ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence (AI) language processing model that uses deep learning to generate human-like responses to natural language inputs. Its potential use in health care has raised questions and several studies have assessed its effectiveness in writing articles, clinical reasoning, and solving complex questions. This study aims to investigate ChatGPT's capabilities and implications in diagnosing and managing patients with new shoulder and elbow complaints in a private clinical setting to provide insights into its potential use as a diagnostic tool for patients and a first consultation resource for primary physicians. In a private clinical setting, patients were assessed by ChatGPT after being seen by a shoulder and elbow specialist for shoulder and elbow symptoms. To be assessed by the AI model, a research fellow filled out a standardized form (including age, gender, major comorbidities, symptoms and the localization, natural history, and duration, any associated symptoms or movement deficit, aggravating/relieving factors, and x-ray/imaging report if present). This form was submitted through the ChatGPT portal and the AI model was asked for a diagnosis and best management modality. A total of 29 patients with 15 males and 14 females, were included in this study. The AI model was able to correctly choose the diagnosis and management in 93% (27/29) and 83% (24/29) of the patients, respectively. Furthermore, of the remaining 24 patients that were managed correctly, ChatGPT did not specify the appropriate management in 6 patients and chose only one management in 5 patients, where both were applicable and dependent on the patient’s choice. Therefore, 55% of ChatGPT’s management was poor. ChatGPT made a worthy opponent; however, it will not be able to replace in its current form a shoulder and elbow specialist in diagnosing and treating patients for many reasons such as misdiagnosis, poor management, lack of empathy and interactions with patients, its dependence on magnetic resonance imaging reports, and its lack of new knowledge.

Fares MY, et al. Clin Orthop Surg. 2023 Aug;15(4):521-533. https://doi.org/10.4055/cios23018

Background: Liposomal bupivacaine (LB) is a relatively novel anesthetic agent used in the management of postoperative pain in patients who have undergone shoulder surgery. Purpose: To explore the literature on LB in the setting of shoulder surgery and assess its efficacy and utility in managing postoperative pain. Study Design: Systematic review and meta-analysis; Level of evidence, 1. Methods: PubMed, Cochrane, and Google Scholar (pp 1-20) were searched for articles published up to November 2023. Inclusion criteria consisted of randomized controlled trials comparing anesthetic modalities using LB with other anesthetic modalities using alternative drugs in patients who underwent shoulder surgery. Complications, pain levels in the first 24 hours postoperatively, and opioid consumption intraoperatively and in the first, second, and third 24 hours postoperatively were assessed. Results: A total of 15 randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis. In 4 studies comparing periarticular injections of LB (196 patients) with nerve blocks of other anesthetic agents (201 patients), there was no significant difference in pain levels ( P = .74) and complication rates ( P = .37); however, intraoperative opioid consumption was significantly greater in patients with periarticular injections of LB ( P = .005). In 3 studies comparing single-injection LB nerve blocks (83 patients) with interscalene nerve block catheters (102 patients) and in 8 studies comparing single-injection LB nerve blocks (311 patients) with other nerve blocks (308 patients), single-injection LB nerve blocks demonstrated clinical superiority. Single-injection LB nerve blocks resulted in significantly lower pain levels and lower opioid consumption in the first, second, and third 24 hours postoperatively compared with other single-injection nerve blocks and both single-injection nerve blocks and interscalene catheters combined. Conclusion: LB is a promising anesthetic component with efficacy in providing analgesia after shoulder surgery. Single-injection LB nerve blocks were found to be superior in reducing pain levels and opioid consumption compared with other anesthetic modalities.

Boufadel P, et al. Clin Orthop Surg. 2024 Oct;16(5):679-687. https://doi.org/10.4055/cios23407