No abstract

Systematic review, Level IV.

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to determine the clinical success rate of nonoperative treatment of partial-thickness rotator cuff tears (PT-RCTs), to determine baseline clinical factors predictive of outcome of nonoperative treatment of PT-RCTs, and to determine the imaging outcome of nonoperative treatment of PT-RCTs.Patients and methodsAll patients with a primary diagnosis of a PT-RCT were eligible for inclusion. Seventy-six patients (48 males, 28 females) with an average age of 52±10 years were included in the study. Patients were evaluated using a standardized format including clinical, imaging, and shoulder specific quality-of-life outcomes. Patients were assessed and treated either successfully nonoperatively or consented to undergo surgical intervention of their PT-RCT. Patients treated nonoperatively underwent follow-up by MRI arthrogram.ResultsThirty-seven patients (49%) underwent nonoperative treatment. Logistic regression analysis indicated that the baseline variables of side (dominant or nondominant side involved), onset (traumatic or atraumatic), and thickness of tendon tear (<50% or >50%) were significant predictors of outcome. At a mean 46±7 months of follow-up, nonoperatively treated patients demonstrated a mean American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons score of 85.1±16.0, and a Simple Shoulder Test score of 10.0±2.5. Overall, 76% of tears treated nonoperatively did not show a tear progression on anatomic imaging. Nine patients (24%) demonstrated tear progression, of which three patients (8%) demonstrated full-thickness tearing.ConclusionNonoperative treatment was utilized in ~50% of the patients and resulted in improved clinical outcomes. Onset, shoulder involved, and thickness of the tear were predictive of the success of nonoperative treatment.

Purposes: 1. To determine whether lumbar disc surgery (LS) provides a sufficiently detectable rise in serum creatine kinase (CK) concentration to serve as a model to study biochemical measurement of muscle injury, and 2. To use the model to examine the consistency of the time course of CK concentration changes. Method: The study used a repeated measures design. Six women and six men scheduled for LS were recruited. Blood samples were taken in the pre-operative waiting areas, immediately after surgery, at 6 hour intervals until discharge, and at 2, 4, and 6 to 7 days following surgery. Total serum CK was quantified using the Roche Modular to detect enzyme concentration. Results: Following LS, mean Total CK increased from a baseline 50 U/L (SD = 53) to a peak 114 U/L (SD = 32) in women (P<.001) and from 183 U/L (SD = 69) to a peak 454 U/L (SD = 173) in men (P<.05). Baseline to peak changes in CK exceeded subjects' own baseline fluctuations in all 6 women and all 6 men, and amounted to a mean 6 fold (SD = 4) increase in women and 16 fold (SD = 31) increase in men. While CK concentrations returned to baseline over the observation period in all subjects, time to peak ranged between 9 to 47 hours. Conclusions:The LS model produced a consistently detectable CK response in both genders. Time to peak is variable indicating a need for multiple serial measures to capture this biochemical injury response.

BackgroundCurrently, there is a lack of knowledge regarding patient perceptions surrounding physician reimbursements, appropriate wait times, and out-of-pocket payment options for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Our objective was to determine the current state of these perceptions in an Ontario setting.MethodsA survey was developed and pretested to address patient perceptions about physician reimbursements, appropriate wait times, and out-of-pocket payment options for ACLR using a focus group of experts and by reviewing prior surveys. The survey was administered to patients in a waiting room setting.ResultsTwo hundred and fifty completed surveys were obtained (79.9% response rate). Participants responded that an appropriate physician reimbursement for ACLR was $1000.00 and that the Ontario Health Insurance Plan (OHIP) reimbursed physicians $700.00 for ACLR. Seventy-four percent of participants responded that the OHIP reimbursement of $615.20 for the procedure was either lower or much lower than what they considered to be an appropriate reimbursement for ACLR. Over 90% of participants responded that an ACLR should occur within 90 days of injury. Thirty-five percent of participants were willing to pay $750.00 out-of-pocket to have an ACLR done sooner, while 16.4% of participants were willing to pay $2500.00 out-of-pocket to travel outside of Canada for expedited surgery.ConclusionThis survey study demonstrates that patients’ estimates of both appropriate and actual physician reimbursements were greater than the current reimbursement for ACLR. Further, the majority of individuals report that the surgical fee for ACLR is lower than what they consider to be an appropriate amount of compensation for the procedure. Additionally, nearly all respondents believe that a ruptured ACL should be reconstructed within 90 days of injury. Consequently, a number of patients are willing to pay out-of-pocket for expedited surgery either in Canada or abroad. However, patients’ preferences for shorter wait times must be balanced with the known risk of arthrofibrosis associated with early ACLR.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40634-017-0076-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.