Injury. 2025 Mar 3;56(4):112241. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2025.112241. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: To compare the outcome of pararectus, ilioinguinal, and intrapelvic approaches in patients with acetabular fracture and to rank the best, second best, and third best surgical approach.

METHODS: A literature search was conducted in PubMed, Epistemonikos, and Embase up to 30 November 2024. A network meta-analyses was conducted to assess the outcomes of pararectus, ilioinguinal, and intrapelvic surgical approaches. Random-effects models with mean differences (MDs) and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated for continuous and binary variables, respectively, all with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs).

RESULTS: A total of 30 primary studies (2,348 patients) were included. There was no statistically significant difference between the pararectus and intrapelvic approach in overall complications (OR 0.86, 95 % CI 0.47 to 1.58). The pararectus approach had 0.51 lower odds for overall complications compared with the ilioinguinal approach (OR 0.51, 95 % CI 0.28 to 0.94). The intrapelvic approach had 0.59 lower odds for overall complications compared with the ilioinguinal approach (OR 0.59, 95 % CI 0.37 to 0.94). There was no statistically significant difference between the pararectus and intrapelvic approach in reduction quality (OR 1.32, 95 % CI 0.89 to 1.95). The pararectus approach had 2.02 higher odds for reduction quality compared with the ilioinguinal approach (OR 2.02, 95 % CI 1.30 to 3.15). The intrapelvic approach had 1.53 higher odds for reduction quality compared with the ilioinguinal approach (OR 1.53, 95 % CI 1.12 to 2.10). There was no statistically significant difference between the pararectus and intrapelvic approach in intraoperative blood loss (MD -31.38, 95 % CI -105.62 to 42.85). The pararectus approach had a 207.35 mL lower intraoperative blood loss compared with the ilioinguinal approach (MD -207.35, 95 % CI -288.52 to -126.18). The intrapelvic approach had a 175.97 mL lower intraoperative blood loss compared with the ilioinguinal approach (MD -175.97, 95 % CI -233.51 to -118.42).

CONCLUSION: This is the first study to rank the three anterior surgical approaches for acetabular fractures. The findings establish that while the pararectus and intrapelvic approaches are comparable, the ilioinguinal approach ranks third. The superior outcomes of the pararectus and intrapelvic approaches in complications, operative efficiency, and reduction quality highlight their importance in surgical practice.

PMID:40154238 | DOI:10.1016/j.injury.2025.112241

Injury. 2025 Mar 14;56(4):112268. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2025.112268. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Time to union in civilian firearm injuries is variable and not well described in the literature. This study measures the time to union for femoral and tibial shaft fractures treated with an intramedullary nail (IMN). Time to union is compared across open, closed, or ballistic trauma (BT) fractures. The goal of the study is to answer the questions: (1) Do tibial shaft fractures heal in specific temporal patterns based on mechanism of injury and (2) Do these temporal healing patterns apply to both the tibia and femur?

PATIENTS AND METHODS: Included patients had tibial or femoral shaft fractures (OTA/AO 32 and 42) treated at an urban level 1 trauma center between 2015 and 2020 with IMN. Patients were eligible if radiographic imaging was available for any four of five follow-up timepoints, absence of preexisting hardware, and BT was from low velocity handgun injuries. Radiographic union scale (RUS) was compared amongst six groups (Open, Closed or BT for Femur and Tibia fractures), at 60-90 days, 91-180 days, 181- 270 days, and 271-365 days and greater than 365 days. Statistical comparison was performed using a two-way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparisons.

RESULTS: Included in the study were 114 patients, with 20 patients in each group except the OPEN femur fracture group with 14.

TIBIA: At the 91-180 day time point, CLOSED tibia RUS was significantly higher than for BT and OPEN tibia RUS. At 181-270 days, CLOSED tibia RUS was significantly higher than OPEN tibia. At 271-365 days and >365, CLOSED and BT RUS were significantly higher than OPEN RUS.Femur: At the 91-180 day time point, OPEN femur RUS was significantly lower than CLOSED and BT femur RUS. At later timepoints, all three groups achieved union with mean RUS>10.

