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Similar to other fields, there is growing evidence of disparities in pediatric sports medicine. For children and adolescents with knee injuries, disparities persist along the lines of sex, gender, race, ethnicity, insurance, socioeconomic status, and other determinants. These factors influence the evaluation, treatment, and outcomes for a variety of knee pathologies, including anterior cruciate ligament ruptures, meniscus tears, osteochondritis dissecans, cartilage injuries, and tibial spine fractures. Inequities in care may have long-term functional and psychosocial implications. Additional research is necessary to further elucidate the etiology of these disparities, raise patient and community voices, and design interventions so that equitable care is delivered to every patient., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Given the rare nature of tibial tubercle fractures, previous studies are mostly limited to small, single-center series. This results in practice variation. Previous research has shown poor surgeon agreement on utilization of advanced imaging, but improved evidence-based indications may help balance clinical utility with resource utilization. The purpose of this study is to quantify diagnostic practices for tibial tubercle fractures in a large, multicenter cohort, with attention to the usage and impact of advanced imaging., Methods: This is a retrospective series of pediatric tibial tubercle fractures from 7 centers between 2007 and 2022. Exclusion criteria were age above 18 years, missing demographic and pretreatment data, closed proximal tibial physis and tubercle apophysis, or a proximal tibia fracture not involving the tubercle. Demographic and injury data were collected. Fracture classifications were derived from radiographic evaluation. The utilization of advanced imaging was recorded as well as the presence of findings not identified on radiographs. Standard descriptive statistics were reported, and χ 2 tests were performed (means reported±SD)., Results: A total of 598 patients satisfied the inclusion criteria, of which 88.6% (530/598) were male with a mean age of 13.8±1.9 years. Internal oblique x-rays were obtained in 267 patients (44.6%), computed tomography (CT) in 158 (26.4%), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 64 (10.7%). There were significant differences in the frequency at which CT (7.2% to 79.4%, P <0.001) and MRI were obtained (1.5% to 54.8%, P <0.001). CT was obtained most frequently for Ogden type IV fractures (50/99, 50.5%), and resulted in novel findings that were not visualized on radiographs in a total of 37/158 patients (23.4%). The most common finding on CT was intra-articular fracture extension (25/37). MRI was obtained most frequently for Ogden type V fractures (13/35, 37.1%), and resulted in novel findings in a total of 31/64 patients (48.4%). The most common finding was patellar tendon injury (11/64), but only 3 of these patients required tendon repair., Conclusions: Substantial variation exists in the diagnostic evaluation of tibial tubercle fractures. CT was most helpful in clarifying intra-articular involvement, while MRI can identify patellar tendon injury, periosteal sleeve avulsion, or a nondisplaced fracture. This study quantifies variation in diagnostic practices for tibial tubercle fractures, highlighting the need for evidence-based indications for advanced imaging., Level of Evidence: Level III., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: A recent study has reported that the radiographic measurement of posterior tibial slope (PTS) is larger in male pediatric patients with tibial spine fractures (TSF) than in controls. However, they found no difference in PTS between female patients and controls., Purpose: (1) To identify whether PTS is larger in female pediatric patients with TSF than in female controls and (2) to validate the relationship between PTS and pediatric TSF in male patients., Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: After an a priori power analysis, 84 pediatric patients with TSF (50 female patients and 34 male patients) and 84 age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled in this study. Demographic information, including sex, age, and race, was recorded. Skeletal maturity was determined based on the stage of epiphyseal union on knee radiographs. PTS was defined as the angle between a line perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tibia and the posterior inclination of the medial tibial plateau on standard knee lateral radiographs., Results: The mean age when the TSF occurred was 11.2 ± 2.7 years for female patients and 12.9 ± 2.5 years for male patients. There was no significant difference in skeletal maturity between female patients and female controls or between male patients and male controls. The mean PTS was not significantly different between female patients (8.8°± 2.8°) and female controls (8.3°± 3.1°) ( P = .366) or between male patients (9.0°± 2.8°) and male controls (9.3°± 2.6°) ( P = .675). Those with a PTS >1 SD (2.9°) above the mean (8.8°) had no greater odds (1.0 [95% CI, 0.4-2.5]; P ≥ .999) of having a TSF than others., Conclusion: PTS was not found to be a risk factor for pediatric TSF in female or male patients in this study., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: I.V.K. has received education payments from Medinc of Texas. K.G.S. has received education payments from Evolution Surgical. T.J.G. has received research support from Allosource and Vericel; education payments from Arthrex, Paladin Technology Solutions, and Liberty Surgical; and is a paid associate editor for The American Journal of Sports Medicine. S.B. has received education payments from Arthrex. H.B.E. has received education payments from Pylant Medical and hospitality payments from Stryker. P.D.F. has received consulting fees from WishBone Medical. D.W.G. has received consulting fees from OrthoPediatrics, royalties from Arthrex and OrthoPediatrics, and hospitality payments from Synthes GmbH. R.J.L. has received education payments from Arthrex. J.P.M. has received grant payments from DJO. S.D.M. has received education payments from Medinc of Texas. S.N.P. has received consulting fees from Pfizer. N.M.P. has received education payments from Medwest Associates. Y.-M.Y. has received education payments from Kairos Surgical and consulting fees from Smith+Nephew. G.A.S. has received education payments from Summit Surgical. R.J.M. has received consulting fees from OrthoPediatrics, hospitality payments from Globus Medical and Medical Device Business Services, and service payments from Philips Electronics North America. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2024.)

Background: Operative treatment of displaced tibial spine fractures consists of fixation and reduction of the fragment in addition to restoring tension of the anterior cruciate ligament., Purpose: To determine whether residual displacement of the anterior portion of a tibial spine fragment affects the range of motion (ROM) or laxity in operatively and nonoperatively treated patients., Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: Data were gathered from 328 patients younger than 18 years who were treated for tibial spine fractures between 2000 and 2019 at 10 institutions. ROM and anterior lip displacement (ALD) measurements were summarized and compared from pretreatment to final follow-up. ALD measurements were categorized as excellent (0 to <1 mm), good (1 to <3 mm), fair (3 to 5 mm), or poor (>5 mm). Posttreatment residual laxity and arthrofibrosis were assessed., Results: Overall, 88% of patients (290/328) underwent operative treatment. The median follow-up was 8.1 months (range, 3-152 months) for the operative group and 6.7 months (range, 3-72 months) for the nonoperative group. The median ALD measurement of the cohort was 6 mm pretreatment, decreasing to 0 mm after treatment ( P < .001). At final follow-up, 62% of all patients (203/328) had excellent ALD measurements, compared with 5% (12/264) before treatment. Subjective laxity was seen in 11% of the nonoperative group (4/37) and 5% of the operative group (15/285; P = .25). Across the cohort, there was no association between final knee ROM and final ALD category. While there were more patients with arthrofibrosis in the operative group (7%) compared with the nonoperative group (3%) ( P = .49), this was not different across the ALD displacement categories., Conclusion: Residual ALD was not associated with posttreatment subjective residual laxity, extension loss, or flexion loss. The results suggest that anatomic reduction of a tibial spine fracture may not be mandatory if knee stability and functional ROM are achieved., (© The Author(s) 2023.)

The management of shoulder instability in children and adolescents continues to evolve. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the epidemiology of shoulder stabilization procedures in a large, nationally representative pediatric population. The Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) database was queried for patients 18 years and younger undergoing surgical shoulder stabilization between 2008 and 2017. Patients undergoing arthroscopic surgery were compared with patients undergoing complex (open or bony augment stabilization) procedures. Annual trends were calculated using linear regression. A total of 3925 procedures were performed, of which 92.9% were arthroscopic Bankart repairs. There was a significant increase in overall pediatric shoulder stabilizations and arthroscopic repairs between 2008 and 2017. Complex procedures were performed most often in the Northeast, but the annual frequency did not increase nationally. [ Orthopedics . 2023;46(3):e167-e172.].

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiology of children and adolescents undergoing osteochondral autograft transplantation (OAT), osteochondral allograft transplantation (OCA), and autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) in the United States., Methods: The Pediatric Health Information System, a national database consisting of 49 children's hospitals, was queried for all patients undergoing OAT, OCA, and ACI between 2012 and 2018. Demographic information was collected for each subject. United States Census guidelines were used to categorize hospitals geographically. Univariate analysis was followed by purposeful entry multivariate regression to adjust for confounding factors., Results: A total of 809 subjects with a mean age of 15.4 ± 2.4 years were included in the analysis. Of these, 48.6% underwent OCA, 41.9% underwent OAT, and 9.5% underwent ACI. After adjusting for confounders in a multivariate model, ACI was 3.6 times more likely to be performed in patients with private insurance than those that were publicly insured (95% CI 1.6-8.0, p = 0.002). Furthermore, a patient in the Northeast was 33.1 times more likely to undergo ACI than in the West (95% CI 4.5-246.1, p = 0.001). OAT was performed most frequently in the West and Midwest (52.4% and 51.8% of the time, respectively; p < 0.001)., Conclusion: In the United States, there is substantial variation in the procedures performed for cartilage restoration in children and adolescents. Though ACI is the least commonly selected operation overall, it is significantly more likely to be performed on patients with private insurance and those in the Northeast.

Children with cerebral palsy (CP), a perinatal brain alteration, have impaired postnatal muscle growth, with some muscles developing contractures. Functionally, children are either able to walk or primarily use wheelchairs. Satellite cells are muscle stem cells (MuSCs) required for postnatal development and source of myonuclei. Only MuSC abundance has been previously reported in contractured muscles, with myogenic characteristics assessed only in vitro. We investigated whether MuSC myogenic, myonuclear, and myofiber characteristics in situ differ between contractured and noncontractured muscles, across functional levels, and compared with typically developing (TD) children with musculoskeletal injury. Open muscle biopsies were obtained from 36 children (30 CP, 6 TD) during surgery; contracture correction for adductors or gastrocnemius, or from vastus lateralis [bony surgery in CP, anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair in TD]. Muscle cross sections were immunohistochemically labeled for MuSC abundance, activation, proliferation, nuclei, myofiber borders, type-1 fibers, and collagen content in serial sections. Although MuSC abundance was greater in contractured muscles, primarily in type-1 fibers, their myogenic characteristics (activation, proliferation) were lower compared with noncontractured muscles. Overall, MuSC abundance, activation, and proliferation appear to be associated with collagen content. Myonuclear number was similar between all muscles, but only in contractured muscles were there associations between myonuclear number, MuSC abundance, and fiber cross-sectional area. Puzzlingly, MuSC characteristics were similar between ambulatory and nonambulatory children. Noncontractured muscles in children with CP had a lower MuSC abundance compared with TD-ACL injured children, but similar myogenic characteristics. Contractured muscles may have an intrinsic deficiency in developmental progression for postnatal MuSC pool establishment, needed for lifelong efficient growth and repair.

