The literature on extensor tendon rupture and even chronic flexor tendon rupture after volar plating and distal radius fracture malunion is ubiquitous. However, acute and subacute flexor tendon ruptures caused by distal radius fractures have been reported only in limited case reports. These rare injuries may involve multiple tendons and are associated with high-energy mechanisms. This case report details the involvement of multiple flexor tendon injuries associated with a Gustilo-Anderson type II distal radius fracture and the development of acute carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) after a motor vehicle collision. The patient provided written informed consent for print and electronic publication of this case report.

Case Report

The patient is a 46-year-old woman who was involved in a motor vehicle collision. She was triaged as a trauma patient via Advanced Trauma Life Support protocol, and treated with antibiotic and tetanus prophylaxis. Radiographs showed an open, comminuted, displaced intra-articular distal radius fracture on the right side (Figures 1A, 1B). The fracture was closed reduced and splinted in the emergency department (Figures 2A, 2B). On initial examination, the patient had diffuse paresthesias in the digits that were most pronounced in the median nerve distribution. Motor examination was limited secondary to pain; however, she demonstrated gentle flexion and extension of the digits. The hand was well perfused, and a palpable radial pulse was present. 

After clearance was obtained, she was taken urgently to the operating room. The wound was volar and transverse, approximately 2 cm in length, and approximately 4 cm proximal to the wrist crease. The wound was extended proximally and distally for a standard volar (Henry) approach. The flexor carpi radialis tendon was found to be partially lacerated, comprising 60% of the tendon. The fracture was readily identified because the deep fascia and the pronator quadratus were disrupted. No deep tendon lacerations were identified. The median nerve was found to be in continuity. After satisfactory débridement of the fracture and the wound, reduction and fixation was achieved with a volar locking plate and a single Kirschner wire. The flexor carpi radialis tendon was repaired with a modified Kessler stitch and epitenon repair. The wound was closed primarily in layers (Figures 3A, 3B).

The patient’s immediate postoperative neurologic examination was compromised secondary to the patient having a supraclavicular nerve block for anesthesia. Regional anesthesia was chosen because the patient’s pulmonologist recommended avoiding general anesthesia owing to her history of severe asthma that frequently required corticosteroid treatment. Once the block wore off, she complained of persistent paresthesias in all digits but most pronounced in the median nerve distribution. She was able to flex the interphalangeal joint to the index finger but could not flex the interphalangeal joint to the thumb. Over the course of the night, she was also noted to have worsening pain out of proportion to her injury.

As the paresthesias became denser in the median nerve distribution, she was diagnosed with acute CTS and was taken urgently back to the operating room under general anesthesia. After releasing the carpal tunnel through a separate incision, the original wound was reopened and explored. The median nerve was again visualized and found to be in continuity. All 4 tendons to both the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus were identified. The flexor pollicis longus (FPL) was not visualized in the wound. The distal portion of the FPL was retracted in the thumb tendon sheath and retrieved blindly with a tendon passer. The proximal portion was retracted to the mid-forearm. The laceration occurred distal to the musculotendinous junction. The tendon was repaired with a modified Kessler stitch as well as a box suture, resulting in 4 core strands across the tendon. The hand and the wrist were splinted in a thumb spica cast, and the patient was started on a modified Duran protocol 1 week after surgery. Median nerve function improved postoperatively. 

Discussion

The rupture of the extensor pollicis longus tendon in nondisplaced distal radius fractures is not uncommon, but occurs in fewer than 5% of nondisplaced distal radius fractures.¹ Although less common, chronic complications with flexor tendon rupture after distal radius fracture are well described.^1-6 Flexor tendon rupture after distal radius malunion or volar plating is a known complication and is thought to be the result of attritional tendon wear because the flexors rub against protruding bone or plate;^3,4,7 however, the initial tendon injury may play a role in those tendons that rupture more quickly.³ When secondary to volar plating, the rupture typically occurs within 1 year of injury,⁷ but, in both plating and malunion, it has been characterized as a late complication up to 10 years and even 20 years after injury.^3,4 Similar to other reports, this rupture was encountered during a volar wrist approach. It has been suggested that, as the incidence of volar plating rises, more acute flexor tendon injuries may be diagnosed because of anatomic exposure,² but this has not been reported in the literature. 

Acute and subacute flexor tendon ruptures are rarely reported in the literature. To our knowledge, there are only 2 other reports of acute flexor tendon rupture^2,5 after a distal radius fracture, neither of which involved the FPL. These cases, which involved ruptures of the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor carpi radialis, were thought to be the result of tendon laceration by a volar bone spike. There is also one report of subacute FPL and flexor digitorum profundus rupture approximately 4 weeks after closed reduction of a distal radius fracture.⁶ Although sparse, the literature regarding flexor tendon rupture and distal radius fractures suggests that involvement of the flexor digitorum superficialis and the flexor digitorum profundus tendons is most common and that the rupture typically occurs in 1 to 4 months.¹

We report a rare case of 2 acute flexor tendon lacerations after a Gustilo-Anderson type II open distal radius fracture, likely caused by the volar spike of bone that created the open injury. This case also was complicated by the development of acute CTS. 

To our knowledge, despite a rate of acute CTS reported as high as 5.4% in operatively treated distal radius fractures, there are no established associations between acute CTS and flexor tendon rupture in the setting of distal radius fracture.^8,9 In a 2008 retrospective case–control study by Dyer and colleagues,⁸ fracture translation is the most important risk factor for the development of acute CTS associated with fracture of the distal radius. Although not statistically significant, ipsilateral upper extremity trauma, higher-energy injuries, younger age, and male sex were also associated with the development of acute CTS. Open injuries occurred in only 3 of 50 cases of acute CTS.⁸

In agreement with published reports, the probability and the timing of tendon rupture are likely related to the severity of the deforming forces applied during the initial insult rather than the resultant stresses.¹ Clinicians should have a high suspicion of acute CTS and possible tendon injuries after a high-energy injury with a significantly displaced open distal radius fracture and median nerve paresthesias. A thoughtful and complete preoperative examination of the flexor tendons may prevent the need for reoperation. Concerns for flexor injury and acute CTS should be elevated with the observation of a disrupted pronator. For patients with a volarly displaced fragment after fracture reduction, this concern should be even more elevated.⁹ Preoperative median nerve symptoms in the setting of the severely displaced fracture should necessitate an acute carpal tunnel release. If 1 flexor tendon is injured, the surgeon should remember that multiple flexor tendons may be involved. We recommend that any injured tendons be repaired primarily, if possible, and the patient started on appropriate rehabilitation.

The literature on extensor tendon rupture and even chronic flexor tendon rupture after volar plating and distal radius fracture malunion is ubiquitous. However, acute and subacute flexor tendon ruptures caused by distal radius fractures have been reported only in limited case reports. These rare injuries may involve multiple tendons and are associated with high-energy mechanisms. This case report details the involvement of multiple flexor tendon injuries associated with a Gustilo-Anderson type II distal radius fracture and the development of acute carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) after a motor vehicle collision. The patient provided written informed consent for print and electronic publication of this case report.

Case Report

The patient is a 46-year-old woman who was involved in a motor vehicle collision. She was triaged as a trauma patient via Advanced Trauma Life Support protocol, and treated with antibiotic and tetanus prophylaxis. Radiographs showed an open, comminuted, displaced intra-articular distal radius fracture on the right side (Figures 1A, 1B). The fracture was closed reduced and splinted in the emergency department (Figures 2A, 2B). On initial examination, the patient had diffuse paresthesias in the digits that were most pronounced in the median nerve distribution. Motor examination was limited secondary to pain; however, she demonstrated gentle flexion and extension of the digits. The hand was well perfused, and a palpable radial pulse was present. 

After clearance was obtained, she was taken urgently to the operating room. The wound was volar and transverse, approximately 2 cm in length, and approximately 4 cm proximal to the wrist crease. The wound was extended proximally and distally for a standard volar (Henry) approach. The flexor carpi radialis tendon was found to be partially lacerated, comprising 60% of the tendon. The fracture was readily identified because the deep fascia and the pronator quadratus were disrupted. No deep tendon lacerations were identified. The median nerve was found to be in continuity. After satisfactory débridement of the fracture and the wound, reduction and fixation was achieved with a volar locking plate and a single Kirschner wire. The flexor carpi radialis tendon was repaired with a modified Kessler stitch and epitenon repair. The wound was closed primarily in layers (Figures 3A, 3B).

The patient’s immediate postoperative neurologic examination was compromised secondary to the patient having a supraclavicular nerve block for anesthesia. Regional anesthesia was chosen because the patient’s pulmonologist recommended avoiding general anesthesia owing to her history of severe asthma that frequently required corticosteroid treatment. Once the block wore off, she complained of persistent paresthesias in all digits but most pronounced in the median nerve distribution. She was able to flex the interphalangeal joint to the index finger but could not flex the interphalangeal joint to the thumb. Over the course of the night, she was also noted to have worsening pain out of proportion to her injury.

As the paresthesias became denser in the median nerve distribution, she was diagnosed with acute CTS and was taken urgently back to the operating room under general anesthesia. After releasing the carpal tunnel through a separate incision, the original wound was reopened and explored. The median nerve was again visualized and found to be in continuity. All 4 tendons to both the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus were identified. The flexor pollicis longus (FPL) was not visualized in the wound. The distal portion of the FPL was retracted in the thumb tendon sheath and retrieved blindly with a tendon passer. The proximal portion was retracted to the mid-forearm. The laceration occurred distal to the musculotendinous junction. The tendon was repaired with a modified Kessler stitch as well as a box suture, resulting in 4 core strands across the tendon. The hand and the wrist were splinted in a thumb spica cast, and the patient was started on a modified Duran protocol 1 week after surgery. Median nerve function improved postoperatively. 

Discussion

The rupture of the extensor pollicis longus tendon in nondisplaced distal radius fractures is not uncommon, but occurs in fewer than 5% of nondisplaced distal radius fractures.¹ Although less common, chronic complications with flexor tendon rupture after distal radius fracture are well described.^1-6 Flexor tendon rupture after distal radius malunion or volar plating is a known complication and is thought to be the result of attritional tendon wear because the flexors rub against protruding bone or plate;^3,4,7 however, the initial tendon injury may play a role in those tendons that rupture more quickly.³ When secondary to volar plating, the rupture typically occurs within 1 year of injury,⁷ but, in both plating and malunion, it has been characterized as a late complication up to 10 years and even 20 years after injury.^3,4 Similar to other reports, this rupture was encountered during a volar wrist approach. It has been suggested that, as the incidence of volar plating rises, more acute flexor tendon injuries may be diagnosed because of anatomic exposure,² but this has not been reported in the literature. 

Acute and subacute flexor tendon ruptures are rarely reported in the literature. To our knowledge, there are only 2 other reports of acute flexor tendon rupture^2,5 after a distal radius fracture, neither of which involved the FPL. These cases, which involved ruptures of the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor carpi radialis, were thought to be the result of tendon laceration by a volar bone spike. There is also one report of subacute FPL and flexor digitorum profundus rupture approximately 4 weeks after closed reduction of a distal radius fracture.⁶ Although sparse, the literature regarding flexor tendon rupture and distal radius fractures suggests that involvement of the flexor digitorum superficialis and the flexor digitorum profundus tendons is most common and that the rupture typically occurs in 1 to 4 months.¹

We report a rare case of 2 acute flexor tendon lacerations after a Gustilo-Anderson type II open distal radius fracture, likely caused by the volar spike of bone that created the open injury. This case also was complicated by the development of acute CTS. 

To our knowledge, despite a rate of acute CTS reported as high as 5.4% in operatively treated distal radius fractures, there are no established associations between acute CTS and flexor tendon rupture in the setting of distal radius fracture.^8,9 In a 2008 retrospective case–control study by Dyer and colleagues,⁸ fracture translation is the most important risk factor for the development of acute CTS associated with fracture of the distal radius. Although not statistically significant, ipsilateral upper extremity trauma, higher-energy injuries, younger age, and male sex were also associated with the development of acute CTS. Open injuries occurred in only 3 of 50 cases of acute CTS.⁸

In agreement with published reports, the probability and the timing of tendon rupture are likely related to the severity of the deforming forces applied during the initial insult rather than the resultant stresses.¹ Clinicians should have a high suspicion of acute CTS and possible tendon injuries after a high-energy injury with a significantly displaced open distal radius fracture and median nerve paresthesias. A thoughtful and complete preoperative examination of the flexor tendons may prevent the need for reoperation. Concerns for flexor injury and acute CTS should be elevated with the observation of a disrupted pronator. For patients with a volarly displaced fragment after fracture reduction, this concern should be even more elevated.⁹ Preoperative median nerve symptoms in the setting of the severely displaced fracture should necessitate an acute carpal tunnel release. If 1 flexor tendon is injured, the surgeon should remember that multiple flexor tendons may be involved. We recommend that any injured tendons be repaired primarily, if possible, and the patient started on appropriate rehabilitation.

The literature on extensor tendon rupture and even chronic flexor tendon rupture after volar plating and distal radius fracture malunion is ubiquitous. However, acute and subacute flexor tendon ruptures caused by distal radius fractures have been reported only in limited case reports. These rare injuries may involve multiple tendons and are associated with high-energy mechanisms. This case report details the involvement of multiple flexor tendon injuries associated with a Gustilo-Anderson type II distal radius fracture and the development of acute carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) after a motor vehicle collision. The patient provided written informed consent for print and electronic publication of this case report.

Case Report

The patient is a 46-year-old woman who was involved in a motor vehicle collision. She was triaged as a trauma patient via Advanced Trauma Life Support protocol, and treated with antibiotic and tetanus prophylaxis. Radiographs showed an open, comminuted, displaced intra-articular distal radius fracture on the right side (Figures 1A, 1B). The fracture was closed reduced and splinted in the emergency department (Figures 2A, 2B). On initial examination, the patient had diffuse paresthesias in the digits that were most pronounced in the median nerve distribution. Motor examination was limited secondary to pain; however, she demonstrated gentle flexion and extension of the digits. The hand was well perfused, and a palpable radial pulse was present. 

After clearance was obtained, she was taken urgently to the operating room. The wound was volar and transverse, approximately 2 cm in length, and approximately 4 cm proximal to the wrist crease. The wound was extended proximally and distally for a standard volar (Henry) approach. The flexor carpi radialis tendon was found to be partially lacerated, comprising 60% of the tendon. The fracture was readily identified because the deep fascia and the pronator quadratus were disrupted. No deep tendon lacerations were identified. The median nerve was found to be in continuity. After satisfactory débridement of the fracture and the wound, reduction and fixation was achieved with a volar locking plate and a single Kirschner wire. The flexor carpi radialis tendon was repaired with a modified Kessler stitch and epitenon repair. The wound was closed primarily in layers (Figures 3A, 3B).

The patient’s immediate postoperative neurologic examination was compromised secondary to the patient having a supraclavicular nerve block for anesthesia. Regional anesthesia was chosen because the patient’s pulmonologist recommended avoiding general anesthesia owing to her history of severe asthma that frequently required corticosteroid treatment. Once the block wore off, she complained of persistent paresthesias in all digits but most pronounced in the median nerve distribution. She was able to flex the interphalangeal joint to the index finger but could not flex the interphalangeal joint to the thumb. Over the course of the night, she was also noted to have worsening pain out of proportion to her injury.

As the paresthesias became denser in the median nerve distribution, she was diagnosed with acute CTS and was taken urgently back to the operating room under general anesthesia. After releasing the carpal tunnel through a separate incision, the original wound was reopened and explored. The median nerve was again visualized and found to be in continuity. All 4 tendons to both the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor digitorum profundus were identified. The flexor pollicis longus (FPL) was not visualized in the wound. The distal portion of the FPL was retracted in the thumb tendon sheath and retrieved blindly with a tendon passer. The proximal portion was retracted to the mid-forearm. The laceration occurred distal to the musculotendinous junction. The tendon was repaired with a modified Kessler stitch as well as a box suture, resulting in 4 core strands across the tendon. The hand and the wrist were splinted in a thumb spica cast, and the patient was started on a modified Duran protocol 1 week after surgery. Median nerve function improved postoperatively. 

Discussion

The rupture of the extensor pollicis longus tendon in nondisplaced distal radius fractures is not uncommon, but occurs in fewer than 5% of nondisplaced distal radius fractures.¹ Although less common, chronic complications with flexor tendon rupture after distal radius fracture are well described.^1-6 Flexor tendon rupture after distal radius malunion or volar plating is a known complication and is thought to be the result of attritional tendon wear because the flexors rub against protruding bone or plate;^3,4,7 however, the initial tendon injury may play a role in those tendons that rupture more quickly.³ When secondary to volar plating, the rupture typically occurs within 1 year of injury,⁷ but, in both plating and malunion, it has been characterized as a late complication up to 10 years and even 20 years after injury.^3,4 Similar to other reports, this rupture was encountered during a volar wrist approach. It has been suggested that, as the incidence of volar plating rises, more acute flexor tendon injuries may be diagnosed because of anatomic exposure,² but this has not been reported in the literature. 

Acute and subacute flexor tendon ruptures are rarely reported in the literature. To our knowledge, there are only 2 other reports of acute flexor tendon rupture^2,5 after a distal radius fracture, neither of which involved the FPL. These cases, which involved ruptures of the flexor digitorum superficialis and flexor carpi radialis, were thought to be the result of tendon laceration by a volar bone spike. There is also one report of subacute FPL and flexor digitorum profundus rupture approximately 4 weeks after closed reduction of a distal radius fracture.⁶ Although sparse, the literature regarding flexor tendon rupture and distal radius fractures suggests that involvement of the flexor digitorum superficialis and the flexor digitorum profundus tendons is most common and that the rupture typically occurs in 1 to 4 months.¹

We report a rare case of 2 acute flexor tendon lacerations after a Gustilo-Anderson type II open distal radius fracture, likely caused by the volar spike of bone that created the open injury. This case also was complicated by the development of acute CTS. 

To our knowledge, despite a rate of acute CTS reported as high as 5.4% in operatively treated distal radius fractures, there are no established associations between acute CTS and flexor tendon rupture in the setting of distal radius fracture.^8,9 In a 2008 retrospective case–control study by Dyer and colleagues,⁸ fracture translation is the most important risk factor for the development of acute CTS associated with fracture of the distal radius. Although not statistically significant, ipsilateral upper extremity trauma, higher-energy injuries, younger age, and male sex were also associated with the development of acute CTS. Open injuries occurred in only 3 of 50 cases of acute CTS.⁸

In agreement with published reports, the probability and the timing of tendon rupture are likely related to the severity of the deforming forces applied during the initial insult rather than the resultant stresses.¹ Clinicians should have a high suspicion of acute CTS and possible tendon injuries after a high-energy injury with a significantly displaced open distal radius fracture and median nerve paresthesias. A thoughtful and complete preoperative examination of the flexor tendons may prevent the need for reoperation. Concerns for flexor injury and acute CTS should be elevated with the observation of a disrupted pronator. For patients with a volarly displaced fragment after fracture reduction, this concern should be even more elevated.⁹ Preoperative median nerve symptoms in the setting of the severely displaced fracture should necessitate an acute carpal tunnel release. If 1 flexor tendon is injured, the surgeon should remember that multiple flexor tendons may be involved. We recommend that any injured tendons be repaired primarily, if possible, and the patient started on appropriate rehabilitation.

Rising health care costs have led many health insurers to limit benefits, which may be a problem for children in need of specialty care. Uninsured children have poorer access to specialty care than insured children. Children with public health coverage have better access to specialty care than uninsured children but inferior access compared with privately insured children.^1,2 It is well documented that children with government insurance have limited access to orthopedic care for fractures, ligamentous knee injuries, and other injuries.^1,3-5 Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) differs from many other conditions managed by pediatric orthopedists, as it may be progressive, with management becoming increasingly more complex as the curve magnitude increases.⁶ The ability to access care earlier in the disease process may allow for earlier nonoperative interventions, such as bracing. For patients who require spinal fusion, earlier diagnosis and referral to a specialist could potentially result in shorter fusions and preserve distal motion segments. The ability to access the health care system in a timely fashion would therefore be of utmost importance for patients with scoliosis.

The literature on AIS is lacking in studies focused on care access based on insurance coverage and the potential impact that this may have on curve progression.^7-9 We conducted a study to determine whether there is a difference between patients with and without private insurance who present to a busy urban pediatric orthopedic practice for management of scoliosis that eventually resulted in surgical treatment.

Materials and Methods

After obtaining institutional review board approval for this study, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients (age, 10-18 years) who underwent posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for newly diagnosed AIS between 2008 and 2012. We excluded patients treated with growing spine instrumentation (growing rods), patients younger than 10 years or older than 18 years at presentation, and patients without adequate radiographs or clinical data, including insurance status. To focus on newly diagnosed scoliosis, we also excluded patients who had been seen for second opinions or whose scoliosis had been managed elsewhere in the past. Patients with syndromic, neuromuscular, or congenital scoliosis were also excluded.

Medical records were checked to ascertain time from initial evaluation to decision for surgery, time from recommendation for surgery until actual procedure, and insurance status. Distance traveled was figured from patients’ home addresses. Cobb angles were calculated from initial preoperative and final preoperative posteroanterior (PA) radiographs. Curves as seen on PA, lateral, and maximal effort, supine bending thoracic and lumbar radiographs from the initial preoperative visit were classified using the system of Lenke and colleagues.¹⁰ Hospital records were queried to determine number of levels fused at surgery, number of implants placed, and length of stay. Patients were evaluated without prior screening of insurance status and without prior consultation with referring physicians. Surgical procedures were scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis without preference for insurance status.

Results

We identified 135 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed AIS treated with PSF by our group between January 2008 and December 2012 (Table 1). Sixty-one percent had private insurance; 39% had Medicaid. There was no difference in age or ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) score between groups. Mean (SD) Cobb angle at initial presentation was 47.5° (14.3°) (range, 18.0°-86.0°) for the private insurance group and 57.2° (15.7°) (range, 23.0°-95.0°) for the Medicaid group (P < .0001). At time of surgery, mean (SD) Cobb angles were 54.6° (11.7°) and 60.6° (13.9°) for the private insurance and Medicaid groups, respectively (P = .008). There was no difference in curve types (Lenke and colleagues¹⁰ classification) between groups (Table 2, P = .83). Medicaid patients traveled a shorter mean (SD) distance for care, 56.3 (57.0) miles, versus 73.7 (66.7) miles (P = .05). There was no statistical difference (P = .14) in mean (SD) surgical wait time from surgery recommendation to actual surgery, 103.1 (62.4) days and 128.8 (137.5) days for the private insurance and Medicaid groups, respectively. The difference between patient groups in mean (SD) number of levels fused did not reach statistical significance (P = .16), 10.3 (2.2) levels for the Medicaid group and 9.7 (2.3) levels for the private insurance group. Mean (SD) estimated blood loss was higher for Medicaid patients, 445.7 (415.9) mL versus 335.1 (271.5) mL (P = .06), though there was no difference in use of posterior column osteotomies between groups. There was no difference (P = .11) in mean (SD) length of hospital stay between Medicaid patients, 2.6 (0.8) days, and private insurance patients, 2.4 (0.5) days.

Discussion

According to an extensive body of literature, patients with government insurance have limited access to specialty care.^1,11,12 Medicaid-insured children in need of orthopedic care are no exception. Sabharwal and colleagues¹³ examined a database of pediatric fracture cases and found that 52% of the privately insured patients and 22% of the publicly insured patients received orthopedic care (P = .013).¹³ When Pierce and colleagues¹⁴ called 42 orthopedic practices regarding a fictitious 14-year-old patient with an anterior cruciate ligament tear, 38 offered an appointment within 2 weeks to a privately insured patient, and 6 offered such an appointment to a publicly insured patient. Skaggs and colleagues⁴ surveyed 230 orthopedic practices nationally and found that Medicaid-insured children had limited access to orthopedic care; 41 practices (18%) would not see a child with Medicaid under any circumstances. Using a fictitious case of a 10-year-old boy with a forearm fracture, Iobst and colleagues³ tried making an appointment at 100 orthopedic offices. Eight gave an appointment within 1 week to a Medicaid-insured patient, and 36 gave an appointment to a privately insured patient.³

There are few data regarding insurance status and scoliosis care in children. Spinal deformity differs from simple fractures and ligamentous injuries, as timely care may result in a less invasive treatment (bracing) if the curvature is caught early. Goldstein and colleagues⁹ recently evaluated 642 patients who presented for scoliosis evaluation over a 10-year period. There was no difference in curve magnitudes between patients with and without Medicaid insurance. Thirty-two percent of these patients were evaluated for a second opinion, and the authors chose not to subdivide patients on the basis of curve severity and treatment needed, noting only no difference between groups. There was no discussion of the potential difference between patients with and without private insurance with respect to surgically versus nonsurgically treated curves. We wanted to focus specifically on patients who required surgical intervention, as our experience has been that many patients with government insurance present with either very mild scoliosis (10°) or very large curves that were not identified because of lack of primary care access or inadequate school screening. Although summing these 2 groups would result in a similar average, they would represent a different cohort than patients with curves along a bell curve. Furthermore, it is the group of patients who would require surgical intervention that is so critical to identify early in order to intervene.

Our data suggest a difference in presenting curves between patients with and without private insurance. The approximately 10° difference between patient groups in this study could potentially represent the difference between bracing and surgery. Furthermore, Miyanji and colleagues⁶ evaluated the relationship between Cobb angle and health care consumption and correlated larger curve magnitudes with more levels fused, longer surgeries, and higher rates of transfusion. Specifically, every 10° increase in curve magnitude resulted in 7.8 more minutes of operative time, 0.3 extra levels fused, and 1.5 times increased risk for requiring a blood transfusion.

Cho and Egorova¹⁵ recently evaluated insurance status with respect to surgical outcomes using a national inpatient database and found that 42.4% of surgeries for AIS in children with Medicaid had fusions involving 9 or more levels, whereas only 33.6% of privately insured patients had fusions of 9 or more levels. There was no difference in osteotomy or reoperation for pseudarthrosis between groups, but there was a slightly higher rate of infectious (1.1% vs 0.6%) and hemorrhagic (2.5% vs 1.7%) complications in the Medicaid group. Hospital stay was longer in patients with Medicaid, though complications were not different between groups.

The mean difference in the magnitude of the curves treated in our study was not more than 10° between patients with and without Medicaid, perhaps explaining the lack of a statistically significant difference in number of levels fused between groups. Although the groups were similar with respect to the percentage requiring posterior column spinal osteotomies, we noted a difference in estimated blood loss between groups, likely explained by the fact that a junior surgeon was added just before initiation of the study period, potentially skewing the estimated blood loss as this surgeon gained experience. Payer status has been correlated to length of hospital stay in children with scoliosis. Vitale and colleagues⁸ reviewed the effect of payer status on surgical outcomes in 3606 scoliosis patients from a statewide database in California and concluded that, compared with patients having all other payment sources, Medicaid patients had higher odds for complications and longer hospital stay. Our hospital has adopted a highly coordinated care pathway that allows for discharge on postoperative day 2, likely explaining the lack of any difference in postoperative stay.¹⁶

The disparity in curve magnitudes among patients with and without private insurance is striking and probably multifactorial. Very likely, the combination of schools with limited screening programs within urban or rural school systems,¹⁷ restricted access to pediatricians,^18,19 and longer waits to see orthopedic specialists²⁰ all contribute to this disparity. It should be noted that school screening is mandatory in our state. This discrepancy may be related to a previously established tendency in minority populations toward waiting longer to seek care and refusing surgical recommendations, though we were unable to query socioeconomic factors such as race and household income.^21,22 It is clearly important to increase access to care for underinsured patients with scoliosis. A comprehensive approach, including providing better education in the schools, establishing communication with referring primary care providers, and increasing access through more physicians or physician extenders, is likely needed. Orthopedists should perhaps treat scoliosis evaluation with the same sense of urgency given to minor fractures, and primary care providers should try to ensure that appropriate referrals for scoliosis are made. Also curious was the shorter travel distance for Medicaid patients versus private insurance patients in this study. We hypothesize this is related to our urban location and its large Medicaid population.

Our study had several limitations. Our electronic medical records (EMR) system does not store data related to the time a patient calls for an initial appointment, limiting our ability to determine how long patients waited for their initial consultation. Furthermore, the decision to undergo surgery is multifactorial and cannot be simplified into time from initial recommendation to surgery, as some patients delay surgery because of school or other obligations. These data should be reasonably consistent over time, as patients seen in the early spring in both groups may delay surgery until the summer, and those diagnosed in June may prefer earlier surgery.

Summary

Children with AIS are at risk for curve progression. Therefore, delays in providing timely care may result in worsening scoliosis. Compared with private insurance patients, Medicaid patients presented with larger curve magnitudes. Further study is needed to better delineate ways to improve care access for patients with scoliosis in communities with larger Medicaid populations.

Rising health care costs have led many health insurers to limit benefits, which may be a problem for children in need of specialty care. Uninsured children have poorer access to specialty care than insured children. Children with public health coverage have better access to specialty care than uninsured children but inferior access compared with privately insured children.^1,2 It is well documented that children with government insurance have limited access to orthopedic care for fractures, ligamentous knee injuries, and other injuries.^1,3-5 Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) differs from many other conditions managed by pediatric orthopedists, as it may be progressive, with management becoming increasingly more complex as the curve magnitude increases.⁶ The ability to access care earlier in the disease process may allow for earlier nonoperative interventions, such as bracing. For patients who require spinal fusion, earlier diagnosis and referral to a specialist could potentially result in shorter fusions and preserve distal motion segments. The ability to access the health care system in a timely fashion would therefore be of utmost importance for patients with scoliosis.

The literature on AIS is lacking in studies focused on care access based on insurance coverage and the potential impact that this may have on curve progression.^7-9 We conducted a study to determine whether there is a difference between patients with and without private insurance who present to a busy urban pediatric orthopedic practice for management of scoliosis that eventually resulted in surgical treatment.

Materials and Methods

After obtaining institutional review board approval for this study, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients (age, 10-18 years) who underwent posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for newly diagnosed AIS between 2008 and 2012. We excluded patients treated with growing spine instrumentation (growing rods), patients younger than 10 years or older than 18 years at presentation, and patients without adequate radiographs or clinical data, including insurance status. To focus on newly diagnosed scoliosis, we also excluded patients who had been seen for second opinions or whose scoliosis had been managed elsewhere in the past. Patients with syndromic, neuromuscular, or congenital scoliosis were also excluded.

Medical records were checked to ascertain time from initial evaluation to decision for surgery, time from recommendation for surgery until actual procedure, and insurance status. Distance traveled was figured from patients’ home addresses. Cobb angles were calculated from initial preoperative and final preoperative posteroanterior (PA) radiographs. Curves as seen on PA, lateral, and maximal effort, supine bending thoracic and lumbar radiographs from the initial preoperative visit were classified using the system of Lenke and colleagues.¹⁰ Hospital records were queried to determine number of levels fused at surgery, number of implants placed, and length of stay. Patients were evaluated without prior screening of insurance status and without prior consultation with referring physicians. Surgical procedures were scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis without preference for insurance status.

Results

We identified 135 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed AIS treated with PSF by our group between January 2008 and December 2012 (Table 1). Sixty-one percent had private insurance; 39% had Medicaid. There was no difference in age or ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) score between groups. Mean (SD) Cobb angle at initial presentation was 47.5° (14.3°) (range, 18.0°-86.0°) for the private insurance group and 57.2° (15.7°) (range, 23.0°-95.0°) for the Medicaid group (P < .0001). At time of surgery, mean (SD) Cobb angles were 54.6° (11.7°) and 60.6° (13.9°) for the private insurance and Medicaid groups, respectively (P = .008). There was no difference in curve types (Lenke and colleagues¹⁰ classification) between groups (Table 2, P = .83). Medicaid patients traveled a shorter mean (SD) distance for care, 56.3 (57.0) miles, versus 73.7 (66.7) miles (P = .05). There was no statistical difference (P = .14) in mean (SD) surgical wait time from surgery recommendation to actual surgery, 103.1 (62.4) days and 128.8 (137.5) days for the private insurance and Medicaid groups, respectively. The difference between patient groups in mean (SD) number of levels fused did not reach statistical significance (P = .16), 10.3 (2.2) levels for the Medicaid group and 9.7 (2.3) levels for the private insurance group. Mean (SD) estimated blood loss was higher for Medicaid patients, 445.7 (415.9) mL versus 335.1 (271.5) mL (P = .06), though there was no difference in use of posterior column osteotomies between groups. There was no difference (P = .11) in mean (SD) length of hospital stay between Medicaid patients, 2.6 (0.8) days, and private insurance patients, 2.4 (0.5) days.

Discussion

According to an extensive body of literature, patients with government insurance have limited access to specialty care.^1,11,12 Medicaid-insured children in need of orthopedic care are no exception. Sabharwal and colleagues¹³ examined a database of pediatric fracture cases and found that 52% of the privately insured patients and 22% of the publicly insured patients received orthopedic care (P = .013).¹³ When Pierce and colleagues¹⁴ called 42 orthopedic practices regarding a fictitious 14-year-old patient with an anterior cruciate ligament tear, 38 offered an appointment within 2 weeks to a privately insured patient, and 6 offered such an appointment to a publicly insured patient. Skaggs and colleagues⁴ surveyed 230 orthopedic practices nationally and found that Medicaid-insured children had limited access to orthopedic care; 41 practices (18%) would not see a child with Medicaid under any circumstances. Using a fictitious case of a 10-year-old boy with a forearm fracture, Iobst and colleagues³ tried making an appointment at 100 orthopedic offices. Eight gave an appointment within 1 week to a Medicaid-insured patient, and 36 gave an appointment to a privately insured patient.³

There are few data regarding insurance status and scoliosis care in children. Spinal deformity differs from simple fractures and ligamentous injuries, as timely care may result in a less invasive treatment (bracing) if the curvature is caught early. Goldstein and colleagues⁹ recently evaluated 642 patients who presented for scoliosis evaluation over a 10-year period. There was no difference in curve magnitudes between patients with and without Medicaid insurance. Thirty-two percent of these patients were evaluated for a second opinion, and the authors chose not to subdivide patients on the basis of curve severity and treatment needed, noting only no difference between groups. There was no discussion of the potential difference between patients with and without private insurance with respect to surgically versus nonsurgically treated curves. We wanted to focus specifically on patients who required surgical intervention, as our experience has been that many patients with government insurance present with either very mild scoliosis (10°) or very large curves that were not identified because of lack of primary care access or inadequate school screening. Although summing these 2 groups would result in a similar average, they would represent a different cohort than patients with curves along a bell curve. Furthermore, it is the group of patients who would require surgical intervention that is so critical to identify early in order to intervene.

Our data suggest a difference in presenting curves between patients with and without private insurance. The approximately 10° difference between patient groups in this study could potentially represent the difference between bracing and surgery. Furthermore, Miyanji and colleagues⁶ evaluated the relationship between Cobb angle and health care consumption and correlated larger curve magnitudes with more levels fused, longer surgeries, and higher rates of transfusion. Specifically, every 10° increase in curve magnitude resulted in 7.8 more minutes of operative time, 0.3 extra levels fused, and 1.5 times increased risk for requiring a blood transfusion.

Cho and Egorova¹⁵ recently evaluated insurance status with respect to surgical outcomes using a national inpatient database and found that 42.4% of surgeries for AIS in children with Medicaid had fusions involving 9 or more levels, whereas only 33.6% of privately insured patients had fusions of 9 or more levels. There was no difference in osteotomy or reoperation for pseudarthrosis between groups, but there was a slightly higher rate of infectious (1.1% vs 0.6%) and hemorrhagic (2.5% vs 1.7%) complications in the Medicaid group. Hospital stay was longer in patients with Medicaid, though complications were not different between groups.

