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Objectives: To identify risk factors for developing a fracture-related infection in operatively treated ballistic tibia fractures and to report the microbiologic results of intraoperative cultures., Design: Retrospective review., Setting: Level 1 trauma center., Patients/participants: One hundred thirty-three adults with operatively treated low-velocity ballistic tibia fractures, from 2011 to 2021., Intervention: One dose of prophylactic cefazolin or equivalent as well as perioperative prophylaxis., Main Outcome Measurements: Deep infection rate., Results: The deep infection rate was 12% (16/134) with no significant difference in injury characteristics, index surgical characteristics, or time to antibiotics between the groups ( P > 0.05). Patients who were slightly older (35.5 vs. 27 median years, P = 0.005) and with higher median body mass indexes (BMIs) (30.09 vs. 24.51, P = 0.021) developed a deep infection. 56.3% of patients presented with signs of infection within the first 100 days after injury. Nine patients had polymicrobial infections. There were 29 isolated organisms, 69% were uncovered by first-generation cephalosporin prophylaxis (anaerobes, gram-negative rods, Enterococcus, methicillin resistant Staphylococcus Aureus [MRSA] ), and 50% of patients developed recalcitrant infection and required a second reoperation where 6 organisms were isolated, half of which were not covered by first-generation prophylaxis ( Enterococcus, Staphylococcus Aureus MRSA )., Conclusions: We found a deep infection rate of 12% among ballistic tibia fractures receiving standard-of-care antibiotic prophylaxis. Increased age and body mass index were associated with deep infections. Half became recalcitrant requiring a second reoperation. 66.7% of isolated organisms were not covered by first-generation cephalosporin prophylaxis. Consideration should be given to treatment options such as broader prophylaxis or local antibiotic treatment., Level of Evidence: IV., Competing Interests: Dr. Brianna R. Fram reports paid consulting for Synthes. Dr. Joseph R. Hsu reports consultancy and speaker fees for Stryker, consultancy for Globus Medical, speaker fees from Smith & Nephew speakers' bureau, speaker fees from Integra Lifesciences, and speaker fees from Depuy/Synthes. The remaining authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association.)

Objectives: To evaluate the work relative value units (RVUs) attributed per minute of operative time (wRVU/min) in fixation of acetabular fractures, evaluate surgical factors that influence wRVU/min, and compare wRVU/min with other procedures., Design: Retrospective., Setting: Level 1 academic center., Patient Selection Criteria: Two hundred fifty-one operative acetabular fractures (62 A, B, C) from 2015 to 2021., Outcome Measures and Comparisons: Work relative value unit per minute of operative time for each acetabular current procedural terminology (CPT) code. Surgical approach, patient positioning, total room time, and surgeon experience were collected. Comparison wRVU/min were collected from the literature., Results: The mean wRVU per surgical minute for each CPT code was (1) CPT 27226 (isolated wall fracture): 0.091 wRVU/min, (2) CPT 27227 (isolated column or transverse fracture): 0.120 wRVU/min, and (3) CPT 27228 (associated fracture types): 0.120 wRVU/min. Of fractures with single approaches, anterior approaches generated the least wRVU/min (0.091 wRVU/min, P = 0.0001). Average nonsurgical room time was 82.1 minutes. Surgeon experience ranged from 3 to 26 years with operative time decreasing as surgeon experience increased ( P = 0.03). As a comparison, the wRVU/min for primary and revision hip arthroplasty have been reported as 0.26 and 0.249 wRVU/min, respectively., Conclusions: The wRVUs allocated per minute of operative time for acetabular fractures is less than half of other reported hip procedures and lowest for isolated wall fractures. There was a significant amount of nonsurgical room time that should be accounted for in compensation models. This information should be used to ensure that orthopaedic trauma surgeons are being appropriately supported for managing these fractures., Level of Evidence: Economic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The objective is to quantify the rate of opioid and benzodiazepine prescribing for the diagnosis of shoulder osteoarthritis across a large healthcare system and to describe the impact of a clinical decision support intervention on prescribing patterns., Design: A prospective observational study., Setting: One large healthcare system., Patients and Participants: Adult patients presenting with shoulder osteoarthritis., Interventions: A clinical decision support intervention that presents an alert to prescribers when patients meet criteria for increased risk of opioid use disorder., Main Outcome Measure: The percentage of patients receiving an opioid or benzodiazepine, the percentage who had at least one risk factor for misuse, and the percent of encounters in which the prescribing decision was influenced by the alert were the main outcome measures., Results: A total of 5,380 outpatient encounters with a diagnosis of shoulder osteoarthritis were included. Twenty-nine percent (n = 1,548) of these encounters resulted in an opioid or benzodiazepine prescription. One-third of those who received a prescription had at least one risk factor for prescription misuse. Patients were more likely to receive opioids from the emergency department or urgent care facilities (40 percent of encounters) compared to outpatient facilities (28 percent) (p < .0001). Forty-four percent of the opioid prescriptions were for "potent opioids" (morphine milliequivalent conversion factor > 1). Of the 612 encounters triggering an alert, the prescribing decision was influenced (modified or not prescribed) in 53 encounters (8.7 percent). All but four (0.65 percent) of these encounters resulted in an opioid prescription., Conclusion: Despite evidence against routine opioid use for osteoarthritis, one-third of patients with a primary diagnosis of glenohumeral osteoarthritis received an opioid prescription. Of those who received a prescription, over one-third had a risk factor for opioid misuse. An electronic clinic decision support tool influenced the prescription in less than 10 percent of encounters.

