Publications by authors named "Andrew B Harris"

Introduction: Medical school curricula offer limited exposure to orthopaedic surgery, and few national initiatives aim to prepare students for orthopaedic surgery subinternships, which are critical for success in matching into orthopaedic residency. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a single-day virtual "Subinternship Summit" for medical students in 2 key areas: 1) enhancing participants' confidence in their preparedness for orthopaedic subinternship rotations and 2) mitigating any disparities based on student characteristics, such as race/ethnicity, gender, or whether or not the student's school is affiliated with a "home" orthopaedic program.

Methods: In March 2024, a single-day national virtual summit was held, featuring panels on topics relevant to performance during orthopaedic subinternships.

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Background: Glucose levels obtained on the day of surgery may be predictive of complications following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Established glucose thresholds for TKA are either nonspecific or have low predictive power. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to create data-driven hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and same-day glucose thresholds associated with varying risks of 90-day major and surgical site infection (SSI) complications following TKA.

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  • - The study aimed to determine the rate and risk factors of surgical site infections following mini-open rotator cuff repair (RCR) performed by a single surgeon, hypothesizing that the infection rate would be lower than previously reported.
  • - A review of 925 patient records from 2003 to 2020 revealed that 823 patients (89%) had sufficient follow-up, with a low infection rate of 1.7%, including 1.2% superficial and 0.49% deep infections.
  • - Key risk factors for infection included male sex and diabetes mellitus, with Staphylococcus aureus and Cutibacterium acnes being the most frequently identified bacteria in the infections.
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  • Tranexamic acid (TXA) is used in adult spinal deformity surgery to reduce blood loss, but there's no agreed-upon dosing method.
  • A study analyzed data from 265 complex ASD patients, categorizing them into low, medium, and high TXA dose groups and measuring blood loss, complications, and RBC transfusions.
  • Findings revealed that lower TXA doses resulted in significantly higher blood loss and increased RBC transfusions compared to high doses, suggesting that higher TXA dosing may be more effective in minimizing blood loss during surgery.
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  • Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common surgical procedure for patients with severe knee osteoarthritis, especially when non-surgical treatments fail, leading to significant improvements in pain, function, and quality of life.
  • The procedure can use various components (cemented, cementless, or a hybrid) and is generally performed with a focus on mechanical alignment, although newer alignment strategies like gap and kinematic balancing are showing promising results in early studies.
  • The preferred surgical technique for cementless TKA involves a specific patient positioning and incision approach, starting with the application of a thigh tourniquet and a parapatellar incision, ensuring proper alignment and access during the surgery.*
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Background: Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are often prescribed in conjunction with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) due to their gastroprotective effects. In animal studies, it has been suggested that PPIs have immunosuppressive effects and impair fracture healing; however, the association between PPI use and adverse events following THA and TKA has not been well-studied.

Methods: An administrative claims database was queried for patients who underwent elective THA from 2010 to 2019.

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Background: Educational debt is commonly observed among applicants to orthopaedic surgery residency programs; however, an understanding of the debt burden among minority and nonminority applicants is not well established. Thus, this study aimed to fill these knowledge gaps by examining the extent of and factors shaping educational debt among orthopaedic surgery applicants.

Questions/purposes: (1) What is the educational debt burden among orthopaedic surgery residency applicants? (2) After controlling for relevant confounding variables, what factors are independently associated with increasing levels of educational debt? (3) After controlling for relevant confounding variables, are individuals classified as an underrepresented minority or those with educational debt and socioeconomic disadvantage less likely to match in orthopaedic surgery?

Methods: A retrospective evaluation of orthopaedic surgery residency application data from the American Association of Medical Colleges was analyzed from 2011 to 2021.

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Background: Long-term complications following total joint arthroplasty are not well established for patients who have Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a group of connective tissue disorders. This study compared 10-year incidence of revision surgery after total hip arthroplasty (THA) and total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in patients who have and do not have EDS.

Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was conducted using a national all-payer claims database from 2010 to 2021 to identify patients who underwent primary TKA or THA.

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Background: Open access (OA) publications are increasingly common in orthopaedic literature. However, whether OA publications are associated with increased readership or citations among total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) literature is unclear. We hypothesize that compared with non-OA status, OA status is associated with increased social media dissemination, and readership, but not with citation count.

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Introduction: Preoperative anemia is associated with increased postoperative transfusion and complication rates after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We aimed to create TKA-specific data-driven preoperative hemoglobin strata that quantify the likelihood of 90-day postoperative blood transfusion and evaluate whether these strata are associated with increased risk of 90-day major complications and 2-year prosthetic joint infection (PJI).

Methods: Primary TKA patients from 2013 to 2022 were identified using a national database.

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  • Recent advancements in blood management techniques, including the use of tranexamic acid, have led to a significant decrease in transfusion rates following total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
  • A study analyzed data from over 500,000 TKA patients between 2010 and 2021, revealing that the rate of transfusion dropped from 10.6% to 0.6%, while the impact of preoperative anemia on transfusion risk increased significantly.
  • The findings suggest that focusing on preoperative anemia could be crucial to further reducing transfusion needs as blood management protocols continue to improve.
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Introduction: The role of elective rotations in the orthopaedic residency selection process varies between programs. Our study aims to identify factors associated with residency programs that interview and match a greater proportion of applicants who have completed an elective rotation with their program.

Methods: Data were collected through the American Orthopaedic Association's Orthopaedic Residency Information Network database.

