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To quantify the total hospital costs associated with the treatment of lower extremity long-bone fracture aseptic and septic unhealed fracture, to determine if insurance adequately covers these costs, and to examine whether insurance type correlates with barriers to accessing care.Retrospective cohort study.Academic Level II trauma center.All patients undergoing operative treatment of OTA/AO classification 31, 32, 33, 41, 42, and 43 fractures between 2012 and 2020 at a single Level II trauma center with minimum of 1-year follow-up.The primary outcome was the total cost of treatment for all hospital-based episodes of care. Distance traveled from primary residence was measured as a surrogate for barriers to care.One hundred seventeen patients with uncomplicated fracture healing, 82 with aseptic unhealed fracture, and 44 with septic unhealed fracture were included in the final cohort. The median cost of treatment for treatment of septic unhealed fracture was $148,318 [interquartile range(IQR) 87,241-256,928], $45,230 (IQR 31,510-68,030) for treatment of aseptic unhealed fracture, and $33,991 (IQR 25,609-54,590) for uncomplicated fracture healing. The hospital made a profit on all patients with commercial insurance, but lost money on all patients with public insurance. Among patients with unhealed fracture, those with public insurance traveled 4 times further for their care compared with patients with commercial insurance (P = 0.004).Septic unhealed fracture of lower extremity long-bone fractures is an outsized burden on the health care system. Public insurance for both septic and aseptic unhealed fracture does not cover hospital costs. The increased distances traveled by our Medi-Cal and Medicare population may reflect the economic disincentive for local hospitals to care for publicly insured patients with unhealed fractures.Economic Level V. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Talar fractures and pantalar dislocations are usually the results of high-energy trauma. Dislocations and open injuries are managed urgently. Temporary stabilization with splinting, Kirschner wires, or external fixation may be performed until the soft tissues are ready for definitive fixation. A CT scan is critical to identify all injuries and is helpful in planning treatment including reduction of dislocations and definitive fixation. Lateral and posterior process fractures are often missed initially and require a high index of suspicion.

To identify modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for reoperation to promote union after distal femur fracture.Multicenter retrospective cohort study.Ten Level-I trauma centers.Patients with OTA/AO 33A or C distal femur fractures (n = 1,111).Surgical fixation of distal femur fracture. Fixation constructs were classified as lateral plate, dual plate, nail, or nail plate combination.The outcome of interest was unplanned reoperation to promote union.There was an 11% (121/1111) rate of unplanned reoperation to promote union. In the multivariate analysis, predictive factors included BMI (odds ratio [OR] = 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.06 - 1.32; p0.01), intra-articular fracture (OR = 1.57; 95% CI: 1.01 - 2.45; p = 0.04), type III open injury (OR = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.41 - 3.72; p0.01), the presence of medial comminution (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.14 - 3.06; p = 0.01), and medial translation on post-operative radiographs (OR = 1.23 per one tenth of condylar width; 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.48; p = 0.03). Construct type was not significantly predictive.11% of distal femur fractures underwent unplanned reoperation to promote union. BMI, intra-articular fracture, type III open injury, medial comminution, and medial translation on postoperative radiographs were predictive factors. Construct type was not associated with unplanned reoperation, however this conclusion was limited by small numbers in the dual plate and nail plate groups.Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

To identify potentially modifiable risk factors for deep surgical site infection after distal femur fracture.Multicenter retrospective cohort study.Ten Level-I trauma centers.Patients with OTA/AO 33A or C distal femur fractures (n = 1,107).Surgical fixation of distal femur fracture.The outcome of interest was deep surgical site infection.There was a 7% (79/1107) rate of deep surgical site infection. In the multivariate analysis, predictive factors included alcohol abuse (odds ratio [OR] = 2.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17 - 4.46; p = 0.01), intra-articular injury (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.01 - 3.00; p = 0.05), vascular injury (OR = 3.90; 95% CI: 1.63 - 8.61; p0.01), the use of topical antibiotics (OR = 0.50; 95% CI: 0.25 - 0.92; p = 0.03), and the duration of the surgery (OR = 1.15 per hour; 95% CI: 1.01 - 1.30; p = 0.04). There was a nonsignificant trend toward an association between infection and type III open fracture (OR = 1.73; 95% CI: 0.94 - 3.13; p = 0.07), and lateral approach (OR = 1.60; 95% CI: 0.95 - 2.69; p = 0.07). The most frequently cultured organisms were methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (22%), methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureas (20%), and Enterobacter cloacae (11%).7% of distal femur fractures developed deep surgical site infections. Alcohol abuse, intra-articular fracture, vascular injury, and increased surgical duration were risk factors, while the use of topical antibiotics was protective.Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Aims Antibiotic administration, severity of injury, and debridement are associated with surgical site infection (SSI) after internal fixation of open fractures. We sought to validate a time-dependent treatment effect of antibiotic administration. Patients Consecutive open fracture patients at a level 1 trauma center with minimum 30-day follow-up were identified from an orthopaedic registry from 2013-2017. Methods The primary endpoint was SSI within 90 days. A threshold time to antibiotic administration associated with SSI was ascertained by receiver-operator analysis. A Cox proportional hazards model adjusted for age, smoking, and drug use determined the treatment effect of antibiotic administration within the threshold period. Results Ten percent of 230 patients developed a SSI. There was a trend for patients who did not develop an SSI to receive antibiotics earlier than those who did develop an SSI (61 minutes, IQR 33-107 vs 83 minutes, IQR 40-186), p=0.053). Intravenous antibiotic administration after 120 minutes of presentation of an open fracture to emergency department was significantly associated with a 2.4 increased hazard of surgical site infection (p=0.036) within 90 days. Conclusion Antibiotic administration greater than 120 minutes after ED presentation of an open fracture was associated with an increased risk of SSI.

