Citations

Background: Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) is a common cause of hip pain in young, active athletes. American football players place high demands on the hip due to the sport's requirements for pivoting, cutting, and loading in deep flexion. Although arthroscopic treatment of FAI in professional National Football League (NFL) players has shown favorable outcomes, football-specific outcomes in non-NFL athletes remain limited. Purpose: To report the return-to-sport (RTS) rates and functional outcomes at a minimum 2-year follow-up for active American football players competing at multiple levels after primary hip arthroscopy for FAI. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: An institutional database was queried to identify all active American football players who underwent primary hip arthroscopy with labral repair between 2010 and 2023. Demographic characteristics, radiographic parameters, procedure details, complications, and reoperations were collected. Follow-up was completed at a minimum of 2 years to obtain updated patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) as well as football-specific data, including current participation and RTS status. PROMs were reported as mean ± standard deviation, and categorical variables, including RTS, were reported as frequencies. Pre- versus postoperative PROMs were compared using t tests or Mann-Whitney U tests to assess outcomes. Results: In total, 49 hips in 38 male football players (age, 18.1 years; range, 14-26 years) were included. Most athletes played at the high school (74%) or college level (21%). A total of 51% played as linemen. Labral repair was performed in all cases. At a mean 7.6 years, mean modified Harris Hip Score was 90 ± 13, Hip Outcome Score–Activities of Daily Living was 95 ± 7, and Hip Outcome Score–Sport was 89 ± 17. Overall mean surgery satisfaction was 8.7 ± 1.7 (out of 10). Significant postoperative improvements were observed in all PROMs ( P ≤ .002). Twelve players (32%) did not attempt RTS due to other nonmedical factors and were excluded from return to sport analysis. A total of 23 (88%) players achieved RTS, and 3 players (12%) did not. Two players (8%) cited other injuries, and 1 player (4%) continued to have hip limitations. Four hips (8%) underwent reoperation at a mean 4.9 years postoperative. Conclusion: Amateur American football players undergoing primary hip arthroscopy for FAI demonstrated excellent patient-reported outcomes and a high RTS rate of 88%, when excluding those who did not return for nonmedical reasons, at a mean 7.6-year follow-up. Notable positional differences were observed across multiple levels of play. Although outcomes were generally favorable, both medical and nonmedical factors could limit return to sport, particularly among high school and college athletes.

Objective: To gain firsthand accounts from female physician leaders in academic medicine to better understand the challenges and success factors they have encountered in order to provide insights to early-career female physicians and inform organizations about the challenges faced by female physicians to build better systems and processes to support them in achieving more satisfying and fulfilling careers within an academic setting. Method: This qualitative research study is based on interviews with female physician leaders. Participants were selected based on their scores in multi-rater leadership assessments taken within the past three years, all ranking in the top 30% across four capabilities: Inspiring Values, Engaging Colleagues, Bold and Forward Thinking, and Driving Results. Coding and thematic analysis were used to categorize the challenges and success factors. Results: Data analysis revealed challenges experienced by these female physician leaders, including gender bias, time constraints, family responsibilities, change and innovation, self-doubt, and exclusion from networking. The strategies identified for navigating these challenges and achieving high performance included support from family and colleagues, building relationships and networking, maintaining a positive attitude, making powerful choices, seizing opportunities, finding value, meaning, and purpose, continuous learning, strategic planning, and gaining recognition. Conclusion: Challenges for female leaders in academic medicine are prevalent and evolve alongside changes in health care. Success factors can be generated at an individual level, such as attitudes, making powerful choices, and networking. However, societal and organizational support, including assistance with family responsibilities and providing opportunities, feedback, and mentorship, has also been identified as crucial.

