BACKGROUND: This study assesses the accessibility and nature of parental leave policies during orthopaedic surgery residency training after implementation of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (GME) mandate for 6 weeks of paid parental leave effective July of 2022.
METHODS: An audit of orthopaedic surgery residency and affiliated GME websites was conducted to assess the accessibility of parental leave policies during the 2023-2024 academic year. Details on length of leave and nature of renumeration during the leave were recorded. Bivariate analyses were conducted to determine residency program characteristics associated with the accessibility of a parental leave policy. Results were compared with a previous analysis during the 2017-2018 academic year.
RESULTS: A total of 200 residency programs were evaluated, and 152 had parental leave policies (76.0%). Compared with 2017 to 2018, a similar percentage of parental leave policies were accessible on residency program websites (3.0% vs. 2.0%, P = 0.777) but fewer were accessible on GME websites (55.5% vs. 80.7%, P < 0.001). More contemporary policies were obtained from program coordinators (18.5% vs. 7.2%, P = 0.003), and more were not available (24.0% vs. 9.0%, P < 0.001). Most policies offered renumeration (86.7%) and leave for 6 weeks in length (75.0%). A higher prevalence of parental leave policy accessibility was found among orthopaedic residency programs with university affiliation (P < 0.001), more faculty members (P = 0.008) and residents (P = 0.017), a higher percentage of female faculty (P = 0.008), affiliation with a top 50 ranked National Institutes of Health-funded orthopaedic surgery department, and accreditation achieved before 2017 to 2018 (P = 0.004).
CONCLUSIONS: Most orthopaedic surgery residency programs do not have accessible parental leave policies on their websites. The new Accreditation Council for GME mandate will require orthopaedic residency programs to provide residents with 6 weeks of paid parental leave during residency training. Accessible policies may be useful to applicants interested in child rearing during orthopaedic residency training.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this project was to survey members of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) regarding the use of tibialis anterior tendon transfer (TATT) in the management of recurrent clubfoot with dynamic supination and no deformity. We aimed to assess which techniques for TATT are most utilized by pediatric orthopedists. As there has been no general consensus in the literature regarding best methods, we hypothesized that treatment methods would vary widely among POSNA members.
METHODS: The online survey, designed using Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) survey software, consisted of 15 initial questions, some of which had conditional follow-up questions that appeared if the respondent selected a specific answer choice, with a potential total of 22 questions. The survey was approved by the Evidence Based Practice Committee of POSNA and distributed to their 1,370 members.
RESULTS: Only the responses of POSNA members who treated clubfoot and performed TATT were included in the analysis. The 228 survey respondents reached a consensus (75% agreement) on a small number of topics: use of the Ponseti treatment method for clubfoot (94%), transfer of the tibialis anterior tendon to the lateral cuneiform (77%), transfer of only the whole tibialis anterior tendon (79%), and the use of an ankle foot orthoses (94%) among those who reported using postoperative braces. However, the remaining survey questions revealed a marked amount of variability in the performance of TATT.
CONCLUSIONS: Many of the questions garnered varied responses, which suggests differing opinions of POSNA members regarding how and when TATT should be performed for recurrent clubfoot with dynamic supination and no deformity. This is one of the first compilations of information about the treatment variations for TATT and may lead to further studies examining ways to standardize and optimize its use.