DISCUSSION: This study demonstrates that healing of tibial shaft fractures from BT is not significantly different from closed fractures after 180 days post-operatively. Additionally, femoral shaft fractures from a BT healed similarly to closed and open fractures after 180 days post-operatively.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III.

PMID:40154237 | DOI:10.1016/j.injury.2025.112268

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00520. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Pelvic tilt (PT) is an important sagittal parameter to be restored to the normal range in corrective surgery for spinopelvic malalignment. However, the normal value of PT varies among patients. With the introduction of the pelvic inclination angle (PIA), which is the angle subtended by the vertical axis and the line connecting the anterior pubic tubercle and the anterior superior iliac spine, we aimed to determine whether the PIA could reflect the symptom severity and whether normal PIA values exist.

METHODS: The study cohort consisted of patients with spinopelvic malalignment (patient group) and normal healthy adults (normal group). In the patient group, correlation analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between the PIA and other sagittal parameters and between the sagittal parameters and patient-reported outcome measures. In the normal group, correlation analysis was performed to assess the relationship between pelvic incidence (PI) and other sagittal parameters. The radiographic parameters were compared according to PI categories.

RESULTS: There were 162 patients in the patient group, with a mean age of 71.1 years, and 108 in the normal group, with a mean age of 32.1 years. In the patient group, the PIA strongly correlated with the conventional parameters such as PT, PI-lumbar lordosis mismatch, and T1-pelvic angle. The PIA had weak to moderate correlations with all patient-reported outcome measures, of which the correlation coefficients were similar to or greater than those of other sagittal parameters with patient-reported outcome measures. In the normal group, PI showed moderate to strong correlations with all conventional sagittal parameters except for the PIA, which correlated very weakly with PI. Unlike the other sagittal parameters, the PIA did not significantly differ among the PI categories.

CONCLUSIONS: The PIA reflected the symptom severity and had a normal value independent of PI. As an alternative to PT, the PIA can be a clinically useful parameter in evaluating and managing patients with spinopelvic malalignment.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: As the PIA is independent of PI, it will be more useful in differentiating between patients with normal spinopelvic alignment and those with spinopelvic malalignment and in reflecting the clinical symptoms of patients with spinopelvic malalignment. In addition, by providing a cutoff value of 13.6°, the PIA can be used as a surgical target or to predict postoperative outcomes.

PMID:40153519 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.00520

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.01031. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The operating room start time (ORST) for pediatric femoral fractures is a health-care quality metric used for hospital rankings and accreditation. Factors affecting ORST remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the demographic and clinical factors associated with gold-standard (early) ORST (<18 hours) versus delayed ORST (≥18 hours) for pediatric femoral fractures.

METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted of 216 pediatric patients with a femoral shaft fracture admitted to the emergency department (ED) at a pediatric Level-I trauma hospital from 2021 to 2023. Patient demographic and clinical data were analyzed to identify significant factors associated with ORST. Immediate postoperative outcomes were compared across ORST groups.

RESULTS: In multivariable models, race, ED admission time, comorbidities, and surgery type affected ORST (p < 0.05). Compared with White patients, patients of other racial or ethnic groups, including Hispanic, Black, Asian, and multiracial patients, had 2.4 times higher odds of delayed ORST. Compared with midnight to 6 a.m. ED admissions, the odds of delayed ORST were 6.6 times higher for ED admissions between 6 a.m. and noon and 9.2 times higher for ED admissions between noon and 6 p.m. Patients with comorbidities were 4.7 times more likely to experience delayed surgery compared with healthy patients. Patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) were 2.5 times as likely as patients who underwent closed reduction (CR) with a spica cast to have delayed ORST. Delayed ORST was associated with longer hospital stay (median, 71 hours) compared with early ORST (median, 41 hours), but not with immediate complications.

