Spinal gunshot wounds: A retrospective, multicenter, cohort study

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment of patients with spinal gunshot wounds across Latin America.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective, multicenter cohort study of patients treated for gunshot wounds to the spine spanning 12 institutions across Latin America between January 2015 and January 2022. Demographic and clinical data were recorded, including the time of injury, initial assessment, characteristics of the vertebral gunshot injury, and treatment.

RESULTS

Data on 423 patients with spinal gunshot injuries were extracted from institutions in Mexico (82%), Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. Patients were predominantly male civilians in low-risk-of-violence professions, and of lower/middle social status, and a sizeable majority of gunshots were from low-energy firearms. Vertebral injuries mainly affected the thoracic and lumbar spine. Neurological injury was documented in 320 (76%) patients, with spinal cord injuries in 269 (63%). Treatment was largely conservative, with just 90 (21%) patients treated surgically, principally using posterior open midline approach to the spine (79; 87%). Injury features distinguishing surgical from non-surgical cases were neurological compromise (P = 0.004), canal compromise (P < 0.001), dirty wounds (P < 0.001), bullet or bone fragment remains in the spinal canal (P < 0.001) and injury pattern (P < 0.001). After a multivariate analysis through a binary logistic regression model, the aforementioned variables remained statistically significant except neurological compromise.

CONCLUSIONS

In this multicenter study of spinal gunshot victims, most were treated non-surgically, despite neurological injury in 76% and spinal injury in 63% of patients.

[Clinical and radiographic factors associated with failure of the dynamic hip screw system]

Background

The most widely used fixation system for transtrochanteric fractures is the dynamic hip screw system, which has a failure prevalence of 10 to 17% and it is associated with the presence of clinical and radiographic factors.

Objective

To evaluate the association of clinical and radiographic factors with the failure of the screw system in post-operative patients for transtrochanteric hip fracture.

Material y methods

A case-control study was carried out. The inclusion criteria were: patients > 18 years, who underwent surgery due to transtrochanteric fracture, were treated with the hip screw system, and who attended the Trauma Service. The patient with failure of the hip screw system was selected as the case and the patient without failure of the system as control. The variables analyzed in these groups were: age, gender, body mass index and radiographic variables. Statistical analysis was performed with chi-squared and Mann-Whitney U.

Results

163 patients (median 73 years), 20 cases and 143 controls, were included. The radiographic factors with a significant association with hip screw system failure were the AO classification of fractures (p < 0.001), the tip apex distance (p = 0.03), the calcar-referenced tip apex (p = 0.02), the position of the screw (p < 0.001), and quality of reduction (p < 0.003). Clinical factors did not show a significant association.

Conclusions

Radiographic factors are associated with failure in the hip screw system in patients in post-operative care due to transtrochanteric fracture.

Spinal gunshot wounds: A retrospective, multicenter, cohort study

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE

To describe the demographic and clinical characteristics and treatment of patients with spinal gunshot wounds across Latin America.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective, multicenter cohort study of patients treated for gunshot wounds to the spine spanning 12 institutions across Latin America between January 2015 and January 2022. Demographic and clinical data were recorded, including the time of injury, initial assessment, characteristics of the vertebral gunshot injury, and treatment.

RESULTS

Data on 423 patients with spinal gunshot injuries were extracted from institutions in Mexico (82%), Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela. Patients were predominantly male civilians in low-risk-of-violence professions, and of lower/middle social status, and a sizeable majority of gunshots were from low-energy firearms. Vertebral injuries mainly affected the thoracic and lumbar spine. Neurological injury was documented in n=320 (76%) patients, with spinal cord injuries in 269 (63%). Treatment was largely conservative, with just 90 (21%) patients treated surgically, principally using posterior open midline approach to the spine (n=79; 87%). Injury features distinguishing surgical from non-surgical cases were neurological compromise (p=0.004), canal compromise (p<0.001), dirty wounds (p<0.001), bullet or bone fragment remains in the spinal canal (p<0.001) and injury pattern (p<0.001). After a multivariate analysis through a binary logistic regression model, the aforementioned variables remained statistically significant except neurological compromise.

