➢ Natural language processing with large language models is a subdivision of artificial intelligence (AI) that extracts meaning from text with use of linguistic rules, statistics, and machine learning to generate appropriate text responses. Its utilization in medicine and in the field of orthopaedic surgery is rapidly growing. ➢ Large language models can be utilized in generating scientific manuscript texts of a publishable quality; however, they suffer from AI hallucinations, in which untruths or half-truths are stated with misleading confidence. Their use raises considerable concerns regarding the potential for research misconduct and for hallucinations to insert misinformation into the clinical literature. ➢ Current editorial processes are insufficient for identifying the involvement of large language models in manuscripts. Academic publishing must adapt to encourage safe use of these tools by establishing clear guidelines for their use, which should be adopted across the orthopaedic literature, and by implementing additional steps in the editorial screening process to identify the use of these tools in submitted manuscripts.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment-based Frailty Index and adverse outcomes in older adult patients undergoing hip fracture surgery. METHODS: Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Academic Level 1 Trauma Center. Patients: All patients aged 65 or older who underwent surgical repair of a hip fracture between May 2018 and August 2020 were identified through institutional database review. Outcome Measures and Comparisons: Data including demographics, FI, injury presentation, and hospital course were collected. Patients were grouped by FI as nonfrail (FI < 0.21), frail (0.21 ≤ FI < 0.45), and severely frail (FI > 0.45). Adverse outcomes of these groups were compared using Kaplan Meier survival analysis. Risk factors for 1-year rehospitalization and 2-year mortality were evaluated using Cox hazard regression. RESULTS: Three hundred sixteen patients were included, with 62 nonfrail, 185 frail, and 69 severely frail patients. The total population was on average 83.8 years old, predominantly white (88.0%), and majority female (69.9%) with an average FI of 0.33 (SD: 0.14). The nonfrail cohort was on average 78.8 years old, 93.6% white, and 80.7% female; the frail cohort was on average 84.5 years old, 92.4% white, and 71.9% female; and the severely frail cohort was on average 86.4 years old, 71.0% white, and 55.1% female. Rate of 1-year readmission increased with frailty level, with a rate of 38% in nonfrail patients, 55.6% in frail patients, and 74.2% in severely frail patients (P = 0.001). The same pattern was seen in 2-year mortality rates, with a rate of 2.8% in nonfrail patients, 36.7% in frail patients, and 77.5% in severely frail patients (P < 0.0001). Being classified as frail or severely frail exhibited greater association with mortality within 2 years than age, with hazard ratio of 17.81 for frail patients and 56.81 for severely frail patients compared with 1.19 per 5 years of age. CONCLUSIONS: Increased frailty as measured by the Frailty Index is significantly associated with increased 2-year mortality and 1-year hospital readmission rates after hip fracture surgery. Degree of frailty predicts mortality more strongly than age alone. Assessing frailty with the Frailty Index can identify higher-risk surgical candidates, facilitate clinical decision making, and guide discussions about goals of care with family members, surgeons, and geriatricians. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

This literature review examines the impact of orthopaedic trauma on patient mental health. It focuses on patient outcomes, available resources, and healthcare provider knowledge and education. Orthopaedic trauma represents a significant physical and psychological burden for patients, often resulting in long-term disability, pain, and functional limitations. Understanding the impact of orthopaedic trauma on patient mental health is crucial for improving patient care, and optimizing recovery and rehabilitation outcomes. In this review, we synthesize the findings of empirical studies over the past decade to explore the current understanding of mental health outcomes in patients with orthopaedic trauma. Through this analysis, we identify gaps in existing research, as well as potential avenues for improving patient care and mental health support for patients with severe orthopaedic injuries. Our review reveals the pressing need for collaboration between healthcare providers, mental health professionals, and social support systems to ensure comprehensive mental care for patients with traumatic orthopaedic injuries.

