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Three-dimensional (3D) printing is emerging as a clinically promising technology for rapid prototyping of surgically implantable products. With this commercially available technology, computed tomography or magnetic resonance images can be used to create graspable objects from 3D reconstructed images. Models can enhance patients' understanding of their pathology and surgeon preoperative planning. Customized implants and casts can be made to match an individual's anatomy. This review outlines 3D printing, its current applications in orthopedics, and promising future directions. [Three-dimensional (3D) printing is emerging as a clinically promising technology for rapid prototyping of surgically implantable products. With this commercially available technology, computed tomography or magnetic resonance images can be used to create graspable objects from 3D reconstructed images. Models can enhance patients' understanding of their pathology and surgeon preoperative planning. Customized implants and casts can be made to match an individual's anatomy. This review outlines 3D printing, its current applications in orthopedics, and promising future directions. [ Orthopedics. 2015; 38(11):684–687.]

Sarcopenia is a state of catabolic muscle wasting prevalent in geriatric patients. Likewise, osteoarthritis is an age-related musculoskeletal disease affecting patients with similar demographics. Late-stage hip osteoarthritis is often treated with total hip arthroplasty (THA). As sarcopenia influences the surgical outcomes, this study aimed to assess the impact of sarcopenia on the outcomes of THA. A 1:3 matched case–control study of sarcopenic to control patients was performed using a large national database. In total, 3992 patients were analyzed. Sarcopenic patients undergoing THA were more likely to experience dislocation (odds ratio (OR) = 2.19, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21–3.91) within 1 year of THA. Furthermore, sarcopenic patients had higher urinary tract infection rates (OR = 1.79, CI 1.32–2.42) and a greater risk of 90-day hospital readmission (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.39, CI 1.10–1.77). Sarcopenic patients experienced more falls (OR = 1.62, CI 1.10–2.39) and fragility fractures (OR = 1.77, CI 1.34–2.31). Similarly, sarcopenic patients had higher day of surgery costs (USD 13,534 vs. USD 10,504) and 90-day costs (USD 17,139 vs. USD 13,394) compared with the controls. Ultimately, sarcopenic patients undergoing THA experience higher rates of postoperative complications and incur greater medical costs. Given the potential risks, orthopedic surgeons may consider treating or reducing the severity of sarcopenia before surgery.

Sarcopenia is the loss of muscle mass associated with aging and advanced disease. This study retrospectively examined patients older than 55 years (N=46) who underwent thoracolumbar spine surgery between 2003 and 2015. Each patient's comorbidity burden was determined using the Charlson Comorbidity Index, and the Mirza Surgical Invasiveness Index was used to measure procedural complexity. Sarcopenia was diagnosed by measuring the total cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle at the L4 vertebrae using perioperative computed tomography scans. Of the 46 patients assessed, 16 were in the lowest third for L4 total psoas area (sarcopenic). Average follow-up time was 5.2 years (range, 6 days to 12.7 years). The cohort of patients with sarcopenia was significantly older than the cohort without sarcopenia (mean age, 76.4 vs 69.9 years; P =.01) but did not have a significantly different mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.3 vs 2.0; P =.32) or mean Mirza Surgical Invasiveness Index (7.1 vs 7.0; P =.49). Patients with sarcopenia had a hospital length of stay 1.7-fold longer than those without sarcopenia (8.1 vs 4.7 days; P =.02) and a 3-fold increase in postoperative in-hospital complications (1.2 vs 0.4; P =.02), and they were more likely to require discharge to a rehabilitation or nursing facility (81.2% vs 43.3%; P =.006). Patients with sarcopenia had a significantly lower cumulative survival (log rank=0.007). All 4 deaths occurred among patients with sarcopenia. Patients with sarcopenia have a significantly increased risk of in-hospital complications, longer length of stay, increased rates of discharge to rehabilitation facilities, and increased mortality following thoracolumbar spinal surgery, making sarcopenia a useful perioperative risk stratification tool. [ Orthopedics. 2016; 39(6):e1159–e1164.]

Background Recent data reveals an association between preoperative mental health and postoperative outcomes in spine surgery. Patients with poor mental health often experience less favorable recovery trajectories, though long-term quality of life improvements may still be achieved. Understanding this relationship is essential for optimizing surgical planning and patient care. Recent findings Several studies have shown a clear correlation between poor preoperative mental health and poor postoperative outcomes in adult spinal deformity, spinal degenerative disease and cervical spine surgery. Furthermore, treating preoperative depression was shown to result in better outcomes in depressed patients, pointing out the importance of evaluating and treating psychiatric comorbidities before performing the surgery. To do so, the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) demonstrated its potential for application in identifying psychological discomfort in spine surgery patients. Summary Preoperative mental health status plays a critical role in predicting postoperative recovery and satisfaction in spine surgery. Routine screening and treatment of psychiatric comorbidities should be incorporated into preoperative assessment to enhance surgical outcomes and overall patient well-being.