Introduction Morbidity and mortality benefits have been associated with prompt surgical treatment of geriatric hip fractures. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of early (≤24 hr) vs delayed (>24 hr) time to operating room (TTOR) on 1) hospital length of stay and 2) total and post-operative opiate use in geriatric hip fractures. Materials and Methods This study was a retrospective review of patients ≥65 years-old at the time of admission for surgery for hip fracture at a Level II academic trauma center. Outcome measures were length of stay (LOS), oral morphine equivalents (OME) throughout hospitalization. Patients were stratified into early and delayed TTOR groups and comparisons were made between groups. Results Between the early (n = 75, 80.6%) and late (n = 18, 19.4%) groups, there were no differences in age, fracture pattern, type of treatment, preoperative opiate use, and perioperative non-oral pain management. The early group trended toward shorter total LOS (108.0 ± 67.2 hours vs 144.8 ± 103.7 hours, P = .066), but not post-operative LOS. Total OME usage was less in the early intervention group (92.5 ± 188.0 vs 230.2 ± 296.7, P = .015), in addition to reduced post-operative OME (81.3 ± 174.9 vs 213.3 ± 271.3, P = .012). There were no differences in evaluated potential delay sources such as primary language, use of surrogate decision makers, or need for advanced imaging. Discussion Surgical treatment of geriatric hip/femur fractures in ≤24 hours from presentation is achievable and may be associated with reduced total inpatient opiate use, although daily use did not differ. Conclusion Establishing institutional TTOR goals as part of an interdisciplinary hip fracture co-management clinical pathway can facilitate prompt care and contribute to recovery and less opiate use in these patients with highly morbid injuries.

Tibial plateau fractures with an ipsilateral compartment syndrome are a clinical challenge with limited guidance regarding the best time to perform open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) relative to fasciotomy wound closure. This study aimed to determine if the risk of fracture-related infection (FRI) differs based on the timing of tibial plateau ORIF relative to closure of ipsilateral fasciotomy wounds.A retrospective cohort study identified patients with tibial plateau fractures and an ipsilateral compartment syndrome treated with 4-compartment fasciotomy at 22 US trauma centers from 2009 to 2019. The primary outcome measure was FRI requiring operative debridement after ORIF. The ORIF timing relative to fasciotomy closure was categorized as ORIF before, at the same time as, or after fasciotomy closure. Bayesian hierarchical regression models with a neutral prior were used to determine the association between timing of ORIF and infection. The posterior probability of treatment benefit for ORIF was also determined for the three timings of ORIF relative to fasciotomy closure.Of the 729 patients who underwent ORIF of their tibial plateau fracture, 143 (19.6%) subsequently developed a FRI requiring operative treatment. Patients sustaining infections were: 21.0% of those with ORIF before (43 of 205), 15.9% at the same time as (37 of 232), and 21.6% after fasciotomy wound closure (63 of 292). ORIF at the same time as fasciotomy closure demonstrated a 91% probability of being superior to before closure (RR, 0.75; 95% CrI, 0.38 to 1.10). ORIF after fasciotomy closure had a lower likelihood (45%) of a superior outcome than before closure (RR, 1.02; 95% CrI; 0.64 to 1.39).Data from this multicenter cohort confirms previous reports of a high FRI risk in patients with a tibial plateau fracture and ipsilateral compartment syndrome. Our results suggest that ORIF at the time of fasciotomy closure has the highest probability of treatment benefit, but that infection was common with all three timings of ORIF in this difficult clinical situation.