CONCLUSIONS: ED admission time, race, method of transfer, comorbidities, and procedure type were associated with ORST for pediatric femoral fractures. Longer ORST led to a disproportionately longer hospital stay.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID:40153486 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.01031

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00034. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

➢ Risk stratification in orthopaedic surgery is complex and depends on the outcome of interest and multiple interdependent factors. Effective risk stratification has uses for limiting and predicting adverse events in patients undergoing discretionary surgery, avoiding the penalization of surgeons for operating on candidates whose health is situated in more difficult circumstances, and ensuring that inordinate attention is not placed on discrete musculoskeletal pathophysiology when there are other pressing health priorities.➢ For individual patient decision-making, no comprehensive risk-stratification tool currently exists, in part due to the heterogeneity of orthopaedic procedures performed and the diverse patient population treated. The Elixhauser Comorbidity Measure and the Risk Stratification Index 3.0 appear to be most promising.➢ At a population level, risk stratification may be useful in alternative payment models to ensure that hospitals that treat a disproportionate number of high-risk patients are not penalized and that cherry-picking (preferentially selecting only healthier patients with a lower risk of complications) does not occur. Any attempt to risk-stratify may have unintended consequences.➢ Orthopaedic surgeons must be aware of the tools available, their strengths, and their limitations in order to be included in decision-making as payment models and public health policies are implemented.

PMID:40153485 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.00034

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.01142. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40153484 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.01142

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00220. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee (KOCD) may be a source of pain in active, skeletally immature patients. An association between the condylar lesion location and lower-extremity coronal plane malalignment has been established, but clinical implications have been poorly understood. This study aimed to confirm the high rate of malalignment in KOCD and variation in demographic characteristics, presentation features, and disease severity between those with and without malalignment.

METHODS: Prospectively collected clinical, demographic, and radiographic data were obtained, and standard standing alignment measurements were evaluated from an institutional KOCD cohort. Alignment was defined as whether the mechanical axis passed between the condyles (neutral), the lateral femoral condyle (valgus), or the medial femoral condyle (varus). Comparative analysis was performed between KOCD lesions in each condyle presenting with or without malalignment. The Fisher exact test or chi-square test was used to analyze categorical variables, and the t test or Mann-Whitney U test was used to analyze continuous variables.

RESULTS: This study examined 187 knees (156 patients, with a mean age of 12.9 years, 36.4% female); 66.3% had medial femoral condyle (MFC) lesions. Malalignment was found in 47.6% of all KOCD cases and 45.9% of skeletally immature cases. Twenty-nine (23.4%) of 124 MFC KOCD cases were in varus knees, and 42 (66.7%) of 63 lateral femoral condyle (LFC) KOCD cases were in valgus knees. MFC KOCD cases that presented in varus knees were more likely in Black or African American patients (p = 0.008) and had a larger lesion size, with a coronal width of 16.6 mm compared with MFC KOCD cases not in varus knees at 14.1 mm (p = 0.008). Similar differences were found in LFC KOCD cases presenting in valgus knees, which represented nearly all LFC KOCD cases in Black or African American patients (91.7%; p = 0.05) and had a larger lesion size, with a sagittal width of 20.8 mm compared with 16.4 mm for LFC KOCD cases not in valgus knees (p = 0.006).

CONCLUSIONS: Nearly one-half of knees with KOCD in skeletally immature patients may be in coronal malalignment and, thus, candidates for guided growth. Malalignment corresponding to the involved compartment was common and was present in two-thirds of lateral lesions. When malalignment placed the weight-bearing axis within the involved compartment, lesions were larger and more advanced. Thus, consideration should be given to addressing malalignment found during evaluations.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID:40153481 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.00220

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.01134. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: The scarcity of women in academic orthopaedics has persisted for decades despite general interest in promoting diversity. Therefore, we aimed to understand what aspects of workplace culture enhance or detract from building an inclusive workplace for women surgeons in academic orthopaedics.