The mean difference in the magnitude of the curves treated in our study was not more than 10° between patients with and without Medicaid, perhaps explaining the lack of a statistically significant difference in number of levels fused between groups. Although the groups were similar with respect to the percentage requiring posterior column spinal osteotomies, we noted a difference in estimated blood loss between groups, likely explained by the fact that a junior surgeon was added just before initiation of the study period, potentially skewing the estimated blood loss as this surgeon gained experience. Payer status has been correlated to length of hospital stay in children with scoliosis. Vitale and colleagues⁸ reviewed the effect of payer status on surgical outcomes in 3606 scoliosis patients from a statewide database in California and concluded that, compared with patients having all other payment sources, Medicaid patients had higher odds for complications and longer hospital stay. Our hospital has adopted a highly coordinated care pathway that allows for discharge on postoperative day 2, likely explaining the lack of any difference in postoperative stay.¹⁶

The disparity in curve magnitudes among patients with and without private insurance is striking and probably multifactorial. Very likely, the combination of schools with limited screening programs within urban or rural school systems,¹⁷ restricted access to pediatricians,^18,19 and longer waits to see orthopedic specialists²⁰ all contribute to this disparity. It should be noted that school screening is mandatory in our state. This discrepancy may be related to a previously established tendency in minority populations toward waiting longer to seek care and refusing surgical recommendations, though we were unable to query socioeconomic factors such as race and household income.^21,22 It is clearly important to increase access to care for underinsured patients with scoliosis. A comprehensive approach, including providing better education in the schools, establishing communication with referring primary care providers, and increasing access through more physicians or physician extenders, is likely needed. Orthopedists should perhaps treat scoliosis evaluation with the same sense of urgency given to minor fractures, and primary care providers should try to ensure that appropriate referrals for scoliosis are made. Also curious was the shorter travel distance for Medicaid patients versus private insurance patients in this study. We hypothesize this is related to our urban location and its large Medicaid population.

Our study had several limitations. Our electronic medical records (EMR) system does not store data related to the time a patient calls for an initial appointment, limiting our ability to determine how long patients waited for their initial consultation. Furthermore, the decision to undergo surgery is multifactorial and cannot be simplified into time from initial recommendation to surgery, as some patients delay surgery because of school or other obligations. These data should be reasonably consistent over time, as patients seen in the early spring in both groups may delay surgery until the summer, and those diagnosed in June may prefer earlier surgery.

Summary

Children with AIS are at risk for curve progression. Therefore, delays in providing timely care may result in worsening scoliosis. Compared with private insurance patients, Medicaid patients presented with larger curve magnitudes. Further study is needed to better delineate ways to improve care access for patients with scoliosis in communities with larger Medicaid populations.

Rising health care costs have led many health insurers to limit benefits, which may be a problem for children in need of specialty care. Uninsured children have poorer access to specialty care than insured children. Children with public health coverage have better access to specialty care than uninsured children but inferior access compared with privately insured children.^1,2 It is well documented that children with government insurance have limited access to orthopedic care for fractures, ligamentous knee injuries, and other injuries.^1,3-5 Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) differs from many other conditions managed by pediatric orthopedists, as it may be progressive, with management becoming increasingly more complex as the curve magnitude increases.⁶ The ability to access care earlier in the disease process may allow for earlier nonoperative interventions, such as bracing. For patients who require spinal fusion, earlier diagnosis and referral to a specialist could potentially result in shorter fusions and preserve distal motion segments. The ability to access the health care system in a timely fashion would therefore be of utmost importance for patients with scoliosis.

The literature on AIS is lacking in studies focused on care access based on insurance coverage and the potential impact that this may have on curve progression.^7-9 We conducted a study to determine whether there is a difference between patients with and without private insurance who present to a busy urban pediatric orthopedic practice for management of scoliosis that eventually resulted in surgical treatment.

Materials and Methods

After obtaining institutional review board approval for this study, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients (age, 10-18 years) who underwent posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for newly diagnosed AIS between 2008 and 2012. We excluded patients treated with growing spine instrumentation (growing rods), patients younger than 10 years or older than 18 years at presentation, and patients without adequate radiographs or clinical data, including insurance status. To focus on newly diagnosed scoliosis, we also excluded patients who had been seen for second opinions or whose scoliosis had been managed elsewhere in the past. Patients with syndromic, neuromuscular, or congenital scoliosis were also excluded.

Medical records were checked to ascertain time from initial evaluation to decision for surgery, time from recommendation for surgery until actual procedure, and insurance status. Distance traveled was figured from patients’ home addresses. Cobb angles were calculated from initial preoperative and final preoperative posteroanterior (PA) radiographs. Curves as seen on PA, lateral, and maximal effort, supine bending thoracic and lumbar radiographs from the initial preoperative visit were classified using the system of Lenke and colleagues.¹⁰ Hospital records were queried to determine number of levels fused at surgery, number of implants placed, and length of stay. Patients were evaluated without prior screening of insurance status and without prior consultation with referring physicians. Surgical procedures were scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis without preference for insurance status.

Results

We identified 135 consecutive patients with newly diagnosed AIS treated with PSF by our group between January 2008 and December 2012 (Table 1). Sixty-one percent had private insurance; 39% had Medicaid. There was no difference in age or ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) score between groups. Mean (SD) Cobb angle at initial presentation was 47.5° (14.3°) (range, 18.0°-86.0°) for the private insurance group and 57.2° (15.7°) (range, 23.0°-95.0°) for the Medicaid group (P < .0001). At time of surgery, mean (SD) Cobb angles were 54.6° (11.7°) and 60.6° (13.9°) for the private insurance and Medicaid groups, respectively (P = .008). There was no difference in curve types (Lenke and colleagues¹⁰ classification) between groups (Table 2, P = .83). Medicaid patients traveled a shorter mean (SD) distance for care, 56.3 (57.0) miles, versus 73.7 (66.7) miles (P = .05). There was no statistical difference (P = .14) in mean (SD) surgical wait time from surgery recommendation to actual surgery, 103.1 (62.4) days and 128.8 (137.5) days for the private insurance and Medicaid groups, respectively. The difference between patient groups in mean (SD) number of levels fused did not reach statistical significance (P = .16), 10.3 (2.2) levels for the Medicaid group and 9.7 (2.3) levels for the private insurance group. Mean (SD) estimated blood loss was higher for Medicaid patients, 445.7 (415.9) mL versus 335.1 (271.5) mL (P = .06), though there was no difference in use of posterior column osteotomies between groups. There was no difference (P = .11) in mean (SD) length of hospital stay between Medicaid patients, 2.6 (0.8) days, and private insurance patients, 2.4 (0.5) days.

Discussion

According to an extensive body of literature, patients with government insurance have limited access to specialty care.^1,11,12 Medicaid-insured children in need of orthopedic care are no exception. Sabharwal and colleagues¹³ examined a database of pediatric fracture cases and found that 52% of the privately insured patients and 22% of the publicly insured patients received orthopedic care (P = .013).¹³ When Pierce and colleagues¹⁴ called 42 orthopedic practices regarding a fictitious 14-year-old patient with an anterior cruciate ligament tear, 38 offered an appointment within 2 weeks to a privately insured patient, and 6 offered such an appointment to a publicly insured patient. Skaggs and colleagues⁴ surveyed 230 orthopedic practices nationally and found that Medicaid-insured children had limited access to orthopedic care; 41 practices (18%) would not see a child with Medicaid under any circumstances. Using a fictitious case of a 10-year-old boy with a forearm fracture, Iobst and colleagues³ tried making an appointment at 100 orthopedic offices. Eight gave an appointment within 1 week to a Medicaid-insured patient, and 36 gave an appointment to a privately insured patient.³

There are few data regarding insurance status and scoliosis care in children. Spinal deformity differs from simple fractures and ligamentous injuries, as timely care may result in a less invasive treatment (bracing) if the curvature is caught early. Goldstein and colleagues⁹ recently evaluated 642 patients who presented for scoliosis evaluation over a 10-year period. There was no difference in curve magnitudes between patients with and without Medicaid insurance. Thirty-two percent of these patients were evaluated for a second opinion, and the authors chose not to subdivide patients on the basis of curve severity and treatment needed, noting only no difference between groups. There was no discussion of the potential difference between patients with and without private insurance with respect to surgically versus nonsurgically treated curves. We wanted to focus specifically on patients who required surgical intervention, as our experience has been that many patients with government insurance present with either very mild scoliosis (10°) or very large curves that were not identified because of lack of primary care access or inadequate school screening. Although summing these 2 groups would result in a similar average, they would represent a different cohort than patients with curves along a bell curve. Furthermore, it is the group of patients who would require surgical intervention that is so critical to identify early in order to intervene.

Our data suggest a difference in presenting curves between patients with and without private insurance. The approximately 10° difference between patient groups in this study could potentially represent the difference between bracing and surgery. Furthermore, Miyanji and colleagues⁶ evaluated the relationship between Cobb angle and health care consumption and correlated larger curve magnitudes with more levels fused, longer surgeries, and higher rates of transfusion. Specifically, every 10° increase in curve magnitude resulted in 7.8 more minutes of operative time, 0.3 extra levels fused, and 1.5 times increased risk for requiring a blood transfusion.

Cho and Egorova¹⁵ recently evaluated insurance status with respect to surgical outcomes using a national inpatient database and found that 42.4% of surgeries for AIS in children with Medicaid had fusions involving 9 or more levels, whereas only 33.6% of privately insured patients had fusions of 9 or more levels. There was no difference in osteotomy or reoperation for pseudarthrosis between groups, but there was a slightly higher rate of infectious (1.1% vs 0.6%) and hemorrhagic (2.5% vs 1.7%) complications in the Medicaid group. Hospital stay was longer in patients with Medicaid, though complications were not different between groups.

The mean difference in the magnitude of the curves treated in our study was not more than 10° between patients with and without Medicaid, perhaps explaining the lack of a statistically significant difference in number of levels fused between groups. Although the groups were similar with respect to the percentage requiring posterior column spinal osteotomies, we noted a difference in estimated blood loss between groups, likely explained by the fact that a junior surgeon was added just before initiation of the study period, potentially skewing the estimated blood loss as this surgeon gained experience. Payer status has been correlated to length of hospital stay in children with scoliosis. Vitale and colleagues⁸ reviewed the effect of payer status on surgical outcomes in 3606 scoliosis patients from a statewide database in California and concluded that, compared with patients having all other payment sources, Medicaid patients had higher odds for complications and longer hospital stay. Our hospital has adopted a highly coordinated care pathway that allows for discharge on postoperative day 2, likely explaining the lack of any difference in postoperative stay.¹⁶

The disparity in curve magnitudes among patients with and without private insurance is striking and probably multifactorial. Very likely, the combination of schools with limited screening programs within urban or rural school systems,¹⁷ restricted access to pediatricians,^18,19 and longer waits to see orthopedic specialists²⁰ all contribute to this disparity. It should be noted that school screening is mandatory in our state. This discrepancy may be related to a previously established tendency in minority populations toward waiting longer to seek care and refusing surgical recommendations, though we were unable to query socioeconomic factors such as race and household income.^21,22 It is clearly important to increase access to care for underinsured patients with scoliosis. A comprehensive approach, including providing better education in the schools, establishing communication with referring primary care providers, and increasing access through more physicians or physician extenders, is likely needed. Orthopedists should perhaps treat scoliosis evaluation with the same sense of urgency given to minor fractures, and primary care providers should try to ensure that appropriate referrals for scoliosis are made. Also curious was the shorter travel distance for Medicaid patients versus private insurance patients in this study. We hypothesize this is related to our urban location and its large Medicaid population.

Our study had several limitations. Our electronic medical records (EMR) system does not store data related to the time a patient calls for an initial appointment, limiting our ability to determine how long patients waited for their initial consultation. Furthermore, the decision to undergo surgery is multifactorial and cannot be simplified into time from initial recommendation to surgery, as some patients delay surgery because of school or other obligations. These data should be reasonably consistent over time, as patients seen in the early spring in both groups may delay surgery until the summer, and those diagnosed in June may prefer earlier surgery.

Summary

Children with AIS are at risk for curve progression. Therefore, delays in providing timely care may result in worsening scoliosis. Compared with private insurance patients, Medicaid patients presented with larger curve magnitudes. Further study is needed to better delineate ways to improve care access for patients with scoliosis in communities with larger Medicaid populations.

Length of stay (LOS) is a significant driver of costs after hip fracture surgery.^1-3 Multiple studies have identified factors associated with increased LOS in hip fracture patients. These factors include admission time, delay to surgery, presence of comorbidities, and older age.^4-9

One significant and potentially modifiable factor affecting LOS is delayed transfer to a rehabilitation center after surgery.^8-11 Although patients after orthopedic surgeries require additional rehabilitation services or subacute care directly attributable to their injuries, specialized rehabilitation centers may not always have beds readily available.^6-11 Studies have shown that delays in transfer to skilled nursing facilities or rehabilitation centers are highly common among orthopedic patients.⁸ It is therefore imperative that orthopedists have a mechanism for predicting and identifying which patients require rehabilitation services early in the postoperative period. Identifying risk factors and stratifying patients who are most likely to require rehabilitation would facilitate the early transfer of these patients and thereby directly decrease LOS and hospitalization-related costs.

In this article, we report results from prospective, national, multicenter data to identify commonly measured risk factors for discharge to rehabilitation facilities for hip fracture patients. Through multivariate analysis of ACS-NSQIP (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program) data, we determined which risk factors significantly predispose patients to discharge to rehabilitation centers versus discharge home. Knowledge of these risk factors allows the practicing orthopedist to be better equipped to identify patients who require additional rehabilitation early in the postoperative course. By mobilizing case managers and social workers to help avoid delays in the transfers of these identified patients, LOS-associated costs may ultimately decrease.

Materials and Methods

After obtaining institutional review board approval for this study from the Office of Research at Vanderbilt University, we prospectively collected 2011 discharge data from the ACS-NSQIP database (these data are unavailable for earlier years). All patients who underwent hip fracture surgery in 2011 were identified by CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes. Cases of patients with unknown discharge information and of those who died during their hospitalizations were excluded from analysis. For the remaining patients, discharge information as categorized by ACS-NSQIP included skilled care (eg, subacute hospital, skilled nursing home), unskilled facility (eg, nursing home, assisted facility), separate acute care, and rehabilitation. All other patients were discharged home without additional assistance or to the previous home where they received chronic care, assisted living, or unskilled aid. Patients were dichotomized according to whether they were discharged home or to one of the rehabilitation facilities mentioned.

To determine which risk factors significantly contributed to a patient’s discharge to rehabilitation, we ran univariate analyses using Fisher exact tests for categorical variables and Student t tests for continuous variables on multiple patient factors, including demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors. Demographics included age and sex. Preoperative comorbidities included 32 conditions: diabetes mellitus, active smoking status, current alcohol use, dyspnea, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of congestive heart failure, hypertension requiring medication, history of esophageal varices, history of myocardial infarction, current renal failure, current dialysis dependence, steroid use, recent weight loss, existing bleeding disorder, transfusion before discharge, presence of central nervous system tumor, recent chemotherapy, recent radiation therapy, previous percutaneous coronary intervention, previous percutaneous coronary stenting, history of angina, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular accidents, recent surgery (within 30 days), rest pain, impaired sensorium, history of transient ischemic attacks, current hemiplegia status, current paraplegia status, current quadriplegia status, current ascites, hypertension, and disseminated cancer. Operative factors included wound infection, DNR (do not resuscitate) status, ventilator support, anesthesia type, wound class, ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) class, and operative time.

For the univariate analyses, significance was set at P < .05. Demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors that were significantly associated with discharge to a rehabilitation facility in the univariate analysis were selected as covariates for a multivariate analysis. We incorporated a binary logistic regression to analyze which of these significant risk factors are correlated with a patient’s discharge to a rehabilitation facility after hip fracture surgery.

Results

A total of 4974 patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures in 2011 were identified. Of these patients, 4815 had complete information on discharge location and were included in the analysis.

Table 1 lists the results of the univariate analysis comparing demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors between the home and rehabilitation groups. Both age (P < .001) and sex (P = .012) were significantly different between groups; the rehabilitation group was older by about 10 years and included significantly more females. In addition to demographic factors, 16 preoperative comorbidities, and 5 surgical factors were significantly associated with discharge to rehabilitation.

Surgery type significantly affected discharge to rehabilitation (Figure). Patients who were undergoing open plating of a femoral neck fracture or intramedullary nailing of an intertrochanteric, peritrochanteric, or subtrochanteric femoral fracture constituted 30% of all patients discharged to rehabilitation centers. In contrast, patients undergoing percutaneous skeletal fixation of a proximal femoral fracture constituted only 5.5% of all patients discharged to rehabilitation. Based on surgery type, we broke down discharge location further, into categories of skilled nursing facility, unskilled facility (not patient’s previous home), separate acute-care facility, dedicated rehabilitation center, and home. Of all 4815 patients combined, 2102 (43.6%) were discharged to a skilled nursing facility, 31 (0.6%) to an unskilled facility (not home), 106 (2.2%) to separate acute care, 1312 (27.2%) to a dedicated rehabilitation center, and 950 (19.7%) home.

Table 2 lists the significant results from the multivariate logistical analysis comparing discharge to a rehabilitation center and discharge home after controlling for the significant risk factors (Table 1). Current diabetes, history of dyspnea, previous myocardial infarction, history of ischemic attacks, current bleeding disorder, transfusion during hospitalization, previous percutaneous cardiac stenting, chemotherapy, past cerebrovascular accident, presence of cancer, surgery type based on CPT code, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure, current smoking status, and operative time longer than 90 minutes were not significantly correlated with discharge to rehabilitation in the multivariate analysis. All significant factors were associated with higher odds of discharge to rehabilitation except for DNR status. DNR patients were 2.04 times more likely (95% CI, 1.49-2.78; P < .001) to be discharged home than to rehabilitation centers.

Applying these adjusted odds ratios, we see that an elderly woman (age, >65 years) who underwent general anesthesia with an ASA class higher than 2 was 17.63 times more likely than a patient without these risk factors to be discharged to rehabilitation. If this patient were also dialysis-dependent, she would be 61.52 times more likely than a similar patient without dialysis needs to be discharged to rehabilitation.

Even when controlling for all significant and nonsignificant variables in multivariate logistical analysis, age over 65 years (β = 1.05; P < .001), female sex (β = 1.76; P = .004), dialysis dependence (β = 12.98; P = .036), hypertension requiring medication (β = 1.53; P = .032), and ASA class higher than 2 (β = 1.98; P = .001) were found to be significant risk factors for discharge to rehabilitation.

Discussion

This study was the first to investigate the issue of which patient risk factors allow the practicing orthopedist to identify patients who require rehabilitation after hip fracture surgery. Through our multivariate analysis, which controlled for demographics, comorbidities, and operative factors, we found that older age, female sex, history of percutaneous coronary intervention, dialysis dependence, general anesthesia, and ASA class higher than 2 significantly increased the odds of discharge to a rehabilitation center versus home.

Using our study’s results, we can create a risk stratification model for patients and thereby a means of targeting patients who need rehabilitation and starting the process of finding a rehabilitation bed early in the postoperative course. Our study’s variables are easily measured metrics that may be collected in any hospital setting. Especially for hip fracture patients, early planning and discharge to the appropriate rehabilitation center are important in decreasing LOS and associated hospitalization costs. According to one report,³ about 85% of all hip fracture costs are directly related to LOS, given the unnecessarily long rehabilitation periods in hospitals. Hollingworth and colleagues² compared costs for patients who remained in the hospital with costs for those discharged with rehabilitation services. Overall costs were significantly lower for patients discharged home with rehabilitation. The authors concluded that 40% of hip fracture patients may be suitable for early discharge.² In an analysis of Medicare payments for hip fracture treatment, hospital costs including LOS accounted for 60% of all payments.¹² The results of these 2 studies suggest that the overall driver of hip fracture costs is prolonged LOS and that, if patients are discharged to rehabilitation, then overall costs may be lowered through a direct reduction in hospital LOS. Given that hip fractures account for almost 350,000 hospital admissions in the United States each year, and using our institution’s average hospital charge per day ($4500), about $1.6 billion may be saved if each patient’s LOS decreased by 1 day.¹³ Although multiple factors affect LOS, discharge planning is under orthopedists’ direct control. Therefore, early identification of patients who will require rehabilitation may help reduce LOS-associated costs in our health care system.

The patient variables that were significantly associated with discharge to rehabilitation are also associated with increased morbidity and mortality in hip fracture patients, according to the literature,^14-20 which provides some external validation of using these risk factors as predictors for rehabilitation. A patient with one of these risk factors may require rehabilitation, given that rehabilitation services are specifically linked to lower morbidity and mortality rates among hip fracture patients. For example, patients with dialysis needs were 3.49 times more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation center in our study. In a 2000 study by Coco and Rush,¹⁶ hip fracture patients on dialysis had a 1-year mortality rate 2.5 times higher than that of patients who were not dialysis-dependent. In 2010, Cameron and colleagues¹⁷ found that cardiovascular disease was associated with a 2.68 times higher risk of mortality in hip fracture patients. Similarly in our study, both hypertension and history of percutaneous coronary intervention were associated with discharge to rehabilitation. We found higher odds of discharge to rehabilitation with higher ASA classes, which mirror results from a study by Michel and colleagues,¹⁵ who found that higher (vs lower) preoperative ASA classes were associated with higher 1-year mortality in hip fracture patients. Interestingly, DNR status was associated with higher odds of discharge home, which may reflect patients’ desires to forgo noninvasive or lifesaving procedures that may be performed at rehabilitation facilities. Although general anesthesia predisposed patients to discharge to a rehabilitation center, multiple studies have found no association between anesthesia type and postoperative mortality rates for hip fracture patients.^18,19 Last, Marcantonio and colleagues²⁰ found delirium specifically had a higher odds ratio for discharge, but our univariate analysis did not find a significant association between impaired sensorium and discharge location. Given the correlation of our risk factors with increased morbidity and mortality in the literature, our study’s results provide the initial groundwork for creating a risk calculator that orthopedists can use to predict discharge to rehabilitation.

Our study had some limitations. Although we analyzed a large number of demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and surgical factors, our univariate analysis was limited to information in the ACS-NSQIP database. We did not incorporate other clinically relevant factors (eg, social factors, including patients’ support networks) that may influence discharge decisions. Furthermore, ACS-NSQIP records patient data only up to 30 days after surgery. Discharge information for the time after that was missing for a subset of hip fracture patients, and these patients had to be excluded, potentially skewing our data. ACS-NSQIP also does not collect cost data for patients based on hospitalization or LOS, so we could not determine whether patients discharged to rehabilitation incurred higher costs because of longer hospitalizations.

Nevertheless, our study identified significant patient and operative variables that are associated with discharge to a rehabilitation center. By identifying hip fracture patients with these risk factors early and mobilizing the appropriate resources, practicing orthopedists should be better equipped to help facilitate the discharge of patients to the appropriate location after surgery. Validation of these risk factors should be prospectively determined with an analysis of LOS and cost implications. Use of a risk calculator may in fact result in decreased LOS and hospital-related costs. Furthermore, using these risk factors in a prospective patient cohort would help validate their use and determine whether there is clinical correlation. The orthopedists in our institution are becoming more aware of these risk factors, but validation is necessary.

Length of stay (LOS) is a significant driver of costs after hip fracture surgery.^1-3 Multiple studies have identified factors associated with increased LOS in hip fracture patients. These factors include admission time, delay to surgery, presence of comorbidities, and older age.^4-9

One significant and potentially modifiable factor affecting LOS is delayed transfer to a rehabilitation center after surgery.^8-11 Although patients after orthopedic surgeries require additional rehabilitation services or subacute care directly attributable to their injuries, specialized rehabilitation centers may not always have beds readily available.^6-11 Studies have shown that delays in transfer to skilled nursing facilities or rehabilitation centers are highly common among orthopedic patients.⁸ It is therefore imperative that orthopedists have a mechanism for predicting and identifying which patients require rehabilitation services early in the postoperative period. Identifying risk factors and stratifying patients who are most likely to require rehabilitation would facilitate the early transfer of these patients and thereby directly decrease LOS and hospitalization-related costs.

In this article, we report results from prospective, national, multicenter data to identify commonly measured risk factors for discharge to rehabilitation facilities for hip fracture patients. Through multivariate analysis of ACS-NSQIP (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program) data, we determined which risk factors significantly predispose patients to discharge to rehabilitation centers versus discharge home. Knowledge of these risk factors allows the practicing orthopedist to be better equipped to identify patients who require additional rehabilitation early in the postoperative course. By mobilizing case managers and social workers to help avoid delays in the transfers of these identified patients, LOS-associated costs may ultimately decrease.

Materials and Methods

After obtaining institutional review board approval for this study from the Office of Research at Vanderbilt University, we prospectively collected 2011 discharge data from the ACS-NSQIP database (these data are unavailable for earlier years). All patients who underwent hip fracture surgery in 2011 were identified by CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes. Cases of patients with unknown discharge information and of those who died during their hospitalizations were excluded from analysis. For the remaining patients, discharge information as categorized by ACS-NSQIP included skilled care (eg, subacute hospital, skilled nursing home), unskilled facility (eg, nursing home, assisted facility), separate acute care, and rehabilitation. All other patients were discharged home without additional assistance or to the previous home where they received chronic care, assisted living, or unskilled aid. Patients were dichotomized according to whether they were discharged home or to one of the rehabilitation facilities mentioned.

To determine which risk factors significantly contributed to a patient’s discharge to rehabilitation, we ran univariate analyses using Fisher exact tests for categorical variables and Student t tests for continuous variables on multiple patient factors, including demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors. Demographics included age and sex. Preoperative comorbidities included 32 conditions: diabetes mellitus, active smoking status, current alcohol use, dyspnea, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of congestive heart failure, hypertension requiring medication, history of esophageal varices, history of myocardial infarction, current renal failure, current dialysis dependence, steroid use, recent weight loss, existing bleeding disorder, transfusion before discharge, presence of central nervous system tumor, recent chemotherapy, recent radiation therapy, previous percutaneous coronary intervention, previous percutaneous coronary stenting, history of angina, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular accidents, recent surgery (within 30 days), rest pain, impaired sensorium, history of transient ischemic attacks, current hemiplegia status, current paraplegia status, current quadriplegia status, current ascites, hypertension, and disseminated cancer. Operative factors included wound infection, DNR (do not resuscitate) status, ventilator support, anesthesia type, wound class, ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) class, and operative time.

For the univariate analyses, significance was set at P < .05. Demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors that were significantly associated with discharge to a rehabilitation facility in the univariate analysis were selected as covariates for a multivariate analysis. We incorporated a binary logistic regression to analyze which of these significant risk factors are correlated with a patient’s discharge to a rehabilitation facility after hip fracture surgery.

Results

A total of 4974 patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures in 2011 were identified. Of these patients, 4815 had complete information on discharge location and were included in the analysis.

Table 1 lists the results of the univariate analysis comparing demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors between the home and rehabilitation groups. Both age (P < .001) and sex (P = .012) were significantly different between groups; the rehabilitation group was older by about 10 years and included significantly more females. In addition to demographic factors, 16 preoperative comorbidities, and 5 surgical factors were significantly associated with discharge to rehabilitation.

Surgery type significantly affected discharge to rehabilitation (Figure). Patients who were undergoing open plating of a femoral neck fracture or intramedullary nailing of an intertrochanteric, peritrochanteric, or subtrochanteric femoral fracture constituted 30% of all patients discharged to rehabilitation centers. In contrast, patients undergoing percutaneous skeletal fixation of a proximal femoral fracture constituted only 5.5% of all patients discharged to rehabilitation. Based on surgery type, we broke down discharge location further, into categories of skilled nursing facility, unskilled facility (not patient’s previous home), separate acute-care facility, dedicated rehabilitation center, and home. Of all 4815 patients combined, 2102 (43.6%) were discharged to a skilled nursing facility, 31 (0.6%) to an unskilled facility (not home), 106 (2.2%) to separate acute care, 1312 (27.2%) to a dedicated rehabilitation center, and 950 (19.7%) home.

Table 2 lists the significant results from the multivariate logistical analysis comparing discharge to a rehabilitation center and discharge home after controlling for the significant risk factors (Table 1). Current diabetes, history of dyspnea, previous myocardial infarction, history of ischemic attacks, current bleeding disorder, transfusion during hospitalization, previous percutaneous cardiac stenting, chemotherapy, past cerebrovascular accident, presence of cancer, surgery type based on CPT code, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure, current smoking status, and operative time longer than 90 minutes were not significantly correlated with discharge to rehabilitation in the multivariate analysis. All significant factors were associated with higher odds of discharge to rehabilitation except for DNR status. DNR patients were 2.04 times more likely (95% CI, 1.49-2.78; P < .001) to be discharged home than to rehabilitation centers.

Applying these adjusted odds ratios, we see that an elderly woman (age, >65 years) who underwent general anesthesia with an ASA class higher than 2 was 17.63 times more likely than a patient without these risk factors to be discharged to rehabilitation. If this patient were also dialysis-dependent, she would be 61.52 times more likely than a similar patient without dialysis needs to be discharged to rehabilitation.

Even when controlling for all significant and nonsignificant variables in multivariate logistical analysis, age over 65 years (β = 1.05; P < .001), female sex (β = 1.76; P = .004), dialysis dependence (β = 12.98; P = .036), hypertension requiring medication (β = 1.53; P = .032), and ASA class higher than 2 (β = 1.98; P = .001) were found to be significant risk factors for discharge to rehabilitation.

Discussion

This study was the first to investigate the issue of which patient risk factors allow the practicing orthopedist to identify patients who require rehabilitation after hip fracture surgery. Through our multivariate analysis, which controlled for demographics, comorbidities, and operative factors, we found that older age, female sex, history of percutaneous coronary intervention, dialysis dependence, general anesthesia, and ASA class higher than 2 significantly increased the odds of discharge to a rehabilitation center versus home.

Using our study’s results, we can create a risk stratification model for patients and thereby a means of targeting patients who need rehabilitation and starting the process of finding a rehabilitation bed early in the postoperative course. Our study’s variables are easily measured metrics that may be collected in any hospital setting. Especially for hip fracture patients, early planning and discharge to the appropriate rehabilitation center are important in decreasing LOS and associated hospitalization costs. According to one report,³ about 85% of all hip fracture costs are directly related to LOS, given the unnecessarily long rehabilitation periods in hospitals. Hollingworth and colleagues² compared costs for patients who remained in the hospital with costs for those discharged with rehabilitation services. Overall costs were significantly lower for patients discharged home with rehabilitation. The authors concluded that 40% of hip fracture patients may be suitable for early discharge.² In an analysis of Medicare payments for hip fracture treatment, hospital costs including LOS accounted for 60% of all payments.¹² The results of these 2 studies suggest that the overall driver of hip fracture costs is prolonged LOS and that, if patients are discharged to rehabilitation, then overall costs may be lowered through a direct reduction in hospital LOS. Given that hip fractures account for almost 350,000 hospital admissions in the United States each year, and using our institution’s average hospital charge per day ($4500), about $1.6 billion may be saved if each patient’s LOS decreased by 1 day.¹³ Although multiple factors affect LOS, discharge planning is under orthopedists’ direct control. Therefore, early identification of patients who will require rehabilitation may help reduce LOS-associated costs in our health care system.

The patient variables that were significantly associated with discharge to rehabilitation are also associated with increased morbidity and mortality in hip fracture patients, according to the literature,^14-20 which provides some external validation of using these risk factors as predictors for rehabilitation. A patient with one of these risk factors may require rehabilitation, given that rehabilitation services are specifically linked to lower morbidity and mortality rates among hip fracture patients. For example, patients with dialysis needs were 3.49 times more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation center in our study. In a 2000 study by Coco and Rush,¹⁶ hip fracture patients on dialysis had a 1-year mortality rate 2.5 times higher than that of patients who were not dialysis-dependent. In 2010, Cameron and colleagues¹⁷ found that cardiovascular disease was associated with a 2.68 times higher risk of mortality in hip fracture patients. Similarly in our study, both hypertension and history of percutaneous coronary intervention were associated with discharge to rehabilitation. We found higher odds of discharge to rehabilitation with higher ASA classes, which mirror results from a study by Michel and colleagues,¹⁵ who found that higher (vs lower) preoperative ASA classes were associated with higher 1-year mortality in hip fracture patients. Interestingly, DNR status was associated with higher odds of discharge home, which may reflect patients’ desires to forgo noninvasive or lifesaving procedures that may be performed at rehabilitation facilities. Although general anesthesia predisposed patients to discharge to a rehabilitation center, multiple studies have found no association between anesthesia type and postoperative mortality rates for hip fracture patients.^18,19 Last, Marcantonio and colleagues²⁰ found delirium specifically had a higher odds ratio for discharge, but our univariate analysis did not find a significant association between impaired sensorium and discharge location. Given the correlation of our risk factors with increased morbidity and mortality in the literature, our study’s results provide the initial groundwork for creating a risk calculator that orthopedists can use to predict discharge to rehabilitation.

Our study had some limitations. Although we analyzed a large number of demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and surgical factors, our univariate analysis was limited to information in the ACS-NSQIP database. We did not incorporate other clinically relevant factors (eg, social factors, including patients’ support networks) that may influence discharge decisions. Furthermore, ACS-NSQIP records patient data only up to 30 days after surgery. Discharge information for the time after that was missing for a subset of hip fracture patients, and these patients had to be excluded, potentially skewing our data. ACS-NSQIP also does not collect cost data for patients based on hospitalization or LOS, so we could not determine whether patients discharged to rehabilitation incurred higher costs because of longer hospitalizations.

Nevertheless, our study identified significant patient and operative variables that are associated with discharge to a rehabilitation center. By identifying hip fracture patients with these risk factors early and mobilizing the appropriate resources, practicing orthopedists should be better equipped to help facilitate the discharge of patients to the appropriate location after surgery. Validation of these risk factors should be prospectively determined with an analysis of LOS and cost implications. Use of a risk calculator may in fact result in decreased LOS and hospital-related costs. Furthermore, using these risk factors in a prospective patient cohort would help validate their use and determine whether there is clinical correlation. The orthopedists in our institution are becoming more aware of these risk factors, but validation is necessary.

Length of stay (LOS) is a significant driver of costs after hip fracture surgery.^1-3 Multiple studies have identified factors associated with increased LOS in hip fracture patients. These factors include admission time, delay to surgery, presence of comorbidities, and older age.^4-9

One significant and potentially modifiable factor affecting LOS is delayed transfer to a rehabilitation center after surgery.^8-11 Although patients after orthopedic surgeries require additional rehabilitation services or subacute care directly attributable to their injuries, specialized rehabilitation centers may not always have beds readily available.^6-11 Studies have shown that delays in transfer to skilled nursing facilities or rehabilitation centers are highly common among orthopedic patients.⁸ It is therefore imperative that orthopedists have a mechanism for predicting and identifying which patients require rehabilitation services early in the postoperative period. Identifying risk factors and stratifying patients who are most likely to require rehabilitation would facilitate the early transfer of these patients and thereby directly decrease LOS and hospitalization-related costs.

