INTEROBSERVER REPRODUCIBILITY ASSESSMENT OF THE NEW AOSPINE CLASSIFICATION FOR SUBAXIAL CERVICAL LESIONS

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the interobserver agreement of the new AOSpine classification for subaxial cervical fractures. Methods: A descriptive study, which11 traumatic lesions of the subaxial cervical spine (through radiographic and tomographic images), were evaluated by 16 observers being: 6 senior surgeons, 4 fellows in spinal surgery and 6 physicians residents in Orthopedics and Traumatology by the new AOSpine classification, with subsequent statistical analysis of the results. An agreement analysis was performed using the Kappa coefficient, both individually and in combination, with an interpretation of the index performed using the standardized model for Landis and Koch. To determine the level of significance of the analyzes, values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: In general, the level of agreement among the examiners was considered reasonable. The lesions “A0 (F3)”, “A4 (F3)”, “B1”, “B3”, “B3 (F3)”, “C”, “C (F3)” and “F3”showed a low level of agreement between the examiners. The level of reasonable agreement was obtained between fractures “A0”, “A1”, “A4”, “B2” and “C (F4)”. The only fracture that presented a moderate level of agreement was the “C (F4 BL)” lesion. This result indicates that the referred injury was the fracture of the subaxial column that presented the best level of agreement among the 16 examiners in the present study. Conclusions: The results of the study indicate an intermediate agreement of the new AOSpine classification for subaxial cervical lesion and point to the need to carry out studies that seek to evaluate this new classification in order to better evaluate its strengths and weaknesses, contributing for its improvement. Level of evidence III; Diagnostic study - investigation of a diagnostic test.

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How Reliable is the Radiographic Diagnosis of Mild Madelung Deformity?

Journal of Wrist Surgery ◽

10.1055/s-0037-1612636 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 07 (03) ◽

pp. 227-231 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Thierry Guitton ◽

David Ring ◽

Sebastian Farr ◽

Keyword(s):

Online Survey ◽

Interobserver Agreement ◽

Study Group ◽

Diagnostic Study ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Madelung Deformity ◽

The Mean ◽

Sensitivity Specificity ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

Background Patients with Madelung deformity exhibit a spectrum of mild to severe deformity and distortion of wrist geometry. It may be difficult to reliably distinguish mild Madelung deformity from normal. Purpose This study thus tested the reliability of the diagnosis of mild Madelung deformity on a single posteroanterior (PA) radiograph. Materials and Methods An online survey was sent to hand and wrist surgeons of the Science of Variation Study Group for evaluation of 25 PA wrist radiographs comprising five adults with suspected mild Madelung deformity and 20 radiographs without any evident wrist pathology. Interobserver agreement was evaluated both via average percent agreement and Fleiss' kappa. To evaluate the relationship of rater characteristics and accuracy, a linear regression model was computed. Results The interobserver agreement among the 69 participating surgeons was low (Κ = 0.12). The overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 0.30, 0.86, and 0.75, respectively. The mean confidence was 7.4 ± 0.4 for mild Madelung and 7.8 ± 0.5 for normal (p = 0.112). The observers' confidence level was the only factor which had a mild but significant effect on the accuracy of the ratings. Conclusion The diagnosis of mild Madelung deformity on a single PA radiograph is unreliable. Level of Evidence The level of evidence is II, diagnostic study.

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Independent Reliability Analysis of a New Classification for Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis

Global Spine Journal ◽

10.1177/2192568220919091 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 219256822091909

Author(s):

Gaston Camino Willhuber ◽

Alfredo Guiroy ◽

Juan Zamorano ◽

Nelson Astur ◽

Marcelo Valacco

Keyword(s):

