Background: Artificial intelligence and the language models derived from it, such as ChatGPT, offer immense possibilities, particularly in the field of medicine. It is already evident that ChatGPT can provide adequate and, in some cases, expert-level responses to health-related queries and advice for patients. However, it is currently unknown how patients perceive these capabilities, whether they can derive benefit from them, and whether potential risks, such as harmful suggestions, are detected by patients. Objective: This study aims to clarify whether patients can get useful and safe health care advice from an artificial intelligence chatbot assistant. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using 100 publicly available health-related questions from 5 medical specialties (trauma, general surgery, otolaryngology, pediatrics, and internal medicine) from a web-based platform for patients. Responses generated by ChatGPT-4.0 and by an expert panel (EP) of experienced physicians from the aforementioned web-based platform were packed into 10 sets consisting of 10 questions each. The blinded evaluation was carried out by patients regarding empathy and usefulness (assessed through the question: “Would this answer have helped you?”) on a scale from 1 to 5. As a control, evaluation was also performed by 3 physicians in each respective medical specialty, who were additionally asked about the potential harm of the response and its correctness. Results: In total, 200 sets of questions were submitted by 64 patients (mean 45.7, SD 15.9 years; 29/64, 45.3% male), resulting in 2000 evaluated answers of ChatGPT and the EP each. ChatGPT scored higher in terms of empathy (4.18 vs 2.7; P<.001) and usefulness (4.04 vs 2.98; P<.001). Subanalysis revealed a small bias in terms of levels of empathy given by women in comparison with men (4.46 vs 4.14; P=.049). Ratings of ChatGPT were high regardless of the participant’s age. The same highly significant results were observed in the evaluation of the respective specialist physicians. ChatGPT outperformed significantly in correctness (4.51 vs 3.55; P<.001). Specialists rated the usefulness (3.93 vs 4.59) and correctness (4.62 vs 3.84) significantly lower in potentially harmful responses from ChatGPT (P<.001). This was not the case among patients. Conclusions: The results indicate that ChatGPT is capable of supporting patients in health-related queries better than physicians, at least in terms of written advice through a web-based platform. In this study, ChatGPT’s responses had a lower percentage of potentially harmful advice than the web-based EP. However, it is crucial to note that this finding is based on a specific study design and may not generalize to all health care settings. Alarmingly, patients are not able to independently recognize these potential dangers.

Conservative treatment of simple elbow dislocations can lead to complications such as persisting pain and restricted joint mobility. The current aim was to identify patients with deteriorated outcome after conservative treatment and to investigate a possible association with initial joint (in)stability. Sixty-eight patients (mean age 37.1 ± 17.2 years) with simple elbow dislocations received conservative treatment. After closed reduction, joint stability was tested by varus and valgus stress under fluoroscopy. According to the findings under fluoroscopy, three different groups of instability could be identified: (1) slight instability (joint angulation <10°; n = 49), (2) moderate instability (angulation ≥10°; n = 19) and (3) gross instability. Patients with gross instability (re-dislocation under stability testing) were treated with primary surgical ligament repair and therefore excluded from this study. Additionally, MRIs and radiographs were analysed regarding warning signs of instability such as the drop sign and joint incongruence. Main outcome parameters were the Mayo Elbow Performance Score (MEPS), range of motion (ROM), complications and revision rates. After 40.7 ± 20.4 months, the overall MEPS was excellent (94.2 ± 11.3) with a trend of slightly worse clinical results in group 2 (95.8 ± 9.0 vs. 90.0 ± 15.2 points; p = 0.154). In group 1, significantly more patients achieved an excellent result regarding the MEPS scoring system (77.6 vs. 52.6 %; p = 0.043) and elbow extension was significantly worse in group 2 (5.3 ± 9.9° vs. 1.4 ± 3.0°; p = 0.015). Seven treatment complications occurred in group 2 (36.8 %) compared with two in group 1 (4.1 %, p < 0.0001). Six patients (8.8 %) needed secondary surgery with an 8.4-fold higher risk for revision surgery in group 2 (p = 0.007). The presence of a positive drop sign or joint incongruence led to higher odds ratio (OR) for complications (OR = 15.9) and revision surgery (OR = 10.3). This study demonstrates that patients with moderate joint instability after simple elbow dislocation have a significantly worse clinical outcome, more complications and a higher need for secondary revision surgery following conservative treatment compared to patients with slight elbow instability.