In this article, we report results from prospective, national, multicenter data to identify commonly measured risk factors for discharge to rehabilitation facilities for hip fracture patients. Through multivariate analysis of ACS-NSQIP (American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program) data, we determined which risk factors significantly predispose patients to discharge to rehabilitation centers versus discharge home. Knowledge of these risk factors allows the practicing orthopedist to be better equipped to identify patients who require additional rehabilitation early in the postoperative course. By mobilizing case managers and social workers to help avoid delays in the transfers of these identified patients, LOS-associated costs may ultimately decrease.

Materials and Methods

After obtaining institutional review board approval for this study from the Office of Research at Vanderbilt University, we prospectively collected 2011 discharge data from the ACS-NSQIP database (these data are unavailable for earlier years). All patients who underwent hip fracture surgery in 2011 were identified by CPT (Current Procedural Terminology) codes. Cases of patients with unknown discharge information and of those who died during their hospitalizations were excluded from analysis. For the remaining patients, discharge information as categorized by ACS-NSQIP included skilled care (eg, subacute hospital, skilled nursing home), unskilled facility (eg, nursing home, assisted facility), separate acute care, and rehabilitation. All other patients were discharged home without additional assistance or to the previous home where they received chronic care, assisted living, or unskilled aid. Patients were dichotomized according to whether they were discharged home or to one of the rehabilitation facilities mentioned.

To determine which risk factors significantly contributed to a patient’s discharge to rehabilitation, we ran univariate analyses using Fisher exact tests for categorical variables and Student t tests for continuous variables on multiple patient factors, including demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors. Demographics included age and sex. Preoperative comorbidities included 32 conditions: diabetes mellitus, active smoking status, current alcohol use, dyspnea, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, history of congestive heart failure, hypertension requiring medication, history of esophageal varices, history of myocardial infarction, current renal failure, current dialysis dependence, steroid use, recent weight loss, existing bleeding disorder, transfusion before discharge, presence of central nervous system tumor, recent chemotherapy, recent radiation therapy, previous percutaneous coronary intervention, previous percutaneous coronary stenting, history of angina, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular accidents, recent surgery (within 30 days), rest pain, impaired sensorium, history of transient ischemic attacks, current hemiplegia status, current paraplegia status, current quadriplegia status, current ascites, hypertension, and disseminated cancer. Operative factors included wound infection, DNR (do not resuscitate) status, ventilator support, anesthesia type, wound class, ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) class, and operative time.

For the univariate analyses, significance was set at P < .05. Demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors that were significantly associated with discharge to a rehabilitation facility in the univariate analysis were selected as covariates for a multivariate analysis. We incorporated a binary logistic regression to analyze which of these significant risk factors are correlated with a patient’s discharge to a rehabilitation facility after hip fracture surgery.

Results

A total of 4974 patients undergoing surgery for hip fractures in 2011 were identified. Of these patients, 4815 had complete information on discharge location and were included in the analysis.

Table 1 lists the results of the univariate analysis comparing demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative factors between the home and rehabilitation groups. Both age (P < .001) and sex (P = .012) were significantly different between groups; the rehabilitation group was older by about 10 years and included significantly more females. In addition to demographic factors, 16 preoperative comorbidities, and 5 surgical factors were significantly associated with discharge to rehabilitation.

Surgery type significantly affected discharge to rehabilitation (Figure). Patients who were undergoing open plating of a femoral neck fracture or intramedullary nailing of an intertrochanteric, peritrochanteric, or subtrochanteric femoral fracture constituted 30% of all patients discharged to rehabilitation centers. In contrast, patients undergoing percutaneous skeletal fixation of a proximal femoral fracture constituted only 5.5% of all patients discharged to rehabilitation. Based on surgery type, we broke down discharge location further, into categories of skilled nursing facility, unskilled facility (not patient’s previous home), separate acute-care facility, dedicated rehabilitation center, and home. Of all 4815 patients combined, 2102 (43.6%) were discharged to a skilled nursing facility, 31 (0.6%) to an unskilled facility (not home), 106 (2.2%) to separate acute care, 1312 (27.2%) to a dedicated rehabilitation center, and 950 (19.7%) home.

Table 2 lists the significant results from the multivariate logistical analysis comparing discharge to a rehabilitation center and discharge home after controlling for the significant risk factors (Table 1). Current diabetes, history of dyspnea, previous myocardial infarction, history of ischemic attacks, current bleeding disorder, transfusion during hospitalization, previous percutaneous cardiac stenting, chemotherapy, past cerebrovascular accident, presence of cancer, surgery type based on CPT code, history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease or congestive heart failure, current smoking status, and operative time longer than 90 minutes were not significantly correlated with discharge to rehabilitation in the multivariate analysis. All significant factors were associated with higher odds of discharge to rehabilitation except for DNR status. DNR patients were 2.04 times more likely (95% CI, 1.49-2.78; P < .001) to be discharged home than to rehabilitation centers.

Applying these adjusted odds ratios, we see that an elderly woman (age, >65 years) who underwent general anesthesia with an ASA class higher than 2 was 17.63 times more likely than a patient without these risk factors to be discharged to rehabilitation. If this patient were also dialysis-dependent, she would be 61.52 times more likely than a similar patient without dialysis needs to be discharged to rehabilitation.

Even when controlling for all significant and nonsignificant variables in multivariate logistical analysis, age over 65 years (β = 1.05; P < .001), female sex (β = 1.76; P = .004), dialysis dependence (β = 12.98; P = .036), hypertension requiring medication (β = 1.53; P = .032), and ASA class higher than 2 (β = 1.98; P = .001) were found to be significant risk factors for discharge to rehabilitation.

Discussion

This study was the first to investigate the issue of which patient risk factors allow the practicing orthopedist to identify patients who require rehabilitation after hip fracture surgery. Through our multivariate analysis, which controlled for demographics, comorbidities, and operative factors, we found that older age, female sex, history of percutaneous coronary intervention, dialysis dependence, general anesthesia, and ASA class higher than 2 significantly increased the odds of discharge to a rehabilitation center versus home.

Using our study’s results, we can create a risk stratification model for patients and thereby a means of targeting patients who need rehabilitation and starting the process of finding a rehabilitation bed early in the postoperative course. Our study’s variables are easily measured metrics that may be collected in any hospital setting. Especially for hip fracture patients, early planning and discharge to the appropriate rehabilitation center are important in decreasing LOS and associated hospitalization costs. According to one report,³ about 85% of all hip fracture costs are directly related to LOS, given the unnecessarily long rehabilitation periods in hospitals. Hollingworth and colleagues² compared costs for patients who remained in the hospital with costs for those discharged with rehabilitation services. Overall costs were significantly lower for patients discharged home with rehabilitation. The authors concluded that 40% of hip fracture patients may be suitable for early discharge.² In an analysis of Medicare payments for hip fracture treatment, hospital costs including LOS accounted for 60% of all payments.¹² The results of these 2 studies suggest that the overall driver of hip fracture costs is prolonged LOS and that, if patients are discharged to rehabilitation, then overall costs may be lowered through a direct reduction in hospital LOS. Given that hip fractures account for almost 350,000 hospital admissions in the United States each year, and using our institution’s average hospital charge per day ($4500), about $1.6 billion may be saved if each patient’s LOS decreased by 1 day.¹³ Although multiple factors affect LOS, discharge planning is under orthopedists’ direct control. Therefore, early identification of patients who will require rehabilitation may help reduce LOS-associated costs in our health care system.

The patient variables that were significantly associated with discharge to rehabilitation are also associated with increased morbidity and mortality in hip fracture patients, according to the literature,^14-20 which provides some external validation of using these risk factors as predictors for rehabilitation. A patient with one of these risk factors may require rehabilitation, given that rehabilitation services are specifically linked to lower morbidity and mortality rates among hip fracture patients. For example, patients with dialysis needs were 3.49 times more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation center in our study. In a 2000 study by Coco and Rush,¹⁶ hip fracture patients on dialysis had a 1-year mortality rate 2.5 times higher than that of patients who were not dialysis-dependent. In 2010, Cameron and colleagues¹⁷ found that cardiovascular disease was associated with a 2.68 times higher risk of mortality in hip fracture patients. Similarly in our study, both hypertension and history of percutaneous coronary intervention were associated with discharge to rehabilitation. We found higher odds of discharge to rehabilitation with higher ASA classes, which mirror results from a study by Michel and colleagues,¹⁵ who found that higher (vs lower) preoperative ASA classes were associated with higher 1-year mortality in hip fracture patients. Interestingly, DNR status was associated with higher odds of discharge home, which may reflect patients’ desires to forgo noninvasive or lifesaving procedures that may be performed at rehabilitation facilities. Although general anesthesia predisposed patients to discharge to a rehabilitation center, multiple studies have found no association between anesthesia type and postoperative mortality rates for hip fracture patients.^18,19 Last, Marcantonio and colleagues²⁰ found delirium specifically had a higher odds ratio for discharge, but our univariate analysis did not find a significant association between impaired sensorium and discharge location. Given the correlation of our risk factors with increased morbidity and mortality in the literature, our study’s results provide the initial groundwork for creating a risk calculator that orthopedists can use to predict discharge to rehabilitation.

Our study had some limitations. Although we analyzed a large number of demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and surgical factors, our univariate analysis was limited to information in the ACS-NSQIP database. We did not incorporate other clinically relevant factors (eg, social factors, including patients’ support networks) that may influence discharge decisions. Furthermore, ACS-NSQIP records patient data only up to 30 days after surgery. Discharge information for the time after that was missing for a subset of hip fracture patients, and these patients had to be excluded, potentially skewing our data. ACS-NSQIP also does not collect cost data for patients based on hospitalization or LOS, so we could not determine whether patients discharged to rehabilitation incurred higher costs because of longer hospitalizations.

Nevertheless, our study identified significant patient and operative variables that are associated with discharge to a rehabilitation center. By identifying hip fracture patients with these risk factors early and mobilizing the appropriate resources, practicing orthopedists should be better equipped to help facilitate the discharge of patients to the appropriate location after surgery. Validation of these risk factors should be prospectively determined with an analysis of LOS and cost implications. Use of a risk calculator may in fact result in decreased LOS and hospital-related costs. Furthermore, using these risk factors in a prospective patient cohort would help validate their use and determine whether there is clinical correlation. The orthopedists in our institution are becoming more aware of these risk factors, but validation is necessary.

Femur fractures (Orthopaedic Trauma Association classes 31, 32, 33)¹ are common childhood injuries, occurring at a rate of 19 per 100,000 children in the United States.² Peak occurrence is bimodal at ages 2 and 17 years. The most common mechanism of injury in children under 6 years is a fall, and hip spica casting is the preferred treatment modality in this group.^3-5

A bar connecting the legs of the spica cast has been shown to facilitate patient transport⁵ and significantly decrease mechanical failure of the spica cast.⁶ This bar often consists of a broom handle or pipe that must be cut to size during the case and subsequently incorporated into the cast—tasks that are often inconvenient and time-consuming for on-call or emergency department staff unfamiliar with orthopedic tools.

In this article, we review a spica cast application that incorporates a low-cost, lightweight technique for fabricating a connecting bar from existing fiberglass casting material. The Institutional Review Board at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center approved this work.

Technique of Double-Leg Spica Casting With Fiberglass Bar

A spica casting table (Orthopedic Systems) with a well-padded post is placed on the operating room table and adjusted to the length of the patient from perineum to just below the shoulders. With the patient under general anesthesia, folded towels are used to provide 2 to 4 cm of padding on the anterior torso, atop which a waterproof pantaloon is applied. The patient is transferred to the spica table, and the patient’s arms are gently secured to the casting table with cast padding or tape in an abducted position at the shoulders. A surgeon controls the legs by holding the feet with the long fingers just above the heels, the index fingers on the anterior ankle, and the thumbs on the soles of the feet. Cast padding is wrapped from the nipple line to the supramalleolar region on each leg. The bony prominences of the malleoli, patella, fibular head, femoral condyles, iliac crests, and coccyx are well padded.

Fiberglass is then rolled without compression onto the patient, beginning with the torso and perineal areas. The injured leg is wrapped to its final length above the malleoli while the uninjured leg is kept free. Maintaining the position of the injured leg with simultaneous molding at the fracture site, typically to promote valgus, allows fracture reduction. The fracture position is then checked under image intensification. For femur fractures, hip abduction and flexion are set to 45° and 90°, respectively, while knee flexion is between 50° and 90°. The uninjured leg is then wrapped with fiberglass. Additional strips of fiberglass can be used to reinforce weak junctional regions between the torso and the legs, posteriorly over the “intern’s triangle” and anteriorly along the hip crease.

A connecting fiberglass bar is then created using a fiberglass roll once the cast is hardened. A 2-inch fiberglass roll is wrapped around one leg to secure its position (Figure 1A) and then rolled around the second limb (Figure 1B). Fiberglass is then pulled taut and rolled around the bridge that has been created in order to thicken the bar (Figure 2). The roll is again brought around the closest limb, wrapped back across the bridge to the other limb, and rolled out to its full length. Last, the legs are abducted 1 to 2 cm to tension the bar (Figure 3). Although this does not produce enough movement to cause a crease and a resultant ulcer, careful inspection of common pressure points (eg, popliteal fossa) should be performed after the cast is complete.

The chest towels are removed, and the final cast is inspected clinically and fluoroscopically at the fracture site before extubation. The cast is trimmed as needed to ensure room for perineal care, as well as full ankle flexion and extension without impingement. Cast edges are further petaled with plastic tape (Hy-Tape International) to provide padding and prevent the waterproof lining from tearing.

Postoperative care involves overnight observation and caregiver practice in perineal care. Frequent rotation from supine to prone is encouraged. Nurses confirm car-seat fit before discharge. If needed, radiographs are obtained 7 to 10 days later to help with wedging adjustment. The cast is removed in the clinic when adequate callus is appreciated on subsequent radiographs.

Case Series

Our experience with this technique in 16 unilateral femur fractures has been favorable (Table). Patient age ranged from 5 months to 3 years. Mean pretreatment angulation was 13° varus and 11° procurvatum. The majority of fractures were femoral shaft fractures; 1 was proximal, 2 distal.

All fractures united without cast revision. Mean cast time was 4.5 weeks (range, 16 days–6 weeks). Immediate postoperative alignment was 2.5° varus (range, 11° valgus to 16° varus) and 7° procurvatum (range, 1° recurvatum to 22° procurvatum). Mean shortening was 1.5 cm (range, 0-2.7 cm). Final alignment was 1° valgus (range, 9° valgus to 12° varus) and 5° procurvatum (range, 0° to 22°). Mean follow-up was 8 months. There were no cases of skin maceration or cast failure. No casts precluded use of a spica car-seat. Figure 4 shows a typical case with a midshaft fracture treated with closed reduction and casting for 4 weeks with good remodeling at final follow-up, 19 months after injury.

Discussion

Although single-leg walking spica casts have been shown to safely treat low-energy femur fractures in children 1 to 6 years old,⁷ length-unstable femur fractures, bilateral femur fractures, and patients with hip dysplasia continue to be managed with a double-leg hip spica construct. Cast integrity remains fundamental to the control of most fractures and prevention of cast-related complications, such as skin maceration and ulceration. Surgeons typically use spica cast reinforcement schemes—such as cast augments of the torso–limb junction, with multiple layers of casting material or incorporation of a connecting bar between the legs, typically constructed by overwrapping a wooden dowel in casting material—to improve the mechanical stability of casts.⁶ The present technique of creating a connecting bar from fiberglass casting material significantly simplifies the standard wooden dowel approach and provided excellent results in our treatment group in terms of cast integrity and fracture alignment. In addition, at our institution, a roll of fiberglass costs $2.10, whereas a wooden dowel costs $3 to $10 and can be difficult to locate if not frequently used. Other tube-shaped materials, such as the disposable material used to package implants and tubes, carry an even lower cost. However, we have found that a single fiberglass roll is most readily available and easiest to apply.

Although proper spica cast application remains important in managing pediatric trauma, it lacks a good technical description in the literature. In this technical report, we have presented our standard spica cast application method, which minimizes the range of cast complications that have been reported, from minor skin irritation to superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Two salient technical highlights are use of waterproof pantaloon liners and cast petaling, which we have found almost eliminate the morbidity of potential skin complications, reported to occur at a rate of 28%.⁸ In addition, we forgo applying the cast on the injured leg in segments. Application of a short-leg cast on the injured leg to allow traction on the leg during cast application is of dubious utility and may be potentially harmful, with described complications of peroneal nerve palsy and compartment syndrome.^9-11 Further, it is important to use an abdominal spacer (eg, a stack of towels) under the cast padding to create room for abdominal expansion and minimize pressure thought to induce superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Plastic or rubber abdominal spacers have also been described.^12,13 Last, leg position is important for reduction and maintenance of the fracture, as well as patient care. Literature advocates minimizing hip abduction to just that needed for perineal care and maximizing hip flexion and knee extension to optimize car-seat fit and safety.¹⁴

Conclusion

Construction of a spica cast lower limb connecting bar from readily available fiberglass casting material allows a facile and rapid addition to the mechanical stability of a spica cast in the treatment of pediatric femur fractures. The technique is low-cost and obviates the need for additional extraneous materials.

Femur fractures (Orthopaedic Trauma Association classes 31, 32, 33)¹ are common childhood injuries, occurring at a rate of 19 per 100,000 children in the United States.² Peak occurrence is bimodal at ages 2 and 17 years. The most common mechanism of injury in children under 6 years is a fall, and hip spica casting is the preferred treatment modality in this group.^3-5

A bar connecting the legs of the spica cast has been shown to facilitate patient transport⁵ and significantly decrease mechanical failure of the spica cast.⁶ This bar often consists of a broom handle or pipe that must be cut to size during the case and subsequently incorporated into the cast—tasks that are often inconvenient and time-consuming for on-call or emergency department staff unfamiliar with orthopedic tools.

In this article, we review a spica cast application that incorporates a low-cost, lightweight technique for fabricating a connecting bar from existing fiberglass casting material. The Institutional Review Board at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center approved this work.

Technique of Double-Leg Spica Casting With Fiberglass Bar

A spica casting table (Orthopedic Systems) with a well-padded post is placed on the operating room table and adjusted to the length of the patient from perineum to just below the shoulders. With the patient under general anesthesia, folded towels are used to provide 2 to 4 cm of padding on the anterior torso, atop which a waterproof pantaloon is applied. The patient is transferred to the spica table, and the patient’s arms are gently secured to the casting table with cast padding or tape in an abducted position at the shoulders. A surgeon controls the legs by holding the feet with the long fingers just above the heels, the index fingers on the anterior ankle, and the thumbs on the soles of the feet. Cast padding is wrapped from the nipple line to the supramalleolar region on each leg. The bony prominences of the malleoli, patella, fibular head, femoral condyles, iliac crests, and coccyx are well padded.

Fiberglass is then rolled without compression onto the patient, beginning with the torso and perineal areas. The injured leg is wrapped to its final length above the malleoli while the uninjured leg is kept free. Maintaining the position of the injured leg with simultaneous molding at the fracture site, typically to promote valgus, allows fracture reduction. The fracture position is then checked under image intensification. For femur fractures, hip abduction and flexion are set to 45° and 90°, respectively, while knee flexion is between 50° and 90°. The uninjured leg is then wrapped with fiberglass. Additional strips of fiberglass can be used to reinforce weak junctional regions between the torso and the legs, posteriorly over the “intern’s triangle” and anteriorly along the hip crease.

A connecting fiberglass bar is then created using a fiberglass roll once the cast is hardened. A 2-inch fiberglass roll is wrapped around one leg to secure its position (Figure 1A) and then rolled around the second limb (Figure 1B). Fiberglass is then pulled taut and rolled around the bridge that has been created in order to thicken the bar (Figure 2). The roll is again brought around the closest limb, wrapped back across the bridge to the other limb, and rolled out to its full length. Last, the legs are abducted 1 to 2 cm to tension the bar (Figure 3). Although this does not produce enough movement to cause a crease and a resultant ulcer, careful inspection of common pressure points (eg, popliteal fossa) should be performed after the cast is complete.

The chest towels are removed, and the final cast is inspected clinically and fluoroscopically at the fracture site before extubation. The cast is trimmed as needed to ensure room for perineal care, as well as full ankle flexion and extension without impingement. Cast edges are further petaled with plastic tape (Hy-Tape International) to provide padding and prevent the waterproof lining from tearing.

Postoperative care involves overnight observation and caregiver practice in perineal care. Frequent rotation from supine to prone is encouraged. Nurses confirm car-seat fit before discharge. If needed, radiographs are obtained 7 to 10 days later to help with wedging adjustment. The cast is removed in the clinic when adequate callus is appreciated on subsequent radiographs.

Case Series

Our experience with this technique in 16 unilateral femur fractures has been favorable (Table). Patient age ranged from 5 months to 3 years. Mean pretreatment angulation was 13° varus and 11° procurvatum. The majority of fractures were femoral shaft fractures; 1 was proximal, 2 distal.

All fractures united without cast revision. Mean cast time was 4.5 weeks (range, 16 days–6 weeks). Immediate postoperative alignment was 2.5° varus (range, 11° valgus to 16° varus) and 7° procurvatum (range, 1° recurvatum to 22° procurvatum). Mean shortening was 1.5 cm (range, 0-2.7 cm). Final alignment was 1° valgus (range, 9° valgus to 12° varus) and 5° procurvatum (range, 0° to 22°). Mean follow-up was 8 months. There were no cases of skin maceration or cast failure. No casts precluded use of a spica car-seat. Figure 4 shows a typical case with a midshaft fracture treated with closed reduction and casting for 4 weeks with good remodeling at final follow-up, 19 months after injury.

Discussion

Although single-leg walking spica casts have been shown to safely treat low-energy femur fractures in children 1 to 6 years old,⁷ length-unstable femur fractures, bilateral femur fractures, and patients with hip dysplasia continue to be managed with a double-leg hip spica construct. Cast integrity remains fundamental to the control of most fractures and prevention of cast-related complications, such as skin maceration and ulceration. Surgeons typically use spica cast reinforcement schemes—such as cast augments of the torso–limb junction, with multiple layers of casting material or incorporation of a connecting bar between the legs, typically constructed by overwrapping a wooden dowel in casting material—to improve the mechanical stability of casts.⁶ The present technique of creating a connecting bar from fiberglass casting material significantly simplifies the standard wooden dowel approach and provided excellent results in our treatment group in terms of cast integrity and fracture alignment. In addition, at our institution, a roll of fiberglass costs $2.10, whereas a wooden dowel costs $3 to $10 and can be difficult to locate if not frequently used. Other tube-shaped materials, such as the disposable material used to package implants and tubes, carry an even lower cost. However, we have found that a single fiberglass roll is most readily available and easiest to apply.

Although proper spica cast application remains important in managing pediatric trauma, it lacks a good technical description in the literature. In this technical report, we have presented our standard spica cast application method, which minimizes the range of cast complications that have been reported, from minor skin irritation to superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Two salient technical highlights are use of waterproof pantaloon liners and cast petaling, which we have found almost eliminate the morbidity of potential skin complications, reported to occur at a rate of 28%.⁸ In addition, we forgo applying the cast on the injured leg in segments. Application of a short-leg cast on the injured leg to allow traction on the leg during cast application is of dubious utility and may be potentially harmful, with described complications of peroneal nerve palsy and compartment syndrome.^9-11 Further, it is important to use an abdominal spacer (eg, a stack of towels) under the cast padding to create room for abdominal expansion and minimize pressure thought to induce superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Plastic or rubber abdominal spacers have also been described.^12,13 Last, leg position is important for reduction and maintenance of the fracture, as well as patient care. Literature advocates minimizing hip abduction to just that needed for perineal care and maximizing hip flexion and knee extension to optimize car-seat fit and safety.¹⁴

Conclusion

Construction of a spica cast lower limb connecting bar from readily available fiberglass casting material allows a facile and rapid addition to the mechanical stability of a spica cast in the treatment of pediatric femur fractures. The technique is low-cost and obviates the need for additional extraneous materials.

Femur fractures (Orthopaedic Trauma Association classes 31, 32, 33)¹ are common childhood injuries, occurring at a rate of 19 per 100,000 children in the United States.² Peak occurrence is bimodal at ages 2 and 17 years. The most common mechanism of injury in children under 6 years is a fall, and hip spica casting is the preferred treatment modality in this group.^3-5

A bar connecting the legs of the spica cast has been shown to facilitate patient transport⁵ and significantly decrease mechanical failure of the spica cast.⁶ This bar often consists of a broom handle or pipe that must be cut to size during the case and subsequently incorporated into the cast—tasks that are often inconvenient and time-consuming for on-call or emergency department staff unfamiliar with orthopedic tools.

In this article, we review a spica cast application that incorporates a low-cost, lightweight technique for fabricating a connecting bar from existing fiberglass casting material. The Institutional Review Board at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center approved this work.

Technique of Double-Leg Spica Casting With Fiberglass Bar

A spica casting table (Orthopedic Systems) with a well-padded post is placed on the operating room table and adjusted to the length of the patient from perineum to just below the shoulders. With the patient under general anesthesia, folded towels are used to provide 2 to 4 cm of padding on the anterior torso, atop which a waterproof pantaloon is applied. The patient is transferred to the spica table, and the patient’s arms are gently secured to the casting table with cast padding or tape in an abducted position at the shoulders. A surgeon controls the legs by holding the feet with the long fingers just above the heels, the index fingers on the anterior ankle, and the thumbs on the soles of the feet. Cast padding is wrapped from the nipple line to the supramalleolar region on each leg. The bony prominences of the malleoli, patella, fibular head, femoral condyles, iliac crests, and coccyx are well padded.

Fiberglass is then rolled without compression onto the patient, beginning with the torso and perineal areas. The injured leg is wrapped to its final length above the malleoli while the uninjured leg is kept free. Maintaining the position of the injured leg with simultaneous molding at the fracture site, typically to promote valgus, allows fracture reduction. The fracture position is then checked under image intensification. For femur fractures, hip abduction and flexion are set to 45° and 90°, respectively, while knee flexion is between 50° and 90°. The uninjured leg is then wrapped with fiberglass. Additional strips of fiberglass can be used to reinforce weak junctional regions between the torso and the legs, posteriorly over the “intern’s triangle” and anteriorly along the hip crease.

A connecting fiberglass bar is then created using a fiberglass roll once the cast is hardened. A 2-inch fiberglass roll is wrapped around one leg to secure its position (Figure 1A) and then rolled around the second limb (Figure 1B). Fiberglass is then pulled taut and rolled around the bridge that has been created in order to thicken the bar (Figure 2). The roll is again brought around the closest limb, wrapped back across the bridge to the other limb, and rolled out to its full length. Last, the legs are abducted 1 to 2 cm to tension the bar (Figure 3). Although this does not produce enough movement to cause a crease and a resultant ulcer, careful inspection of common pressure points (eg, popliteal fossa) should be performed after the cast is complete.

The chest towels are removed, and the final cast is inspected clinically and fluoroscopically at the fracture site before extubation. The cast is trimmed as needed to ensure room for perineal care, as well as full ankle flexion and extension without impingement. Cast edges are further petaled with plastic tape (Hy-Tape International) to provide padding and prevent the waterproof lining from tearing.

Postoperative care involves overnight observation and caregiver practice in perineal care. Frequent rotation from supine to prone is encouraged. Nurses confirm car-seat fit before discharge. If needed, radiographs are obtained 7 to 10 days later to help with wedging adjustment. The cast is removed in the clinic when adequate callus is appreciated on subsequent radiographs.

Case Series

Our experience with this technique in 16 unilateral femur fractures has been favorable (Table). Patient age ranged from 5 months to 3 years. Mean pretreatment angulation was 13° varus and 11° procurvatum. The majority of fractures were femoral shaft fractures; 1 was proximal, 2 distal.

All fractures united without cast revision. Mean cast time was 4.5 weeks (range, 16 days–6 weeks). Immediate postoperative alignment was 2.5° varus (range, 11° valgus to 16° varus) and 7° procurvatum (range, 1° recurvatum to 22° procurvatum). Mean shortening was 1.5 cm (range, 0-2.7 cm). Final alignment was 1° valgus (range, 9° valgus to 12° varus) and 5° procurvatum (range, 0° to 22°). Mean follow-up was 8 months. There were no cases of skin maceration or cast failure. No casts precluded use of a spica car-seat. Figure 4 shows a typical case with a midshaft fracture treated with closed reduction and casting for 4 weeks with good remodeling at final follow-up, 19 months after injury.

Discussion

Although single-leg walking spica casts have been shown to safely treat low-energy femur fractures in children 1 to 6 years old,⁷ length-unstable femur fractures, bilateral femur fractures, and patients with hip dysplasia continue to be managed with a double-leg hip spica construct. Cast integrity remains fundamental to the control of most fractures and prevention of cast-related complications, such as skin maceration and ulceration. Surgeons typically use spica cast reinforcement schemes—such as cast augments of the torso–limb junction, with multiple layers of casting material or incorporation of a connecting bar between the legs, typically constructed by overwrapping a wooden dowel in casting material—to improve the mechanical stability of casts.⁶ The present technique of creating a connecting bar from fiberglass casting material significantly simplifies the standard wooden dowel approach and provided excellent results in our treatment group in terms of cast integrity and fracture alignment. In addition, at our institution, a roll of fiberglass costs $2.10, whereas a wooden dowel costs $3 to $10 and can be difficult to locate if not frequently used. Other tube-shaped materials, such as the disposable material used to package implants and tubes, carry an even lower cost. However, we have found that a single fiberglass roll is most readily available and easiest to apply.

Although proper spica cast application remains important in managing pediatric trauma, it lacks a good technical description in the literature. In this technical report, we have presented our standard spica cast application method, which minimizes the range of cast complications that have been reported, from minor skin irritation to superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Two salient technical highlights are use of waterproof pantaloon liners and cast petaling, which we have found almost eliminate the morbidity of potential skin complications, reported to occur at a rate of 28%.⁸ In addition, we forgo applying the cast on the injured leg in segments. Application of a short-leg cast on the injured leg to allow traction on the leg during cast application is of dubious utility and may be potentially harmful, with described complications of peroneal nerve palsy and compartment syndrome.^9-11 Further, it is important to use an abdominal spacer (eg, a stack of towels) under the cast padding to create room for abdominal expansion and minimize pressure thought to induce superior mesenteric artery syndrome. Plastic or rubber abdominal spacers have also been described.^12,13 Last, leg position is important for reduction and maintenance of the fracture, as well as patient care. Literature advocates minimizing hip abduction to just that needed for perineal care and maximizing hip flexion and knee extension to optimize car-seat fit and safety.¹⁴

Conclusion

Construction of a spica cast lower limb connecting bar from readily available fiberglass casting material allows a facile and rapid addition to the mechanical stability of a spica cast in the treatment of pediatric femur fractures. The technique is low-cost and obviates the need for additional extraneous materials.

The incidence of Dupuytren disease increases with advancing age,¹ as do the medical comorbidities of patients seeking treatment for disabling hand contractures. For patients with significant comorbidities, open surgical fasciectomy, the current standard of treatment for Dupuytren disease,^2,3 may be associated with increased perioperative risks.

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy has become an accepted nonsurgical treatment alternative to traditional fasciectomy or surgical fasciotomy for significant digital contractures caused by Dupuytren disease.^4-6 Clostridium histolyticum collagenase (CHC) is a foreign protein, made up of 2 collagenases isolated from the bacteria C histolyticum.⁷ The collagenases are zinc-dependent matrix metalloproteinases that cleave the triple helical structure of collagen molecules.⁸ Also known as Xiaflex (Auxilium Pharmaceuticals), CHC was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2010 for use in patients with Dupuytren contractures.

 Enzymatic rupture is safe and efficacious at midterm follow-up and offers the theoretical advantage of avoiding palmar and digital fasciectomy and the associated risks of surgical-site infection and wound-healing complications.⁶ The risks of surgical wound complications are magnified in immunosuppressed patients, particularly those on chronic steroid therapy; wound-healing complication rates may be increased 2 to 5 times compared with controls.⁹ In a pooled literature review, wound-healing complications were reported after 22.9% of open primary fasciectomies, with infection occurring in 2.4%.¹⁰ A nonsurgical alternative is therefore particularly appealing for a patient cohort that may be at higher risk for a frequently described complication of surgery for Dupuytren contracture.

The exclusion criteria in the trials for FDA approval were extensive and included breast-feeding, pregnancy, bleeding disorder, recent stroke, use of tetracycline derivative within 14 days before start of study, use of anticoagulant within 7 days before start of study, allergy to collagenase, and chronic muscular, neurologic, or neuromuscular disorder affecting the hands.⁶ Safety and efficacy of collagenase in patients requiring chronic immunosuppressive therapy for medical comorbidities have not been previously documented. Furthermore, although skin tears were reported in 11% of patients after manual cord rupture in the CORD (Collagenase Option for the Reduction of Dupuytren’s) I trial,⁶ the likelihood of deep and superficial infection and delayed wound healing has not been quantitated.

In this article, we report on outcomes of 13 collagenase enzymatic fasciotomies performed in 8 patients who were on chronic immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods

Institutional review board approval was obtained at both academic hand surgery institutions. We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected clinical data within our 2 centers’ databases of patients with Dupuytren disease. Eight patients on chronic immunosuppressive therapies treated with collagenase for metacarpophalangeal (MP) or proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint contractures between February 2010 and December 2011 were identified. Three of these patients received collagenase injections into 2 or more separate Dupuytren cords at different encounters, resulting in a total of 13 individual collagenase enzymatic fasciotomies.

Collagenase injections were administered following CORD I trial protocol,⁶ except we injected Dupuytren cords crossing the PIP joint using a lateral approach to minimize risk of flexor tendon rupture. Manipulation of the treated joint was performed between 24 and 48 hours after collagenase injection under local anesthesia with 3 mL of 1% mepivacaine or lidocaine without epinephrine. After manipulation and cord rupture, patients were placed in a hand-based extension splint to wear at night for up to 3 months. Patients were followed at 1 and 12 months.

Results

Patients’ baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Four patients were maintained on chronic prednisone therapy, 3 on methotrexate, and 1 on azathioprine. Therapy duration, medication dose, and diagnoses requiring immunosuppressant therapy varied among patients.

Outcomes and adverse events are summarized in Table 2. Mean number of joint contractures per hand treated was 2.8 (MP, 1.4; PIP, 1.4). However, not all joints met the intervention criteria. Of the 13 joints treated, 7 were MP joints, and 6 were PIP joints. Mean preinjection contracture of the treated joints was 53.0° (range, 20°-90°). Twelve of the 13 joint contractures improved. At mean follow-up of 6.7 months (range, 1-22 months), mean magnitude of contracture improved to 12.9° (range, 0°-45°). Mean MP joint contracture improved from 42.0° to 4.2° (range, 0°-10°), and mean PIP joint contracture improved from 65.8° to 21.7° (range, 0°-45°).

All 13 collagenase injections were well tolerated, and there were no systemic reactions. Injection-site pain was common. Mild injection-site bruising and edema were reported in all cases. Enzymatic fasciotomy was performed in all patients, and immediate improvement in contracture after manipulation 24 to 48 hours after injection was recorded.

Three of the 13 injections were complicated by skin tears during manipulation and cord rupture. All 3 skin tears were treated with local wound care, which included use of povidone-iodine and wet-to-dry dressings. There was no evidence of subsequent superficial or deep, local or regional infection. In 2 cases, the wound healed within 1 week; in the third case, wound healing was present by 2 weeks. Once the wounds showed early re-epithelialization, hand-based extension splinting in a position of comfort was used at night for up to 3 months after injection. Two of the 13 injections were complicated by small blood blisters. These were treated with observation and resolved spontaneously.

