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Objectives: This study compares the intraoperative and postoperative outcomes of the traditional technique of femoral canal reaming to placement of an unreamed 10-mm nail. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Academic Level I Trauma Center, Southeastern US. Patients/Participants: Intertrochanteric femur fractures treated with a CMN (January 2016–December 2018) were retrospectively identified. Inclusion criteria were as follows: low-energy mechanism, at least 60 years of age, and long CMN. Exclusion criteria were as follows: short CMN, polytrauma, and subtrochanteric fractures. Outcome Measurements: Records were reviewed for demographics, hematologic markers, transfusion rates, operative times, and postoperative complications. Variables were assessed with a χ2 or Student T-test. Significance was set at 0.05. Results: Sixty-five patients were included (37 reamed and 28 unreamed), with a mean age of 76.2 years and mean body mass index of 25.1. Between the reamed and unreamed groups, respectively, mean nail size was 11.0 (SD 1.1) and 10.0 (SD 0.0), P < 0.001; mean blood loss was 209.1 mL (SD 177.5) and 195.7 mL (SD 151.5), P = 0.220; 55% (21/38), and 43% (12/28) were transfused, P = 0.319; operative time was 98.2 (SD 47.3) and 81.5 minutes (SD 40.7); P = 0.035. Changes in hemoglobin/hematocrit were not significant between the study groups. Two patients from the reamed group experienced implant failure due to femoral head screw cut out and returned to the operating room. Two patients from the unreamed group returned to operating room for proximal incision infection, without implant removal. One reamed patient and 2 unreamed patients died before 6-month follow-up. Conclusions: Unreamed CMNs for geriatric intertrochanteric femur fractures provide shorter operative times with no difference in perioperative complications. Both reamed and unreamed techniques are safe and effective measures for fixation of these fractures. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of adductor canal block (ACB) as compared to femoral nerve block (FNB) in ambulation distance, opioid consumption, and physical therapy participation on postoperative days (PODs) 1 and 2 after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). We hypothesized ACB would have increased the ambulation distance and decreased the opioid consumption in comparison to FNB. Methods: All elective TKAs at a single institution, age 18 and older, without existing neurologic or anatomic deficit in the operative limb, were considered. Participants were randomized 1:1 to receive either an ACB (AC group) or a FNB (FN group), in addition to standard care. Visual analog pain scores (VAS) and oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) were recorded preoperatively, in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), and on PODs 1 and 2. Postoperative ambulation distance was recorded on PODs 1 and 2. Patient satisfaction with analgesia and physical therapist-rated participation in therapy sessions was obtained as well. Results: From 2014 to 2015, 84 participants were recruited: 41 in FN, and 43 in AC. On POD 1, mean ambulation distances in AC and FN were 70.2 and 48.5 ft, respectively (p = 0.045). On POD 2, mean ambulation distances in AC and FN were 129.0 and 106.4 ft, respectively (p = 0.225). VAS, OME, satisfaction, and physical therapy participation were not significantly different.

Objectives: To identify a group of ballistic tibia fractures, report the outcomes of these fractures, and compare them with both closed and open tibia fractures sustained by blunt mechanisms. We hypothesized that ballistic tibia fractures and blunt open fractures would have similar outcomes. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: A single Level-1 trauma center. Patients/Participants: Adult patients presenting with ballistic (44), blunt closed (179), or blunt open (179) tibia fractures. Intervention: Intramedullary stabilization of tibia fracture. Main Outcomes: Unplanned reoperation, soft tissue reconstruction, nonunion, compartment syndrome, and fracture-related infection. Results: Compared with the blunt closed group, the ballistic fracture group required more operations (P < 0.01), had a higher occurrence of soft tissue reconstruction (P < 0.01), and higher incidence of compartment syndrome (P = 0.02). Ballistic and blunt closed groups did not significantly differ in rates of unplanned reoperation (P = 0.67), nonunion (11.4% vs. 4.5%, P = 0.08), or deep infection (9.1% vs. 5.6%, P = 0.49). In comparison to the blunt open group, the ballistic group required a similar number of operations (P = 0.12), had similar rates of unplanned reoperation (P = 0.10), soft tissue reconstruction (P = 0.56), nonunion (11.4% vs. 17.9%, P = 0.49), and fracture-related infection (9.1% vs. 10.1%, P = 1.0) but a higher incidence of compartment syndrome (15.9% vs. 5.0%, P = 0.02). Conclusions: Ballistic tibia fractures require more surgeries and have higher rates of soft tissue reconstruction than blunt closed fractures and seem to have outcomes similar to lower severity open fractures. We found a significantly higher rate of compartment syndrome in ballistic tibia fractures than both open and closed blunt fractures. When treating ballistic tibia fractures, surgeons should maintain a high level of suspicion for the development of compartment syndrome and counsel patients that ballistic tibia fractures seem to behave like an intermediate category between closed and open fractures sustained through blunt mechanisms. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Introduction: Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) has seen exponential growth over the past 2 decades. In addition, the recent focus on opioid usage and dependence has led to an increased understanding of the risk factors that lead to dependence. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between diagnosis and opioid consumption and dependence in RSA. Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 441 patients who had undergone a primary RSA from 2012 to 2016. Demographics were collected and patients were categorized based on top 4 diagnoses: glenohumeral osteoarthritis (n ¼ 129), irreparable rotator cuff tear (n ¼ 85), rotator cuff arthropathy (RCA) (n ¼ 184), and proximal humerus fracture (n ¼ 69). Opioid consumption within 90 days surrounding surgery was recorded from Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs. Logistic regression was performed. Results: Baseline characteristics for sex (P ¼ .0001), ethnicity (P ¼ .04), age (P ¼ .01), and preoperative opioid use (P ¼ .029) were significantly different. Patients with osteoarthritis had the lowest preoperative total morphine equivalents (TMEs) at 22.82 compared with fractures (53.36, P ¼ .02) and RCA (46.54, P ¼ .02). There was no significant difference in preoperative opioid dependence based on diagnosis (P ¼ .16); however, postoperatively, the RCA group had the highest dependence at 40.3% (P ¼ .03). In addition, there were no significant differences postoperatively in TMEs prescribed (P ¼ .197). The preoperatively dependent patients were 8 times more likely to remain dependent regardless of diagnosis. Conclusion: Patients with fractures consume the highest amounts of opioids surrounding surgery. Surgeons should tailor their preoperative education and pain management protocols accordingly based on diagnoses for RSA. In addition, increased awareness and protocols need to be implemented for preoperative opioid-dependent patients regardless of diagnosis.