Background: Markers of a patient's social determinants of health, including healthcare insurance and median household income based on ZIP Code, have been associated with the interval between injury and ACL reconstruction (ACLR) as well as the presence of concomitant meniscus tears in children and adolescents. However, the aforementioned surrogate indicators of a patient's social determinants of health may not reflect all socioeconomic and healthcare resources affecting the care of ACL injuries in children and adolescents. The use of multivariate indices such as the Child Opportunity Index (COI) may help to better identify patients at risk for increased risk for delay between ACL injury and surgery, as well as the incidence of meniscus tears at the time of surgery. The COI is a summative measure of 29 indicators that reflect neighborhood opportunities across three domains: education, health and environment, and social and economic factors. COI scores range from 0 to 100 (100 being the highest possible score), as well as five categorical scores (very low, low, moderate, high, and very high) based on quintile rankings., Questions/purposes: To investigate the relationship between neighborhood conditions and the treatment of ACL injuries in children and adolescents via the COI, we asked: (1) Is a lower COI score associated with a longer delay between ACL injury and surgery? (2) Does a higher proportion of patients with lower COI scores have meniscus tears at the time of ACLR?, Methods: In this retrospective, comparative study, we considered data from 565 patients, 18 years or younger, who underwent primary ACLR at an urban, tertiary children's hospital between 2011 and 2021. Of these patients, 5% (31 of 565) did not have a clearly documented date of injury, 2% (11 of 565) underwent revision reconstructions, and 1% (5 of 565) underwent intentionally delayed or staged procedures. Because we specifically sought to compare patients who had low or very low COI scores (lowest two quintiles) with those who had high or very high scores (highest two quintiles), we excluded 18% (103 of 565) of patients with moderate scores. Ultimately, 73% (415 of 565) of patients with COI scores in either the top or bottom two quintiles were included. Patient addresses at the time of surgery were used to determine the COI score. There were no differences between the groups in terms of gender. However, patients with high or very high COI scores had a lower median (IQR) age (15 years [2.6] versus 17 years [1.8]; p < 0.001) and BMI (23 kg/m 2 [6.1] versus 25 kg/m 2 [8.8]; p < 0.001), were more commonly privately insured (62% [117 of 188] versus 22% [51 of 227]; p < 0.001), and had a higher proportion of patients identifying as White (67% [126 of 188] versus 6.2% [14 of 227]; p < 0.001) compared with patients with low or very low COI scores. Medical records were reviewed for demographic, preoperative, and intraoperative data. Univariate analyses focused on the relationship of the COI and interval between injury and surgery, frequency of concomitant meniscus tears, and frequency of irreparable meniscus tears treated with partial meniscectomy. Multivariable regression analyses were used to determine factors that were independently associated with delayed surgery (longer than 60 and 90 days after injury), presence of concomitant meniscal injuries, and performance of meniscectomy. Multivariable models included insurance and race or ethnicity to determine whether COI was independently associative after accounting for these variables., Results: Patients with a high or very high COI score had surgery earlier than those with a low or very low COI score (median [IQR] 53 days [53] versus 97 days [104]; p < 0.001). After adjusting for insurance and race/ethnicity, we found that patients with a low or very low COI score were more likely than patients with a high or very high COI score to have surgery more than 60 days after injury (OR 2.1 [95% CI 1.1 to 4.0]; p = 0.02) or more than 90 days after injury (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1.1 to 3.4]; p = 0.04). Furthermore, patients with low or very low COI scores were more likely to have concomitant meniscus tears (OR 1.6 [95% CI 1.1 to 2.5]; p = 0.04) compared with patients with high or very high COI scores. After controlling for insurance, race/ethnicity, time to surgery, and other variables, there was no association between COI and meniscectomy (OR 1.6 [95% CI 0.9 to 2.8]; p = 0.12) or presence of a chondral injury (OR 1.7 [95% CI 0.7 to 3.9]; p = 0.20)., Conclusion: As the COI score is independently associated with a delay between ACL injury and surgery as well as the incidence of meniscus tears at the time of surgery, this score can be useful in identifying patients and communities at risk for disparate care after ACL injury. The COI score or similar metrics can be incorporated into medical records to identify at-risk patients and dedicate appropriate resources for efficient care. Additionally, neighborhoods with a low COI score may benefit from improvements in the availability of additional and/or improved resources. Future studies should focus on the relationship between the COI score and long-term patient-reported functional outcomes after ACL injury, identification of the specific timepoints in care that lead to delayed surgery for those with lower COI scores, and the impact of community-based interventions in improving health equity in children with ACL injury., Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study., Competing Interests: Each author certifies that there are no funding or commercial associations (consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article related to the author or any immediate family members. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request., (Copyright © 2022 by the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons.)

Background: Previous studies have investigated the impact of social determinants of health, such as the type of healthcare insurance and household income, on children and adolescents with ACL tears. However, despite the increasing incidence of ACL injury in young patients and a substantial proportion of families who may prefer languages other than English, the relationship between language and clinical care remains unclear., Questions/purposes: To investigate the relationship between language and the care of children and adolescents with ACL tears, we asked: (1) Is a preferred language other than English (PLOE) associated with a delay between ACL injury and surgery? (2) Is a PLOE associated with a greater odds of a patient experiencing a meniscal tear and undergoing a meniscectomy than in those who prefer English?, Methods: We treated 591 patients surgically for ACL injuries between 2011 and 2021. Of those, we considered patients aged 18 years or younger who underwent primary ACL reconstruction for this retrospective, comparative study. Five percent (31 of 591) of patients were excluded because the date of injury was not clearly documented, 2% (11 of 591) were revision reconstructions, and 1% (6 of 591) underwent procedures that were intentionally delayed or staged, leaving 92% (543 of 591) for analysis. The mean age was 16 ± 2 years, and 51% (276 of 543) of patients were boys. The family's preferred language was noted, as were demographic data, time between injury and surgery, and intraoperative findings. A language other than English was preferred by 21% (113 of 543) of patients. Of these, 94% (106 of 113) preferred Spanish. In a univariate analysis, we used independent-samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U-tests, and Fisher exact tests, as appropriate. Purposeful-entry multivariable regression analyses were used to determine whether PLOE was associated with increased time to surgery, concomitant meniscus injury, or performance of meniscectomy while adjusting for confounding variables. Variables were included in multivariable models if they met the threshold for statistical significance in univariate testing (p < 0.05)., Results: The median time between injury and ACL reconstruction was shorter in families who preferred English compared with those with a PLOE (69 days [IQR 80] versus 103 days [IQR 107)]; p < 0.001). After controlling for potentially confounding variables like insurance and age, we found that patients whose families had a PLOE had greater odds of undergoing surgery more than 60 days after injury (OR 2.2 [95% CI 1.3 to 3.8]; p = 0.005) and more than 90 days after injury (OR 1.8 [95% CI 1.1 to 2.8]; p = 0.02). After controlling for insurance, age, and other factors, PLOE was not associated with surgical delay beyond 180 days, concomitant meniscal tears, or performance of meniscectomy., Conclusion: In this study of children and adolescents undergoing primary ACL reconstruction, patients whose families prefer a language other than English experienced a longer delay between injury and surgery. In areas with a large proportion of families with a PLOE, partnerships with primary care clinicians, emergency departments, schools, athletic teams, and community organizations may improve efficiency in the care of children with ACL injuries. Clinicians proficient in other languages, reliable interpreter services, and translated references and resources may also be impactful. Our results suggest a need for further research on the experiences, needs, and long-term outcomes of these patients, as well as the association of preferred language with results after surgery., Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic study., Competing Interests: Each author certifies that there are no funding or commercial associations (consultancies, stock ownership, equity interest, patent/licensing arrangements, etc.) that might pose a conflict of interest in connection with the submitted article related to the author or any immediate family members. All ICMJE Conflict of Interest Forms for authors and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research® editors and board members are on file with the publication and can be viewed on request., (Copyright © 2022 by the Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons.)

Osteochondral autograft (OAU) transfer and osteochondral allograft (OAL) transfer are options for treating sizable articular cartilage lesions in the knee, but there is little evidence to support one technique over another. The goal of this study is to compare the rate of reoperation among children and adolescents undergoing OAU or OAL of the knee. In this retrospective cohort study, the Pediatric Health Information System, a national database consisting of 49 children's hospitals, was queried for all patients undergoing OAU and OAL between 2012 and 2018. A total of 732 subjects with a mean age of 15.4±2.4 years were included. Of these, 393 (53.7%) initially underwent OAL and 339 (46.3%) underwent OAU. The overall reoperation rate was 144 of 732 (19.7%) at a median of 6.6 months (range, 0.6-53.5 months) after the index operation. This rate was similar for OAL and OAU. For 18 subjects (2.5%), OAU, OAL, or autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI) was performed at the time of revision surgery. When analyzing only open procedures, we found that the reoperation rate was 25.5% for open OAU compared with 16.5% for open OAL ( P =.03). When adjusting for covariates in multivariate regression, we found that those who underwent open OAU had 1.7 times higher odds of requiring a future reoperation than those who underwent open OAL (95% CI, 1.1-2.8; P =.04). Although the rate of reoperation after OAU or OAL among children and adolescents is relatively high, few require revision OAU, OAL, or ACI. Patients undergoing open OAU have higher odds of ultimately requiring reoperation than those undergoing open OAL. [ Orthopedics . 2022;45(6):378-383.].