Reliability Analysis ◽

Interobserver Agreement ◽

Random Sequence ◽

Diagnostic Study ◽

Intraobserver Agreement ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

New Classification ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis

Study Design: Diagnostic study, level of evidence III. Objective: Pyogenic spondylodiscitis can cause deformity, neurological compromise, disability, and death. Recently, a new classification of spondylodiscitis based on magnetic resonance imaging was published. The objective of this study is to perform an independent reliability analysis of this new classification. Methods: We selected 35 cases from our database of different spine centers in Latin America and from the literature; 8 observers evaluated the classification and graded the scenarios according to the methodological grading of the classification developed by Pola et al. Cases were sent to the observers in a random sequence after 3 weeks to assess intraobserver reliability. The interobserver and intraobserver reliabilities were performed with Fleiss and Cohen statistics, respectively. Results: The overall Fleiss κ value for interobserver agreement was substantial, with 0.67 (95% CI = 0.43-0.91) in the first reading and 0.67 (95% CI = 0.45-0.89) in second reading for the main types of classification. The Cohen κ value for intraobserver agreement was also substantial, with 0.68 (95% CI = 0.45-0.92). The interobserver agreement analysis for the subtypes of this classification was overall substantial, with 0.60 (95% CI = 0.37-0.83) in the first reading and 0.61 (95% CI = 0.41-0.81) in the second reading. The overall intraobserver agreement for subtypes of the classification was also substantial, with 0.63 (95% CI = 0.34-0.93). Conclusion: The new classification developed by Pola et al showed substantial interobserver and intraobserver agreements. More studies are required to validate the usefulness of this classification especially in clinical practice.

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Deferring Routine Wrist Radiography Does Not Affect Management of de Quervain Tendinopathy Patients

Journal of Wrist Surgery ◽

10.1055/s-0037-1606124 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 07 (02) ◽

pp. 115-120 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Tiffany Liu ◽

Chia Wu ◽

David Steinberg ◽

David Bozentka ◽

L. Levin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Examination ◽

Medical Center ◽

Academic Medical Center ◽

Diagnostic Study ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Radiographic Findings ◽

Academic Medical ◽

De Quervain ◽

Clinical Records ◽

Surgical Release

Background Obtaining wrist radiographs prior to surgeon evaluation may be wasteful for patients ultimately diagnosed with de Quervain tendinopathy (DQT). Questions/Purpose Our primary question was whether radiographs directly influence treatment of patients presenting with DQT. A secondary question was whether radiographs influence the frequency of injection and surgical release between cohorts with and without radiographs evaluated within the same practice. Patients and Methods Patients diagnosed with DQT by fellowship-trained hand surgeons at an urban academic medical center were identified retrospectively. Basic demographics and radiographic findings were tabulated. Clinical records were studied to determine whether radiographic findings corroborated history or physical examination findings, and whether management was directly influenced by radiographic findings. Frequencies of treatment with injection and surgery were separately tabulated and compared between cohorts with and without radiographs. Results We included 181 patients (189 wrists), with no differences in demographics between the 58% (110 wrists) with and 42% (79 wrists) without radiographs. Fifty (45%) of imaged wrists demonstrated one or more abnormalities; however, even for the 13 (12%) with corroborating history and physical examination findings, wrist radiography did not directly influence a change in management for any patient in this series. No difference was observed in rates of injection or surgical release either upon initial presentation, or at most recent documented follow-up, between those with and without radiographs. No differences in frequency, types, or total number of additional simultaneous surgical procedures were observed for those treated surgically. Conclusion Wrist radiography does not influence management of patients presenting DQT. Level of Evidence This is a level III, diagnostic study.

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Interobserver agreement of the Paris and simplified classifications of superficial colonic lesions: a Western study

Endoscopy International Open ◽

10.1055/a-1352-3437 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 09 (03) ◽

pp. E388-E394

Author(s):

Francesco Cocomazzi ◽

Marco Gentile ◽

Francesco Perri ◽

Antonio Merla ◽

Fabrizio Bossa ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Interobserver Agreement ◽