Asbestos is a group of six major silicate minerals that belong to the serpentine and amphibole families, and include chrysotile, amosite, crocidolite, anthophyllite, tremolite and actinolite. Weathering and human disturbance of asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) can lead to the emission of asbestos dust, and the inhalation of respirable asbestos fibrous dust can lead to 'mesothelioma' cancer and other diseases, including the progressive lung disease called 'asbestosis'. There is a considerable legacy of in-situ ACMs in the built environment, and it is not practically or economically possible to safely remove ACMs from the built environment. The aim of the review is to examine the three approaches used for the sustainable management of hazardous ACMs in the built environment: containment, stabilization, and inertization or destruction. Most of the asbestos remaining in the built environment can be contained in a physically secured form so that it does not present a significant health risk of emitting toxic airborne fibres. In settings where safe removal is not practically feasible, stabilization and encapsulation can provide a promising solution, especially in areas where ACMs are exposed to weathering or disturbance. Complete destruction and inertization of asbestos can be achieved by thermal decomposition using plasma and microwave radiation. Bioremediation and chemical treatment (e.g., ultrasound with oxalic acid) have been found to be effective in the inertization of ACMs. Technologies that achieve complete destruction of ACMs are found to be attractive because the treated products can be recycled or safely disposed of in landfills., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Opioids are frequently used for acute pain management of musculoskeletal injuries, which can lead to misuse and abuse. This study aimed to identify the opioid prescribing rate for ankle fractures treated nonoperatively in the ambulatory and emergency department setting across a single healthcare system and to identify patients considered at high risk for abuse, misuse, or diversion of prescription opioids that received an opioid. A retrospective cohort study was performed at a large healthcare system. The case list included nonoperatively treated emergency department, urgent care and outpatient clinic visits for ankle fracture and was merged with the Prescription Reporting With Immediate Medication Mapping (PRIMUM) database to identify encounters with prescription for opioids. Descriptive statistics characterize patient demographics, treatment location and prescriber type. Rates of prescribing among subgroups were calculated. There were 1,324 patient encounters identified, of which, 630 (47.6%) received a prescription opioid. The majority of patients were 18-64 years old (60.3%). Patients within this age range were more likely to receive an opioid prescription compared to other age groups (p < .0001). Patients treated in the emergency department were significantly more likely to receive an opioid medication (68.3%) compared to patients treated at urgent care (33.7%) or in the ambulatory setting (16.4%) (p < .0001). Utilizing the PRIMUM tool, 14.2% of prescriptions were provided to patients with at least one risk factor. Despite the recent emphasis on opioid stewardship, 14.2% of patients with risk factors for misuse, abuse, or diversion received opioid analgesics in this study, identifying an area of improvement for prescribers., (Copyright © 2021 the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To report functional outcomes of unilateral sacral fractures treated both operatively and nonoperatively., Design: Prospective, multicenter, observational study., Setting: Sixteen Level 1 trauma centers., Patients/participants: Skeletally mature patients with unilateral zone 1 or 2 sacral fractures categorized as displaced nonoperative (DN), displaced operative (DO), nondisplaced nonoperative (NN), and nondisplaced operative (NO)., Main Outcome Measurements: Pelvic displacement was documented on injury plain radiographs. Short Musculoskeletal Function Assessment (SMFA) scores were obtained at baseline and at 3, 6, 12, and 24 months after injury. Displacement was defined as greater than 5 mm in any plane at the time of injury., Results: Two hundred eighty-six patients with unilateral sacral fractures were initially enrolled, with a mean age of 40 years and mean injury severity score of 16. One hundred twenty-three patients completed the 2-year follow-up as follows: 29 DN, 30 DO, 47 NN, and 17 NO with 56% loss to follow-up at 2 years. Highest dysfunction was seen at 3 months for all groups with mean SMFA dysfunction scores: 25 DN, 28 DO, 27 NN, and 31 NO. The mean SMFA scores at 2 years for all groups were 13 DN, 12 DO, 17 NN, and 17 NO., Conclusions: All groups (operative/nonoperative and displaced/nondisplaced) reported worst function 3 months after injury, and all but (DN) continued to recover for 2 years after injury, with peak