BACKGROUND: Surgical procedures on the lower extremities often require weight-bearing on crutches as part of the rehabilitation process. Orthopedic elective procedures enable patients to learn the correct use of crutches in a controlled preoperative setting. Digital assistance systems can safely circumvent a shortage of skilled staff and any contact restrictions that may be necessary.
OBJECTIVE: The usability of a newly developed gait training assistant (GTA) for the use of crutches will be evaluated. An intervention group trained to use crutches by the digital trainer will be compared with a control group trained to use crutches conventionally by a physiotherapist.
METHODS: As part of the development and implementation of a novel GTA, 14 patients learned to walk with crutches by completing specific exercises while receiving live feedback. Their movements were detected by a depth sensor and evaluated in real time. Specific parameters (step length, synchronous movement, crutch angle, and crutch distance to the feet) were compared with a control group (n=14) trained to use crutches by physiotherapists. The intervention group was also assessed by a physiotherapist. At the end of the study, the patients completed questionnaires to evaluate the usability of the system (Brooke\'s System Usability Scale score) and patient satisfaction.
RESULTS: All patients trained by the novel GTA were able to use crutches correctly. The intervention group showed significantly better values for crutch angle (mean -6.3°, SD 3.5° vs mean -12.4°, SD 4.5°; P<.001) and crutch position (mean 3.3, SD 5.1 cm vs mean -8.5, SD 4.9 cm; P=.02). Both groups reported that they felt confident in the use of crutches, were able to follow the instructions, and enjoyed the training. Even though the majority (12/14, 86%) preferred physical therapy over a purely digital approach, most participants enjoyed using the system (13/14, 93%) and were interested in trying out other digital assistants (11/14, 79%). The usability of the GTA was rated above average by the majority (9/14, 64%) of the patients.
CONCLUSIONS: The newly designed GTA is a safe method of teaching the use of crutches and is statistically superior to training by a physiotherapist. Even if patients prefer interaction with a physiotherapist over a purely digital approach, digital devices provide a safe and motivating opportunity to learn the essential locomotor skills for rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the publication rate for orthopaedic trauma resident research projects that receive grant funding and the long-term academic involvement of the grant recipients.
METHODS:
METHODS: Retrospective.
METHODS: Publically available records for resident research grant recipients.
UNASSIGNED: Resident research grants on orthopaedic trauma topics from Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA), AO North America (AONA), and Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation from 2000 to 2022.
UNASSIGNED: Subsequent related publications, grant size, time to publication, sustained academic involvement of the residents as measured by academic position, total number of publications, and h-index.
RESULTS: Three hundred ninety-seven orthopaedic trauma grants (OTA 117, AONA 225, and OREF 55) were identified. A total of 38% (151) of grants resulted in a publication with no significant difference between agencies (P = 0.94). The average amount awarded was $9,843, with no correlation to publication (P = 0.63). The mean time to publication was 3.57 ± 2.33 years. The time to publication for AONA was significantly longer than for OTA (4.14 vs. 2.83 years, P = 0.004). There was no difference in total publications, h-index, or NIH grants between grant recipients from different agencies. More OTA grant recipients held an academic position compared with AONA grant recipients (63% vs. 43%, P = 0.003). Grant awardees with initial publication success were 1.7 times as likely to have a future academic appointment (P = 0.014) and had 1.9 times the number of publications than those without (P = 0.001). Awardees with an h-index in the top quartile were significantly more likely to have published than those with an h-index in the bottom quartile (P = 0.007).
CONCLUSIONS: Fewer than half of orthopaedic trauma-related resident research grants resulted in a publication with comparable rates across agencies. Grant size did not predict publication success. Publication success was a positive predictor of continued academic involvement. Most publications occurred within 5 years, suggesting that these grants may be most helpful in career development if awarded during the first 1-2 years of a 5-year orthopaedic residency program.

BACKGROUND: Inappropriate utilization of higher-level health facilities and ineffective management of referral processes in resource-limited settings are becoming increasingly a concern in health care management in developing countries. This is characterized by self-referral and frequent bypassing of the nearest health facilities coupled with low formal referral mechanisms. This scenario lends itself to a situation where uncomplicated medical conditions are unnecessarily managed in a high-cost health facility. On July 1, 2021, Kenyatta National Hospital (KNH) enforced the Kenya Health Sector Referral Implementation Guidelines, 2014, which required patients to receive approval from the KNH referral office and a formal referral letter to be admitted at KNH to reduce the number of walk-ins and allow KNH to function as a referral facility as envisioned by the Kenya 2010 Constitution and KNH legal statue of 1987.
OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of enforcing the national referral guidelines on patterns of orthopaedic admissions to the KNH. This was a pre-post intervention study. Data abstraction was done for 459 and 446 charts before and after the enforcement of the national referral guidelines, respectively.
RESULTS: Enforcement of the national referral guidelines reduced the proportion of walk-in admissions from 54.9% to 45.1%, while the proportion of facility referrals increased from 46.6% to 53.4% (p = 0.013). The percentage of non-trauma orthopaedic admissions doubled from 12.0% to 22.4% (p<0.001). There was also an increase in admissions through the Outpatient Clinic and Corporate Outpatient Clinic. The proportion of emergency admissions declined, while that of elective admissions increased. The increase in elective cases was mainly driven by the increase in female admissions with active insurance cover, tertiary education, non-trauma-related conditions and older age groups. However, the use of official formal written referral letters did not change despite the enforcement of the national referral guidelines.
CONCLUSIONS: The enforcement of the national referral guidelines reduced the proportion of walk-ins\' admissions to KNH. While the enforcement of the national referral guidelines had no effect on the use of official formal written referral letters, it did limit access and utilization of inpatient orthopedic services for young male patients with no active insurance cover and in need of emergency orthopedic care.

