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Hien Pham

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Use of a Novel Computerized Drill for Pedicle Screw Insertion in the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine: A Cadaveric Study

International Journal of Spine Surgery, 2019

Background: A variety of techniques have been utilized to improve the accuracy of pedicle screw i... more Background: A variety of techniques have been utilized to improve the accuracy of pedicle screw instrumentation. Recently, a novel handheld computerized drill system, IntelliSense Drill Technology, has been used in orthopedic trauma to improve drilling accuracy and reduce radiation and iatrogenic injury. The specialized drill technology detects changes in cortical density to prevent inadvertent cortical violation. The aim of this study is to assess the ability of this system to identify pedicle trajectories in the thoracic and lumbar spine compared to a standard freehand technique. Methods: Two spine surgeons, including 1 senior-level and 1 junior-level attending drilled pedicle screw tracts using a freehand technique and computerized drill technology in 4 cadaveric spines from T2 to S1. A total of 134 pedicle screws were placed, including 70 by the senior surgeon and 64 by the junior surgeon. Cortical violations were assessed using computed tomography after instrumenting each pedicle tract, and procedure time for insertion of pedicle screws was recorded. Results: A total of 15 (22.4%) and 12 (18.2%) pedicle violations were noted using the freehand and computerized drill technique, respectively (P ¼ .767). Perforations using the computerized drill decreased from 31.1% in the first attempt to 5.9% in the second attempt (P ¼ .027). Mean drill time per pedicle using the freehand and computerized drill techniques were comparable (12.

Open 4-Compartment Fasciotomy for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Leg

Arthroscopy techniques, 2017

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a significant source of lower extremity pain an... more Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a significant source of lower extremity pain and morbidity in the athletic population. Although endoscopic techniques have been introduced, open fasciotomy remains the mainstay of surgical treatment because of the paucity of evidence in support of an endoscopic approach. The literature on surgical management of CECS is mixed, and overall success rates are modest at best. Optimizing surgical technique, including prevention of neurovascular injury and wound complications, can make a significant impact on the clinical outcome. Here we present our surgical technique, including pearls and pitfalls, for open 4-compartment fasciotomy for treatment of chronic exertional compartment syndrome.

Type IV hypersensitivity reactions following Dermabond adhesive utilization in knee surgery: A Report of Three Cases

The Physician and sportsmedicine, May 25, 2017

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 3 patients (3 knees) with a delayed type hypersensiti... more We retrospectively reviewed the records of 3 patients (3 knees) with a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction following Dermabond exposure after an orthopaedic knee procedure. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions are mediated by CD4+ helper T cells. The use of skin adhesives in place of traditional sutures is increasing in popularity given Dermabond's potential benefits of decreased wound infection rate and better wound approximation. However, hypersensitivity reactions to the cyanoacrylate material in Dermabond have been described. Differentiating hypersensitivity reactions from post-operative infections is important as septic arthritis is a potentially devastating complication. This case series presents the challenge of properly diagnosing and managing hypersensitivity reactions. Consultation with allergists and dermatologists may be appropriate for ascertaining the nature of the surgical site complication and proper management. The recommended management of hypersensitivity-ty...

Patellar Tendon Thickness and Failure After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions with Bone-Patella Tendon-Bone Autograft

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if patellar tendon (PT) thickness measured... more Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if patellar tendon (PT) thickness measured on pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a risk factor for failure after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using bone-patella tendon-bone (BTB) autograft. Methods: 18 patients [age (mean 96 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow: yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:”“; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4 pt 0in 5.4 pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001 pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size:11.0 pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0 pt; font-family: Helvetica;} ± standard deviation) 21.5 ± 4.99years] that underwent an ACLR with BTB autograft and returned for revision ACLR between July 2005-January 2017 at our institution were included in the study. Failures were age-, sex-, height-, and weight-match...

Correlation Between Synovial Fluid Biomarker Concentrations and Bone Marrow Edema Lesion Volume in Patients with Acute ACL Ruptures

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018

Objectives: Bone marrow edema lesions (BMELs) frequently occur following acute anterior cruciate ... more Objectives: Bone marrow edema lesions (BMELs) frequently occur following acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture secondary to the pivot-shift mechanism of injury. The aim of the current study is to evaluate whether synovial fluid biomarker concentrations are associated with bone edema lesion volume as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction. Methods: A total of 53 patients (26 females, 27 males, mean age 35.0 years [range 18-59]) undergoing ACL reconstruction with MRI knee scans available for analysis participated in the study. Synovial fluid was collected intra-operatively and analyzed for 10 biomarkers hypothesized to be involved in inflammation and post-traumatic osteoarthritis. BMELs were identified on MRI and their volumes (cm3) were quantified on two independent occasions using FireVoxel imaging software for image segmentation and region-of-interest drawing. The correlation between synovial fluid biomarker levels and BMEL v...