Classification Systems ◽

Sensitivity Analyses ◽

Size Estimation ◽

Rater Agreement ◽

Staff Members ◽

Video Clips ◽

Paris Classification ◽

Level Of Agreement

Abstract Background and study aims The Paris classification of superficial colonic lesions has been widely adopted, but a simplified description that subgroups the shape into pedunculated, sessile/flat and depressed lesions has been proposed recently. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy and inter-rater agreement among 13 Western endoscopists for the two classification systems. Methods Seventy video clips of superficial colonic lesions were classified according to the two classifications, and their size estimated. The interobserver agreement for each classification was assessed using both Cohen k and AC1 statistics. Accuracy was taken as the concordance between the standard morphology definition and that made by participants. Sensitivity analyses investigated agreement between trainees (T) and staff members (SM), simple or mixed lesions, distinct lesion phenotypes, and for laterally spreading tumors (LSTs). Results Overall, the interobserver agreement for the Paris classification was substantial (κ = 0.61; AC1 = 0.66), with 79.3 % accuracy. Between SM and T, the values were superimposable. For size estimation, the agreement was 0.48 by the κ-value, and 0.50 by AC1. For single or mixed lesions, κ-values were 0.60 and 0.43, respectively; corresponding AC1 values were 0.68 and 0.57. Evaluating the several different polyp subtypes separately, agreement differed significantly when analyzed by the k-statistics (0.08–0.12) or the AC1 statistics (0.59–0.71). Analyses of LSTs provided a κ-value of 0.50 and an AC1 score of 0.62, with 77.6 % accuracy. The simplified classification outperformed the Paris classification: κ = 0.68, AC1 = 0.82, accuracy = 91.6 %. Conclusions Agreement is often measured with Cohen’s κ, but we documented higher levels of agreement when analyzed with the AC1 statistic. The level of agreement was substantial for the Paris classification, and almost perfect for the simplified system.

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The change of coagulation profile in two-staged arthroplasty for periprosthetic joint infection patients: a retrospective cohort study

Journal of Orthopaedic Surgery and Research ◽

10.1186/s13018-021-02477-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Hao Li ◽

Rui Li ◽

L. L. Li ◽

Wei Chai ◽

Chi Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Periprosthetic Joint Infection ◽

Retrospective Cohort Study ◽

Persistent Infection ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Joint Infection ◽

Diagnostic Study ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Coagulation Profile ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Aims Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a serious complication of total joint arthroplasty. We performed a retrospective cohort study to evaluate (1) the change of coagulation profile in two-staged arthroplasty patients and (2) the relationship between coagulation profile and the outcomes of reimplantation. Method Between January 2011 and December 2018, a total of 202 PJI patients who were operated on with two-staged arthroplasty were included in this study initially. This study continued for 2 years and the corresponding medical records were scrutinized to establish the diagnosis of PJI based on the 2014 MSIS criteria. The coagulation profile was recorded at two designed points, (1) preresection and (2) preimplantation. The difference of coagulation profile between preresection and preimplantation was evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of the coagulation profile and change of coagulation profile for predicting persistent infection before reimplantation. Results The levels of APTT, INR, platelet count, PT, TT, and plasma fibrinogen before spacer implantation were significantly higher than before reimplantation. No significant difference was detected in the levels of D-dimer, ACT, and AT3 between the two groups. The AUC of the combined coagulation profile and the change of combined coagulation profile for predicting persistent infection before reimplantation was 0.667 (95% CI 0.511, 0.823) and 0.667 (95% CI 0.526, 0.808), respectively. Conclusion The coagulation profile before preresection is different from before preimplantation in two-staged arthroplasty and the coagulation markers may play a role in predicting infection eradication before reimplantation when two-stage arthroplasty is performed. Level of evidence Level III, diagnostic study.

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High cut-off microdialysis catheters to clinically investigate cytokine changes following flap transfer

European Journal of Plastic Surgery ◽

10.1007/s00238-020-01778-x ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Clare Josephine Tollan ◽

Niall G. MacFarlane ◽

Iain R. MacKay

Keyword(s):

Linear Time ◽

Linear Trend ◽

Free Flaps ◽

Diep Flap ◽

Diagnostic Study ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Necrosis Factor Alpha ◽

Flap Transfer ◽

Time Period ◽

Fibroblast Growth Factor Basic

Abstract Background ‘Choke vessels’ are thought to dilate in the first 72 h when blood flow to an area is disrupted. This study used ‘high cut-off’ microdialysis catheters in clinical research to investigate factors mediating circulatory change within free flaps. Methods Six patients undergoing DIEP flap breast reconstruction each had three ‘high cut-off’ microdialysis catheters, with a membrane modification allowing molecules as large as 100 kDa to pass, inserted into Hartrampf zones 1, 2 and 4 to assess multiple vascular territories. Microdialysis continued for 72 h post-operatively. Samples were analysed for interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and fibroblast growth factor basic (FGFβ). Results Three hundred and twenty-four samples were analysed for IL-6, FGFβ and TNFα totalling 915 analyses. IL-6 showed an increasing trend until 36 h post-operatively before remaining relatively constant. Overall, there was an increase (p < 0.001) over the time period from 4 to 72 h, fitting a linear trend. TNFα had a peak around 20–24 h before a gradual decrease. There was a significant linear time trend (p = 0.029) between 4 and 76 h, decreasing over the time period. FGFβ concentrations did not appear to have any overall difference in concentration with time. The concentration however appeared to oscillate about a horizontal trend line. There were no differences between the DIEP zones in concentrations of cytokines collected. Conclusion This study uses high-cut off microdialysis catheters to evaluate changes in cytokines, and requires further research to be undertaken to add to our knowledge of choke vessels and flap physiology. Level of evidence: Level IV, diagnostic study.

