Orthopedics Commons^™

Inadvertent Radial Head Inversion During Closed Reduction Of A Pediatric Radial Neck Fracture, Zachary J. Sirois, Sarah Kreul, Craig F. Shank

Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Publications

Management of displaced pediatric radial neck fractures can be fraught with challenges. This unique case presents an 11-year-old female with a Salter-Harris type II radial neck fracture and how her radial head overturned 180° with the articular surface facing the radial shaft rather than the capitellum during closed manipulation under anesthesia. The malreduction subsequently required open reduction and highlights the importance of a careful stepwise approach to managing markedly displaced radial neck fractures. After closed reduction, meticulous assessment of intraoperative imaging when determining proper alignment is of the utmost importance as a result of the transverse nature of Salter-Harris type …

Association Between Bone-Specific Physical Activity Scores And Pqct-Derived Measures Of Bone Strength And Geometry In Healthy Young And Middle-Aged Premenopausal Women., Sojung Kim, Breanne S Baker, Pragya Sharma-Ghimire, Debra A Bemben, Michael G Bemben

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

The aim of this study was to determine if bone-specific physical activity questionnaire (BPAQ) scores were positively related to bone health in healthy young and middle-aged premenopausal women. The total BPAQ was a stronger predictor of bone strength and bone mineral density of hip in young women as compared to middle-aged premenopausal women.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the BPAQ scores were predictive indices of volumetric BMD (vBMD), bone strength, and bone geometry in young and middle-aged premenopausal women.

METHODS: Healthy young (n = 60) and middle-aged premenopausal women (n = 54) between the ages …

Serum D-Dimer Test Is Promising For The Diagnosis Of Periprosthetic Joint Infection And Timing Of Reimplantation., Alisina Shahi, Michael M. Kheir, Majd Tarabichi, Hamid R.S. Hosseinzadeh, Timothy L. Tan, Javad Parvizi

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Despite the availability of a battery of tests, the diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) continues to be challenging. Serum D-dimer assessment is a widely available test that detects fibrinolytic activities that occur during infection. We hypothesized that patients with PJI may have a high level of circulating D-dimer and that the presence of a high level of serum D-dimer may be a sign of persistent infection in patients awaiting reimplantation.

METHODS: This prospective study was initiated to enroll patients undergoing primary and revision arthroplasty. Our cohort consisted of 245 patients undergoing primary arthroplasty (n = 23), revision for …

Sustained Efficacy, Safety And Patient-Reported Outcomes Of Certolizumab Pegol In Axial Spondyloarthritis: 4-Year Outcomes From Rapid-Axspa., Désirée Van Der Heijde, Maxime Dougados, Robert Landewé, Joachim Sieper, Walter P Maksymowych, Martin Rudwaleit, Filip Van Den Bosch, Jürgen Braun, Philip Mease, Alan J Kivitz, Jessica Walsh, Owen Davies, Lars Bauer, Bengt Hoepken, Luke Peterson, Atul Deodhar

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

Objective: The aim was to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of certolizumab pegol over 4 years of continuous treatment in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), including both AS and non-radiographic (nr-) axSpA.

Methods: RAPID-axSpA was a phase 3 randomized trial, double blind and placebo controlled to week 24, dose blind to week 48 and open label to week 204. Patients had a clinical diagnosis of axSpA, meeting Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) criteria, and had active disease. The assessed outcomes included ASAS20, ASAS40, AS DAS (ASDAS), BASDAI, BASFI and BASMI scores, along with selected measures of remission. Further …

Efficacy And Safety Of Abatacept, A T-Cell Modulator, In A Randomised, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Phase Iii Study In Psoriatic Arthritis., Philip Mease, Alice B Gottlieb, Désirée Van Der Heijde, Oliver Fitzgerald, Alyssa Johnsen, Marleen Nys, Subhashis Banerjee, Dafna D Gladman

Articles, Abstracts, and Reports

OBJECTIVES: To assess the efficacy and safety of abatacept, a selective T-cell costimulation modulator, in a phase III study in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

METHODS: This study randomised patients (1:1) with active PsA (~60% with prior exposure to a tumour necrosis factor inhibitor) to blinded weekly subcutaneous abatacept 125 mg (n=213) or placebo (n=211) for 24 weeks, followed by open-label subcutaneous abatacept. Patients without ≥20% improvement in joint counts at week 16 were switched to open-label abatacept. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with ≥20% improvement in the American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) criteria at week 24.

