The quadriceps tendon has the anatomic characteristics to produce a graft whose length and volume are both reproducible and predictable, while yielding a graft with a significantly greater intra-articular volume than a patellar tendon graft with a similar width.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical and economic impact of a novel postoperative pathway following posterior spinal fusion (PSF) in patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS).MethodsPatient charts were reviewed for demographic data and to determine length of surgery, implant density, use of osteotomies, estimated blood loss, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, length of hospital stay, and any subsequent complications. Hospital charges were divided by charge code to evaluate potential savings.ResultsTwo hundred and seventy-nine of 365 patients (76.4 %) treated with PSF carried a diagnosis of AIS and had completed 6 months of clinical and radiologic follow-up, a period of time deemed adequate to assess early complications. There was no difference between groups in age at surgery, sex, number of levels fused, or length of follow-up. Patients managed under the accelerated discharge (AD) pathway averaged 1.36 (31.7 %) fewer days of inpatient stay. Operative time was associated with a shorter length of stay. There was no difference in complications between groups. Hospital charges for room and board were significantly less in the AD group ($1.885 vs. $2,779, p < 0.001).ConclusionsA pathway aimed to expedite discharge following PSF for AIS decreased hospital stay by nearly one-third without any increase in early complication rate. A small but significant decrease in hospital charges was seen following early discharge. Early discharge following PSF for AIS may be achieved without increased risk of complications, while providing a small cost savings.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11832-014-0587-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Objectives:To assess the operative results of femoral neck fractures (FNFs) in young adults in a large multicenter series, specifically focusing on risk factors for treatment failure.Design:Large multicenter retrospective cohort series.Setting:Twenty-six North American Level 1 trauma centers.Patients:Skeletally mature patients younger than 50 years with displaced and nondisplaced FNFs treated between 2005 and 2017.Intervention:Operative repair of FNF.Main outcome measurements:The main outcome measure is treatment failure: nonunion and/or failed fixation, osteonecrosis, malunion, and need for subsequent major reconstructive surgery (arthroplasty or proximal femoral osteotomy). Logistic regression models were conducted to examine factors associated with treatment failure.Results:Of 492 patients with FNFs studied, a major complication and/or subsequent major reconstructive surgery occurred in 45% (52% of 377 displaced fractures and 21% of 115 nondisplaced fractures). Overall, 23% of patients had nonunion/failure of fixation, 12% osteonecrosis type 2b or worse, 15% malunion (>10 mm), and 32% required major reconstructive surgery. Odds of failure were increased with fair-to-poor reduction [odds ratio (OR) = 5.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 2.41–13.31], chronic alcohol misuse (OR = 3.08, 95% CI = 1.59–6.38), comminution (OR = 2.63, 95% CI = 1.69–4.13), multiple screw constructs (vs. fixed-angle devices, OR = 1.95, 95% CI = 1.30–2.95), metabolic bone disease (OR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.17–2.67), and increasing age (OR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.01–1.06). Women (OR = 0.57, 95% CI = 0.37–0.88), Pauwels angle ≤50 degrees (type 1 or 2; OR = 0.64, 95% CI = 0.41–0.98), or associated femoral shaft fracture (OR = 0.19, 95% CI = 0.10–0.33) had lower odds of failure.Conclusions:FNFs in adults <50 years old remain a difficult clinical and surgical problem, with 45% of patients experiencing major complications and 32% undergoing subsequent major reconstructive surgery. Risk factors for complications after treatment of displaced FNFs were numerous.Level of Evidence:Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Purpose We evaluated factors influencing re-operation in tension band and plating of isolated olecranon fractures. Methods Four hundred eighty-nine patients with isolated olecranon fractures who underwent tension band (TB) or open reduction internal fixation (ORIF) from 2003 to 2013 were identified at an urban level 1 trauma centre. Medical records were reviewed for patient information and complications, including infection, nonunion, malunion, loss of function or hardware complication requiring an unplanned surgical intervention. Electronic radiographs of these patients were reviewed to identify Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) fracture classification and patients who underwent TB or ORIF. Results One hundred seventy-seven patients met inclusion criteria of isolated olecranon fractures. TB was used for fixation in 43 patients and ORIF in 134. No statistical significance was found when comparing complication rates in open versus closed olecranon fractures. In a multivariate analysis, the key factor in outcome was method of fixation. Overall, there were higher rates of infection and hardware removal in the TB compared with the ORIF group. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that the dominant factor driving re-operation in isolated olecranon fractures is type of fixation. When controlling for all variables, there is an increased chance of re-operation in patients with TB fixation.

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Objective: To define the pathoanatomy of the posterior malleolus fracture associated with a spiral distal tibia fracture to guide clamp and implant placement when treating these common injuries. Design: Retrospective cohort. Setting: Level I trauma center. Patients/Participants: One hundred twenty-two spiral infraisthmal tibia fractures identified from a cohort of 922 tibia fractures undergoing intramedullary nailing over a 7-year period. Main Outcome Measurements: We collected instances of intra-articular extension seen on preoperative, intraoperative, or postoperative imaging. For patients with a posterior malleolus fracture and computed tomography imaging, we used an axial image 2–3 mm above the articular surface to create a fracture map. Results: Intra-articular extension was present in 84 patients (68.9%), with posterior malleolus fractures occurring most commonly (n = 59, 48.4%). Other fractures included plafond fractures (n = 8), medial malleolus fractures (n = 7), anterior–inferior tibiofibular ligament avulsions (n = 5), and other anterior fractures (n = 5). Forty-one of 44 (93%) posterior malleolus fractures with cross-sectional imaging were Haraguchi type I (posterolateral-oblique type) with an average angle of 24 degrees off the bimalleolar axis. The remaining 3 were type II (transverse-medial extension type) fractures. Posterior malleolus fractures were visible 61% of the time on preoperative radiographs. Discussion: Posterior malleolus fractures occur in approximately half of spiral distal tibia fractures and are consistently posterolateral in their morphology. This study can be used to enhance evaluation of the posterior malleolus intraoperatively (eg, ∼25 degrees external rotation view), and if the typical variant of posterior malleolus is identified, clamps and lag screws might be applied accordingly.