CONCLUSIONS

In this multicenter study of spinal gunshot victims, most were treated non-surgically, despite neurological injury in 76% and spinal injury in 63% of patients.

Analysis of the demand of care from Primary Care to Traumatology: Proposals for the improvement of the continuous care

OBJECTIVE

To analyze referrals from Primary Care consultation to Orthopaedic Surgery reference department. As a secondary objective, to establish 2referral scenarios in order to determine the impact of variability on referral.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cross-sectional observational study, analyzing referrals from Primary Care to Orthopaedic Surgery during the first half of the years 2018, 2019, and 2021. The number of referrals issued by each doctor and each Primary Care Healthcare Center was examined, according to the classification of the different Basic Healthcare Zones.

RESULTS

There is great variability in the number of referrals, both according to the type of Basic Healthcare Zone and by each Primary Care facultative. The referral ratios behaved uniformly over time (P<0.001). Due to a large number of referrals, 2scenarios have been constructed: In the first scenario, the referral ratio would be in the middle of the referral rate spectrum. In the second scenario, the lowest referral ratios recorded have been taken as a reference. The reduction of variability in the 2scenarios assumed provides a significant reduction in the demand for care.

CONCLUSION

Reducing variability would have a beneficial effect on the capacity of the Orthopaedic Surgery service to provide care.

[Translated article] Analysis of the demand of care from Primary Care to Traumatology: Proposals for the improvement of the continuous care

OBJECTIVE

To analyse referrals from Primary Care consultation to Orthopaedic Surgery reference department. As a secondary objective, to establish 2 referral scenarios in order to determine the impact of variability on referral.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Cross-sectional observational study, analyzing referrals from Primary Care to Orthopaedic Surgery during the first half of the years 2018, 2019, and 2021. The number of referrals issued by each doctor and each Primary Care Healthcare Center was examined, according to the classification of the different Basic Healthcare Zones.

RESULTS

There is great variability in the number of referrals, both according to the type of Basic Healthcare Zone and by each Primary Care facultative. The referral ratios behaved uniformly over time (p<0.001). Due to a large number of referrals, 2 scenarios have been constructed: In the first scenario, the referral ratio would be in the middle of the referral rate spectrum. In the second scenario, the lowest referral ratios recorded have been taken as a reference. The reduction of variability in the 2 scenarios assumed provides a significant reduction in the demand for care.

CONCLUSION

Reducing variability would have a beneficial effect on the capacity of the Orthopaedic Surgery service to provide care.

Has 2020 been a lost year in orthopedic surgery and trauma training? Residents' perceptions

OBJECTIVE

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected specialized healthcare training at all levels. Surgical learning has been severely affected, and the impact on orthopedic surgery residency training has so far not been assessed.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An online survey of 17 questions was sent via web link to orthopedic surgery residents throughout Spain between February 10, 2021 and February 28, 2021. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the care and training activities of residents were analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 307 orthopedic surgery residents from all over Spain responded to the online survey. A total of 77.2% of the respondents had to suspend their rotations. Of these, 67.5% would like to resume the rotations they missed during the pandemic. A total of 69.7% of scheduled surgeries were suspended. Surgical activity was completely stopped for an average of 8 weeks. 66.8% of the residents consider that their surgical training has been affected and this will have repercussions on their future work. 49.5% considered the online training offered to be insufficient. Of the total number of respondents, 52.1% considered that the impact of the pandemic situation on their training situation was bad or very bad.

CONCLUSIONS

The data collection shows a negative impact on both theoretical and clinical training. This study highlights the need to continue offering quality training by maximizing learning opportunities.

Osteoarthritis in Spain: A nationwide survey of medical specialists

OBJECTIVE

To determine the reality of the resources and care needs in Spain for the management of patients with osteoarthritis.

MATERIALS AND METHOD

An online survey.

RESULTS

Description of 190 responses to a structured questionnaire (141 orthopedic surgeons and 49 rheumatologists).

CONCLUSIONS

Osteoarthritis has yet to receive appropriate medical attention and a patient management model.

