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Regional anesthesia is increasingly used in total joint arthroplasty (TJA). It has shown efficiency benefits as it allows parallel processing of patients in a dedicated block room (BR). However, granular quantification of these benefits to hospital operations is lacking. The goal of this study was to determine the financial effect of establishing a BR using comprehensive operational modeling.A discrete-event simulation model of daily operating room (OR) patient flow for TJA procedures at a mid-sized hospital was developed. Two scenarios were tested: (1) without and (2) with a BR. Scenarios were compared according to staffing requirements, hours/day, and labor costs. The number of ORs and cases varied from 2 to 6 ORs performing 3 to 5 cases. These results were used as the inputs of a discounted cash flow (CF) model. Discounted CF model outputs were CF, net present value, internal rate of return, and return on investment.Mean time savings of incorporating a BR were 68 min/d (range: 30 to 80 min/d), reducing the OR closing time by 1 hour. Incremental labor costs/day from nurse overtime pay ranged from $2,025 to $10,125 with no BR and $1,595 to $9,045 with a BR, which resulted in an increase in profit/day from $360 to $1,605. The CF/annum was $54,363, the net present value was $213,082, the internal rate of return was 12%, and the return on investment was 43.61%.This study demonstrates that under all scenarios, a BR is more profitable than no BR to a hospital performing TJA via a bundled care or private payer remuneration model. A BR was shown to be financially net positive even when considering the necessary financial investment to establish it. In addition, this study demonstrates the potential of combining discrete-event simulation with financial analyses to assess various operational models of care to improve hospital efficiency, such as dedicated trauma rooms and swing rooms.Level III.

Purpose Excessive resident duty hours (RDH) is a recognized issue with implications for physician well-being and patient safety. A significant component of the RDH concern is on-call duty. While other industries have adopted machine learning models (MLMs) to optimize scheduling and employee well-being, medicine has lagged. This study aimed to investigate the use of MLMs to predict demand on orthopaedic residents to optimize scheduling. Methods Daily surgical handover emails over an eight-year (2012–2019) period at a level I trauma centre were used to model demand on residents. Various MLMs were trained to predict the workload, with their results compared to the current approach. Quality of models was determined by using the area under the receiver operator curve (AUC) and accuracy. The top ten most important variables were extracted from the most successful model. Results The reduction in orthopaedic resident shifts possible per annum was 24.7%. The most successful model during testing was the neural network (AUC: 0.81, accuracy: 73.7%). All models were better than the current approach (AUC: 0.50, accuracy: 50.1%). Key variables used by the neural network model were (descending order): spine call duty (y/n), year, weekday/weekend, month, and day of the week. Conclusion This was the first study using MLMs to predict demand for orthopaedic residents at a major academic institution. All MLMs were more successful than the current scheduling approach. Future work should look to incorporate predictive models with optimization strategies, matching scheduling with demand to improve resident well-being and patient care. Level of evidence: Level III.

Purpose To provide a comprehensive review of the current clinical and biomechanical evidence for the use of knotless suture anchors during arthroscopic Bankart repair. Methods A comprehensive search of 5 electronic databases from inception to July 2020 was performed for clinical and biomechanical studies in English evaluating outcomes following arthroscopic Bankart repair using knotless suture anchors. Two independent reviewers assessed articles for inclusion. Risk of bias was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies (MINORs) criteria. Clinical outcomes of interest and key findings from biomechanical studies were summarized. Results Ten clinical studies (430 knotless repairs), including 4 cohort studies directly comparing knotless (N = 117) to knot-tying repairs (N = 192), were deemed eligible. Four biomechanical studies were also identified. Heterogeneity and the lack of randomized studies precluded data pooling and quantitative meta-analysis. Rates of redislocation ranged from 2.2% to 14.7% and 1.5% to 23.8% for knot-tying and knotless repair, respectively. Both knot-tying and knotless repair demonstrated excellent postoperative functional outcome, as assessed by visual analog scale, Constant-Murley, Rowe, and QuickDASH scores, with 80% to 94% of patients returning to sports participation. Biomechanical studies showed similar stiffness and load to failure between knot-tying and knotless repairs, with the most common mode of failure being retear at the suture–soft tissue interface. Conclusions Current level II to IV clinical and biomechanical evidence supports knotless arthroscopic Bankart repair as an effective procedure with excellent functional outcomes and low rates of complication and reoperation. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of level II to IV studies.

