Background Scores derived from comorbidities can help with risk adjustment of quality and safety data. The Charlson and Elixhauser comorbidity measures are wellknown risk adjustment models, yet the optimal score for orthopaedic patients remains unclear. Questions/purposes We determined whether there was a difference in the accuracy of the Charlson and Elixhauser comorbidity-based measures in predicting (1) in-hospital mortality after major orthopaedic surgery, (2) in-hospital adverse events, and (3) nonroutine discharge. Methods Among an estimated 14,007,813 patients undergoing orthopaedic surgery identified in the National Hospital Discharge Survey (1990Survey ( -2007, 0.80% died in the hospital. The association of each Charlson comorbidity measure and Elixhauser comorbidity measure with mortality was assessed in bivariate analysis. Two main multivariable logistic regression models were constructed, with in-hospital mortality as the dependent variable and one of the two comorbidity-based measures (and age, sex, and year of surgery) as independent variables. A base model that included only age, sex, and year of surgery also was evaluated. The discriminative ability of the models was quantified using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The AUC quantifies the ability of our models to assign a high probability of mortality to patients who die. Values range from 0.50 to 1.0, with 0.50 indicating no ability to discriminate and 1.0 indicating perfect discrimination. Results Elixhauser comorbidity adjustment provided a better prediction of in-hospital case mortality (AUC, 0.86; 95% CI, 0.86-0.86) compared with the Charlson model (AUC, 0.83; 95% CI, and to the base model with no comorbidities (AUC, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.81-0.81). In terms of relative improvement in predictive performance, the Elixhauser measure performed 60% better than the Charlson score in predicting mortality. The Elixhauser model discriminated inpatient morbidity better than the Charlson measure, but the discriminative ability of the model was poor and the difference in the absolute improvement in predictive power between the two models (AUC, 0.01) is of dubious clinical importance. Both comorbidity models exhibited the same degree of discrimination for estimating nonroutine discharge (AUC, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.81-0.82 for both models). Conclusions Provider-specific outcomes, particularly inpatient mortality, may be evaluated differently depending on the comorbidity risk adjustment model selected. Future research assessing and comparing the performance of the

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Background Many patients having discretionary orthopaedic surgery take opioids daily, either with a prescription or illicitly, however little is known regarding the prevalence and effect of high-risk opioid use (eg, abuse, dependence) in the perioperative orthopaedic setting. Questions/purposes We sought (1) to determine the prevalence of opioid abuse and dependence in patients undergoing major elective orthopaedic surgery; (2) to characterize the relationship of opioid abuse and dependence with in-hospital postoperative mortality and adverse events, failure to rescue, prolonged length of stay, and nonroutine disposition; and (3) to identify factors associated with high-risk opioid use.

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Poor bone quality increases the technical difficulty and complications of operative treatment of nonunions and delayed unions of the diaphyseal humerus in older patients. Plates with screws that lock to the plate (transforming each screw into a fixed blade) are intended to improve the fixation of poor quality bone. Twenty-four patients (20 women, four men) with an average age of 72 years (range, 52-86 years) were followed up for a minimum of 12 months after locking compression plate fixation of an osteopenic delayed union (nine patients) or nonunion (15 patients) of the diaphyseal humerus. Twelve patients had iliac crest cancellous bone grafts, two patients had local graft, and 13 patients had demineralized bone applied to the fracture site. All the fractures eventually healed; two healed after a second procedure for autogenous bone grafting in patients who initially received demineralized bone. Using a modification of the Constant and Murley shoulder score, the results were good or excellent in 22 patients, and fair in two patients. Locking compression plates provide stable fixation of poor quality bone in patients with delayed union or nonunion of the humerus. Successful union and restoration of function are achieved in most patients. We no longer consider osteoporosis a contraindication to operative fixation of an ununited fracture of the humeral diaphysis.

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