Discussion

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy appeared to be a safe and efficacious alternative to surgical treatment of Dupuytren contractures in this cohort of patients maintained on chronic immunosuppressive agents. MP contractures responded more substantially than PIP contractures did, as expected.⁶ No previously undescribed adverse outcomes were noted in these 8 patients on chronic immunosuppressive therapy beyond those reported in the CORD I trial. Three (23%) of the 13 collagenase injections in our series were complicated by skin tears after manipulation. Skins tears were reported in 22 (11%) of 204 patients after manual cord rupture in the CORD I trial.⁶ Given the limited numbers in this series, it remains unclear if chronic immunosuppression truly increases the risk of skin tears in this subset of patients. Other common treatment-related adverse events seen in the CORD I trial—injection-site hemorrhage (37%), pruritis (11%) and lymphadenopathy (10%)—were not seen after the 13 injections in our case series. We are prospectively following all patients with Dupuytren disease, and this is an area of ongoing research at our centers.

The immunosuppressive actions of prednisone, azathioprine, and methotrexate are well documented. Prednisone is a glucocorticoid, converted in the liver to prednisolone, which suppresses inflammation and immune responses by regulation of gene expression. Its immunosuppressive actions are multifactorial, relating to inhibition of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. These effects are dose- and time-dependent¹¹ and may become evident in patients receiving low doses over prolonged periods. Skin atrophy¹² and delayed wound healing⁹ are side effects of long-term prednisone use. Skin atrophy may make the prednisone-treated patient more susceptible to skin tears after collagenase injection and manipulation. Azathioprine inhibits purine synthesis, which is especially important in the proliferation of immune cells.¹³ It has been shown to inhibit both cellular immunity at low doses and humoral immunity at higher doses.¹⁴ Methotrexate inhibits lymphocyte folic acid metabolism. The immunosuppressive properties of low-dose methotrexate have been linked to the induction of apoptosis in activated T cells.¹⁵

A more complex process in immunosuppressed patients is the immunogenicity of injected collagenase. As CHC in current use is a mixture of 2 foreign proteins, an immunologic response is expected in the host after injection. It has been shown that, after 3 injections of CHC into Dupuytren cords, 100% of patients developed antibodies to both enzymes in their serum.⁶ More than 85% demonstrated anti-CHC antibodies after a single injection. However, no patients showed signs of anaphylaxis or allergic reaction, and there was no correlation between serum levels of anti-CHC and adverse events. It has been hypothesized that there is a potential for cross-reactivity of the anti-CHC antibodies with human matrix metalloproteinases, causing enzymatic dysfunction within the host.¹⁶ This has yet to be reported clinically, and Xiaflex is currently under postmarketing surveillance. Immunocompromised people, with suppressed humoral and cellular immune responses, may produce less of an antibody response to the foreign CHC proteins. Whether this conclusively leads to a change in the side effect profile of the medication in these individuals is beyond the scope of this article. However, we identified no new side effects in this small but higher risk cohort. The issue should be continually monitored as collagenase is used in wider clinical settings.

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy is a new nonsurgical therapeutic option for Dupuytren disease. Indications and guidelines for use continue to evolve. This case series highlights the use of collagenase in 8 patients who were on long-term immunosuppressive therapy. This study has the limitations inherent to retrospective analyses. It is difficult to generalize results across broader immunosuppressed populations. A larger cohort, with long-term follow-up assessing recurrence of contracture, is needed to make definitive conclusions about use of collagenase in this challenging subset of patients. Based on our observations in this limited cohort, it appears appropriate to pursue further studies on use of collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy. A randomized, prospective or case–control series comparing surgical fasciectomy with enzymatic fasciotomy would yield further meaningful data. As more patients seek nonsurgical treatment for Dupuytren disease, its safety and efficacy in select cohorts of patients should continue to be evaluated.

The incidence of Dupuytren disease increases with advancing age,¹ as do the medical comorbidities of patients seeking treatment for disabling hand contractures. For patients with significant comorbidities, open surgical fasciectomy, the current standard of treatment for Dupuytren disease,^2,3 may be associated with increased perioperative risks.

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy has become an accepted nonsurgical treatment alternative to traditional fasciectomy or surgical fasciotomy for significant digital contractures caused by Dupuytren disease.^4-6 Clostridium histolyticum collagenase (CHC) is a foreign protein, made up of 2 collagenases isolated from the bacteria C histolyticum.⁷ The collagenases are zinc-dependent matrix metalloproteinases that cleave the triple helical structure of collagen molecules.⁸ Also known as Xiaflex (Auxilium Pharmaceuticals), CHC was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2010 for use in patients with Dupuytren contractures.

 Enzymatic rupture is safe and efficacious at midterm follow-up and offers the theoretical advantage of avoiding palmar and digital fasciectomy and the associated risks of surgical-site infection and wound-healing complications.⁶ The risks of surgical wound complications are magnified in immunosuppressed patients, particularly those on chronic steroid therapy; wound-healing complication rates may be increased 2 to 5 times compared with controls.⁹ In a pooled literature review, wound-healing complications were reported after 22.9% of open primary fasciectomies, with infection occurring in 2.4%.¹⁰ A nonsurgical alternative is therefore particularly appealing for a patient cohort that may be at higher risk for a frequently described complication of surgery for Dupuytren contracture.

The exclusion criteria in the trials for FDA approval were extensive and included breast-feeding, pregnancy, bleeding disorder, recent stroke, use of tetracycline derivative within 14 days before start of study, use of anticoagulant within 7 days before start of study, allergy to collagenase, and chronic muscular, neurologic, or neuromuscular disorder affecting the hands.⁶ Safety and efficacy of collagenase in patients requiring chronic immunosuppressive therapy for medical comorbidities have not been previously documented. Furthermore, although skin tears were reported in 11% of patients after manual cord rupture in the CORD (Collagenase Option for the Reduction of Dupuytren’s) I trial,⁶ the likelihood of deep and superficial infection and delayed wound healing has not been quantitated.

In this article, we report on outcomes of 13 collagenase enzymatic fasciotomies performed in 8 patients who were on chronic immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods

Institutional review board approval was obtained at both academic hand surgery institutions. We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected clinical data within our 2 centers’ databases of patients with Dupuytren disease. Eight patients on chronic immunosuppressive therapies treated with collagenase for metacarpophalangeal (MP) or proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint contractures between February 2010 and December 2011 were identified. Three of these patients received collagenase injections into 2 or more separate Dupuytren cords at different encounters, resulting in a total of 13 individual collagenase enzymatic fasciotomies.

Collagenase injections were administered following CORD I trial protocol,⁶ except we injected Dupuytren cords crossing the PIP joint using a lateral approach to minimize risk of flexor tendon rupture. Manipulation of the treated joint was performed between 24 and 48 hours after collagenase injection under local anesthesia with 3 mL of 1% mepivacaine or lidocaine without epinephrine. After manipulation and cord rupture, patients were placed in a hand-based extension splint to wear at night for up to 3 months. Patients were followed at 1 and 12 months.

Results

Patients’ baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Four patients were maintained on chronic prednisone therapy, 3 on methotrexate, and 1 on azathioprine. Therapy duration, medication dose, and diagnoses requiring immunosuppressant therapy varied among patients.

Outcomes and adverse events are summarized in Table 2. Mean number of joint contractures per hand treated was 2.8 (MP, 1.4; PIP, 1.4). However, not all joints met the intervention criteria. Of the 13 joints treated, 7 were MP joints, and 6 were PIP joints. Mean preinjection contracture of the treated joints was 53.0° (range, 20°-90°). Twelve of the 13 joint contractures improved. At mean follow-up of 6.7 months (range, 1-22 months), mean magnitude of contracture improved to 12.9° (range, 0°-45°). Mean MP joint contracture improved from 42.0° to 4.2° (range, 0°-10°), and mean PIP joint contracture improved from 65.8° to 21.7° (range, 0°-45°).

All 13 collagenase injections were well tolerated, and there were no systemic reactions. Injection-site pain was common. Mild injection-site bruising and edema were reported in all cases. Enzymatic fasciotomy was performed in all patients, and immediate improvement in contracture after manipulation 24 to 48 hours after injection was recorded.

Three of the 13 injections were complicated by skin tears during manipulation and cord rupture. All 3 skin tears were treated with local wound care, which included use of povidone-iodine and wet-to-dry dressings. There was no evidence of subsequent superficial or deep, local or regional infection. In 2 cases, the wound healed within 1 week; in the third case, wound healing was present by 2 weeks. Once the wounds showed early re-epithelialization, hand-based extension splinting in a position of comfort was used at night for up to 3 months after injection. Two of the 13 injections were complicated by small blood blisters. These were treated with observation and resolved spontaneously.

Discussion

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy appeared to be a safe and efficacious alternative to surgical treatment of Dupuytren contractures in this cohort of patients maintained on chronic immunosuppressive agents. MP contractures responded more substantially than PIP contractures did, as expected.⁶ No previously undescribed adverse outcomes were noted in these 8 patients on chronic immunosuppressive therapy beyond those reported in the CORD I trial. Three (23%) of the 13 collagenase injections in our series were complicated by skin tears after manipulation. Skins tears were reported in 22 (11%) of 204 patients after manual cord rupture in the CORD I trial.⁶ Given the limited numbers in this series, it remains unclear if chronic immunosuppression truly increases the risk of skin tears in this subset of patients. Other common treatment-related adverse events seen in the CORD I trial—injection-site hemorrhage (37%), pruritis (11%) and lymphadenopathy (10%)—were not seen after the 13 injections in our case series. We are prospectively following all patients with Dupuytren disease, and this is an area of ongoing research at our centers.

The immunosuppressive actions of prednisone, azathioprine, and methotrexate are well documented. Prednisone is a glucocorticoid, converted in the liver to prednisolone, which suppresses inflammation and immune responses by regulation of gene expression. Its immunosuppressive actions are multifactorial, relating to inhibition of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. These effects are dose- and time-dependent¹¹ and may become evident in patients receiving low doses over prolonged periods. Skin atrophy¹² and delayed wound healing⁹ are side effects of long-term prednisone use. Skin atrophy may make the prednisone-treated patient more susceptible to skin tears after collagenase injection and manipulation. Azathioprine inhibits purine synthesis, which is especially important in the proliferation of immune cells.¹³ It has been shown to inhibit both cellular immunity at low doses and humoral immunity at higher doses.¹⁴ Methotrexate inhibits lymphocyte folic acid metabolism. The immunosuppressive properties of low-dose methotrexate have been linked to the induction of apoptosis in activated T cells.¹⁵

A more complex process in immunosuppressed patients is the immunogenicity of injected collagenase. As CHC in current use is a mixture of 2 foreign proteins, an immunologic response is expected in the host after injection. It has been shown that, after 3 injections of CHC into Dupuytren cords, 100% of patients developed antibodies to both enzymes in their serum.⁶ More than 85% demonstrated anti-CHC antibodies after a single injection. However, no patients showed signs of anaphylaxis or allergic reaction, and there was no correlation between serum levels of anti-CHC and adverse events. It has been hypothesized that there is a potential for cross-reactivity of the anti-CHC antibodies with human matrix metalloproteinases, causing enzymatic dysfunction within the host.¹⁶ This has yet to be reported clinically, and Xiaflex is currently under postmarketing surveillance. Immunocompromised people, with suppressed humoral and cellular immune responses, may produce less of an antibody response to the foreign CHC proteins. Whether this conclusively leads to a change in the side effect profile of the medication in these individuals is beyond the scope of this article. However, we identified no new side effects in this small but higher risk cohort. The issue should be continually monitored as collagenase is used in wider clinical settings.

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy is a new nonsurgical therapeutic option for Dupuytren disease. Indications and guidelines for use continue to evolve. This case series highlights the use of collagenase in 8 patients who were on long-term immunosuppressive therapy. This study has the limitations inherent to retrospective analyses. It is difficult to generalize results across broader immunosuppressed populations. A larger cohort, with long-term follow-up assessing recurrence of contracture, is needed to make definitive conclusions about use of collagenase in this challenging subset of patients. Based on our observations in this limited cohort, it appears appropriate to pursue further studies on use of collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy. A randomized, prospective or case–control series comparing surgical fasciectomy with enzymatic fasciotomy would yield further meaningful data. As more patients seek nonsurgical treatment for Dupuytren disease, its safety and efficacy in select cohorts of patients should continue to be evaluated.

The incidence of Dupuytren disease increases with advancing age,¹ as do the medical comorbidities of patients seeking treatment for disabling hand contractures. For patients with significant comorbidities, open surgical fasciectomy, the current standard of treatment for Dupuytren disease,^2,3 may be associated with increased perioperative risks.

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy has become an accepted nonsurgical treatment alternative to traditional fasciectomy or surgical fasciotomy for significant digital contractures caused by Dupuytren disease.^4-6 Clostridium histolyticum collagenase (CHC) is a foreign protein, made up of 2 collagenases isolated from the bacteria C histolyticum.⁷ The collagenases are zinc-dependent matrix metalloproteinases that cleave the triple helical structure of collagen molecules.⁸ Also known as Xiaflex (Auxilium Pharmaceuticals), CHC was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in February 2010 for use in patients with Dupuytren contractures.

 Enzymatic rupture is safe and efficacious at midterm follow-up and offers the theoretical advantage of avoiding palmar and digital fasciectomy and the associated risks of surgical-site infection and wound-healing complications.⁶ The risks of surgical wound complications are magnified in immunosuppressed patients, particularly those on chronic steroid therapy; wound-healing complication rates may be increased 2 to 5 times compared with controls.⁹ In a pooled literature review, wound-healing complications were reported after 22.9% of open primary fasciectomies, with infection occurring in 2.4%.¹⁰ A nonsurgical alternative is therefore particularly appealing for a patient cohort that may be at higher risk for a frequently described complication of surgery for Dupuytren contracture.

The exclusion criteria in the trials for FDA approval were extensive and included breast-feeding, pregnancy, bleeding disorder, recent stroke, use of tetracycline derivative within 14 days before start of study, use of anticoagulant within 7 days before start of study, allergy to collagenase, and chronic muscular, neurologic, or neuromuscular disorder affecting the hands.⁶ Safety and efficacy of collagenase in patients requiring chronic immunosuppressive therapy for medical comorbidities have not been previously documented. Furthermore, although skin tears were reported in 11% of patients after manual cord rupture in the CORD (Collagenase Option for the Reduction of Dupuytren’s) I trial,⁶ the likelihood of deep and superficial infection and delayed wound healing has not been quantitated.

In this article, we report on outcomes of 13 collagenase enzymatic fasciotomies performed in 8 patients who were on chronic immunosuppressive therapy.

Methods

Institutional review board approval was obtained at both academic hand surgery institutions. We retrospectively reviewed prospectively collected clinical data within our 2 centers’ databases of patients with Dupuytren disease. Eight patients on chronic immunosuppressive therapies treated with collagenase for metacarpophalangeal (MP) or proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint contractures between February 2010 and December 2011 were identified. Three of these patients received collagenase injections into 2 or more separate Dupuytren cords at different encounters, resulting in a total of 13 individual collagenase enzymatic fasciotomies.

Collagenase injections were administered following CORD I trial protocol,⁶ except we injected Dupuytren cords crossing the PIP joint using a lateral approach to minimize risk of flexor tendon rupture. Manipulation of the treated joint was performed between 24 and 48 hours after collagenase injection under local anesthesia with 3 mL of 1% mepivacaine or lidocaine without epinephrine. After manipulation and cord rupture, patients were placed in a hand-based extension splint to wear at night for up to 3 months. Patients were followed at 1 and 12 months.

Results

Patients’ baseline characteristics are summarized in Table 1. Four patients were maintained on chronic prednisone therapy, 3 on methotrexate, and 1 on azathioprine. Therapy duration, medication dose, and diagnoses requiring immunosuppressant therapy varied among patients.

Outcomes and adverse events are summarized in Table 2. Mean number of joint contractures per hand treated was 2.8 (MP, 1.4; PIP, 1.4). However, not all joints met the intervention criteria. Of the 13 joints treated, 7 were MP joints, and 6 were PIP joints. Mean preinjection contracture of the treated joints was 53.0° (range, 20°-90°). Twelve of the 13 joint contractures improved. At mean follow-up of 6.7 months (range, 1-22 months), mean magnitude of contracture improved to 12.9° (range, 0°-45°). Mean MP joint contracture improved from 42.0° to 4.2° (range, 0°-10°), and mean PIP joint contracture improved from 65.8° to 21.7° (range, 0°-45°).

All 13 collagenase injections were well tolerated, and there were no systemic reactions. Injection-site pain was common. Mild injection-site bruising and edema were reported in all cases. Enzymatic fasciotomy was performed in all patients, and immediate improvement in contracture after manipulation 24 to 48 hours after injection was recorded.

Three of the 13 injections were complicated by skin tears during manipulation and cord rupture. All 3 skin tears were treated with local wound care, which included use of povidone-iodine and wet-to-dry dressings. There was no evidence of subsequent superficial or deep, local or regional infection. In 2 cases, the wound healed within 1 week; in the third case, wound healing was present by 2 weeks. Once the wounds showed early re-epithelialization, hand-based extension splinting in a position of comfort was used at night for up to 3 months after injection. Two of the 13 injections were complicated by small blood blisters. These were treated with observation and resolved spontaneously.

Discussion

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy appeared to be a safe and efficacious alternative to surgical treatment of Dupuytren contractures in this cohort of patients maintained on chronic immunosuppressive agents. MP contractures responded more substantially than PIP contractures did, as expected.⁶ No previously undescribed adverse outcomes were noted in these 8 patients on chronic immunosuppressive therapy beyond those reported in the CORD I trial. Three (23%) of the 13 collagenase injections in our series were complicated by skin tears after manipulation. Skins tears were reported in 22 (11%) of 204 patients after manual cord rupture in the CORD I trial.⁶ Given the limited numbers in this series, it remains unclear if chronic immunosuppression truly increases the risk of skin tears in this subset of patients. Other common treatment-related adverse events seen in the CORD I trial—injection-site hemorrhage (37%), pruritis (11%) and lymphadenopathy (10%)—were not seen after the 13 injections in our case series. We are prospectively following all patients with Dupuytren disease, and this is an area of ongoing research at our centers.

The immunosuppressive actions of prednisone, azathioprine, and methotrexate are well documented. Prednisone is a glucocorticoid, converted in the liver to prednisolone, which suppresses inflammation and immune responses by regulation of gene expression. Its immunosuppressive actions are multifactorial, relating to inhibition of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and monocytes. These effects are dose- and time-dependent¹¹ and may become evident in patients receiving low doses over prolonged periods. Skin atrophy¹² and delayed wound healing⁹ are side effects of long-term prednisone use. Skin atrophy may make the prednisone-treated patient more susceptible to skin tears after collagenase injection and manipulation. Azathioprine inhibits purine synthesis, which is especially important in the proliferation of immune cells.¹³ It has been shown to inhibit both cellular immunity at low doses and humoral immunity at higher doses.¹⁴ Methotrexate inhibits lymphocyte folic acid metabolism. The immunosuppressive properties of low-dose methotrexate have been linked to the induction of apoptosis in activated T cells.¹⁵

A more complex process in immunosuppressed patients is the immunogenicity of injected collagenase. As CHC in current use is a mixture of 2 foreign proteins, an immunologic response is expected in the host after injection. It has been shown that, after 3 injections of CHC into Dupuytren cords, 100% of patients developed antibodies to both enzymes in their serum.⁶ More than 85% demonstrated anti-CHC antibodies after a single injection. However, no patients showed signs of anaphylaxis or allergic reaction, and there was no correlation between serum levels of anti-CHC and adverse events. It has been hypothesized that there is a potential for cross-reactivity of the anti-CHC antibodies with human matrix metalloproteinases, causing enzymatic dysfunction within the host.¹⁶ This has yet to be reported clinically, and Xiaflex is currently under postmarketing surveillance. Immunocompromised people, with suppressed humoral and cellular immune responses, may produce less of an antibody response to the foreign CHC proteins. Whether this conclusively leads to a change in the side effect profile of the medication in these individuals is beyond the scope of this article. However, we identified no new side effects in this small but higher risk cohort. The issue should be continually monitored as collagenase is used in wider clinical settings.

Collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy is a new nonsurgical therapeutic option for Dupuytren disease. Indications and guidelines for use continue to evolve. This case series highlights the use of collagenase in 8 patients who were on long-term immunosuppressive therapy. This study has the limitations inherent to retrospective analyses. It is difficult to generalize results across broader immunosuppressed populations. A larger cohort, with long-term follow-up assessing recurrence of contracture, is needed to make definitive conclusions about use of collagenase in this challenging subset of patients. Based on our observations in this limited cohort, it appears appropriate to pursue further studies on use of collagenase enzymatic fasciotomy. A randomized, prospective or case–control series comparing surgical fasciectomy with enzymatic fasciotomy would yield further meaningful data. As more patients seek nonsurgical treatment for Dupuytren disease, its safety and efficacy in select cohorts of patients should continue to be evaluated.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a disorder characterized by entrapment of the median nerve at the wrist, which may lead to symptoms of pain, paresthesia, and, ultimately, thenar muscle atrophy. Surgical intervention is indicated with persistent or progressive symptoms despite nonoperative management. Timely surgical decompression aims to halt progression of this disorder and prevent permanent peripheral nerve injury.

Carpal tunnel release (CTR) is the most common hand and wrist surgery in the United States, with about 400,000 operations performed annually.^1,2 Several methods of decompressing the carpal tunnel have been described.³ These include standard open CTR (OCTR), mini-open approaches, and various endoscopic techniques. OCTR was initially described by Sir James Learmonth in 1933,⁴ and it remains the gold-standard surgical treatment for patients with symptomatic CTS. Uniform excellent results with high patient satisfaction and low complication rates have been reported in several series.^5-9 Common to all techniques is complete proximal-to-distal division of the transverse carpal ligament (TCL). Magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that TCL transection and the resulting diastasis between the radial and ulnar leaflets cause a significant increase in the volume of the carpal tunnel, leading to decreased pressure.^10,11

Endoscopic CTR (ECTR) techniques were developed in an effort to reduce complications, scar sensitivity, and pillar pain and facilitate more rapid return to work.^12-17 Outcome studies have demonstrated that both open and endoscopic releases yield patient-reported subjective improvements over preoperative symptoms.^18-22 A randomized, controlled trial by Trumble and colleagues²³ in 2002 found that ECTR led to improved patient outcomes in the early postoperative period (first 3 months), though differences in outcomes were reduced at final follow-up. More recently (2007), a Cochrane review of 33 trials concluded there was no strong evidence favoring use of alternative techniques over OCTR.³ Further, OCTR has been found to be technically less demanding and associated with decreased complications and costs.²⁴

Indications

The benefit of median nerve decompression at the wrist for CTS is clear.^6,7 Indications for surgery in patients with CTS include persistent symptoms despite nonoperative treatment, objective sensory disturbance or motor weakness, and thenar atrophy. Symptomatic response to corticosteroid injection is predictive of success after carpal tunnel surgery.²⁵ More than 87% of patients who gain symptomatic relief from corticosteroid injection have an excellent surgical outcome.

Technique

OCTR allows direct visualization of the TCL and the distal volar forearm fascia (DVFF) and evaluation for the presence of anomalous branching patterns of the median nerve. OCTR traditionally was performed through a 4- to 5-cm longitudinal incision extending from the wrist crease proximally to the Kaplan cardinal line distally. The mini-open technique is identical with the exception of incision length. We routinely use a 2.5- to 3-cm incision. Regardless of incision length, each OCTR should proceed through the same reproducible steps.

We perform OCTR under tourniquet control. Choice of anesthesia is surgeon and patient preference. We prefer local anesthesia with conscious sedation. After conscious sedation is administered, we infiltrate the carpal tunnel and surrounding subcutaneous tissue with 10 mL of a 50:50 mixture of 0.5% bupivacaine and 1% lidocaine without epinephrine.

A 2.5- to 3-cm longitudinal incision is made along the axis of the radial border of the ring finger from the Kaplan cardinal line²⁶ and extending about 3 cm proximally toward the wrist flexion crease ulnar to the palmaris longus if present (Figure 1).

After the skin is incised longitudinally, the subcutaneous fat is mobilized and cutaneous sensory branches identified and protected. The underlying superficial palmar fascia is incised in line with the skin incision. The underlying midportion of the TCL is now visualized.

Transverse Carpal Ligament Release

Occasionally, the investing fascia along the ulnar edge of the thenar musculature is mobilized radialward (if the thenar musculature is well developed) to visualize the proximal limb of the TCL. Injury to any anomalous motor branch of the median nerve is avoided by directly visualizing and then incising the TCL (Figure 2). The TCL is incised along its ulnar border just radial to the hook of hamate from distal to proximal in line with the radial border of the ring finger. Staying near the ulnar attachment of the TCL keeps the plane of ligament division farther away from the median nerve and its recurrent motor branches. Although the ulnar neurovascular bundle typically resides ulnar to the hook of hamate in the canal of Guyon, the surgeon must be aware that it can be located radial to the hook in some instances.^27,28 In the elderly, the ulnar artery may be tortuous and enter the field and require retraction. The TCL is incised distally until the sentinel fat pad, which marks the superficial palmar arterial arch, is visualized. This bed of adipose tissue marks the distal edge of the TCL.²⁹

Proximally, subcutaneous tissues above the proximal limb of the TCL and DVFF are mobilized to about 2 cm proximal to the wrist flexion crease to create a plane for the fine long nasal turbinate speculum. The nasal turbinate speculum is then inserted into this plane above the proximal limb of the TCL and DVFF (Figure 3). Once inserted to the level of the confluence of the TCL and the DVFF, the speculum is opened.

Topside visualization is now encountered with the ulnar neurovascular bundle protected by the ulnar blade of the speculum. A long-handle scalpel is used to incise the TCL and the DVFF under direct visualization from proximal to distal in line with the previously completed distal release (Figure 4). As the nasal turbinate speculum is stretching the TCL and putting it under tension, the TCL can be heard splitting as it is being incised. Once the TCL and the DVFF are divided, the speculum is slowly closed and removed. Wide diastasis of the radial and ulnar leaflets of the TCL and the DVFF is directly visualized. Complete decompression of the median nerve from the distal forearm fascia to the superficial palmar arch is confirmed.

Adhesions between the undersurface of the radial leaflet and the flexor tendons and median nerve are mobilized. The median nerve is assessed for “hourglass” morphology or atrophy. The flexor tendons can be swept radialward with a free elevator to inspect the floor of the carpal tunnel. Flexor tenosynovectomy is not routinely performed. The incision is closed with interrupted simple sutures using 4-0 nylon.

Study Results

This study was conducted at Hand Surgery PC, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Tufts University School of Medicine. Over a 10-month interval, 101 consecutive mini-OCTRs (63 right hands, 38 left hands) were performed with this proximal release modification in 88 patients (51 females, 37 males) by Dr. Ruchelsman and Dr. Belsky (Table). CTRs performed in the setting of wrist and/or carpal trauma were excluded. Mean age was 62.8 years. Mean follow-up was 11.3 weeks (~3 months). For isolated cases of CTR, mean tourniquet time was 16 minutes. CTS symptoms were relieved in all patients with a high degree of satisfaction as measured with history and examination findings at follow-up visits. There were no major complications (eg, infection, neural or vascular damage, severe residual pain). Four patients reported minor residual numbness in the fingers at latest follow-up but nevertheless had major improvement over preoperative baseline. These 4 patients had preoperative electromyograms or nerve conduction studies documenting the extent of their disease. There was 1 case of minor wound complication. Three weeks after surgery, the patient had a 1-cm wound opening, which closed with local wound care. The patient did not develop any drainage, infection, bleeding, or neurologic symptoms.

Discussion

Open release of the TCL—the gold standard of surgical treatment for CTS—produces reliable symptom relief in the vast majority of patients.^25,30 Given that the most common complication of carpal tunnel surgery is incomplete release of the TCL,^31,32 this technique, which uses a nasal turbinate speculum to better visualize the median nerve, could potentially reduce the reoperation rate. The nasal turbinate speculum allows the surgeon to see the confluence of the TCL and the DVFF. In addition, as the complete release can be visualized, there is minimal chance of injury.

The 2007 Cochrane review³ found no strong evidence supporting replacing OCTR with endoscopic techniques. Previous investigators have questioned the utility of ECTR given that it is higher in cost and more resource-intensive than OCTR^1,33,34 and is associated with higher rates of certain complications.^5,22,35-37 A 2004 meta-analysis of 13 randomized, controlled trials found a higher rate of reversible nerve damage with an odds ratio of 3.1 for ECTR versus OCTR.³⁵ A more recent (2006) review of more than 80 studies found transient neurapraxias in 1.45% of ECTR cases and 0.25% of OCTR cases.⁵ The same study reported overall complication rates (reversible and major neurovascular structural injuries) of 0.74% for OCTR and 1.63% for ECTR (P < .005). Another limitation of ECTR is that endoscopic techniques require a higher degree of surgical skill, which makes teaching residents and fellows more challenging.

The novel nasal turbinate speculum technique presented here is easily reproducible and allows first-time surgeons to visualize all important structures. Given that this technique does not require an endoscope or an endoscope-viewing tower, it is likely more cost-effective and requires less time for turnover between cases. Patients obtain good relief of their CTS symptoms with this technique, and most return to their daily activities within weeks after operation.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a disorder characterized by entrapment of the median nerve at the wrist, which may lead to symptoms of pain, paresthesia, and, ultimately, thenar muscle atrophy. Surgical intervention is indicated with persistent or progressive symptoms despite nonoperative management. Timely surgical decompression aims to halt progression of this disorder and prevent permanent peripheral nerve injury.

Carpal tunnel release (CTR) is the most common hand and wrist surgery in the United States, with about 400,000 operations performed annually.^1,2 Several methods of decompressing the carpal tunnel have been described.³ These include standard open CTR (OCTR), mini-open approaches, and various endoscopic techniques. OCTR was initially described by Sir James Learmonth in 1933,⁴ and it remains the gold-standard surgical treatment for patients with symptomatic CTS. Uniform excellent results with high patient satisfaction and low complication rates have been reported in several series.^5-9 Common to all techniques is complete proximal-to-distal division of the transverse carpal ligament (TCL). Magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that TCL transection and the resulting diastasis between the radial and ulnar leaflets cause a significant increase in the volume of the carpal tunnel, leading to decreased pressure.^10,11

Endoscopic CTR (ECTR) techniques were developed in an effort to reduce complications, scar sensitivity, and pillar pain and facilitate more rapid return to work.^12-17 Outcome studies have demonstrated that both open and endoscopic releases yield patient-reported subjective improvements over preoperative symptoms.^18-22 A randomized, controlled trial by Trumble and colleagues²³ in 2002 found that ECTR led to improved patient outcomes in the early postoperative period (first 3 months), though differences in outcomes were reduced at final follow-up. More recently (2007), a Cochrane review of 33 trials concluded there was no strong evidence favoring use of alternative techniques over OCTR.³ Further, OCTR has been found to be technically less demanding and associated with decreased complications and costs.²⁴

Indications

The benefit of median nerve decompression at the wrist for CTS is clear.^6,7 Indications for surgery in patients with CTS include persistent symptoms despite nonoperative treatment, objective sensory disturbance or motor weakness, and thenar atrophy. Symptomatic response to corticosteroid injection is predictive of success after carpal tunnel surgery.²⁵ More than 87% of patients who gain symptomatic relief from corticosteroid injection have an excellent surgical outcome.

Technique

OCTR allows direct visualization of the TCL and the distal volar forearm fascia (DVFF) and evaluation for the presence of anomalous branching patterns of the median nerve. OCTR traditionally was performed through a 4- to 5-cm longitudinal incision extending from the wrist crease proximally to the Kaplan cardinal line distally. The mini-open technique is identical with the exception of incision length. We routinely use a 2.5- to 3-cm incision. Regardless of incision length, each OCTR should proceed through the same reproducible steps.

We perform OCTR under tourniquet control. Choice of anesthesia is surgeon and patient preference. We prefer local anesthesia with conscious sedation. After conscious sedation is administered, we infiltrate the carpal tunnel and surrounding subcutaneous tissue with 10 mL of a 50:50 mixture of 0.5% bupivacaine and 1% lidocaine without epinephrine.

A 2.5- to 3-cm longitudinal incision is made along the axis of the radial border of the ring finger from the Kaplan cardinal line²⁶ and extending about 3 cm proximally toward the wrist flexion crease ulnar to the palmaris longus if present (Figure 1).

After the skin is incised longitudinally, the subcutaneous fat is mobilized and cutaneous sensory branches identified and protected. The underlying superficial palmar fascia is incised in line with the skin incision. The underlying midportion of the TCL is now visualized.

Transverse Carpal Ligament Release

Occasionally, the investing fascia along the ulnar edge of the thenar musculature is mobilized radialward (if the thenar musculature is well developed) to visualize the proximal limb of the TCL. Injury to any anomalous motor branch of the median nerve is avoided by directly visualizing and then incising the TCL (Figure 2). The TCL is incised along its ulnar border just radial to the hook of hamate from distal to proximal in line with the radial border of the ring finger. Staying near the ulnar attachment of the TCL keeps the plane of ligament division farther away from the median nerve and its recurrent motor branches. Although the ulnar neurovascular bundle typically resides ulnar to the hook of hamate in the canal of Guyon, the surgeon must be aware that it can be located radial to the hook in some instances.^27,28 In the elderly, the ulnar artery may be tortuous and enter the field and require retraction. The TCL is incised distally until the sentinel fat pad, which marks the superficial palmar arterial arch, is visualized. This bed of adipose tissue marks the distal edge of the TCL.²⁹

Proximally, subcutaneous tissues above the proximal limb of the TCL and DVFF are mobilized to about 2 cm proximal to the wrist flexion crease to create a plane for the fine long nasal turbinate speculum. The nasal turbinate speculum is then inserted into this plane above the proximal limb of the TCL and DVFF (Figure 3). Once inserted to the level of the confluence of the TCL and the DVFF, the speculum is opened.

Topside visualization is now encountered with the ulnar neurovascular bundle protected by the ulnar blade of the speculum. A long-handle scalpel is used to incise the TCL and the DVFF under direct visualization from proximal to distal in line with the previously completed distal release (Figure 4). As the nasal turbinate speculum is stretching the TCL and putting it under tension, the TCL can be heard splitting as it is being incised. Once the TCL and the DVFF are divided, the speculum is slowly closed and removed. Wide diastasis of the radial and ulnar leaflets of the TCL and the DVFF is directly visualized. Complete decompression of the median nerve from the distal forearm fascia to the superficial palmar arch is confirmed.

Adhesions between the undersurface of the radial leaflet and the flexor tendons and median nerve are mobilized. The median nerve is assessed for “hourglass” morphology or atrophy. The flexor tendons can be swept radialward with a free elevator to inspect the floor of the carpal tunnel. Flexor tenosynovectomy is not routinely performed. The incision is closed with interrupted simple sutures using 4-0 nylon.

Study Results

This study was conducted at Hand Surgery PC, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Tufts University School of Medicine. Over a 10-month interval, 101 consecutive mini-OCTRs (63 right hands, 38 left hands) were performed with this proximal release modification in 88 patients (51 females, 37 males) by Dr. Ruchelsman and Dr. Belsky (Table). CTRs performed in the setting of wrist and/or carpal trauma were excluded. Mean age was 62.8 years. Mean follow-up was 11.3 weeks (~3 months). For isolated cases of CTR, mean tourniquet time was 16 minutes. CTS symptoms were relieved in all patients with a high degree of satisfaction as measured with history and examination findings at follow-up visits. There were no major complications (eg, infection, neural or vascular damage, severe residual pain). Four patients reported minor residual numbness in the fingers at latest follow-up but nevertheless had major improvement over preoperative baseline. These 4 patients had preoperative electromyograms or nerve conduction studies documenting the extent of their disease. There was 1 case of minor wound complication. Three weeks after surgery, the patient had a 1-cm wound opening, which closed with local wound care. The patient did not develop any drainage, infection, bleeding, or neurologic symptoms.