To determine the impact of dedicated orthopaedic trauma room (DOTR) implementation on operating room efficiency and finances.Retrospective cost-analysis.Single midsized academic-affiliated community hospital in Toronto, Canada.All patients that underwent the most frequently performed orthopaedic trauma procedures (hip hemiarthroplasty, open reduction internal fixation of the ankle, femur, elbow and distal radius), over a 4-year period from 2016 to 2019 were included.Patient data acquired for 2 years before the implementation of a DOTR was compared with data acquired for a 2-year period after its implementation, adjusting for the number of cases performed.The primary outcome was surgical duration. The secondary outcome was financial impact, including after-hours costs incurred and opportunity cost of displaced elective surgeries.One thousand nine hundred sixty orthopaedic cases were examined pre- and post-DOTR. All procedures had reduced total operative time post-DOTR (mean improvement of 33.4%). The number of daytime operating hours increased 21%, whereas after-hours decreased by 37.8%. Overtime staffing costs were reduced by $24,976 alongside increase in opportunity costs of $22,500. This resulted in a net profit of $2476.Our results support the premise that DOTRs improve operating room efficiency and can be cost efficient. Our study also specifically addresses the hesitation regarding potential loss of profit from elective surgeries. Widespread implementation can improve patient care while still remaining financially favorable.Economic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Orthopedic surgeons routinely prescribe opioids to manage post-operative pain. In the face of an opioid epidemic, a one-size-fits-all approach to pain management is no longer appropriate. Patient-centred prescribing practices should be used by surgeons; however, little is known about what influences patient attitudes toward postoperative pain and its management to inform such practices. We sought to explore patient attitudes toward postsurgical pain management, including opioids.We conducted qualitative, semistructured interviews of 11 opioid-naive patients (age 16-46 yr) who were scheduled to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery. Transcripts were analyzed thematically using a framework analysis that involved familiarization, developing a thematic framework, indexing, charting and mapping, and interpretation.Participant attitudes toward postoperative pain and opioids were influenced by perceived tolerance to pain based on personal experience, perceived predisposition to addiction based on personal assumptions regarding addictive personality traits and risk factors, and perceptions of opioid use shaped by external influences, including family, friends and the media's depiction of the opioid epidemic. Every patient expressed that preoperative counselling and education regarding postoperative pain management would be beneficial in improving their knowledge base, easing anxieties and clarifying misunderstandings.Surgeons can address the patient-reported factors identified in this study to help optimize a patient's perioperative experience without relying solely on prescribed analgesia. By improving accessibility to education and promoting safe, patient-centred prescribing practices, we may reduce reliance on opioids in orthopedic surgery.

Background Osteoarthritis (OA) of the glenohumeral joint results in significant pain and functional limitations. It is unclear which risk factors increase the risk of developing glenohumeral OA amongst Rotator Cuff Repair (RCR) patients. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the risk factors which may contribute to the development of osteoarthritic changes post-operatively. Methods MEDLINE, Embase, and PubMed databases were searched to identify studies reporting on demographics of patients who develop OA following RCR. Results Seventeen articles were identified investigating a total of 1292 patients. The overall quality of evidence was low. Pooled assessment of OA incidence following RCR at minimum 5 years follow-up found 26% of patients developed OA. Patients requiring revision surgery following retears developed OA at a rate of 29%. Surgical technique and patient demographics may also contribute to degenerative changes. Discussion This review found correlations between the aforementioned risk factors and glenohumeral joint degeneration at long-term follow-up after RCR. These findings suggest that future long-term studies should aim to identify prognostic factors that may place a patient at increased risk of developing OA. Such data can be used to counsel patients with respect to long-term outcomes following surgical intervention.