The incidence and pattern of iliopsoas tendinitis following hip arthroscopy

HIP International, 2020

Background: Iliopsoas tendinitis is a known source of extra-articular hip pain and it has been sh... more Background: Iliopsoas tendinitis is a known source of extra-articular hip pain and it has been shown to be a common cause of continued hip pain following total hip arthroplasty. While iliopsoas tendinitis after hip arthroscopy is a well-known phenomenon amongst hip arthroscopists, its presentation, course, and treatment has yet to be elucidated. Methods: An IRB-approved chart review was performed of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) between March 2015 and July 2017. No cases of dysplasia were included. All patients had combined cam/pincer impingement as well as labral pathology. Tendinitis patients were identified. Patient demographics, surgical data, time to onset/diagnosis of iliopsoas tendinitis, treatment (oral anti-inflammatories, corticosteroid injection, physical therapy), and resolution of symptoms were recorded. These cases were age- and sex-matched to a control group that did not develop postoperative iliopsoas tendinitis for compar...

Real-Time Assessment of Femoroacetabular Motion Using Radial Gradient Echo Magnetic Resonance Arthrography at 3 Tesla in Routine Clinical Practice: A Pilot Study

Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery, 2019

Purpose: To compare femoroacetabular motion in a series of consecutive symptomatic patients with ... more Purpose: To compare femoroacetabular motion in a series of consecutive symptomatic patients with hip pain throughout the range of motion of the hip using a real-time radial gradient echo (GRE) sequence in addition to the routine hip protocol sequences for magnetic resonance (MR) arthrographic assessment of patients with and without clinical femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome. In particular, we sought to assess whether the additional dynamic sequence could differentiate between patients with and without a positive physical exam maneuver for FAI syndrome. Methods: Patients with hip pain referred for conventional hip MR arthrogram including those with and without a positive physical exam maneuver for FAI syndrome were imaged using routine hip MR arthrogram protocol and an additional real-time radial 2-dimensional GRE acquisition at 3 Tesla in an axial oblique plane with continuous scanning of a 9 mm thick slice through the center of the femoral head-neck axis. Patients who were unable to move through the range of motion were excluded (n ¼ 3). Patients with acetabular dysplasia (defined by a lateral center-edge angle [CEA] of 20) were also excluded, as were patients had Kellgren and Lawrence scores of > 0. The real-time cine sequence was acquired with the patient actively moving through neutral, flexion, flexion-abduction external-rotation, and flexion-adduction internal rotation (FADIR) positions aiming for 40 of abduction, then 25 of adduction at 80 to 90 flexion. Due to the placement of the coil over the hip, a true FADIR was precluded. Images were evaluated independently by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists measuring the joint space in the anterior, central, and posterior positions at each point during range of motion for femoroacetabular cortical space (FACS). Anterior FACS narrowing was calculated as the ratio of joint space in FADIR:neutral position, with lower ratios indicating greater narrowing. Static metrics including alpha angle, CEA, grade of cartilage loss according the Outerbridge classification, and patient demographics were also recorded. Results: Twenty-two painful hips in 22 patients (11 males and 11 females) with mean age 36 years (range, 15-67) were included. Twelve patients had a positive physical exam maneuver for FAI syndrome. The time to perform the dynamic sequence was 3 to 6 minutes. Interobserver agreement was strong, with intraclass correlation 0.91 and concordance correlation 0.90. According to results from both readers, patients with impingement on clinical exam had significantly lower anterior FACS ratios compared with those without clinical impingement (reader 1: 0.39 AE 0.10 vs 0.