Discussion

Open release of the TCL—the gold standard of surgical treatment for CTS—produces reliable symptom relief in the vast majority of patients.^25,30 Given that the most common complication of carpal tunnel surgery is incomplete release of the TCL,^31,32 this technique, which uses a nasal turbinate speculum to better visualize the median nerve, could potentially reduce the reoperation rate. The nasal turbinate speculum allows the surgeon to see the confluence of the TCL and the DVFF. In addition, as the complete release can be visualized, there is minimal chance of injury.

The 2007 Cochrane review³ found no strong evidence supporting replacing OCTR with endoscopic techniques. Previous investigators have questioned the utility of ECTR given that it is higher in cost and more resource-intensive than OCTR^1,33,34 and is associated with higher rates of certain complications.^5,22,35-37 A 2004 meta-analysis of 13 randomized, controlled trials found a higher rate of reversible nerve damage with an odds ratio of 3.1 for ECTR versus OCTR.³⁵ A more recent (2006) review of more than 80 studies found transient neurapraxias in 1.45% of ECTR cases and 0.25% of OCTR cases.⁵ The same study reported overall complication rates (reversible and major neurovascular structural injuries) of 0.74% for OCTR and 1.63% for ECTR (P < .005). Another limitation of ECTR is that endoscopic techniques require a higher degree of surgical skill, which makes teaching residents and fellows more challenging.

The novel nasal turbinate speculum technique presented here is easily reproducible and allows first-time surgeons to visualize all important structures. Given that this technique does not require an endoscope or an endoscope-viewing tower, it is likely more cost-effective and requires less time for turnover between cases. Patients obtain good relief of their CTS symptoms with this technique, and most return to their daily activities within weeks after operation.

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is a disorder characterized by entrapment of the median nerve at the wrist, which may lead to symptoms of pain, paresthesia, and, ultimately, thenar muscle atrophy. Surgical intervention is indicated with persistent or progressive symptoms despite nonoperative management. Timely surgical decompression aims to halt progression of this disorder and prevent permanent peripheral nerve injury.

Carpal tunnel release (CTR) is the most common hand and wrist surgery in the United States, with about 400,000 operations performed annually.^1,2 Several methods of decompressing the carpal tunnel have been described.³ These include standard open CTR (OCTR), mini-open approaches, and various endoscopic techniques. OCTR was initially described by Sir James Learmonth in 1933,⁴ and it remains the gold-standard surgical treatment for patients with symptomatic CTS. Uniform excellent results with high patient satisfaction and low complication rates have been reported in several series.^5-9 Common to all techniques is complete proximal-to-distal division of the transverse carpal ligament (TCL). Magnetic resonance imaging studies have shown that TCL transection and the resulting diastasis between the radial and ulnar leaflets cause a significant increase in the volume of the carpal tunnel, leading to decreased pressure.^10,11

Endoscopic CTR (ECTR) techniques were developed in an effort to reduce complications, scar sensitivity, and pillar pain and facilitate more rapid return to work.^12-17 Outcome studies have demonstrated that both open and endoscopic releases yield patient-reported subjective improvements over preoperative symptoms.^18-22 A randomized, controlled trial by Trumble and colleagues²³ in 2002 found that ECTR led to improved patient outcomes in the early postoperative period (first 3 months), though differences in outcomes were reduced at final follow-up. More recently (2007), a Cochrane review of 33 trials concluded there was no strong evidence favoring use of alternative techniques over OCTR.³ Further, OCTR has been found to be technically less demanding and associated with decreased complications and costs.²⁴

Indications

The benefit of median nerve decompression at the wrist for CTS is clear.^6,7 Indications for surgery in patients with CTS include persistent symptoms despite nonoperative treatment, objective sensory disturbance or motor weakness, and thenar atrophy. Symptomatic response to corticosteroid injection is predictive of success after carpal tunnel surgery.²⁵ More than 87% of patients who gain symptomatic relief from corticosteroid injection have an excellent surgical outcome.

Technique

OCTR allows direct visualization of the TCL and the distal volar forearm fascia (DVFF) and evaluation for the presence of anomalous branching patterns of the median nerve. OCTR traditionally was performed through a 4- to 5-cm longitudinal incision extending from the wrist crease proximally to the Kaplan cardinal line distally. The mini-open technique is identical with the exception of incision length. We routinely use a 2.5- to 3-cm incision. Regardless of incision length, each OCTR should proceed through the same reproducible steps.

We perform OCTR under tourniquet control. Choice of anesthesia is surgeon and patient preference. We prefer local anesthesia with conscious sedation. After conscious sedation is administered, we infiltrate the carpal tunnel and surrounding subcutaneous tissue with 10 mL of a 50:50 mixture of 0.5% bupivacaine and 1% lidocaine without epinephrine.

A 2.5- to 3-cm longitudinal incision is made along the axis of the radial border of the ring finger from the Kaplan cardinal line²⁶ and extending about 3 cm proximally toward the wrist flexion crease ulnar to the palmaris longus if present (Figure 1).

After the skin is incised longitudinally, the subcutaneous fat is mobilized and cutaneous sensory branches identified and protected. The underlying superficial palmar fascia is incised in line with the skin incision. The underlying midportion of the TCL is now visualized.

Transverse Carpal Ligament Release

Occasionally, the investing fascia along the ulnar edge of the thenar musculature is mobilized radialward (if the thenar musculature is well developed) to visualize the proximal limb of the TCL. Injury to any anomalous motor branch of the median nerve is avoided by directly visualizing and then incising the TCL (Figure 2). The TCL is incised along its ulnar border just radial to the hook of hamate from distal to proximal in line with the radial border of the ring finger. Staying near the ulnar attachment of the TCL keeps the plane of ligament division farther away from the median nerve and its recurrent motor branches. Although the ulnar neurovascular bundle typically resides ulnar to the hook of hamate in the canal of Guyon, the surgeon must be aware that it can be located radial to the hook in some instances.^27,28 In the elderly, the ulnar artery may be tortuous and enter the field and require retraction. The TCL is incised distally until the sentinel fat pad, which marks the superficial palmar arterial arch, is visualized. This bed of adipose tissue marks the distal edge of the TCL.²⁹

Proximally, subcutaneous tissues above the proximal limb of the TCL and DVFF are mobilized to about 2 cm proximal to the wrist flexion crease to create a plane for the fine long nasal turbinate speculum. The nasal turbinate speculum is then inserted into this plane above the proximal limb of the TCL and DVFF (Figure 3). Once inserted to the level of the confluence of the TCL and the DVFF, the speculum is opened.

Topside visualization is now encountered with the ulnar neurovascular bundle protected by the ulnar blade of the speculum. A long-handle scalpel is used to incise the TCL and the DVFF under direct visualization from proximal to distal in line with the previously completed distal release (Figure 4). As the nasal turbinate speculum is stretching the TCL and putting it under tension, the TCL can be heard splitting as it is being incised. Once the TCL and the DVFF are divided, the speculum is slowly closed and removed. Wide diastasis of the radial and ulnar leaflets of the TCL and the DVFF is directly visualized. Complete decompression of the median nerve from the distal forearm fascia to the superficial palmar arch is confirmed.

Adhesions between the undersurface of the radial leaflet and the flexor tendons and median nerve are mobilized. The median nerve is assessed for “hourglass” morphology or atrophy. The flexor tendons can be swept radialward with a free elevator to inspect the floor of the carpal tunnel. Flexor tenosynovectomy is not routinely performed. The incision is closed with interrupted simple sutures using 4-0 nylon.

Study Results

This study was conducted at Hand Surgery PC, Newton-Wellesley Hospital, Tufts University School of Medicine. Over a 10-month interval, 101 consecutive mini-OCTRs (63 right hands, 38 left hands) were performed with this proximal release modification in 88 patients (51 females, 37 males) by Dr. Ruchelsman and Dr. Belsky (Table). CTRs performed in the setting of wrist and/or carpal trauma were excluded. Mean age was 62.8 years. Mean follow-up was 11.3 weeks (~3 months). For isolated cases of CTR, mean tourniquet time was 16 minutes. CTS symptoms were relieved in all patients with a high degree of satisfaction as measured with history and examination findings at follow-up visits. There were no major complications (eg, infection, neural or vascular damage, severe residual pain). Four patients reported minor residual numbness in the fingers at latest follow-up but nevertheless had major improvement over preoperative baseline. These 4 patients had preoperative electromyograms or nerve conduction studies documenting the extent of their disease. There was 1 case of minor wound complication. Three weeks after surgery, the patient had a 1-cm wound opening, which closed with local wound care. The patient did not develop any drainage, infection, bleeding, or neurologic symptoms.

Discussion

Open release of the TCL—the gold standard of surgical treatment for CTS—produces reliable symptom relief in the vast majority of patients.^25,30 Given that the most common complication of carpal tunnel surgery is incomplete release of the TCL,^31,32 this technique, which uses a nasal turbinate speculum to better visualize the median nerve, could potentially reduce the reoperation rate. The nasal turbinate speculum allows the surgeon to see the confluence of the TCL and the DVFF. In addition, as the complete release can be visualized, there is minimal chance of injury.

The 2007 Cochrane review³ found no strong evidence supporting replacing OCTR with endoscopic techniques. Previous investigators have questioned the utility of ECTR given that it is higher in cost and more resource-intensive than OCTR^1,33,34 and is associated with higher rates of certain complications.^5,22,35-37 A 2004 meta-analysis of 13 randomized, controlled trials found a higher rate of reversible nerve damage with an odds ratio of 3.1 for ECTR versus OCTR.³⁵ A more recent (2006) review of more than 80 studies found transient neurapraxias in 1.45% of ECTR cases and 0.25% of OCTR cases.⁵ The same study reported overall complication rates (reversible and major neurovascular structural injuries) of 0.74% for OCTR and 1.63% for ECTR (P < .005). Another limitation of ECTR is that endoscopic techniques require a higher degree of surgical skill, which makes teaching residents and fellows more challenging.

The novel nasal turbinate speculum technique presented here is easily reproducible and allows first-time surgeons to visualize all important structures. Given that this technique does not require an endoscope or an endoscope-viewing tower, it is likely more cost-effective and requires less time for turnover between cases. Patients obtain good relief of their CTS symptoms with this technique, and most return to their daily activities within weeks after operation.

Fractures of the spinous process of the lower cervical spine or upper thoracic spine are frequently referred to as clay-shoveler’s fractures. Originally reported by Hall¹ in 1940, these fractures were described in workers in Australia who dug drains in clay soil and threw the clay overhead with long shovels. Occasionally, the mud would not release from the shovel, causing excess force to be transmitted to the supraspinous ligaments and resulting in a forceful avulsion fracture of one or multiple spinous processes. The few reports following the earliest description in the literature frequently describe the mechanism of injury as being athletic in nature.^2-4 The forceful contraction of the paraspinal and trapezius muscles on the supraspinous ligaments and the resultant attachment to the spinous processes make this a not uncommon injury during athletics, especially with a flexed position of the neck and shoulders. The resultant fracture or apophyseal avulsion is painful and often necessitates a visit to the physician, with plain films, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming the diagnosis.⁵

Treatment of these fractures has not been well described, but frequently a period of rest followed by physical therapy will allow a return to activity. We present a series of adolescent athletes who developed nonunion of the fracture of the T1 spinous process with continued symptoms, despite rest and conservative therapy, and who underwent surgical excision of the ununited fragment.

Materials and Methods

We obtained institutional review board permission for this study and searched the surgical database between 2006 and 2013 for patients who had undergone resection of a spinous process nonunion. We collected demographic data on the patients, evaluated the radiographic studies, and reviewed operative reports and follow-up patient data.

Results

Dr. Hedequist operated on 3 patients with a spinous process nonunion over the study time period. The average age of the patients was 14 years; the location of the spinous process fracture was the T1 vertebra in all patients. Two patients sustained the injury while playing hockey and 1 during wrestling. The average duration of symptoms prior to operation was 10 months; all patients had seen physicians without a diagnosis prior to evaluation at out institution. All patients had a trial of physical therapy before surgery, and all had been unable to return to sport after injury secondary to pain.

Examination of all patients revealed pain directly over the fracture site and accentuated by forward flexion of the neck and shoulders. Evaluation of injury plain films revealed a fracture fragment in 2 patients (Figure 1). All 3 patients underwent MRI and CT scans confirming the diagnosis. MRI confirmed areas of increased signal at the tip of the T1 spinous process, with inflammation in the supraspinous ligament directly at that region (Figure 2). The CT scans confirmed the presence of a bony fragment correlating with the tip of the T1 spinous process (Figure 3).

Surgery was performed under general endotracheal anesthesia via a midline incision over the affected area down to the spinous process. The supraspinous ligament was opened revealing an easily identified and definable ununited ossicle, which was removed without taking down the interspinous ligament. All 3 nonunions were noted to be atrophic with no evidence of surrounding inflammatory tissue or bursa. The residual end of the spinous process was smoothed down with a rongeur. Standard closure was performed. There were no surgical complications.

All patients had complete relief of pain at follow-up; 1 patient returned to full sports activity at 6 weeks and the other 2 returned to full sports activity at 3 months. There was no loss of cervical motion or trapezial strength at follow-up. All patients voiced satisfaction with the decision for surgical intervention.

Discussion

Clay-shoveler’s fracture is an injury well known to orthopedists. This fracture is thought to be caused by a forceful contraction of the thoracic paraspinal and trapezial muscles, causing an avulsion fracture with pain and frequently a “pop” experienced by the patient.¹ Usually considered self-limiting injuries, treatment involves a period of rest and activity modification with occasional physical therapy. Return to sports has been reported with occasional pain but with patient satisfaction.^3,5,6

Our series of patients represent a group of adolescent athletes who sustained spinous process fractures of the T1 vertebra and, despite a significant period of rest and activity modification, were unable to return to sports given their pain. The examination of these patients revealed focal tenderness at the tip of the spinous process. The diagnosis is made clinically, with radiographic studies confirming the diagnosis. In our series of patients, MRI was the original modality used to confirm injury to the area, with hyperintensity seen in the area of the supraspinous ligament and tip of the spinous process. CT confirmed the nonunion and presence of an ossicle in all patients. Surgical exposure of that area easily exposed the ununited ossicle, which was removed in all patients.

To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature describing surgical excision of an ununited spinous process fracture in adolescent athletes. The original descriptive case series by Hall¹ states “in the minds of surgeons who have seen many of these cases that early operative removal of the fragments is the proper routine treatment.” Since that original series, we have not found articles in the literature that support surgical removal; however, persistent symptoms after fracture are described.⁵ It is not surprising that these patients developed pain at the site of the fracture given the forces acting in that area. The trapezial and paraspinal muscles acting on that area are forceful and repetitive during activities, especially sports. All our patients had pain with attempts at activity and all had had a significant period of rest. In a recent article, this injury was described in adolescents without the patients having clear relief of symptoms despite a period of inactivity.⁵ While physical therapy is therapeutic in some patients experiencing pain, it can be a source of aggravation due to neck and shoulder motion and muscle contraction. It is not surprising that therapy would not help in most cases, as neck and shoulder motion and muscle contraction are the sources of continuing discomfort.

Clinical practice suggests that most patients with spinous process fractures will become pain-free; however, that is not universal. This series demonstrates that a small subset of patients with this injury will continue to have significant symptoms despite a period of rest. In those patients who desire a pain-free return to sports, we recommend consideration of surgical excision after confirmation of nonunion with radiographic studies. The inherent risks of surgical treatment are minimal with this procedure, and the benefits include return to pain-free sports activity, with the resultant physical and psychosocial benefits for adolescent athletes.

Fractures of the spinous process of the lower cervical spine or upper thoracic spine are frequently referred to as clay-shoveler’s fractures. Originally reported by Hall¹ in 1940, these fractures were described in workers in Australia who dug drains in clay soil and threw the clay overhead with long shovels. Occasionally, the mud would not release from the shovel, causing excess force to be transmitted to the supraspinous ligaments and resulting in a forceful avulsion fracture of one or multiple spinous processes. The few reports following the earliest description in the literature frequently describe the mechanism of injury as being athletic in nature.^2-4 The forceful contraction of the paraspinal and trapezius muscles on the supraspinous ligaments and the resultant attachment to the spinous processes make this a not uncommon injury during athletics, especially with a flexed position of the neck and shoulders. The resultant fracture or apophyseal avulsion is painful and often necessitates a visit to the physician, with plain films, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming the diagnosis.⁵

Treatment of these fractures has not been well described, but frequently a period of rest followed by physical therapy will allow a return to activity. We present a series of adolescent athletes who developed nonunion of the fracture of the T1 spinous process with continued symptoms, despite rest and conservative therapy, and who underwent surgical excision of the ununited fragment.

Materials and Methods

We obtained institutional review board permission for this study and searched the surgical database between 2006 and 2013 for patients who had undergone resection of a spinous process nonunion. We collected demographic data on the patients, evaluated the radiographic studies, and reviewed operative reports and follow-up patient data.

Results

Dr. Hedequist operated on 3 patients with a spinous process nonunion over the study time period. The average age of the patients was 14 years; the location of the spinous process fracture was the T1 vertebra in all patients. Two patients sustained the injury while playing hockey and 1 during wrestling. The average duration of symptoms prior to operation was 10 months; all patients had seen physicians without a diagnosis prior to evaluation at out institution. All patients had a trial of physical therapy before surgery, and all had been unable to return to sport after injury secondary to pain.

Examination of all patients revealed pain directly over the fracture site and accentuated by forward flexion of the neck and shoulders. Evaluation of injury plain films revealed a fracture fragment in 2 patients (Figure 1). All 3 patients underwent MRI and CT scans confirming the diagnosis. MRI confirmed areas of increased signal at the tip of the T1 spinous process, with inflammation in the supraspinous ligament directly at that region (Figure 2). The CT scans confirmed the presence of a bony fragment correlating with the tip of the T1 spinous process (Figure 3).

Surgery was performed under general endotracheal anesthesia via a midline incision over the affected area down to the spinous process. The supraspinous ligament was opened revealing an easily identified and definable ununited ossicle, which was removed without taking down the interspinous ligament. All 3 nonunions were noted to be atrophic with no evidence of surrounding inflammatory tissue or bursa. The residual end of the spinous process was smoothed down with a rongeur. Standard closure was performed. There were no surgical complications.

All patients had complete relief of pain at follow-up; 1 patient returned to full sports activity at 6 weeks and the other 2 returned to full sports activity at 3 months. There was no loss of cervical motion or trapezial strength at follow-up. All patients voiced satisfaction with the decision for surgical intervention.

Discussion

Clay-shoveler’s fracture is an injury well known to orthopedists. This fracture is thought to be caused by a forceful contraction of the thoracic paraspinal and trapezial muscles, causing an avulsion fracture with pain and frequently a “pop” experienced by the patient.¹ Usually considered self-limiting injuries, treatment involves a period of rest and activity modification with occasional physical therapy. Return to sports has been reported with occasional pain but with patient satisfaction.^3,5,6

Our series of patients represent a group of adolescent athletes who sustained spinous process fractures of the T1 vertebra and, despite a significant period of rest and activity modification, were unable to return to sports given their pain. The examination of these patients revealed focal tenderness at the tip of the spinous process. The diagnosis is made clinically, with radiographic studies confirming the diagnosis. In our series of patients, MRI was the original modality used to confirm injury to the area, with hyperintensity seen in the area of the supraspinous ligament and tip of the spinous process. CT confirmed the nonunion and presence of an ossicle in all patients. Surgical exposure of that area easily exposed the ununited ossicle, which was removed in all patients.

To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature describing surgical excision of an ununited spinous process fracture in adolescent athletes. The original descriptive case series by Hall¹ states “in the minds of surgeons who have seen many of these cases that early operative removal of the fragments is the proper routine treatment.” Since that original series, we have not found articles in the literature that support surgical removal; however, persistent symptoms after fracture are described.⁵ It is not surprising that these patients developed pain at the site of the fracture given the forces acting in that area. The trapezial and paraspinal muscles acting on that area are forceful and repetitive during activities, especially sports. All our patients had pain with attempts at activity and all had had a significant period of rest. In a recent article, this injury was described in adolescents without the patients having clear relief of symptoms despite a period of inactivity.⁵ While physical therapy is therapeutic in some patients experiencing pain, it can be a source of aggravation due to neck and shoulder motion and muscle contraction. It is not surprising that therapy would not help in most cases, as neck and shoulder motion and muscle contraction are the sources of continuing discomfort.

Clinical practice suggests that most patients with spinous process fractures will become pain-free; however, that is not universal. This series demonstrates that a small subset of patients with this injury will continue to have significant symptoms despite a period of rest. In those patients who desire a pain-free return to sports, we recommend consideration of surgical excision after confirmation of nonunion with radiographic studies. The inherent risks of surgical treatment are minimal with this procedure, and the benefits include return to pain-free sports activity, with the resultant physical and psychosocial benefits for adolescent athletes.

Fractures of the spinous process of the lower cervical spine or upper thoracic spine are frequently referred to as clay-shoveler’s fractures. Originally reported by Hall¹ in 1940, these fractures were described in workers in Australia who dug drains in clay soil and threw the clay overhead with long shovels. Occasionally, the mud would not release from the shovel, causing excess force to be transmitted to the supraspinous ligaments and resulting in a forceful avulsion fracture of one or multiple spinous processes. The few reports following the earliest description in the literature frequently describe the mechanism of injury as being athletic in nature.^2-4 The forceful contraction of the paraspinal and trapezius muscles on the supraspinous ligaments and the resultant attachment to the spinous processes make this a not uncommon injury during athletics, especially with a flexed position of the neck and shoulders. The resultant fracture or apophyseal avulsion is painful and often necessitates a visit to the physician, with plain films, computed tomography (CT) scans, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) confirming the diagnosis.⁵

Treatment of these fractures has not been well described, but frequently a period of rest followed by physical therapy will allow a return to activity. We present a series of adolescent athletes who developed nonunion of the fracture of the T1 spinous process with continued symptoms, despite rest and conservative therapy, and who underwent surgical excision of the ununited fragment.

Materials and Methods

We obtained institutional review board permission for this study and searched the surgical database between 2006 and 2013 for patients who had undergone resection of a spinous process nonunion. We collected demographic data on the patients, evaluated the radiographic studies, and reviewed operative reports and follow-up patient data.

Results

Dr. Hedequist operated on 3 patients with a spinous process nonunion over the study time period. The average age of the patients was 14 years; the location of the spinous process fracture was the T1 vertebra in all patients. Two patients sustained the injury while playing hockey and 1 during wrestling. The average duration of symptoms prior to operation was 10 months; all patients had seen physicians without a diagnosis prior to evaluation at out institution. All patients had a trial of physical therapy before surgery, and all had been unable to return to sport after injury secondary to pain.

Examination of all patients revealed pain directly over the fracture site and accentuated by forward flexion of the neck and shoulders. Evaluation of injury plain films revealed a fracture fragment in 2 patients (Figure 1). All 3 patients underwent MRI and CT scans confirming the diagnosis. MRI confirmed areas of increased signal at the tip of the T1 spinous process, with inflammation in the supraspinous ligament directly at that region (Figure 2). The CT scans confirmed the presence of a bony fragment correlating with the tip of the T1 spinous process (Figure 3).

Surgery was performed under general endotracheal anesthesia via a midline incision over the affected area down to the spinous process. The supraspinous ligament was opened revealing an easily identified and definable ununited ossicle, which was removed without taking down the interspinous ligament. All 3 nonunions were noted to be atrophic with no evidence of surrounding inflammatory tissue or bursa. The residual end of the spinous process was smoothed down with a rongeur. Standard closure was performed. There were no surgical complications.

All patients had complete relief of pain at follow-up; 1 patient returned to full sports activity at 6 weeks and the other 2 returned to full sports activity at 3 months. There was no loss of cervical motion or trapezial strength at follow-up. All patients voiced satisfaction with the decision for surgical intervention.

Discussion

Clay-shoveler’s fracture is an injury well known to orthopedists. This fracture is thought to be caused by a forceful contraction of the thoracic paraspinal and trapezial muscles, causing an avulsion fracture with pain and frequently a “pop” experienced by the patient.¹ Usually considered self-limiting injuries, treatment involves a period of rest and activity modification with occasional physical therapy. Return to sports has been reported with occasional pain but with patient satisfaction.^3,5,6

Our series of patients represent a group of adolescent athletes who sustained spinous process fractures of the T1 vertebra and, despite a significant period of rest and activity modification, were unable to return to sports given their pain. The examination of these patients revealed focal tenderness at the tip of the spinous process. The diagnosis is made clinically, with radiographic studies confirming the diagnosis. In our series of patients, MRI was the original modality used to confirm injury to the area, with hyperintensity seen in the area of the supraspinous ligament and tip of the spinous process. CT confirmed the nonunion and presence of an ossicle in all patients. Surgical exposure of that area easily exposed the ununited ossicle, which was removed in all patients.

To our knowledge, this is the first report in the literature describing surgical excision of an ununited spinous process fracture in adolescent athletes. The original descriptive case series by Hall¹ states “in the minds of surgeons who have seen many of these cases that early operative removal of the fragments is the proper routine treatment.” Since that original series, we have not found articles in the literature that support surgical removal; however, persistent symptoms after fracture are described.⁵ It is not surprising that these patients developed pain at the site of the fracture given the forces acting in that area. The trapezial and paraspinal muscles acting on that area are forceful and repetitive during activities, especially sports. All our patients had pain with attempts at activity and all had had a significant period of rest. In a recent article, this injury was described in adolescents without the patients having clear relief of symptoms despite a period of inactivity.⁵ While physical therapy is therapeutic in some patients experiencing pain, it can be a source of aggravation due to neck and shoulder motion and muscle contraction. It is not surprising that therapy would not help in most cases, as neck and shoulder motion and muscle contraction are the sources of continuing discomfort.

Clinical practice suggests that most patients with spinous process fractures will become pain-free; however, that is not universal. This series demonstrates that a small subset of patients with this injury will continue to have significant symptoms despite a period of rest. In those patients who desire a pain-free return to sports, we recommend consideration of surgical excision after confirmation of nonunion with radiographic studies. The inherent risks of surgical treatment are minimal with this procedure, and the benefits include return to pain-free sports activity, with the resultant physical and psychosocial benefits for adolescent athletes.

The responsibilities of team physicians have increased dramatically since the early 19th century, when these physicians first appeared on the sidelines during football games.¹ Although the primary role of the team physician is to care for the athlete, other responsibilities include administrative and legal duties, equipment- and environment-related duties, teaching, and communication with parents, coaches, and other physicians.^2-4 These responsibilities differ greatly by the level of the athlete and the team being covered. For example, compared with high school and collegiate sport physicians, physicians caring for professional athletes may have increased interaction with the media.⁵

Despite the increasing demands and responsibilities of team physicians, it is important that they continue to advance the field of sports medicine through teaching and research.^3,6 Team physicians have direct access to athletes at multiple levels of competition, from novice to professional, and therefore have a unique understanding of the injuries that commonly affect these athletes. Efforts to both teach and study the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these injuries have dramatically advanced the field of sports medicine. In fact, several advancements in sports medicine have come from team physicians, including advancements in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,^7,8 shoulder arthroscopy,⁹ and “Tommy John” surgery,¹⁰ to name a few.

Given the important role of team physicians (particularly orthopedic team physicians) in advancing sports medicine, it is important to understand the degree to which team physicians at all levels of sport contribute to teaching and research.

We conducted a study to determine the overall academic involvement of orthopedic team physicians at all levels of sport, including the degree to which these physicians are affiliated with academic medical centers (by level of sport and by professional sport) and the quantity and impact of these physicians’ scientific publications. We hypothesized that orthopedic physician academic involvement would be higher at the professional level of sport than at the collegiate or high school level and that the degree of physician academic involvement would differ between professional sporting leagues.

Materials and Methods

In August 2012, we performed a comprehensive telephone- and Internet-based search to identify a sample of team physicians caring for athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of sport. Data were collected on all team physicians, regardless of medical specialty. We defined a physician as any person listed as having either a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) degree. A physician listed as a team physician at 2 different levels of competition (high school, college, professional) was included in both cohorts. A physician listed as a team physician in 2 different professional sports leagues was included independently for both leagues. All other medical personnel, including athletic trainers, therapists, and nursing staff, were excluded. Data on our sample population were collected as follows:

1. High school. Performing a comprehensive database search through the US Department of Education, we generated a list of all 20,989 US schools that include grades 9 to 12.¹¹ We then used a random number generator (random.org) to randomly select a sample of 120 high schools. These schools were contacted by telephone and asked to identify the team physician(s) for their sports teams. Twenty of these schools reported not having an athletic team, so we randomly generated a list of 20 additional high schools. High schools that had an athletic team but denied having a team physician were included in the analysis.

2. College. We used the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) website (ncaa.org) to generate a list of all colleges affiliated with the NCAA. Of these colleges, 347 were Division I, 316 were Division II, and 443 were Division III. The random.org random number generator was used to generate a list of 40 schools for each division, for a total of 120 schools. An Internet-based search was then performed to identify any and all team physicians caring for athletes at that particular school. In select cases, telephone calls were made to determine all the team physicians involved in the care of athletes at that institution.

3. Professional. Team physician data were collected for 4 of the most popular professional sporting leagues¹²: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL). Each team’s official website was identified through its league website (mlb.com, nba.com, nfl.com, nhl.com), and the roster or directory listing of all team physicians was recorded. In 2 cases, the team’s medical personnel listing could not be retrieved through the Internet, and a telephone call had to be made to identify all team physicians. Team physicians were identified for 122 professional teams: 30 MLB, 30 NBA, 32 NFL, and 30 NHL.

For this study, all physicians were classified as either orthopedic or nonorthopedic. Orthopedic surgeons—the focus of this study—were defined as those who completed residency training in orthopedic surgery. Median number of orthopedic and nonorthopedic surgeons per team was calculated at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels.

After identifying all orthopedic team physicians, we performed additional Internet searches to determine any affiliation between each physician and an applicable academic medical center. Physicians were placed in 1 of 3 different categories based on “level” of academic affiliation. Orthopedists with no identifiable connection to an academic medical center were listed under none. The first 100 search results were studied before this determination was made. Orthopedists with any academic affiliation below the level of full professorship were placed in the category associate/assistant/adjunct professor, which included any physician who was an associate professor, adjunct professor, clinical instructor, or volunteer instructor at an academic medical center. Last, orthopedists listed as full professors were placed in the professor category.

Number of publications written by each orthopedic team physician was then calculated using SciVerse Scopus (scopus.com), a comprehensive abstract and citation database of research literature that offers complete coverage of the Medline and Embase databases.¹³ Scopus offers a Scopus Author Identifier, which assigns each author in Scopus a unique identification number.¹⁴ This number is based on an “algorithm that matches author names based on their affiliation, address, subject area, source title, dates of publication citations, and co-authors.”¹⁴ Authors whose names did not appear in Scopus were assumed to have no publications, and this was reported after cross-referencing with Medline to ensure no documents were missed. This study included all publications: original research articles, reviews, letters, and commentaries. Any level of authorship (first, second, etc) was included. All publications were scanned, and duplicate listings were not included. Median number of publications per orthopedic team physician was calculated at the high school, college, and professional levels.

We also determined the h-index for each orthopedic team physician. The h-index is used to measure the impact of the published work of a scholar: “A scientist has index h if h of his/her papers have at least h citations each, and the other papers have no more than h citations each.”¹⁵ For example, an h-index of 12 means that, out of an author’s total number of publications, 12 have been cited at least 12 times, and all of his or her other publications have been cited fewer than 12 times. All authors in Scopus are automatically assigned h-indexes, and we collected these numbers.¹⁶ Of note, citations for articles published before 1996 are not included in the h-index calculation. Median h-index score per orthopedic team physician was calculated at the high school, college, and professional levels.

Analysis of variance was used to compare continuous data (eg, number of publications per surgeon) across different groups (eg, physicians from respective sports). Chi-square tests were used to detect whole-number differences between groups (eg, difference in number of physicians per team across the various professional sports leagues). Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

Results

We identified 1054 team physicians among the 362 total high schools, colleges, and professional sports teams included in this study. Of the 1054 physicians, 678 (64%) were orthopedic surgeons (Table 1). Seventy-two (60%) of the 120 high schools did not have a team physician, whereas all the colleges and professional teams did. Number of orthopedic surgeons per team was higher at the collegiate level (2.29; range, 0-11) and professional level (2.21; range, 1-9) than at the high school level (1.11; range, 0-24) (Table 1). Median number of nonorthopedic surgeons was highest in professional sports (1.88; range, 0-9) followed by college sports (1.06; range, 0-9) and high school sports (0.16; range, 0-2) (Table 1).

Of the 678 orthopedic team physicians, 298 (44%) were officially affiliated with an academic medical center, either as clinical instructor, associate/adjunct professor, or full professor. Percentage of orthopedists affiliated with an academic medical center was highest in professional sports (173/270, 64%) followed by collegiate sports (98/275, 36%) and high school sports (27/133, 20%) (P < .001, Table 2). Percentage of orthopedists identified as full professors was highest at the professional level (42/270, 16%) followed by the collegiate level (14/275, 5.1%) and the high school level (3/133, 2.3%) (P < .001, Table 2).

We found 12,036 publications written by the 678 orthopedic team physicians included in this study. Median number of publications per orthopedist was significantly higher in professional sports (30.6; range, 0-460) than in collegiate sports (10.7; range, 0-581) and high school sports (6.0; range, 0-220) (P < .001). Number of authors with more than 25 publications was highest at the professional level (82) followed by the collegiate level (27) and the high school level (7) (Table 3). Median number of publications per orthopedist was also higher at the professional level (12) than at the collegiate level (2) and high school level (1). Median h-index was higher among orthopedists in professional sports (7.1; range, 0-50) than at colleges (2.7; range, 0-63) and high schools (1.8; range, 0-32) (P < .001). Median h-index was also significantly higher at the professional level (5) than at the collegiate level (1) and high school level (0).