Hip fracture co-management in the elderly in a tertiary referral hospital: A cohorts study

INTRODUCTION

Hip fracture in the elderly is one of the most prevalent diagnoses in Orthopedic Surgery Departments. It has a great impact in medical, economic and social terms. Our objective is to analyze clinical impact of a co-management care model between orthopedic surgery and internal medicine departments for elderly patients admitted with hip fracture in a tertiary referral hospital.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Retrospective cohort study of patients older than 65 years old admitted with hip fracture between January 2005-August 2006 (HIST cohort) without a co-management care model, and between January 2008-August 2010 (COFRAC cohort) with a co-manEdadment care model. Analysis of demographic, clinical and surgery characteristics, complications incidence and mortality and re-admissions at 30 days was made.

RESULTS

A total of 701 patients were included (471 HIST, 230 COFRAC). There were no differences in sex, gender, time to surgery, type of anesthesia and surgery, length of stay, ambulation at discharge and 30-days emergency room consultation, readmissions or mortality at 30 days. There were differences in identification of polypatological patients (16.8 vs. 24.4%, P=0.02), presence of osteoporosis (3.9 vs. 7.6%, P=0.03), motor deficit (3.5 vs. 8.8%, P=0.03), number of chronic drugs (3.7±2.5 vs. 4.3±3.2, P<0.01), diagnosis of delirium (15.6 vs. 20.9%, P=0.048), constipation (80.3 vs. 74.7%, p<0.001), monitoring of anemia (83.3 vs. 97.1%, P>0.01) and renal failure at discharge (44.5 vs. 97.3%, P<0.01) and hospital mortality (4.6 vs. 1.3%, P=0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

Co-management for elderly patients admitted with hip fracture provides a better information about previously chronic conditions, a higher control of hospital complications and decreases hospital mortality.

[A new artificial intelligence tool for assessing symptoms in patients seeking emergency department care: the Mediktor application]

OBJECTIVES

To analyze agreement between diagnoses issued by the Mediktor application and those of an attending physician, and to evaluate the usefulness of this application in patients who seek emergency care.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Prospective observational study in a tertiary care university hospital emergency department. Patients with medical problems and surgical conditions (surgery and injuries) who did not require immediate emergency care responded to the Mediktor questions on a portable computer tablet. The software analyzed the answers and provided a list of 10 possible preliminary diagnoses in order of likelihood. The patient and the attending physician were blinded to the list to so that the usual care process would not be altered. The level of agreement between the physician's diagnosis and the Mediktor diagnosis was analyzed.

RESULTS

A total of 1015 patients were included; 622 cases were considered valid for study. Cases were excluded if the patients did not meet the inclusion criteria, they did not have a discharge diagnosis, they had a final diagnosis expressed as a symptom or their final diagnosis was not included in the Mediktor database. The physician's diagnosis (the gold standard) coincided with one of the 10 MEDIKTOR diagnoses in 91.3% of the cases, with one of the first 3 diagnoses in 75.4%, and with the first diagnosis in 42.9%. Sensitivity was over 92% and specificity over 91% in the majority of common diagnostic groups; the κ statistic ranged from 0.24 to 0.98.

CONCLUSION

The Mediktor application is a reliable diagnostic aid for the most prevalent problems treated in a hospital emergency department. The general public finds it easy to use.

Design of a perceived quality scale in orthopaedic surgery education

OBJECTIVES

The experience of students contributes to proactively identifying the changes necessary in training approaches and activities. The main objective of the Institutional Evaluation Programme was to design and validate a tool that permits discerning the experience of students from traumatology teaching.

METHODS

Lecturers from the Orthopaedic Surgery Teaching Unit and experts in quality evaluation methodology, prepared the initial items. In this study, a descriptive analysis was carried out first, followed by an analysis of internal consistency and reliability, construction validity, and predictive validity.

RESULTS

The results (Cronbach's alpha=0.58, Inter-Item Correlations >0.5, Eigenvalues >0.6, factor loadings, and the Student t-test values) confirmed its reliability and validity.

CONCLUSIONS

The developed scale is reliable and valid to assess the experience of students. The use of a tool with these characteristics systematically contributes to improve teaching quality.