RESULTS: …

Contribution Of Tactile Dysfunction To Manual Motor Dysfunction In Type Ii Diabetes, Nereyda Ochoa, Gloria R Gogola, Stacey L Gorniak

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

Introduction:

Changes in sensory and motor functions of the hand in Type II Diabetes (T2D) patients have been reported; there is speculation that these changes are driven by tactile dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of tactile feedback on manual function in T2D patients.

Methods:

T2D patients and healthy controls underwent median nerve blocks at the wrist and elbow. All participants underwent traditional timed motor evaluations, force dynamometry, laboratory-based kinetic evaluations, and sensory evaluation.

Results:

Tactile sensation in the T2D group at baseline was found to be equivalent to tactile function of the control group …

Relationship Between Bone-Specific Physical Activity Scores And Measures For Body Composition And Bone Mineral Density In Healthy Young College Women., Sojung Kim, Wi-Young So, Jooyoung Kim, Dong Jun Sung

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to investigate the relationship between bone-specific physical activity (BPAQ) scores, body composition, and bone mineral density (BMD) in healthy young college women.

METHODS: Seventy-three college women (21.7 ± 1.8 years; 162.1 ± 4.6 cm; 53.9 ± 5.8 kg) between the ages of 19 and 26 years were recruited from the universities in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, South Korea. We used dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to measure the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and proximal femur BMD (left side; total hip, femoral neck). The BPAQ scores (past, pBPAQ; current, cBPAQ; total, tBPAQ) were used to …

Fracture Burden And Risk Factors In Childhood Ckd: Results From The Ckid Cohort Study., Michelle R. Denburg, Juhi Kumar, Thomas Jemielita, Ellen R. Brooks, Amy Skversky, Anthony A. Portale, Isidro B. Salusky, Bradley A. Warady, Susan L. Furth, Mary B. Leonard

Manuscripts, Articles, Book Chapters and Other Papers

Childhood chronic kidney disease (CHD) poses multiple threats to bone accrual; however, the associated fracture risk is not well characterized. This prospective cohort study included 537 CKD in Children (CKiD) participants. Fracture histories were obtained at baseline, at years 1, 3, and 5 through November 1, 2009, and annually thereafter. We used Cox regression analysis of first incident fracture to evaluate potential correlates of fracture risk. At enrollment, median age was 11 years, and 16% of patients reported a prior fracture. Over a median of 3.9 years, 43 males and 24 females sustained incident fractures, corresponding to 395 (95% confidence …

The Fate Of Spacers In The Treatment Of Periprosthetic Joint Infection., Miguel M Gomez, Timothy L Tan, Jorge Manrique, Gregory K Deirmengian, Javad Parvizi Md

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Two-stage exchange arthroplasty remains the preferred method to treat periprosthetic joint infection. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical course of periprosthetic joint infection following resection arthroplasty and insertion of a spacer.

METHODS: Our institutional database was used to identify 504 cases of periprosthetic joint infection (326 knees and 178 hips) treated with resection arthroplasty and spacer insertion as part of a two-stage exchange arthroplasty. A review of the patient charts was performed to extract information relevant to the objectives of this study that included the details of the clinical course following resection arthroplasty.

RESULTS: The …

Thromboembolism After Intramedullary Nailing For Metastatic Bone Lesions., Brandon Shallop, Alexandria Starks, Simon Greenbaum, David S Geller, Alan Lee, John Ready, Geno J Merli, Mitchell Maltenfort, Phd, John A Abraham

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: The risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients undergoing intramedullary nailing for skeletal metastatic disease is currently undefined. The purpose of our study was to determine the risk of thromboembolic events, to define the risk factors for VTE, and to define the rate of wound complications in this population.

