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Abstract Background Total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) is a mainstay treatment for elbow arthropathy and elbow fracture that can relieve pain and restore functional motion. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of surgical indication in the incidence of short-term adverse events and risk factors influencing complications in TEA to treat arthropathy compared to TEA for fracture. Matched cohorts were created to better isolate the impact of the surgical indication. Methods The study identified patients within the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database that underwent TEA to treat arthropathy or fracture from 2010 to 2020. Matched cohorts were created to analyze the incidence of 30 day adverse events and risk factors for complications. Results The study included 599 patients for analysis. The overall incidence of any adverse event was 9.7%. In matched cohorts of 218 patients, the fracture group experienced a higher incidence of overall adverse events (13.8% vs. 6.0% in the arthropathy group, p = 0.009) and postoperative transfusions (9.6% vs. 1.8% in the arthropathy group, p

Abstract Background Historically, ankle fractures have been treated with open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) procedures, which are considered safe and effective. Patient characteristics may contribute to postoperative difficulties thereby increasing risk of hospital readmission. The objective of this study was to determine the frequency of and reasons for 30-day readmission and postoperative complications following ORIF for ankle fractures. Methods A retrospective review of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database from 2015 to 2021 identified patients undergoing ORIF for ankle fractures. Patient demographics, complication incidence, and reasons for unplanned hospital readmission were collected. Multivariable analyses identified patient risk factors for any adverse event (AAE) and readmission within 30-days of surgery. Results The 29,905 patients queried who underwent ORIF procedures for ankle fractures between 2015 and 2021 were 49.6 ± 18.40 years of age, 30.9 ± 7.10 kg/m2, and 40.81% male. Of this cohort, 981 (3.30%) experienced 30-day postoperative adverse events, with surgical site infections (SSI; 1.25%) the most common. Unplanned readmission was observed in 2.08% of patients after a mean of 14.64 days. Surgical site related readmissions were 20.55% (n = 128) of reported readmissions with the most common being superficial incisional SSI. Notable risk factors for adverse events included ASA class (OR = 1.579, P

Abstract Background Although elective procedures have life-changing potential, all surgeries come with an inherent risk of reoperation. There is a gap in knowledge investigating the risk of reoperation across orthopaedics. We aimed to identify the elective orthopaedic procedures with the highest rate of unplanned reoperation and the reasons for these procedures having such high reoperation rates. Methods Patients in the NSQIP database were identified using CPT and ICD-10 codes. We isolated 612,815 orthopaedics procedures from 2018 to 2020 and identified the 10 CPT codes with the greatest rate of unplanned return to the operating room. For each index procedure, we identified the ICD-10 codes for the reoperation procedure and categorized them into infection, mechanical failure, fracture, wound disruption, hematoma or seroma, nerve pathology, other, and unspecified. Results Below knee amputation (BKA) (CPT 27880) had the highest reoperation rate of 6.92% (37 of 535 patients). Posterior-approach thoracic (5.86%) or cervical (4.14%) arthrodesis and cervical laminectomy (3.85%), revision total hip arthroplasty (5.23%), conversion to total hip arthroplasty (4.33%), and revision shoulder arthroplasty (4.22%) were among the remaining highest reoperation rates. The overall leading causes of reoperation were infection (30.1%), mechanical failure (21.1%), and hematoma or seroma (9.4%) for the 10 procedures with the highest reoperation rates. Conclusions This study successfully identified the elective orthopaedic procedures with the highest 30-day return to OR rates. These include BKA, posterior thoracic and cervical spinal arthrodesis, revision hip arthroplasty, revision total shoulder arthroplasty, and cervical laminectomy. With this data, we can identify areas across orthopaedics in which revising protocols may improve patient outcomes and limit the burden of reoperations on patients and the healthcare system. Future studies should focus on the long-term physical and financial impact that these reoperations may have on patients and hospital systems. Level of clinical evidence IV.

Background: This retrospective cohort study compared short-term complication rates following total ankle arthroplasty (TAA), alone or with concomitant procedures. Secondary independent risk factors were also examined as they related to postoperative outcomes. Methods: The American College of Surgeons (ACS) National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database was queried using Current Procedural Terminology ( CPT ) codes to identify patients who underwent TAA (27702) between 2010 to 2021. Patients were divided into cohorts based on the presence or absence of ancillary procedures. Propensity score matching was employed to account for demographic differences, and statistical analyses were performed to compare short-term complication rates between matched cohorts. Results: A total of 2225 patients were identified, with 1432 (64.4%) receiving TAA alone and 793 (35.6%) with ancillary procedure(s). After matching, 793 patients were included in each cohort. The ancillary cohort had longer operative times ( P