At the professional level of sports, we identified 499 team physicians (270 orthopedic, 54%; 229 nonorthopedic, 46%). Median number of orthopedic team physicians varied by sport, with MLB (2.8; range, 1-8) and the NFL (2.4; range, 1-4) having relatively more of these physicians than the NHL (2.0; range, 1-6) and the NBA (1.7; range, 1-9) (Table 4). Percentage of orthopedic team physicians affiliated with academic medical centers was highest in MLB (58/83, 69.9%) followed by the NFL (47/76, 61.8%), the NHL (37/60, 61.7%), and the NBA (31/51, 60.8%) (Table 5). Median number of publications by orthopedists also varied by sport, with the highest number in MLB (37.9; range, 0-225) followed by the NBA (32.0; range, 0-227) and the NFL (30.4; range, 0-460), with the lowest number in the NHL (20.7; range, 0-144) (Table 6). Median number of publications was the same (17.5) in MLB and the NFL and lower in the NBA (11) and the NHL (7.5). Median h-index was highest in the NFL (8.2; range, 0-50) and MLB (7.9; range, 0-32) followed by the NBA (6.6; range, 0-35) and the NHL (4.9; range, 0-20) (Table 7) Median h-index was the same (6) in MLB and the NFL and lower (3) in the NBA and the NHL.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first study of academic involvement and the research activities of orthopedic team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels of sport. We found that, on average, there were almost twice as many orthopedists at the collegiate and professional levels than at the high school level—likely because 72 of the 120 high schools randomly selected did not have a team physician, despite having sports teams. We can attribute this to the organizational structure of teams in a high school setting, where it is fairly common that no medically educated health care provider is readily available for the student athletes.⁵ Although the median number of orthopedists was similar at the collegiate and professional levels, the number of nonorthopedic team physicians was higher at the professional level than at the collegiate level. Although most collegiate and professional teams have an internist and an orthopedist on staff, medical staff at the professional level may also include several subspecialists from a variety of medical fields (eg, dental medicine, ophthalmology, neurology).¹⁷

We found that a significantly larger proportion of orthopedists at the professional level (64%) were affiliated with academic medical centers as associate/adjunct professors and full professors compared with orthopedists at the collegiate level (36%) and high school level (20%). The academic relationship with collegiate teams was much lower than expected. Regarding professional sports, however, this finding confirmed our hypothesis, and the explanation is likely multifactorial and historical. Moreover, the median number of publications was higher for orthopedists at the professional level (30.8) than at the collegiate level (10.7) and high school level (6). In the late 1940s and early 1950s, many orthopedic team physicians entered into contracts with major universities.⁴ For many physicians, this contractual relationship increased their prestige, and some orthopedic groups were alleged to have endorsed scholarships at those schools.⁴ Given the high level of publicity and scrutiny surrounding medical decisions at the professional level of sports, it is possible that professional sports teams specifically seek orthopedists who are well respected within academia. Moreover, contracts between universities/academic medical centers and professional teams may mandate that a faculty member from that organization provide the orthopedic/medical care for the team. This may also increase the likelihood of professional teams being paired with academic orthopedic physicians. However, such contractual agreements are made between professional teams and large private medical groups as well.

In addition to measuring quantity of publications, we used the h-index to measure their quality. Following the same pattern as the publication rate, median h-index per orthopedic team physician was significantly higher at the professional level (7.1) than at the collegiate level (2.7) and high school level (1.8). As with publication volume, this is not entirely surprising, as h-index has been shown to correlate with academic rank in other surgical specialties,¹⁸ and there was a higher percentage of academic physicians at the professional level than at the collegiate and high school levels.

At the professional level of sports, 56% of all team physicians were orthopedic surgeons. Orthopedists caring for MLB teams had the highest median number of publications (37.9), followed by the NBA (32.0), the NFL (30.4), and the NHL (20.7). One likely explanation is the higher percentage of MLB physicians affiliated with academic medical centers. Regarding the h-index, MLB and NFL physicians had the highest values (7.9 and 8.2, respectively).

Our study had several limitations. First, we may not have captured data on all the team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels. By following a detailed protocol in identifying surgeons, however, we tried to minimize the impact of any such omissions. In addition, teams may have had many unofficial consultants acting as team physicians, whether orthopedic or nonorthopedic, and, if these physicians were not listed in an official capacity, they may have been omitted from this study. We further realize that a true measure of academic productivity should also include book chapters and books published, research grants awarded, and patents registered. By including only peer-reviewed articles, we omitted these other criteria.

To our knowledge, the data presented here represent the first attempt to quantify the academic involvement and research productivity of orthopedic team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels of sport. These data help us understand how research productivity varies by orthopedic team physicians at different levels of sport and may be useful to those considering a career as a team physician, as they can better evaluate their own productivity in the context of team physicians across different levels of competition.

The responsibilities of team physicians have increased dramatically since the early 19th century, when these physicians first appeared on the sidelines during football games.¹ Although the primary role of the team physician is to care for the athlete, other responsibilities include administrative and legal duties, equipment- and environment-related duties, teaching, and communication with parents, coaches, and other physicians.^2-4 These responsibilities differ greatly by the level of the athlete and the team being covered. For example, compared with high school and collegiate sport physicians, physicians caring for professional athletes may have increased interaction with the media.⁵

Despite the increasing demands and responsibilities of team physicians, it is important that they continue to advance the field of sports medicine through teaching and research.^3,6 Team physicians have direct access to athletes at multiple levels of competition, from novice to professional, and therefore have a unique understanding of the injuries that commonly affect these athletes. Efforts to both teach and study the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these injuries have dramatically advanced the field of sports medicine. In fact, several advancements in sports medicine have come from team physicians, including advancements in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,^7,8 shoulder arthroscopy,⁹ and “Tommy John” surgery,¹⁰ to name a few.

Given the important role of team physicians (particularly orthopedic team physicians) in advancing sports medicine, it is important to understand the degree to which team physicians at all levels of sport contribute to teaching and research.

We conducted a study to determine the overall academic involvement of orthopedic team physicians at all levels of sport, including the degree to which these physicians are affiliated with academic medical centers (by level of sport and by professional sport) and the quantity and impact of these physicians’ scientific publications. We hypothesized that orthopedic physician academic involvement would be higher at the professional level of sport than at the collegiate or high school level and that the degree of physician academic involvement would differ between professional sporting leagues.

Materials and Methods

In August 2012, we performed a comprehensive telephone- and Internet-based search to identify a sample of team physicians caring for athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of sport. Data were collected on all team physicians, regardless of medical specialty. We defined a physician as any person listed as having either a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) degree. A physician listed as a team physician at 2 different levels of competition (high school, college, professional) was included in both cohorts. A physician listed as a team physician in 2 different professional sports leagues was included independently for both leagues. All other medical personnel, including athletic trainers, therapists, and nursing staff, were excluded. Data on our sample population were collected as follows:

1. High school. Performing a comprehensive database search through the US Department of Education, we generated a list of all 20,989 US schools that include grades 9 to 12.¹¹ We then used a random number generator (random.org) to randomly select a sample of 120 high schools. These schools were contacted by telephone and asked to identify the team physician(s) for their sports teams. Twenty of these schools reported not having an athletic team, so we randomly generated a list of 20 additional high schools. High schools that had an athletic team but denied having a team physician were included in the analysis.

2. College. We used the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) website (ncaa.org) to generate a list of all colleges affiliated with the NCAA. Of these colleges, 347 were Division I, 316 were Division II, and 443 were Division III. The random.org random number generator was used to generate a list of 40 schools for each division, for a total of 120 schools. An Internet-based search was then performed to identify any and all team physicians caring for athletes at that particular school. In select cases, telephone calls were made to determine all the team physicians involved in the care of athletes at that institution.

3. Professional. Team physician data were collected for 4 of the most popular professional sporting leagues¹²: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL). Each team’s official website was identified through its league website (mlb.com, nba.com, nfl.com, nhl.com), and the roster or directory listing of all team physicians was recorded. In 2 cases, the team’s medical personnel listing could not be retrieved through the Internet, and a telephone call had to be made to identify all team physicians. Team physicians were identified for 122 professional teams: 30 MLB, 30 NBA, 32 NFL, and 30 NHL.

For this study, all physicians were classified as either orthopedic or nonorthopedic. Orthopedic surgeons—the focus of this study—were defined as those who completed residency training in orthopedic surgery. Median number of orthopedic and nonorthopedic surgeons per team was calculated at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels.

After identifying all orthopedic team physicians, we performed additional Internet searches to determine any affiliation between each physician and an applicable academic medical center. Physicians were placed in 1 of 3 different categories based on “level” of academic affiliation. Orthopedists with no identifiable connection to an academic medical center were listed under none. The first 100 search results were studied before this determination was made. Orthopedists with any academic affiliation below the level of full professorship were placed in the category associate/assistant/adjunct professor, which included any physician who was an associate professor, adjunct professor, clinical instructor, or volunteer instructor at an academic medical center. Last, orthopedists listed as full professors were placed in the professor category.

Number of publications written by each orthopedic team physician was then calculated using SciVerse Scopus (scopus.com), a comprehensive abstract and citation database of research literature that offers complete coverage of the Medline and Embase databases.¹³ Scopus offers a Scopus Author Identifier, which assigns each author in Scopus a unique identification number.¹⁴ This number is based on an “algorithm that matches author names based on their affiliation, address, subject area, source title, dates of publication citations, and co-authors.”¹⁴ Authors whose names did not appear in Scopus were assumed to have no publications, and this was reported after cross-referencing with Medline to ensure no documents were missed. This study included all publications: original research articles, reviews, letters, and commentaries. Any level of authorship (first, second, etc) was included. All publications were scanned, and duplicate listings were not included. Median number of publications per orthopedic team physician was calculated at the high school, college, and professional levels.

We also determined the h-index for each orthopedic team physician. The h-index is used to measure the impact of the published work of a scholar: “A scientist has index h if h of his/her papers have at least h citations each, and the other papers have no more than h citations each.”¹⁵ For example, an h-index of 12 means that, out of an author’s total number of publications, 12 have been cited at least 12 times, and all of his or her other publications have been cited fewer than 12 times. All authors in Scopus are automatically assigned h-indexes, and we collected these numbers.¹⁶ Of note, citations for articles published before 1996 are not included in the h-index calculation. Median h-index score per orthopedic team physician was calculated at the high school, college, and professional levels.

Analysis of variance was used to compare continuous data (eg, number of publications per surgeon) across different groups (eg, physicians from respective sports). Chi-square tests were used to detect whole-number differences between groups (eg, difference in number of physicians per team across the various professional sports leagues). Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

Results

We identified 1054 team physicians among the 362 total high schools, colleges, and professional sports teams included in this study. Of the 1054 physicians, 678 (64%) were orthopedic surgeons (Table 1). Seventy-two (60%) of the 120 high schools did not have a team physician, whereas all the colleges and professional teams did. Number of orthopedic surgeons per team was higher at the collegiate level (2.29; range, 0-11) and professional level (2.21; range, 1-9) than at the high school level (1.11; range, 0-24) (Table 1). Median number of nonorthopedic surgeons was highest in professional sports (1.88; range, 0-9) followed by college sports (1.06; range, 0-9) and high school sports (0.16; range, 0-2) (Table 1).

Of the 678 orthopedic team physicians, 298 (44%) were officially affiliated with an academic medical center, either as clinical instructor, associate/adjunct professor, or full professor. Percentage of orthopedists affiliated with an academic medical center was highest in professional sports (173/270, 64%) followed by collegiate sports (98/275, 36%) and high school sports (27/133, 20%) (P < .001, Table 2). Percentage of orthopedists identified as full professors was highest at the professional level (42/270, 16%) followed by the collegiate level (14/275, 5.1%) and the high school level (3/133, 2.3%) (P < .001, Table 2).

We found 12,036 publications written by the 678 orthopedic team physicians included in this study. Median number of publications per orthopedist was significantly higher in professional sports (30.6; range, 0-460) than in collegiate sports (10.7; range, 0-581) and high school sports (6.0; range, 0-220) (P < .001). Number of authors with more than 25 publications was highest at the professional level (82) followed by the collegiate level (27) and the high school level (7) (Table 3). Median number of publications per orthopedist was also higher at the professional level (12) than at the collegiate level (2) and high school level (1). Median h-index was higher among orthopedists in professional sports (7.1; range, 0-50) than at colleges (2.7; range, 0-63) and high schools (1.8; range, 0-32) (P < .001). Median h-index was also significantly higher at the professional level (5) than at the collegiate level (1) and high school level (0).

At the professional level of sports, we identified 499 team physicians (270 orthopedic, 54%; 229 nonorthopedic, 46%). Median number of orthopedic team physicians varied by sport, with MLB (2.8; range, 1-8) and the NFL (2.4; range, 1-4) having relatively more of these physicians than the NHL (2.0; range, 1-6) and the NBA (1.7; range, 1-9) (Table 4). Percentage of orthopedic team physicians affiliated with academic medical centers was highest in MLB (58/83, 69.9%) followed by the NFL (47/76, 61.8%), the NHL (37/60, 61.7%), and the NBA (31/51, 60.8%) (Table 5). Median number of publications by orthopedists also varied by sport, with the highest number in MLB (37.9; range, 0-225) followed by the NBA (32.0; range, 0-227) and the NFL (30.4; range, 0-460), with the lowest number in the NHL (20.7; range, 0-144) (Table 6). Median number of publications was the same (17.5) in MLB and the NFL and lower in the NBA (11) and the NHL (7.5). Median h-index was highest in the NFL (8.2; range, 0-50) and MLB (7.9; range, 0-32) followed by the NBA (6.6; range, 0-35) and the NHL (4.9; range, 0-20) (Table 7) Median h-index was the same (6) in MLB and the NFL and lower (3) in the NBA and the NHL.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first study of academic involvement and the research activities of orthopedic team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels of sport. We found that, on average, there were almost twice as many orthopedists at the collegiate and professional levels than at the high school level—likely because 72 of the 120 high schools randomly selected did not have a team physician, despite having sports teams. We can attribute this to the organizational structure of teams in a high school setting, where it is fairly common that no medically educated health care provider is readily available for the student athletes.⁵ Although the median number of orthopedists was similar at the collegiate and professional levels, the number of nonorthopedic team physicians was higher at the professional level than at the collegiate level. Although most collegiate and professional teams have an internist and an orthopedist on staff, medical staff at the professional level may also include several subspecialists from a variety of medical fields (eg, dental medicine, ophthalmology, neurology).¹⁷

We found that a significantly larger proportion of orthopedists at the professional level (64%) were affiliated with academic medical centers as associate/adjunct professors and full professors compared with orthopedists at the collegiate level (36%) and high school level (20%). The academic relationship with collegiate teams was much lower than expected. Regarding professional sports, however, this finding confirmed our hypothesis, and the explanation is likely multifactorial and historical. Moreover, the median number of publications was higher for orthopedists at the professional level (30.8) than at the collegiate level (10.7) and high school level (6). In the late 1940s and early 1950s, many orthopedic team physicians entered into contracts with major universities.⁴ For many physicians, this contractual relationship increased their prestige, and some orthopedic groups were alleged to have endorsed scholarships at those schools.⁴ Given the high level of publicity and scrutiny surrounding medical decisions at the professional level of sports, it is possible that professional sports teams specifically seek orthopedists who are well respected within academia. Moreover, contracts between universities/academic medical centers and professional teams may mandate that a faculty member from that organization provide the orthopedic/medical care for the team. This may also increase the likelihood of professional teams being paired with academic orthopedic physicians. However, such contractual agreements are made between professional teams and large private medical groups as well.

In addition to measuring quantity of publications, we used the h-index to measure their quality. Following the same pattern as the publication rate, median h-index per orthopedic team physician was significantly higher at the professional level (7.1) than at the collegiate level (2.7) and high school level (1.8). As with publication volume, this is not entirely surprising, as h-index has been shown to correlate with academic rank in other surgical specialties,¹⁸ and there was a higher percentage of academic physicians at the professional level than at the collegiate and high school levels.

At the professional level of sports, 56% of all team physicians were orthopedic surgeons. Orthopedists caring for MLB teams had the highest median number of publications (37.9), followed by the NBA (32.0), the NFL (30.4), and the NHL (20.7). One likely explanation is the higher percentage of MLB physicians affiliated with academic medical centers. Regarding the h-index, MLB and NFL physicians had the highest values (7.9 and 8.2, respectively).

Our study had several limitations. First, we may not have captured data on all the team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels. By following a detailed protocol in identifying surgeons, however, we tried to minimize the impact of any such omissions. In addition, teams may have had many unofficial consultants acting as team physicians, whether orthopedic or nonorthopedic, and, if these physicians were not listed in an official capacity, they may have been omitted from this study. We further realize that a true measure of academic productivity should also include book chapters and books published, research grants awarded, and patents registered. By including only peer-reviewed articles, we omitted these other criteria.

To our knowledge, the data presented here represent the first attempt to quantify the academic involvement and research productivity of orthopedic team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels of sport. These data help us understand how research productivity varies by orthopedic team physicians at different levels of sport and may be useful to those considering a career as a team physician, as they can better evaluate their own productivity in the context of team physicians across different levels of competition.

The responsibilities of team physicians have increased dramatically since the early 19th century, when these physicians first appeared on the sidelines during football games.¹ Although the primary role of the team physician is to care for the athlete, other responsibilities include administrative and legal duties, equipment- and environment-related duties, teaching, and communication with parents, coaches, and other physicians.^2-4 These responsibilities differ greatly by the level of the athlete and the team being covered. For example, compared with high school and collegiate sport physicians, physicians caring for professional athletes may have increased interaction with the media.⁵

Despite the increasing demands and responsibilities of team physicians, it is important that they continue to advance the field of sports medicine through teaching and research.^3,6 Team physicians have direct access to athletes at multiple levels of competition, from novice to professional, and therefore have a unique understanding of the injuries that commonly affect these athletes. Efforts to both teach and study the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of these injuries have dramatically advanced the field of sports medicine. In fact, several advancements in sports medicine have come from team physicians, including advancements in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction,^7,8 shoulder arthroscopy,⁹ and “Tommy John” surgery,¹⁰ to name a few.

Given the important role of team physicians (particularly orthopedic team physicians) in advancing sports medicine, it is important to understand the degree to which team physicians at all levels of sport contribute to teaching and research.

We conducted a study to determine the overall academic involvement of orthopedic team physicians at all levels of sport, including the degree to which these physicians are affiliated with academic medical centers (by level of sport and by professional sport) and the quantity and impact of these physicians’ scientific publications. We hypothesized that orthopedic physician academic involvement would be higher at the professional level of sport than at the collegiate or high school level and that the degree of physician academic involvement would differ between professional sporting leagues.

Materials and Methods

In August 2012, we performed a comprehensive telephone- and Internet-based search to identify a sample of team physicians caring for athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels of sport. Data were collected on all team physicians, regardless of medical specialty. We defined a physician as any person listed as having either a doctor of medicine (MD) or a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO) degree. A physician listed as a team physician at 2 different levels of competition (high school, college, professional) was included in both cohorts. A physician listed as a team physician in 2 different professional sports leagues was included independently for both leagues. All other medical personnel, including athletic trainers, therapists, and nursing staff, were excluded. Data on our sample population were collected as follows:

1. High school. Performing a comprehensive database search through the US Department of Education, we generated a list of all 20,989 US schools that include grades 9 to 12.¹¹ We then used a random number generator (random.org) to randomly select a sample of 120 high schools. These schools were contacted by telephone and asked to identify the team physician(s) for their sports teams. Twenty of these schools reported not having an athletic team, so we randomly generated a list of 20 additional high schools. High schools that had an athletic team but denied having a team physician were included in the analysis.

2. College. We used the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) website (ncaa.org) to generate a list of all colleges affiliated with the NCAA. Of these colleges, 347 were Division I, 316 were Division II, and 443 were Division III. The random.org random number generator was used to generate a list of 40 schools for each division, for a total of 120 schools. An Internet-based search was then performed to identify any and all team physicians caring for athletes at that particular school. In select cases, telephone calls were made to determine all the team physicians involved in the care of athletes at that institution.

3. Professional. Team physician data were collected for 4 of the most popular professional sporting leagues¹²: Major League Baseball (MLB), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Football League (NFL), and National Hockey League (NHL). Each team’s official website was identified through its league website (mlb.com, nba.com, nfl.com, nhl.com), and the roster or directory listing of all team physicians was recorded. In 2 cases, the team’s medical personnel listing could not be retrieved through the Internet, and a telephone call had to be made to identify all team physicians. Team physicians were identified for 122 professional teams: 30 MLB, 30 NBA, 32 NFL, and 30 NHL.

For this study, all physicians were classified as either orthopedic or nonorthopedic. Orthopedic surgeons—the focus of this study—were defined as those who completed residency training in orthopedic surgery. Median number of orthopedic and nonorthopedic surgeons per team was calculated at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels.

After identifying all orthopedic team physicians, we performed additional Internet searches to determine any affiliation between each physician and an applicable academic medical center. Physicians were placed in 1 of 3 different categories based on “level” of academic affiliation. Orthopedists with no identifiable connection to an academic medical center were listed under none. The first 100 search results were studied before this determination was made. Orthopedists with any academic affiliation below the level of full professorship were placed in the category associate/assistant/adjunct professor, which included any physician who was an associate professor, adjunct professor, clinical instructor, or volunteer instructor at an academic medical center. Last, orthopedists listed as full professors were placed in the professor category.

Number of publications written by each orthopedic team physician was then calculated using SciVerse Scopus (scopus.com), a comprehensive abstract and citation database of research literature that offers complete coverage of the Medline and Embase databases.¹³ Scopus offers a Scopus Author Identifier, which assigns each author in Scopus a unique identification number.¹⁴ This number is based on an “algorithm that matches author names based on their affiliation, address, subject area, source title, dates of publication citations, and co-authors.”¹⁴ Authors whose names did not appear in Scopus were assumed to have no publications, and this was reported after cross-referencing with Medline to ensure no documents were missed. This study included all publications: original research articles, reviews, letters, and commentaries. Any level of authorship (first, second, etc) was included. All publications were scanned, and duplicate listings were not included. Median number of publications per orthopedic team physician was calculated at the high school, college, and professional levels.

We also determined the h-index for each orthopedic team physician. The h-index is used to measure the impact of the published work of a scholar: “A scientist has index h if h of his/her papers have at least h citations each, and the other papers have no more than h citations each.”¹⁵ For example, an h-index of 12 means that, out of an author’s total number of publications, 12 have been cited at least 12 times, and all of his or her other publications have been cited fewer than 12 times. All authors in Scopus are automatically assigned h-indexes, and we collected these numbers.¹⁶ Of note, citations for articles published before 1996 are not included in the h-index calculation. Median h-index score per orthopedic team physician was calculated at the high school, college, and professional levels.

Analysis of variance was used to compare continuous data (eg, number of publications per surgeon) across different groups (eg, physicians from respective sports). Chi-square tests were used to detect whole-number differences between groups (eg, difference in number of physicians per team across the various professional sports leagues). Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

Results

We identified 1054 team physicians among the 362 total high schools, colleges, and professional sports teams included in this study. Of the 1054 physicians, 678 (64%) were orthopedic surgeons (Table 1). Seventy-two (60%) of the 120 high schools did not have a team physician, whereas all the colleges and professional teams did. Number of orthopedic surgeons per team was higher at the collegiate level (2.29; range, 0-11) and professional level (2.21; range, 1-9) than at the high school level (1.11; range, 0-24) (Table 1). Median number of nonorthopedic surgeons was highest in professional sports (1.88; range, 0-9) followed by college sports (1.06; range, 0-9) and high school sports (0.16; range, 0-2) (Table 1).

Of the 678 orthopedic team physicians, 298 (44%) were officially affiliated with an academic medical center, either as clinical instructor, associate/adjunct professor, or full professor. Percentage of orthopedists affiliated with an academic medical center was highest in professional sports (173/270, 64%) followed by collegiate sports (98/275, 36%) and high school sports (27/133, 20%) (P < .001, Table 2). Percentage of orthopedists identified as full professors was highest at the professional level (42/270, 16%) followed by the collegiate level (14/275, 5.1%) and the high school level (3/133, 2.3%) (P < .001, Table 2).

We found 12,036 publications written by the 678 orthopedic team physicians included in this study. Median number of publications per orthopedist was significantly higher in professional sports (30.6; range, 0-460) than in collegiate sports (10.7; range, 0-581) and high school sports (6.0; range, 0-220) (P < .001). Number of authors with more than 25 publications was highest at the professional level (82) followed by the collegiate level (27) and the high school level (7) (Table 3). Median number of publications per orthopedist was also higher at the professional level (12) than at the collegiate level (2) and high school level (1). Median h-index was higher among orthopedists in professional sports (7.1; range, 0-50) than at colleges (2.7; range, 0-63) and high schools (1.8; range, 0-32) (P < .001). Median h-index was also significantly higher at the professional level (5) than at the collegiate level (1) and high school level (0).

At the professional level of sports, we identified 499 team physicians (270 orthopedic, 54%; 229 nonorthopedic, 46%). Median number of orthopedic team physicians varied by sport, with MLB (2.8; range, 1-8) and the NFL (2.4; range, 1-4) having relatively more of these physicians than the NHL (2.0; range, 1-6) and the NBA (1.7; range, 1-9) (Table 4). Percentage of orthopedic team physicians affiliated with academic medical centers was highest in MLB (58/83, 69.9%) followed by the NFL (47/76, 61.8%), the NHL (37/60, 61.7%), and the NBA (31/51, 60.8%) (Table 5). Median number of publications by orthopedists also varied by sport, with the highest number in MLB (37.9; range, 0-225) followed by the NBA (32.0; range, 0-227) and the NFL (30.4; range, 0-460), with the lowest number in the NHL (20.7; range, 0-144) (Table 6). Median number of publications was the same (17.5) in MLB and the NFL and lower in the NBA (11) and the NHL (7.5). Median h-index was highest in the NFL (8.2; range, 0-50) and MLB (7.9; range, 0-32) followed by the NBA (6.6; range, 0-35) and the NHL (4.9; range, 0-20) (Table 7) Median h-index was the same (6) in MLB and the NFL and lower (3) in the NBA and the NHL.

Discussion

To our knowledge, this is the first study of academic involvement and the research activities of orthopedic team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels of sport. We found that, on average, there were almost twice as many orthopedists at the collegiate and professional levels than at the high school level—likely because 72 of the 120 high schools randomly selected did not have a team physician, despite having sports teams. We can attribute this to the organizational structure of teams in a high school setting, where it is fairly common that no medically educated health care provider is readily available for the student athletes.⁵ Although the median number of orthopedists was similar at the collegiate and professional levels, the number of nonorthopedic team physicians was higher at the professional level than at the collegiate level. Although most collegiate and professional teams have an internist and an orthopedist on staff, medical staff at the professional level may also include several subspecialists from a variety of medical fields (eg, dental medicine, ophthalmology, neurology).¹⁷

We found that a significantly larger proportion of orthopedists at the professional level (64%) were affiliated with academic medical centers as associate/adjunct professors and full professors compared with orthopedists at the collegiate level (36%) and high school level (20%). The academic relationship with collegiate teams was much lower than expected. Regarding professional sports, however, this finding confirmed our hypothesis, and the explanation is likely multifactorial and historical. Moreover, the median number of publications was higher for orthopedists at the professional level (30.8) than at the collegiate level (10.7) and high school level (6). In the late 1940s and early 1950s, many orthopedic team physicians entered into contracts with major universities.⁴ For many physicians, this contractual relationship increased their prestige, and some orthopedic groups were alleged to have endorsed scholarships at those schools.⁴ Given the high level of publicity and scrutiny surrounding medical decisions at the professional level of sports, it is possible that professional sports teams specifically seek orthopedists who are well respected within academia. Moreover, contracts between universities/academic medical centers and professional teams may mandate that a faculty member from that organization provide the orthopedic/medical care for the team. This may also increase the likelihood of professional teams being paired with academic orthopedic physicians. However, such contractual agreements are made between professional teams and large private medical groups as well.

In addition to measuring quantity of publications, we used the h-index to measure their quality. Following the same pattern as the publication rate, median h-index per orthopedic team physician was significantly higher at the professional level (7.1) than at the collegiate level (2.7) and high school level (1.8). As with publication volume, this is not entirely surprising, as h-index has been shown to correlate with academic rank in other surgical specialties,¹⁸ and there was a higher percentage of academic physicians at the professional level than at the collegiate and high school levels.

At the professional level of sports, 56% of all team physicians were orthopedic surgeons. Orthopedists caring for MLB teams had the highest median number of publications (37.9), followed by the NBA (32.0), the NFL (30.4), and the NHL (20.7). One likely explanation is the higher percentage of MLB physicians affiliated with academic medical centers. Regarding the h-index, MLB and NFL physicians had the highest values (7.9 and 8.2, respectively).

Our study had several limitations. First, we may not have captured data on all the team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels. By following a detailed protocol in identifying surgeons, however, we tried to minimize the impact of any such omissions. In addition, teams may have had many unofficial consultants acting as team physicians, whether orthopedic or nonorthopedic, and, if these physicians were not listed in an official capacity, they may have been omitted from this study. We further realize that a true measure of academic productivity should also include book chapters and books published, research grants awarded, and patents registered. By including only peer-reviewed articles, we omitted these other criteria.

To our knowledge, the data presented here represent the first attempt to quantify the academic involvement and research productivity of orthopedic team physicians at the high school, college, and professional levels of sport. These data help us understand how research productivity varies by orthopedic team physicians at different levels of sport and may be useful to those considering a career as a team physician, as they can better evaluate their own productivity in the context of team physicians across different levels of competition.

As defined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) in 1996, conflict of interest (COI) is the “circumstance that exists when, because of personal financial gain, an individual has the potential to be less than objective when called on to reach a judgment or interpret a result.”¹ In medical research, COIs often occur in relationships between physician-researchers and pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies. These relationships usually take the form of research grants but can also arise when the researcher has a financial interest in the product being tested or in the company that manufactures the product.

 Although constructive collaboration between academic medicine and industry has worked to improve health care and ultimately benefit patients, potential drawbacks of such relationships include sequestration and suppression of results that may be disadvantageous to the industry sponsor,² increased likelihood of reporting positive results (pro-industry),^3-7 and biased study designs.⁸ The nature of such relationships may threaten the integrity of scientific studies, the objectivity of medical education, the quality of patient care, and the public’s trust in medicine.⁹

Financial relationships and affiliations are increasing as we seek to answer a growing number of clinical questions—with funding often being a limiting factor. At national scientific meetings, the number of presentations reporting COIs reflects this trend. Paper and poster presentations accepted for annual meetings of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) and reporting a COI increased from 7.6% in 1993 to 12.6% in 2002 (P = .0129).²

Medical subspecialties outside of orthopedics are experiencing similar trends. Most notable is the American Psychiatric Association (APA). After the APA published a mandatory financial COI disclosure policy in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the percentage of task force members reporting industry relationships increased by 12%.¹⁰ Analysis of the DSM-5 panels demonstrated that the panels with the largest percentage of reported COIs are those for which pharmacological treatment is the first-line intervention, including the panels for mood disorders (67%), psychotic disorders (83%) and sleep/wake disorders (100%).¹⁰ Moreover, the industry ties reported are to the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the medications used to treat these disorders or to companies that service the pharmaceutical industry.¹⁰

The degree to which financial COIs affect the interpretation of the orthopedic literature has never been quantified. Although it is clear that COIs can confound the results and reporting of data, how the medical community uses disclosures when interpreting the literature and when formulating opinions that may or may not affect their practice patterns is largely unknown.

We conducted a study to evaluate how a hypothetical financial COI disclosure would influence the interpretation of data by orthopedic clinicians. We also wanted to determine the reliability of the data as perceived in association with different study designs, levels of evidence, research institutional settings, and reporting of positive or negative results.

Methods

We asked members of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) to complete a multiple-choice situational questionnaire (Table). The questionnaire assesses the degree to which respondents use COI disclosures when interpreting the literature. It further explores the perceived clinical value of a study with a given reported COI, assuming variations in study design, research institutional setting, and significance of results. The fictional research team disclosed the project was funded by a pharmaceutical company and all team members received consulting compensation. The survey and study were reviewed and approved by our institutional review board. The survey consisted of 14 multiple-choice questions that allowed for only 1 answer selection per person and allowed survey takers to skip questions they did not wish to answer. The survey questions and associated response options appear in edited form in the Table. A link to the questionnaire (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MPCCLCX) was sent with a message explaining the study. The responses to the questionnaire constituted the data.

Results

We sent a request to participate in the survey to 750 physicians and received 522 responses (overall response rate, 70%). The response rate for each question equaled or exceeded 98%.

The majority of respondents (95.6%) were male. Ninety-nine percent of respondents were orthopedic surgeons. The Northeast (US) was the most common geographical practice location of respondents (32%), followed by the Midwest (19.1%) and the Southeast (16.6%). Most respondents (40%) had been in practice for more than 20 years; 67% had been in practice a minimum of 10 years. The majority (68.8%) were employed by private practice groups, either single specialty (57.8%) or multispecialty (11%).

Eighty percent of respondents strongly agreed that COI disclosure is important when interpreting study results, 62% reported always reading the disclosure slide during academy or other meeting presentations, and 41% reported always using this information when deciding how to interpret scientific data.

Seventy-five percent of respondents thought the study—an academic-center case series with significant results in favor of the pharmaceutical company funding the study—was biased (42% indicated biased with merit, 33% biased without merit). Twenty-three percent thought the study was possibly biased, but likely trustworthy given the academic institutional affiliation. When the study setting was changed to community hospital, 95% thought the study was biased (51% biased with merit, 44% biased without merit). With the same study performed at an academic center, and no statistically significant results (not in favor of the pharmaceutical company funding the study), 88% thought the study had merit (46% biased with merit, 42% unbiased with merit).

When the study design was changed to a randomized controlled trial (level I evidence) conducted at an academic center with negative results, an overwhelming 95% of respondents thought the study had merit (33% biased with merit, 62% unbiased with merit). Given the same study design at an academic center, with positive results, 78% still thought the study had merit (39% biased with merit, 39% unbiased with merit). An additional 18% thought the study was biased, but still likely trustworthy given the academic institutional affiliation. Finally, given a randomized controlled trial and positive results, but with the research setting a small community practice, 90% thought the study had merit (51% biased with merit, 39% unbiased with merit). The percentage of respondents who found the study biased and likely without merit increased from 3.7% to 9.5% when the institutional affiliation changed from academic to community.

Discussion

As governmental funding sources become increasingly limited, the role of industry sponsorship of orthopedic research has grown. Potential drawbacks and biases of such research support have been well described—most notably, increased positive result reporting, suppression of results that may be disadvantageous to the industry sponsor, and biased study designs.^2-8 However, the extent to which financial COIs affect the orthopedic medical community’s interpretation of the literature has never been quantified. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to quantify the impact of reported COI on study interpretation.

Our goal was to examine how reported financial COIs influence the interpretation of the literature by the orthopedic medical community. Moreover, we wanted to determine the perceived reliability of the data when variables (study design, institutional affiliation, positive vs negative results) were changed. The results of our survey indicate that, when a financial COI is reported, study reliability is perceived as highest when negative results were found.

Our survey noted a discrepancy between the documented importance of the hypothetical research team’s COI disclosure and the use of such disclosures when interpreting study results. Eighty percent of respondents agreed that COI disclosure is important when interpreting study results, but only 62% reported always reading disclosures, and even fewer (41%) reported always using the information when interpreting results. It is unclear exactly why this trend exists, as one would expect the percentages to be more similar. These particular survey questions were formed around using COI disclosures when interpreting study results during academic presentations at national meetings and not during the review of published literature. It is possible that positioning the COI disclosure at the beginning of a presentation has an effect, but only 3.7% of respondents indicated they seldom remembered the disclosure by the end of the presentation. The results of our survey may have varied if the questions had targeted reading and interpreting the literature.

Interestingly, the results of these survey questions tended to be more consistent with rates of reported financial COI by presenters at national orthopedic meetings. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that less than 80% of orthopedic surgeons reported their disclosures at a large annual meeting (AAOS), even when the disclosure involved payments pertinent to the research they were presenting.⁵ When the payments were indirectly related to the research, the percentage of surgeons reporting disclosures was 50%, almost the same as the disclosure rate for unrelated payments.⁵

When the study was changed to a level I randomized controlled trial, more survey respondents found it to be less biased and have more merit. Although it would seem intuitive for a study with a higher level of evidence to carry more clinical value during interpretation, this may not hold true in the setting of industry-sponsored clinical trials. Several studies have documented a significant association between the reporting of positive results and industry-sponsored randomized clinical trials. In 2008, Khan and colleagues³ examined 100 orthopedic randomized clinical trials reported in 5 major orthopedic subspecialty journals over a 2-year period. The association between industry funding and favorable outcome in all original randomized clinical trials was strong and significant (P < .001). This is not surprising, given the amount of time and money required for a well-designed clinical study. Commercial products with preclinical promise are pushed to testing in a clinical trial, whereas resources would not be wasted on products lacking preclinical merit.