METHODS: Women orthopaedic surgeons in the United States with a range of training backgrounds, races/ethnicities, academic institutions, subspecialties, and geographic locations were recruited using purposive sampling techniques until thematic saturation was achieved. All women currently hold or previously held an academic position in orthopaedics. Forty-minute virtual semistructured interviews were conducted from December 2023 to April 2024. Data were analyzed using grounded theory methodology to develop a conceptual model of inclusive culture.

RESULTS: Of the 35 women approached for participation, 26 (74%) participated. Eighty-one percent were currently in academia, and 19% had left academia; 12% identified as Asian, and 23% identified as Underrepresented in Medicine (URiM). Our model of inclusive workplace culture is built on 2 interrelated pillars: "supportive structures" and "social inclusion." The first pillar, supportive structures, is primarily under the direction of department leaders and includes themes of intentional career development, valuing diverse contributions, transparent policies, and building department cohesiveness. The second pillar, social inclusion, relies on all members of an organization. Themes within social inclusion are respect for women, male allyship, women supporting women, and true integration of women surgeons.

CONCLUSIONS: With intentional effort, orthopaedic departments can create the structures of support necessary to foster women's career success, as well as the social inclusion to encourage their longevity in academia.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: TK.

PMID:40153480 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.01134

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00781. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: While the Femoral Neck System (FNS) is increasingly utilized for the fixation of femoral neck fractures in elderly patients, studies comparing the device to the historical standard (that is, multiple cannulated screws) are lacking. The purpose of this study was to determine the risk of all-cause revision following fixation with the FNS device compared with multiple cannulated screws in patients ≥60 years of age with a femoral neck fracture.

METHODS: Patients ≥60 years of age who underwent fixation of a femoral neck fracture with the FNS or 3 cannulated screws (2017 to 2022) were identified using the Kaiser Permanente Hip Fracture Registry. Exclusion criteria were polytrauma, pathologic fracture, open fracture, additional surgeries at other sites during the same hospital stay, and prior procedures on the affected hip. The primary outcome measure was all-cause revision surgery, and the secondary outcome measures were mortality, emergency department visits, and readmissions. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards or logistic regression was performed, controlling for a wide range of potential confounders.

RESULTS: A total of 352 FNS and 1,686 cannulated-screw repairs were included. The overall incidence of revision at 2 years was 4.0% and 4.8% for the FNS and cannulated-screw constructs, respectively. Mortality at 2 years was 23.6% and 25.2%, respectively. In the adjusted analysis, no difference in all-cause revision risk was observed when comparing the FNS to cannulated screws (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.50 to 1.71; p = 0.79). A subgroup analysis of procedures performed by surgeons who used both devices also did not demonstrate a difference in revision rates (HR = 0.91; 95% CI = 0.39 to 2.17; p = 0.84).

CONCLUSIONS: In this study of patients ≥60 years of age with a femoral neck fracture, the rates of all-cause revision and mortality were found to be similar between the FNS and multiple cannulated screws.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID:40153479 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.00781

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00773. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Acupoint stimulation has been shown to reduce the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) after various types of surgeries involving general anesthesia, but whether the same is true after orthopaedic surgery involving spinal anesthesia is unclear. The purpose of this study was to compare PONV rates and the quality of recovery between patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) under spinal anesthesia receiving conventional antiemetics alone and those receiving antiemetics combined with use of a transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation bracelet (EmeTerm; WAT Medical Enterprise).

METHODS: Patients at moderate or high risk for PONV, including 195 patients undergoing THA and 153 patients undergoing TKA, were randomized to receive routine antiemetics (dexamethasone and ondansetron) alone or with use of the EmeTerm bracelet. The primary outcome was the PONV incidence within 24 hours postoperatively; secondary outcomes included the rates of severe PONV, antiemetic rescue, adverse events, and Quality of Recovery scores.