UNASSIGNED: Surgical indications for Bernese periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) are well-established. However, the extent of postoperative functional recovery varies widely, as observed in clinical follow-ups. Thus, preoperative evaluation is crucial. This study aims to identify factors that influence functional recovery post-PAO and to develop a predictive nomogram.
UNASSIGNED: Retrospective data were collected between December 2016 and March 2022 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University. The dataset included demographic and imaging data of patients who underwent PAO. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was utilized to identify influencing factors, which were further analyzed using multivariate logistic regression to construct a predictive nomogram for post-PAO functional recovery.
UNASSIGNED: The analysis identified critical factors affecting functional recovery post-PAO, namely, the preoperative distance from the innermost surface of the femoral head to the ilioischial line, the surgical approach, preoperative acetabular depth, and the continuity of the preoperative Calve line. A nomogram was developed using these significant predictors. The model\'s validity was demonstrated by the receiver operating characteristic curve, with an area under the curve of 0.864. Additionally, the calibration curve confirmed the nomogram\'s accuracy, showing a strong correlation between observed and predicted probabilities, indicating high predictive accuracy.
UNASSIGNED: This predictive nomogram effectively identifies patients most suitable for PAO, providing valuable guidance for selecting surgical candidates and determining the appropriate surgical approach.

Intimate partner violence is an overlooked, underestimated, and under reported cause of musculoskeletal injury. This literature review aims to provide an updated overview of the prevalence of IPV, along with the identification and screening tools available to orthopaedic surgeons for early detection and intervention. Additionally, the review discusses the importance of training in medical education for orthopaedic surgeons to effectively recognize and address IPV. Through an analysis of current research and best practices, this review highlights the need for increased awareness, education, and collaboration among healthcare professionals to effectively address IPV as a public health issue.

The repair of large bone defects poses a significant challenge in orthopedics. Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a promising bone substitute, while it suffers a lack of bioactivity. Although several studies have been performed to further improve the bioactivities of PEEK by various surface modifications, PEEK offering long-term, multifaceted biofunctionalities remains still desired. In this study, we introduced metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), specifically ZIF-8 loaded with celecoxib (ZIF-8(CEL)), onto the PEEK surface through dopamine adhesion. The resulting PEEK@ZIF-8(CEL) aims to achieve long-term stable release of Zn ions and CEL for enhanced bone integration. Material characterization and biological experiments confirmed the successful integration of ZIF-8(CEL) onto PEEK and its positive biomedical effects, including creating a positive bone immunological environment and promoting bone growth. This study demonstrates the potential of PEEK@ZIF-8(CEL) as a novel repair material for large bone defects, offering a promising alternative in orthopedic applications.

The aim of this study was to develop a novel surgical technique for stifle arthrodesis in dogs using a semicircular saw for tibial and femoral ostectomies through a medial approach. Ten pelvic limbs from five canine cadavers underwent stifle arthrodesis. Prior to the surgical procedure, the limbs were radiographed to rule out musculoskeletal abnormalities. Additionally, the radiographs were used for surgical planning. For the tibial ostectomy, the center of the intercondylar eminences, the cranial limit of the tibial plateau, and the caudal cortex of the tibia were used as landmarks. In the femur, the groove of the insertion of the long digital extensor tendon and the caudal portion of the femoral cortex served as references. The most significant iatrogenic injury during the surgical procedures was the complete rupture of the long digital extensor tendon during the tibial cut in one of the stifles. Dome ostectomies facilitated interfragmentary contact, allowing for adjustment of the angulation between the fragments without the need for additional ostectomies or osteotomies. The medial approach provided a clear view of intra-articular structures without causing extensive damage to surrounding tissues. After the procedures, the limbs were radiographed to calculate angular measurements, and the final angulation (mean) of the knee joints was 134.7 ± 11°.

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