Microbial colonization of subscapularis tagging sutures in shoulder arthroplasty: a prospective, controlled study

Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 2019

Background: Reducing intraoperative wound contamination is a critical preventive strategy for red... more Background: Reducing intraoperative wound contamination is a critical preventive strategy for reducing the risk of prosthetic joint infection in shoulder arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential microbial colonization of subscapularis tagging sutures during shoulder arthroplasty. Methods: In this prospective study, 50 consecutive patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty (anatomic or reverse) were enrolled. Patients with revision shoulder arthroplasty and proximal humeral fractures were excluded. Nonabsorbable, braided tagging sutures were placed through the subscapularis tendon prior to tenotomy. A similar nonabsorbable, braided suture (control) was placed in a sterile container on the back table, open to the operating room environment. Subscapularis tagging sutures (experimental specimens) and control sutures were collected prior to subscapularis tenotomy repair and submitted for aerobic and anaerobic cultures. Cultures were held for 21 days to account for extended growth of slow-growing bacteria. Results: A total of 12 of 50 experimental and 16 of 50 control sutures had positive cultures. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes were the 2 most commonly isolated organisms. Active tobacco use (P ¼ .038) and procedure length (P ¼ .03) were significantly associated with positive cultures. No significant association between positive subscapularis tagging suture cultures and positive control cultures was found (P ¼ .551). Patient age, sex, body mass index, and significant medical comorbidities were not significantly associated with positive cultures. Discussion: Subscapularis tagging sutures are a potential source of microbial contaminant in shoulder arthroplasty, and we recommend exchanging the tagging suture with a suture opened immediately prior to subscapularis repair.

MRI, arthroscopic and histopathologic cross correlation in biceps tenodesis specimens with emphasis on the normal appearing proximal tendon

Clinical Imaging, 2019

PURPOSE To correlate the histopathologic appearances of resected long head of the biceps tendon (... more PURPOSE To correlate the histopathologic appearances of resected long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) specimens following biceps tenodesis, with pre-operative MRI and arthroscopic findings, with attention to the radiologically normal biceps. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective analysis of patients who had undergone preoperative MRI, subsequent arthroscopic subpectoral tenodesis for SLAP tears and histopathologic inspection of the excised sample between 2013 and 16. Those with a normal MRI appearance or mildly increased intrasubstance signal were independently analyzed by 2 blinded radiologists. A blinded orthopedic surgeon and pathologist reviewed all operative imaging and pathologic slides, respectively. RESULTS Twenty-three LHBT resected samples were identified on MRI as either normal (Reader 1 n = 15; Reader 2 n = 14) or demonstrating low-grade increased signal (Reader 1 n = 8; Reader 2 n = 9). Of these, 86.9% demonstrated a histopathological abnormality. 50% of samples with histopathological abnormality demonstrated normal appearance on MRI. The most common reported histopathology finding was myxoid degeneration (73.9%) and fibrosis (52.2%). The most common arthroscopic abnormality was fraying (18.2%) and erythema (13.6%). Utilizing histopathology as the gold standard, the two radiologists demonstrated a sensitivity of 35.0% v 42.9%, specificity of 66.7% v 100%, PPV of 87.5% v 100%, and NPV of 13.3% v 14.3%. Corresponding arthroscopic inspection demonstrated a sensitivity of 31.6%, specificity of 66.6%, PPV 85.7% and NPV of 13.3%. There was moderate agreement between the two radiologists, κ = 0.534 (95% CI, 0.177 to 0.891), p = 0.01. CONCLUSION Histopathological features of low grade tendinosis including mainly myxoid degeneration and fibrosis are frequently occult on MR imaging.

The Utility of Oral NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Compared to Standard Opioids Following Arthroscopic Meniscectomy: A Prospective Observational Study

Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery, 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as the pr... more Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as the primary postoperative pain medication compared with standard oral opioids following arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Methods: This was a singlecenter, prospective, nonrandomized, comparative observational study. Patients ages 18 to 65 years who were indicated for arthroscopic meniscectomy were included. Postoperatively, patients were prescribed 1 of 2 analgesic regimens: (1) ibuprofen (600 mg every 6-8 hours as needed) and 10 tablets of oxycodone/acetaminophen (5/325 mg as needed for breakthrough pain) or (2) 30 to 40 tablets oxycodone/acetaminophen (5/325 mg every 6 hours as needed). Subjects completed questionnaires at 8 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week after surgery, which included medication usage, visual analog scale pain score, incidence of adverse events, and patient satisfaction. Results: Sixty-eight patients with mean age 51.2 years (AE10.4 years) were enrolled between October 2016 and February 2017. Enrollment in the opioid group continued until 30 patients were enrolled in the NSAID group, and at final analysis there were 28 patients in the NSAID group and 40 in the opioid group. There were no significant differences in sex, visual analog scale pain score, or patient satisfaction between the 2 groups at any time point. Patients in the opioid group had a significantly higher mean opioid consumption on postoperative day 1 (1.1 vs 0.5 tablets, P < .03) and postoperative days 3 to 7 (2.6 vs 0.5 tablets, P < .02) compared with NSAID group patients. There was a trend toward greater total (1 week) opioid usage (4.7 vs 2.0 tablets) in the opioid group; however, this was not statistically significant (P < .08). Fifty-three percent of opioid group patients independently chose to forego their opioid medication for an over-the-counter NSAID and/or acetaminophen instead. No patients requested a medication refill. Conclusions: We found no significant difference in pain control, satisfaction, and total 1-week opioid use between patients prescribed NSAIDs with opioids and those prescribed opioids alone. All patients used only limited amounts of opioids to control postoperative pain, suggesting we are currently overprescribing opioids after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy.

