Purpose: The current review assesses the definitions of return to play (RTP) and return to same level of play (RTSP) utilized in literature describing UCL injuries in professional baseball players.
Methods: A systematic review was performed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were queried to identify all articles that included UCL injuries between January 2002 and October 2022. Studies of only Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) players were included and summarized descriptively.
Results: We included 29 articles (24 reporting RTP, 23 reporting RTSP). Minimum level of play was not included in 46% of RTP definitions and 26% of RTSP definitions; when defined, return to MLB level only was most common in RTP definitions (25%) and return to either MLB or MiLB level was most common in RTSP definitions (39%). Time to return was frequently not included (96% of RTP and RTSP definitions); when defined, return within 2 full seasons after injury was the sole definition used. Duration of play after return was frequently not included (50% and 61%, respectively); when defined, a one game minimum was most utilized (42% and 17%, respectively). No study used performance measures (e.g., strikeouts, earned run average [ERA], etc.) to define RTP or RTSP.
Conclusions: Definitions of RTP and RTSP in the UCL injury literature for professional baseball players of all positions are vague, heterogenous, and prohibit cross-study comparison.
Clinical relevance: The present study investigates the definitions for RTP and RTSP used across professional baseball UCL injury literature in hopes of identifying common threads to promote future cross-study comparison.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the relationship between the presence, depth, and location of the lateral femoral notch sign (LFNS) on preoperative MRI and the risk of ACL reconstruction (ACLR) graft failure, as well as secondary return to sport (RTS) endpoints.
Methods: Patients with primary ACLR failure between 2012 and 2021 with a minimum of a 2-year follow-up were identified and matched to patients without primary ACLR failure by sex, age, and BMI. Patients with incomplete medical records or concomitant lateral extra-articular tenodesis or anterolateral ligament reconstruction were excluded. The LFNS presence, depth and location were recorded from patients' preoperative MRI. Intraoperative data, concomitant injuries, ACLR failure, and return to sport (RTS) were collected.
Results: Of the 253 included patients, 158(62.5%) were male, the mean age was 22 ± 9.1 years old, and the mean body mass index (BMI) was 25.7 ± 5.7 kg/m2. 87(34.4%) had a LFNS on preoperative MRI. There was no difference in the prevalence of the LFNS between patients with primary ACLR failure (42(32.1%)) and without primary ACLR failure (45(36.9%)) (OR 1.24, 95% CI 0.74 to 2.08; P=0.42). Among patients with the LFNS, there was no difference in mean depth between those with and without primary ACLR failure, or when stratifying depth by 1.0-1.5mm, 1.5-2.0mm, and >2.0mm. The mean location of the LFNS from Blumensaat line did not differ between patients with or without primary ACLR failure, and RTS rate, level, and time were comparable between patients with and without the LFNS.
Conclusion: There was no significant difference in the presence, depth or location of LFNS in patients with and without primary ACLR failure. Presence of the LFNS is not associated with additional risk of primary ACLR failure, and clinical outcomes were comparable in patients with and without the LFNS.
Level of evidence: Retrospective case-control study; IV.
Purpose: To evaluate whether patients undergoing primary hip arthroscopy with periportal or puncture capsulotomy demonstrate improved PROs at minimum 2-year follow-up when compared to pre-operative PROs.
Methods: A systematic review was performed and registered in PROSPERO under ID: CRD42023466053. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). PubMed, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), and Scopus were searched in October of 2024 using the following string: (capsul* OR puncture OR periportal) and (hip OR femoroacetabular impingement) AND (arthroscop*). Articles were included if they reported pre-operative and minimum 2-year follow-up PROs in patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for the treatment of femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) and/or labral tears with periportal or puncture capsulotomy and were written in English.
Results: Six studies were included, with five studies reporting outcomes on periportal capsulotomy 313 hips) and one study on puncture capsulotomy (163 hips). Three studies were level IV evidence and three were level III. Study periods ranged from 2013-2020. Average improvement in the modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) ranged from 21.1-32.56 (I2=97%). Average improvement in the Visual Analog Scale for pain (VAS Pain) ranged from -2.5- (-5.3) (I2=94%). Minimal Clinically Important Difference (MCID) was achieved by 65.0-100% of patients for Hip Outcome Score - Activities of Daily Living (HOS-ADL), 71.8-88% for HOS-Sport, and 62.5-78% for VAS Pain. Three studies reported rates of secondary total hip arthroplasty (THA), ranging from 0%-1.7%.
Conclusion: Patients undergoing hip arthroscopy with periportal capsulotomy showed improvements in multiple PROs at a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Periportal capsulotomy appears to be an effective capsulotomy technique in patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for the treatment of FAI and/or labral tears. Preliminary evidence shows puncture capsulotomy may be an effective way to access the capsule during hip arthroscopy, but conclusions are limited given the lack of studies available.
Level of evidence: IV, Systematic Review of Level III and IV studies.