The participation of females in sports has increased significantly since the passage of Title IX. Sports participation may place young athletes at risk for knee injuries, including patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), osteochondritis dissecans (OCD), and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture. Differences in anatomy, hormone production, and neuromuscular patterns between female and male athletes can contribute to disparities in knee injury rates with female athletes more vulnerable to PFPS and ACL injury. Biological differences between sexes alone cannot fully explain worldwide differences in musculoskeletal health outcomes. Social, cultural and societal attitudes toward gender and the participation of girls and women in sports may result in a lack of accessible training for both injury prevention and performance optimization; one must recognize the effects of gender disparities on injury risk. More nuanced approaches to assess the complex interplay among biological, physiologic, and social influences are needed to inform best practices for intervention and sports injury prevention., Competing Interests: Disclosure The authors have nothing to disclose., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Disparities persist in pediatric sports medicine along the lines of race, ethnicity, insurance status, and other demographic factors. In the context of knee injuries such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) ruptures, meniscus tears, and tibial spine fractures, these inequalities affect evaluation, treatment, and outcomes. The long-term effects can be far-reaching, including sports and physical activity participation, comorbid chronic disease, and socio-emotional health. Further research is needed to more concretely identify the etiology of these disparities so that effective, equitable care is provided for all children., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Understanding differences between types of study design (SD) and level of evidence (LOE) are important when selecting research for presentation or publication and determining its potential clinical impact. The purpose of this study was to evaluate interobserver and intraobserver reliability when assigning LOE and SD as well as quantify the impact of a commonly used reference aid on these assessments., Methods: Thirty-six accepted abstracts from the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA) 2021 annual meeting were selected for this study. Thirteen reviewers from the POSNA Evidence-Based Practice Committee were asked to determine LOE and SD for each abstract, first without any assistance or resources. Four weeks later, abstracts were reviewed again with the guidance of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS) LOE chart, which is adapted from the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. Interobserver and intraobserver reliability were calculated using Fleiss' kappa statistic (k). χ2 analysis was used to compare the rate of SD-LOE mismatch between the first and second round of reviews., Results: Interobserver reliability for LOE improved slightly from fair (k=0.28) to moderate (k=0.43) with use of the JBJS chart. There was better agreement with increasing LOE, with the most frequent disagreement between levels 3 and 4. Interobserver reliability for SD was fair for both rounds 1 (k=0.29) and 2 (k=0.37). Similar to LOE, there was better agreement with stronger SD. Intraobserver reliability was widely variable for both LOE and SD (k=0.10 to 0.92 for both). When matching a selected SD to its associated LOE, the overall rate of correct concordance was 82% in round 1 and 92% in round 2 (P<0.001)., Conclusion: Interobserver reliability for LOE and SD was fair to moderate at best, even among experienced reviewers. Use of the JBJS/Oxford chart mildly improved agreement on LOE and resulted in less SD-LOE mismatch, but did not affect agreement on SD., Level of Evidence: Level II., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Type 1 tibial spine fractures are nondisplaced or ≤2 mm-displaced fractures of the tibial eminence and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) insertion that are traditionally managed nonoperatively with immobilization., Hypothesis: Type 1 fractures do not carry a significant risk of associated injuries and therefore do not require advanced imaging or additional interventions aside from immobilization., Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4., Methods: We reviewed 52 patients who were classified by their treating institution with type 1 tibial spine fractures. Patients aged ≤18 years with pretreatment plain radiographs and ≤ 1 year of follow-up were included. Pretreatment imaging was reviewed by 4 authors to assess classification agreement among the treating institutions. Patients were categorized into 2 groups to ensure that outcomes represented classic type 1 fracture patterns. Any patient with universal agreement among the 4 authors that the fracture did not appear consistent with a type 1 classification were assigned to the type 1+ (T1+) group; all other patients were assigned to the true type 1 (TT1) group. We evaluated the rates of pretreatment imaging, concomitant injuries, and need for operative interventions as well as treatment outcomes overall and for each group independently., Results: A total of 48 patients met inclusion criteria; 40 were in the TT1 group, while 8 were in the T1+ group, indicating less than universal agreement in the classification of these fractures. Overall, 12 (25%) underwent surgical treatment, and 12 (25%) had concomitant injuries. Also, 8 patients required additional surgical management including ACL reconstruction (n = 4), lateral meniscal repair (n = 2), lateral meniscectomy (n = 1), freeing an incarcerated medial meniscus (n = 1), and medial meniscectomy (n = 1)., Conclusion: The classification of type 1 fractures can be challenging. Contrary to prior thought, a substantial number of patients with these fractures (>20%) were found to have concomitant injuries. Overall, surgical management was performed in 25% of patients in our cohort., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: H.B.E. has received education payments from Pylant Medical; speaking fees from Pylant Medical, Smith & Nephew, and Synthes; and hospitality payments from Arthrex. P.D.F. has received hospitality payments from Medical Device Business Services. T.J.G. has received education payments from Arthrex. I.K. has received education payments from Arthrex and Smith & Nephew and hospitality payments from DePuy Synthes. R.J.L. has received education payments from Arthrex and hospitality payments from Vericel. S.M. has received education payments from MedInc of Texas. T.A.M. has received education payments from Arthrex and consulting fees from Medtronic, OrthoPediatrics, and Zimmer Biomet. N.M.P. has received education payments from Liberty Surgical and Medwest and speaking fees from Arthrex. J.R. has received research support from Smith & Nephew and consulting fees from OrthoPediatrics. B.S. has received education payments from MidSouth Orthopedics. Y.-M.Y. has received consulting fees from Smith & Nephew and hospitality payments from Kairos Surgical. G.A.S. has received education payments from Arthrex and speaking fees from SIGN. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in closure of schools and playgrounds while requiring social distancing, changes that likely affected youth sports participation. The purpose of this study was to identify changes in the epidemiology of pediatric sports injuries during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients between the ages of 4 and 18 years who presented to orthopaedic clinics within a single children's hospital network with an acute injury sustained during athletic activity between March 20, 2020, and June 3, 2020 (the strictest period of state-level shelter-in-place orders). These patients were compared with those within the same dates in 2018 and 2019. Chi square and Mann-Whitney U tests were used, as appropriate., Results: Significantly less sports injuries were seen during the pandemic (n = 257) compared with the same dates in 2018 (n = 483) and 2019 (n = 444) despite more providers available in 2020 (P < 0.001). During the pandemic, patients with sports injuries were younger (median age 11 versus 13 years, P < 0.001) and had less delay in presentation (median 5 versus 11 days, P < 0.001). A higher proportion were White (66.9% versus 47.7%, P < 0.001), privately insured (63.4% versus 48.3%, P < 0.001), and seen at a nonurban location (63.4% versus 50.2%, P < 0.001). Most sports injuries during the pandemic were fractures (83.7%). Although 71.4% of all injuries in the prepandemic period occurred in the context of formal sports, only 15.2% were sustained in a formal athletic context in 2020 (P < 0.001). The frequency of surgical treatment was higher during the pandemic (14.8% versus 7.8%, P = 0.001), mainly because most of these injuries were fractures requiring surgical intervention., Conclusions: Fewer sports injuries were seen in the outpatient setting during the COVID-19 pandemic, and most of these injuries were fractures and occurred outside of organized sports settings. Patients were more likely to be White, privately insured, and seen at a nonurban location., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Background: Anterolateral ligament reconstruction (ALLR) and lateral extra-articular tenodesis (LET) show promise in lowering the risk of rerupture after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR), but there are little data on surgeon practices and preferences in children and adolescents., Purpose: To quantify surgeon practices regarding ALLR and LET in the pediatric population., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Methods: An electronic survey was administered to 87 surgeons in the Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine society. The questionnaire asked several questions about surgeon and practice characteristics as well as indications, preferences, and techniques for ALLR or LET in the context of primary and revision pediatric ACLR. Chi-square and Fisher exact tests were used to evaluate factors that affect surgical preferences., Results: A total of 63 surgeons completed the survey, of whom 62% performed ≥50 pediatric ACLRs annually; 56% sometimes performed anterolateral augmentation with primary ACLR, and 79% with revision ACLR. The most common indications for ALLR or LET in the primary setting were high-grade pivot shift, knee hyperextension, generalized laxity, and type of sports participation. Surgeons whose practice was >75% sports medicine were more likely to perform ALLR or LET with both primary and revision ACLR ( P = .005 and P < .001, respectively). Those who had completed a sports medicine fellowship were more likely to perform these procedures than those with only pediatric orthopaedic training, in both primary (68% vs 36%; P = .01) and revision scenarios (92% vs 60%; P = .002). Of the 28 respondents who did not perform ALLR or LET with primary ACLR, 75% cited insufficient evidence as the reason. However, 96% of surgeons who did perform these procedures expressed interest in studying them prospectively, and 87% were willing to randomize patients., Conclusion: Findings indicated that 56% of pediatric sports surgeons sometimes perform anterolateral augmentation with primary ACLR and 79% with revision ACLR. Surgeons with sports medicine fellowship training or a mostly sports practice were more likely to perform these procedures. Insufficient evidence was the most common reason given by surgeons who did not perform anterolateral augmentation. However, there was substantial willingness to prospectively study and even randomize pediatric patients to assess the impact of ALLR or LET in this population., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: T.J.G. has received education payments from Arthrex. S.D.M. has received education payments from Medinc of Texas. N.K.P. has received education payments from Evolution Surgical and consulting fees from OrthoPediatrics. N.M.P. has received education payments and speaking fees from Arthrex. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

Background: When operative treatment is indicated, tibial spine fractures can be successfully managed with open or arthroscopic reduction and internal fixation (ARIF). The purpose of the study is to evaluate short-term treatment outcomes of tibial spine fractures in patients treated with both open and arthroscopic fracture reduction., Methods: We performed an Institutional Review Board (IRB)-approved retrospective cohort study of pediatric tibial spine fractures presenting between January 1, 2000 and January 31, 2019 at 10 institutions. Patients were categorized into 2 cohorts based on treatment: ARIF and open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). Short-term surgical outcomes, the incidence of concomitant injuries, and surgeon demographics were compared between groups., Results: There were 477 patients with tibial spine fractures who met inclusion criteria, 420 of whom (88.1%) were treated with ARIF, while 57 (11.9%) were treated with ORIF. Average follow-up was 1.12 years. Patients treated with ARIF were more likely to have an identified concomitant injury (41.4%) compared with those treated with ORIF (24.6%, P=0.021). Most concomitant injuries (74.5%) were treated with intervention. The most common treatment complications included arthrofibrosis (6.9% in ARIF patients, 7.0% in ORIF patients, P=1.00) and subsequent anterior cruciate ligament injury (2.1% in ARIF patients and 3.5% in ORIF, P=0.86). The rate of short-term complications, return to the operating room, and failure to return to full range of motion were similar between treatment groups. Twenty surgeons with sports subspecialty training completed 85.0% of ARIF cases; the remaining 15.0% were performed by 12 surgeons without additional sports training. The majority (56.1%) of ORIF cases were completed by 14 surgeons without sports subspecialty training., Conclusion: This study demonstrated no difference in outcomes or nonunion following ARIF or ORIF, with a significantly higher rate of concomitant injuries identified in patients treated with ARIF. The majority of identified concomitant injuries were treated with surgical intervention. Extensive surgical evaluation or pretreatment magnetic resonance imaging should be considered in the workup of tibial spine fractures to increase concomitant injury identification., Level of Evidence: Level III., Competing Interests: A.I.C.: paid CME question writer for JBJS, Arthrex payment >$500 in 2015 (Education, Food/Beverage, Lodging), Committee member POSNA, Committee member PRiSM. H.B.E.: Smith-Nephew—consultant/speaking, Anthrex—education support. T.J.G.: Associate Editor for AJSM; Vericel Corporation—Research Support, Arthrex—Research Support, AlloSource—Research Support, Committee Member POSNA, Committee Member PRiSM. Daniel W. Green: Royalties from Arthrex, and Pega Medical. R. Jay Lee: research support from Arthrex, Vericel, Orthopediatrics. Scott McKay: PRISM and POSNA committees. R.J.M.: consultant: Orthopediatrics; Educational Support: Depuy Synthes. Jason Rhodes: President of GCMAS, Consultant for Orthopaediatrics, Research grant from smith nephew for a different study. Gregory A. Schmale: Arthrex Inc.—funds for “education”; SIGN Inc.—conference fees paid for giving a lecture. Y.-M.Y.: Smith-Nephew—consultant, Kairos surgical—hospitality payment, AJSM Editorial Board. The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The uncommon nature of tibial spine fractures (TSFs) may result in delayed diagnosis and treatment. The outcomes of delayed surgery are unknown., Purpose: To evaluate risk factors for, and outcomes of, delayed surgical treatment of pediatric TSFs., Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: The authors performed a retrospective cohort study of TSFs treated surgically at 10 institutions between 2000 and 2019. Patient characteristics and preoperative data were collected, as were intraoperative information and postoperative complications. Surgery ≥21 days after injury was considered delayed based on visualized trends in the data. Univariate analysis was followed by purposeful entry multivariate regression to adjust for confounders., Results: A total of 368 patients (mean age, 11.7 ± 2.9 years) were included, 21.2% of whom underwent surgery ≥21 days after injury. Patients who experienced delayed surgery had 3.8 times higher odds of being diagnosed with a TSF at ≥1 weeks after injury (95% CI, 1.1-14.3; P = .04), 2.1 times higher odds of having seen multiple clinicians before the treating surgeon (95% CI, 1.1-4.1; P = .03), 5.8 times higher odds of having magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) ≥1 weeks after injury (95% CI, 1.6-20.8; P < .007), and were 2.2 times more likely to have public insurance (95% CI, 1.3-3.9; P = .005). Meniscal injuries were encountered intraoperatively in 42.3% of patients with delayed surgery versus 21.0% of patients treated without delay ( P < .001), resulting in 2.8 times higher odds in multivariate analysis (95% CI, 1.6-5.0; P < .001). Delayed surgery was also a risk factor for procedure duration >2.5 hours (odds ratio, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.4-7.9; P = .006). Patients who experienced delayed surgery and also had an operation >2.5 hours had 3.7 times higher odds of developing arthrofibrosis (95% CI, 1.1-12.5; P = .03)., Conclusion: Patients who underwent delayed surgery for TSFs were found to have a higher rate of concomitant meniscal injury, longer procedure duration, and more postoperative arthrofibrosis when the surgery length was >2.5 hours. Those who experienced delays in diagnosis or MRI, saw multiple clinicians, and had public insurance were more likely to have a delay to surgery., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: R.J.M. has received education payments from Arthrex and DePuy Synthes, consulting fees from OrthoPediatrics and Philips Electronics North America, and hospitality payments from Globus Medical. T.J.G. has received research support from Allosource, Arthrex, and Vericel and education payments from Liberty Surgical. H.B.E. has received education payments from Arthrex, consulting fees from Smith & Nephew, and speaking fees from Synthes. I.K. has received education payments from Arthrex and hospitality payments from DePuy and Smith & Nephew. R.J.L. has received education payments from Arthrex, OrthoPediatrics, and Vericel. S.D.M. has received education payments from Medinc of Texas. T.A.M. has received education payments from Arthrex and consulting fees from Medtronic USA, OrthoPediatrics, and Zimmer Biomet. J.T.R. has received research support from Smith & Nephew and consulting fees from OrthoPediatrics. B.C.S. has received education payments from Midsouth Orthopedics. G.A.S. has received education payments from Arthrex and SIGN. N.M.P. has received education payments from Medwest Associates and Liberty Surgical. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2022.)

