Eric S. Secrist

Pain Management After Outpatient Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials

Background: Effective pain management after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction improves patient satisfaction and function. Purpose: To collect and evaluate the available evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on pain control after ACL reconstruction. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: A systematic literature review was performed using PubMed, Medline, Google Scholar, UpToDate, Cochrane Reviews, CINAHL, and Scopus following PRISMA guidelines (July 2014). Only RCTs comparing a method of postoperative pain control to another method or placebo were included. Results: A total of 77 RCTs met inclusion criteria: 14 on regional nerve blocks, 21 on intra-articular injections, 4 on intramuscular/intravenous injections, 12 on multimodal regimens, 6 on oral medications, 10 on cryotherapy/compression, 6 on mobilization, and 5 on intraoperative techniques. Single-injection femoral nerve blocks provided superior analgesia to placebo for up to 24 hours postoperatively; however, this also resulted in a quadriceps motor deficit. Indwelling femoral catheters utilized for 2 days postoperatively provided superior analgesia to a single-injection femoral nerve block. Local anesthetic injections at the surgical wound site or intra-articularly provided equivalent analgesia to regional nerve blocks. Continuous-infusion catheters of a local anesthetic provided adequate pain relief but have been shown to cause chondrolysis. Cryotherapy improved analgesia compared to no cryotherapy in 4 trials, while in 4 trials, ice water and water at room temperature provided equivalent analgesic effects. Early weightbearing decreased pain compared to delayed weightbearing. Oral gabapentin given preoperatively and oral zolpidem given for the first week postoperatively each decreased opioid consumption as compared to placebo. Ibuprofen reduced pain compared to acetaminophen. Oral ketorolac reduced pain compared to hydrocodone-acetaminophen. Conclusion: Regional nerve blocks and intra-articular injections are both effective forms of analgesia. Cryotherapy-compression appears to be beneficial, provided that intra-articular temperatures are sufficiently decreased. Early mobilization reduces pain symptoms. Gabapentin, zolpidem, ketorolac, and ibuprofen decrease opioid consumption. Despite the vast amount of high-quality evidence on this topic, further research is needed to determine the optimal multimodal approach that can maximize recovery while minimizing pain and opioid consumption. Clinical Relevance: These results provide the best available evidence from RCTs on pain control regimens after ACL reconstruction.

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in National Football League Athletes From 2010 to 2013: A Descriptive Epidemiology Study.

Background: There is a high incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among National Football League (NFL) athletes; however, the incidence of reinjury in this population is unknown. Purpose: This retrospective epidemiological study analyzed all publicly disclosed ACL tears occurring in NFL players between 2010 and 2013 to characterize injury trends and determine the incidence of reinjury. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: A comprehensive online search identified any NFL player who had suffered an ACL injury from 2010 to 2013. Position, playing surface, activity, and date were recorded. Each player was researched for any history of previous ACL injury. The NFL games database from USA Today was used to determine the incidence of ACL injuries on artificial turf and grass fields. Databases from Pro Football Focus and Pro Football Reference were used to determine the injury rate for each position. Results: NFL players suffered 219 ACL injuries between 2010 and 2013. Forty players (18.3%) had a history of previous ACL injury, with 27 (12.3%) retears and 16 (7.3%) tears contralateral to a previous ACL injury. Five players (2.28%) suffered their third ACL tear. Receivers (wide receivers and tight ends) and backs (linebackers, fullbacks, and halfbacks) had significantly greater injury risk than the rest of the NFL players, while perimeter linemen (defensive ends and offensive tackles) had significantly lower injury risk than the rest of the players. Interior linemen (offensive guards, centers, and defensive tackles) had significantly greater injury risk compared with perimeter linemen. ACL injury rates per team games played were 0.050 for grass and 0.053 for turf fields (P > .05). Conclusion: In this retrospective epidemiological study of ACL tears in NFL players, retears and ACL tears contralateral to a previously torn ACL constituted a substantial portion (18.3%) of total ACL injuries. The significant majority of ACL injuries in players with a history of previous ACL injury were retears. Skilled offensive players and linebackers had the greatest injury risk, and significantly more ACL tears occurred among interior linemen than perimeter linemen. The month of August had the highest incidence of ACL injuries, probably because of expanded roster sizes at that point in the NFL season.

