Beyond Single Accreditation: Exploring Factors Influencing Selection of Osteopathic Medical Students in the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Match.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to evaluate DO orthopaedic surgery residents compared with their MD counterparts in traditionally allopathic programs, assessing research productivity, number of departmental DO faculty and alumni, and geographical ties to the residency program.

Methods: The Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database was used to retrospectively identify traditionally allopathic ACGME-accredited orthopaedic surgery residency programs for the 2023 to 2024 year. Residency program websites Scopus, PubMed, and Doximity were used to collect data.

Modern Treatment of Hallux Rigidus by Cheilectomy: A Systematic Review of Patient-Reported Outcomes in Minimally Invasive Techniques.

Background: Minimally invasive cheilectomy is becoming a more prominent surgical approach in the management of mild to moderate hallux rigidus. This systematic review aims to analyze and present the current literature on patient-reported outcomes following minimally invasive (MIS) cheilectomy for mild to moderate hallux rigidus.

Methods: PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Scopus databases were searched in April 2024.

Hormonal Fluctuation and Ankle Instability in Women-Is There a Correlation?

Background: With higher incidences of ankle sprains and chronic ankle instability in women, it has been postulated that hormonal modulation and ligamentous laxity influences injury propensity. The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of hormonal fluctuation on ankle stability and ligamentous laxity and their potential contribution to injury propensity in the female athlete.

Methods: In November 2023, a systematic review of the MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases was performed following PRISMA guidelines.

Representation Matters: A Higher Percentage of Women Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Is Associated With an Increased Number of Women Residents.

Introduction: Orthopaedic surgery has been recognized as one of the least diverse surgical specialties. Previous studies have demonstrated that women are heavily underrepresented within orthopaedic surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine whether orthopaedic surgery residency programs with a higher presence of women faculty had a higher proportion of women residents.

Can ChatGPT-4 Diagnose and Treat Like an Orthopaedic Surgeon? Testing Clinical Decision Making and Diagnostic Ability in Soft-Tissue Pathologies of the Foot and Ankle.

Introduction: ChatGPT-4, a chatbot with an ability to carry human-like conversation, has attracted attention after demonstrating aptitude to pass professional licensure examinations. The purpose of this study was to explore the diagnostic and decision-making capacities of ChatGPT-4 in clinical management specifically assessing for accuracy in the identification and treatment of soft-tissue foot and ankle pathologies.

Methods: This study presented eight soft-tissue-related foot and ankle cases to ChatGPT-4, with each case assessed by three fellowship-trained foot and ankle orthopaedic surgeons.

Sex specific considerations in anterior cruciate ligament injuries in the female athlete: State of the art.

The increased participation of females in sports has been accompanied by an increase in the rate of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries. The literature has identified risk factors for noncontact ACL injuries in female athletes, including anatomic, hormonal, biomechanical, neuromuscular, and environmental factors. This review will provide an overview of sex-specific considerations when managing female athletes with ACL injuries.

Excellent Clinical Outcomes and Rapid Return to Activity Following In-Office Needle Tendoscopy for Chronic Achilles Tendinopathy.

Purpose: To assess outcomes following Achilles in-office needle tendoscopy (IONT) for the treatment of chronic Achilles tendinopathy (cAT) at a minimum 12-month follow-up.

Methods: A retrospective case series was conducted to evaluate patients who underwent Achilles IONT for cAT between January 2019 and December 2022. Inclusion criteria were patients ≥18 years of age and clinical history, physical history, and magnetic resonance imaging findings consistent with cAT who did not respond to a minimum of 3 months of conservative management for which each patient underwent Achilles IONT and had a minimum 12-month follow-up.

Sex-specific analysis in patients undergoing Talar OsteoPeriostic grafting from the Iliac Crest (TOPIC) for large osteochondral lesions of the talus.

Purpose: The purpose of the present study is to assess the gender-specific differences in the presentation and outcomes following Talar OsteoPeriostic grafting from the Iliac Crest (TOPIC) between male and female patients.

Methods: A prospective comparative analysis was performed comparing consecutive female and male patients having been treated by the press-fit TOPIC procedure. Clinical comparative assessment preoperatively and at 12 months of follow-up included determination of the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) scores for pain during walking (primary outcome), at rest and during stair-climbing.

Gender Differences in Achilles Tendon Ruptures-A Retrospective Study and a Review of the Literature.

Achilles tendon ruptures are common injuries typically sustained during sport with higher incidence in men, though little is understood regarding sex-specific risk factors or outcomes following injury management. This cross-sectional clinical study and systematic review aimed to examine sex-specific Achilles tendon rupture incidence and outcomes following intervention. This study included patients who sustained a rupture between 2011-2021, were ≥18 years old, and who had a minimum follow-up of at least six months, and evaluated age, sex, sport involvement, mechanism of injury, and postoperative complications and revision.

Decreased Fertility Awareness Amongst Surgeons and Surgical Trainees and Potential Role of Formal Fertility Education.