The most important variable affecting interpretation of study merit by survey respondents was the reporting of negative results. As more researchers are developing COIs, many studies are discovering a relationship between COIs and outcomes of research studies. Reviewing the adult total joint literature, Ezzet⁸ found an industry funding rate of 50%. Positive results were reported in 93% of cases in commercially funded studies versus 37% of cases in independently funded studies. Furthermore, no negative results were reported by investigators who were receiving royalties from the respective companies.

Studies across the medical literature have also found this association between industry sponsorship and reporting of positive results. One such study, reported by Valachis and colleagues⁷ in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, examined more than 80 economic analyses of targeted oncologic therapies and found the studies funded by pharmaceutical companies were more likely to report favorable qualitative cost estimates. In addition, when studies with a COI disclosure were examined, those reporting any financial relationship with a manufacturer (eg, author affiliation, funding) were more likely than those without such a relationship to report favorable results.

Our study had several limitations. First, as most of the survey respondents were orthopedic surgeons, extrapolating their data to the medical community at large may not be appropriate, as each specialty may view industry affiliations differently. In addition, respondents were asked to base their interpretations of a study on conclusions we predetermined—no direct visualization of the data set or statistical testing methods. It is possible that these responses may have been different had the respondents had the opportunity to further evaluate the study in question. In a recent study, Altwairgi and colleagues¹¹ found that 10% of randomized clinical trials involving lung cancer treatment were reported with different conclusions in their full manuscripts relative to their abstracts. We think our survey design perhaps best mimics an annual meeting environment in which participants have very limited ability to interpret studies and may rely more heavily on the factors we investigated—study design, significance of findings, and setting, all similar to information presented in an abstract—when making informed decisions. Although our response rate was only 70%, this is comparable to or better than the rates in similar survey studies that used email-based questionnaires.^12,13

Another limitation was that our survey may have forced respondents into answers they did not entirely agree with, given the limited options of the multiple-choice response format and the specific wording of the questions. Our conclusions may have been more dramatic when we were evaluating whether the study was deemed meritorious or not. However, there is no adopted standard for evaluating the extent of bias perceived by a clinician. We thought it was important to include answer options indicating a study had merit despite obvious bias in design and execution. That a study had merit can mean different things. It may change clinical practice, may require further study and reproducibility, or may not be significant enough to matter. Asking follow-up questions to evaluate this perception among the respondents could have provided validity to the term merit. Further studies in this field are needed to determine how studies are interpreted and translated into clinical practice by various clinicians.

Conclusion

Although the present study is not a quantitative analysis of the determination of bias in the orthopedic community, it is the first to evaluate orthopedic surgeons’ perceptions on the basis of key fundamentals of orthopedic research relative to COI. It is clear from our study results that introducing levels of evidence to the orthopedic milieu has had a significant impact both on the quality of research and on the foundational use of deductive reasoning when interpreting the literature. Reporting negative outcomes is perhaps the most important factor in eliminating the perception of bias among orthopedic surgeons. To what extent a perceived COI plays into medical decision-making and the ultimate treatment of patients is still relatively unknown.

As defined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) in 1996, conflict of interest (COI) is the “circumstance that exists when, because of personal financial gain, an individual has the potential to be less than objective when called on to reach a judgment or interpret a result.”¹ In medical research, COIs often occur in relationships between physician-researchers and pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies. These relationships usually take the form of research grants but can also arise when the researcher has a financial interest in the product being tested or in the company that manufactures the product.

 Although constructive collaboration between academic medicine and industry has worked to improve health care and ultimately benefit patients, potential drawbacks of such relationships include sequestration and suppression of results that may be disadvantageous to the industry sponsor,² increased likelihood of reporting positive results (pro-industry),^3-7 and biased study designs.⁸ The nature of such relationships may threaten the integrity of scientific studies, the objectivity of medical education, the quality of patient care, and the public’s trust in medicine.⁹

Financial relationships and affiliations are increasing as we seek to answer a growing number of clinical questions—with funding often being a limiting factor. At national scientific meetings, the number of presentations reporting COIs reflects this trend. Paper and poster presentations accepted for annual meetings of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) and reporting a COI increased from 7.6% in 1993 to 12.6% in 2002 (P = .0129).²

Medical subspecialties outside of orthopedics are experiencing similar trends. Most notable is the American Psychiatric Association (APA). After the APA published a mandatory financial COI disclosure policy in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the percentage of task force members reporting industry relationships increased by 12%.¹⁰ Analysis of the DSM-5 panels demonstrated that the panels with the largest percentage of reported COIs are those for which pharmacological treatment is the first-line intervention, including the panels for mood disorders (67%), psychotic disorders (83%) and sleep/wake disorders (100%).¹⁰ Moreover, the industry ties reported are to the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the medications used to treat these disorders or to companies that service the pharmaceutical industry.¹⁰

The degree to which financial COIs affect the interpretation of the orthopedic literature has never been quantified. Although it is clear that COIs can confound the results and reporting of data, how the medical community uses disclosures when interpreting the literature and when formulating opinions that may or may not affect their practice patterns is largely unknown.

We conducted a study to evaluate how a hypothetical financial COI disclosure would influence the interpretation of data by orthopedic clinicians. We also wanted to determine the reliability of the data as perceived in association with different study designs, levels of evidence, research institutional settings, and reporting of positive or negative results.

Methods

We asked members of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) to complete a multiple-choice situational questionnaire (Table). The questionnaire assesses the degree to which respondents use COI disclosures when interpreting the literature. It further explores the perceived clinical value of a study with a given reported COI, assuming variations in study design, research institutional setting, and significance of results. The fictional research team disclosed the project was funded by a pharmaceutical company and all team members received consulting compensation. The survey and study were reviewed and approved by our institutional review board. The survey consisted of 14 multiple-choice questions that allowed for only 1 answer selection per person and allowed survey takers to skip questions they did not wish to answer. The survey questions and associated response options appear in edited form in the Table. A link to the questionnaire (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MPCCLCX) was sent with a message explaining the study. The responses to the questionnaire constituted the data.

Results

We sent a request to participate in the survey to 750 physicians and received 522 responses (overall response rate, 70%). The response rate for each question equaled or exceeded 98%.

The majority of respondents (95.6%) were male. Ninety-nine percent of respondents were orthopedic surgeons. The Northeast (US) was the most common geographical practice location of respondents (32%), followed by the Midwest (19.1%) and the Southeast (16.6%). Most respondents (40%) had been in practice for more than 20 years; 67% had been in practice a minimum of 10 years. The majority (68.8%) were employed by private practice groups, either single specialty (57.8%) or multispecialty (11%).

Eighty percent of respondents strongly agreed that COI disclosure is important when interpreting study results, 62% reported always reading the disclosure slide during academy or other meeting presentations, and 41% reported always using this information when deciding how to interpret scientific data.

Seventy-five percent of respondents thought the study—an academic-center case series with significant results in favor of the pharmaceutical company funding the study—was biased (42% indicated biased with merit, 33% biased without merit). Twenty-three percent thought the study was possibly biased, but likely trustworthy given the academic institutional affiliation. When the study setting was changed to community hospital, 95% thought the study was biased (51% biased with merit, 44% biased without merit). With the same study performed at an academic center, and no statistically significant results (not in favor of the pharmaceutical company funding the study), 88% thought the study had merit (46% biased with merit, 42% unbiased with merit).

When the study design was changed to a randomized controlled trial (level I evidence) conducted at an academic center with negative results, an overwhelming 95% of respondents thought the study had merit (33% biased with merit, 62% unbiased with merit). Given the same study design at an academic center, with positive results, 78% still thought the study had merit (39% biased with merit, 39% unbiased with merit). An additional 18% thought the study was biased, but still likely trustworthy given the academic institutional affiliation. Finally, given a randomized controlled trial and positive results, but with the research setting a small community practice, 90% thought the study had merit (51% biased with merit, 39% unbiased with merit). The percentage of respondents who found the study biased and likely without merit increased from 3.7% to 9.5% when the institutional affiliation changed from academic to community.

Discussion

As governmental funding sources become increasingly limited, the role of industry sponsorship of orthopedic research has grown. Potential drawbacks and biases of such research support have been well described—most notably, increased positive result reporting, suppression of results that may be disadvantageous to the industry sponsor, and biased study designs.^2-8 However, the extent to which financial COIs affect the orthopedic medical community’s interpretation of the literature has never been quantified. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to quantify the impact of reported COI on study interpretation.

Our goal was to examine how reported financial COIs influence the interpretation of the literature by the orthopedic medical community. Moreover, we wanted to determine the perceived reliability of the data when variables (study design, institutional affiliation, positive vs negative results) were changed. The results of our survey indicate that, when a financial COI is reported, study reliability is perceived as highest when negative results were found.

Our survey noted a discrepancy between the documented importance of the hypothetical research team’s COI disclosure and the use of such disclosures when interpreting study results. Eighty percent of respondents agreed that COI disclosure is important when interpreting study results, but only 62% reported always reading disclosures, and even fewer (41%) reported always using the information when interpreting results. It is unclear exactly why this trend exists, as one would expect the percentages to be more similar. These particular survey questions were formed around using COI disclosures when interpreting study results during academic presentations at national meetings and not during the review of published literature. It is possible that positioning the COI disclosure at the beginning of a presentation has an effect, but only 3.7% of respondents indicated they seldom remembered the disclosure by the end of the presentation. The results of our survey may have varied if the questions had targeted reading and interpreting the literature.

Interestingly, the results of these survey questions tended to be more consistent with rates of reported financial COI by presenters at national orthopedic meetings. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that less than 80% of orthopedic surgeons reported their disclosures at a large annual meeting (AAOS), even when the disclosure involved payments pertinent to the research they were presenting.⁵ When the payments were indirectly related to the research, the percentage of surgeons reporting disclosures was 50%, almost the same as the disclosure rate for unrelated payments.⁵

When the study was changed to a level I randomized controlled trial, more survey respondents found it to be less biased and have more merit. Although it would seem intuitive for a study with a higher level of evidence to carry more clinical value during interpretation, this may not hold true in the setting of industry-sponsored clinical trials. Several studies have documented a significant association between the reporting of positive results and industry-sponsored randomized clinical trials. In 2008, Khan and colleagues³ examined 100 orthopedic randomized clinical trials reported in 5 major orthopedic subspecialty journals over a 2-year period. The association between industry funding and favorable outcome in all original randomized clinical trials was strong and significant (P < .001). This is not surprising, given the amount of time and money required for a well-designed clinical study. Commercial products with preclinical promise are pushed to testing in a clinical trial, whereas resources would not be wasted on products lacking preclinical merit.

The most important variable affecting interpretation of study merit by survey respondents was the reporting of negative results. As more researchers are developing COIs, many studies are discovering a relationship between COIs and outcomes of research studies. Reviewing the adult total joint literature, Ezzet⁸ found an industry funding rate of 50%. Positive results were reported in 93% of cases in commercially funded studies versus 37% of cases in independently funded studies. Furthermore, no negative results were reported by investigators who were receiving royalties from the respective companies.

Studies across the medical literature have also found this association between industry sponsorship and reporting of positive results. One such study, reported by Valachis and colleagues⁷ in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, examined more than 80 economic analyses of targeted oncologic therapies and found the studies funded by pharmaceutical companies were more likely to report favorable qualitative cost estimates. In addition, when studies with a COI disclosure were examined, those reporting any financial relationship with a manufacturer (eg, author affiliation, funding) were more likely than those without such a relationship to report favorable results.

Our study had several limitations. First, as most of the survey respondents were orthopedic surgeons, extrapolating their data to the medical community at large may not be appropriate, as each specialty may view industry affiliations differently. In addition, respondents were asked to base their interpretations of a study on conclusions we predetermined—no direct visualization of the data set or statistical testing methods. It is possible that these responses may have been different had the respondents had the opportunity to further evaluate the study in question. In a recent study, Altwairgi and colleagues¹¹ found that 10% of randomized clinical trials involving lung cancer treatment were reported with different conclusions in their full manuscripts relative to their abstracts. We think our survey design perhaps best mimics an annual meeting environment in which participants have very limited ability to interpret studies and may rely more heavily on the factors we investigated—study design, significance of findings, and setting, all similar to information presented in an abstract—when making informed decisions. Although our response rate was only 70%, this is comparable to or better than the rates in similar survey studies that used email-based questionnaires.^12,13

Another limitation was that our survey may have forced respondents into answers they did not entirely agree with, given the limited options of the multiple-choice response format and the specific wording of the questions. Our conclusions may have been more dramatic when we were evaluating whether the study was deemed meritorious or not. However, there is no adopted standard for evaluating the extent of bias perceived by a clinician. We thought it was important to include answer options indicating a study had merit despite obvious bias in design and execution. That a study had merit can mean different things. It may change clinical practice, may require further study and reproducibility, or may not be significant enough to matter. Asking follow-up questions to evaluate this perception among the respondents could have provided validity to the term merit. Further studies in this field are needed to determine how studies are interpreted and translated into clinical practice by various clinicians.

Conclusion

Although the present study is not a quantitative analysis of the determination of bias in the orthopedic community, it is the first to evaluate orthopedic surgeons’ perceptions on the basis of key fundamentals of orthopedic research relative to COI. It is clear from our study results that introducing levels of evidence to the orthopedic milieu has had a significant impact both on the quality of research and on the foundational use of deductive reasoning when interpreting the literature. Reporting negative outcomes is perhaps the most important factor in eliminating the perception of bias among orthopedic surgeons. To what extent a perceived COI plays into medical decision-making and the ultimate treatment of patients is still relatively unknown.

As defined by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) in 1996, conflict of interest (COI) is the “circumstance that exists when, because of personal financial gain, an individual has the potential to be less than objective when called on to reach a judgment or interpret a result.”¹ In medical research, COIs often occur in relationships between physician-researchers and pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology companies. These relationships usually take the form of research grants but can also arise when the researcher has a financial interest in the product being tested or in the company that manufactures the product.

 Although constructive collaboration between academic medicine and industry has worked to improve health care and ultimately benefit patients, potential drawbacks of such relationships include sequestration and suppression of results that may be disadvantageous to the industry sponsor,² increased likelihood of reporting positive results (pro-industry),^3-7 and biased study designs.⁸ The nature of such relationships may threaten the integrity of scientific studies, the objectivity of medical education, the quality of patient care, and the public’s trust in medicine.⁹

Financial relationships and affiliations are increasing as we seek to answer a growing number of clinical questions—with funding often being a limiting factor. At national scientific meetings, the number of presentations reporting COIs reflects this trend. Paper and poster presentations accepted for annual meetings of the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) and reporting a COI increased from 7.6% in 1993 to 12.6% in 2002 (P = .0129).²

Medical subspecialties outside of orthopedics are experiencing similar trends. Most notable is the American Psychiatric Association (APA). After the APA published a mandatory financial COI disclosure policy in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the percentage of task force members reporting industry relationships increased by 12%.¹⁰ Analysis of the DSM-5 panels demonstrated that the panels with the largest percentage of reported COIs are those for which pharmacological treatment is the first-line intervention, including the panels for mood disorders (67%), psychotic disorders (83%) and sleep/wake disorders (100%).¹⁰ Moreover, the industry ties reported are to the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture the medications used to treat these disorders or to companies that service the pharmaceutical industry.¹⁰

The degree to which financial COIs affect the interpretation of the orthopedic literature has never been quantified. Although it is clear that COIs can confound the results and reporting of data, how the medical community uses disclosures when interpreting the literature and when formulating opinions that may or may not affect their practice patterns is largely unknown.

We conducted a study to evaluate how a hypothetical financial COI disclosure would influence the interpretation of data by orthopedic clinicians. We also wanted to determine the reliability of the data as perceived in association with different study designs, levels of evidence, research institutional settings, and reporting of positive or negative results.

Methods

We asked members of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) to complete a multiple-choice situational questionnaire (Table). The questionnaire assesses the degree to which respondents use COI disclosures when interpreting the literature. It further explores the perceived clinical value of a study with a given reported COI, assuming variations in study design, research institutional setting, and significance of results. The fictional research team disclosed the project was funded by a pharmaceutical company and all team members received consulting compensation. The survey and study were reviewed and approved by our institutional review board. The survey consisted of 14 multiple-choice questions that allowed for only 1 answer selection per person and allowed survey takers to skip questions they did not wish to answer. The survey questions and associated response options appear in edited form in the Table. A link to the questionnaire (https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MPCCLCX) was sent with a message explaining the study. The responses to the questionnaire constituted the data.

Results

We sent a request to participate in the survey to 750 physicians and received 522 responses (overall response rate, 70%). The response rate for each question equaled or exceeded 98%.

The majority of respondents (95.6%) were male. Ninety-nine percent of respondents were orthopedic surgeons. The Northeast (US) was the most common geographical practice location of respondents (32%), followed by the Midwest (19.1%) and the Southeast (16.6%). Most respondents (40%) had been in practice for more than 20 years; 67% had been in practice a minimum of 10 years. The majority (68.8%) were employed by private practice groups, either single specialty (57.8%) or multispecialty (11%).

Eighty percent of respondents strongly agreed that COI disclosure is important when interpreting study results, 62% reported always reading the disclosure slide during academy or other meeting presentations, and 41% reported always using this information when deciding how to interpret scientific data.

Seventy-five percent of respondents thought the study—an academic-center case series with significant results in favor of the pharmaceutical company funding the study—was biased (42% indicated biased with merit, 33% biased without merit). Twenty-three percent thought the study was possibly biased, but likely trustworthy given the academic institutional affiliation. When the study setting was changed to community hospital, 95% thought the study was biased (51% biased with merit, 44% biased without merit). With the same study performed at an academic center, and no statistically significant results (not in favor of the pharmaceutical company funding the study), 88% thought the study had merit (46% biased with merit, 42% unbiased with merit).

When the study design was changed to a randomized controlled trial (level I evidence) conducted at an academic center with negative results, an overwhelming 95% of respondents thought the study had merit (33% biased with merit, 62% unbiased with merit). Given the same study design at an academic center, with positive results, 78% still thought the study had merit (39% biased with merit, 39% unbiased with merit). An additional 18% thought the study was biased, but still likely trustworthy given the academic institutional affiliation. Finally, given a randomized controlled trial and positive results, but with the research setting a small community practice, 90% thought the study had merit (51% biased with merit, 39% unbiased with merit). The percentage of respondents who found the study biased and likely without merit increased from 3.7% to 9.5% when the institutional affiliation changed from academic to community.

Discussion

As governmental funding sources become increasingly limited, the role of industry sponsorship of orthopedic research has grown. Potential drawbacks and biases of such research support have been well described—most notably, increased positive result reporting, suppression of results that may be disadvantageous to the industry sponsor, and biased study designs.^2-8 However, the extent to which financial COIs affect the orthopedic medical community’s interpretation of the literature has never been quantified. To our knowledge, the present study is the first to quantify the impact of reported COI on study interpretation.

Our goal was to examine how reported financial COIs influence the interpretation of the literature by the orthopedic medical community. Moreover, we wanted to determine the perceived reliability of the data when variables (study design, institutional affiliation, positive vs negative results) were changed. The results of our survey indicate that, when a financial COI is reported, study reliability is perceived as highest when negative results were found.

Our survey noted a discrepancy between the documented importance of the hypothetical research team’s COI disclosure and the use of such disclosures when interpreting study results. Eighty percent of respondents agreed that COI disclosure is important when interpreting study results, but only 62% reported always reading disclosures, and even fewer (41%) reported always using the information when interpreting results. It is unclear exactly why this trend exists, as one would expect the percentages to be more similar. These particular survey questions were formed around using COI disclosures when interpreting study results during academic presentations at national meetings and not during the review of published literature. It is possible that positioning the COI disclosure at the beginning of a presentation has an effect, but only 3.7% of respondents indicated they seldom remembered the disclosure by the end of the presentation. The results of our survey may have varied if the questions had targeted reading and interpreting the literature.

Interestingly, the results of these survey questions tended to be more consistent with rates of reported financial COI by presenters at national orthopedic meetings. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that less than 80% of orthopedic surgeons reported their disclosures at a large annual meeting (AAOS), even when the disclosure involved payments pertinent to the research they were presenting.⁵ When the payments were indirectly related to the research, the percentage of surgeons reporting disclosures was 50%, almost the same as the disclosure rate for unrelated payments.⁵

When the study was changed to a level I randomized controlled trial, more survey respondents found it to be less biased and have more merit. Although it would seem intuitive for a study with a higher level of evidence to carry more clinical value during interpretation, this may not hold true in the setting of industry-sponsored clinical trials. Several studies have documented a significant association between the reporting of positive results and industry-sponsored randomized clinical trials. In 2008, Khan and colleagues³ examined 100 orthopedic randomized clinical trials reported in 5 major orthopedic subspecialty journals over a 2-year period. The association between industry funding and favorable outcome in all original randomized clinical trials was strong and significant (P < .001). This is not surprising, given the amount of time and money required for a well-designed clinical study. Commercial products with preclinical promise are pushed to testing in a clinical trial, whereas resources would not be wasted on products lacking preclinical merit.

The most important variable affecting interpretation of study merit by survey respondents was the reporting of negative results. As more researchers are developing COIs, many studies are discovering a relationship between COIs and outcomes of research studies. Reviewing the adult total joint literature, Ezzet⁸ found an industry funding rate of 50%. Positive results were reported in 93% of cases in commercially funded studies versus 37% of cases in independently funded studies. Furthermore, no negative results were reported by investigators who were receiving royalties from the respective companies.

Studies across the medical literature have also found this association between industry sponsorship and reporting of positive results. One such study, reported by Valachis and colleagues⁷ in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, examined more than 80 economic analyses of targeted oncologic therapies and found the studies funded by pharmaceutical companies were more likely to report favorable qualitative cost estimates. In addition, when studies with a COI disclosure were examined, those reporting any financial relationship with a manufacturer (eg, author affiliation, funding) were more likely than those without such a relationship to report favorable results.

Our study had several limitations. First, as most of the survey respondents were orthopedic surgeons, extrapolating their data to the medical community at large may not be appropriate, as each specialty may view industry affiliations differently. In addition, respondents were asked to base their interpretations of a study on conclusions we predetermined—no direct visualization of the data set or statistical testing methods. It is possible that these responses may have been different had the respondents had the opportunity to further evaluate the study in question. In a recent study, Altwairgi and colleagues¹¹ found that 10% of randomized clinical trials involving lung cancer treatment were reported with different conclusions in their full manuscripts relative to their abstracts. We think our survey design perhaps best mimics an annual meeting environment in which participants have very limited ability to interpret studies and may rely more heavily on the factors we investigated—study design, significance of findings, and setting, all similar to information presented in an abstract—when making informed decisions. Although our response rate was only 70%, this is comparable to or better than the rates in similar survey studies that used email-based questionnaires.^12,13

Another limitation was that our survey may have forced respondents into answers they did not entirely agree with, given the limited options of the multiple-choice response format and the specific wording of the questions. Our conclusions may have been more dramatic when we were evaluating whether the study was deemed meritorious or not. However, there is no adopted standard for evaluating the extent of bias perceived by a clinician. We thought it was important to include answer options indicating a study had merit despite obvious bias in design and execution. That a study had merit can mean different things. It may change clinical practice, may require further study and reproducibility, or may not be significant enough to matter. Asking follow-up questions to evaluate this perception among the respondents could have provided validity to the term merit. Further studies in this field are needed to determine how studies are interpreted and translated into clinical practice by various clinicians.

Conclusion

Although the present study is not a quantitative analysis of the determination of bias in the orthopedic community, it is the first to evaluate orthopedic surgeons’ perceptions on the basis of key fundamentals of orthopedic research relative to COI. It is clear from our study results that introducing levels of evidence to the orthopedic milieu has had a significant impact both on the quality of research and on the foundational use of deductive reasoning when interpreting the literature. Reporting negative outcomes is perhaps the most important factor in eliminating the perception of bias among orthopedic surgeons. To what extent a perceived COI plays into medical decision-making and the ultimate treatment of patients is still relatively unknown.

Medial patellar subluxation (MPS) is a disabling condition caused by an imbalance in the medial and lateral forces in the normal knee, allowing the patella to displace medially. Normally, the patella glides appropriately in the femoral trochlea, but alteration in this medial–lateral equilibrium can lead to pain and instability.¹ MPS was first described in 1987 by Betz and colleagues² as a complication of lateral retinacular release. Since then, multiple cases of iatrogenic, traumatic, and isolated medial subluxation have been reported.^3–15 However, MPS after lateral release is the most common cause, accounting for the majority of published cases, whereas only 8 cases of isolated MPS have been reported to date.

Optimal treatment for MPS is not well understood. To better comprehend and manage MPS, we must fully appreciate the pathoanatomy, biomechanics, and current research. In this review, we focus on the anatomy of the lateral retinaculum, diagnosis and treatment of MPS, and outcomes of current treatment techniques.

Anatomy

In 1980, Fulkerson and Gossling¹⁶ delineated the anatomy of the knee joint lateral retinaculum. They described a 2-layered system with separate distinct anatomical structures. The lateral retinaculum is oriented longitudinally with the knee extended but exerts a posterolateral force on the lateral aspect of the patella as the knee is flexed. The superficial layer is composed of oblique fibers of the lateral retinaculum originating from the iliotibial band and the vastus lateralis fascia and inserting into the lateral margin of the patella and the patella tendon. The deep layer of the retinaculum consists of several structures, including the deep transverse retinaculum, lateral patellofemoral ligament (LPFL), and the patellotibial band.

Over the years, several studies have described the importance of the lateral retinaculum and, in particular, the LPFL. Examining the functional anatomy of the knee in 1962, Kaplan¹⁷ first described the lateral epicondylopatellar ligament as a palpable thickening of the joint capsule. Reider and colleagues¹⁸ later named this structure the lateral patellofemoral ligament in their anatomical study of 21 fresh cadaver knees. They described its width as ranging from 3 to 10 mm. In a comprehensive cadaveric study of the LPFL, Navarro and colleagues^19,20 found it to be a distinct structure present in all 20 of their dissected specimens. They found its femoral insertion at the lateral epicondyle with a fanlike expansion of the fibers predominantly in the posterior region proximal to the lateral epicondyle. The patellar insertion was found in the posterior half and upper lateral aspect, also with expanded fibers. Mean length of the LPFL is 42.1 mm, and mean width is 16.1 mm.

Medial and lateral forces are balanced in a normal knee, and the patella glides appropriately in the femoral trochlea. Alteration in this medial–lateral equilibrium can lead to pain and instability.¹ Normally, the patella lies laterally with the knee extended, but in early flexion the patella moves medially as it engages in the trochlea. As the knee continues to flex, the patella flexes and translates distally.²¹ By 45°, the patella is fully engaged in the trochlear groove throughout the remainder of the knee’s range of motion (ROM).

Lateral release procedures, as described in the literature, result in sectioning of both layers of the lateral retinaculum. In a biomechanical study, Merican and colleagues²² found that staged release of the lateral retinaculum reduced the medial stability of the patellofemoral joint progressively, making it easier to push the patella medially. At 30° of flexion, the transverse fibers of the midsection of the lateral retinaculum were found to be the main contributor to the lateral restraint of the patella. When the release extends too far proximally, the transverse fibers that anchor the lateral patella and the vastus lateralis oblique tendon to the iliotibial band are disrupted. Subsequent loss of a dynamic muscular pull in the orientation of the lateral stabilizing structures results in medial subluxation in a range from full knee extension to about 30° of flexion.

Furthermore, the attachments of the LPFL and the orientation of its fibers suggest that the LPFL may have a significant role in limiting medial excursion of the patella. Vieira and colleagues²³ resected the LPFL in 10 fresh cadaver knees. They noticed that, after resection, the patella spontaneously traveled medially, demonstrating the importance of this ligament in patellar stability. In cases of isolated MPS, there have been no reports of associated pathology, such as muscular imbalance or coronal/rotational malalignment of the lower extremity. With an intact lateral retinaculum, medial subluxation is likely caused by pathology in the normal histologic structure of the LPFL and lateral retinaculum. However, the histologic structure of the LPFL and its contribution to the understanding of the pathoetiology of MPS have not been documented.

Diagnosis

MPS diagnosis can be challenging. Often, clinical examination findings are subtle, and radiographs may not show significant pathology. The most accurate diagnosis is obtained by combining patient history, physical examination findings, imaging studies, and diagnostic arthroscopy.

Patient History

Patients with MPS report chronic pain localized to the inferior medial patella and anterior-medial joint line. Occasionally, they complain of crepitus and intermittent swelling. Other symptoms include pain with knee flexion activity, such as squatting and climbing or descending stairs. Some patients describe episodes of giving way and feelings of instability. Often, they are aware the direction of instability is medial. The pain typically is not relieved by medication, physical therapy, or bracing. 

Physical Examination

MPS must be identified by clinical examination. Peripatellar tenderness is typically noted. There is often no effusion or crepitus, but the patella is unstable in early flexion. Active and passive ROM is painful through the first 30° of knee flexion. The patient may have a positive medial apprehension test⁷ in which he or she experiences apprehension of the patella being subluxated with a medially directed force on the lateral border of the patella.

The gravity subluxation test described by Nonweiler and DeLee⁶ is useful in detecting MPS after lateral release and indicates that the vastus lateralis muscle has been detached from the patella and that the lateral retinaculum is lax. In this test, the patient is positioned in the lateral decubitus position with the involved knee farthest from the table. In this position, gravity causes the patella to subluxate out of the trochlea. The test is positive for MPS when a voluntary contraction of the quadriceps does not center the patella into the trochlear groove. Patients with MPS without previous lateral release can have the patella subluxate medially in the lateral decubitus position, but it is pulled back into the trochlea with active quadriceps contraction (Figure 1).

Patients with MPS often have lateral patellar laxity (LPL), which allows the patella to rotate upward on the lateral side and skid across the medial facet of the femoral trochlea. A physical examination sign combining lateral patellar glide and tilt was described by Shneider²⁴ to identify LPL. This “lateral patellar float” sign is present when the patella translates laterally and rotates or tilts upward with medial pressure on the patella (Figure 2). Another maneuver to test for subtle MPS involves manually centering the patella in the trochlea during active knee flexion and extension. The involved knee is examined in the seated position. The examiner attempts to center the patella in the trochlea with a laterally directed force from the examiner’s thumb on the medial border of the patella. This will usually provide immediate relief as the patient actively ranges the knee.

Imaging Studies

Diagnostic imaging is a crucial component of the evaluation and treatment decision process. Plain radiographs often are not helpful in diagnosing MPS but may provide additional information.⁵ A variety of radiographic measurements have been described as indicators of structural disease, but there is a lack of comprehensive information recommending radiographic evaluation and interpretation of patients with patellofemoral dysfunction. It is crucial that orthopedic surgeons have common and consistent radiographic views for plain radiographic assessment that can serve as a basis for accurate diagnosis and surgical decision-making.

Standard knee radiographs should include a standing anteroposterior view of bilateral knees, a standing lateral view of the symptomatic knee in 30° of flexion, a patellar axial view, and a tunnel view. These views, occasionally combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can yield information vital to surgical decision-making. Image quality is highly technique-dependent, and variability in patient positioning can substantially affect the ability to properly diagnose structural abnormalities. For improved diagnostic accuracy and disease classification, radiographs must be obtained with use of the same standardized imaging protocol.

Kinetic MRI was shown by Shellock and colleagues²⁵ to provide diagnostic information related to patellar malalignment. As kinetic MRI can image the patellofemoral joint within the initial 20° to 30° of flexion, it is useful in detecting some of the more subtle patellar tracking problems. In their study of 43 knees (40 patients) with symptoms after lateral release, Shellock and colleagues²⁵ found that 27 knees (63%) had medial subluxation of the patella as the knee moved from extension to flexion. Furthermore, MPS was noted on the contralateral, unoperated knee in 17 (43%) of the 40 patients.

Diagnostic Arthroscopy

Once MPS is suspected after a thorough history and physical examination, examination under anesthesia accompanied by diagnostic arthroscopy confirms the diagnosis. Lateral forces are applied to the patella in full knee extension and 30° of flexion (Figure 3). During arthroscopy, the patellofemoral compartment is viewed from the anterolateral portal. With the knee at full extension, the lateral laxity and medial tilt of the patella can be identified (Figure 4). As the knee is flexed to 30°, the patella moves medially and can subluxate over the edge of the medial facet of the trochlea (Figure 5).

Treatment

Nonsurgical Management

Treatment of MPS depends entirely on making an accurate diagnosis and determining the degree of impairment. Patients with symptomatic MPS should initially undergo supervised rehabilitation focusing on balancing the medial and lateral forces that influence patellar tracking. Patients should be evaluated for specific muscle tightness, weakness, and biomechanical abnormalities. Each problem should be addressed with an individualized rehabilitation prescription. Emphasis is placed on balance, proprioception, and strengthening of the quadriceps, hip abductors/external rotators, and abdominal core muscle groups.

In some patients, symptomatic MPS may be reduced with a patella-stabilizing brace with a medial buttress.^3,5,26 Although bracing should be regarded as an adjuvant to a structured physical therapy program, it can also be helpful in confirming the diagnosis of MPS. Shannon and Keene³ reported that all patients in their study experienced significant pain relief and decreased medial patellar subluxations when they wore a medial patella–stabilizing brace. Shellock and colleagues²⁵ used kinematic MRI to investigate the effect of a patella-realignment brace and found that bracing counteracted patellar subluxation in the majority of knees studied.

Surgical Management

When conservative management fails and patients continue to experience pain and instability, surgical intervention is often required. Although various surgical techniques have been used (Table),^{3–6,8–10,14,15,27,28} the optimal surgical treatment for MPS has not been identified.

Lateral Retinaculum Imbrication. Lateral retinaculum imbrication has been used to centralize patella tracking and stabilize the patella. Richman and Scheller⁵ reported on a 17-year-old patient who had isolated medial subluxation of the patella without having undergone a previous lateral release. At 3-month follow-up, there was no recurrent instability; there was only intermittent medial knee soreness with weight-bearing activity.

Lateral Retinaculum Repair/Reconstruction. Hughston and colleagues⁸ treated 65 knees for MPS. Most had undergone lateral release. Of the 65 knees, 39 were treated with direct repair of the lateral retinaculum, and 26 with reconstruction of the lateral patellotibial ligament using locally available tissue, such as strips of iliotibial band or patellar tendon. Results were good to excellent in 80% of patients at a mean follow-up of 53.7 months. Nonweiler and DeLee⁶ reconstructed the lateral retinaculum in 5 patients with MPS that developed after isolated lateral retinacular release. Four (80%) of the 5 patients had no symptoms or physical signs of instability at a mean follow-up of 3.3 years. Results were excellent (3 knees) and good (2 knees) according to the Merchant and Mercer rating scale. Akşahin and colleagues²⁸ reported on a single case of spontaneous medial patellar instability. At surgery, imbrication of the lateral structures failed to prevent the medial subluxation. Lateral patellotibial ligament augmentation was performed using an iliotibial band flap that effectively corrected the instability. At 1 year, the patient was characterized as engaging in vigorous recreational activity, according to the clinical score defined by Hughston and colleagues.⁸ He had mild pain with competitive sports but no pain with daily activity. Abhaykumar and Craig⁹ reported on 4 surgically treated knees with medial instability. They reconstructed the lateral retinaculum using a strip of fascia lata. By follow-up (5-7 years), each knee had its instability resolved and full ROM restored. Johnson and Wakeley²⁶ reported on a case of iatrogenic MPS after lateral release. Treatment consisted of mobilization and direct repair of the lateral retinaculum. At 12-month follow-up, there was no instability. Although symptom-free with light activity, the patient had patellofemoral pain with strenuous activity. Sanchis-Alfonso and colleagues¹⁴ reported the results of isolated lateral retinacular reconstruction for iatrogenic MPS in 17 patients. At mean follow-up of 56 months, results were good or excellent in 65% of patients, and the Lysholm score improved from 36.4 preoperatively to 86.1 postoperatively.