Purpose Osteoporosis is a common, but challenging phenomenon to overcome in adult spinal deformity (ASD) surgery. Several pharmacological agents are at the surgeon’s disposal to optimize the osteoporotic patient prior to undergoing extensive reconstruction. Familiarity with these medications will allow the surgeon to make informed decisions on selecting the most appropriate adjuncts for each individual patient. Methods A comprehensive literature review was conducted in PubMed from September 2021 to April 2022. Studies were selected that contained combinations of various terms including osteoporosis, specific medications, spine surgery, fusion, cage subsidence, screw loosening, pull-out, junctional kyphosis/failure. Results Bisphosphonates, denosumab, selective estrogen receptor modulators, teriparatide, abaloparatide and romosozumab are all pharmacological agents currently available for adjunctive use. While these medications have been shown to have beneficial effects on improving bone mineral density in the osteoporotic patient, varying evidence is available on their specific effects in the context of extensive spine surgery. There is still a lack of human studies with use of the newer agents. Conclusion Bisphosphonates are first-line agents due to their low cost and robust evidence behind their utility. However, in the absence of contraindications, optimizing bone quality with anabolic medications should be strongly considered in preparation for spinal deformity surgeries due to their beneficial and favorable effects on fusion and hardware compared to the anti-resorptive medications.

Sarcopenia is a loss of skeletal muscle mass in the elderly that is an independent risk factor for falls, disability, postoperative complications, and mortality. Although its cause is not completely understood, sarcopenia generally results from a complex bone–muscle interaction in the setting of chronic disease and aging. Sarcopenia cannot be diagnosed by muscle mass alone. Diagnosis requires 2 of the following 3 criteria: low skeletal muscle mass, inadequate muscle strength, and inadequate physical performance. Forty-four percent of elderly patients undergoing orthopedic surgery and 24% of all patients 65 to 70 years old are sarcopenic. Although dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry and bioelectrical impedance analysis may be used to measure sarcopenia and are relatively inexpensive and accessible, they are generally considered less specific for sarcopenia compared with computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Sarcopenia has been shown to predict poor outcomes within the medical and surgical populations and has been directly correlated with increases in taxpayer costs. Strengthening therapy and nutritional supplementation have become the mainstays of sarcopenia treatment. Specifically, the American Medical Directors Association has released guidelines for nutritional supplementation. Although sarcopenia frequently occurs with osteoporosis, it is an independent predictor of fragility fractures. Initiatives to diagnose, treat, and prevent sarcopenia in orthopedic patients are needed. Further investigation must also explore sarcopenia as a predictor of surgical outcomes in orthopedic patients. [ Orthopedics. 2016; 39(2):e295–e300.]

BackgroundPrescription of testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) has increased in the United States in recent years, and though anabolic steroids have been associated with tendon rupture, there is a paucity of literature evaluating the risk of Achilles tendon injury with TRT. This study aims to evaluate the associative relationship between consistent TRT, Achilles tendon injury, and subsequent surgery.MethodsThis is a one-to-one matched retrospective cohort study utilizing the PearlDiver database. Records were queried for patients aged 35–75 who were prescribed at least 3 consecutive months of TRT between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2019. Achilles tendon injuries and subsequent surgeries were identified using ICD-9, ICD-10, and CPT billing codes. Multivariable logistic regression was used to compare odds of Achilles tendon injury, Achilles tendon surgery, and revision surgery, with a p-value < 0.05 representing statistical significance.ResultsA sample of 423,278 patients who filled a TRT prescription for a minimum of 3 consecutive months was analyzed. The 2-year incidence of Achilles tendon injury was 377.8 (95% CI, 364.8–391.0) per 100,000 person-years in the TRT cohort, compared to 245.8 (95% CI, 235.4–256.6) in the control (p < 0.001). The adjusted analysis demonstrated TRT to be associated with a significantly increased likelihood of being diagnosed with Achilles tendon injury (aOR = 1.24, 95% CI, 1.15–1.33, p < 0.001). Of those diagnosed with Achilles tendon injury, 287/3,198 (9.0%) of the TRT cohort subsequently underwent surgery for their injury, compared to 134/2,081 (6.4%) in the control cohort (aOR = 1.54, 95% CI, 1.19–1.99, p < 0.001).ConclusionsThere is a significant association between Achilles tendon injury and prescription TRT, with a concomitantly increased rate of undergoing surgical management. These results provide insight into the risk profile of TRT and further research into the science of tendon pathology in the setting of TRT is an area of continued interest.

