Angina Pectoris Is Associated with Cervical Disc Disease: A Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study Using the Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS).

Atherosclerotic disease in the vessels that supply the cervical spine may lead to degenerative disease. In angina pectoris (AP), atherosclerotic disease leads to coronary vessel occlusion and resulting symptoms. This study aims to determine the relationship between AP and neck pain.

Characterization of Lumbar Lordosis: Influence of Age, Sex, Vertebral Body Wedging, and L4-S1.

Study Design: Retrospective radiographic review.

Objective: The objectives of the study were to determine the contributions to lumbar lordosis (LL) through both the vertebrae and the intervertebral disc (IVD), and to investigate the relationships between lumbar sagittal spine measurements and age and gender.

Summary Of Background Data: A small body of literature exists on the relative contributions of vertebral body and IVD morphology to LL, the effects of L4-S1 on overall LL, and the relationships/correlations between lumbar sagittal spine measurements.

Triangular Osteosynthesis as a Treatment of Lumbopelvic Dissociation with Acute Cauda Equina Syndrome in an 11-Year-Old Patient.

This case offers a safe and effective method for treating lumbopelvic dissociation in a pediatric patient with cauda equina syndrome using a triangular osteosynthesis construct. After a high-speed accident, an 11-year-old girl was admitted to the hospital with bowel and bladder incontinence and bilateral lower extremity weakness. The orthopaedic trauma and spine teams elected for surgical treatment with a triangular osteosynthesis construct, a procedure usually reserved for adults.

Off-label usage of RhBMP-2 in posterior cervical fusion is not associated with early increased complication rate and has similar clinical outcomes.

Background Context: Arthrodesis is important for the success of posterior cervical fusion (PCF), however, there exists limited data regarding the safety and efficacy of bone morphogenic protein (BMP) in PCF.

Purpose: The primary objective was to evaluate early postoperative complications associated with BMP in PCF and determine whether BMP leads to adverse early clinical outcomes. A secondary objective was to determine the optimal location for BMP sponge placement, within the facet joint (IF) or elsewhere, and the optimal dosage/level.

Open Ankle Fractures: What Predicts Infection? A Multicenter Study.

Objective: To identify the patient, injury, and treatment factors associated with an acute infection during the treatment of open ankle fractures in a large multicenter retrospective review. To evaluate the effect of infectious complications on the rates of nonunion, malunion, and loss of reduction.

Design: Multicenter retrospective review.

Assessment of Splinting Quality: A Prospective Study Comparing Different Practitioners.

Background: Splinting is routinely performed in the emergency department (ED), and follow-up visits of improperly placed splints are commonplace in orthopaedic clinics. As open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) of fractures has become the preferred treatment for many injuries, orthopaedic surgeons and emergency physicians have received less instruction on splinting technique. Limited literature exists regarding error/complication rates of splint application.

The distal femur trochlear groove appears to compensate for tibial deformity but not femoral deformity in an investigation of five-hundred and seventy-nine cadaveric skeletons.

Background: The etiology of patellofemoral disorders is multifactorial. Preoperative patellofemoral anatomy evaluation is of great importance in patients undergoing surgery for patellofemoral disorders. Although anatomical risk factors of patellofemoral disorders have been thoroughly investigated in clinical and radiological studies, there are sparse data regarding the association between trochlear dysplasia with other anatomical parameters.

The association between femoral neck shaft angle and degenerative disease of the hip in a cadaveric model.

Background: While the influences of acetabular dysplasia and overcoverage on hip arthritis have been studied, the impact of femoral neck-shaft angle on hip arthritis is much more poorly understood. The purpose of this study is to determine if a relationship exists between neck shaft angle and the development of osteoarthritis, a better understanding of which would be useful to surgeons planning osteotomies about the hip.

Methods: 533 cadaveric femora and acetabulae (1066 total) from the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection (Cleveland, OH) were acquired.

Patellar Morphology and Osteoarthritis: A Cadaveric Analysis.

Previous studies have attempted to characterize patellar morphology and its relation to patellofemoral osteoarthritis but have utilized relatively small samples. We designed a large-scale cadaveric analysis to elucidate any potential relationship. Patellar morphology in 1,032 patellae was characterized using patellar facet concavity patterns initially developed by Wiberg and using the ratio of the lateral and medial facet lengths.

Prevertebral Soft-Tissue Swelling at C7 Is Highly Sensitive for Cervical Spine Ligamentous Injury Study Type: Retrospective Cohort Study.

Unlabelled: To determine the diagnostic potential of prevertebral soft-tissue (PVST) swelling in cervical spine ligamentous injury (LI).

Background: PVST swelling in the cervical spine is a historical indicator of cervical spine injury; however, at present, there are no limited objective criteria to use PVST swelling to guide clinical decision-making regarding cervical spine LI. This study investigates PVST thickness as a screening measure for cervical spine LI with a potential to identify indications for advanced imaging.

Cervical laminoplasty: indication, technique, complications.

Cervical laminoplasty is a non-fusion, decompression procedure for cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). It is most commonly indicated for patients with multilevel stenosis who have preserved sagittal alignment and minimal to no axial neck pain related to spondylosis. Expansion of the laminar arch can allow for direct and indirect decompression of the spinal canal.