Clavicle non-unions can occur after both conservative and operative treatment failure. Here, we investigated the outcome of patients with delayed fracture healing or non-unions of the clavicle. Patients underwent revision surgery by plate osteosynthesis of the clavicle with or without bone grafting. Our aim was to determine rates of bone healing and the functional long-term outcome. The study population of 58 consecutive patients was divided into group 1 (n = 25; no bone graft) and group 2 (n = 33; iliac crest bone graft). Bone consolidation was determined by the Lane-Sandhu score preoperatively and after 2.2 ± 1.8 years, respectively. The functional long-term outcome was determined after 8.9 ± 2.7 years in all available patients (n = 30) by the Constant score, DASH (Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand) score and SF-36, and clavicle length was measured by ultrasound as compared to the healthy side. Clavicle consolidation was achieved in 54 out of 58 patients (93.1%) after revision surgeries. The radiographic score and bone consolidation rates were significantly higher in group 2 (93.3%) as compared with 72% in group 1 (p = 0.02), resulting in a significantly shorter time to bone consolidation in group 2. Similarly, the relative risk for additional surgery after the first revision surgery was 4.7-fold higher in group 1 (p = 0.02). The long-term results showed overall very good results in DASH score (14.9 ± 16.5) and good results in Constant scores (77.9 ± 19.9). The group analyses found significantly better Constant scores and better visual analogue pain scale (VAS) numbers in group 2. Clavicle shortening appeared to affect the clinical results, and a mild correlation between shortening and Constant scores (R = −0.31) was found. This study shows high rates of bone healing and good functional outcomes after surgical revision of clavicle non-unions and further demonstrates that additional bone graft could significantly accelerate bone healing. This indicates that revision surgery of clavicle non-unions might preferably be done with additional bone graft, even if the surgeon considers that bone healing might be achieved without bone grafting.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraoperative revision rate and reasons for revision following 3D imaging in the management of dislocated articular tibial plateau fractures based on a large patient sample. This retrospective cohort study included all patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation due type B or C tibial plateau fracture according to the AO/OTA classification between August 2001 and December 2017 using intraoperative cone beam CT (3D imaging) for the analysis of fracture reduction and implant placement. The findings of the 3D scan were categorized regarding the amount and type of revision. Furthermore, demographic data was examined. Five hundred and fifty-nine consecutive fractures were included in the study. Evaluation of the image data records revealed an intraoperative revision due to the usage of 3D imaging in 148 out of 559 cases (26.5%). The most common reasons for an intraoperative revision were insufficient fracture reduction (114 cases) and screw length (21 cases). This study reveals indications for a limited analysis of fracture reduction and implant placement during the operative treatment of dislocated articular tibial plateau fractures using conventional fluoroscopy. In view of the high revision rate during open reduction and internal fixation of tibial plateau fractures due to 3D imaging the usage of intraoperative cone beam, CT may be considered. If this is not possible, a postoperative computed tomography may therefore be reasonable.

In acetabular fractures, the assessment of reduction and implant placement has limitations in conventional 2D intraoperative imaging. 3D imaging offers the opportunity to acquire CT-like images and thus to improve the results. However, clinical experience shows that even 3D imaging has limitations, especially regarding artifacts when implants are placed. The purpose of this study was to assess the difference between intraoperative 3D imaging and postoperative CT regarding reduction and implant placement. Twenty consecutive cases of acetabular fractures were selected with a complete set of intraoperative 3D imaging and postoperative CT data. The largest detectable step and the largest detectable gap were measured in all three standard planes. These values were compared between the 3D data sets and CT data sets. Additionally, possible correlations between the possible confounders age and BMI and the difference between 3D and CT values were tested. The mean difference of largest visible step between the 3D imaging and CT scan was 2.0 ± 1.8 mm (0.0–5.8, p = 0.02) in the axial, 1.3 ± 1.4 mm (0.0–3.7, p = 0.15) in the sagittal and 1.9 ± 2.4 mm (0.0–7.4, p = 0.22) in the coronal views. The mean difference of largest visible gap between the 3D imaging and CT scan was 3.1 ± 3.6 mm (0.0–14.1, p = 0.03) in the axial, 4.6 ± 2.7 mm (1.2–8.7, p = 0.001) in the sagittal and 3.5 ± 4.0 mm (0.0–15.4, p = 0.06) in the coronal views. A positive correlation between the age and the difference in gap measurements in the sagittal view was shown (rho = 0.556, p = 0.011). Intraoperative 3D imaging is a valuable adjunct in assessing reduction and implant placement in acetabular fractures but has limitations due to artifacts caused by implant material. This can lead to missed malreduction and impairment of clinical outcome, so postoperative CT should be considered in these cases.