Introduction Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) is an established surgical procedure for distal humeral fractures; however, total elbow arthroplasty (TEA) has become an increasingly popular alternative for elderly patients with these injuries. Using a large sample of recent patient data, this study compares the rates of short-term complications between ORIF and TEA and evaluates complication risk factors. Methods Patients who underwent primary TEA or ORIF from 2012 to 2021 were identified by Current Procedural Terminology codes in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Propensity score matching controlled for demographic and comorbid differences. The rates of 30-day postoperative complications were compared. Results A total of 1539 patients were identified, with 1365 (88.7%) and 174 (11.3%) undergoing ORIF and TEA, respectively. Patients undergoing TEA were older on average (ORIF: 56.2 ± 19.8 years, TEA: 74.3 ± 11.0 years, P < .001). 348 patients were included in the matched analysis, with 174 patients in each group. TEA was associated with an increased risk for postoperative transfusion (OR = 6.808, 95% CI = 1.355 – 34.199, P = .020). There were no significant differences in any adverse event (AAE) between procedures ( P = .259). A multivariate analysis indicated age was the only independent risk factor for the development of AAE across both groups (OR = 1.068, 95% CI = 1.011 – 1.128, P = .018). Conclusion The risk of short-term complications within 30-days of ORIF or TEA procedures are similar when patient characteristics are controlled. TEA, however, was found to increase the risk of postoperative transfusions. Risks associated with increasing patient age should be considered prior to either procedure. These findings suggest that long-term functional outcomes can be prioritized in the management of distal humerus fractures.

Osteochondral lesions of the talus are common injuries that are most often the result of trauma. The natural progression of osteochondral lesions is not well understood. It is still unclear which lesions eventually lead to joint degeneration and osteoarthritic changes and if the treatment method affects the progression. The existing literature surrounding this topic is sparse, with inconsistent findings. The presented images are taken from a 72-year-old man with bilateral osteochondral lesions of the talus. To our knowledge, this is the first published series of images illustrating the natural progression of a patient with bilateral osteochondral lesions of the talus over a 12-year time period.

Purpose: To assess the incidence of adverse cerebrovascular events following shoulder arthroscopy in the beach-chair position when compared with the lateral position. Methods: Records of 5 shoulder surgeons were searched using Current Procedural Technology codes to identify patients who underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery in both the beach-chair and lateral positions between 2015 and 2020. Using both Current Procedural Technology codes for cerebrovascular accident (CVA) imaging as well as the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision, codes for CVA and late neurologic sequela, patient charts were analyzed in the 30-day postoperative period. The anesthesiology record also was queried for data regarding the blood pressure management intraoperatively, recording mean arterial pressures (MAPs), and vasopressor administration. Patient demographics, comorbidities, and complications were compared between the 2 cohorts using the Student 2-tailed t-test for continuous variables and χ2 analysis for categorical variables. Significance was set at P < .05. Results: There were 711 patients included in the analysis, with 471 in the beach-chair cohort and 240 in the lateral cohort. Baseline demographics were similar between groups, except for age and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification, with the lateral group being significantly younger (P < .001) and lower American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification (P = .001) than the beach-chair group. Mean body mass index, history of CVA, transient ischemic attack, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease were not significantly different. There were no documented CVAs in either cohort. There was no significant difference in the number of postoperative radiologic scans to evaluate for CVA (P = .77) or neurologic sequelae (P = .48) between groups. The beach-chair cohort had fewer instances of MAP

Cartilage damage presents a significant clinical challenge due to its intrinsic avascular nature which limits self-repair. Addressing this, our study focuses on an alginate-based bioink, integrating human articular cartilage, for cartilage tissue engineering. This novel bioink was formulated by encapsulating C20A4 human articular chondrocytes in sodium alginate, polyvinyl alcohol, gum arabic, and cartilage extracellular matrix powder sourced from allograft femoral condyle shavings. Using a 3D bioprinter, constructs were biofabricated and cross-linked, followed by culture in standard medium. Evaluations were conducted on cellular viability and gene expression at various stages. Results indicated that the printed constructs maintained a porous structure conducive to cell growth. Cellular viability was 87% post printing, which decreased to 76% after seven days, and significantly recovered to 86% by day 14. There was also a notable upregulation of chondrogenic genes, COL2A1 (p = 0.008) and SOX9 (p = 0.021), suggesting an enhancement in cartilage formation. This study concludes that the innovative bioink shows promise for cartilage regeneration, demonstrating substantial viability and gene expression conducive to repair and suggesting its potential for future therapeutic applications in cartilage repair.