A cadaveric study of radial and ulnar bowing in the sagittal and coronal planes.

Background: This study provides a comprehensive, full-length assessment of radial and ulnar bowing in anteroposterior (AP) and sagittal planes.

Methods: Radial and ulnar AP and lateral bowing were assessed using orthogonal digital photographs of 211 randomly selected cadaveric bilateral forearms (422 radius, 422 ulna bones) from a well-preserved osteologic collection.

Results: In the radial AP plane, an apex-radial bow was present at a mean of 58% of bone length (slightly distal to midpoint), with a mean depth of 1.

Smoking Is Associated With Longer Intensive Care Unit Stays in Spine Trauma Patients.

Objective: To determine the impact of smoking on intensive care unit (ICU) outcomes in patients who underwent operative fixation for spine trauma.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Single academic level I trauma center.

Internal tibial torsion is related to syndesmosis injury in a large osteological collection.

Background: The long-term consequences of tibial torsion remain unclear. This study evaluated whether syndesmotic injuries are associated with tibial torsion.

Methods: A collection of over 3000 cadaveric skeletons was screened for irregular bony prominence along the lateral distal tibia, consistent with previous syndesmosis injury.

The Outcome of TGFβ Antagonism in Metastatic Breast Cancer Models Reflects a Complex Balance between Tumor-Suppressive and Proprogression Activities of TGFβ.

Purpose: TGFβs are overexpressed in many advanced cancers and promote cancer progression through mechanisms that include suppression of immunosurveillance. Multiple strategies to antagonize the TGFβ pathway are in early-phase oncology trials. However, TGFβs also have tumor-suppressive activities early in tumorigenesis, and the extent to which these might be retained in advanced disease has not been fully explored.

Lumbosacral Transitional Vertebrae: A Cadaveric Investigation of Prevalence and Relation to Lumbar Degenerative Disease.

Study Design: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The objective of this study was to verify the prevalence of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) in the general population and measure the resulting spinal arthritic changes.

Summary Of Background: LSTV are a morphologic variation within the lumbar spine that has potentially significant clinical implications.

Are Readmissions After Total Knee Arthroplasty Preventable?

Readmission within 90 days following total joint arthroplasty has become a central quality measure of reimbursement initiatives; however, the validity of readmission rates as a measure of hospital care quality and the proportion of readmissions that are preventable are unknown. The purpose of this study is to determine if readmissions within 30 and 90 days after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were related to orthopaedic or medical etiology and identify if these readmissions were preventable. We retrospectively reviewed 1,625 elective TKAs performed between 2011 and 2014 at our institution.

Hip morphology predicts posterior hip impingement in a cadaveric model.

Introduction: Posterior hip impingement is a recently-identified cause of hip pain. The purpose of this study is to characterise posterior femoroacetabular and ischiofemoral impingement and identify its predisposing morphologic traits.

Methods: Two hundred and six cadaveric hips were randomly selected and taken through controlled motion in two pure axes associated with posterior hip impingement: external rotation (through the mechanical axis) and adduction (coronal plane).

No relationship between mild limb length discrepancy and spine, hip or knee degenerative disease in a large cadaveric collection.

Background: Although asymptomatic mild limb length discrepancy (LLD) in children is generally treated non-operatively, there is limited high quality follow up data to support this recommendation.

Hypothesis: We hypothesized that there would be no association between LLD and arthritic changes with mild limb length discrepancy.

Materials And Methods: We studied 576 well-preserved cadaveric skeletons ranging from 40 to 79 years of age.

Hexapod Stacked Transport for Tibial Infected Nonunions With Bone Loss: Long-Term Functional Outcomes.

Objectives: To analyze long-term functional outcomes in patients with posttraumatic infected tibial nonunions having undergone bone transport with hexapod external fixator.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Setting: Level 1 trauma center.

Indications for CT-Angiography of the Vertebral Arteries After Trauma.

Study Design: Retrospective.

Objective: The purpose of this project is to identify factors that predict vertebral artery injury (VAI) in an effort to assess risks and benefits of computed tomography angiography (CT-A) of the neck in the trauma setting. We seek to develop guidelines for practitioners to stratify patients at medium/high risk of VAI from those who are at low risk.

Distal Radius Fractures: AAOS Appropriate Use Criteria Versus Actual Management at a Level I Trauma Center.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine whether the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons' (AAOS) Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for distal radius fractures correlates with actual treatment by orthopedic hand surgeons at a level I trauma center.

Methods: ICD-9 codes were used to retrospectively identify patients who presented with wrist fractures over 1 year. Patients with isolated distal radius fractures were evaluated using the AAOS AUC application for distal radius fractures.

Hexapod Frame Stacked Transport for Tibial Infected Nonunions With Bone Loss: Analysis of Use of Adjunctive Stability.

Objectives: The stacked hexapod bone transport technique is an effective treatment for infected tibial nonunions with bone loss. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the patients' risk factors and timing for requiring adjunctive stabilization.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Clinical and Functional Results of 119 Patients With Knee Dislocations.

Objectives: To describe clinical results and functional outcomes of knee dislocations treated with a consistent strategy within our institution.

Design: Retrospective case series.

Setting: Level 1 trauma center.