Abstract Background Respiration has traditionally been considered a source of artifact in functional MRI (fMRI) due to chest motion. However, the respiratory cycle also induces changes in local oxygen concentration, resulting in fluctuations in the fMRI signal. These breathing‐triggered signals (BTS) may reflect underlying oxygen metabolism. This preliminary study developed a method to extract BTS from resting‐state BOLD fMRI and examined differences between healthy and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) groups. Method MRI scans were conducted under IRB approval on a compact 3T MRI system. Participants included two groups of 18 healthy volunteers (42.6±16.0 years) and 12 MCI patients (70.9±7.3 years). Each MRI scan included T 1 ‐weighted anatomy imaging and multi‐echo resting‐state fMRI acquisitions. The preprocessing pipeline was implemented by AFNI and FreeSurfer. Figure 1 illustrates the workflow for extracting and averaging fMRI data based on respiratory or cardiac cycle windows. As depicted in Figure 2(c,d), the mean fMRI signals corresponding to the breathing or cardiac cycles were modeled using a low‐order Fourier series to assess their amplitudes. A linear mixed‐effects model was employed to examine the effects of group and breathing cycle period, using MATLAB's ‘fitlme’ function with the formula: BTS ∼ Period + Group. Result As shown in Figure 2(e,f), breathing‐triggered BOLD signals were prominent, while cardiac‐driven BOLD signals were rarely observed. Figure 2(g) shows that global BTSs in the healthy group exhibited a linear relationship with the breathing cycle period, persisting even after artifact correction (RETROICOR for respiration and cardiac cycles and RVT). Figure 3 highlights significant regional differences between groups, particularly in the hippocampus and thalamus ( p < 0.05, uncorrected), where BTS amplitudes were greater in the MCI group. Potentially, the detected BTS could provide some insights into the coupling between respiration and cerebral oxygen metabolism and potentially serve as an imaging biomarker to assess brain health. However, due to the limited number of samples, these findings should be interpreted with caution, and further analysis is needed. Conclusion This preliminary study suggests that breathing‐triggered signals in resting‐state BOLD fMRI have the potential to serve as a noninvasive biomarker for early detection and monitoring of neurodegenerative conditions such as MCI.

Abstract Introduction Periacetabular osteotomy (PAO) is performed in the setting of hip dysplasia to increase acetabular coverage of the femoral head and improve joint biomechanics and longevity. PAO fixation is generally achieved with two or three 4.5 mm screws, as compared to the generally more substantial plate and screw constructs used in the setting of acetabular fractures or pelvic ring injuries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate postoperative changes in hip joint center medialization and lateral acetabular coverage following PAO, understanding that these radiographic measures are generally used to guide intra-operative assessment of correction. Methods A retrospective chart review of 100 consecutive PAOs during 2021-2023 at a single academic institution by four surgeons was performed. Perioperative radiographs and fluoroscopy images were evaluated to measure lateral center edge angle (LCEA), Tönnis angle, and medialization of the hip joint center. The hip joint center was measured at one-third of the diameter of the femoral head from inferior to superior, to the ilioischial line, as previously validated by Fowler and colleagues. Results One hundred PAOs in 87 patients (87% female, mean age: 23.0 years) were included. Average preoperative radiographic parameters were 19.9° for LCEA, 12.5° for Tönnis angle, and 12.6 mm for distance from the femoral head to ilioischial line. Ninety-four cases (94%) used three screws, and 6 cases (6%) used two screws for unstable fragment fixation. On immediate postoperative films, average correction was to 28.3° for LCEA, 4.9° for Tönnis angle, and 1.9 mm of pre- to postoperative femoral head medialization (p≤0.001). Patients were radiographically followed for an average of 13.3 months, with an average time to radiographic union of 7.1 months. During the course of follow-up, LCEA increased to 29.3°, Tönnis angle remained to 5.0° (p=0.47), and medialization increased to 2.7 mm (p≤0.02), suggesting further significant but clinically modest increases in lateral coverage and femoral head medialization. Conclusion While the majority of lateral acetabular coverage and femoral head medialization occurs intra-operatively at the time of PAO, patients undergo modest but statistically significant postoperative increases in lateral coverage and medialization prior to radiographic union.