Medial Retinaculum Release. Medial retinaculum release has been used as an alternative to open reconstruction. Shannon and Keene³ reported the results of medial retinacular release procedures on 9 knees. Four (44%) of the 9 patients had either spontaneous or traumatic onset of instability. All cases were treated with arthroscopic medial retinacular release, extending 2 cm medial to the superior pole of the patella down to the anteromedial portal. This avoided releasing the attachment of the vastus medialis oblique muscle to the patella and removing its dynamic medial stabilizing force. At a mean follow-up of 2.7 years, both medial subluxation and knee pain were relieved in all 9 knees without complications or further realignment surgery. Results were excellent in 6 knees (66.7%) and good in 3 knees (33.3%). Shannon and Keene³ emphasized that the procedure should not be used in patients with hypermobile patellae or in cases of failed lateral retinacular releases in which MPS is not clearly and carefully documented.

LPFL Reconstruction. Before coming to our practice, most patients have tried several months of formal physical rehabilitation, medications, and bracing. Many have already had surgical procedures, including arthroscopy, lateral release, and tibial tubercle transfer. When the diagnosis of MPS is suspected after a thorough history and physical examination, LPFL reconstruction is offered. Management of MPS with LPFL reconstruction has yielded excellent and reliable clinical results. Teitge and Torga Spak¹⁰ described an LPFL reconstruction technique that is used as a salvage procedure in managing medial iatrogenic patellar instability (the patient’s own quadriceps tendon is used). In their experience, direct repair or imbrication of the lateral retinaculum failed to provide long-term stability because medial excursion usually appeared after 1 year. The 60 patients’ outcomes were excellent with respect to patellar stability, and there were no cases of recurrent subluxation. Borbas and colleagues¹⁵ reported a case of LPFL reconstruction in a symptomatic medial subluxated patella resulting from TKA and extended lateral release. Using a free gracilis autograft through patellar bone tunnels to reconstruct the LPFL, the patient was free of pain and very satisfied with the result at 1 year postoperatively. Our current strategy is anatomical reconstruction of the LPFL using a quadriceps tendon graft and no bone tunnels, screws, or anchors in the patella.²⁷ We previously reported a single case of isolated medial instability.⁴ At 2-year follow-up, there was no recurrent instability, and the functional outcome was excellent. This LPFL reconstruction method has been used in 10 patients with isolated MPS. There has been no residual medial subluxation on follow-up ranging from 3 months to 2 years. Outcome studies are in progress.

Rehabilitation. The initial goal of rehabilitation after surgical reconstruction of the lateral retinaculum or LPFL is to protect the healing soft tissues, restore normal knee ROM, and normalize gait. The knee is immobilized in a brace for weight-bearing activity for 4 to 6 weeks, until limb control is sufficient to prevent rotational stress on the knee. Gradual increase to full weight-bearing without bracing is permitted as quadriceps strength is restored. As motion is regained, strength, balance, and proprioception are emphasized for the entire lower extremity and core.

Functional limb training, including rotational activity, begins at 12 weeks. As strength and neuromuscular control progress, single-leg activity may be started with particular attention to proper alignment of the pelvis and the entire lower extremity. For competitive or recreational athletes, the final stages of rehabilitation focus on dynamic lower extremity control during sport-specific movements. Patients return to unrestricted activity by 6 months to 1 year after surgery.

Summary

MPS is a disabling condition that can limit daily functional activity because of apprehension and pain. Initially described as a complication of lateral retinacular release, isolated MPS can occur in the absence of a previous lateral release. Thorough physical examination and identification during arthroscopy are crucial for proper MPS diagnosis and management. When nonsurgical measures fail, LPFL reconstruction can provide patellofemoral stability and excellent functional outcomes.

Medial patellar subluxation (MPS) is a disabling condition caused by an imbalance in the medial and lateral forces in the normal knee, allowing the patella to displace medially. Normally, the patella glides appropriately in the femoral trochlea, but alteration in this medial–lateral equilibrium can lead to pain and instability.¹ MPS was first described in 1987 by Betz and colleagues² as a complication of lateral retinacular release. Since then, multiple cases of iatrogenic, traumatic, and isolated medial subluxation have been reported.^3–15 However, MPS after lateral release is the most common cause, accounting for the majority of published cases, whereas only 8 cases of isolated MPS have been reported to date.

Optimal treatment for MPS is not well understood. To better comprehend and manage MPS, we must fully appreciate the pathoanatomy, biomechanics, and current research. In this review, we focus on the anatomy of the lateral retinaculum, diagnosis and treatment of MPS, and outcomes of current treatment techniques.

Anatomy

In 1980, Fulkerson and Gossling¹⁶ delineated the anatomy of the knee joint lateral retinaculum. They described a 2-layered system with separate distinct anatomical structures. The lateral retinaculum is oriented longitudinally with the knee extended but exerts a posterolateral force on the lateral aspect of the patella as the knee is flexed. The superficial layer is composed of oblique fibers of the lateral retinaculum originating from the iliotibial band and the vastus lateralis fascia and inserting into the lateral margin of the patella and the patella tendon. The deep layer of the retinaculum consists of several structures, including the deep transverse retinaculum, lateral patellofemoral ligament (LPFL), and the patellotibial band.

Over the years, several studies have described the importance of the lateral retinaculum and, in particular, the LPFL. Examining the functional anatomy of the knee in 1962, Kaplan¹⁷ first described the lateral epicondylopatellar ligament as a palpable thickening of the joint capsule. Reider and colleagues¹⁸ later named this structure the lateral patellofemoral ligament in their anatomical study of 21 fresh cadaver knees. They described its width as ranging from 3 to 10 mm. In a comprehensive cadaveric study of the LPFL, Navarro and colleagues^19,20 found it to be a distinct structure present in all 20 of their dissected specimens. They found its femoral insertion at the lateral epicondyle with a fanlike expansion of the fibers predominantly in the posterior region proximal to the lateral epicondyle. The patellar insertion was found in the posterior half and upper lateral aspect, also with expanded fibers. Mean length of the LPFL is 42.1 mm, and mean width is 16.1 mm.

Medial and lateral forces are balanced in a normal knee, and the patella glides appropriately in the femoral trochlea. Alteration in this medial–lateral equilibrium can lead to pain and instability.¹ Normally, the patella lies laterally with the knee extended, but in early flexion the patella moves medially as it engages in the trochlea. As the knee continues to flex, the patella flexes and translates distally.²¹ By 45°, the patella is fully engaged in the trochlear groove throughout the remainder of the knee’s range of motion (ROM).

Lateral release procedures, as described in the literature, result in sectioning of both layers of the lateral retinaculum. In a biomechanical study, Merican and colleagues²² found that staged release of the lateral retinaculum reduced the medial stability of the patellofemoral joint progressively, making it easier to push the patella medially. At 30° of flexion, the transverse fibers of the midsection of the lateral retinaculum were found to be the main contributor to the lateral restraint of the patella. When the release extends too far proximally, the transverse fibers that anchor the lateral patella and the vastus lateralis oblique tendon to the iliotibial band are disrupted. Subsequent loss of a dynamic muscular pull in the orientation of the lateral stabilizing structures results in medial subluxation in a range from full knee extension to about 30° of flexion.

Furthermore, the attachments of the LPFL and the orientation of its fibers suggest that the LPFL may have a significant role in limiting medial excursion of the patella. Vieira and colleagues²³ resected the LPFL in 10 fresh cadaver knees. They noticed that, after resection, the patella spontaneously traveled medially, demonstrating the importance of this ligament in patellar stability. In cases of isolated MPS, there have been no reports of associated pathology, such as muscular imbalance or coronal/rotational malalignment of the lower extremity. With an intact lateral retinaculum, medial subluxation is likely caused by pathology in the normal histologic structure of the LPFL and lateral retinaculum. However, the histologic structure of the LPFL and its contribution to the understanding of the pathoetiology of MPS have not been documented.

Diagnosis

MPS diagnosis can be challenging. Often, clinical examination findings are subtle, and radiographs may not show significant pathology. The most accurate diagnosis is obtained by combining patient history, physical examination findings, imaging studies, and diagnostic arthroscopy.

Patient History

Patients with MPS report chronic pain localized to the inferior medial patella and anterior-medial joint line. Occasionally, they complain of crepitus and intermittent swelling. Other symptoms include pain with knee flexion activity, such as squatting and climbing or descending stairs. Some patients describe episodes of giving way and feelings of instability. Often, they are aware the direction of instability is medial. The pain typically is not relieved by medication, physical therapy, or bracing. 

Physical Examination

MPS must be identified by clinical examination. Peripatellar tenderness is typically noted. There is often no effusion or crepitus, but the patella is unstable in early flexion. Active and passive ROM is painful through the first 30° of knee flexion. The patient may have a positive medial apprehension test⁷ in which he or she experiences apprehension of the patella being subluxated with a medially directed force on the lateral border of the patella.

The gravity subluxation test described by Nonweiler and DeLee⁶ is useful in detecting MPS after lateral release and indicates that the vastus lateralis muscle has been detached from the patella and that the lateral retinaculum is lax. In this test, the patient is positioned in the lateral decubitus position with the involved knee farthest from the table. In this position, gravity causes the patella to subluxate out of the trochlea. The test is positive for MPS when a voluntary contraction of the quadriceps does not center the patella into the trochlear groove. Patients with MPS without previous lateral release can have the patella subluxate medially in the lateral decubitus position, but it is pulled back into the trochlea with active quadriceps contraction (Figure 1).

Patients with MPS often have lateral patellar laxity (LPL), which allows the patella to rotate upward on the lateral side and skid across the medial facet of the femoral trochlea. A physical examination sign combining lateral patellar glide and tilt was described by Shneider²⁴ to identify LPL. This “lateral patellar float” sign is present when the patella translates laterally and rotates or tilts upward with medial pressure on the patella (Figure 2). Another maneuver to test for subtle MPS involves manually centering the patella in the trochlea during active knee flexion and extension. The involved knee is examined in the seated position. The examiner attempts to center the patella in the trochlea with a laterally directed force from the examiner’s thumb on the medial border of the patella. This will usually provide immediate relief as the patient actively ranges the knee.

Imaging Studies

Diagnostic imaging is a crucial component of the evaluation and treatment decision process. Plain radiographs often are not helpful in diagnosing MPS but may provide additional information.⁵ A variety of radiographic measurements have been described as indicators of structural disease, but there is a lack of comprehensive information recommending radiographic evaluation and interpretation of patients with patellofemoral dysfunction. It is crucial that orthopedic surgeons have common and consistent radiographic views for plain radiographic assessment that can serve as a basis for accurate diagnosis and surgical decision-making.

Standard knee radiographs should include a standing anteroposterior view of bilateral knees, a standing lateral view of the symptomatic knee in 30° of flexion, a patellar axial view, and a tunnel view. These views, occasionally combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can yield information vital to surgical decision-making. Image quality is highly technique-dependent, and variability in patient positioning can substantially affect the ability to properly diagnose structural abnormalities. For improved diagnostic accuracy and disease classification, radiographs must be obtained with use of the same standardized imaging protocol.

Kinetic MRI was shown by Shellock and colleagues²⁵ to provide diagnostic information related to patellar malalignment. As kinetic MRI can image the patellofemoral joint within the initial 20° to 30° of flexion, it is useful in detecting some of the more subtle patellar tracking problems. In their study of 43 knees (40 patients) with symptoms after lateral release, Shellock and colleagues²⁵ found that 27 knees (63%) had medial subluxation of the patella as the knee moved from extension to flexion. Furthermore, MPS was noted on the contralateral, unoperated knee in 17 (43%) of the 40 patients.

Diagnostic Arthroscopy

Once MPS is suspected after a thorough history and physical examination, examination under anesthesia accompanied by diagnostic arthroscopy confirms the diagnosis. Lateral forces are applied to the patella in full knee extension and 30° of flexion (Figure 3). During arthroscopy, the patellofemoral compartment is viewed from the anterolateral portal. With the knee at full extension, the lateral laxity and medial tilt of the patella can be identified (Figure 4). As the knee is flexed to 30°, the patella moves medially and can subluxate over the edge of the medial facet of the trochlea (Figure 5).

Treatment

Nonsurgical Management

Treatment of MPS depends entirely on making an accurate diagnosis and determining the degree of impairment. Patients with symptomatic MPS should initially undergo supervised rehabilitation focusing on balancing the medial and lateral forces that influence patellar tracking. Patients should be evaluated for specific muscle tightness, weakness, and biomechanical abnormalities. Each problem should be addressed with an individualized rehabilitation prescription. Emphasis is placed on balance, proprioception, and strengthening of the quadriceps, hip abductors/external rotators, and abdominal core muscle groups.

In some patients, symptomatic MPS may be reduced with a patella-stabilizing brace with a medial buttress.^3,5,26 Although bracing should be regarded as an adjuvant to a structured physical therapy program, it can also be helpful in confirming the diagnosis of MPS. Shannon and Keene³ reported that all patients in their study experienced significant pain relief and decreased medial patellar subluxations when they wore a medial patella–stabilizing brace. Shellock and colleagues²⁵ used kinematic MRI to investigate the effect of a patella-realignment brace and found that bracing counteracted patellar subluxation in the majority of knees studied.

Surgical Management

When conservative management fails and patients continue to experience pain and instability, surgical intervention is often required. Although various surgical techniques have been used (Table),^{3–6,8–10,14,15,27,28} the optimal surgical treatment for MPS has not been identified.

Lateral Retinaculum Imbrication. Lateral retinaculum imbrication has been used to centralize patella tracking and stabilize the patella. Richman and Scheller⁵ reported on a 17-year-old patient who had isolated medial subluxation of the patella without having undergone a previous lateral release. At 3-month follow-up, there was no recurrent instability; there was only intermittent medial knee soreness with weight-bearing activity.

Lateral Retinaculum Repair/Reconstruction. Hughston and colleagues⁸ treated 65 knees for MPS. Most had undergone lateral release. Of the 65 knees, 39 were treated with direct repair of the lateral retinaculum, and 26 with reconstruction of the lateral patellotibial ligament using locally available tissue, such as strips of iliotibial band or patellar tendon. Results were good to excellent in 80% of patients at a mean follow-up of 53.7 months. Nonweiler and DeLee⁶ reconstructed the lateral retinaculum in 5 patients with MPS that developed after isolated lateral retinacular release. Four (80%) of the 5 patients had no symptoms or physical signs of instability at a mean follow-up of 3.3 years. Results were excellent (3 knees) and good (2 knees) according to the Merchant and Mercer rating scale. Akşahin and colleagues²⁸ reported on a single case of spontaneous medial patellar instability. At surgery, imbrication of the lateral structures failed to prevent the medial subluxation. Lateral patellotibial ligament augmentation was performed using an iliotibial band flap that effectively corrected the instability. At 1 year, the patient was characterized as engaging in vigorous recreational activity, according to the clinical score defined by Hughston and colleagues.⁸ He had mild pain with competitive sports but no pain with daily activity. Abhaykumar and Craig⁹ reported on 4 surgically treated knees with medial instability. They reconstructed the lateral retinaculum using a strip of fascia lata. By follow-up (5-7 years), each knee had its instability resolved and full ROM restored. Johnson and Wakeley²⁶ reported on a case of iatrogenic MPS after lateral release. Treatment consisted of mobilization and direct repair of the lateral retinaculum. At 12-month follow-up, there was no instability. Although symptom-free with light activity, the patient had patellofemoral pain with strenuous activity. Sanchis-Alfonso and colleagues¹⁴ reported the results of isolated lateral retinacular reconstruction for iatrogenic MPS in 17 patients. At mean follow-up of 56 months, results were good or excellent in 65% of patients, and the Lysholm score improved from 36.4 preoperatively to 86.1 postoperatively.

Medial Retinaculum Release. Medial retinaculum release has been used as an alternative to open reconstruction. Shannon and Keene³ reported the results of medial retinacular release procedures on 9 knees. Four (44%) of the 9 patients had either spontaneous or traumatic onset of instability. All cases were treated with arthroscopic medial retinacular release, extending 2 cm medial to the superior pole of the patella down to the anteromedial portal. This avoided releasing the attachment of the vastus medialis oblique muscle to the patella and removing its dynamic medial stabilizing force. At a mean follow-up of 2.7 years, both medial subluxation and knee pain were relieved in all 9 knees without complications or further realignment surgery. Results were excellent in 6 knees (66.7%) and good in 3 knees (33.3%). Shannon and Keene³ emphasized that the procedure should not be used in patients with hypermobile patellae or in cases of failed lateral retinacular releases in which MPS is not clearly and carefully documented.

LPFL Reconstruction. Before coming to our practice, most patients have tried several months of formal physical rehabilitation, medications, and bracing. Many have already had surgical procedures, including arthroscopy, lateral release, and tibial tubercle transfer. When the diagnosis of MPS is suspected after a thorough history and physical examination, LPFL reconstruction is offered. Management of MPS with LPFL reconstruction has yielded excellent and reliable clinical results. Teitge and Torga Spak¹⁰ described an LPFL reconstruction technique that is used as a salvage procedure in managing medial iatrogenic patellar instability (the patient’s own quadriceps tendon is used). In their experience, direct repair or imbrication of the lateral retinaculum failed to provide long-term stability because medial excursion usually appeared after 1 year. The 60 patients’ outcomes were excellent with respect to patellar stability, and there were no cases of recurrent subluxation. Borbas and colleagues¹⁵ reported a case of LPFL reconstruction in a symptomatic medial subluxated patella resulting from TKA and extended lateral release. Using a free gracilis autograft through patellar bone tunnels to reconstruct the LPFL, the patient was free of pain and very satisfied with the result at 1 year postoperatively. Our current strategy is anatomical reconstruction of the LPFL using a quadriceps tendon graft and no bone tunnels, screws, or anchors in the patella.²⁷ We previously reported a single case of isolated medial instability.⁴ At 2-year follow-up, there was no recurrent instability, and the functional outcome was excellent. This LPFL reconstruction method has been used in 10 patients with isolated MPS. There has been no residual medial subluxation on follow-up ranging from 3 months to 2 years. Outcome studies are in progress.

Rehabilitation. The initial goal of rehabilitation after surgical reconstruction of the lateral retinaculum or LPFL is to protect the healing soft tissues, restore normal knee ROM, and normalize gait. The knee is immobilized in a brace for weight-bearing activity for 4 to 6 weeks, until limb control is sufficient to prevent rotational stress on the knee. Gradual increase to full weight-bearing without bracing is permitted as quadriceps strength is restored. As motion is regained, strength, balance, and proprioception are emphasized for the entire lower extremity and core.

Functional limb training, including rotational activity, begins at 12 weeks. As strength and neuromuscular control progress, single-leg activity may be started with particular attention to proper alignment of the pelvis and the entire lower extremity. For competitive or recreational athletes, the final stages of rehabilitation focus on dynamic lower extremity control during sport-specific movements. Patients return to unrestricted activity by 6 months to 1 year after surgery.

Summary

MPS is a disabling condition that can limit daily functional activity because of apprehension and pain. Initially described as a complication of lateral retinacular release, isolated MPS can occur in the absence of a previous lateral release. Thorough physical examination and identification during arthroscopy are crucial for proper MPS diagnosis and management. When nonsurgical measures fail, LPFL reconstruction can provide patellofemoral stability and excellent functional outcomes.

Medial patellar subluxation (MPS) is a disabling condition caused by an imbalance in the medial and lateral forces in the normal knee, allowing the patella to displace medially. Normally, the patella glides appropriately in the femoral trochlea, but alteration in this medial–lateral equilibrium can lead to pain and instability.¹ MPS was first described in 1987 by Betz and colleagues² as a complication of lateral retinacular release. Since then, multiple cases of iatrogenic, traumatic, and isolated medial subluxation have been reported.^3–15 However, MPS after lateral release is the most common cause, accounting for the majority of published cases, whereas only 8 cases of isolated MPS have been reported to date.

Optimal treatment for MPS is not well understood. To better comprehend and manage MPS, we must fully appreciate the pathoanatomy, biomechanics, and current research. In this review, we focus on the anatomy of the lateral retinaculum, diagnosis and treatment of MPS, and outcomes of current treatment techniques.

Anatomy

In 1980, Fulkerson and Gossling¹⁶ delineated the anatomy of the knee joint lateral retinaculum. They described a 2-layered system with separate distinct anatomical structures. The lateral retinaculum is oriented longitudinally with the knee extended but exerts a posterolateral force on the lateral aspect of the patella as the knee is flexed. The superficial layer is composed of oblique fibers of the lateral retinaculum originating from the iliotibial band and the vastus lateralis fascia and inserting into the lateral margin of the patella and the patella tendon. The deep layer of the retinaculum consists of several structures, including the deep transverse retinaculum, lateral patellofemoral ligament (LPFL), and the patellotibial band.

Over the years, several studies have described the importance of the lateral retinaculum and, in particular, the LPFL. Examining the functional anatomy of the knee in 1962, Kaplan¹⁷ first described the lateral epicondylopatellar ligament as a palpable thickening of the joint capsule. Reider and colleagues¹⁸ later named this structure the lateral patellofemoral ligament in their anatomical study of 21 fresh cadaver knees. They described its width as ranging from 3 to 10 mm. In a comprehensive cadaveric study of the LPFL, Navarro and colleagues^19,20 found it to be a distinct structure present in all 20 of their dissected specimens. They found its femoral insertion at the lateral epicondyle with a fanlike expansion of the fibers predominantly in the posterior region proximal to the lateral epicondyle. The patellar insertion was found in the posterior half and upper lateral aspect, also with expanded fibers. Mean length of the LPFL is 42.1 mm, and mean width is 16.1 mm.

Medial and lateral forces are balanced in a normal knee, and the patella glides appropriately in the femoral trochlea. Alteration in this medial–lateral equilibrium can lead to pain and instability.¹ Normally, the patella lies laterally with the knee extended, but in early flexion the patella moves medially as it engages in the trochlea. As the knee continues to flex, the patella flexes and translates distally.²¹ By 45°, the patella is fully engaged in the trochlear groove throughout the remainder of the knee’s range of motion (ROM).

Lateral release procedures, as described in the literature, result in sectioning of both layers of the lateral retinaculum. In a biomechanical study, Merican and colleagues²² found that staged release of the lateral retinaculum reduced the medial stability of the patellofemoral joint progressively, making it easier to push the patella medially. At 30° of flexion, the transverse fibers of the midsection of the lateral retinaculum were found to be the main contributor to the lateral restraint of the patella. When the release extends too far proximally, the transverse fibers that anchor the lateral patella and the vastus lateralis oblique tendon to the iliotibial band are disrupted. Subsequent loss of a dynamic muscular pull in the orientation of the lateral stabilizing structures results in medial subluxation in a range from full knee extension to about 30° of flexion.

Furthermore, the attachments of the LPFL and the orientation of its fibers suggest that the LPFL may have a significant role in limiting medial excursion of the patella. Vieira and colleagues²³ resected the LPFL in 10 fresh cadaver knees. They noticed that, after resection, the patella spontaneously traveled medially, demonstrating the importance of this ligament in patellar stability. In cases of isolated MPS, there have been no reports of associated pathology, such as muscular imbalance or coronal/rotational malalignment of the lower extremity. With an intact lateral retinaculum, medial subluxation is likely caused by pathology in the normal histologic structure of the LPFL and lateral retinaculum. However, the histologic structure of the LPFL and its contribution to the understanding of the pathoetiology of MPS have not been documented.

Diagnosis

MPS diagnosis can be challenging. Often, clinical examination findings are subtle, and radiographs may not show significant pathology. The most accurate diagnosis is obtained by combining patient history, physical examination findings, imaging studies, and diagnostic arthroscopy.

Patient History

Patients with MPS report chronic pain localized to the inferior medial patella and anterior-medial joint line. Occasionally, they complain of crepitus and intermittent swelling. Other symptoms include pain with knee flexion activity, such as squatting and climbing or descending stairs. Some patients describe episodes of giving way and feelings of instability. Often, they are aware the direction of instability is medial. The pain typically is not relieved by medication, physical therapy, or bracing. 

Physical Examination

MPS must be identified by clinical examination. Peripatellar tenderness is typically noted. There is often no effusion or crepitus, but the patella is unstable in early flexion. Active and passive ROM is painful through the first 30° of knee flexion. The patient may have a positive medial apprehension test⁷ in which he or she experiences apprehension of the patella being subluxated with a medially directed force on the lateral border of the patella.

The gravity subluxation test described by Nonweiler and DeLee⁶ is useful in detecting MPS after lateral release and indicates that the vastus lateralis muscle has been detached from the patella and that the lateral retinaculum is lax. In this test, the patient is positioned in the lateral decubitus position with the involved knee farthest from the table. In this position, gravity causes the patella to subluxate out of the trochlea. The test is positive for MPS when a voluntary contraction of the quadriceps does not center the patella into the trochlear groove. Patients with MPS without previous lateral release can have the patella subluxate medially in the lateral decubitus position, but it is pulled back into the trochlea with active quadriceps contraction (Figure 1).

Patients with MPS often have lateral patellar laxity (LPL), which allows the patella to rotate upward on the lateral side and skid across the medial facet of the femoral trochlea. A physical examination sign combining lateral patellar glide and tilt was described by Shneider²⁴ to identify LPL. This “lateral patellar float” sign is present when the patella translates laterally and rotates or tilts upward with medial pressure on the patella (Figure 2). Another maneuver to test for subtle MPS involves manually centering the patella in the trochlea during active knee flexion and extension. The involved knee is examined in the seated position. The examiner attempts to center the patella in the trochlea with a laterally directed force from the examiner’s thumb on the medial border of the patella. This will usually provide immediate relief as the patient actively ranges the knee.

Imaging Studies

Diagnostic imaging is a crucial component of the evaluation and treatment decision process. Plain radiographs often are not helpful in diagnosing MPS but may provide additional information.⁵ A variety of radiographic measurements have been described as indicators of structural disease, but there is a lack of comprehensive information recommending radiographic evaluation and interpretation of patients with patellofemoral dysfunction. It is crucial that orthopedic surgeons have common and consistent radiographic views for plain radiographic assessment that can serve as a basis for accurate diagnosis and surgical decision-making.

Standard knee radiographs should include a standing anteroposterior view of bilateral knees, a standing lateral view of the symptomatic knee in 30° of flexion, a patellar axial view, and a tunnel view. These views, occasionally combined with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can yield information vital to surgical decision-making. Image quality is highly technique-dependent, and variability in patient positioning can substantially affect the ability to properly diagnose structural abnormalities. For improved diagnostic accuracy and disease classification, radiographs must be obtained with use of the same standardized imaging protocol.

Kinetic MRI was shown by Shellock and colleagues²⁵ to provide diagnostic information related to patellar malalignment. As kinetic MRI can image the patellofemoral joint within the initial 20° to 30° of flexion, it is useful in detecting some of the more subtle patellar tracking problems. In their study of 43 knees (40 patients) with symptoms after lateral release, Shellock and colleagues²⁵ found that 27 knees (63%) had medial subluxation of the patella as the knee moved from extension to flexion. Furthermore, MPS was noted on the contralateral, unoperated knee in 17 (43%) of the 40 patients.

Diagnostic Arthroscopy

Once MPS is suspected after a thorough history and physical examination, examination under anesthesia accompanied by diagnostic arthroscopy confirms the diagnosis. Lateral forces are applied to the patella in full knee extension and 30° of flexion (Figure 3). During arthroscopy, the patellofemoral compartment is viewed from the anterolateral portal. With the knee at full extension, the lateral laxity and medial tilt of the patella can be identified (Figure 4). As the knee is flexed to 30°, the patella moves medially and can subluxate over the edge of the medial facet of the trochlea (Figure 5).

Treatment

Nonsurgical Management

Treatment of MPS depends entirely on making an accurate diagnosis and determining the degree of impairment. Patients with symptomatic MPS should initially undergo supervised rehabilitation focusing on balancing the medial and lateral forces that influence patellar tracking. Patients should be evaluated for specific muscle tightness, weakness, and biomechanical abnormalities. Each problem should be addressed with an individualized rehabilitation prescription. Emphasis is placed on balance, proprioception, and strengthening of the quadriceps, hip abductors/external rotators, and abdominal core muscle groups.

In some patients, symptomatic MPS may be reduced with a patella-stabilizing brace with a medial buttress.^3,5,26 Although bracing should be regarded as an adjuvant to a structured physical therapy program, it can also be helpful in confirming the diagnosis of MPS. Shannon and Keene³ reported that all patients in their study experienced significant pain relief and decreased medial patellar subluxations when they wore a medial patella–stabilizing brace. Shellock and colleagues²⁵ used kinematic MRI to investigate the effect of a patella-realignment brace and found that bracing counteracted patellar subluxation in the majority of knees studied.

Surgical Management

When conservative management fails and patients continue to experience pain and instability, surgical intervention is often required. Although various surgical techniques have been used (Table),^{3–6,8–10,14,15,27,28} the optimal surgical treatment for MPS has not been identified.

Lateral Retinaculum Imbrication. Lateral retinaculum imbrication has been used to centralize patella tracking and stabilize the patella. Richman and Scheller⁵ reported on a 17-year-old patient who had isolated medial subluxation of the patella without having undergone a previous lateral release. At 3-month follow-up, there was no recurrent instability; there was only intermittent medial knee soreness with weight-bearing activity.

Lateral Retinaculum Repair/Reconstruction. Hughston and colleagues⁸ treated 65 knees for MPS. Most had undergone lateral release. Of the 65 knees, 39 were treated with direct repair of the lateral retinaculum, and 26 with reconstruction of the lateral patellotibial ligament using locally available tissue, such as strips of iliotibial band or patellar tendon. Results were good to excellent in 80% of patients at a mean follow-up of 53.7 months. Nonweiler and DeLee⁶ reconstructed the lateral retinaculum in 5 patients with MPS that developed after isolated lateral retinacular release. Four (80%) of the 5 patients had no symptoms or physical signs of instability at a mean follow-up of 3.3 years. Results were excellent (3 knees) and good (2 knees) according to the Merchant and Mercer rating scale. Akşahin and colleagues²⁸ reported on a single case of spontaneous medial patellar instability. At surgery, imbrication of the lateral structures failed to prevent the medial subluxation. Lateral patellotibial ligament augmentation was performed using an iliotibial band flap that effectively corrected the instability. At 1 year, the patient was characterized as engaging in vigorous recreational activity, according to the clinical score defined by Hughston and colleagues.⁸ He had mild pain with competitive sports but no pain with daily activity. Abhaykumar and Craig⁹ reported on 4 surgically treated knees with medial instability. They reconstructed the lateral retinaculum using a strip of fascia lata. By follow-up (5-7 years), each knee had its instability resolved and full ROM restored. Johnson and Wakeley²⁶ reported on a case of iatrogenic MPS after lateral release. Treatment consisted of mobilization and direct repair of the lateral retinaculum. At 12-month follow-up, there was no instability. Although symptom-free with light activity, the patient had patellofemoral pain with strenuous activity. Sanchis-Alfonso and colleagues¹⁴ reported the results of isolated lateral retinacular reconstruction for iatrogenic MPS in 17 patients. At mean follow-up of 56 months, results were good or excellent in 65% of patients, and the Lysholm score improved from 36.4 preoperatively to 86.1 postoperatively.

Medial Retinaculum Release. Medial retinaculum release has been used as an alternative to open reconstruction. Shannon and Keene³ reported the results of medial retinacular release procedures on 9 knees. Four (44%) of the 9 patients had either spontaneous or traumatic onset of instability. All cases were treated with arthroscopic medial retinacular release, extending 2 cm medial to the superior pole of the patella down to the anteromedial portal. This avoided releasing the attachment of the vastus medialis oblique muscle to the patella and removing its dynamic medial stabilizing force. At a mean follow-up of 2.7 years, both medial subluxation and knee pain were relieved in all 9 knees without complications or further realignment surgery. Results were excellent in 6 knees (66.7%) and good in 3 knees (33.3%). Shannon and Keene³ emphasized that the procedure should not be used in patients with hypermobile patellae or in cases of failed lateral retinacular releases in which MPS is not clearly and carefully documented.

LPFL Reconstruction. Before coming to our practice, most patients have tried several months of formal physical rehabilitation, medications, and bracing. Many have already had surgical procedures, including arthroscopy, lateral release, and tibial tubercle transfer. When the diagnosis of MPS is suspected after a thorough history and physical examination, LPFL reconstruction is offered. Management of MPS with LPFL reconstruction has yielded excellent and reliable clinical results. Teitge and Torga Spak¹⁰ described an LPFL reconstruction technique that is used as a salvage procedure in managing medial iatrogenic patellar instability (the patient’s own quadriceps tendon is used). In their experience, direct repair or imbrication of the lateral retinaculum failed to provide long-term stability because medial excursion usually appeared after 1 year. The 60 patients’ outcomes were excellent with respect to patellar stability, and there were no cases of recurrent subluxation. Borbas and colleagues¹⁵ reported a case of LPFL reconstruction in a symptomatic medial subluxated patella resulting from TKA and extended lateral release. Using a free gracilis autograft through patellar bone tunnels to reconstruct the LPFL, the patient was free of pain and very satisfied with the result at 1 year postoperatively. Our current strategy is anatomical reconstruction of the LPFL using a quadriceps tendon graft and no bone tunnels, screws, or anchors in the patella.²⁷ We previously reported a single case of isolated medial instability.⁴ At 2-year follow-up, there was no recurrent instability, and the functional outcome was excellent. This LPFL reconstruction method has been used in 10 patients with isolated MPS. There has been no residual medial subluxation on follow-up ranging from 3 months to 2 years. Outcome studies are in progress.

Rehabilitation. The initial goal of rehabilitation after surgical reconstruction of the lateral retinaculum or LPFL is to protect the healing soft tissues, restore normal knee ROM, and normalize gait. The knee is immobilized in a brace for weight-bearing activity for 4 to 6 weeks, until limb control is sufficient to prevent rotational stress on the knee. Gradual increase to full weight-bearing without bracing is permitted as quadriceps strength is restored. As motion is regained, strength, balance, and proprioception are emphasized for the entire lower extremity and core.

Functional limb training, including rotational activity, begins at 12 weeks. As strength and neuromuscular control progress, single-leg activity may be started with particular attention to proper alignment of the pelvis and the entire lower extremity. For competitive or recreational athletes, the final stages of rehabilitation focus on dynamic lower extremity control during sport-specific movements. Patients return to unrestricted activity by 6 months to 1 year after surgery.

Summary

MPS is a disabling condition that can limit daily functional activity because of apprehension and pain. Initially described as a complication of lateral retinacular release, isolated MPS can occur in the absence of a previous lateral release. Thorough physical examination and identification during arthroscopy are crucial for proper MPS diagnosis and management. When nonsurgical measures fail, LPFL reconstruction can provide patellofemoral stability and excellent functional outcomes.