Factors Associated with Revision Surgery after Internal Fixation of Hip Fractures

Background: Femoral neck fractures are associated with high rates of revision surgery after management with internal fixation. Using data from the Fixation using Alternative Implants for the Treatment of Hip fractures (FAITH) trial evaluating methods of internal fixation in patients with femoral neck fractures, we investigated associations between baseline and surgical factors and the need for revision surgery to promote healing, relieve pain, treat infection or improve function over 24 months postsurgery. Additionally, we investigated factors associated with (1) hardware removal and (2) implant exchange from cancellous screws (CS) or sliding hip screw (SHS) to total hip arthroplasty, hemiarthroplasty, or another internal fixation device. Methods: We identified 15 potential factors a priori that may be associated with revision surgery, 7 with hardware removal, and 14 with implant exchange. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses in our investigation. Results: Factors associated with increased risk of revision surgery included: female sex, [hazard ratio (HR) 1.79, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.25-2.50; P = 0.001], higher body mass index (fo

A standardized method to measure the membranous urethral length (MUL) on MRI of the prostate with high inter- and intra-observer agreement

Objectives: The membranous urethral length (MUL), defined as the length between the apex and penile base as measured on preoperative prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), is an important predictor for urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy. Literature on inter- and intra - observer agreement of MUL measurement is limited. We studied the inter- and intra-observer agreement between radiologists using a well-defined method to measure the MUL on the prostate MRI. Methods: Prostate cancer patients underwent a preoperative MRI and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) at one high-volume RARP center. MUL measurement was based on well-defined landmarks on sagittal T2-weighted (anatomical) images. Three radiologists independently performed MUL measurements retrospectively in 106 patients blinded to themselves, to each other, and to clinical outcomes. The inter- and intra-observer agreement of MUL measurement between the radiologists were calculated, expressed as intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: The initial inter-observer agreement was ICC 0.63; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.28–0.81. Radiologist 3 measured the MUL mean 3.9 mm (SD 3.3) longer than the other readers, interpreting the caudal point of the MUL (penile base) differently. After discussion on the correct anatomical definition, radiologist 3 re-assessed all scans, which resulted in a high inter-observer agreement (ICC 0.84; 95% CI 0.66–0.91). After a subsequent reading by radiologists 1 and 2, the intra-observer agreements were ICC 0.93; 95% CI 0.89–0.96, and ICC 0.98; 95% CI 0.97–0.98, respectively. Limitation is the monocenter design. Conclusions: The MUL can be measured reliably with high agreement among radiologists. Key Points: • After discussion on the correct anatomical definition, the inter- and intra - observer agreements of membranous urethral length (MUL) measurement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were high. • A reproducible method to measure the MUL can improve the clinical usefulness of prediction models for urinary continence after RARP which may benefit patient counselling

Fetal fibronectin status and cervical length in women with threatened preterm labor and the effectiveness of maintenance tocolysis

To assess the effect of maintenance tocolysis in women who are at high or low risk for preterm delivery according to fetal fibronectin (fFN) status and cervical length (CL). We compared the risk of preterm delivery in fFN pos and fFN neg women and in women with a CL <15 mm and ≥15 mm, by using the Cox regression. Differences between the effectiveness of maintenance tocolysis in high- and low-risk women were assessed by using an interaction term. 122 fFN tests were taken, of which 50 were fFN pos. CL was measured in 236 women, of whom 52 women had a CL <15 mm. The median gestational age at delivery was lower in fFN pos women; fFN pos women had a higher hazard for preterm delivery at any point of time (HR 4.7; 95% CI 2.9 to 7.6). Comparable results were seen for CL. Neither fFN status nor CL did alter the effect of maintenance tocolysis, which was ineffective in the total randomized group, on the risk of preterm delivery (p for interaction = 0.87 for fFN and 0.18 for CL). Maintenance tocolytic therapy with nifedipine is ineffective and not dependent on fFN or CL statu

A Prospective Multicenter Comparison Study of Risk-adapted Ultrasound-directed and Magnetic Resonance Imaging-directed Diagnostic Pathways for Suspected Prostate Cancer in Biopsy-naïve Men

BACKGROUND: European Association of Urology guidelines recommend a risk-adjusted biopsy strategy for early detection of prostate cancer in biopsy-naïve men. It remains unclear which strategy is most effective. Therefore, we evaluated two risk assessment pathways commonly used in clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To compare the diagnostic performance of a risk-based ultrasound (US)-directed pathway (Rotterdam Prostate Cancer Risk Calculator [RPCRC] #3; US volume assessment) and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-directed pathway. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This was a prospective multicenter study (MR-PROPER) with 1:1 allocation among 21 centers (US arm in 11 centers, MRI arm in ten). Biopsy-naïve men with suspicion of prostate cancer (age ≥50 yr, prostate-specific antigen 3.0-50 ng/ml, ± abnormal digital rectal examination) were included. INTERVENTION: Biopsy-naïve men with elevated risk of prostate cancer, determined using RPCRC#3 in the US arm and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System scores of 3-5 in the MRI arm, underwent systematic biopsies (US arm) or targeted biopsies (MRI arm). OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS AND STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: The primary outcome was the proportion of men with grade group (GG) ≥2 cancer. Secondary outcomes were the proportions of biopsies avoided and GG 1 cancers detected. Categorical (nonparametric) data were assessed using the Mann-Whitney U test and χ2 tests. RESULTS AND LIMITATIONS: A total of 1965 men were included in the intention-to-treat population (US arm n = 950, MRI arm n = 1015). The US and MRI pathways detected GG ≥2 cancers equally well (235/950, 25% vs 239/1015, 24%; difference 1.2%, 95% confidence interval [CI] -2.6% to 5.0%; p = 0.5). The US pathway detected more GG 1 cancers than the MRI pathway (121/950, 13% vs 84/1015, 8.3%; difference 4.5%, 95% CI 1.8-7.2%; p < 0.01). The US pathway avoided fewer biopsies than the MRI pathway (403/950, 42% vs 559/1015, 55%; difference -13%, 95% CI -17% to -8.3%; p < 0.01). Among men with elevated risk, more GG ≥2 cancers were detected in the MRI group than in the US group (52% vs 43%; difference 9.2%, 95% CI 3.0-15%; p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Risk-adapted US-directed and MRI-directed pathways detected GG ≥2 cancers equally well. The risk-adapted US-directed pathway performs well for prostate cancer diagnosis if prostate MRI capacity and expertise are not available. If prostate MRI availability is sufficient, risk assessment should preferably be performed using MRI, as this avoids more biopsies and detects fewer cases of GG 1 cancer. PATIENT SUMMARY: Among men with suspected prostate cancer, relevant cancers were equally well detected by risk-based pathways using either ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to guide biopsy of the prostate. If prostate MRI availability is sufficient, risk assessment should be performed with MRI to reduce unnecessary biopsies and detect fewer irrelevant cancers