The purpose of this study was to determine the variability in clinical management of tibial tubercle fractures among a group of pediatric orthopedic surgeons. Nine fellowship-trained academic pediatric orthopedic surgeons reviewed 51 anteroposterior and lateral knee radiographs with associated case age. Respondents were asked to describe each fracture using the Ogden classification (type 1-5 with A/B modifiers), desired radiographic workup, operative vs. nonoperative treatment strategy and plans for post-treatment follow-up. Fair agreement was reached when classifying the fracture type using the Ogden classification (k = 0.39; P < 0.001). Overall, surgeons had a moderate agreement on whether to treat the fractures operatively vs. nonoperatively (k = 0.51; P < 0.001). Nonoperative management was selected for 80.4% (45/56) of type 1A fractures. Respondents selected operative treatment for 75% (30/40) of type 1B, 58.3% (14/24) of type 2A, 97.4% (74/76) of type 2B, 90.7% (39/43) of type 3A, 96.3% (79/82) of type 3B, 71.9% (87/121) of type 4 and 94.1% (16/17) of type 5 fractures. Regarding operative treatment, fair/slight agreement was reached when selecting the specifics of operative treatment including surgical fixation technique (k = 0.25; P < 0.001), screw type (k = 0.26; P < 0.001), screw size (k = 0.08; P < 0.001), use of washers (k = 0.21; P < 0.001) and performing a prophylactic anterior compartment fasciotomy (k = 0.20; P < 0.001). Furthermore, surgeons had fair/moderate agreement regarding the specifics of nonoperative treatment including degree of knee extension during immobilization (k = 0.46; P < 0.001), length of immobilization (k = 0.34; P < 0.001), post-treatment weight bearing status (k = 0.30; P < 0.001) and post-treatment rehabilitation (k = 0.34; P < 0.001). Significant variability exists between surgeons when evaluating and treating pediatric tibial tubercle fractures., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Previous studies have reported disparities in orthopaedic care resulting from demographic factors, including insurance status. However, the effect of insurance on pediatric tibial spine fractures (TSFs), an uncommon but significant injury, is unknown., Purpose: To assess the effect of insurance status on the evaluation and treatment of TSFs in children and adolescents., Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of TSFs treated at 10 institutions between 2000 and 2019. Demographic data were collected, as was information regarding pre-, intra-, and postoperative treatment, with attention to delays in management and differences in care. Surgical and nonsurgical fractures were included, but a separate analysis of surgical patients was performed. Univariate analysis was followed by purposeful entry multivariate regression to adjust for confounding factors., Results: Data were collected on 434 patients (mean ± SD age, 11.7 ± 3.0 years) of which 61.1% had private (commercial) insurance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was obtained at similar rates for children with public and private insurance (41.4% vs 41.9%, respectively; P ≥ .999). However, multivariate analysis revealed that those with MRI performed ≥21 days after injury were 5.3 times more likely to have public insurance (95% CI, 1.3-21.7; P = .02). Of the 434 patients included, 365 required surgery. Similar to the overall cohort, those in the surgical subgroup with MRI ≥21 days from injury were 4.8 times more likely to have public insurance (95% CI, 1.2-19.6; P = .03). Children who underwent surgery ≥21 days after injury were 2.5 times more likely to have public insurance (95% CI, 1.1-6.1; P = .04). However, there were no differences in the nature of the surgery or findings at surgery. Those who were publicly insured were 4.1 times more likely to be immobilized in a cast rather than a brace postoperatively (95% CI, 2.3-7.4; P < .001)., Conclusion: Children with public insurance and a TSF were more likely to experience delays with MRI and surgical treatment than those with private insurance. However, there were no differences in the nature of the surgery or findings at surgery. Additionally, patients with public insurance were more likely to undergo postoperative casting rather than bracing.

Background: Meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) was developed with the goal of delaying the progression of degenerative disease in the setting of substantial meniscal deficiency. This may be especially important in children and adolescents; however, there is a paucity of literature on MAT in this population., Purpose: To evaluate the epidemiology of MAT at pediatric hospitals in the United States, with specific attention to regional and characteristic trends., Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: The Pediatric Health Information System, a national database consisting of 49 children's hospitals, was queried for all patients younger than 25 years who underwent MAT between 2011 and 2018. Characteristic information and surgical history were collected for each patient. The database was also queried for all patients who underwent other meniscal surgeries (including debridement, meniscectomy, and meniscal repair) during the same period (controls). Characteristic and geographic data from the control group were compared with those of the patients who underwent MAT. Univariate analysis was followed by purposeful entry multivariate regression to adjust for confounding factors., Results: A total of 27,168 meniscal surgeries were performed in 47 hospitals, with MAT performed 67 times in 17 hospitals. Twelve (18%) patients underwent a subsequent procedure after transplantation. In multivariate analysis, each year of increasing age resulted in 1.1 times higher odds of having undergone MAT (95% CI, 1.03-1.1; P = .002) compared with repair or meniscectomy. Patients who underwent MAT also had 2.0 times higher odds of being women (95% CI, 1.2-3.3; P = .01) and 2.0 times higher odds of being privately insured (95% CI, 1.1-3.6; P = .02). MAT was performed most frequently in the Northeast (4.9/1000 meniscal surgeries) and least often in the South (1.1/1000 meniscal surgeries) ( P < .001)., Conclusion: In the United States, pediatric and adolescent patients who underwent MAT were older and more likely to be female and have private insurance than those undergoing meniscal repair or meniscectomy. MAT was only performed in 17 of 47 children's hospitals that perform meniscal surgery. These trends highlight the need for further research, especially regarding differences along the lines of sex and insurance status., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: M.M.L. has received hospitality payments from DePuy Synthes. N.M.P. has received educational support from Liberty Surgical and MedWest. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2021.)

Background: Recent literature on arthrofibrosis after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) in children and adolescents is limited, especially with regards to quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of arthrofibrosis after ACLR, with attention to the impact of graft type., Methods: Patients that underwent primary ACLR at a tertiary children's hospital were reviewed for this retrospective case-control study. Those with multiligament reconstructions, lateral extra-articular tenodesis procedures, allografts, or a modified MacIntosh reconstruction were excluded. Arthrofibrosis was defined as a deficit of 10 degrees of extension and/or 20 degrees of flexion at 3 months after ACLR. Univariate analysis was followed by purposeful entry logistic regression to adjust for confounding factors., Results: A total of 378 patients (mean age 15.9±1.7 y, 49.7% female) were included in the analysis, of which there were 180 patellar tendon (PT), 103 hamstrings tendon (HT), and 95 QT grafts. The rate of arthrofibrosis was 1.9% for HT, 6.3% for QT, and 10.0% for PT (P=0.04). Females developed arthrofibrosis more frequently than males (10.6% vs. 3.2%, P=0.004). Those that ultimately experienced this complication had lower median flexion at 6 weeks after ACLR (88 vs. 110 degrees, P<0.001). In multivariate analysis, PT graft raised the odds of arthrofibrosis 6.2 times compared to HT [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.4-27.6, P=0.02], but there were no significant differences between QT and other grafts. Females were at 4.2 times higher odds than males (95% CI: 1.6-10.8; P=0.003). Patients that were unable to attain 90 degrees of flexion 6 weeks after ACLR had 14.7 times higher odds of eventually developing arthrofibrosis (95% CI: 5.4-39.8; P<0.001). Finally, those with an extension deficit of ≥5 degrees 6 weeks after ACLR had 4.7 times higher odds of experiencing this complication (95% CI: 1.8-12.2, P=0.001)., Conclusion: The rate of arthrofibrosis with QT autograft is 6.3% after pediatric ACLR. PT autograft, female sex, and motion deficits at 6 weeks after ACLR were predictive of arthrofibrosis in children and adolescents., Level of Evidence: Level III-prognostic study., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Spica casting and elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) are options for diaphyseal femur fractures in preschool-age children (ages 3-6 years). Clinical practice guidelines (CPG) are only of moderate or limited strength, which may lead to variation in practice. The purpose of this study is to analyze the epidemiology of children undergoing these procedures in the United States., Methods: The Pediatric Health Information System, a national database consisting of 49 children's hospitals, was queried for patients between the ages of 3 and 6 years undergoing spica casting or ESIN for a diaphyseal femur fracture between 2011 and 2017. Non-diaphyseal fractures, subjects with associated syndromes or neuromuscular disorders, and pathologic fractures were excluded. Census guidelines were used to categorize hospitals geographically into regions and divisions. Univariate analysis was followed by purposeful entry multivariate regression to adjust for confounders., Results: Analysis included 4059 subjects. Spica casting was performed in 2878 children (71%) and ESIN in 1181 (29%). The median age of those undergoing spica casting was 3.0 years [interquartile range (IQR) 1 year] compared to 5.0 years for ESIN (IQR 2 years; p<0.01). When adjusting for covariates in a multivariate model, each year of increasing age resulted in 4.4 times higher odds that ESIN would be performed (95% CI 4.0-4.8, p<0.01). Compared to the Northeast, a child in the Midwest had 3.6 times higher odds of undergoing ESIN rather than spica casting (95% CI 2.6-5.1, p<0.01). Age at time of ESIN was lowest in the Midwest and highest in the Northeast (4.8±1.0 versus 5.3±0.9 years; p<0.01). There was no variation in the ratio of spica casting to ESIN performed in this age group between 2011 and 2017, including after release of the 2015 CPG., Conclusions: In the United States, there is substantial variation in the chosen treatment for diaphyseal femur fractures in preschool-age children. ESIN is more likely to be chosen for older children. It is also most likely to be performed in the Midwest and least likely in the Northeast. These findings may have implications in terms of cost and resource utilization and suggest the need for more clinical data to guide surgical indications., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None, (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries among adolescent athletes is steadily increasing. Identification of the highest risk sports for ACL injuries by sex and competitive setting (ie, practice vs match) is important for targeting injury prevention programs., Purpose: To identify the risk of ACL injuries in adolescent athletes by sport, sex, and setting across a variety of common US and international sports., Study Design: Meta-analysis., Methods: Essentially, 3 online databases (PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library) were searched for all studies of ACL injuries per athlete-exposure (AE) or hours of exposure in adolescent athletes. Injuries were then pooled and incidence rates (IRs) reported per 1000 AEs or hours of exposure, with the relative risk (RR) of injuries calculated for sex-comparable sports. IRs per competitive setting (match vs practice) were also calculated., Results: A total of 1235 ACL injuries over 17,824,251 AEs were identified (IR, 0.069 [95% CI, 0.065-0.074]), with 586 of these injuries in girls across 6,986,683 AEs (IR, 0.084 [95% CI, 0.077-0.091]) versus 649 injuries in boys over 10,837,568 AEs (IR, 0.060 [95% CI, 0.055-0.065]). Girls had a higher overall rate of ACL injuries (RR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.25-1.57]), with the most disproportionate risk observed in basketball (RR, 4.14 [95% CI, 2.98-5.76]). The risk of ACL injuries by sex was highest in girls' soccer (IR, 0.166 [95% CI, 0.146-0.189]) and boys' football (IR, 0.101 [95% CI, 0.092-0.111]). ACL injuries were over 8 (RR, 8.54 [95% CI, 6.46-11.30]) and 6 (RR, 6.85 [95% CI, 5.52-8.49]) times more likely to occur in a match versus a practice setting for female and male athletes, respectively., Conclusion: The risk of ACL injuries overall approached nearly 1 per 10,000 AEs for female athletes, who were almost 1.5 times as likely as male athletes to suffer an ACL injury across all adolescent sports. A multisport female athlete was estimated to have a nearly 10% risk of ACL injuries over her entire high school or secondary school career. Specifically, male and female adolescents playing soccer, basketball, lacrosse, and football appeared at particular risk of injuries, a finding that can be used to target an injury intervention.