Abstract Purpose Acetabular overcoverage (pincer morphology) has been suggested to be both a source of pain and dysfunction as well as potentially protective against osteoarthritic change. The purpose of this study was to compare minimum 5-year clinical outcomes of patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopic labral repair with a lateral center edge angle (LCEA) of ≥ 40° as compared to non-dysplastic controls with an LCEA of 25-40°. Methods We identified all patients that underwent primary hip arthroscopy with labral repair between 2009-2019 at a single academic institution. Patients with LCEA ≥ 40° (pincer) were propensity matched to non-dysplastic controls with LCEA 25-40° on a 1:2 basis by sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and year of surgery. Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) including Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, Tegner activity score, modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), International Hip Outcome Tool (iHOT-12), and Hip Outcome Score (HOS) were analyzed, as were reoperations and conversions to total hip arthroplasty (THA). Results Fifty-five patients with pincer morphology (mean preoperative LCEA: 41.9°, Tonnis angle: -7.3°, alpha angle: 58.8°) were matched to 110 non-dysplastic controls (LCEA: 31.2°, Tonnis angle: 2.2°, alpha angle: 58.9°), resulting in a total of 165 hips in 163 patients (67% females, mean age: 37.7 years, BMI: 26.8 kg/m2). Pincer patients were corrected to a mean postoperative LCEA of 38.7° (p&lt;0.0001), with 22 pincer patients having residual overcoverage, namely a postoperative LCEA ≥ 40° (range: 40.0-45.8°). At mean 7.8 years follow-up (range: 5.1-13.2), there was no difference in any postoperative PROMs between pincers and controls (p&gt;0.15) and no difference in PROMs between patients with residual overcoverage and pincer patients with a postoperatively normalized LCEA (p&gt;0.25). At final follow-up, 4 patients in the pincer cohort (7%) and 21 controls (19%) had converted to THA (p=0.046). Conclusion Patients with lateral acetabular overcoverage demonstrated similar and satisfactory postoperative PROMs at a minimum of 5-year follow-up compared to propensity-matched non-dysplastic controls, regardless of if the LCEA was corrected to &lt;40°. Of note, non-dysplastic controls demonstrated an increased rate of conversion to THA, supporting the potentially chondroprotective role of acetabular overcoverage.

Abstract Purpose Patients presenting for iliopsoas tendinitis consultation after total hip arthroplasty (THA) often describe a prolonged time to diagnosis and subsequent surgical management. The purpose of this study was to quantify time from symptom onset to diagnosis and subsequent arthroscopic iliopsoas fractional lengthening, including number of providers seen. Methods Patients undergoing arthroscopic iliopsoas fractional lengthening after THA were prospectively identified between 2023-2025 at a single institution. Time from symptom onset to iliopsoas tendinitis diagnosis as well as arthroscopic lengthening were determined. Number of providers seen, diagnostic relief from preoperative iliopsoas bursal injections, and postoperative satisfaction after fractional lengthening were also evaluated to better quantify indications and outcomes of arthroscopic intervention in this population. Results A total of 44 hips in 41 patients (23 females and 18 males) were included (mean age: 64.7 ± 10.2, mean BMI: 29.9 ± 5.9 kg/m2). Of note, 7 patients (16%) had undergone revision THA prior to iliopsoas symptom onset. Patients had on average 2.2 ± 2.1 years of symptoms and saw 2.5 ± 1.7 [range: 1-8] providers prior to being diagnosed with iliopsoas tendinitis and referred for consideration of arthroscopic fractional lengthening. Preoperatively, 93% of patients underwent at least 1 iliopsoas bursal corticosteroid injection, with an average of 81.1% symptom relief during the diagnostic (anesthetic) phase. The mean time between THA and iliopsoas fractional lengthening was 4.8 ± 3.4 years, whereas the mean time between initial iliopsoas tendinitis symptoms to fractional lengthening was 3.1 ± 2.5 years. At a mean of 11.3 ± 6.8 months postoperatively, mean surgery satisfaction was 8.1 ± 2.6 on a scale of 1 to 10, with the vast majority of patients (89.5%) stating that they would undergo fractional lengthening again. Conclusion Patients often experience a protracted period of symptoms and see multiple clinicians prior to being diagnosed with iliopsoas tendinitis and undergoing arthroscopic management. In patients refractory to conservative management, arthroscopic fractional lengthening can provide high surgery satisfaction, with most patients stating they would undergo the procedure again. These findings highlight the importance of increased recognition and appropriate referral of patients with iliopsoas tendinitis following THA.

