Intraoperative Nerve Conduction Studies During Open Carpal Tunnel Release: A Pilot Study.

Background: Operative management of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) involves release of the transverse carpal ligament (TCL) and often the volar antebrachial fascia (VAF). Evidence of a difference between TCL and TCL+VAF release is limited. We conducted a pilot study to measure changes of intraoperative nerve conduction velocity (NCV) after CTS surgery and compared outcomes of variable degrees of decompression.

Anatomic reconstruction of acromioclavicular joint dislocations using allograft and synthetic ligament.

Background: Acromioclavicular (AC) separations are commonly seen shoulder injuries. Numerous surgical reconstruction techniques have been described. In this study, we present a series of patients who underwent an anatomic reconstruction using a synthetic ligament and allograft construct.

Evaluation of the Content and Accessibility of Web Sites for Accredited Orthopaedic Trauma Surgery Fellowships.

Background: Orthopaedic trauma fellowship applicants use online-based resources when researching information on potential U.S. fellowship programs.

The Role of Orthobiologics in Fracture Healing and Arthrodesis.

Nonunion after tibial shaft fracture and hindfoot arthrodesis remains a major problem. Known risk factors include advanced age, immunosuppression, smoking, and diabetes. Several factors must be considered in the fracture healing process.

Rehabilitation Charges Associated With Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background: Pre- and postoperative rehabilitation are important to the management of patients with anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, but little attention has been given to the costs. This study evaluated the pre- and postoperative rehabilitation charges in patients with ACL reconstruction in the United States.

Hypothesis: Patients receive preoperative rehabilitation less commonly than postoperative rehabilitation.

Demographic trends in arthroscopic and open biceps tenodesis across the United States.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate trends in procedures and to report on demographic data of patients undergoing arthroscopic vs. open biceps tenodesis.

Methods: A retrospective review of a commercially available database (PearlDiver) was conducted to identify cases of arthroscopic and open biceps tenodesis performed between 2007 and 2011 with concurrent diagnoses of commonly associated shoulder disorders.

Use of inertial sensors to predict pivot-shift grade and diagnose an ACL injury during preoperative testing.

Background: The pivot-shift (PS) examination is used to demonstrate knee instability and detect anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury. Prior studies using inertial sensors identified the ACL-deficient knee with reasonable accuracy, but none addressed the more difficult problem of using these sensors to determine whether a subject has an ACL deficiency and to correctly assign a PS grade to a patient's knee.

Hypothesis: Inertial sensor data recorded during a PS examination can accurately predict ACL deficiency and the PS score assigned by the examining physician.

In vivo evaluation of electrospun polycaprolactone graft for anterior cruciate ligament engineering.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is critical for the structural stability of the knee and its injury often requires surgical intervention. Because current reconstruction methods using autograft or allograft tissue suffer from donor-site morbidity and limited supply, there has been emerging interest in the use of bioengineered materials as a platform for ligament reconstruction. Here, we report the use of electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds as a candidate platform for ACL reconstruction in an in vivo rodent model.

Vascular and nerve injury after knee dislocation: a systematic review.

Background: Vascular injury is a devastating complication of acute knee dislocation. However, there are wide discrepancies in the reported frequency of vascular injury after knee dislocations, as well as important differences among approaches for diagnosis of this potentially limb-threatening problem.

Questions/purposes: We determined (1) the frequency of vascular and neurologic injury after knee dislocation and whether it varied by the type of knee dislocation, (2) the frequency with which surgical intervention was performed for vascular injury in this setting, and (3) the frequency with which each imaging modality was used to detect vascular injury.

Incidence of acute postoperative infections requiring reoperation after arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

Background: An acute infection after arthroscopic shoulder surgery is a rare but serious complication. Previous studies estimating the incidence of infections after arthroscopic surgery have been conducted, but the majority of these had either relatively small study groups or were not specific to shoulder arthroscopic surgery.

Purpose: To investigate the incidence of acute infections after arthroscopic shoulder surgery and compare infection rates by age group, sex, geographic region, and specific procedures.

The costs associated with the evaluation of rotator cuff tears before surgical repair.

Background: Patients undergoing rotator cuff repair typically have a diagnostic evaluation and trial of nonoperative therapy before surgery. Recent studies have evaluated the cost-effectiveness of surgery, but none have attempted to estimate the costs associated with the preoperative evaluation. This study used available data to examine major expenditures during the preoperative period.

Incidence of postoperative infections requiring reoperation after arthroscopic knee surgery.

Purpose: The purposes of this study were to determine the incidence of infection requiring reoperation after arthroscopic knee surgery during a 6-year period and to compare infection rates across different age groups, genders, geographic regions of the United States, and Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes through a retrospective review of a large insurance company database.

Methods: A retrospective review of an insurance company database was performed for all knee arthroscopies performed in the United States from 2004 to 2009. The database was first queried for all knee arthroscopies, and the number of those cases requiring additional surgery for infection within 30 days was determined to calculate the incidence of infection.

Genomewide clonal analysis of lethal mutations in the Drosophila melanogaster eye: comparison of the X chromosome and autosomes.

Using a large consortium of undergraduate students in an organized program at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), we have undertaken a functional genomic screen in the Drosophila eye. In addition to the educational value of discovery-based learning, this article presents the first comprehensive genomewide analysis of essential genes involved in eye development. The data reveal the surprising result that the X chromosome has almost twice the frequency of essential genes involved in eye development as that found on the autosomes.