recovery for DN seen at 1 year. No functional benefit was seen with operative intervention for either displaced or nondisplaced injuries at any time point., Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To quantify radiographic outcomes and to identify predictors of late displacement in the nonoperative treatment of lateral compression type II (LC-2) pelvic ring injuries., Design: Retrospective review., Setting: Two Level 1 trauma centers., Patients/participants: Thirty eight patients 18 years of age or older with LC-2 pelvic ring injuries were included in the study., Intervention: Nonoperative treatment., Main Outcome Measurements: Crescent fracture displacement (CFD) was measured on initial axial computed tomography scan. Change in pelvic ring alignment was measured by the deformity index, simple ratio, and inlet and outlet ratios on successive plain radiographs., Results: Patients in this study had minimally displaced LC-2 pelvic ring injuries, with median initial CFD of 2 mm and median initial deformity index of 2%. No patients had a change of more than or equal to 10 percentage points in deformity index over the treatment period, but small amounts of displacement were seen on the other ratios. No patients initially selected for nonoperative treatment converted to operative treatment. No radiographic predictors of late displacement were identified. Bilateral pubic rami fractures and the presence of a complete sacral fracture ipsilateral to the crescent fracture were not associated with late displacement., Conclusions: A spectrum of injury severity and stability exists in the LC-2 pattern. Nonoperative treatment of LC-2 injuries with low initial deformity and CFD results in minimal subsequent displacement., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Ankle fractures are one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal injuries, with a significant number requiring surgical treatment. Postoperative complications requiring additional interventions frequently occur during the early postoperative period. We hypothesize that there is a limited need for routine clinical and radiographic follow-up once the fracture is deemed healed., Methods: IRB approval was obtained at four academic trauma centers. A retrospective chart review was done to identify adults with healed unimalleolar and bimalleolar ankle fractures treated surgically with at least 12 months of follow-up. Based on postoperative radiographs, changes in fracture alignment and implant position from radiographic union to final follow-up were documented. The average reimbursement for a final follow-up clinic visit and a set of ankle radiographs were estimated., Results: A total of 140 patients met inclusion criteria. The mean age at injury was 49.5 years, and 67.9% of patients were female. The mean time to healing was 82.2 days (±33.5 days). After radiographic healing, one patient had radiographic changes but was asymptomatic and full weight bearing at their final follow-up. On average, our institution was reimbursed $46 to $49 for a follow-up clinic visit and $364 to $497 for a set of ankle radiographs., Conclusion: Given the average time to healing, there is limited utility in routine radiographic and clinical follow-up beyond 16 weeks in asymptomatic patients. In our series, this would result in a savings of $950 to $1,200 per patient. However, after ankle fractures were deemed healed, 0.7% patients had radiographic evidence of a change in implant position. Documenting this change did not modify the immediate course of fracture treatment. Surgeons will need to balance the need for routine follow-up with the potential economic benefits in reducing costs to the healthcare system., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Objectives: To determine the radial nerve palsy (RNP) rate and predictors of injury after humeral nonunion repair in a large multicenter sample., Design: Consecutive retrospective cohort review., Setting: Eighteen academic orthopedic trauma centers., Patients/participants: Three hundred seventy-nine adult patients who underwent humeral shaft nonunion repair. Exclusion criteria were pathologic fracture and complete motor RNP before nonunion surgery., Intervention: Humeral shaft nonunion repair and assessment of postoperative radial nerve function., Main Outcome: Measurements: Demographics, nonunion characteristics, preoperative and postoperative radial nerve function and recovery., Results: Twenty-six (6.9%) of 379 patients (151 M, 228 F, ages 18-93 years) had worse radial nerve function after nonunion repair. This did not differ by surgical approach. Only location in the middle third of the humerus correlated with RNP (P = 0.02). A total of 15.8% of patients with iatrogenic nerve injury followed for a minimum of 12 months did not resolve. For those who recovered, resolution averaged 5.4 months. On average, partial/complete palsies resolved at 2.6 and 6.5 months, respectively. Sixty-one percent (20/33) of patients who presented