METHODS: A retrospective review of surgical databases at three National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated cancer centers identified 287 patients with a total of 336 impending or pathologic long-bone fractures that were stabilized with intramedullary nailing between February 2001 and April 2013. Statistical analysis was performed utilizing multivariable logistic regression and Fisher …

Medial Opening Wedge High Tibial Osteotomy: A Retrospective Review Of Patient Outcomes Over 10 Years, Fotios P. Tjoumakaris, Nicholas J. Lombardi, Bradford Tucker, Matthew D. Pepe

Rothman Institute Papers

Objectives: High tibial osteotomy (HTO) has become a well-established treatment for unicompartmental osteoarthritis of the knee. Over the last 30 years, various techniques have been introduced to advance this procedure. The purpose of this study is to review the outcomes of patients who received medial opening wedge HTO over the last ten years (2002-2012) using a modern, low profile, medially based fixation device. In addition, we sought to determine if obese patients had a less favorable outcome than their non-obese counterparts. Methods: Ninety-three patients were identified from a surgical database as having undergone a HTO for medial compartment osteoarthritis of …

Leukocyte Esterase Strip Test: Matched For Musculoskeletal Infection Society Criteria., Eric H Tischler, Priscilla K Cavanaugh, Javad Parvizi Md

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: The presence of leukocyte esterase in the synovial fluid has recently been proposed as a marker for periprosthetic joint infection. However, the sensitivity and specificity of leukocyte esterase has not been determined when matched for the current, most inclusive Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS) criteria for periprosthetic joint infection.

METHODS: The presence of leukocyte esterase was prospectively evaluated in synovial joint aspirates from hips and knees from May 2009 to May 2013. The cohort consisted of 189 hip and knee aspirations (fifty-two positive and 137 negative for infection). If the aspirate was bloody, a centrifuge was used to precipitate red …

Multiple Epidural Steroid Injections And Body Mass Index Linked With Occurrence Of Epidural Lipomatosis: A Case Series., Rafael Jaimes, Angelo G. Rocco

Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Publications

BACKGROUND:

Epidural lipomatosis (EL) is an increase of adipose tissue, normally occurring in the epidural space, sufficient to distort the thecal sac and compress neural elements. There is a lack of knowledge of risk factors, impact on patient's symptoms, and its possible association with epidural steroid injections.

METHODS:

History, physical examination, patient chart, and MRI were analyzed from 856 outpatients referred for epidural steroid injections. Seventy patients with signs of EL on MRI comprised the study group. Thirty-four randomly selected patients comprised the control group. The severity of EL was determined by the MRI assessment. The impact of EL was …

Low Back Pain Beliefs Are Associated To Age, Location Of Work, Education And Pain-Related Disability In Chinese Healthcare Professionals Working In China: A Cross Sectional Survey, B K. Tan, Anne J. Smith, Peter B. O'Sullivan, Gang Chen, Angus F. Burnett, Andrew M. Briggs

Research outputs 2014 to 2021

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Evidence pointing towards a more efficacious model of care using a biopsychosocial approach for LBP management highlights the need to understand the pain-related beliefs of patients and those who treat them. The beliefs held by healthcare professionals (HCPs) are known to influence the treatment advice given to patients and consequently management outcomes. Back pain beliefs are known to be influenced by factors such as culture, education, health literacy, place of work, personal experience of LBP and the sequelae of LBP such as disability. There is currently a knowledge …

Periprosthetic Joint Infection Increases The Risk Of One-Year Mortality., Benjamin Zmistowski, Joseph A. Karam, M.D., Joel B Durinka, David S Casper, Md, Javad Parvizi Md

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Periprosthetic joint infection continues to potentially complicate an otherwise successful joint replacement. The treatment of this infection often requires multiple surgical procedures associated with increased complications and morbidity. This study examined the relationship between periprosthetic joint infection and mortality and aimed to determine the effect of periprosthetic joint infection on mortality and any predictors of mortality in patients with periprosthetic joint infection.

