Validation of Temperature Sensors to Monitor Thermoplastic Splint Wear in Hand Surgery Patients.

Background: The aim of this study was to validate the use of temperature sensors to accurately measure thermoplastic volar forearm splint wear in a healthy cohort of volunteers using 5- and 15-minute temperature measurement intervals.

Methods: A prospective diagnostic study was performed to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of temperature sensors in monitoring splint wear in 8 healthy volunteers between December 2022 and June 2023. Temperature sensors were molded into thermoplastic volar forearm splints.

Curtailing infection risks in hepatitis C patients: the effect of antiviral treatment in revision shoulder arthroplasty.

Background: Revision shoulder arthroplasty (RevSA) is a complex procedure that can result in various postoperative complications. However, the impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) on postoperative complications after RevSA remains unclear because of limited and inconsistent evidence. This study aims (1) to investigate the incidence of postoperative complications in patients with HCV undergoing RevSA and (2) to evaluate the impact of HCV treatment on complication rates at different time points after the revision procedure, specifically at 90 days, 1 year, and 2 years.

Preoperative Corticosteroid Injections Within 4 Weeks of Arthroscopic Shoulder Procedures Are Associated With Increased Postoperative Infection Rates.

Purpose: To refine the understanding of the effect of timing of corticosteroid injections (CSIs) and shoulder arthroscopy on postoperative infection.

Methods: An insurance database was used to determine all patients who underwent shoulder arthroscopy for a 5-year period with an associated preoperative ipsilateral corticosteroid injection. Patients were stratified into cohorts based on timing of preoperative CSI: (1) 0-<2 weeks, (2) 2-<4 weeks, (3) 4-<6 weeks, and (4) 6-<8 weeks.

Open versus arthroscopic elbow arthrolysis for primary osteoarthritis: A comparison of demographics and complications at two years.

Introduction: Open techniques have traditionally been utilized in the surgical management of elbow osteoarthritis (OA). However, advances in elbow arthroscopy, in conjunction with the movement towards minimally invasive surgery, have led to an increase in the utilization of an arthroscopic approach. The primary aim of this investigation was to compare demographics and complication rates between patients undergoing open or arthroscopic arthrolysis for elbow OA with a secondary objective of identifying risk factors for infection with each treatment.

Does timing matter? The effect of preoperative smoking cessation on the risk of infection or revision following rotator cuff repair.

Background: Nicotine in tobacco products is known to impair bone and tendon healing, and smoking has been associated with an increased rate of retear and reoperation following rotator cuff repair (RCR). Although smoking is known to increase the risk of failure following RCR, former smoking status and the timing of preoperative smoking cessation have not previously been investigated.

Methods: A national all-payer database was queried for patients undergoing RCR between 2010 and 2020.

Acromion morphology is associated with glenoid bone loss in posterior glenohumeral instability.

Background: The acromion morphology in a shoulder with posterior instability differs from that of a shoulder without glenohumeral instability. Specifically, the acromion with a flatter sagittal tilt, greater posterior acromial height, and less posterior coverage is associated with posterior instability. However, the association between acromion morphology and glenoid bone loss (GBL) in the setting of posterior glenohumeral instability has not previously been investigated.

Increased actual sling wear is associated with better early patient-reported and image-based outcomes after shoulder surgery.

Background: Prior studies have failed to show differences in functional outcomes for patient-reported sling use after rotator cuff repair. Temperature-sensing devices are used to more accurately measure brace adherence. The purposes of this study were to quantify actual sling adherence and its predictors and to establish whether increased sling adherence is associated with improved functional and image-based outcomes.

Glenoid Bone Loss Pattern in Patients With Posterior Instability Versus Anterior Instability: A Matched Cohort Study.

Background: The pattern of glenoid bone loss (GBL) in anterior glenohumeral instability is well described. It was recognized recently that posterior GBL after instability has a posteroinferior pattern.

Purpose/hypothesis: The purpose of this study was to compare GBL patterns in a matched cohort of patients with anterior versus posterior glenohumeral instability.

Does needle penetration of the shoulder joint prior to arthroscopy increase infection risk? The effect of preoperative magnetic resonance arthrogram or corticosteroid injection.

Background: Prior literature has associated preoperative corticosteroid shoulder injection (CSI) with infection following shoulder surgery. A recent study found an equally elevated risk of total knee arthroplasty infection with preoperative injection of either CSI or hyaluronic acid. The implication is that violation of a joint prior to surgery, even in the absence of corticosteroid, may pose an elevated risk of infection following orthopedic surgery.

Reliability, validity, and responsiveness of a novel subscapularis outcome score: the Baltimore Orthopedic Subscapularis Score.