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An Artificial Intelligence Tool for Image Simulation in Rhinoplasty

Facial Plastic Surgery ◽

10.1055/s-0041-1729911 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hernan Chinsk ◽

Ricardo Lerch ◽

Damián Tournour ◽

Luis Chinski ◽

Diego Caruso

Keyword(s):

Artificial Intelligence ◽

Survey Study ◽

P Value ◽

Cross Sectional Survey ◽

Simulated Image ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Partial Agreement ◽

Aesthetic Rhinoplasty ◽

Level Of Agreement

AbstractDuring rhinoplasty consultations, surgeons typically create a computer simulation of the expected result. An artificial intelligence model (AIM) can learn a surgeon's style and criteria and generate the simulation automatically. The objective of this study is to determine if an AIM is capable of imitating a surgeon's criteria to generate simulated images of an aesthetic rhinoplasty surgery. This is a cross-sectional survey study of resident and specialist doctors in otolaryngology conducted in the month of November 2019 during a rhinoplasty conference. Sequential images of rhinoplasty simulations created by a surgeon and by an AIM were shown at random. Participants used a seven-point Likert scale to evaluate their level of agreement with the simulation images they were shown, with 1 indicating total disagreement and 7 total agreement. Ninety-seven of 122 doctors agreed to participate in the survey. The median level of agreement between the participant and the surgeon was 6 (interquartile range or IQR 5–7); between the participant and the AIM it was 5 (IQR 4–6), p-value < 0.0001. The evaluators were in total or partial agreement with the results of the AIM's simulation 68.4% of the time (95% confidence interval or CI 64.9–71.7). They were in total or partial agreement with the surgeon's simulation 77.3% of the time (95% CI 74.2–80.3). An AIM can emulate a surgeon's aesthetic criteria to generate a computer-simulated image of rhinoplasty. This can allow patients to have a realistic approximation of the possible results of a rhinoplasty ahead of an in-person consultation. The level of evidence of the study is 4.

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The Change of Coagulation Profile in Two-staged Arthroplasty for Periprosthetic Joint Infection Patients：A Retrospective Cohort Study

10.21203/rs.3.rs-157725/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Hao Li ◽

Rui Li ◽

Liangliang Li ◽

Chi Xu ◽

Wei Chai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Periprosthetic Joint Infection ◽

Retrospective Cohort Study ◽

Persistent Infection ◽

Retrospective Cohort ◽

Joint Infection ◽

Diagnostic Study ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Coagulation Profile ◽

Significant Difference

Abstract Aims：Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) a serious complication of total joint arthroplasty. We performed a retrospective cohort study to evaluate 1) the change of coagulation profile in two-staged arthroplasty patients 2) the relationship between coagulation profile and the outcomes of reimplantation. Method: Between 2011 January and 2018 December, a total of 202 PJI patients who were performed with two-staged arthroplasty were included in this study initially. They were followed up at least 2 years and corresponding medical records were scrutinized to establish the diagnosis of PJI based on the 2014 MSIS criteria. The coagulation profile was recorded at two designed points 1) preresection and 2) preimplantation. Then, the difference of coagulation profile between preresection and preimplantation was evaluated. Besides, receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of coagulation profile and the change of coagulation profile for predicting persistent infection before reimplantation. Results: The levels of APTT, INR, platelet count, PT, TT and plasma fibrinogen before spacer implantation were significantly higher than that before reimplantation. No significant difference was detected in the levels of D-dimer, ACT, AT3 between the two groups. The AUC of the combined coagulation profile and the change of combined coagulation profile for predicting persistent infection before reimplantation was 0.667 (95%CI:(0.511,0.823) and 0.667 (95%CI: (0.526,0.808)), respectively.Conclusion: The coagulation profile before preresection is different from that before preimplantation in two-staged arthroplasty and the coagulation markers may play a role in predicting infection eradication before reimplantation when two-stage arthroplasty is performed. Level of Evidence: level III, diagnostic study