RESULTS: Combining antiemetics with the EmeTerm bracelet significantly reduced PONV (16.0% compared with 31.2%; p = 0.001), severe PONV (1.1% compared with 8.1%; p = 0.002), and antiemetic rescue (3.4% compared with 13.9%; p = 0.001). Use of the bracelet reduced the risk of PONV within 24 hours by 61% (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.39; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.24 to 0.63), and its benefit became significant at 0 to 3 and 3 to 6-hour intervals after surgery. The complete response rate was higher for the bracelet + antiemetics group compared with the group with antiemetics alone (84.0% compared with 68.8%; p = 0.001), with better Quality of Recovery scores at 24 hours in the bracelet + antiemetics group.

CONCLUSIONS: The EmeTerm bracelet enhanced the efficacy of antiemetics in reducing PONV after THA and TKA under spinal anesthesia and may improve short-term recovery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level I. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID:40153477 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.00773

Int Orthop. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.1007/s00264-025-06505-4. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40152988 | DOI:10.1007/s00264-025-06505-4

Int Orthop. 2025 Mar 28. doi: 10.1007/s00264-025-06506-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Firearm-related injuries in children and adolescents have increased over the past decade. The standard of care for ballistic fractures in children is complex, resulting in a burden of healthcare follow-up that many families find challenging. Consistent follow-up is crucial, especially in orthopaedic trauma and firearm cases, to prevent complications. This study aims to identify demographic and clinical variables associated with loss to follow-up (LTFU) in paediatric patients with ballistic fractures.

METHODS: This is a retrospective registry study at a Level I trauma centre for patients aged zero to 21 who presented with a ballistic-induced fracture. Patients with isolated skull, facial, or rib fractures were excluded. Follow-up was dichotomized at the median number of follow-up days for analysis. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of LTFU.

RESULTS: The study included 144 patients with a median age of 18 years. The majority were male (89%) and White (72%). Most patients had government insurance (44%) or were uninsured (33%). The mechanism of injury was primarily assault (71%). Operative intervention occurred in 55% of cases. Key factors increasing follow-up adherence included male sex (p = 0.011), higher injury severity scores (p = 0.009), requiring operative intervention (p < 0.001), air transportation (p < 0.001), or injury at a private residence (p = 0.040). Uninsured status (p = 0.007), opioid use (p = 0.047), and greater distance from the hospital (p = 0.002) were associated with low follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies key factors influencing follow-up adherence in pediatric patients with ballistic fractures. Identifying these factors allows for tailoring future interventions to improve follow-up adherence for this vulnerable population.

PMID:40152987 | DOI:10.1007/s00264-025-06506-3

SICOT J. 2025;11:21. doi: 10.1051/sicotj/2025014. Epub 2025 Mar 27.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: The understanding of the influence of posterior tibial slope (PTS) on knee kinematics has increased. However, the PTS influence on clinical outcomes remains unclear. The study aimed to evaluate whether a significant change between the native and the prosthetic tibial plateau PTS influences functional results and the risk of complications following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

METHODS: This was a retrospective, monocentric comparative study. Clinical and radiological data from 793 knees were collected from a prospective surgical database. Inclusion criteria were patients operated with a posterior-stabilized TKA (PS-TKA) for primary tibiofemoral osteoarthritis, with or without associated patellofemoral osteoarthritis, or osteonecrosis of the femoral condyle or tibial plateau, with a minimum follow-up of 5 years. Range of motion and International Knee Society (IKS) score as well as radiological measurements were collected preoperatively and postoperatively at each follow-up visit. Two groups were composed according to the change in PTS between pre- and post-op (Group 1: ≤10°, n = 703; Group 2: >10°, n = 90).

RESULTS: The mean follow-up was 75.5 months ± 9.1. The mean change in PTS from preoperative was 4.96° ± 3.24 in group 1 and 12.7° ± 1.87 in group 2. There was no significant difference in the mean IKS Knee subscore (89.5 ± 10.7 and 89.7 ± 10.2, p = 0.89) and mean IKS Function subscore (88.2 ± 15.7 and 86.3 ± 16.6, p = 0.33) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Postoperative maximum flexion was very satisfactory in both groups with no clinically relevant difference (120.0 ± 11.9 and 123.0 ± 8.3, p = 0.026). The complication rate was 5.0% (n = 40) (5.5% in group 1; 1.1% in group 2; p = 0.07) while the most common complication requiring further procedure was deep infection (n = 9, 1.1%) and the second most common was stiffness (n = 6, 0.8%).