with nerve injury before their nonunion surgery resolved., Conclusion: In a large series of patients treated operatively for humeral shaft nonunion, the RNP rate was 6.9%. Among patients with postoperative iatrogenic RNP, the rate of persistent RNP was 15.8%. This finding is more generalizable than previous reports. Midshaft fractures were associated with palsy, while surgical approach was not., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Objectives: To compare pain after operative versus nonoperative pelvic ring injuries with unilateral sacral fractures., Design: Prospective, multicenter, observational., Setting: Sixteen trauma centers., Patients/participants: Skeletally mature patients with pelvic ring injury and minimally displaced unilateral zone 1 or 2 sacral fractures and without anteroposterior compression injuries., Main Outcome Measurements: Pelvic displacement was documented on injury plain radiographs and computed tomography scans; a 10 point Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate pain was obtained in the anterior and posterior pelvic ring during the time of union (12 weeks)., Results: One hundred ninety-four patients with unilateral sacral fractures displaced less than 5 mm, mean age of 38.7, and mean Injury Severity Score of 14.5 were included. Ninety-nine percent had lateral compression injuries, and 62% were in zone 1. Seventy-four percent were treated nonoperatively. Nonoperative patients had more zone 1 fractures (71%, P = 0.004). Nonoperative patients reported mean VAS 2.7 points higher in the posterior pelvis (P = 0.01) and 1.9 points higher anteriorly (P = 0.11) 24 hours after injury compared with patients treated operatively. After 3 months, nonoperative patients reported higher VAS scores than operative patients: 4.0 versus 2.9 posteriorly (P = 0.019) and 3.2 versus 2.3 anteriorly (P = 0.035)., Conclusions: For sacrum fractures with minimal or no displacement, slight differences in the VAS were noted within 24 hours after injury or surgery, but limited differences were seen at 3 months for either operatively treated minimally or undisplaced sacrum fractures. It is unknown whether this represents clinical relevance. These differences were below the minimally important clinical difference for VAS scores for other orthopaedic conditions., Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Objectives: To evaluate unilateral sacral fractures and compare those treated operatively versus nonoperatively to determine indications for surgery., Design: Prospective, multicenter, observational study., Setting: Sixteen trauma centers., Patients/participants: Skeletally mature patients with pelvic ring injury and unilateral zone 1 or 2 sacral fractures and without anteroposterior compression injuries., Main Outcome Measurements: Injury plain anteroposterior, inlet, and outlet radiographs and computed tomography scans of the pelvis were evaluated for fracture displacement., Results: Three hundred thirty-three patients with unilateral sacral fractures and a mean age of 41 years with a mean Injury Severity Score of 15 were included. Ninety-two percent sustained lateral compression injuries, and 63% of all fractures were in zone 1. Thirty-three percent of patients were treated operatively, including all without lateral compression patterns. Operative patients were more likely to have zone 2 fractures (54%) and to have posterior cortical displacement (29% vs. 6.2%), both with P < 0.001. Over 60% of all patients had no posterior displacement. Mean rotational displacements comparing the injured side versus the intact side were no different for patients treated operatively compared with those treated nonoperatively., Conclusions: Most unilateral sacral fractures are minimally or nondisplaced. Many patients with radiographically similar fractures were treated operatively and nonoperatively by different surgeons. This suggests an opportunity to develop consistent indications for treatment., Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Preganglionic nerve root avulsion precludes sensory return, but motor regeneration is possible with sparing of motoneurons. The effect of GM-1 ganglioside treatment was studied with parallel evaluation of the autoimmune response. Rats (N=64) received injections of either GM-1 ganglioside or saline for 30 days following either C5 root avulsion or a hemilaminectomy control. The Bertelli grooming test assessed functional return. Before sacrifice at 5 months, serum was collected for enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay testing. Only 44% of the rats treated with ganglioside had a good functional outcome compared with 50% for controls. Although 17% of the rats developed anti GM-1 antibodies, there was no functional or histological evidence of neuropathy in any of the rats. We conclude that ganglioside treatment did not enhance recovery from peripheral nerve injury. Although an immune response was present in some rats, no overt signs of neuropathy were observed.