Background Odontoid process fractures are among the most common in elderly cervical spines. Their treatment often requires fixation, which may include use of implants anteriorly or posteriorly. Bone density can significantly affect the outcomes of these procedures. Currently, little is known about bone mineral density (BMD) distributions within cervical spine in elderly. This study documented BMD distribution across various anatomical regions of elderly cervical vertebrae. Methods and findings Twenty-three human cadaveric C1-C5 spine segments (14 males and 9 female, 74±9.3 y.o.) were imaged via quantitative CT-scan. Using an established experimental protocol, the three-dimensional shapes of the vertebrae were reconstructed from CT images and partitioned in bone regions (4 regions for C1, 14 regions for C2 and 12 regions for C3-5). The BMD was calculated from the Hounsfield units via calibration phantom. For each vertebral level, effects of gender and anatomical bone region on BMD distribution were investigated via pertinent statistical tools. Data trends suggested that BMD was higher in female vertebrae when compared to male ones. In C1, the highest BMD was found in the posterior portion of the bone. In C2, BMD at the dens was the highest, followed by lamina and spinous process, and the posterior aspect of the vertebral body. In C3-5, lateral masses, lamina, and spinous processes were characterized by the largest values of BMD, followed by the posterior vertebral body. Conclusions The higher BMD values characterizing the posterior aspects of vertebrae suggest that, in the elderly, posterior surgical approaches may offer a better fixation quality.

Background. Intramedullary screw fixation of Jones fractures using partially threaded screws is a common method of fixation for these injuries, but refracture continues to be a problem. Various other fixation strategies, such as headless compression screws, plantar plating, and tension-band wiring. have been developed to mitigate these issues. Biomechanical studies with regard to these other fixation strategies are limited. Herein, we investigate the compression strength and angular stiffness of Jones fractures fixed with Herbert-style headless compression screws. Methods. Jones fractures were created in 10 fresh-frozen pairs of cadaveric fifth metatarsals. A bone from each pair was instrumented with either a conventional, partially threaded screw 5.0 or 6.5 mm in diameter, or a headless compression screw 5.0 or 7.0 mm in diameter. Sizes were determined via sequential tapping until a snug fit was obtained. Each metatarsal was stressed via cantilever bending over 1000 cycles. We monitored compression and displacement throughout. Results. Headless compression screws achieved a significantly higher amount of stiffness than conventional, partially threaded screws (P = 0.005). There was no statistically significant difference with respect to compression. Conclusion. In a cadaveric model, headless compression screws achieved a greater amount of fracture stiffness versus conventional, partially threaded screws. Levels of Evidence: Therapeutic, Level V: Biomechanical

No abstract

No abstract

Category: Ankle, Hindfoot, Midfoot/Forefoot Introduction/Purpose: Opioid utilization after foot and ankle surgery has received more attention recently with several papers publishing guidelines on the number of opioids to prescribe following surgery. To our knowledge the patient populations that have been studied in all of these papers are all private payer mixes, with a low amount of indigent patients. Social factors often have a large influence over surgical outcomes and therefore we aimed to see if this held true for post-operative opioid utilization as well. In this study we investigated differences in opioid utilization among patients with either Medicaid, Medicare or commercial insurance. Methods: All bony foot and ankle procedures performed by a single foot and ankle surgeon were reviewed between the dates of 7/1/2017 - 6/30/2018. Inclusion criteria were age over 18, did not have a history of chronic pain, and not incarcerated. Bony procedures included any osteotomy, fracture fixation, or arthrodesis. The number of narcotic prescriptions filled by the patient within 6 months following surgery was retrieved via the Texas Prescription Monitoring Program Database. Patients were also called and surveyed about their post-operative pain. The patients were then divided into 3 groups by payer status: commercial insurance including workman’s compensation, Medicaid including county insurance and self pay patients, and Medicare. Results: 92 patients met inclusion criteria, 22 Medicare, 26 Medicaid, and 44 commercial. Medicaid patients filled more narcotic prescriptions than commercial and medicare patients (870 mg morphine equivalent vs 781 mg morphine equivalent for commercial and 649 mg morphine equivalent for medicare) however this difference was not statistically significant (Medicaid vs Medicare p = 0.07). Medicaid patients also needed a greater number of refills per patient (0.27 for Medicaid vs 0.20 and 0.09 for commercial and Medicare, p = 0.22) and had a larger number of telephone encounters for pain (p = 0.02) than the other payer types. Conclusion: Although not statistically significant, there was a trend toward greater opioid utilization within the Medicaid and county insured patient population.