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Simple Rules, Not So Simple: The Use of International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) Terminology and Simple Rules in Inexperienced Hands in a Prospective Multicenter Cohort Study

Ultraschall in der Medizin - European Journal of Ultrasound ◽

10.1055/s-0043-113819 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 38 (06) ◽

pp. 633-641 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Evelyne Meys ◽

Iris Rutten ◽

Roy Kruitwagen ◽

Brigitte Slangen ◽

Sandrina Lambrechts ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Cohort Study ◽

Ovarian Tumor ◽

Interobserver Agreement ◽

Tumor Type ◽

Kappa Index ◽

Multicenter Cohort Study ◽

Multicenter Cohort ◽

Simple Rules ◽

Level Of Agreement ◽

Ovarian Masses

Abstract Objectives To analyze how well untrained examiners – without experience in the use of International Ovarian Tumor Analysis (IOTA) terminology or simple ultrasound-based rules (simple rules) – are able to apply IOTA terminology and simple rules and to assess the level of agreement between non-experts and an expert. Methods This prospective multicenter cohort study enrolled women with ovarian masses. Ultrasound was performed by non-expert examiners and an expert. Ultrasound features were recorded using IOTA nomenclature, and used for classifying the mass by simple rules. Interobserver agreement was evaluated with Fleiss’ kappa and percentage agreement between observers. Results 50 consecutive women were included. We observed 46 discrepancies in the description of ovarian masses when non-experts utilized IOTA terminology. Tumor type was misclassified often (n = 22), resulting in poor interobserver agreement between the non-experts and the expert (kappa = 0.39, 95 %-CI 0.244 – 0.529, percentage of agreement = 52.0 %). Misinterpretation of simple rules by non-experts was observed 57 times, resulting in an erroneous diagnosis in 15 patients (30 %). The agreement for classifying the mass as benign, malignant or inconclusive by simple rules was only moderate between the non-experts and the expert (kappa = 0.50, 95 %-CI 0.300 – 0.704, percentage of agreement = 70.0 %). The level of agreement for all 10 simple rules features varied greatly (kappa index range: -0.08 – 0.74, percentage of agreement 66 – 94 %). Conclusion Although simple rules are useful to distinguish benign from malignant adnexal masses, they are not that simple for untrained examiners. Training with both IOTA terminology and simple rules is necessary before simple rules can be introduced into guidelines and daily clinical practice.

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EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH SUBAXIAL CERVICAL FRACTURES BY THE NEW AOSPINE CLASSIFICATION

Coluna/Columna ◽

10.1590/s1808-185120191804193631 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 18 (4) ◽

pp. 268-271

Author(s):

Pedro Augusto Celestino de Oliveira ◽

Alberto Gotfryd ◽

Maria Fernanda Cafaro ◽

Nelson Astur ◽

Rodrigo Mendonça ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neurological Deficit ◽

Medical Records ◽

Tertiary Hospital ◽

Categorical Variables ◽

Neurological Involvement ◽

Chi Square ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Significance Level ◽

Cervical Fractures ◽

Type C

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the profile of patients with fracture and / or dislocation of the subaxial cervical spine using the new AOSpine classification and to correlate it with the trauma mechanism and the type of neurological deficit. Methods: Analyses were performed of the medical records of patients admitted to a tertiary hospital with fracture and / or subaxial cervical dislocation during the period from 2009 to 2016. For the evaluation of the association between the two categorical variables, the Chi-square test was used with a significance level of p <0.05. Results: A total of 67 medical records were analyzed, in which a higher prevalence of type C fractures (49.3%) was observed. The neurological subclassification N4 (35.8%) was the most prevalent type found, followed by subtype N0 (26.9%). Among the main injury mechanisms found, the most prevalent was the motorcycle accident (29.9%). There was no statistically significant association between the injury mechanism and the AOSpine morphological classification (p> 0.05) or neurological deficit (p> 0.05). Conclusion: Cervical fractures of type C, due to automobile accidents were the most prevalent. It was not possible to determine an association between the degree of neurological involvement and the morphology of the injury. Level of Evidence II; Retrospective study.

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