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There is renewed interest in cemented femoral fixation in total hip arthroplasty in the United States, and to fully appreciate the evolution of cemented femoral stem designs, an understanding of their history and design rationale is essential. To adequately study the outcomes of modern-day designs, a comprehensive classification system is also necessary. The biomechanical principles, failure mechanisms, and clinical outcomes associated with various cemented femoral stems are described in this comprehensive review.

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  • * Among 75,385 patients analyzed, Black patients showed decreased odds of being admitted but were more likely to experience longer hospital stays compared to White patients, while older age groups (75+) had higher admission rates.
  • * The research indicates significant regional disparities in admission rates and lengths of stay, with Midwestern and Western hospitals having lower admission rates, while trauma centers were more likely to admit patients, highlighting the need to address these inequities in care.
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  • Reverse shoulder arthroplasty is becoming increasingly common for treating conditions like rotator cuff issues and osteoarthritis, focusing on pain reduction and improved mobility.
  • The article reviews recent research on the effects of lateralization of glenoid and humeral components to enhance shoulder function, while acknowledging the need for better clinical evidence.
  • Despite ongoing studies and simulations suggesting potential benefits of component lateralization, conclusive clinical outcomes are still lacking, and more long-term research is necessary for definitive results.
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In patients with severe glenohumeral osteoarthritis (OA) and preserved rotator cuff function who have failed nonoperative treatment, anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) has historically been the preferred surgical treatment. Shoulder arthroplasty in the setting of glenoid bone loss setting is technically demanding. Many techniques have been described to deal with glenoid bone loss including eccentric reaming, bone grafting, augmented glenoid baseplates, and patient-specific implants.

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  • A retrospective study investigated the link between the AM-PAC "6-Clicks" score and postoperative ileus development in patients undergoing adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery, noting a high complication rate in such procedures.
  • Out of 85 surgeries analyzed, 12% of patients developed ileus, typically around postoperative day 3, and those with a first AM-PAC score below 13 were significantly more likely to experience this complication.
  • The findings suggest that an initial AM-PAC score under 13, indicating poor mobility, may help identify patients at increased risk for ileus post-surgery, emphasizing the importance of mobility for recovery.
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Elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) has been shown to be an effective form of surgical management for lower-extremity diametaphyseal fractures in pediatric patients, but studies are limited because ESIN treatment for these fractures is relatively uncommon. We sought to determine whether ESIN can be used effectively in the most distal or proximal short-segment forms of these fractures. We queried the electronic medical record system at Johns Hopkins Hospital using Current Procedural Terminology codes for femur and tibia fractures treated with ESIN in patients under 18 years old between January 2015 and October 2022.

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Background: Certain medications interfere with the bone remodeling process and may potentially increase the risk of complications after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). As patients undergoing TKA may be taking these bone mineral density (BMD)-reducing medications, it is unclear as to whether and which medications impact TKA outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to observe the impact of various BMD-reducing medications on 2-year implant-related complications following TKA.

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  • The study analyzes the reasons for revision total hip arthroplasty (rTHA) across different body mass index (BMI) classes using data from nearly 100,000 patients between 2006 and 2020.
  • Researchers found that underweight patients had a higher likelihood of revisions due to dislocation and periprosthetic fractures, while overweight and obese patients were more prone to infections.
  • The findings suggest that understanding these differences in reasons for rTHA can help tailor patient care to minimize complications based on BMI.
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Background: Quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption is an infrequent but devastating complication after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Our knowledge of specific risk factors for this complication is limited by the current literature. Thus, this study aimed to identify potential risk factors for quadriceps tendon extensor mechanism disruption following TKA.

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  • As open access publishing gains traction in orthopaedics, it's crucial to understand the various publishing options and their impacts on citations and readership, particularly in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) literature.
  • The study analyzed 9,606 TKA articles from 2016 onwards to compare different types of articles: open journal, hybrid, closed license, and open repository, using metrics like citations, social media attention, and readership.
  • Results showed that open repository articles had the highest mean citations (14.40) and readership (44.68), while open journals lagged behind in both metrics, indicating that free-to-publish options are more beneficial than paid ones.
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  • Extended oral antibiotic (EOA) prophylaxis has significantly reduced prosthetic joint infection rates in high-risk patients after total hip arthroplasty (THA), leading to an increase in research on its use despite the lack of national guidelines.
  • From 2010 to 2022, the use of EOA prophylaxis surged by 366% after primary THA and by 298% after revision THA, with a substantial portion of patients receiving these antibiotics for extended periods beyond seven days.
  • Trends show a growing inconsistency in EOA prescription patterns among different patient demographics, indicating a need for established guidelines to enhance antibiotic stewardship and mitigate infection risks.
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Introduction: Orthopaedic surgery remains a competitive surgical subspecialty with more applicants than spots each year. As a result, numerous students fail to match into these competitive positions each year with a growing number of reapplicants in consecutive application cycles. We sought to understand the socioeconomic factors at play between this growing reapplicant pool compared with first-time applicants to better understand potential discrepancies between these groups.

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Andrew B Harris"

  • - Recent research by Andrew B. Harris focuses primarily on orthopedic surgery, particularly outcomes related to joint arthroplasties, infection risks, and factors influencing postoperative complications, emphasizing a data-driven approach to assess risk stratification and optimal treatment protocols.
  • - Key findings include the establishment of predictive thresholds for glycemic control before total knee arthroplasties, the identification of infection rates related to various surgical techniques for rotator cuff repair, and the implications of tranexamic acid dosing on perioperative blood loss in spinal deformity surgeries.
  • - Additionally, his work highlights the impact of socioeconomic factors on orthopedic residency applicants, revealing disparities in educational debt and matching outcomes, which underscores the need for more inclusive approaches in surgical training programs.