47–0.91; P = 0.01). Conclusions:. Continuing BB is associated with reduced odds of mortality in patients with a TBI on preinjury BB. We were unable to demonstrate benefit from instituting beta blockade in patients who are not on a BB preinjury.

Background:. Facial filler injection techniques that help decrease the risk of vascular occlusion are an important growing area of study. This study demonstrates a model of injecting fillers into a simulated bifurcated arterial system, using different sized needle gauges at a constant injection pressure. Methods:. Three facial fillers were injected into a bifurcated intravenous tubing with continuous irrigation at a constant pressure to simulate a vascular system. Videography was used to observe for retrograde flow through the simulated supratrochlear artery to the bifurcation point, where the filler was redirected by anterograde flow into the branch representing the ophthalmic artery. Results:. Filler injection with retrograde flow to the bifurcation occurred with all the 27G needle trials. In comparison, the 30G needle trials were only able to reach the bifurcation point in three of the nine trials. The average time to the bifurcation point with subsequent ophthalmic artery anterograde flow with the 27G and 30G needles were 8.44 (95% confidence interval ±2.06) and 33.33 (95% confidence interval ±16.56) seconds, respectively. Conclusions:. Larger 27G needles consistently reached retrograde flow and the bifurcation point faster than 30G needles. This study suggests thinner needles may be less likely to cause retrograde occlusion.

Background: The radial head is anatomically complex, making fracture fixation challenging because of the difficult visualization of the articular surface. As a result, screw penetration into the radiocapitellar joint can often occur. To facilitate safe placement of screws tangential to the joint surface, we define an approximate and reliable distance from the articular rim of the radial head that can minimize the risk of articular breach. Methods: A Kirschner wire for cannulated drilling was placed tangential to the articular surface in 15 cadaveric proximal radii. The distance from the wire to the articular rim was measured 3 times. After insertion of a 3.5-mm compression screw, the radial head was divided in the coronal plane, bisecting the screw track, to visualize the cross section of the screw's position. Headless compression screws of 3.5 mm were placed the distance from the most proximal edge of the screw track to the radial head's articular surface was measured 3 times. Results: The average distance from the articular rim to the distal surface of the Kirschner wire was 5.1 mm. The average distance from the articular rim to the proximal edge of the cavity was 1.7 mm. The screw placement was subchondral and extra-articular in all cases. Conclusion: When fixing Mason type 2 articular radial head fractures with 3.5-mm headless compression screws placed tangential to the articular surface, maintaining a screw entry point about 5 mm distal to the articular surface of the radial head will minimize the possibility of articular screw breach. This position also places the screw into subchondral bone, providing the best bone quality for mechanical support.

OBJECTIVES:. The use of hyperoxemia during cardiac surgery remains controversial. We hypothesized that intraoperative hyperoxemia during cardiac surgery is associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications. DESIGN:. Retrospective cohort study. SETTING:. We analyzed intraoperative data from five hospitals within the Multicenter Perioperative Outcomes Group between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2019. We assessed intraoperative oxygenation of adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Hyperoxemia pre and post CPB was quantified as the area under the curve (AUC) of Fio2 above 0.21 in minutes when the corresponding peripheral oxygen saturation was greater than 92% measured by pulse oximetry. We quantified hyperoxemia during CPB as the AUC of Pao2 greater than 200 mm Hg measured by arterial blood gas. We analyzed the association of hyperoxemia during all phases of cardiac surgery with the frequency of postoperative pulmonary complications within 30 days, including acute respiratory insufficiency or failure, acute respiratory distress syndrome, need for reintubation, and pneumonia. PATIENTS:. Twenty-one thousand six hundred thirty-two cardiac surgical patients. INTERVENTIONS:. None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:. During 21,632 distinct cardiac surgery cases, 96.4% of patients spent at least 1 minute in hyperoxemia (99.1% pre-CPB, 98.5% intra-CPB, and 96.4% post-CPB). Increasing exposure to hyperoxemia was associated with an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications throughout three distinct surgical periods. During CPB, increasing exposure to hyperoxemia was associated with an increased odds of developing postoperative pulmonary complications (p < 0.001) in a linear manner. Hyperoxemia before CPB (p < 0.001) and after CPB (p = 0.02) were associated with increased odds of developing postoperative pulmonary complications in a U-shaped relationship. CONCLUSIONS:. Hyperoxemia occurs almost universally during cardiac surgery. Exposure to hyperoxemia assessed continuously as an AUC during the intraoperative period, but particularly during CPB, was associated with an increased incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications.

Category: Hindfoot; Ankle Arthritis Introduction/ Purpose: Double arthrodesis of the subtalar (ST) and talonavicular (TN) joints, along with isolated TN arthrodesis, are commonly performed for hindfoot osteoarthritis and rigid hindfoot deformity. Few studies have examined the effects of the type of ST and TN fixation constructs on nonunion rate following double and isolated TN arthrodesis procedures. This study evaluates the effect of surgical construct on the union rate and time to fusion in patients undergoing double or isolated TN arthrodesis. Methods: Retrospective chart review identified 52 patients (52 feet) who underwent double or isolated TN arthrodesis between 2016 and 2021 by a fellowship-trained foot and ankle surgeon with at least six months of follow-up (mean=1.62 years, range=0.50- 4.39 years). Data collected included demographics, medical history, surgical indication, surgical constructs used, complications, reoperations, patient-reported outcome measures, and radiographic measures. ST constructs included one (n=4) or two (n=44; parallel=43, divergent=1) cannulated screws, while TN constructs included dorsal plate (n=2), dorsal plate and screw (n=10), isolated screws (n=3) screw and staple (n=29), or isolated staples (n=13). At the time of their surgery, the mean age was 60.39 (range, 17-80) years, mean body mass index (BMI) was 33.89 (range, 20.74-48.41) kg/m2, and most subjects were non-smokers (94.7%). Mean follow-up duration was 1.62 (range, 0.50-4.39) years. Results: Overall complication and reoperation rates were 26.3% and 12.3%, respectively. Among TN constructs, the time to ST (p=.026) and TN (p=.018) fusion was statistically significantly slower among patients receiving a plate and screw TN construct. Complication rate did not differ by construct, but reoperation rate was significantly higher for the plate and screw TN construct (p=.039). Postoperative Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) Quality of Life (p=.028) and Total (p=.016) scores were significantly better among plate and screw TN constructs. Conclusion: The utilization of a screw and staple or isolated staple construct have a statistically significantly quicker time to fusion and lower reoperation rates than plate and screw constructs for the TN joint. These findings can be used to guide clinician decision-making while allowing physicians to take their personal construct preference into account, as well as serve as a useful starting point to other researchers interested in investigating the impact of surgical constructs on ST and TN fusions.