Trends in the Treatment of Biceps Pathology: An Analysis of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Database

Abstract

Background: Long head of biceps tendon pathology is a well-described source of pain in the anterior adult shoulder. Shoulder arthroscopic surgeons face this condition on a frequent basis because of the increasing aging population. Trends in treatment for this condition have varied over recent decades. An understanding of these trends may help orthopaedic surgeons counsel these patients. Purpose: To evaluate trends in treatment selection, patient population, and complications in recent part II examinees of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery (ABOS) board examination. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Using a database maintained by the ABOS, we accessed and analyzed examinee data from 2008 to 2019 to evaluate trends in the following categories: examination year/subspecialty, region, patient age/sex, International Classification of Diseases code, Current Procedural Terminology code, and complications. These data points were analyzed for all board-eligible candidates from 2008 to 2019. Results: The annual number of proximal biceps tendon (PBT) procedures performed increased significantly from 597 cases in 2008 to 2203 cases in 2019 (P