METHODS: Four hundred and thirty-six patients with at least one surgical intervention secondary to confirmed periprosthetic joint infection were compared with 2342 patients undergoing revision arthroplasty for aseptic failure. The incidence of mortality at thirty days, ninety …

Predictors Of Perioperative Blood Loss In Total Joint Arthroplasty., Jai Hyung Park, Mohammad R Rasouli, S M Javad Mortazavi, Anthony T Tokarski, Mitchell G Maltenfort, Javad Parvizi

Rothman Institute Papers

UNLABELLED: UPDATE The print version of this article has errors that have been corrected in the online version of this article. In the Materials and Methods section, the sentence that reads as "During the study period, our institution offered preoperative autologous blood donation to all patients who were scheduling for total joint arthroplasty with a hemoglobin level of no less than 11 mg/dL or a hematocrit level of at least 33%." in the print version now reads as "During the study period, our institution offered preoperative autologous blood donation to all patients who were scheduling for total joint arthroplasty with …

Patients With Atrial Fibrillation Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty Increase Hospital Burden., Vinay K Aggarwal, Eric H Tischler, Zachary D Post, Ian Kane, Fabio R Orozco, Alvin Ong

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: More than 3 million people in the United States have atrial fibrillation, most of whom are being managed with anticoagulation therapy for life. The goal of the present study was to examine the effect of chronic anticoagulation therapy on patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo total joint arthroplasty.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients undergoing aseptic primary or revision total joint arthroplasty at our facility from March 2007 to August 2011. One hundred and sixty-one patients with atrial fibrillation (Group A) were compared with 161 matched controls (Group B). A total of 112 hips and 210 knees underwent 239 …

The Effect Of Malnutrition On Patients Undergoing Elective Joint Arthroplasty., Ronald Huang, Md, Max Greenky, Bs, Glenn J. Kerr, Md, Mathew S. Austin, Md, Javad Parvizi, Md, Frcs

Rothman Institute Papers

Malnutrition has been linked to serious complications in patients undergoing elective total joint arthroplasty (TJA). This study prospectively evaluated 2,161 patients undergoing elective TJA for malnutrition as defined by either an abnormal serum albumin or transferrin. The overall incidence of malnutrition was 8.5% (184 of 2,161) and the rate of overall complications in the malnourished group was 12% as compared to 2.9% in patients with normal parameters (P55years-old undergoing TJA and is associated with a significant increase in post-operative complications.

Spinal Anesthesia: Should Everyone Receive A Urinary Catheter?: A Randomized, Prospective Study Of Patients Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty., Adam G Miller, Md, James Mckenzie, Bs, Max Greenky, Ba, Erica Shaw, Rnp, Kishor Gandhi, Md, William J Hozack, Md, Javad Parvizi, Md, Frcs

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: The objective of this randomized prospective study was to determine whether a urinary catheter is necessary for all patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia.

METHODS: Consecutive patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia were randomized to treatment with or without insertion of an indwelling urinary catheter. All patients received spinal anesthesia with 15 to 30 mg of 0.5% bupivacaine. The catheter group was subjected to a standard postoperative protocol, with removal of the indwelling catheter within forty-eight hours postoperatively. The experimental group was monitored for urinary retention and, if necessary, had straight catheterization up to two …

Common Peroneal Nerve Palsy Following Total Hip Arthroplasty: Prognostic Factors For Recovery., Jai Hyung Park, Bryan Hozack, Peter Kim, Robert Norton, Steven Mandel, Camilo Restrepo, Javad Parvizi

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Common peroneal nerve palsy, although rare, is a serious complication of total hip arthroplasty. Although several publications have dealt with the risk factors for peroneal nerve palsy, there is little literature regarding the time it takes for the nerve to recover and the factors that influence its recovery. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the clinical course of this injury and identify prognostic factors for recovery.

METHODS: From January 2000 to December 2007, 7969 primary and 1601 revision total hip arthroplasties were performed at our institution. Common peroneal nerve palsy developed following thirty-one (0.32%) of these procedures. …

Functional And Quality-Of-Life Outcomes In Geriatric Patients With Type-Ii Dens Fracture., Alexander R Vaccaro, Christopher K Kepler, Branko Kopjar, Jens Chapman, Christopher Shaffrey, Paul Arnold, Ziya Gokaslan, Darrel Brodke, John France, Mark Dekutoski, Rick Sasso, S Tim Yoon, Christopher Bono, James Harrop, Michael G Fehlings

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Dens fractures are relatively common in the elderly. The treatment of Type-II dens fractures remains controversial. The aim of this multicenter prospective cohort study was to compare outcomes (assessed with use of validated clinical measures) and complications of nonsurgical and surgical treatment of Type-II dens fractures in patients sixty-five years of age or older.