A Comprehensive Return-to-Play Analysis of National Basketball Association Players With Operative Patellar Tendon Tears

Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2018

Patellar tendon tears impart potentially debilitating sequelae among professional basketball athl... more Patellar tendon tears impart potentially debilitating sequelae among professional basketball athletes. Professional basketball athletes with patellar tendon tears have decreased return-to-play performance in seasons after injury compared with preinjury statistics. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Patellar tendon tears among National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes from the 1999-2000 to 2014-2015 seasons were identified. Player performance statistics for players who underwent operative patellar tendon repair were compared from 1 season before injury to 1 season after injury and 2 seasons before injury to 2 seasons after injury using the primary outcome of player efficiency rating (PER). Secondary performance outcomes were also analyzed. A total of 13 patellar tendon tears (10 complete, 3 partial) were identified among 12 NBA athletes. Three players (25%) did not return to play in the NBA. No significant differences were found in PER in comparisons of 1 season before and after...

MRI analysis of peripheral soft tissue composition, not body mass index, correlates with outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, Jan 3, 2018

To utilize MRI to assess the relationship between BMI, peripheral soft tissue composition about t... more To utilize MRI to assess the relationship between BMI, peripheral soft tissue composition about the knee, and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction. It was hypothesized that a fatty periarticular soft tissue composition may be better than BMI at predicting poor outcomes after ACL reconstruction. Fifty-eight patients who underwent primary acute ACL reconstruction were identified from the surgical database and their data were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were selected based on availability of 2-year IKDC outcome scores, BMI data, and preoperative MRI studies. To approximate peripheral soft tissue composition, novel measurements of axial MRI images were employed using PACS ROI measurement tool. Relationships were assessed between IKDC outcome scores and measures of body habitus including BMI, total knee area, knee fatty-connective tissue area, and fatty-connective tissue to bone size ratio. The median BMI was 24.3 kg/m (range 18.5-36.9). Median IKDC ...

Injectable Biological Treatments for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

JBJS reviews, Jan 21, 2017

» The increasing prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in an aging and active population necessitates... more » The increasing prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in an aging and active population necessitates the development of therapies designed to relieve symptoms, to delay the need for total joint replacement, and to potentially stimulate chondrocyte growth. Disclosure: There were no external sources of funding for this study. On the Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms, which are provided with the online version of the article, one or more of the authors checked "yes" to indicate that the author had a relevant financial relationship in the biomedical arena outside the submitted work (http://links.lww.com/JBJSREV/A1).

Perioperative Antibiotic Utilization by Orthopedic Surgeons in Arthroscopic Surgery A Survey of Practice Patterns

Bulletin of the Hospital for Joint Disease, 2020

BACKGROUND Given the relatively low incidence of infection, the role of prophylactic antibiotics ... more BACKGROUND Given the relatively low incidence of infection, the role of prophylactic antibiotics for infection prevention in arthroscopic surgery is unclear. Without established evidence-based guidelines, it becomes important to understand the trends and common practices in the field. HYPOTHESIS We hypothesized that a majority of surgeons would use preoperative intravenous antibiotics and that postoperative antibiotics would be rarely used. METHODS A web-based link containing a questionnaire on perioperative antibiotic use for arthroscopic surgery of the knee and shoulder was sent to sports medicine surgeons at several institutions in the New York tri-state region. The questionnaire addressed antibiotic use both preoperatively and postoperatively and the type of medication used. RESULTS During the study period, 86 surgeons responded to the knee portion of the survey and 139 surgeons responded to the shoulder portion of the survey. A significant majority (94.24% for knee and 93.02% f...