Abstract Introduction Understanding factors that impact outcomes of total hip arthroplasty (THA) can aid clinical decision-making and patient counselling. The purpose of this study was to investigate functional outcomes, complications, and reoperation rates among patients undergoing primary THA after hip arthroscopy (HA-THA) compared to a matched cohort of primary THA patients without prior arthroscopy (THA-only). Methods A retrospective review was performed to identify all patients who underwent primary THA after prior hip arthroscopy from 2009-2022 at a single institution. Patients with a history of revision arthroscopy were excluded. Cases were propensity-matched with primary THA controls in a 1:4 ratio by age at time of THA, sex, body mass index, surgical approach, and year of surgery. At minimum 2-year follow-up, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including Forgotten Joint Score (FJS), Modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS), Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Pain (HOOS pain), and Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAS) were analyzed. Results Sixty-three hips in 60 patients (age: 47.3±9.4 years, BMI: 29.8±6.2 kg/m2) were matched to 252 THA-only hips, with patients converting to THA at a mean 3.1 years (range 0.3-10.3) following hip arthroscopy. While both HA-THA and THA patients demonstrated significant (p&lt;0.001) postoperative improvements in PROs, HA-THA patients reported significantly lower postoperative FJS, mHHS, HOOS pain, and VAS pain scores (p&lt;0.001) as compared to THA-only controls. At mean 6.6±3.2 years follow-up, HA-THA patients with preoperative Tönnis grades 2-3 reported significantly increased FJS, mHHS, and HOOS pain compared to those with preoperative Tönnis grades of 0-1 (p≤0.03). Additionally, HA-THA patients with preoperative Tönnis grades 0-1 exhibited worse PROs (p&lt;0.001) as compared to THA-only controls. While there were no differences in complication rates between HA-THA patients and THA-only controls (8% vs. 5%, p=0.49), all-cause reoperation was greater amongst HA-THA patients compared to THA-only (10% vs. 2%, p=0.01). Conclusion While improved compared to preoperatively, patients undergoing THA after prior hip arthroscopy demonstrated inferior outcomes at mid-term follow up as compared to a demographically age-matched cohort without prior arthroscopy. When considering conversion to THA following arthroscopy, clinicians should consider counseling patients regarding improved outcomes in the setting of advanced radiographic osteoarthritis, and potentially increased all-cause reoperation.

Objective The incidence of hip osteoarthritis (OA) is increasing with the aging population, leading to interest in intra-articular orthobiologic injections to alleviate symptoms and potentially slow disease progression. This systematic review aims to evaluate the clinical outcomes associated with six orthobiologic therapies for hip OA: hyaluronic acid (HA), platelet-rich plasma (PRP), autologous cells therapy (ACT), microfragmented adipose tissue (MFAT), and bone marrow aspirate (BMA) and its concentration (BMAC). Methods We conducted a literature search according to the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included in our review if they used at least one of the four orthobiologic therapies and reported on the clinical outcome using patient reported outcome measures (PROMs). Since there is a large variability among clinical outcomes, we focused on the three most utilized PROMs (VAS, WOMAC, and HHS) and the latest follow-up time point. Results Of the 716 studies reviewed, thirty-six studies (n=36) fit inclusion criteria. There were 21 studies examining HA, 11 on PRP, 3 for MFAT, 2 for ACT, and 3 on BMA/BMAC. Eight studies were randomized controlled trials and 28 were cohort studies. The mean age of the patient population ranged from 45 ± 17.0 to 74 ± 8.0. The baseline grade of osteoarthritis ranged from 1-4 but was most reported as moderate (2-3). Overall, there was an improvement in PROMs at the latest follow-up after receiving orthobiologic interventions. Discussion Orthobiologic injections have shown promise for improving PROMs in patients with hip OA. Future studies should evaluate long-term efficacy and include randomized trials to establish efficacy.

Abstract Context Adult growth hormone (GH) deficiency (GHD) is characterized by metabolic abnormalities caused by insufficient GH production. Lonapegsomatropin, a prodrug administered once weekly, was designed to provide sustained release of unmodified somatropin to reduce the burden of daily somatropin injections. Objective This work aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of lonapegsomatropin vs placebo as treatment for adults with GHD. Methods The foresiGHt trial was a multicenter, randomized, parallel-arm, placebo-controlled (double-blind) and active-controlled (open-label) trial (NCT04615273) conducted at 116 centers in North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific. The trial randomly assigned and dosed 259 adults with GHD. Participants were randomly assigned 1:1:1 to receive once-weekly lonapegsomatropin, once-weekly placebo, or daily somatropin for 38 weeks. The primary efficacy end point was change from baseline in trunk percent fat at week 38. Secondary efficacy end points included change from baseline in trunk fat mass and total body lean mass. Results At week 38, lonapegsomatropin significantly reduced trunk percent fat (−1.68% vs +0.37%; least squares [LS] mean difference −2.04%; P &lt; .001), increased total body lean mass (+1.60 kg vs −0.11 kg; LS mean difference 1.70 kg; P &lt; .0001), and reduced trunk fat mass (−0.48 kg vs +0.22 kg; LS mean difference −0.70 kg; P = .0053) vs placebo. The safety and tolerability profile of lonapegsomatropin was comparable to somatropin. Conclusion The foresiGHt trial met its primary efficacy end point by demonstrating superiority of lonapegsomatropin vs placebo with similar safety and tolerability, supporting its potential as a once-weekly treatment option for adults with GHD.