Among childhood cancer survivors, increased stroke risk after cranial radiation therapy may be caused by radiation-induced arteriopathy, but limited data exist to support this hypothesis. Herein, we assess the timing and presence of cerebral arteriopathy identified by magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) after cranial radiation therapy in childhood brain tumor survivors. In a cohort of 115 pediatric brain tumor survivors, we performed chart abstraction and prospective annual follow-up to assess the presence of large vessel cerebral arteriopathy by MRA. We identified 10 patients with cerebral arteriopathy. The cumulative incidence of arteriopathy 5 years post–cranial radiation therapy was 5.4% (CI 0.6%-10%) and 10 years was 16% (CI 4.6%-26%). One patient had an arterial ischemic stroke 2.4 years post–cranial radiation therapy in the distribution of a radiation-induced stenotic artery. We conclude that large vessel arteriopathies can occur within a few years of cranial radiation therapy and can become apparent on MRA in under a year.

Critical-sized bone defects are defined as those that will not heal spontaneously within a patient's lifetime. Current treatment options include vascularized bone grafts, distraction osteogenesis, and the induced membrane technique. The induced membrane technique is an increasingly utilized method with favorable results including high rates of union. Tissue engineering holds promise in the treatment of large bone defects due to advancement of stem cell biology, novel biomaterials, and 3D bioprinting. In this review, we provide an overview of the current operative treatment strategies of critical-sized bone defects as well as the current state of tissue engineering for such defects.

OBJECTIVE:To estimate whether an enhanced recovery after surgery pathway facilitates early recovery and discharge in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive surgery.METHODS:This was a retrospective case–control study. Consecutive gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparosco

Central nervous system tumors represent the most common solid malignancy in childhood. Improvement in treatment approaches have led to a significant increase in survival rates, with over 70% of children now surviving beyond 5 years. As more and more children with CNS tumors have longer survival times, it is important to be aware of the long-term morbidities caused not only by the tumor itself but also by tumor treatment. The most common side effects including poor neurocognition, endocrine dysfunction, neurological and vascular late effects, as well as secondary malignancies, are discussed within this article.

Objectives The aim of this study is to determine if peri-operative immune modulating dietary supplements decrease wound complications in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing laparotomy. Methods In July 2013 we instituted a practice change and recommended pre- and post-operative oral immune modulating diets (IMDs) to patients undergoing laparotomy. We retrospectively compared patients who received IMDs to those who did not for the study period July 2012 to June 2014. Our outcome of interest was the frequency of Centers for Disease Control surgical site infections (CDC SSIs). Results Of the 338 patients who underwent laparotomy during the study period, 112 (33%) received IMDs post-operatively. There were 89 (26%) wound complications, including 69 (78%) CDC SSI class 1, 7(8%) class 2 and 13(15%) class 3. Patients receiving IMDs had fewer wound complications than those who did not (19.6% vs. 33%, p=0.049). After controlling for variables significantly associated with the development of a wound complication (ASA classification, body mass index (BMI), history of diabetes mellitus or pelvic radiation, length of surgery and blood loss) consumption of IMDs remained protective against wound complications (OR 0.45, CI 0.25–0.84, p=0.013) and was associated with a 78% reduction in the incidence of CDC SSI class 2 and 3 infections (OR=0.22, CI 0.05–0.95, p=0.044). Conclusions Post-operative IMDs are associated with fewer wound complications in patients undergoing laparotomy for gynecologic malignancy and may reduce the incidence of CDC SSI class 2 and 3 infections.

Recent technological advances in DNA sequencing have enabled a remarkably detailed understanding of the molecular changes that define gynecologic and other cancers. Several groups have carried out large-scale genomic analyses of ovarian, uterine, and most recently, cervical cancer. These analyses have led to new insights into the molecular changes characterizing these cancers, which provide insight into clinical outcomes. These molecular characterizations have similarly led to new genomic-based classification schemas, which may better stratify clinical outcomes, help prognosticate and guide treatments. Discovery of characteristic mutations may also provide potential new targets for molecularly targeted chemotherapies, as has been already described with poly-ADP ribose polymerase inhibitors and ovarian cancer. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of the defining molecular abnormalities and markers in gynecologic cancer, to discuss the clinical implications, and to provide a comprehensive view of the current state of genomic knowledge in gynecologic cancer.