Objective: Compared to the general population, physicians tend to have children later in life, increasing rates of infertility, obstetrical complications, and the need for assisted reproductive technology (ART). The aim of this study is to systematically review the literature to determine the level of fertility and ART knowledge amongst United States surgeons and surgical trainees, and analyze the impact of the medical career on family planning goals and outcomes.

Design: A systematic literature search of articles published between 2014 to 2022 in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed in January 2023 according to, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines.

Pregnancy and infertility in orthopedics: A review of the current state.

Background: Orthopedic surgery continues to have one of the lowest rates of female trainees among all medical specialties in the United States. Barriers to pursuing a surgical residency include the challenges of family planning and work-life balance during training.

Methods: A systematic literature search of articles published between June 2012 and December 2022 in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed in January 2023 according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis).

Platelet-Rich Plasma vs Extracorporeal Shock Wave Therapy in the Treatment of Plantar Fasciitis at 3-6 Months: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Background: Plantar fasciitis (PF) is a common foot disorder with variability in treatment strategy. Two effective management techniques include platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections and extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT). The purpose of this meta-analysis is to compare the effectiveness of PRP vs ESWT in the management of PF.

In-Office Needle Arthroscopy: Indications, Surgical Techniques, Tips, and Tricks.

In-office needle arthroscopy (IONA) has gained increased attention as a minimally invasive alternative to standard arthroscopy performed in the operating room (OR) setting. IONA uses instrumentation that is markedly smaller in size and diameter making arthroscopy less invasive. Less OR equipment and less OR staff are required resulting in procedures that may be more accessible and less expensive.

Analysis of Gender Diversity Within Foot and Ankle Surgery Fellowship Programs.

Background: Women continue to be underrepresented in orthopaedic surgery. This study seeks to evaluate gender diversity of faculty and trainees at foot and ankle surgery fellowship programs.

Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis of 49 US foot and ankle fellowship programs, all publicly available data on program faculty (as of July 2023) were collected, as well as data on current and past fellows between 2018 and 2024.

Sex differences in biomechanical properties of the Achilles tendon may predispose men to higher risk of injury: A systematic review.

Importance: Men have a higher risk of Achilles tendon (AT) injury, and the impact of morphological and mechanical sex differences may play a role.

Aim: The aim of this study is to systematically review the literature to determine whether there are sex-specific differences in AT morphological and mechanical properties and analyze how these differences may impact AT injury in both men and women.

Evidence Review: A systematic literature search of articles published between 2001 and 2021, in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed during May 2022 according to PRISMA.

Talonavicular Osteochondral Lesions: Surgical Technique and Clinical Outcomes from the Boston and Amsterdam Perspectives.

Purpose: The primary purpose of the present study was to assess the patient-reported outcomes, complications, and reoperation rate of patient who underwent surgical treatment for symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the talonavicular joint (TNJ).

Methods: Patients undergoing surgical treatment for symptomatic osteochondral lesions of the TNJ with a minimum of 12-month follow-up were included. Outcomes included clinical patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), return to sports and work outcomes, and postoperative complications or reoperations.

Diversity in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine Societies.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report demographic trends in terms of ethnicity/race and gender among the membership and leadership positions of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) and the American Orthopaedic Society of Sports Medicine (AOSSM). Over the years both AANA and AOSSM will increase in diversity through their committee membership and leadership positions.

Methods: AANA and AOSSM membership and leadership were reviewed for the years 2010, 2015, and 2020.

Perception of Debt During Resident Education-A Systematic Review.

Debt is a common issue among medical residents in the United States. This review attempts 1) to evaluate the level of debt among residents, 2) to assess perceptions toward debt among residents, 3) to determine debt-management options pursued, and 4) to gauge whether levels of debt affect resident career choices. A systematic literature search of articles published between January 2012 and January 2022 in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed.

Rethinking Cartilage Lesions of the Ankle: An Update on the Role of Biologic Adjuvants.

Osteochondral lesions of the talus are common injuries in the ankle joint often resulting in early-onset osteoarthritis if left untreated. The avascular nature of articular cartilage limits healing capacity; therefore, surgical strategies are typically used in the treatment of these injuries. These treatments often result in the production of fibrocartilage rather than the native hyaline cartilage, which has decreased mechanical and tribological properties.

Advances in Cartilage Repair.

Osteochondral lesions of the ankle joint are typically associated with a traumatic etiology and present with ankle pain and swelling. Conservative management yields unsatisfactory results because of the poor healing capacity of the articular cartilage. Smaller lesions (<100 mm or <10 mm) can be treated with less invasive procedures such as arthroscopic debridement, anterograde drilling, scaffold-based therapies, and augmentation with biological adjuvants.

The Case for Needed Financial Literacy Curriculum During Resident Education.

Objective: Personal physician finance is an overlooked source of stress that negatively impacts resident wellbeing with formal financial education often left out of medical training. This study attempts to (1) evaluate the perceptions of financial literacy, (2) determine the level of financial education incorporated across residency programs, and (3) evaluate the resources that residents utilize to obtain information about managing their personal finances.

Design: A systematic literature search of articles published between January 2012 to January 2022, in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases was performed during February 2022].