Background The need for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and spinal fusion (SF) for degenerative spine disease (DSD) is increasing. However, it is still unknown if prior SF for DSD impacts outcomes following TKA. This study aims to fill this gap by comparing the risk of complications and revisions in patients undergoing TKA with DSD between patients with and without SF. Methods This study is a retrospective review of the PearlDiver Mariner Database between 2010 and 2020. On the basis of whether or not patients had had prior SF, the patients undergoing TKA were divided into two groups: patients with DSD and SF and patients with DSD and without SF. The two groups were matched on the basis of age, gender, the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and obesity. Surgical complications (mechanical loosening, prosthetic dislocation, periprosthetic fractures, and stiffness) and revisions at 1, 2, and 3 years were compared between the groups. Results The patients in the TKA with DSD and no SF cohort were older (64.9 ± 8.4 versus 63.3 ± 8.1 years, p  < .001), had higher CCI (2.0 ± 2.2 versus 1.6 ± 2.0, p  < .001), and had a lower rate of obesity (58.7% versus 61.7%, p  < .001). After being matched, 8887 patients remained in each group. There was a higher rate of stiffness and manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) in the no-fusion cohort at 1 year (0.7% versus 0.1%, p  < .001; and 0.5% versus 0.2%, p  < .001, respectively), 2 years (1.2% versus 0.5%, p  < .001; and 1.1% versus 0.6%, p  < .001, respectively), and 3 years (1.7% versus 0.7%, p  < .001; and 1.6% versus 0.9%, p  < .001, respectively). Conclusions This study shows no increase in risk of surgical complications and revisions after TKA in patients with DSD and SF compared with patients without SF. Notably, SF was shown to be protective of stiffness and MUA after TKA in patients with DSD.

Background With the increasing prevalence of adult spinal deformity (ASD) in the aging population, the need for corrective surgery has surged, highlighting the importance of preventing mechanical complications (MC) such as junctional kyphosis/failure and rod breakage. The Roussouly classification, which categorizes natural variations in spinal posture, may hold predictive value in assessing the risk of these complications, as it guides the restoration of sagittal alignment based on a patient’s preoperative spinal shape. Methods PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar (pages 1–20) were searched through August 2024 to find articles comparing the incidence of mechanical complications between patients who were matched and mismatched to their ideal Roussouly shape after surgery for ASD. Extracted data consisted of the risk of mechanical complications, and the risk of reoperations. Results 10 retrospective studies were included in this meta-analysis, with 1454 patients divided into 2 groups, the first group matching Roussouly classification (716 patients, 49%) and the second unmatched (738 patients, 51%). A 5-times lower rate of mechanical complication (Odds-Ratio = 0.22; 95% CI: 0.12–0.41, p  < 0.001) was found in the matched group at an average follow-up of 3.6 years. Furthermore, when examining specific mechanical complications, there were higher rates of both PJK (Odds-Ratio = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.07–2.38, p  = 0.02) and rod breakages (Odds-Ratio = 1.75; 95% CI: 1.15–2.66, p  = 0.01) in the unmatched group. However, no difference in the rate of reoperations was observed between the two groups (Odds-Ratio = 0.48; 95% CI: 0.18–1.28, p  = 0.14). Conclusion Matching patients to their ideal Roussouly type in adult spinal deformity surgery significantly reduces mechanical complications making it a secure and efficient method. Future studies should compare the Roussouly classification to other alignment models to determine optimal alignment for ASD correction surgery. Level of evidence III.

Treatment of unstable thoracolumbar burst fractures remains controversial. Long-segment pedicle screw constructs may be stiffer and impart greater forces on adjacent segments compared with short-segment constructs, which may affect clinical performance and long-term out come. The purpose of this study was to biomechanically evaluate long-segment posterior pedicle screw fixation (LSPF) vs short-segment posterior pedicle screw fixation (SSPF) for unstable burst fractures. Six unembalmed human thoracolumbar spine specimens (T10-L4) were used. Following intact testing, a simulated L1 burst fracture was created and sequentially stabilized using 5.5-mm titanium polyaxial pedicle screws and rods for 4 different constructs: SSPF (1 level above and below), SSPF+L1 (pedicle screw at fractured level), LSPF (2 levels above and below), and LSPF+L1 (pedicle screw at fractured level). Each fixation construct was tested in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation; range of motion was also recorded. Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variance was performed to identify differences between treatment groups and functional noninstrumented spine. Short-segment posterior pedicle screw fixation did not achieve stability seen in an intact spine ( P <.01), whereas LSPF constructs were significantly stiffer than SSPF constructs and demonstrated more stiffness than an intact spine ( P <.01). Pedicle screws at the fracture level did not improve either SSPF or LSPF construct stability ( P >.1). Long-segment posterior pedicle screw fixation constructs were not associated with increased adjacent segment motion. Al though the sample size of 6 specimens was small, this study may help guide clinical decisions regarding burst fracture stabilization. [ Orthopedics. 2016; 39(3):e514–e518.]