Long-Term Outcomes in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review of Patellar Tendon Versus Hamstring Autografts:

Background: Much controversy still exists surrounding graft choice in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Over the past decade, an increase in comparative studies with longer follow-up has enhanced our understanding of current graft options and outcomes. Purpose: To describe the long-term comparative outcomes of ACL reconstruction with autograft bone–patellar tendon–bone (BPTB) versus autograft hamstring (HS) ACL reconstruction with regard to clinical and radiographic outcomes. Study Design: Systematic review; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A search of the PubMed, MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Scopus databases was performed to identify studies in the English language with outcome data comparing ACL reconstruction utilizing autograft BPTB and autograft HS; only studies with a minimum 5-year follow-up were included. Outcome data included failure and complications, manual and instrumented laxity, patient-reported outcomes, and radiographic risk of osteoarthritis. Results: Twelve studies with a total of 953 patients met the inclusion criteria. Of these studies, 8 were level 1 evidence and 2 were level 2. Mean follow-up was 8.96 years (range, 5-15.3 years). No differences in graft failure or manual or instrumented laxity were seen in any studies. Lower clinical outcomes scores and greater motion loss were seen in BPTB patients in 1 and 2 studies, respectively. Two of 4 studies reporting on anterior knee pain, and 3 of 7 that recorded kneeling pain found it more frequently among BPTB patients. One study found significantly increased reoperation rates in HS patients, while another found a similar result in BPTB, and 1 study reported a significant increase in contralateral ACL tears in BPTB patients. Three of 5 studies reporting on radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis noted significantly increased rates in BPTB patients. Conclusion: This systematic review comparing long-term outcomes after ACL reconstruction with either autograft BPTB or autograft HS suggests no significant differences in manual/instrumented laxity and graft failures between graft types. An increase in long-term anterior knee pain, kneeling pain, and higher rates of osteoarthritis were noted with BPTB graft use.

Anatomic Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction via Independent Tunnel Drilling: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials Comparing Patellar Tendon and Hamstring Autografts

PURPOSE To collect the highest level of evidence comparing anatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction via independent tunnel drilling using bone-patellar tendon-bone (BTB) and hamstring tendon (HT) autografts in terms of clinical outcome and failure rate. METHODS We performed a systematic review of clinical trials that randomized patients to ACL reconstruction with either BTB or HT autografts with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Only trials using independent tunnel drilling, including outside-in and anteromedial portal techniques, for both autografts were eligible for inclusion, whereas all transtibial studies were excluded. Study design, demographics, surgical technique, rehabilitation protocol, and clinical outcomes were compiled. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Quality assessment was performed using the Coleman Methodological Scale (CMS). RESULTS Six published studies reporting on 5 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) met the inclusion criteria. No study reported a difference in rerupture rate between BTB and HT. BTB-reconstructed knees experienced a greater incidence of anterior knee pain or crepitus in 2/7 trials and radiographic evidence of degenerative change in 3/7 trials. HT-reconstructed knees had increased instrumented laxity in 2/7 trials and less knee flexion strength postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS This study collects all available Level I and II evidence for anatomic ACL reconstruction using BTB and HT grafts. According to the data presented in these studies, clinical outcome scores and failure rates showed no differences for anatomic reconstruction using either autograft. However, in some studies, BTB-reconstructed knees experienced a greater incidence of anterior knee pain and radiographic evidence of degenerative change, and in others, HT-reconstructed knees had increased laxity and less knee flexion strength. In our opinion, both BTB and HT autografts remain valid options for ACL reconstruction when using anatomic drilling techniques, providing a stable knee with reliable return to activity. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level II, systematic review of Level I and II studies.

The Financial and Professional Impact of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in National Football League Athletes

Background: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries can have negative consequences on the careers of National Football League (NFL) players, however no study has ever analyzed the financial impact of these injuries in this population. Purpose: To quantify the impact of ACL injuries on salary and career length in NFL athletes. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Any player in the NFL suffering an ACL injury from 2010 to 2013 was identified using a comprehensive online search. A database of NFL player salaries was used to conduct a matched cohort analysis comparing ACL-injured players with the rest of the NFL. The main outcomes were the percentage of players remaining in the NFL and mean salary at 1, 2, 3, and 4 years after injury. Cohorts were subdivided based on initial salary: group A, <

National Football League Skilled and Unskilled Positions Vary in Opportunity and Yield in Return to Play After an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury.

500,000; group B, ≤

A Comparison of Operative and Nonoperative Treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries

500,000 to

Reliability, Readability and Quality of Online Information about Femoracetabular Impingement

2,000,000; and group C, >

Tranexamic Acid Can Be Administered to Arthroplasty Patients Who Receive Aspirin for Venous Thromboembolic Prophylaxis.

2,000,000. Mean cumulative earnings were calculated by multiplying the percentage of players remaining in the league by their mean salaries and compounding this each season. Results: NFL athletes suffered 219 ACL injuries from 2010 to 2013. The 7504 other player seasons in the NFL during this time were used as controls. Significantly fewer ACL-injured players than controls remained in the NFL at each time point (P < .05). In group A, significantly less ACL-injured players remained in the NFL at 1 to 3 seasons after injury (P < .05), and in group B, significantly less ACL-injured players remained in the NFL at 1 and 2 seasons after injury (P < .05). There was no significant decrease in group C. Players in groups A and B remaining in the NFL also had a lower mean salary than controls (P < .05 in season 1). The mean cumulative earnings over 4 years for ACL-injured players was

Displaced Proximal Humerus Fractures in Older Patients: Shoulder Surgeons Versus Traumatologists

2,070,521 less per player than uninjured controls. Conclusion: On average, ACL-injured players earned