Background: Available surveys that evaluate shoulder strength and pain often combine rotator cuff muscles making the test unable to differentiate subscapularis tears from other pathology including concomitant supraspinatus, infraspinatus tears. The purpose of this study was to validate a subscapularis-specific shoulder survey (Baltimore Orthopedic Subscapularis Score) as a viable clinical outcome assessment through analysis of psychometric properties.

Methods: A 5-question survey was given to a study population of 390 patients, 136 of whom had full thickness rotator cuff tears with a minimum score of 5 (better) and a maximum score of 25 (worse).

The Effect of Patients' Understanding of Sling Necessity and Home Assistance on Sling Wear After Shoulder Surgery.

Background: Perioperative education and socioeconomic factors influence patient behavior. Recent evidence has suggested that sling compliance is associated with improved outcomes after shoulder surgery; it is important to investigate factors that influence sling compliance.

Purpose: To determine the associations between postoperative sling wear and patients' understanding of sling necessity, postoperative home assistance, and social deprivation.

Preoperative factors associated with patient satisfaction 2 years after elective shoulder surgery.

Background Purpose: Patient satisfaction has become an increasingly important component of quality measures for both hospital reimbursement and quality assessment. Additionally, patient satisfaction influences patient behavior and patient follow-up. The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative factors associated with patient satisfaction 2 years after shoulder surgery.

Higher preoperative expectations predict better outcomes in shoulder surgery patients.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine if preoperative expectations (PE) are an independent predictor of greater 2-year outcomes and greater improvement from baseline in shoulder surgery patients.

Methods: Two-hundred and sixteen patients who underwent shoulder surgery at one institution were studied. Patients completed both preoperative and 2-year follow-up questionnaires including PROMIS (Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System) computer-adaptive testing in six domains, American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) score, shoulder numeric pain scale (NPS), and the Marx Shoulder Activity Rating Scale (MARS).

PROMIS Depression and Anxiety in shoulder surgery patients.

Aims: The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of depression and anxiety symptoms in patients undergoing shoulder surgery using the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Depression and Anxiety computer adaptive tests, and to determine the factors associated with more severe symptoms. Additionally, we sought to determine whether PROMIS Depression and Anxiety were associated with functional outcomes after shoulder surgery.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of 293 patients from an urban population who underwent elective shoulder surgery from 2015 to 2018.

Fibroadipogenic progenitor cell response peaks prior to progressive fatty infiltration after rotator cuff tendon tear.

Fibroadipogenic progenitor (FAP) cells are implicated as a major source of fatty infiltration (FI) in murine rotator cuff (RC) injury, but FAP cell response after RC tear in a rabbit model is unknown. This study determined whether changes in FAP cell count after an RC tear predate muscle degeneration in a clinically relevant rabbit model. We hypothesized increases in FAP cell count correlate temporally with RC degeneration.

Preoperative opioid use in patients undergoing shoulder surgery.

Background: Opioids are commonly used to manage pain from acute injury or chronic degenerative diseases. The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of preoperative opioid use in patients undergoing shoulder surgery and the clinical factors associated with preoperative opioid use.

Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study of 175 patients undergoing shoulder surgery at an urban hospital from June 2015 to June 2017.

Preoperative characteristics predictive of PROMIS Pain Interference two years after shoulder surgery.

Introduction: The objective of this study was to identify preoperative characteristics associated with worse Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Pain Interference (PI) two years after shoulder surgery.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 293 patients who underwent elective shoulder surgery. Survey questionnaires were collected within one week of surgery and then two years postoperatively.

Diagnosing a periprosthetic shoulder infection: A systematic review.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to systematically review the literature regarding accurate shoulder prosthetic joint infection (PJI) diagnosis.

Methods: Using PRISMA guidelines, we analyzed 25 studies reporting on 5535 patients and 646 infections.

Results: cultures were positive in 60% of patients.

Risk factors associated with atraumatic posterolateral rotatory instability.

Background: Traumatic posterolateral rotatory instability after elbow dislocation or fracture dislocation has been well described. However, few reports cover atraumatic posterolateral rotatory instability as a cause of lateral-sided elbow pain. We assessed the risk factors and epidemiology of atraumatic posterolateral rotatory instability in a case-control study.

An accurate method of measuring shoulder sling compliance: a validation study.

Background: The effect of postoperative shoulder sling compliance on surgical outcomes is unknown. The goal was to determine an accurate method to measure sling compliance. We compared volunteer recorded sling wear time with temperature-based sensors to monitor sling compliance.

Factors Influencing Press Ganey Ambulatory Surgery Scores in Patients Undergoing Upper Extremity Procedures.

Introduction: We sought to determine whether patient and surgical factors are associated with the Press Ganey Ambulatory Surgery Survey (PGAS) satisfaction scores in patients undergoing outpatient upper extremity procedures.

Methods: A retrospective review of a single academic urban hospital's Press Ganey database was performed for patients undergoing upper extremity procedures. PGAS scores above an a priori threshold were considered satisfied.