Use of a Novel Computerized Drill for Pedicle Screw Insertion in the Thoracic and Lumbar Spine: A Cadaveric Study

International Journal of Spine Surgery, 2019

Background: A variety of techniques have been utilized to improve the accuracy of pedicle screw i... more Background: A variety of techniques have been utilized to improve the accuracy of pedicle screw instrumentation. Recently, a novel handheld computerized drill system, IntelliSense Drill Technology, has been used in orthopedic trauma to improve drilling accuracy and reduce radiation and iatrogenic injury. The specialized drill technology detects changes in cortical density to prevent inadvertent cortical violation. The aim of this study is to assess the ability of this system to identify pedicle trajectories in the thoracic and lumbar spine compared to a standard freehand technique. Methods: Two spine surgeons, including 1 senior-level and 1 junior-level attending drilled pedicle screw tracts using a freehand technique and computerized drill technology in 4 cadaveric spines from T2 to S1. A total of 134 pedicle screws were placed, including 70 by the senior surgeon and 64 by the junior surgeon. Cortical violations were assessed using computed tomography after instrumenting each pedicle tract, and procedure time for insertion of pedicle screws was recorded. Results: A total of 15 (22.4%) and 12 (18.2%) pedicle violations were noted using the freehand and computerized drill technique, respectively (P ¼ .767). Perforations using the computerized drill decreased from 31.1% in the first attempt to 5.9% in the second attempt (P ¼ .027). Mean drill time per pedicle using the freehand and computerized drill techniques were comparable (12.

Open 4-Compartment Fasciotomy for Chronic Exertional Compartment Syndrome of the Leg

Arthroscopy techniques, 2017

Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a significant source of lower extremity pain an... more Chronic exertional compartment syndrome (CECS) is a significant source of lower extremity pain and morbidity in the athletic population. Although endoscopic techniques have been introduced, open fasciotomy remains the mainstay of surgical treatment because of the paucity of evidence in support of an endoscopic approach. The literature on surgical management of CECS is mixed, and overall success rates are modest at best. Optimizing surgical technique, including prevention of neurovascular injury and wound complications, can make a significant impact on the clinical outcome. Here we present our surgical technique, including pearls and pitfalls, for open 4-compartment fasciotomy for treatment of chronic exertional compartment syndrome.

Type IV hypersensitivity reactions following Dermabond adhesive utilization in knee surgery: A Report of Three Cases

The Physician and sportsmedicine, May 25, 2017

We retrospectively reviewed the records of 3 patients (3 knees) with a delayed type hypersensiti... more We retrospectively reviewed the records of 3 patients (3 knees) with a delayed type hypersensitivity reaction following Dermabond exposure after an orthopaedic knee procedure. Delayed hypersensitivity reactions are mediated by CD4+ helper T cells. The use of skin adhesives in place of traditional sutures is increasing in popularity given Dermabond's potential benefits of decreased wound infection rate and better wound approximation. However, hypersensitivity reactions to the cyanoacrylate material in Dermabond have been described. Differentiating hypersensitivity reactions from post-operative infections is important as septic arthritis is a potentially devastating complication. This case series presents the challenge of properly diagnosing and managing hypersensitivity reactions. Consultation with allergists and dermatologists may be appropriate for ascertaining the nature of the surgical site complication and proper management. The recommended management of hypersensitivity-ty...

Patellar Tendon Thickness and Failure After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions with Bone-Patella Tendon-Bone Autograft

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if patellar tendon (PT) thickness measured... more Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine if patellar tendon (PT) thickness measured on pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a risk factor for failure after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using bone-patella tendon-bone (BTB) autograft. Methods: 18 patients [age (mean 96 Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow: yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:”“; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4 pt 0in 5.4 pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001 pt; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size:11.0 pt; mso-bidi-font-size:12.0 pt; font-family: Helvetica;} ± standard deviation) 21.5 ± 4.99years] that underwent an ACLR with BTB autograft and returned for revision ACLR between July 2005-January 2017 at our institution were included in the study. Failures were age-, sex-, height-, and weight-match...

Correlation Between Synovial Fluid Biomarker Concentrations and Bone Marrow Edema Lesion Volume in Patients with Acute ACL Ruptures

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine, 2018

Objectives: Bone marrow edema lesions (BMELs) frequently occur following acute anterior cruciate ... more Objectives: Bone marrow edema lesions (BMELs) frequently occur following acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture secondary to the pivot-shift mechanism of injury. The aim of the current study is to evaluate whether synovial fluid biomarker concentrations are associated with bone edema lesion volume as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction. Methods: A total of 53 patients (26 females, 27 males, mean age 35.0 years [range 18-59]) undergoing ACL reconstruction with MRI knee scans available for analysis participated in the study. Synovial fluid was collected intra-operatively and analyzed for 10 biomarkers hypothesized to be involved in inflammation and post-traumatic osteoarthritis. BMELs were identified on MRI and their volumes (cm3) were quantified on two independent occasions using FireVoxel imaging software for image segmentation and region-of-interest drawing. The correlation between synovial fluid biomarker levels and BMEL v...