Background: Postoperative ipsilateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears after tibial eminence fracture fixation has been previously noted in the literature. This study aims to describe the prevalence of and risk factors for postoperative ACL tears in a cohort of patients operatively treated for tibial eminence fracture., Methods: A retrospective review of children undergoing treatment of a tibial eminence fracture at 10 tertiary care children's hospitals was performed. The primary outcome of interest was subsequent ACL rupture. Incidence of ACL tear was recorded for the entire cohort. Patients who sustained a postoperative ACL tear were compared with those without ACL tear and analyzed for demographics and risk factors. A subgroup analysis was performed on patients with a minimum of 2-year follow-up data or those who had met the primary outcome (ACL tear) before 2 years., Results: A total of 385 pediatric patients were reviewed. 2.6% of the cohort experienced a subsequent ACL tear. The median follow-up time was 6.5 months (SD=6.4 mo). Subsequent ACL tears occurred at a median of 10.2 months (SD=19.5 mo) postoperatively. There was a statistically significant association with higher grade tibial spine fractures (Myers and McKeever type III and IV) and subsequent ACL tear (P=0.01). Patients with a subsequent ACL tear were older on average (13.5 vs. 12.2 y old), however, this difference was not statistically significant (P=0.08). Subgroup analysis of 46 patients who had a 2-year follow-up or sustained an ACL tear before 2 years showed a 21.7% incidence of a subsequent ACL tear. There was a statistically significant association with higher grade tibial spine fractures (Myers and McKeever type III and IV) and subsequent ACL rupture (P=0.006) in this subgroup. Postoperative ACL tears occurred in patients who were older at the time that they sustained their original tibial eminence fracture (13.4 vs. 11.3 y old, P=0.035)., Conclusions: Ipsilateral ACL tears following operatively treated pediatric tibial eminence fractures in a large multicenter cohort occurred at a rate of 2.6%. However, in those with at least 2 years of follow-up, the incidence was 21.7%. Subsequent ACL tear was more likely in those with completely displaced (type III or IV) tibial eminence fractures and older patients., Level of Evidence: Level III-retrospective cohort study., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of race, insurance status, and socioeconomic status on successful or unsuccessful healing of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) lesions in the pediatric knee. The authors retrospectively reviewed patients younger than 18 years who were treated for a knee OCD lesion between 2006 and 2017. Patients were required to have at least 6 months of clinical and radiographic follow-up to be included, unless complete healing was achieved sooner. The primary outcome of interest was healing of the OCD lesion based on radiographic and clinical examination. A total of 204 OCD lesions in 196 patients with a mean follow-up of 15.8±6.4 months were included. The mean age at initial presentation was 12.4±2.8 years. At most recent follow-up, 28 (13.7%) lesions did not show radiographic or clinical evidence of healing. Nonhealing lesions were found in 25.0% of Black children compared with 9.4% of White children ( P =.02). After controlling for age, sex, sports participation, lesion size and stability, skeletal maturity, and operative vs nonoperative treatment in a multivariate model, Black children had 6.7 times higher odds of unsuccessful healing compared with their White counterparts (95% CI, 1.1-41.7; P =.04). In this study, Black children with OCD of the knee were significantly less likely to heal than were White patients, even when controlling for numerous other factors in a multivariate model. Although the exact etiology of this finding is unclear, future work should focus on the social, economic, and cultural factors that may lead to disparate outcomes. [ Orthopedics . 2021;44(3):e378-e384.].

Background: Given that patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to inform clinical decision-making, it is vital that they are validated, reliable, responsive, and appropriate for the population under study. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the rate of PROM use in the pediatric orthopaedic literature, characterize whether each use was in the PROM-validated demographic, and analyze the association between bibliometric factors and the use of PROMs with incomplete validation., Methods: The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science database was queried for all clinical pediatric orthopaedic studies from 2014 to 2017. All PROMs were recorded for each study independently by 2 reviewers and cross-referenced with the published orthopaedic literature as of 2017 to determine if the PROM had been validated for the study population. PROMs that had not been validated, had been shown to be invalid, or had conflicting validity studies for use in the population of interest were designated as incompletely validated or used without complete validation. The following covariates were recorded for each study: subspecialty, inclusion of a statistician coauthor, sample size, journal, and the journal impact factor. χ analysis was used to evaluate the association between categorical variables and the use of at least 1 incompletely validated PROM., Results: In total, 1000 articles were screened, yielding 653 studies that met our inclusion criteria. A total of 104/653 (16%) publications-reported PROMs. PROMs were used without complete validation 120/165 (73%) times, and 77/104 (74%) studies used at least 1 PROM without complete validation. The most frequent reasons for incomplete validation were (1) using PROMs that had been validated in adults, but not pediatrics (n=47; 28.5%), and (2) using PROMs that had been designated in the literature as invalid for pediatrics (n=27; 16.4%). The incomplete validation of at least 1 PROM was associated with smaller sample size (P=0.01) and subspecialty (P<0.01). Overall rates of PROM use and the proportion of PROMs used without complete validation were both found to be higher than those previously reported., Conclusion: The majority of pediatric orthopaedic studies reporting PROMs used at least 1 PROM without complete validation for their study population., Level of Evidence: Level IV-systematic review of level I, II, III, and IV studies.

Objective: To identify associations between race or insurance status and preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative findings in a large cohort of pediatric anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructions., Design: Retrospective cohort study., Setting: Division of Orthopaedics at an urban tertiary care children's hospital., Patients: 915 pediatric (<21) patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction between January 2009 and May 2016., Independent Variables: Insurance status and race., Main Outcome Measures: Delay to surgery, concurrent meniscal injury, sports clearance, postoperative complications, physical therapy, range of motion, and isokinetic strength reduction., Results: Multivariate analysis revealed a significantly longer delay to surgery for black/Hispanic and publicly insured children compared to their counterparts (P = 0.02 and P = 0.001, respectively). Black/Hispanic patients were more likely to sustain irreparable meniscus tears resulting in meniscectomy than white/Asian patients (odds ratio 2.16, 95% confidence interval, 1.10-2.29, P = 0.01). Black/Hispanic and publicly insured children averaged fewer physical therapy (PT) visits (P < 0.001 for both). Nine months after surgery, black/Hispanic patients had significantly greater strength reduction than white/Asian patients. There were no differences in postoperative complications, including graft rupture, contralateral ACL injury, or new meniscus tear along the lines of race, although privately insured patients were more likely to suffer a graft rupture than publicly insured patients (P = 0.006)., Conclusions: After ACL rupture, black/Hispanic children and publicly insured children experience a greater delay to surgery. Black/Hispanic patients have more irreparable meniscus tears and less PT visits. Black/Hispanic patients have greater residual hamstrings and quadriceps weakness 9 months after surgery.

Background: There is a high rate of concomitant injuries reported in pediatric patients with tibial spine fractures, ranging from 40% to 68.8%. Many tibial spine fractures are treated without initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)., Purpose: To understand rates of concomitant injury and if the reported rates of these injuries differed among patients with and without pretreatment MRI., Study Design: Cross-sectional study; level of evidence, 3., Methods: We performed an institutional review board-approved multicenter retrospective cohort study of patients treated for tibial spine fractures between January 1, 2000, and January 31, 2019, at 10 institutions. Patients younger than 25 years of age with tibial spine fractures were included. Data were collected on patient characteristics, injury, orthopaedic history, pretreatment physical examination and imaging, and operative findings. We excluded patients with multiple trauma and individuals with additional lower extremity fractures. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: those with and those without pretreatment MRI. The incidence of reported concomitant injuries was then compared between groups., Results: There were 395 patients with a tibial spine fracture who met inclusion criteria, 139 (35%) of whom were reported to have a clinically significant concomitant injury. Characteristics and fracture patterns were similar between groups. Of patients with pretreatment MRI, 79 of 176 (45%) had an identified concomitant injury, whereas only 60 of 219 patients (27%) without pretreatment MRI had a reported concomitant injury ( P < .001). There was a higher rate of lateral meniscal tears ( P < .001) in patients with pretreatment MRI than in those without. However, there was a higher rate of soft tissue entrapment at the fracture bed ( P = .030) in patients without pretreatment MRI. Overall, 121 patients (87%) with a concomitant injury required at least 1 treatment., Conclusion: Patients with pretreatment MRI had a statistically significantly higher rate of concomitant injury identified. Pretreatment MRI should be considered in the evaluation of tibial spine fractures to improve the identification of concomitant injuries, especially in patients who may otherwise be treated nonoperatively or with closed reduction. Further studies are necessary to refine the indications for MRI in patients with tibial spine fractures, determine the characteristics of patients at highest risk of having a concomitant injury, define the sensitivity and specificity of MRI in tibial spine fractures, and investigate patient outcomes based on pretreatment MRI status.

