Background:
There remains controversy surrounding the treatment of pediatric medial epicondyle fractures. This systematic review examines the existing literature with the aim to elucidate optimal management strategies.
Methods:
A systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines was executed. All data collection was completed by August 01, 2018. Functional outcomes, diagnostic imaging, athlete management, union rates, ulnar nerve symptoms, surgical methods, surgical positioning, and posttreatment protocols were categorized and recorded. Frequency-weighted mean values were calculated with associated SDs.
Results:
Thirty-seven studies with 1022 patients met the inclusion criteria. Functional outcomes for patients were mostly good following operative and nonoperative management. The most common complication was a slight loss of elbow extension (7.6±5.9 degrees) and flexion (13.3±5.8 degrees). Operative treatment was associated with higher union rates than nonoperative management (700/725, 96% vs. 69/250, 28%; P<0.001). Standard diagnostic imaging techniques to measure displacement were unreliable with a newly proposed axial view having high inter-rater and intrarater reliability. The most common surgical method used was open reduction and internal fixation with Kirschner wires. Whereas surgical management of patients with associated ulnar nerve symptoms led to symptom resolution, nonoperative management occasionally led to the development of these symptoms. Elbow range of motion was initiated at ~2.8±1.4 (range, 0 to 8 wk) weeks after surgery and 3.4±1.2 (range, 3 to 5 wk) weeks without surgery (P<0.001).
Conclusions:
Although there is still no consensus on treatment of pediatric medial epicondyle fractures, both operative and nonoperative approaches result in good outcomes.
Level of Evidence:
Level IV—therapeutic
Background: While hospitalizations attributed to opioid poisonings are increasing in the pediatric population, the patterns of prescribing behaviors of health care providers remains unclear. The aims of this study were to identify the opioid prescribing patterns of an orthopaedic team for post-surgical pediatric orthopaedic fracture patients, and to examine whether patient demographics, injury type, and type of providers were associated with the opioid prescribing patterns at discharge. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed among all patients aged 0e18 years undergoing surgery for elbow, forearm, wrist, femur, tibia and ankle fractures between 2014 and 2016 at a large children's hospital. Inclusion criteria were patients with isolated operative fractures involving the elbow, forearm, wrist, femur, tibia or ankle who received an opioid prescription at discharge prescribed by a member of the orthopaedic team. Exclusion criteria included patients discharged without opioids or patients discharged with opioid prescriptions from another medical team. Response: 1000 unique patients (546 male) were identified, with average age of 7.9 years. The most common fracture was elbow (67.2%), followed by femur (12.4%), ankle (9.4%), forearm (5.8%), wrist (4.6%), and tibia (1.6%). Average dose of opioids prescribed was 28.4 (SD ¼ 11.5) per patient. All prescriptions followed recommended guidelines for each medication. Patients who were older (p < 0.0001) or heavier (p < 0.0001) were prescribed a significantly greater average number of opioid doses. Nurse practitioners wrote 57.0% of the discharge prescriptions, followed by residents (23.0%) and physician assistants (14.5%). Attending surgeons accounted for only 5.5% of prescriptions. Residents and physician assistants prescribed significantly higher average doses than nurse practitioners and attending surgeons (p < 0.0001). Patients receiving liquid opioids received a statistically significant (p < 0.001) smaller number of doses than patients receiving tablets. Conclusions: Pediatric orthopaedic trauma patients appear to be receiving generic numbers of opioid pain medication doses after fracture surgery due to universal rather than injury-specific prescribing patterns. Further study is required to determine the appropriate number of doses per injury type.
Background:
Nearly 1 in 5 American children are obese. The primary purpose of this study is to evaluate the relationship between childhood obesity and perioperative complications, patient-reported outcomes (PRO), and functional recovery after closed reduction and percutaneous pinning (CRPP) of type II and III supracondylar humerus fractures.
Methods:
Retrospective review of patients treated operatively with CRPP of Wilkins modification of the Gartland classification type II and III supracondylar humerus fractures was performed over a 1-year timeframe (July 1, 2016 to July 1, 2017). One hundred forty-four patients under the age of 16 treated were identified. Obesity was defined as body mass index (BMI) at or above the 95th percentile for age. Obesity as a risk factor for poor outcomes was assessed. The primary outcome measure was postoperative PRO [quick-DASH, Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS)-UE, PROMIS Global Health, and PROMIS Pain scores].
Results:
Mean age at surgery was 5.9 years (SD=2.1, 1.07 to 12.2) and mean age at final follow-up (3.3 y) was 8.8 (SD=2.14, 4 to 16). Mean patient BMI was 17.2 (SD=4.48, 12.4 to 56.2). Sixty-six patients were female (45.8%) and 78 patients were male (54.2%). In all, 31 of 144 patients (21.5%) met criteria for obesity. Obesity (95th percentile for BMI or above) was not associated with a higher rate of complications overall (χ2=1.29, P=0.256), range of motion loss (χ2=0.2, P=0.655) or requirement of postoperative physical therapy (χ2=0.17, P=0.678). Seventy-five patients were available and willing to participate in the outcomes score assessments. Mean follow-up for this cohort of 75 patients was 3.3 years (SD=0.31, 2.85 to 3.88). There were no differences in PROMIS pain, PROMIS upper extremity function, PROMIS general health, or quick-DASH scores when comparing obese with nonobese patients.
Conclusions:
Obesity is a growing concern in the United States and its effect on long-term outcomes after CRPP of supracondylar humerus fractures is unknown. The present study demonstrates no difference in complications or PRO among obese patients compared with nonobese patients.
Level of Evidence:
Level IV—retrospective cohort study.
The pathogenesis and optimum management of tinnitus are still unclear. It often occurs with primary ear disease, usually associated with hearing loss, but may occur in patients with normal hearing. Observed changes in auditory brainstem and middle latency responses indicate central auditory alterations. Tinnitus involves both peripheral and central activity, and complete audiological and neurophysiological investigation is required. Management should be based on both audiological and neurophysiological findings.
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