The incidence and pattern of iliopsoas tendinitis following hip arthroscopy

HIP International, 2020

Background: Iliopsoas tendinitis is a known source of extra-articular hip pain and it has been sh... more Background: Iliopsoas tendinitis is a known source of extra-articular hip pain and it has been shown to be a common cause of continued hip pain following total hip arthroplasty. While iliopsoas tendinitis after hip arthroscopy is a well-known phenomenon amongst hip arthroscopists, its presentation, course, and treatment has yet to be elucidated. Methods: An IRB-approved chart review was performed of patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) between March 2015 and July 2017. No cases of dysplasia were included. All patients had combined cam/pincer impingement as well as labral pathology. Tendinitis patients were identified. Patient demographics, surgical data, time to onset/diagnosis of iliopsoas tendinitis, treatment (oral anti-inflammatories, corticosteroid injection, physical therapy), and resolution of symptoms were recorded. These cases were age- and sex-matched to a control group that did not develop postoperative iliopsoas tendinitis for compar...

Real-Time Assessment of Femoroacetabular Motion Using Radial Gradient Echo Magnetic Resonance Arthrography at 3 Tesla in Routine Clinical Practice: A Pilot Study

Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery, 2019

Purpose: To compare femoroacetabular motion in a series of consecutive symptomatic patients with ... more Purpose: To compare femoroacetabular motion in a series of consecutive symptomatic patients with hip pain throughout the range of motion of the hip using a real-time radial gradient echo (GRE) sequence in addition to the routine hip protocol sequences for magnetic resonance (MR) arthrographic assessment of patients with and without clinical femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) syndrome. In particular, we sought to assess whether the additional dynamic sequence could differentiate between patients with and without a positive physical exam maneuver for FAI syndrome. Methods: Patients with hip pain referred for conventional hip MR arthrogram including those with and without a positive physical exam maneuver for FAI syndrome were imaged using routine hip MR arthrogram protocol and an additional real-time radial 2-dimensional GRE acquisition at 3 Tesla in an axial oblique plane with continuous scanning of a 9 mm thick slice through the center of the femoral head-neck axis. Patients who were unable to move through the range of motion were excluded (n ¼ 3). Patients with acetabular dysplasia (defined by a lateral center-edge angle [CEA] of 20) were also excluded, as were patients had Kellgren and Lawrence scores of > 0. The real-time cine sequence was acquired with the patient actively moving through neutral, flexion, flexion-abduction external-rotation, and flexion-adduction internal rotation (FADIR) positions aiming for 40 of abduction, then 25 of adduction at 80 to 90 flexion. Due to the placement of the coil over the hip, a true FADIR was precluded. Images were evaluated independently by 2 musculoskeletal radiologists measuring the joint space in the anterior, central, and posterior positions at each point during range of motion for femoroacetabular cortical space (FACS). Anterior FACS narrowing was calculated as the ratio of joint space in FADIR:neutral position, with lower ratios indicating greater narrowing. Static metrics including alpha angle, CEA, grade of cartilage loss according the Outerbridge classification, and patient demographics were also recorded. Results: Twenty-two painful hips in 22 patients (11 males and 11 females) with mean age 36 years (range, 15-67) were included. Twelve patients had a positive physical exam maneuver for FAI syndrome. The time to perform the dynamic sequence was 3 to 6 minutes. Interobserver agreement was strong, with intraclass correlation 0.91 and concordance correlation 0.90. According to results from both readers, patients with impingement on clinical exam had significantly lower anterior FACS ratios compared with those without clinical impingement (reader 1: 0.39 AE 0.10 vs 0.

Microbial colonization of subscapularis tagging sutures in shoulder arthroplasty: a prospective, controlled study

Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, 2019

Background: Reducing intraoperative wound contamination is a critical preventive strategy for red... more Background: Reducing intraoperative wound contamination is a critical preventive strategy for reducing the risk of prosthetic joint infection in shoulder arthroplasty. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential microbial colonization of subscapularis tagging sutures during shoulder arthroplasty. Methods: In this prospective study, 50 consecutive patients undergoing primary shoulder arthroplasty (anatomic or reverse) were enrolled. Patients with revision shoulder arthroplasty and proximal humeral fractures were excluded. Nonabsorbable, braided tagging sutures were placed through the subscapularis tendon prior to tenotomy. A similar nonabsorbable, braided suture (control) was placed in a sterile container on the back table, open to the operating room environment. Subscapularis tagging sutures (experimental specimens) and control sutures were collected prior to subscapularis tenotomy repair and submitted for aerobic and anaerobic cultures. Cultures were held for 21 days to account for extended growth of slow-growing bacteria. Results: A total of 12 of 50 experimental and 16 of 50 control sutures had positive cultures. Staphylococcus epidermidis and Cutibacterium acnes were the 2 most commonly isolated organisms. Active tobacco use (P ¼ .038) and procedure length (P ¼ .03) were significantly associated with positive cultures. No significant association between positive subscapularis tagging suture cultures and positive control cultures was found (P ¼ .551). Patient age, sex, body mass index, and significant medical comorbidities were not significantly associated with positive cultures. Discussion: Subscapularis tagging sutures are a potential source of microbial contaminant in shoulder arthroplasty, and we recommend exchanging the tagging suture with a suture opened immediately prior to subscapularis repair.

MRI, arthroscopic and histopathologic cross correlation in biceps tenodesis specimens with emphasis on the normal appearing proximal tendon

Clinical Imaging, 2019

PURPOSE To correlate the histopathologic appearances of resected long head of the biceps tendon (... more PURPOSE To correlate the histopathologic appearances of resected long head of the biceps tendon (LHBT) specimens following biceps tenodesis, with pre-operative MRI and arthroscopic findings, with attention to the radiologically normal biceps. MATERIAL AND METHODS Retrospective analysis of patients who had undergone preoperative MRI, subsequent arthroscopic subpectoral tenodesis for SLAP tears and histopathologic inspection of the excised sample between 2013 and 16. Those with a normal MRI appearance or mildly increased intrasubstance signal were independently analyzed by 2 blinded radiologists. A blinded orthopedic surgeon and pathologist reviewed all operative imaging and pathologic slides, respectively. RESULTS Twenty-three LHBT resected samples were identified on MRI as either normal (Reader 1 n = 15; Reader 2 n = 14) or demonstrating low-grade increased signal (Reader 1 n = 8; Reader 2 n = 9). Of these, 86.9% demonstrated a histopathological abnormality. 50% of samples with histopathological abnormality demonstrated normal appearance on MRI. The most common reported histopathology finding was myxoid degeneration (73.9%) and fibrosis (52.2%). The most common arthroscopic abnormality was fraying (18.2%) and erythema (13.6%). Utilizing histopathology as the gold standard, the two radiologists demonstrated a sensitivity of 35.0% v 42.9%, specificity of 66.7% v 100%, PPV of 87.5% v 100%, and NPV of 13.3% v 14.3%. Corresponding arthroscopic inspection demonstrated a sensitivity of 31.6%, specificity of 66.6%, PPV 85.7% and NPV of 13.3%. There was moderate agreement between the two radiologists, κ = 0.534 (95% CI, 0.177 to 0.891), p = 0.01. CONCLUSION Histopathological features of low grade tendinosis including mainly myxoid degeneration and fibrosis are frequently occult on MR imaging.

The Utility of Oral NonSteroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs Compared to Standard Opioids Following Arthroscopic Meniscectomy: A Prospective Observational Study

Arthroscopy: The Journal of Arthroscopic & Related Surgery, 2018

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as the pr... more Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) as the primary postoperative pain medication compared with standard oral opioids following arthroscopic partial meniscectomy. Methods: This was a singlecenter, prospective, nonrandomized, comparative observational study. Patients ages 18 to 65 years who were indicated for arthroscopic meniscectomy were included. Postoperatively, patients were prescribed 1 of 2 analgesic regimens: (1) ibuprofen (600 mg every 6-8 hours as needed) and 10 tablets of oxycodone/acetaminophen (5/325 mg as needed for breakthrough pain) or (2) 30 to 40 tablets oxycodone/acetaminophen (5/325 mg every 6 hours as needed). Subjects completed questionnaires at 8 hours, 24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week after surgery, which included medication usage, visual analog scale pain score, incidence of adverse events, and patient satisfaction. Results: Sixty-eight patients with mean age 51.2 years (AE10.4 years) were enrolled between October 2016 and February 2017. Enrollment in the opioid group continued until 30 patients were enrolled in the NSAID group, and at final analysis there were 28 patients in the NSAID group and 40 in the opioid group. There were no significant differences in sex, visual analog scale pain score, or patient satisfaction between the 2 groups at any time point. Patients in the opioid group had a significantly higher mean opioid consumption on postoperative day 1 (1.1 vs 0.5 tablets, P < .03) and postoperative days 3 to 7 (2.6 vs 0.5 tablets, P < .02) compared with NSAID group patients. There was a trend toward greater total (1 week) opioid usage (4.7 vs 2.0 tablets) in the opioid group; however, this was not statistically significant (P < .08). Fifty-three percent of opioid group patients independently chose to forego their opioid medication for an over-the-counter NSAID and/or acetaminophen instead. No patients requested a medication refill. Conclusions: We found no significant difference in pain control, satisfaction, and total 1-week opioid use between patients prescribed NSAIDs with opioids and those prescribed opioids alone. All patients used only limited amounts of opioids to control postoperative pain, suggesting we are currently overprescribing opioids after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy.

