Do Cohabitants Reliably Complete Questionnaires for Patients in a Terminal Cancer Stage when Assessing Quality of Life, Pain, Depression, and Anxiety?

Background: Patients with bone metastases often are unable to complete quality of life (QoL) questionnaires, and cohabitants (such as spouses, domestic partners, offspring older than 18 years, or other people who live with the patient) could be a reliable alternative. However, the extent of reliability in this complicated patient population remains undefined, and the influence of the cohabitant's condition on their assessment of the patient's QoL is unknown.

Questions/purposes: (1) Do QoL scores, measured by the 5-level EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D-5L) version and the Patient-reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) version 1.

Physical Function and Quality of Life After Resection of Mobile Spine Chondrosarcoma.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: (1) To assess patient-reported outcomes-physical function, pain, and quality of life-in patients who underwent resection of a mobile spine chondrosarcoma. (2) To assess complications (90 days), readmissions, reoperations, oncological outcomes, and neurologic status.

Physical function and pain intensity in patients with metastatic bone disease.

Background: Patient reported outcome data in bone metastatic disease are scarce and it would be useful to have normative data and understand what patients are at risk for poor function and more pain.

Objectives: We aimed to assess what factors are independently associated with physical function and pain intensity in patients with bone metastasis.

Methods: We included data from 211 patients with bone metastasis who completed a survey (2014-2016) including the PROMIS Physical Function Cancer and PROMIS Pain Intensity questionnaires.

High Risk of Venous Thromboembolism After Surgery for Long Bone Metastases: A Retrospective Study of 682 Patients.

Background: Previous studies have shown that venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a complication associated with neoplastic disease and major orthopaedic surgery. However, many potential risk factors remain undefined.

Questions/purposes: (1) What proportion of patients develop symptomatic VTE after surgery for long bone metastases? (2) What factors are associated with the development of symptomatic VTE among patients receiving surgery for long bone metastases? (3) Is there an association between the development of symptomatic VTE and 1-year survival among patients undergoing surgery for long bone metastases? (4) Does chemoprophylaxis increase the risk of wound complications among patients undergoing surgery for long bone metastases?

Methods: A retrospective study identified 682 patients undergoing surgical treatment of long bone metastases between 2002 and 2013 at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Prognostic role of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with bone metastases.

Background: Skeletal metastases are a common problem in patients with cancer, and surgical decision making depends on multiple factors including life expectancy. Identification of new prognostic factors can improve survival estimation and guide healthcare providers in surgical decision making. In this study, we aim to determine the prognostic value of neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in patients with bone metastasis.

Complications and reoperations after surgery for 647 patients with spine metastatic disease.

Background Context: Postoperative morbidity may offset the potential benefits of surgical treatment for spine metastatic disease; hence, risk factors for postoperative complications and reoperations should be taken into considerations during surgical decision-making. In addition, it remains unknown whether complications and reoperations shorten these patients' survival.

Purpose: We aimed to describe and identify factors associated with having a complication within 30 days of index surgery as well as factors associated with having a subsequent reoperation.

Are collision athletes at a higher risk of re-dislocation after an open Bristow-Latarjet procedure? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: The primary aim of the present study was to review, summarize and compare the redislocation risk for collision athletes and noncollision athletes after an open Bristow-Latarjet procedure. Our secondary aim was to summarize return to sport, satisfaction, pain and complications.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review in PubMed and EMBASE of articles until 1 July 2016.

Predicting pathological fracture in femoral metastases using a clinical CT scan based algorithm: A case-control study.

Background: We assessed whether there was a difference in attenuation measurements (in Hounsfield units - HU) and geometric distribution of HU between femora with metastatic lesions that fracture, and metastatic lesions that did not fracture nor underwent prophylactic fixation.

Methods: Nine patients with femoral metastases who underwent CT and developed a pathological fracture were matched to controls. All femora were delineated in axial CT slices using a region of interest (ROI) tool; the HU within these ROIs were used to calculate: (1) the cumulative HU of the affected over the nonaffected side per slice and presented as a percentage, and (2) the cumulative HU accounting for geometric distribution (polar moment of HU).

Primary arthroplasty in healed osteoarticular allograft in patients with history of primary femoral bone tumors.

Background: Roughly 25-35% of patients who are treated with osteoarticular allograft for primary bone sarcomas or aggressive benign bone tumors require surgery in the long-term due to degenerative changes of the articular surface of the allograft. There are three established methods of reconstruction for this complication; a total hip arthroplasty (THA) or total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the retained osteoarticular allograft, a proximal or distal endoprosthesis after removal of the allograft, and an allograft-prosthesis composite (APC). The aims of this study are 1) to determine the rate of complication and failure of THA/TKA in healed femoral allograft; 2) to compare the methods of revision for allograft degeneration; and 3) to compare the use of arthroplasty in healed allograft to that of arthroplasty in native bone.

The SORG nomogram accurately predicts 3- and 12-months survival for operable spine metastatic disease: External validation.