Hallux valgus deformity (HVD) involves subluxation of the first metatarsophalangeal joint. While HVD is primarily considered a forefoot condition, midfoot instability may play a significant role in its development and severity. However, very few studies have placed a heavy emphasis on studying this phenomenon. Therefore, this review had a particular focus on understanding midfoot instability based on weightbearing imaging assessments of the TMT joint. This review followed Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and searched five databases for studies on midfoot instability in HVD patients. The severity of HVD was defined by hallux valgus angle (HVA) and distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA). Data was extracted, and articles were graded using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORS). Of 547 initially retrieved articles, 23 met the inclusion criteria. Patients with HVD showed higher HVA and DMAA on weightbearing radiographs (WBRG) and weightbearing computed tomography (WBCT) compared to healthy individuals. Midfoot instability was assessed through intermetatarsal angle (IMA) and tarsometatarsal angle (TMT angle). Patients with HVD exhibited greater IMA and TMT angles on both WBRG and WBCT. This review highlights the importance of weightbearing imaging assessments for midfoot instability in HVD. IMA and TMT angles can differentiate between healthy individuals and HVD patients, emphasizing the significance of midfoot assessment in understanding HVD pathology. These findings validate the limited evidence thus far in the literature pertaining to consistent midfoot instability in HVD patients and are able to provide ample reasoning for physicians to place a larger emphasis on midfoot imaging when assessing HVD in its entirety.

Background Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) is the gold standard in management of osteoarthritis (OA) in the setting of rotator cuff pathology. However, there are significant complications associated with the procedure. An alternative option in the setting of a deficient rotator cuff may be to perform a repair prior to or concurrently with an anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (aTSA). Methods A systematic review was performed utilizing Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines to evaluate outcomes in aTSA with concomitant or prior rotator cuff repair (RCR). Key outcomes were complication rate and subjective outcome scores. Results Seven studies were included in the review. One study found a higher rate of total adverse events in the prior repair group (17% vs 7%, P = .01) while others found no significant difference. There was a nonstatistically significant increase in revision rates among patients with larger tears at time of repair. Prior repair groups were associated with a higher rate of re-tear in one study (13% vs 1%, P = .014). Concomitant repair was associated with a higher rate of loosening. In patients with prior repair, there was no statistical difference in strength, range of motion (ROM), simple shoulder test (SST), Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE), American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES), and visual analogue scale (VAS). In patients with concurrent repair, one study demonstrated a less drastic improvement in Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in “moderate” repairs as opposed to “good” repairs. Conclusions Anatomic TSA is an appropriate treatment for glenohumeral OA in patients with a prior successful RCR and in younger patients with concurrent repair of small or medium tears. Level of Evidence Level III.

Objectives. Tibial shaft fractures are treated with both intramedullary nailing (IMN) and plate fixation (ORIF). Using a large national database, we aimed to explore the differences in thirty-day complication rates between IMN and ORIF. Methods. Patients in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database who had undergone either tibial IMN or ORIF for closed fractures from 2010 to 2018 were identified using current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. After excluding all patients with open fractures, the propensity score was matching. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to identify risk factors associated with the thirty-day incidence of complications in the two cohorts. Results. A total of 5,400 patients were identified with 3,902 (72.3%) undergoing IMN and 1,498 (27.7%) ORIF. After excluding any ICD-10 diagnosis codes not pertaining to closed, traumatic tibial shaft fractures, 2,136 IMN and 621 ORIF cases remained. After matching, the baseline demographics were not significantly different between the cohorts. Following matching, the rate of any adverse event (aae) did not differ significantly between the IMN (7.08% (n = 44)) and ORIF (8.86% (n = 55)) cohorts (p=0.13). There was also no significant difference in operative time (IMN = 98.5 min, ORIF = 100 min; p=0.3) or length of stay (IMN = 3.7 days, ORIF = 3.3 days; p=0.08) between the cohorts. Conclusion. There were no significant differences in short-term complications between cohorts. These are important data for the surgeon when considering surgical management of closed tibial shaft fractures.

Case: A 62-year-old man without significant medical history (no anticoagulation) presented to the emergency department with intense leg pain following a short track race, during which he felt a pop in his calf. His physical exam was highly concerning for acute compartment syndrome (ACS) despite the lack of a typical mechanism or fracture. Compartment pressures were measured and found to be significantly elevated. He underwent compartment releases revealing a medial soleus tear with 400–500 cc hematoma. Conclusion: The case presents a patient with ACS after a soleus muscle tear. Prompt recognition and fasciotomy led to a good clinical outcome. Physicians should recognize that not only gastrocnemius tears can lead to compartment syndrome.