Introduction and importance Tophacious gout presenting at the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is extremely rare and difficult to differentiate from other intraarticular pathology. This is mainly due to conventional diagnostic tools, such as MRI, producing ambiguous results versus pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) and ganglion cysts. Case presentation Here we report an individual in their late-20s with a gouty tophus located at the origin of the ACL in the knee. Urate crystals on the articular cartilage in all three compartments was noted as well as on the synovium. On advanced imaging with an MRI, a large mass was seen anteriorly in the notch surrounding the ACL and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL). The tophus was biopsied and excised arthroscopically with excellent results. Clinical discussion An ACL mass in the knee has a very broad differential diagnosis. MRI imaging alone makes it very difficult to differentiate between PVNS and gout tophi yielding a pre-operative diagnostic challenge. Additionally, we review diagnostic challenges faced by other groups with similar cases, as well as their chosen treatment. Conclusion Gouty tophi arising from the origin of the ACL are extremely rare and remain difficult to diagnose due to their ambiguous nature in conventional imaging. In this report, we clearly convey the disparity in the diagnostic protocol for this type of intraarticular pathology. Future research should look to develop a superior protocol for identifying these pathologies to improve diagnostic accuracy., Highlights • Atypical mass presenting at the origin of ACL, MRI unable to accurately diagnose. • Excisional biopsy revealed tophacious gout, 1 of only 4 cases presenting at ACL. • Multi-disciplinary approach needed in order to achieve a definitive diagnosis.

Importance There is significant controversy regarding the optimal femoral fixation method in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Given the importance of ACL reconstruction in patient return to sport and quality of life, it is imperative to identify the optimal method of femoral fixation. Objective The primary objective of this study is to identify the optimal method of femoral fixation in ACL reconstruction with soft tissue grafts. There are three main techniques for femoral-sided fixation in ACL reconstruction: suspensory extracortical buttons (EC), interference screws (IS) and transfemoral crosspins (TF). Previous primary studies have provided conflicting results regarding the superior method, and prior systematic reviews have failed to identify a difference; however, these analyses were only able to make comparisons between two of the treatments directly. This study employed a network meta-analysis technique to maximise sample size and statistical power, increasing the validity of its findings. Evidence review A network meta-analysis was conducted using results from 19 randomised controlled trials. Only studies with level I or II evidence, directly comparing two interventions in ACL soft tissue graft reconstruction, were included. Graft failure rates, International Knee Documentation Committee scores and KT-1000 knee arthrometer scores were the primary outcomes measured. Secondary outcomes included Lysholm, Tegner, Lachman and Pivot Shift scores. Findings An overall sample of 1372 patients was analysed. No statistically significant differences were detected among outcomes, except for the KT-1000 analysis which slightly favoured EC over IS and TF fixation (mean difference (MD)=−0.53 mm; 95% CI −0.07 to –0.98), and TF over IS fixation (MD=−0.41 mm; 95% CI −0.05 to –0.76). The clinical consequences of this difference are likely minimal. Conclusions Based on the results of this network meta-analysis, there is no clear statistically superior method of femoral fixation in soft tissue ACL reconstruction. Level of evidence Level II (systematic review of level I and II studies).

Recurrent anterior shoulder instability often results from large bony Bankart or Hill-Sachs lesions. Preoperative imaging is essential in guiding our surgical management of patients with these conditions. However, we are often limited to making an attempt to interpret a 3-dimensional (3D) structure using conventional 2-dimensional imaging. In cases in which complex anatomy or bony defects are encountered, this type of imaging is often inadequate. We used 3D printing to produce a solid 3D model of a glenohumeral joint from a young patient with recurrent anterior shoulder instability and complex Bankart and Hill-Sachs lesions. The 3D model from our patient was used in the preoperative planning stages of an arthroscopic Bankart repair and remplissage to determine the depth of the Hill-Sachs lesion and the degree of abduction and external rotation at which the Hill-Sachs lesion engaged.