Background: Several studies have examined the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury history among relatives of patients undergoing ACL reconstruction (ACLR), but they have primarily analyzed adults with variable results., Hypothesis: We hypothesized that he rate of familial ACL injuries among pediatric patients with ACL tears would be greater than that among pediatric patients with uninjured knees., Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: Pediatric patients (≤18 years of age) who underwent ACLR between January 2009 and May 2016 were contacted to complete a questionnaire on subsequent complications and family history of ACL tears. A control cohort was recruited from children with uninjured knees seen in the concussion clinic of our institution. Binary logistic regression was used to determine the factors predictive of having a familial ACL tear history or complications., Results: Overall, 450 pediatric patients with primary ACL tears were included. Age at the time of surgery was 14.9 ± 2.2 years with a follow-up of 4.3 ± 2.1 years. When compared with 267 control patients, those with an ACL tear reported a higher rate of first-degree relatives with an ACL injury history (25.1% vs 12.0%; P < .001). In multivariate analysis, children with ACL injury had nearly 3 times (odds ratio [OR], 2.7) higher odds of having a first-degree relative with an ACL tear (95% CI, 1.7-4.2; P < .001). Patients were stratified by the number of first-degree relatives with ACL tears: no relatives, 1 relative, or ≥2 relatives. Children with ≥2 first-degree relatives were more likely to sustain a postoperative graft failure (OR, 5.1; 95% CI 1.7-15.2; P = .003) or a complication requiring surgical intervention (OR, 7.5; 95% CI, 2.6-22.0; P < .001)., Conclusion: A family history of ACL injury is more likely in pediatric patients with ACL tears than in uninjured children. Further, patients undergoing primary ACLR as well as a strong family history of ACL tears are more likely to sustain a postoperative graft rupture or complication requiring surgery., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: N.M.P. has received educational support from Liberty Surgical. T.J.G. has received research support from AlloSource, Arthrex, and Vericel and educational support from Liberty Surgical and is a paid associate editor for The American Journal of Sports Medicine. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2020.)

Background: Spica casting and elastic stable intramedullary nailing (ESIN) are treatment options for femur fractures in preschool-age children. Clinical practice guidelines are only of moderate or limited strength, which may lead to variation in practice. The purpose of this study was to compare the revision surgery rate in young children undergoing these procedures., Methods: The Pediatric Health Information System, a database of 49 children hospitals, was queried for patients aged 3 to 6 years undergoing spica casting or ESIN for a diaphyseal femur fracture. ESIN removal was not considered an unplanned revision surgery because the indication for removal could not be determined in the database. Univariate analysis was followed by multivariate regression., Results: Analysis included 4,059 subjects with a mean age of 3.9 ± 1.1 years. Unplanned revision surgery was done in 227/2,878 children (8%) with a spica cast and 35/1,181 (3%) of those with ESIN (P < 0.01). Approximately 2% of children in each cohort underwent ESIN or open reduction and internal fixation as a revision procedure (P = 0.35). In multivariate analysis, spica casting resulted in 4.4 times higher odds of unplanned revision surgery than ESIN (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9-6.7; P < 0.01). In the spica cast cohort, each year of increasing age resulted in 1.3 times higher odds of revision surgery (95% CI, 1.1-1.6; P < 0.01). Children who were aged 5 or 6 years at the time of spica casting had 1.9 times higher odds of requiring a subsequent procedure compared with 3- and 4-year-olds (95% CI, 1.3-2.7; P < 0.01)., Conclusions: In this large, nationally representative cohort, spica casting resulted in higher odds of requiring an unplanned revision surgery than ESIN, when nail removal was not included as an unplanned procedure. Spica casting in 5- and 6-year-olds yielded higher odds of revision surgery. Regardless of whether spica casting or ESIN is chosen as the initial treatment, 2% of patients will subsequently undergo ESIN or open reduction and internal fixation as a revision procedure., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.)

Graft failure after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction remains a challenging complication in the pediatric population. The anterolateral ligament (ALL) contributes to rotational stability, and early evidence in adults suggests that ALL reconstruction may lower the risk of anterior cruciate ligament graft rupture. We present a technique for combined ALL reconstruction and anterolateral capsular reinforcement using iliotibial band autograft in skeletally immature patients. This procedure seeks to provide additional rotational stability in varying degrees of flexion while avoiding the physes and eliminating the need for implants., (© 2020 by the Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier.)

The purpose of this study is to analyze trends in the epidemiology of paediatric stress fractures. The New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database was queried for stress fractures in children between the ages of 6 and 18 years. After checking for monotonicity of the data, Spearman's correlation coefficient was calculated. Multivariate regressions were used to test for associations between demographic variables and risk of stress fracture. Analysis of 11 475 386 outpatient visits between 2000 and 2015 showed that the annual incidence of paediatric stress fractures increased from 1.37 cases per 100 000 outpatient visits in 2006 to 5.32 per 100 000 visits in 2015 (ρ = 0.876, P < 0.01). The mean age at the time of injury was 14.4 ± 2.8 years. Children younger than 14 years accounted for 33.6% of the cohort. Age, male sex, white ethnicity, and private insurance were statistically significant predictors of stress fractures in a multivariate model. This study is the first to document an increase in the annual incidence of paediatric stress fractures.

Objective: IS (idiopathic scoliosis) is a common spinal condition occurring in otherwise completely healthy adolescents. The root cause of IS remains unclear. This systematic review will focus on an update of genetic factors and IS etiology. Though it is generally accepted that the condition is not due to a single gene effect, etiology studies continue looking for a root cause including genetic variants. Though susceptibility from multiple genetic components is plausible based on known family history data, the literature remains unclear regarding multifactorial genetic influences. The objective of this study was to critically evaluate the evidence behind genetic causes (not single gene) of IS through a systematic review and strength-of-study analysis of existing genetic and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We used the protocol of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)., Methods: PubMed was searched for the terms IS, scoliotic, spinal curve, genetic, gene, etiology, polymorphisms. Articles were assessed for risk-of-bias. Level-of-evidence grading was completed via Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine criteria. The assessment scores factor strength of a study in determining a positive or negative association to a gene etiology., Results: After screening of 36 eligible papers, 8 relevant studies met inclusion criteria at this time, 3 were in favor of a genetic factor for IS, whereas 5 studies were against it., Conclusion: Based on the literature analyzed, there is moderate evidence with a low risk-of-bias that does not clarify a genetic cause of IS. The 2 studies in favor of a genetic etiology were completed in homogeneous populations, limiting their generalizability. Relying on a genetic etiology alone for IS may over simplify its multifactorial nature and limit appreciation of other influences., Competing Interests: None of the authors have any conflict of interests to disclose., (© 2020 Professor P K Surendran Memorial Education Foundation. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The femoral attachment of the anterolateral ligament (ALL) of the knee is still under debate, but the tibial attachment is consistently between Gerdy's tubercle and the fibular head. The structure is less identifiable and more variable in younger patients. The ALL likely plays a role in rotational stability, but its impact on anterior stability is less clear. Numerous ALL reconstruction techniques have been described. Biomechanical analysis of these techniques has not shown clear benefits, but this literature is limited by the heterogeneity of techniques, graft choices, and study methodology. Clinical studies of combined anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and ALL reconstruction are few but promising in lowering the risk of an ACL reinjury. To our knowledge, there are no studies showing the clinical outcomes of combined ACL and ALL reconstruction in pediatric patients, who are at higher risk for ACL graft failure than adults.

Background: Observational studies are the most commonly used study designs in the pediatric orthopaedic literature. The differences between observational study designs are important but not widely understood, leading to potential discrepancies between the reported and actual study design. Study design misclassification is associated with a potential for misreporting level of evidence (LOE). The purpose of this study was to determine the degree of study design and LOE misclassification in the pediatric orthopaedic literature., Methods: The Institute for Scientific Information (ISI) Web of Science was queried to identify all pediatric orthopaedic observational studies published from 2014 to 2017. Reported study design and LOE were recorded for each study. The actual study design and LOE were determined on the basis of established clinical epidemiological criteria by reviewers with advanced epidemiological training. Studies with a discrepancy between reported versus actual study design and LOE were identified. The following covariates were recorded for each study: subspecialty, inclusion of a statistician coauthor, sample size, journal, and journal impact factor. χ test was used to identify factors associated with study design and LOE misreporting., Results: In total, 1000 articles were screened, yielding 647 observational studies. A total of 335 publications (52%) did not clearly report a study design in the abstract or manuscript text. Of those that did, 59/312 (19%) reported the incorrect study design. The largest discrepancy was in the 109 studies that were reported to be case series, among which 30 (27.5%) were actually retrospective cohort studies. In total, 313 publications (48%) did not report a LOE. Of those that did, 95/334 (28%) reported the incorrect LOE. In total, 33 studies (19%) reported a LOE that was higher than the actual LOE and 62 (35%) under-reported the LOE., Conclusions: The majority of observational pediatric orthopaedic studies did not report a study design or reported the wrong study design. Similarly, the majority of studies did not report or misreported their LOE. Greater epidemiological rigor in evaluating observational studies is required on the part of investigators, reviewers, and editors., Level of Evidence: Level II.

Background: Closed reduction is generally attempted on children under 18 months of age who present as older infants or who fail nonoperative management for developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). However, many of these patients will not achieve concentric reduction by closed means and will ultimately require open reduction (OR). Limited evidence exists to predict which patients can be adequately closed reduced versus those who will need open treatment., Methods: Prospectively collected data from 4 select centers of an international multicenter study group sharing a common treatment approach were reviewed for all DDH infants under 18 months old that required operative management. Patients were categorized into 2 groups: those whose hips were successfully closed reduced or those who ultimately required OR. Factors were compared between the closed reduction and OR groups for 2 separate cohorts-those presenting early in life with ultrasound (US) data, and those presenting later with radiographic data., Results: A total of 154 patients (166 hips) were included in the analysis. Overall, 87.3% were female. In the early-presenting cohort, purposeful entry multivariate regression revealed that patients with Graf IV hips on US had 3.8 times higher odds of requiring an OR. For the later cohort, hips that were clinically irreducible (ie, negative Ortolani sign) had 3.3 times higher odds of requiring OR. Patients with International Hip Dysplasia Institute (IHDI) grade IV hips had 2.5 times higher odds of needing an OR versus those with grade III hips and 15.4 times higher odds than those with grade II hips. Children with an IHDI grade IV hip and a negative Ortolani sign had 4.4 times higher odds of needing OR., Conclusion: Children younger than 18 months with dislocated hips who require OR are more likely to have a high-grade radiographic dislocation (IHDI grade IV), negative preoperative Ortolani sign, and a Graf IV classification on initial US. This information may help surgeons budget the use of operating room time and better counsel parents about intraoperative expectations., Level of Evidence: Level III-Prognostic.