Background And Objectives: Externally validate the SORG12 nomogram and SORG classic algorithm at estimating survival in patients with spine metastatic disease, and compare predictive accuracy with other survival algorithms.

Methods: We received data from 100 patients who had surgery for spine metastatic disease at an external institution. Algorithms were accurate if the Area Under Curve (AUC) was >0.

The prevalence of spinal epidural lipomatosis on magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Spinal epidural lipomatosis (SEL) refers to an excessive accumulation of fat within the epidural space. It can be idiopathic or secondary, resulting in significant morbidity. The prevalence of SEL, including idiopathic and secondary SEL, and its respective risk factors are poorly defined.

Most efficient questionnaires to measure quality of life, physical function, and pain in patients with metastatic spine disease: a cross-sectional prospective survey study.

Background Context: Assessing quality of life, functional outcome, and pain has become important in assessing the effectiveness of treatment for metastatic spine disease. Many questionnaires are able to measure these outcomes; few are validated in patients with metastatic spine disease. As a result, there is no consensus on the ideal questionnaire to use in these patients.

Prognostic Factors for Failure of Antibiotic Treatment in Patients With Osteomyelitis of the Spine.

Study Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to identify factors independently associated with antibiotic treatment failure in patients with spinal osteomyelitis.

Summary Of Background Data: There are few studies that have identified risk factors for antibiotic treatment failure in medically managed spinal osteomyelitis.

Are perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions associated with 90-days infection after operative treatment for bone metastases?

Background And Objectives: We assessed whether allogeneic blood transfusions were associated with infection-within 90 days-after surgery for bone metastatic disease. Furthermore, we assessed other risk factors associated with infection.

Methods: We included 1,266 patients surgically treated for a bone metastasis at two hospitals between 2002 and 2013.

Development of a Prognostic Survival Algorithm for Patients with Metastatic Spine Disease.

Background: Current prognostication models for survival estimation in patients with metastatic spine disease lack accuracy. Identifying new risk factors could improve existing models. We assessed factors associated with survival in patients surgically treated for spine metastases, created a classic scoring algorithm, nomogram, and boosting algorithm, and tested the predictive accuracy of the three created algorithms at estimating survival.

A comparison of questionnaires for assessing physical function in patients with lower extremity bone metastases.

Objectives: To assess, (i) the degree to which the: PROMIS Physical Function Cancer, PROMIS Neuro-QoL Mobility, Toronto Extremity Salvage Score (TESS), Lower Extremity Function Score (LEFS), and Musculoskeletal Tumor Society score (MSTS), measure physical function; (ii) differences in coverage and reliability; and (iii) difference in completion time.

Methods: One hundred of 115 (87%) patients with lower extremity metastases participated in this prospective study. We used exploratory factor analysis-correlating questionnaires with an underlying trait-to assess if questionnaires measure the same.

The Discrepancy between Patient and Clinician Reported Function in Extremity Bone Metastases.

. The Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring system measures function and is commonly used but criticized because it was developed to be completed by the clinician and not by the patient. We therefore evaluated if there is a difference between patient and clinician reported function using the MSTS score.

Idiopathic tumoral calcinosis-like lesion in the lower cervical spine causing acute central cord syndrome: case report.

A 57-year-old male presented with recurrent falls, bilateral lower-limb paresthesia, and severe neck pain. Imaging revealed a mass compressing his spinal cord. He was admitted for further workup for spinal cord compression.

Redislocation risk after an arthroscopic Bankart procedure in collision athletes: a systematic review.

Background: The purpose of this review was to determine the redislocation risk for collision athletes after an arthroscopic Bankart repair and to compare the redislocation rate between collision athletes and noncollision athletes after an arthroscopic Bankart repair.

Methods: A PubMed and Embase query was performed, screening all relevant literature of arthroscopic Bankart procedures mentioning redislocation rates in collision athletes. Studies with a follow-up <2 years or lacking information on redislocation rates in collision athletes were excluded.

What is the effect of venous thromboembolism and related complications on patient reported health-related quality of life? A meta-analysis.

Unlabelled: We conducted a meta-analysis of the literature to 1) assess the health-related quality of life for patients with a minimum follow-up of one year after an episode of pulmonary embolism (PE) or deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), and 2) to assess the HRQOL for patients who develop chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and post thrombotic syndrome (PTS). PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to March 30, 2016. Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis, and heterogeneity was assessed with I² and Tau² tests.

Are allogeneic blood transfusions associated with decreased survival after surgical treatment for spinal metastases?

Background Context: Perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions have been associated with decreased survival after surgical resection of primary and metastatic cancer. Studies investigating this association for patients undergoing resection of bone metastases are scarce and controversial.

Purpose: We assessed (1) whether exposure to perioperative allogeneic blood transfusions was associated with decreased survival after surgery for spinal metastases and (2) if there was a dose-response relationship per unit of blood transfused.