Purpose Failed anterior shoulder stabilization procedures have traditionally been treated with open procedures. Recent advances in arthroscopic techniques have allowed for certain failed stabilization procedures to be treated by arthroscopic surgery. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the outcomes of revision arthroscopic Bankart repair. Methods We searched Medline, Embase, and CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) for articles on revision arthroscopic Bankart repairs. Key words included shoulder dislocation, anterior shoulder instability, revision surgery, and arthroscopic Bankart repair. Two reviewers selected studies for inclusion, assessed methodologic quality, and extracted data. Results We included 16 studies comprising 349 patients. All studies were retrospective (1 Level II study and 15 Level IV studies). The mean incidence of recurrent instability after revision arthroscopic Bankart repair was 12.7%, and the mean follow-up period was 35.4 months. The most common cause for failure of the primary surgeries was a traumatic injury (62.1%), and 85.1% of patients returned to playing sports. The reasons for failure of revision cases included glenohumeral bone loss, hyperlaxity, and return to contact sports. Conclusions With proper patient selection, the outcomes of revision arthroscopic Bankart repair appear similar to those of revision open Bankart repair. Prospective, randomized clinical trials are required to confirm these findings. Level of Evidence Level IV, systematic review of Level II and Level IV studies.

Background: Thromboprophylaxis in arthroscopy is controversial. Recent literature has shown variable rates of deep vein thrombosis following routine arthroscopic knee surgery; however, it is unknown if current practice reflects the literature. We have conducted a cross sectional survey to provide insight into the practice patterns perceived risks, benefits and barrier in the use of thromboprophylaxis. Materials and Methods: A 19 item survey was created regarding surgeons' use of thromboprophylaxis in their patients undergoing routine knee arthroscopy. E-mail surveys were sent out to members of the Canadian Orthopaedic Association. Results: Seventy-seven responses were obtained; of which 58.2% (n=45) of surgeons stated that they had a clinical interest in sports medicine, and 37.3% (n=29) had completed a fellowship in sports medicine or arthroscopy. Fifty five surgeons (71.6%) performed more than 40 arthroscopies per year. Prolonged surgical time was the only risk factor that would significantly increase their use of prophylaxis. Practice patterns surrounding the use of thromboprophylaxis were otherwise quite variable. Conclusions: Our survey reveals that opinions and practice patterns surrounding the use of thromboprophylaxis following routine knee arthroscopy are diverse. This survey points out the need for larger well designed studies for concise guidelines.

Purpose To compare recurrence rates between prospectively collected and retrospectively collected data on primary anterior shoulder dislocations, as this could influence the timing of surgical decision making. Methods A comprehensive literature search of Medline, Embase, CINAHL, and hand searches was performed. Recurrence rates of anterior shoulder dislocations were collected from relevant articles, along with follow-up length, age, and gender. An independent sample t test was conducted to evaluate our hypothesis. A multiple linear regression model was used to examine the variance in recurrence rates while controlling for covariates. Results A total of 1,379 articles were identified, of which 25 were relevant to our study—16 prospective and 9 retrospective. The average rate of recurrence of anterior shoulder dislocations in retrospective studies (mean [M] = 45.2, standard deviation [SD] = 31.67) was not significantly different from that in prospective studies (M = 56.7, SD = 22.55). The 95% confidence interval for the difference of the means ranged from −34.05 to 10.91. After controlling for covariates with the multiple linear regression, only 1.9% of the variance in recurrence rates was due to study type and was not significant ( P = .42). The t test performed to evaluate our hypothesis was also not significant t (23) = −1.07, P = .298. Conclusions When comparing prospective and retrospective studies, there was no significant difference in recurrence rates of primary anterior shoulder dislocations treated nonoperatively. The average redislocation rate was 56.7% in prospective studies and 45.2% in retrospective studies. Furthermore, the majority of this difference was accounted for by varying rates between age groups. Further research is needed to determine the risk of redislocation in specific age groups, to guide treatment decisions based on varying risk. Level of Evidence Systematic review of Level II and III studies.