Background: Following anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, children are at significant risk for complications, including contralateral ACL rupture. The purpose of this study is to determine which children are at risk for a contralateral ACL tear after ipsilateral reconstruction., Methods: After review of medical records, we contacted patients who underwent primary ACL reconstruction between 2009 and 2016. Patients were included in the study if they were able to provide follow-up data either in person or remotely at least 2 years after surgery. Demographic data, sports participation, and intraoperative findings and techniques were recorded. All patients were also asked to confirm returning to sport information and postoperative complications (including contralateral ACL tear). Univariate analysis consisted of χ and independent samples t tests. Purposeful entry logistic regression was then conducted to control for confounding factors. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed to assess contralateral ACL survival., Results: A total of 498 children with average follow-up of 4.3±2.1 years were included in the analysis. The mean age was 15.0±2.3 years and 262 patients (52.6%) were female. Thirty-five subjects (7.0%) sustained a contralateral ACL tear at a mean of 2.7±1.7 years following index reconstruction. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed the median contralateral ACL survival time to be 8.9 years [95% confidence interval (CI): 8.3, 9.5 y]. In univariate analysis, 11.5% of female patients had a contralateral rupture compared with 2.1% of male patient (P<0.001). Patients with a contralateral tear had a mean age of 14.4±2.0 years compared with 15.1±2.3 years for those without an ACL injury in the opposite knee (P=0.04). After controlling for numerous factors in a multivariate model, female patients had 3.5 times higher odds of sustaining a contralateral ACL tear than male patients (95% CI: 1.1, 10.6; P=0.03). Each year of decreasing age raised the odds of contralateral injury by a factor of 1.3 (95% CI: 1.1, 1.6; P=0.02). Furthermore, children younger than 15 years had 3.1 times higher odds of contralateral rupture than those aged 15 and older (95% CI: 1.3, 7.2; P=0.01)., Conclusions: After adjusting for confounding factors in a multivariate model, female patients were at increased risk of contralateral ACL tear following ipsilateral reconstruction, as were younger children. Specifically, ACL rupture in the opposite knee was more likely in patients below the age of 15 years., Level of Evidence: Level III-prognostic study.

Background: Meniscal injuries in children continue to increase, which may be attributable to increasing levels of athletic participation and may be associated with additional injuries or need for additional surgeries., Purpose: To better understand the patterns of pediatric meniscal injuries by analyzing tear location, morphologic features, and associated injury patterns over a 16-year period., Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4., Methods: Pediatric patients were identified and were included in the study if age at the time of initial surgery for meniscal tear was between 5 and 14 years for female patients and 5 and 16 years for male patients. Patients were observed until age 18, and any subsequent surgeries were noted. Demographic factors, tear type and location, associated injuries, and treatment type were analyzed., Results: Mean patient age at surgery was 13.3 years, and 37% of patients were female. A total of 1040 arthroscopic meniscal surgeries in 880 pediatric patients were evaluated. There were 160 reoperations in 138 patients, representing a reoperation rate of 15%. These included 98 reoperations on the ipsilateral knee in 88 patients and 62 operations for injuries to the contralateral knee in 50 patients; 53% of surgeries were meniscal repair, as opposed to partial meniscectomy, and the most common technique was an all-inside repair (91%). Significant differences were identified between male and female patients. Male patients were more likely to have lateral meniscus (74% vs 65%), posterior horn (71% vs 60%), peripheral (45% vs 30%), and vertical tears (31% vs 21%); concomitant ACL injury (50% vs 40%); and an associated osteochondritis dissecans lesion (7% vs 4%). Female patients were more likely to have medial meniscus (24% vs 17%), anterior horn (25% vs 15%), and degenerative tears (34% vs 26%); discoid meniscus (33% vs 24%); and isolated meniscal tears (47% vs 33%)., Conclusion: This evaluation of a large series of patients has helped characterize injury patterns associated with pediatric meniscal surgeries. Most meniscal tears were repaired (53%) and were associated with additional injuries (62%), especially anterior cruciate ligament injuries (48%). More than 25% of patients had a discoid meniscus. Injury patterns differed significantly between male and female patients., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: P.D.F. has received educational support from Smith & Nephew and hospitality payments from Medical Device Business Systems. N.M.P. has received educational support from Liberty Surgical. T.J.G. has received educational support from Arthrex and Liberty Surgical and is a paid associate editor for The American Journal of Sports Medicine. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto., (© The Author(s) 2019.)

The use of a washer to supplement screw fixation can prevent fragmentation and penetration during the surgical treatment of pediatric medial epicondyle fractures. However, concerns may arise regarding screw prominence and the need for subsequent implant removal. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of washer utilization on the need for hardware removal and elbow range of motion (ROM). All pediatric medial epicondyle fractures treated with a single screw over a 7-year period were queried for this retrospective case-control study. Hardware removal was performed only if the patient experienced a complication or implant-related symptoms that were refractory to non-operative management. Of the 137 patients included in the study, a washer was utilized in 90 (66%). Thirty-one patients (23%) ultimately underwent hardware removal. There was not an increased need for implant removal in those with a washer (P = 0.11). When analyzing a subgroup of 102 athletes only, there was similarly no difference in the rate of implant removal if a washer was used (P = 0.64). Overall, 107 (78%) patients regained full ROM at a mean of 13.9 ± 9.7 weeks after surgery with no significant difference along the lines of washer use. Use of a washer did not affect the need for subsequent implant removal or elbow ROM after fixation of medial epicondyle fractures, even in athletes. If there is concern for fracture fragmentation or penetration, a washer can be included without concern that future unplanned surgeries may be required.

Background: Tibial spine fractures, although relatively rare, account for a substantial proportion of pediatric knee injuries with effusions and can have significant complications. Meyers and McKeever type II fractures are displaced anteriorly with an intact posterior hinge. Whether this subtype of pediatric tibial spine fracture should be treated operatively or nonoperatively remains controversial. Surgical delay is associated with an increased risk of arthrofibrosis; thus, prompt treatment decision making is imperative., Purpose: To assess for variability among pediatric orthopaedic surgeons when treating pediatric type II tibial spine fractures., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Methods: A discrete choice experiment was conducted to determine the patient and injury attributes that influence the management choice. A convenience sample of 20 pediatric orthopaedic surgeons reviewed 40 case vignettes, including physis-blinded radiographs displaying displaced fractures and a description of the patient's sex, age, mechanism of injury, and predominant sport. Surgeons were asked whether they would treat the fracture operatively or nonoperatively. A mixed-effects model was then used to determine the patient attributes most likely to influence the surgeon's decision, as well as surgeon training background, years in practice, and risk-taking behavior., Results: The majority of respondents selected operative treatment for 85% of the presented cases. The degree of fracture displacement was the only attribute significantly associated with treatment choice ( P < .001). Surgeons were 28% more likely to treat the fracture operatively with each additional millimeter of displacement of fracture fragment. Over 64% of surgeons chose to treat operatively when the fracture fragment was displaced by ≥3.5 mm. Significant variation in surgeon's propensity for operative treatment of this fracture was observed ( P = .01). Surgeon training, years in practice, and risk-taking scores were not associated with the respondent's preference for surgical treatment., Conclusion: There was substantial variation among pediatric orthopaedic surgeons when treating type II tibial spine fractures. The decision to operate was based on the degree of fracture displacement. Identifying current treatment preferences among surgeons given different patient factors can highlight current variation in practice patterns and direct efforts toward promoting the most optimal treatment strategies for controversial type II tibial spine fractures., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: N.N.O. has stock/stock options in Arbutus Medical. J.M.A. has received consulting fees from Axogen, is a paid speaker/presenter for Axogen and Pacira Pharmaceuticals, has received honoraria from NDI Medical, and receives royalties from Springer Publishing. T.J.G. receives research support from Allosource and Vericel and has received educational support from Liberty Surgical and Arthrex. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto.

Introduction: Complication rates after physeal-sparing anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) are known to be high in the paediatric population compared with the adult population. However, the outcomes of these skeletally immature patients after all-epiphyseal reconstruction have not been compared with those after transphyseal reconstructions in a more similar age group. This study compares clinical outcomes and complications between all-epiphyseal and pediatric transphyseal ACLR., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 1,056 pediatric patients undergoing primary ACLR between 2000 and 2015. Of these, 51 were excluded (5 extra-articular and 46 partial transphyseal reconstructions). Demographic data, intraoperative findings and techniques, postoperative complications (including graft rupture, contralateral anterior cruciate ligament [ACL] tear, and meniscus injuries), clearance for sports, range of motion (ROM), and isokinetic strength testing were recorded. Univariate analysis was followed by stepwise, binary logistic regressions to control for confounding factors., Results: During the study period, 162 patients underwent all-epiphyseal reconstruction (mean age, 12.1 ± 1.8 years) and 843 underwent transphyseal ACLR (mean age, 15.8 ± 1.9 years). At the time of surgery, more meniscus tears were found in the transphyseal group (76% versus 60%; P < 0.01). These patients also had more irreparable meniscus tears requiring partial meniscectomy (35% versus 18%; P < 0.01). Overall, the rates of graft failure, contralateral ACL injury, and new meniscus tears were 10.3%, 6.1%, and 14.2%, respectively. After controlling for confounders in a multivariate model, no difference was found in these postoperative complications between all-epiphyseal and transphyseal ACLR. Furthermore, no clinically significant difference was observed in postoperative ROM or isokinetic strength testing., Discussion: Skeletally immature patients undergoing all-epiphyseal ACLR had less irreparable meniscus tears than older children undergoing transphyseal reconstruction. After adjusting for age and other confounders, there was no difference in postoperative ROM or strength, nor an increased risk of graft rupture, contralateral ACL injury, or new meniscus tear in these young patients compared with older adolescents undergoing transphyseal ACLR., Level of Evidence: Level III.

Background: Meniscal injuries in children can pose treatment challenges, as the meniscus must maintain its biomechanical function over a long lifetime while withstanding a high activity level. While the adult literature contains a plethora of studies regarding risk factors for failure of meniscal surgery, such reports are scarcer in children., Purpose: To determine the rate at which children undergoing meniscal surgery require subsequent reoperation as well as to define risk factors for reoperation in this population., Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3., Methods: A retrospective institutional database of 907 first-time meniscal surgical procedures performed between 2000 and 2015 was reviewed. All patients were <18 years old. Demographic and intraoperative information was recorded, as were concurrent injuries or operations and subsequent procedures. Univariate analysis consisted of chi-square and independent-samples t tests. Multivariate logistic regression with purposeful selection was then performed to adjust for confounding factors., Results: The mean ± SD patient age was 13.2 ± 2.1 years, and 567 (63%) were male. The mean postoperative follow-up duration was 20.1 ± 10.1 months. Overall, 83 patients (9%) required repeat surgery at a mean of 23.2 months after the index operation. After adjustment for confounders in a multivariate model, meniscal repair resulted in 3.1-times higher odds of reoperation when compared with meniscectomy (95% CI, 1.2-8.3; P = .02), while white-white zone tears had 2.8-times lower odds of reoperation (95% CI, 1.01-7.7; P = .04) versus red-red and red-white zone tears., Conclusion: Approximately 9% of children undergoing meniscal surgery will require reoperation at a mean 23.2 months after the index operation. Repair carried approximately 3-times higher odds of reoperation than meniscectomy, while white-white zone tears had nearly 3-times lower odds of requiring repeat surgery when compared with tears in other zones., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: N.M.P. has received educational support from Liberty Surgical. T.J.G. has received educational support from Arthrex and Liberty Surgical. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto.