DISCUSSION: PTS did not influence postoperative maximum flexion or clinical scores and was not associated with a higher complication rate at a minimum 5-year follow-up after PS-TKA.

PMID:40145786 | PMC:PMC11948999 | DOI:10.1051/sicotj/2025014

SICOT J. 2025;11:20. doi: 10.1051/sicotj/2025017. Epub 2025 Mar 27.

ABSTRACT

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in valgus knee deformities presents unique challenges, including alignment, soft tissue balance, and implant positioning. The lateral approach offers advantages over the traditional medial approach by improving direct access, patellar tracking, and soft tissue preservation. Robotic-assisted TKA enhances precision, ligament balancing, and patient-specific alignment strategies, such as functional knee positioning (FKP). This study describes a surgical technique integrating the lateral approach with robotic-assisted TKA using FKP principles. The technique is based on an image-based robotic system, ensuring accurate preoperative planning, intraoperative adjustments, and optimized prosthetic placement. Key intraoperative steps, including bone resection strategies, soft tissue balancing, and trial component evaluations, are detailed. The lateral robotic approach with FKP was found to be effective and reproducible, allowing for precise implant alignment and optimized soft tissue balance in valgus knees. This method minimizes the need for extensive lateral releases, preserves vascularity, and ensures postoperative stability. The combination of the lateral approach, robotic-assisted TKA, and FKP represents a promising strategy for valgus knee deformities. Further long-term studies are needed to validate the durability and functional benefits of this technique.

PMID:40145785 | PMC:PMC11948998 | DOI:10.1051/sicotj/2025017

Injury. 2025 Mar 24:112285. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2025.112285. Online ahead of print.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:40148146 | DOI:10.1016/j.injury.2025.112285

Injury. 2025 Mar 22;56(4):112297. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2025.112297. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: ChatGPT, a widely accessible AI program, has demonstrated potential in various healthcare applications, including emergency department (ED) triage, differential diagnosis, and patient education. However, its potential in providing recommendations to emergency department providers with orthopedic consultations has not been evaluated yet.

METHODS: This study compared the performance of four board certified orthopedic surgeons, two attendings and two trauma fellows who take independent call at the same institution and ChatGPT-4 in responding to clinical scenarios commonly encountered in emergency departments. Five common orthopedic ED scenarios were developed (lateral malleolar ankle fractures, distal radius fractures, septic arthritis of the knee, shoulder dislocations, and Achilles tendon ruptures), each with four questions related to diagnosis, management, surgical indication, and patient counseling, totaling 20 questions. Responses were anonymized, coded, and evaluated by independent reviewers including emergency medicine physicians using a five-point Likert scale across five criteria: accuracy, completeness, helpfulness, specificity, and overall quality.

RESULTS: When comparing the ratings of AI answers to non-AI responders, the AI answers were shown to be superior in completeness, helpfulness, specificity, and overall quality with no difference in regards to accuracy (p < 0.05). When considering question subtypes including diagnosis, management, treatment, and patient counseling, AI was shown to have superior scores in helpfulness, and specificity in diagnostic questions(p < 0.05). In addition, AI responses were superior in all the assessed categories when looking at the patient counseling questions (p < 0.05). When considering different clinical scenarios, AI outperformed non-AI groups in completeness in the distal radius fracture scenario. Furthermore, AI outperformed non-AI groups in helpfulness in the lateral malleolus fracture scenario. In the shoulder dislocation scenario, AI responses were more complete, helpful, and had a better overall quality. AI responses were non-inferior in the remaining categories of the different scenarios.