Author(s): Roddy, Erika; Sear, Katherine; Felton, Erin; Tamrazi, Benita; Gauvain, Karen; Torkildson, Joseph; Buono, Benedict Del; Samuel, David; Haas-Kogan, Daphne A; Chen, Josephine; Goldsby, Robert E; Banerjee, Anuradha; Lupo, Janine M; Molinaro, Annette M; Fullerton, Heather J; Mueller, Sabine | Abstract: BackgroundA specific form of small-vessel vasculopathy-cerebral microbleeds (CMBs)-has been linked to various types of dementia in adults. We assessed the incidence of CMBs and their association with neurocognitive function in pediatric brain tumor survivors.MethodsIn a multi-institutional cohort of 149 pediatric brain tumor patients who received cranial radiation therapy (CRT) between 1987 and 2014 at age l21 years and 16 patients who did not receive CRT, we determined the presence of CMBs on brain MRIs. Neurocognitive function was assessed using a computerized testing program (CogState). We used survival analysis to determine cumulative incidence of CMBs and Poisson regression to examine risk factors for CMBs. Linear regression models were used to assess effect of CMBs on neurocognitive function.ResultsThe cumulative incidence of CMBs was 48.8% (95% CI: 38.3-60.5) at 5 years. Children who had whole brain irradiation developed CMBs at a rate 4 times greater than those treated with focal irradiation (P l .001). In multivariable analysis, children with CMBs performed worse on the Groton Maze Learning test (GML) compared with those without CMBs (Z-score -1.9; 95% CI: -2.7, -1.1; P l .001), indicating worse executive function when CMBs are present. CMBs in the frontal lobe were associated with worse performance on the GML (Z-score -2.4; 95% CI: -2.9, -1.8; P l .001). Presence of CMBs in the temporal lobes affected verbal memory (Z-score -2.0; 95% CI: -3.3, -0.7; P = .005).ConclusionCMBs are common and associated with neurocognitive dysfunction in pediatric brain tumor survivors treated with radiation.

Short-term readmission rates are becoming widely used as a quality and performance metric for hospitals. Data on unplanned short-term readmission after spine fusion for deformity in pediatric patients are limited.To characterize the rate and risk factors for short-term readmission after spine fusion for deformity in pediatric patients.This is a retrospective cohort study.Data were obtained from the State Inpatient Database from New York, Utah, Nebraska, Florida, North Carolina (years 2006-2010), and California (years 2006-2011).Outcome measures included 30- and 90-day readmission rates.Inclusion criteria were patients aged 0-21 years, a primary diagnosis of spine deformity, and a primary 3+-level lumbar or thoracic fusion. Exclusion criteria included revision surgery at index admission and cervical fusion. Readmission rates were calculated and logistic analyses were used to identify independent predictors of readmission.There were a total of 13,287 patients with a median age of 14 years. Sixty-seven percent were girls. The overall 30- and 90-day readmission rates were 4.7% and 6.1%. The most common reasons for readmission were infection (38% at 30 days and 33% at 90 days), wound dehiscence (19% and 17%), and pulmonary complications (12% and 13%). On multivariate analysis, predictors of 30-day readmission included male sex (p=.008), neuromuscular (p.0001) or congenital scoliosis (p=.006), Scheuermann kyphosis (p=.003), Medicaid insurance (p.0001), length of stay of ≤3 days or ≥6 days (p.0001), and surgery at a teaching hospital (p=.011). Surgery at a hospital performing80 operations/year was associated with a 34% reduced risk of 30-day readmission (95% confidence interval 12%-50%, p=.005) compared with hospitals performing20 operations/year.The short-term readmission rate for pediatric spine deformity surgery is driven by patient-related factors, as well as several risk factors that may be modified to reduce this rate.

Pediatric embryonal brain tumor patients treated with craniospinal irradiation (CSI) are at risk for adverse effects, with greater severity in younger patients. Here we compare outcomes of CSI vs. high-dose chemotherapy (HD), stem cell transplant (SCT) and delayed CSI in newly diagnosed patients. Two hundred one consecutive patients treated for medulloblastoma (72 %), supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (sPNET; 18 %) or pineoblastoma (10 %) at two institutions between 1988 and 2014 were retrospectively identified. Progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method and compared by log-rank tests. Adjuvant CSI regimens were used for 56 % of patients (upfront-CSI), and HD/SCT regimens were used in 32 % of patients. HD/SCT patients were significantly younger than those receiving upfront-CSI (2.9 vs. 7.8 years; P

Rates and characteristics of intracerebral cavernous malformations after cranial radiation therapy remain poorly understood. Herein we report on intracerebral cavernous malformations detected on follow-up imaging in pediatric cancer patients who received cranial radiation therapy at age ≤18 years from 1980 to 2009. Through chart reviews (n = 362) and phone interviews (n = 104) of a retrospective cohort, we identified 10 patients with intracerebral cavernous malformations. The median latency time for detection of intracerebral cavernous malformations after cranial radiation therapy was 12 years (range 1-24 years) at a median age of 21.4 years (interquartile range = 15-28). The cumulative incidence was 3% (95% confidence interval 1%-8%) at 10 years post cranial radiation therapy and 14% (95% confidence interval 7%-26%) at 15 years. Three patients underwent surgical resection. Two surgical specimens were pathologically similar to sporadically occurring intracerebral cavernous malformations; one was consistent with capillary telangiectasia. Intracerebral cavernous malformations are common after cranial radiation therapy and can show a spectrum of histologic features.