Several controversies surround the evaluation and treatment of medial epicondyle fractures of the humerus in children. As is well established, the medial epicondyle is the point of attachment for the medial collateral ligament and flexor and pronator musculature, thereby conferring a potentially important role in elbow stability and wrist strength. Traditional x-ray evaluation has been shown to be inaccurate in measuring fracture displacement. While novel radiographic views or advanced imaging modalities may improve this accuracy, the role of displacement in guiding treatment decisions remains unclear. Previous literature on medial epicondyle fractures-all of which is level III or IV evidence-suggests that outcomes may be similar between operative and non-operative treatment. However, most studies are hamstrung by inadequate power, potential for bias, or evaluation of antiquated surgical techniques. In the face of these uncertainties, a shared decision should be made with the patient and family after thorough consideration of treatment goals and discussion of the benefits and disadvantages of both surgical and non-surgical care. Prospective studies are underway and hope to provide clarity on the many debates surrounding this injury.

Purpose: To assess the relationship of elevated body mass index (BMI) on postoperative outcomes, including graft rupture, contralateral anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear, new meniscus injuries, isokinetic strength testing, and range of motion (ROM) in a large group of pediatric patients. We also sought to calculate the risk of graft rupture in overweight patients with small femoral or tibial tunnels. The secondary objective was to evaluate the association between BMI and concurrent meniscus tears and the need for meniscectomy at the time of primary ACL reconstruction., Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all pediatric patients undergoing primary ACL reconstruction at our institution. BMI percentile for age was used to categorize children as having normal BMI or being overweight or obese per Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. Demographic data, intraoperative findings and techniques, postoperative complications (including graft rupture, contralateral ACL tear, and meniscus injuries), ROM, and isokinetic strength testing were recorded. Univariate analysis was followed by stepwise, logistic regression to control for confounders., Results: Of the 1,056 patients included, 535 (50.7%) were male and 521 were (49.3%) female, with a mean age of 15.1 ± 2.4 years. The average BMI was 23.1 ± 4.7. There were 675 (63.9%) children with normal BMI, 228 (21.6%) who were overweight, and 153 (14.5%) who were obese. In multivariate analysis, children with elevated BMI had a higher rate of concurrent meniscus tears compared with those with normal BMI (76.3% vs 70.2%; P = .02) and 1.6 times higher odds of requiring a meniscectomy (95% confidence interval, 1.2-2.2; P < .01). The 723 patients included in the analysis of postoperative complications had a mean follow-up duration of 26.2 ± 3.3 months Postoperatively, BMI did not impact the rate of graft rupture, contralateral ACL injury, or new meniscus tears. There was no increased risk of graft failure in overweight children with smaller graft size (≤8 mm). There was no clinically relevant difference in postoperative ROM or isokinetic strength testing., Conclusions: After ACL rupture, overweight and obese children sustained more overall meniscus tears and more irreparable meniscus tears than those with normal BMI. Graft size did not impact the risk of early graft failure in overweight patients. With an appropriate rehabilitation protocol, there was no increased risk of graft rupture, contralateral ACL injury, or new meniscus tear in early follow-up., Level of Evidence: Level III, retrospective comparative study., (Copyright © 2019 Arthroscopy Association of North America. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Despite several well-described operative techniques, the optimal management of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in pediatric patients remains unclear., Purpose: To identify surgeons' preferred ACL reconstruction techniques and postoperative protocols for pediatric patients of various ages., Study Design: Cross-sectional study., Methods: An electronic survey was administered to surgeons in the Pediatric Research in Sports Medicine (PRiSM) society, resulting in a cohort of experienced respondents who performed a relatively high volume of ACL reconstructions in skeletally immature patients. Surgeon and practice demographic information was recorded. The survey presented the scenario of a patient who had a physical examination and imaging consistent with an acute, isolated ACL tear. The respondents were asked to select their preferred reconstruction technique for female and male patients at consecutive skeletal ages from 8 to 15 years. Surgeons were also asked about postoperative protocol., Results: Of 103 surgeons, 88 (85%) responded to the survey, the majority of whom (68%) performed more than 25 pediatric ACL reconstructions annually. The greatest variation in technique was from ages 11 to 13 years in female patients and from 11 to 14 years in male patients. The modified MacIntosh was the most frequently used technique for patients aged 8 to 10 years. An all-epiphyseal technique was preferred over a broader age range in male patients than female patients, with peak use at age 11 in both. A partial transphyseal (hybrid) technique was preferred in slightly older patients, with peak use at age 12 in female patients and 13 in male patients. The transphyseal technique was most widely used at age 13 and older in female patients and 14 and older in male patients. The impact of fellowship training (pediatrics, sports, or both) on technique preference was statistically significant for male patients aged 11 to 13 and female patients 11 and 12 (all P < .05). Surgeons with pediatric orthopaedic training tended to prefer an all-epiphyseal reconstruction, while those with both pediatric and sports medicine training preferred the modified MacIntosh., Conclusion: The preferred ACL reconstruction technique varied considerably, especially for patients aged 11 to 13 years. The modified MacIntosh reconstruction was favored in patients aged 10 years or younger, while the transphyseal technique was preferred in female patients aged 13 years and older and in male patients 14 years and older. The surgeon's fellowship training was significantly associated with his or her preferred surgical technique., Competing Interests: One or more of the authors has declared the following potential conflict of interest or source of funding: P.D.F. has received educational support from Smith & Nephew. M.S.K. receives royalties from OrthoPediatrics, is a consultant for OrthoPediatrics, and is a paid speaker/presenter for Smith & Nephew. T.J.G. has received educational support from Arthrex. J.T.R.L. has received educational support from Arthrex and hospitality payments from Liberty Surgical. AOSSM checks author disclosures against the Open Payments Database (OPD). AOSSM has not conducted an independent investigation on the OPD and disclaims any liability or responsibility relating thereto.

Fractures of the tibial spine are estimated to occur in 3 per 100,000 children annually, but account for 2 to 5% of pediatric knee injuries with effusion. Although these fractures were historically associated with bicycle accidents, the surge of organized youth sports in recent decades has brought renewed attention to this injury. While minimally displaced fractures can be treated nonoperatively, several techniques have been described for fixation of displaced or comminuted fractures. Sequelae of this injury can include arthrofibrosis, knee instability, and nonunion. Future collaborative endeavors will aim to further identify risk factors for these complications to optimize the treatment of tibial spine fractures in children., Competing Interests: None., (Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.)

Background: Metastatic bone disease is a substantial burden to patients and the healthcare system as a whole. Metastatic disease can be painful, is associated with decreased survival, and is emotionally traumatic to patients when they discover their disease has progressed. In the United States, more than 250,000 patients have metastatic bone disease, with an estimated annual cost of USD 12 billion. Prior studies suggest that patients who receive prophylactic fixation for impending pathologic fractures, compared with those treated for realized pathologic fractures, have decreased pain levels, faster postoperative rehabilitation, and less in-hospital morbidity. However, to our knowledge, the relative economic utility of these treatment options has not been examined., Questions/purposes: We asked: (1) Is there a cost difference between a cohort of patients treated surgically for pathologic fractures compared with a cohort of patients treated prophylactically for impending pathologic lesions? (2) Do these cohorts differ in other ways regarding their utilization of healthcare resources?, Methods: We performed a retrospective study of 40 patients treated our institution. Between 2011 and 2014, we treated 46 patients surgically for metastatic lesions of long bones. Of those, 19 (48%) presented with pathologic fractures; the other 21 patients (53%) underwent surgery for impending fractures. Risk of impending fracture was determined by one surgeon based on appearance of the lesion, subjective symptoms of the patient, cortical involvement, and location of the lesion. At 1 year postoperative, four patients in each group had died. Six patients (13%) were treated for metastatic disease but were excluded from the retrospective data because of a change in medical record system and inability to obtain financial records. Variables of interest included total and direct costs per episode of care, days of hospitalization, discharge disposition, 1-year postoperative mortality, and descriptive demographic data. All costs were expressed as a cost ratio between the two cohorts, and total differences between the groups, as required per medical center regulations. All data were collected by one author and the medical center's financial office., Results: Mean total cost was higher in patients with pathologic fractures (cost unit [CU], 642 ± 519) than those treated prophylactically without fractures (CU, 370 ± 171; mean difference, 272; 95% CI, 19-525; p = 0.036). In USD, this translates to a mean of nearly USD 21,000 less for prophylactic surgery. Mean direct cost was 41% higher (nearly USD 12,000) in patients with a pathologic fracture (CU, 382 ± 300 versus 227 ± 93; mean difference, 155; 95% CI, 9-300; p = 0.038). Mean length of stay was longer in patients with pathologic fractures compared with the group treated prophylactically (8 ± 6 versus 4 ± 3 days; mean difference, 4; 95% CI, 1-7; p = 0.01)., Conclusions: These findings show economic and clinical value of prophylactic stabilization of metastatic lesions when performed for patients with painful lesions compromising the structural integrity of long bones. Patients sustaining a pathologic fracture may represent a more severe, sicker demographic than patients treated for impending pathologic lesions., Level of Evidence: Level IV, economic and decision analysis.

Background: Monteggia fractures remain challenging pediatric injuries because of difficulties in diagnosis, propensity for instability, and complexity of late reconstruction. The objective of this investigation was to assess the efficacy of the following treatment strategy based upon ulnar fracture pattern: closed reduction (CR) for plastic/greenstick fractures, intramedullary (IM) pin fixation for transverse/short oblique fractures, and open reduction and internal fixation for long oblique/comminuted fractures., Methods: A total of 112 acute Monteggia fracture patients were retrospectively analyzed at two level 1 pediatric trauma centers from 2000 to 2011. Mean age was 6.9±2.9 years (range, 0.6 to 16.7 y); 54% were male. Mean clinical follow-up was 19.8 weeks. Fracture patterns were classified and patients were separated into 3 groups: treatment according to the strategy versus more rigorous versus less rigorous intervention. The Fisher exact test was used to compare the rates of failure between the groups. "Failure" was defined as failure to obtain and maintain an anatomic reduction of the radial head and/or loss of ulnar reduction during follow-up., Results: None of the 57 patients treated according to the strategy experienced failure, nor did any of the 23 patients treated more rigorously. In contrast, 6 of 32 patients (19%) who were treated less rigorously compared with the recommended strategy demonstrated recurrent radiocapitellar instability (n=3), loss of ulnar fracture reduction requiring revision surgery (n=2), or both events together (n=1) (P<0.001). Specifically, all treatment failures occurred in complete fractures treated nonoperatively-there were 6/18 failures (33% failure rate) of complete fractures treated nonoperatively compared with 0/52 failures of complete fractures treated operatively (P<0.001). Other complications were similarly distributed between the treatment groups and consisted of 1 ulnar nonunion, 2 compartment syndromes, and 3 transient nerve palsies/neuropraxias. Comminuted fractures required open reduction of the radiocapitellar joint more than other fracture types (P<0.001)., Conclusions: In this pediatric Monteggia series, recurrent instability only occurred in patients who were not treated according to the ulnar-based strategy. Complete ulnar fracture patterns are at risk of failure without initial operative treatment., Level of Evidence: Level III, therapeutic.