CONCLUSION: Artificial intelligence exhibited non-inferior and often superior performance in common orthopedic-ED consultations compared to board certified orthopedic surgeons While current AI models are limited in their ability to integrate specific images and patient scenarios, our findings suggest AI can provide high quality recommendations for generic orthopedic consultations and with further development, will likely have an increasing role in the future.

PMID:40147063 | DOI:10.1016/j.injury.2025.112297

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 27. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.01014. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Fractures are common in children, but knowledge about refractures has been limited. This study aimed to determine the rate of radiographically confirmed refractures within 2 years of the primary fracture in children and to analyze the association between fracture stability and refracture risk.

METHODS: All patients who were <16 years of age and had at least 2 fractures in the same bone between 2014 and 2023 were reviewed from the Helsinki University Hospitals' electronic pediatric treatment register, KIDS Fracture Tool. Patients' radiographs and records were evaluated. Patients with subsequent fractures in different parts of the bone than the primary fracture, patients with pathological fractures, and patients with a systemic condition predisposing to fractures were excluded.

RESULTS: Of 20,749 fractures, 163 consecutive fractures in the same bone within 2 years were identified. After exclusions, 100 cases (0.48% of all fractures) remained, with 83 occurring within 1 year and 17 occurring in the second year after the primary fracture. Refracture rates were highest in diaphyseal both-bone forearm fractures (3.76% [43 of 1,144]), diaphyseal tibial fractures (1.01% [7 of 693]), distal forearm fractures (0.55% [27 of 4,949]), and distal humeral fractures (0.49% [11 of 2,227]). The median time to refracture was 73 days (interquartile range [IQR], 56 to 131 days) for the distal forearm, 109 days (IQR, 79 to 169 days) for the diaphyseal tibia, 124 days (IQR, 80 to 178 days) for the diaphyseal forearm, and 426 days (IQR, 243 to 660 days) for the distal humerus. Displaced fractures requiring closed reduction had a significantly higher refracture risk compared with other fractures: relative risk (RR), 8.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.5 to 14) compared with stable fractures; RR, 5.0 (95% CI, 2.9 to 8.7) compared with fractures that had acceptable position but might be unstable and required follow-up; and RR, 3.2 (95% CI, 1.8 to 5.7) compared with fractures requiring fixation and follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS: The overall refracture rate in children was approximately 0.5%, with the highest rates in both-bone diaphyseal forearm fractures. The median time to refracture varied significantly by anatomic location, and displaced fractures treated with closed reduction were associated with a higher refracture risk.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID:40146814 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.01014

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 27. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00997. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

➢ Musculoskeletal injuries constitute a substantial proportion of worldwide disease, with access limited to many due to the availability and cost of devices. A multifaceted approach is needed to improve system-level access to care.➢ Although a number of procurement policies are utilized, providers in low and middle-income countries often struggle with inconsistent supply chains, leading to delays in care or less desirable management strategies.➢ Partnerships between governments, academic institutions, and nongovernmental agencies are needed to improve access to devices by providing funds for patients and creating regulatory bodies to ensure product quality and availability.➢ There should be a focus on local and regional manufacturing as well as job creation within low and middle-income countries to achieve sustainable access to orthopaedic devices.➢ High-quality research initiatives are needed to provide evidence-based solutions. This includes a focus on outcomes-based studies to determine best management practices within the low and middle-income countries' context and operations research to optimize systems for device procurement.

PMID:40146811 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.00997

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 27. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.01177. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: It is unclear when a patient can return to driving after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Currently, most surgeons simply restrict all patients from driving for 4 to 6 weeks after TKA despite variability in patient age, general health, and physical capabilities. The primary objective of this study was to create novel clinical prediction calculators to estimate the return-to-driving time following primary TKA.