OBJECTIVES: To compare outcomes in patients on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) treated within 48 hours of last preoperative dose with those with surgical delays >48 hours. METHODS: Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Three academic Level 1 trauma centers. Patient Selection Criteria: Patients 65 years of age or older on DOACs before hip fracture treated between 2010 and 2018. Patients were excluded if last DOAC dose was >24 hours before admission, patient suffered from polytrauma, and/or delay to surgery was not attributed to DOAC. Outcome Measures and Comparisons: Primary outcome measures were the postoperative complication rate as determined by diagnosis of deep venous thrombosis or pulmonary embolus, wound breakdown, drainage, or infection. Secondary outcomes included transfusion requirement, perioperative bleeding, length of stay, reoperation rates, readmission rates, and mortality. RESULTS: Two hundred five patients were included in this study, with a mean cohort age of 81.9 years (65–100 years), 64% were (132/205) female, and a mean Charlson Comorbidity Index of 6.4 (2–20). No significant difference was observed among age, sex, Charlson Comorbidity Index, or fracture pattern between cohorts (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). Seventy-one patients had surgery 48 hours after. No significant difference in complication rate between the 2 cohorts was observed (P = 0.30). Patients with delayed surgical management were more likely to require transfusion (OR 2.39, 95% CI, 1.05–5.44; P = 0.04). Patients with early surgical management had significantly shorter lengths of stay (5.9 vs. 7.6 days, P < 0.005). There was no difference in estimated blood loss, anemia, reoperations, readmissions, 90-day mortality, or 1-year mortality (P > 0.05 for all comparisons). CONCLUSIONS: Geriatric patients with hip fracture who underwent surgical management within 48 hours of their last preoperative DOAC dose required less transfusions and had decreased length of stay, with comparable mortality and complication rates with patients with surgery delayed beyond 48 hours. Providers should consider early intervention in this population rather than adherence to elective procedure guidelines. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Background: Increasing U.S. health-care costs raise concerns regarding the sustainability of the U.S. health-care system, with the potential for negative effects on the mental and physical health of patients. Orthopaedic injuries often impose considerable financial burdens on patients and hospitals, but the trends in, and drivers of, costs remain unclear. This study evaluated the total expenditure and out-of-pocket (OOP) costs of patients with a lower-extremity (LE) fracture in the non-institutionalized U.S. population from 2010 to 2021. Methods: A total of 3,016 participants with an LE fracture from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) were propensity score matched with 15,080 MEPS participants with no LE fracture. Patients with an LE fracture were predominantly between 40 and 64 years old (43.2%), female (66.0%), and White (78.8%). Total expenditure and OOP costs were compared between the groups. A multivariable regression analysis was performed to identify factors that were associated with costs. Outcomes were adjusted on the basis of the 2022 Consumer Price Index. Results: Patients with an LE fracture had greater total expenses than the control group ($20,230 [95% confidence interval (CI), $18,916 to $21,543] versus $10,678 [95% CI, $10,302 to $11,053]; p < 0.001) as well as greater OOP costs ($1,634 [95% CI, $1,516 to $1,753] versus $1,089 [95% CI, $1,050 to $1,128]; p < 0.001). Between 2010 and 2021, total expenses increased more for patients with an LE fracture than for the control group (101.2% versus 51.4%; p < 0.001), whereas OOP costs increased to a lesser degree in both groups (61.1% versus 44.5%; p = 0.17). In the LE fracture group, total expenditure was driven by inpatient care, office-based visits, and prescription costs, whereas OOP costs were driven by office-based visits, prescription costs, and “other” sources. Femoral fracture, hospitalization, and certain comorbidities were associated with higher total expenses. Hospitalization, uninsured status, and a higher income level were associated with increased OOP costs, whereas African American or Hispanic background and a lower educational level were associated with lower OOP costs. Conclusions: An LE fracture was associated with considerable total expenditure and OOP costs, which increased disproportionately compared with general health-care costs over the past decade. Post-hospitalization care was the biggest driver of both total expenses and OOP costs. Due to limitations inherent to the MEPS database, the impact of financial burden on not only payers but also individuals and their medical decision-making remains unclear and requires further investigation. Level of Evidence: Economic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.