METHODS: One hundred and fifty-nine patients with a Type-II dens fracture were enrolled in a multicenter prospective study. Subjects were treated either surgically (n = 101) or nonsurgically (n = 58) as determined by the treatment preferences of the treating physicians and the patients. The …

Successful Identification Of Pathogens By Polymerase Chain Reaction (Pcr)-Based Electron Spray Ionization Time-Of-Flight Mass Spectrometry (Esi-Tof-Ms) In Culture-Negative Periprosthetic Joint Infection., Christina L Jacovides, Rachael Kreft, Bahar Adeli, Bryan Hozack, Garth D Ehrlich, Javad Parvizi

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection poses many challenges, one of which is the difficulty of isolating the infecting organism. Recently, a sophisticated modality (the Ibis Biosciences T5000 biosensor system) has been introduced that uses pan-domain primers in a series of polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) to identify and speciate essentially all bacteria and fungi as well as to identify key antibiotic resistance genes. We investigated the role of the Ibis in identifying infecting organisms in cases of known and suspected periprosthetic joint infection.

METHODS: Synovial fluid specimens were collected prospectively from eighty-two patients undergoing eighty-seven arthroplasty procedures (sixty-five knee …

Risk Factors For Wound Complications After Ankle Fracture Surgery., Adam G Miller, Andrew Margules, Steven M Raikin

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: The overall rate of complications after ankle fracture fixation varies between 5% and 40% depending on the population investigated, and wound complications have been reported to occur in 1.4% to 18.8% of patients. Large studies have focused on complications in terms of readmission, but few studies have examined risk factors for wound-related issues in the outpatient setting in a large number of patients. A review was performed to identify risk factors for wound complications tracked in the hospital and outpatient setting.

METHODS: Four hundred and seventy-eight patients underwent open reduction and internal fixation of an ankle fracture between 2003 …

Low Rate Of Infection Control In Enterococcal Periprosthetic Joint Infections., Mohammad R Rasouli, Mohan S Tripathi, Robert Kenyon, Nathan Wetters, Craig J Della Valle, Javad Parvizi

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: Enterococcal periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are rare after joint arthroplasty. These cases are usually reported in series of PJIs caused by other pathogens. Because few studies have focused only on enterococcal PJIs, management and control of infection of these cases have not yet been well defined.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We asked (1) what is the proportion of enterococcal PJI in our institutes; and (2) what is the rate of infection control in these cases?

METHODS: We respectively identified 22 and 14 joints with monomicrobial and polymicrobial PJI, respectively, caused by enterococcus. The diagnosis of PJI was made based on the presence …

The Effect Of Iliac Crest Autograft On The Outcome Of Fusion In The Setting Of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis: A Subgroup Analysis Of The Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial (Sport)., Kristen Radcliff, Raymond Hwang, Alan Hilibrand, Harvey E Smith, Jordan Gruskay, Jon D Lurie, Wenyan Zhao, Todd Albert, James Weinstein

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: There is considerable controversy about the long-term morbidity associated with the use of posterior autologous iliac crest bone graft for lumbar spine fusion procedures compared with the use of bone-graft substitutes. The hypothesis of this study was that there is no long-term difference in outcome for patients who had posterior lumbar fusion with or without iliac crest autograft.

METHODS: The study population includes patients enrolled in the degenerative spondylolisthesis cohort of the Spine Patient Outcomes Research Trial who underwent lumbar spinal fusion. Patients were divided according to whether they had or had not received posterior autologous iliac crest bone …

Functional Results And Outcomes After Repair Of Proximal Hamstring Avulsions., Steven B Cohen, Ashwin Rangavajjula, Dharmesh Vyas, James P Bradley

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to assess postsurgical outcomes in active patients after primary repair of acute and chronic proximal hamstring tears.

HYPOTHESIS: Surgical treatment of both acute and chronic proximal hamstring avulsion injuries would result in improved patient outcomes using validated outcome scores and a hamstring-specific questionnaire, and operative repair of these injuries results in excellent outcomes with a high level of patient satisfaction, pain relief, and return to function.