METHODS: In this study, 167 patients who were undergoing a primary TKA were prospectively enrolled. Subjects received text message surveys every third day postoperatively to determine when they returned to driving. Subjects completed 8 physical performance maneuvers at their 2, 6, and 12-week postoperative clinical appointments. Additionally, subjects completed return-to-driving surveys and a structured interview. Data on demographic characteristics, operative factors, patient-reported outcomes, and patient factors were collected. Cox proportional hazard and parametric survival models were utilized to create 2 novel calculators for predicting return-to-driving time.

RESULTS: There were 156 patients (mean age, 67.7 years [range, 39 to 83 years]) who completed the study. The median return-to-driving time was 18 days (interquartile range [IQR], 12 to 27 days). Univariate analysis demonstrated that male patients returned to driving sooner (18 days) than female patients (25.3 days) (p < 0.001) and that patients who underwent left-sided surgery returned to driving sooner (20.1 days) than patients who underwent right-sided surgery (24.4 days) (p = 0.021). For preoperative factors, age, sex, laterality, and preoperative Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) had an effect on return-to-driving time and therefore were included in the novel preoperative clinical prediction calculator. For postoperative factors, age, sex, laterality, preoperative KOOS, and 6 metrics from the physical performance maneuvers had an effect on return-to-driving time and therefore were included in the novel postoperative physical performance-based instrument.

CONCLUSIONS: Overall, patients undergoing primary TKA returned to driving considerably earlier than previously reported. Patient-related factors and postoperative physical performance significantly affect return-to-driving time. Using the novel preoperative clinical prediction tool, individual patients can be advised when to expect to return to driving. After surgery, the novel postoperative physical performance-based instrument can inform patients when they may be ready to return to driving.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

PMID:40146809 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.01177

J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2025 Mar 27. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.24.00779. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Age-related osteoporosis complicates rotator cuff tear (RCT) treatment, undermining the integrity of surgical anchor fixation during rotator cuff repair (RCR). This study aimed to investigate whether supplementation with glutamine, an intrinsic amino acid crucial in cell metabolism, can enhance rotator cuff healing by ameliorating age-associated osteoporosis.

METHODS: Forty-eight female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: (1) young control (sham surgery), (2) aged control (sham surgery), (3) aged-RCT (RCR with fibrin), and (4) aged-RCT-Gln (RCR with glutamine-enriched fibrin). RCR was performed bilaterally on rats in the RCT groups, with subsequent application of the respective fibrin gel at the tendon-bone interface. Evaluations included micro-computed tomography (CT) for bone quality, histology and immunohistochemistry for tissue integrity, and biomechanical testing for tendon-bone complex strength.

RESULTS: Micro-CT revealed worse bone quality at the proximal humerus in the aged rats compared with the young rats, confirming spontaneous osteoporosis occurring with age. Glutamine supplementation improved bone quality in the aged-RCT-Gln group compared with the aged-RCT group, with significantly higher mean bone volume/total volume fraction (BV/TV) (28.69% ± 3.1% compared with 21.13% ± 3.9%), trabecular number (Tb.N) (1.88 ± 0.18 compared with 1.55 ± 0.21 mm-1), and trabecular thickness (Tb.th) (0.15 ± 0.03 compared with 0.12 ± 0.02 mm) and lower trabecular separation (Tb.sp) (0.19 ± 0.03 compared with 0.22 ± 0.03 mm). Histological and immunohistological analysis demonstrated enhanced bone regeneration and a more organized tendon-cartilage-bone interface in the aged-RCT-Gln group. Biomechanical analysis also revealed a more resilient tendon-bone complex after glutamine supplementation.

CONCLUSIONS: Osteoporosis occurred spontaneously at the proximal humerus with age. Glutamine supplementation effectively mitigated age-related osteoporosis and enhanced RCR in elderly rats. These findings support the potential of glutamine, the most abundant amino acid in the body, as a valuable therapeutic intervention for improving RCT outcomes in the aging population, warranting further investigation in clinical settings.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Glutamine supplementation may be a novel therapeutic strategy to enhance RCR in elderly patients with osteoporosis.

PMID:40146808 | DOI:10.2106/JBJS.24.00779