A Comprehensive Return-to-Play Analysis of National Basketball Association Players With Operative Patellar Tendon Tears

Orthopaedic journal of sports medicine, 2018

Patellar tendon tears impart potentially debilitating sequelae among professional basketball athl... more Patellar tendon tears impart potentially debilitating sequelae among professional basketball athletes. Professional basketball athletes with patellar tendon tears have decreased return-to-play performance in seasons after injury compared with preinjury statistics. Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Patellar tendon tears among National Basketball Association (NBA) athletes from the 1999-2000 to 2014-2015 seasons were identified. Player performance statistics for players who underwent operative patellar tendon repair were compared from 1 season before injury to 1 season after injury and 2 seasons before injury to 2 seasons after injury using the primary outcome of player efficiency rating (PER). Secondary performance outcomes were also analyzed. A total of 13 patellar tendon tears (10 complete, 3 partial) were identified among 12 NBA athletes. Three players (25%) did not return to play in the NBA. No significant differences were found in PER in comparisons of 1 season before and after...

MRI analysis of peripheral soft tissue composition, not body mass index, correlates with outcomes following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

Knee surgery, sports traumatology, arthroscopy : official journal of the ESSKA, Jan 3, 2018

To utilize MRI to assess the relationship between BMI, peripheral soft tissue composition about t... more To utilize MRI to assess the relationship between BMI, peripheral soft tissue composition about the knee, and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction. It was hypothesized that a fatty periarticular soft tissue composition may be better than BMI at predicting poor outcomes after ACL reconstruction. Fifty-eight patients who underwent primary acute ACL reconstruction were identified from the surgical database and their data were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were selected based on availability of 2-year IKDC outcome scores, BMI data, and preoperative MRI studies. To approximate peripheral soft tissue composition, novel measurements of axial MRI images were employed using PACS ROI measurement tool. Relationships were assessed between IKDC outcome scores and measures of body habitus including BMI, total knee area, knee fatty-connective tissue area, and fatty-connective tissue to bone size ratio. The median BMI was 24.3 kg/m (range 18.5-36.9). Median IKDC ...

Injectable Biological Treatments for Osteoarthritis of the Knee

JBJS reviews, Jan 21, 2017

» The increasing prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in an aging and active population necessitates... more » The increasing prevalence of knee osteoarthritis in an aging and active population necessitates the development of therapies designed to relieve symptoms, to delay the need for total joint replacement, and to potentially stimulate chondrocyte growth. Disclosure: There were no external sources of funding for this study. On the Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest forms, which are provided with the online version of the article, one or more of the authors checked "yes" to indicate that the author had a relevant financial relationship in the biomedical arena outside the submitted work (http://links.lww.com/JBJSREV/A1).

Perioperative Antibiotic Utilization by Orthopedic Surgeons in Arthroscopic Surgery A Survey of Practice Patterns

Bulletin of the Hospital for Joint Disease, 2020

BACKGROUND Given the relatively low incidence of infection, the role of prophylactic antibiotics ... more BACKGROUND Given the relatively low incidence of infection, the role of prophylactic antibiotics for infection prevention in arthroscopic surgery is unclear. Without established evidence-based guidelines, it becomes important to understand the trends and common practices in the field. HYPOTHESIS We hypothesized that a majority of surgeons would use preoperative intravenous antibiotics and that postoperative antibiotics would be rarely used. METHODS A web-based link containing a questionnaire on perioperative antibiotic use for arthroscopic surgery of the knee and shoulder was sent to sports medicine surgeons at several institutions in the New York tri-state region. The questionnaire addressed antibiotic use both preoperatively and postoperatively and the type of medication used. RESULTS During the study period, 86 surgeons responded to the knee portion of the survey and 139 surgeons responded to the shoulder portion of the survey. A significant majority (94.24% for knee and 93.02% f...