Background: A continued technical challenge for surgeons performing bone–patellar tendon–bone anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction with endoscopic techniques is graft-tunnel mismatch. If tibial tunnel and intra-articular distances could be reliably estimated, surgeons could adjust the length of the femoral tunnel to minimize graft-tunnel mismatch. Purpose/Hypothesis: To determine whether arthroscopic measurement of the following was reliable: femoral tunnel distance (FTD), tibial tunnel distance (TTD), intra-articular distance (IAD), and total distance (TD; sum of these 3 measurements). It was hypothesized that intraoperative measurement of these distances would be reliable. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: Eight sports fellowship–trained orthopedic surgeons independently performed arthroscopic measurements of the FTD, TTD, IAD, and TD in 7 cadaveric knees in which femoral and tibial tunnels had been drilled. Each surgeon performed the measurements twice using an EndoButton depth gauge. Following this, each parameter was measured open with a medial parapatellar approach. Finally, a computed tomography (CT) scan of each knee was performed, with the FTD, TTD, and IAD measured by a musculoskeletal radiologist. Inter- and intrarater reliability of the arthroscopic measurements was calculated, as well as the correlation between arthroscopic measurements and open and CT measurements. Results: Interrater reliability for the arthroscopic measurements was 0.8 for FTD, 0.89 for TTD, 0.61 for IAD, and 0.76 (range, 0.54-0.93) for TD. Intrarater reliability was 0.94 for FTD, 0.97 for TTD, 0.83 for IAD, and 0.93 for TD. The correlation between arthroscopic and open measurements was 0.9 for FTD, 0.94 for TTD, 0.4 for IAD, and 0.84 for TD. The correlation between arthroscopic and CT measurements was 0.85 for FTD, 0.92 for TTD, and 0.71 for IAD. Conclusion: The results of this study show that arthroscopic measurement of FTD and TTD has a high degree of intra- and interrater reliability, while that of IAD and TD demonstrates high intrarater reliability but moderate interrater reliability. Clinical Relevance: Reliable measurement of the TTD and IAD can potentially allow adjustment of the FTD, minimizing graft-tunnel mismatch in endoscopic ACL reconstruction.

Background: As the number of studies in the literature is increasing, orthopaedic surgeons highly depend on meta-analyses as their primary source of scientific evidence. The objectives of this review were to assess the scientific quality and number of published meta-analyses on orthopaedics-related topics over time. Methods: We conducted, in duplicate and independently, a systematic review of published meta-analyses in orthopaedics in the years 2005 and 2008 and compared them with a previous systematic review of meta-analyses from 1969 to 1999. A search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews) was performed to identify meta-analyses published in 2005 and 2008. We searched bibliographies and contacted content experts to identify additional relevant studies. Two investigators independently assessed the quality of the studies, using the Oxman and Guyatt index, and abstracted relevant data. Results: We included forty-five and forty-four meta-analyses from 2005 and 2008, respectively. While the number of meta-analyses increased fivefold from 1999 to 2008, the mean quality score did not change significantly over time (p = 0.067). In the later years, a significantly lower proportion of meta-analyses had methodological flaws (56% in 2005 and 68% in 2008) compared with meta-analyses published prior to 2000 (88%) (p = 0.006). In 2005 and 2008, respectively, 18% and 30% of the meta-analyses had major to extensive flaws in their methodology. Studies from 2008 with positive conclusions used and described appropriate criteria for the validity assessment less often than did those with negative results. The use of random-effects and fixed-effects models as pooling methods became more popular toward 2008. Conclusions: Although the methodological quality of orthopaedic meta-analyses has increased in the past twenty years, a substantial proportion continues to show major to extensive flaws. As the number of published meta-analyses is increasing, a routine checklist for scientific quality should be used in the peer-review process to ensure methodological standards for publication.