How safe are soft-tissue allografts?

C. Thomas Vangsness Jr., MD

New methods of sterilization have been introduced, but questions remain about the actual risk of infection and disease transmission The use of allograft tissues is increasingly popular in the United States, with widespread use among orthopaedic surgeons—particularly in knee surgery. In 2005, more than 60,000 allografts were used in knee surgeries by members of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM).

Second Look

In case you missed these news items the first time around, AAOS Now gives you a second chance to review them. Links to all items are available online at www.aaos.org/now. Stay current by subscribing to Headline News, the AAOS thrice-weekly online update of news of interest. Headline News brings you the latest on clinical, socioeconomic, and political issues, as well as important announcements from AAOS. Subscribe to Headline News at www.aaos.org/news/news.asp.

MOC…it’s not as easy as it looks

John T. Gill, MD

We have known it was coming, but now Maintenance of Certification (MOC) is upon us. The “class of 2010” will be the first to recertify under the new process, and if you are among those Diplomates whose board certification expires in 2010, pay particular attention to this article. The amount of effort required and the proximity of deadlines will amaze you. It amazed me when I began to dig deeper. The FIRST thing you need to do is go to www.abos.org and register to get a username and password.

The orthopaedist’s role when disaster strikes

Jennie McKee

JAAOS series highlights key concepts of treating patients after mass casualty disasters Recent bombing attempts in the United Kingdom and warnings about the continuing possibility of terrorist attacks against the United States remind us of a sobering reality: mass casualty disasters can occur anywhere, at any time.

A new “pain in the neck”

Jerrold M. Gorski, MD

A breakthrough in the evaluation and treatment of chronic neck pain and whiplash-associated disorders Editor’s note: I promised that AAOS Now would give AAOS members a place to “sound off,” just as Dr. Gorski is doing in this column. Readers are welcome to respond, comment, or critize, as long as you remember that AAOS Now is a “member” publication—not a scientific, peer-reviewed journal. Whether you think Dr.

Course Listings

Listed below are upcoming continuing medical education (CME) courses and orthopaedic meeting through November 2007. For more information about AAOS-sponsored courses, contact the AAOS customer service department at (800) 626-6726, visit the CME course section of the AAOS Web site at www.aaos.org/courses, or contact the source listed. For more information about other CME courses or about orthopaedic meetings, contact the source listed.

Hip resurfacing: A boon for Boomers or too risky?

Annie Hayashi

Although some orthopaedic surgeons say hip resurfacing is a viable alternative procedure for some patients, others raise serious concerns about the surgical learning curve, the incidence of femoral neck fractures, and metal ions toxicity. With aging “baby boomers” looking for ways to maintain their active lifestyles, hip resurfacing has been getting a lot of media attention.