STUDY DESIGN: Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

METHODS: Fifty-two patients who underwent proximal hamstring repair (26 male and 26 female; average age, 47.7 years) completed the …

Does The Load-Sharing Classification Predict Ligamentous Injury, Neurological Injury, And The Need For Surgery In Patients With Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures?: Clinical Article., Kristen Radcliff, Christopher K Kepler, Todd A Rubin, Motasem Maaieh, Alan S Hilibrand, James Harrop, Jeffrey A Rihn, Todd J Albert, Alexander R Vaccaro

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

OBJECT: The load-sharing score (LSS) of vertebral body comminution is predictive of results after short-segment posterior instrumentation of thoracolumbar burst fractures. Some authors have posited that an LSS > 6 is predictive of neurological injury, ligamentous injury, and the need for surgical intervention. However, the authors of the present study hypothesized that the LSS does not predict ligamentous or neurological injury.

METHODS: The prospectively collected spinal cord injury database from a single institution was queried for thoracolumbar burst fractures. Study inclusion criteria were acute (< 24 hours) burst fractures between T-10 and L-2 with preoperative CT and MRI. Flexion-distraction injuries and pathological fractures were excluded. Four experienced spine surgeons determined the LSS and posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) integrity. Neurological status was assessed from a review of the medical records.

RESULTS: Forty-four patients were included in the study. There were 4 patients for whom all observers …

Periprosthetic Joint Infection: Are Patients With Multiple Prosthetic Joints At Risk?, S Mehdi Jafari, David S Casper, Camilo Restrepo, Benjamin Zmistowski, Javad Parvizi, Peter F Sharkey

Rothman Institute Papers

Patients who present with a periprosthetic joint infection in a single joint may have multiple prosthetic joints. The risk of these patients developing a subsequent infection in another prosthetic joint is unknown. Our purposes were (1) to identify the risk of developing a subsequent infection in another prosthetic joint and (2) to describe the time span and organism profile to the second prosthetic infection. We retrospectively identified 55 patients with periprosthetic joint infection who had another prosthetic joint in place at the time of presentation. Of the 55 patients, 11 (20%) developed a periprosthetic joint infection in a second joint. …

Does International Normalized Ratio Level Predict Pulmonary Embolism?, Patricia Hansen, Benjamin Zmistowski, Camilo Restrepo, Javad Parvizi, Richard H Rothman

Rothman Institute Papers

BACKGROUND: Preventing pulmonary embolism is a priority after major musculoskeletal surgery. The literature contains discrepant data regarding the influence of anticoagulation on the incidence of pulmonary embolism after joint arthroplasty. The American College of Chest Physicians guidelines recommend administration of oral anticoagulants (warfarin), aiming for an international normalized ratio (INR) level between 2 and 3. However, recent studies show aggressive anticoagulation (INR > 2) can lead to hematoma formation and increased risk of subsequent infection.

QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: We asked whether an INR greater than 2 protects against pulmonary embolism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: We identified 9112 patients with 10,122 admissions for joint arthroplasty …

Early Versus Delayed Decompression For Traumatic Cervical Spinal Cord Injury: Results Of The Surgical Timing In Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study (Stascis)., Michael G Fehlings, Alex R. Vaccaro, Jefferson R Wilson, Anoushka Singh, David W Cadotte, James Harrop, Bizhan Aarabi, Christopher Shaffrey, Marcel Dvorak, Charles Fisher, Paul Arnold, Eric M Massicotte, Stephen Lewis, Raja Rampersaud

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty Papers

BACKGROUND: There is convincing preclinical evidence that early decompression in the setting of spinal cord injury (SCI) improves neurologic outcomes. However, the effect of early surgical decompression in patients with acute SCI remains uncertain. Our objective was to evaluate the relative effectiveness of early (injury) versus late (≥ 24 hours after injury) decompressive surgery after traumatic cervical SCI.

METHODS: We performed a multicenter, international, prospective cohort study (Surgical Timing In Acute Spinal Cord Injury Study: STASCIS) in adults aged 16-80 with cervical SCI. Enrolment occurred between 2002 and 2009 at 6 North American centers. The primary outcome was ordinal change …