Post-operative follow-up care after acute spinal trauma: What is the reality?

•Only 23.7% of acute spinal trauma patients who underwent instrumentation met or surpassed one-year of clinical follow-up care.•Factors associated with lower rates of completed follow-up are ISS, presence of non-ambulatory spinal cord injury, history of IVDA, and insurance.

Risk Factors Associated with 90-Day Readmissions Following Occipitocervical Fusion-A Nationwide Readmissions Database Study.

Background: Occipitocervical fusion (OCF) procedures are increasing due to an aging population and the prevalence of trauma, rheumatoid arthritis, and tumors. Reoperation rates and readmission risk factors for cervical fusions have been established, but in relation to OCF they have not been explored. This study investigates the patterns of readmissions and complications following OCF using a national database.

Does Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey correlate with traditional metrics of patient satisfaction? The challenge of measuring patient pain control and satisfaction in total joint replacement.

Background: Medicare reimbursements have been tied to patient satisfaction measures. Despite these measures' influence on reimbursements, the relationship between pain management and patient satisfaction remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between traditional patient perception of pain control and their overall satisfaction after joint replacement.

Facet Sparing Foraminal Decompression Using the Flexible Shaver Foraminotomy System: Nerve Safety, Pain Relief, and Patient Satisfaction.

Background: A number of surgical options exist for decompressing lumbar foraminal stenosis. Flexible shaver foraminotomy is a recent addition to this armamentarium. While the foraminotomy device has been incorporated into clinical practice, the literature on its safety and efficacy remain limited.

Intraocular Pressure Increases After Intraarticular Knee Injection With Triamcinolone but Not Hyaluronic Acid.

Background: Intraarticular steroid injections are a common first-line therapy for severe osteoarthritis, which affects an estimated 27 million people in the United States. Although topical, oral, intranasal, and inhalational steroids are known to increase intraocular pressure in some patients, the effect of intraarticular steroid injections on intraocular pressure has not been investigated, to the best of our knowledge. If elevated intraocular pressure is sustained for long periods of time or is of sufficient magnitude acutely, permanent loss of the visual field can occur.

Single-Shot Femoral Nerve Block Does Not Cause Long-Term Strength and Functional Deficits Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Purpose: To determine if patients treated with a single-shot femoral nerve block have strength and functional deficits at 9-month follow-up.

Methods: Forty-three patients who underwent primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions were randomized to receive either a preoperative single-shot femoral nerve block or local infiltration anesthesia for primary pain control. All patients underwent a standardized comprehensive rehabilitation program postoperatively.

Pain Assessment After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Versus Hamstring Tendon Autograft.

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction is a common outpatient procedure that is accompanied by significant postoperative pain.

Purpose: To determine differences in acute pain levels between patients undergoing ACL reconstruction with bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) versus hamstring tendon (HS) autograft.

Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

Liposomal Bupivacaine Versus Femoral Nerve Block for Pain Control After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Prospective Randomized Trial.

Purpose: To compare femoral nerve block (FNB) versus local liposomal bupivacaine (LB) for pain control in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Methods: Eighty-five patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction were assessed for participation. We performed a prospective randomized trial in accordance with the CONSORT (Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials) 2010 statement.

Single-Fraction Spine Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for the Treatment of Chordoma.

Purpose: Chordoma is a radioresistant tumor that presents a therapeutic challenge with spine involvement, as high doses of radiation are needed for local control while limiting dose to the spinal cord. The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of single-fraction spine stereotactic body radiation therapy for the treatment of spine chordoma.

Methods: A retrospective review of our institutional database from 2006 to 2013 identified 8 patients (12 cases) with chordoma of the spine who were treated with spine stereotactic body radiation therapy.

Major League Baseball pitch velocity and pitch type associated with risk of ulnar collateral ligament injury.

Background: The number of Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers requiring ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstructions is increasing. Recent literature has attempted to correlate specific stresses placed on the throwing arm to risk for UCL injury, with limited results.

Methods: Eighty-three MLB pitchers who underwent primary UCL reconstruction were evaluated.

Radiosurgery for Pediatric Brain Tumors.

The utility of radiosurgery for pediatric brain tumors is not well known. For children, radiosurgery may have an important role for treating unresectable tumors, residual disease, or tumors in the recurrent setting that have received prior radiotherapy. The available evidence demonstrates utility for some children with primary brain tumors resulting in good local control.

The Use of Trabecular Metal Cones in Complex Primary and Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty.

Trabecular metal cones are one option for treating osseous defects during TKA. A total of 83 consecutive TKAs utilizing cones with an average of 40 months follow-up were reviewed. There were 24 males and 59 females, with an average age of 69 years old.

Gamma Knife radiosurgery in the management of brainstem metastases.

Background: Metastases to the brainstem portend a poor prognosis and present a challenge in clinical management. Surgical resection is rarely a viable option.

Methods: Post-treatment MRI scans of patients with brainstem metastases treated with radiosurgery were used to determine local control and disease progression.

Modularity of the femoral component in total hip arthroplasty.

Modular femoral components have been developed to aid in recreating native femoral version, limb length, and offset in total hip arthroplasty. Use of modular implants results in cost savings, as well. Inventory can be reduced while allowing intraoperative flexibility and options.

Site-specific recombinase strategy to create induced pluripotent stem cells efficiently with plasmid DNA.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have revolutionized the stem cell field. iPSCs are most often produced by using retroviruses. However, the resulting cells may be ill-suited for clinical applications.

Impact of hydrodynamic injection and phiC31 integrase on tumor latency in a mouse model of MYC-induced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hydrodynamic injection is an effective method for DNA delivery in mouse liver and is being translated to larger animals for possible clinical use. Similarly, phiC31 integrase has proven effective in mediating long-term gene therapy in mice when delivered by hydrodynamic injection and is being considered for clinical gene therapy applications. However, chromosomal aberrations have been associated with phiC31 integrase expression in tissue culture, leading to questions about safety.

Perfusion abnormalities in subchondral bone associated with marrow edema, osteoarthritis, and avascular necrosis.

Bone marrow edema is seen in osteoarthritis, avascular necrosis, and other clinical conditions including the bone marrow edema syndrome. Bone marrow edema is associated with bone pain and may be related to the pathophysiology of osteoarthritis. Our hypothesis is that bone marrow edema is associated with a reduction in perfusion in subchondral bone, which contributes to focal and segmental bone necrosis and cartilage breakdown.

Targeted deletion of Kv4.2 eliminates I(to,f) and results in electrical and molecular remodeling, with no evidence of ventricular hypertrophy or myocardial dysfunction.

Previous studies have demonstrated a role for voltage-gated K+ (Kv) channel alpha subunits of the Kv4 subfamily in the generation of rapidly inactivating/recovering cardiac transient outward K+ current, I(to,f), channels. Biochemical studies suggest that mouse ventricular I(to,f) channels reflect the heteromeric assembly of Kv4.2 and Kv4.