Satellite course beams surgical expertise from coast to coast

Jennie McKee

‘Maximum impact, minimum time commitment’ cited as benefits Satellite and Internet technology brought a unique learning experience to nearly 200 orthopaedic surgeons this past May.

AAOS, ACOEM partner on new practice guidelines for hip disorders

Robert H. Haralson III, MD, MBA

The AAOS and the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) have begun a cooperative pilot project to develop new medical practice guidelines and to revise previous guidelines. The initial effort will focus on developing guidelines for the treatment of hip pain. The new guidelines will be released as a chapter in a new edition of ACOEM’s comprehensive Occupational Medicine Practice Guidelines, slated for publication later this year.

Simulator compares knee implants

Peter Pollack

Comparison shows impact of design on kinematics Computer simulation may hold one key toward streamlining the process of testing new orthopaedic devices, according to Edward A. Morra, MSME, and A. Seth Greenwald, DPhil Oxon. Their display at the 2008 AAOS Annual Meeting examined the use of a computer model to simulate movement and wear in an artificial knee. According to Mr. Morra, the LifeMOD/KneeSIM, a software application produced by Biomechanics Research Group, Inc.

Fracture healing on trial

Annie Hayashi

By Annie Hayashi Panel addresses challenges of measuring healing in clinical trials Because every orthopaedist treats fractures, measuring healing is an important clinical consideration. It’s also crucial for researchers who conduct clinical trials in fracture treatment.

Second Look – Clinical News and Views

If you missed these Headline News Now items the first time around, AAOS Now gives you a second chance to review them. Headline News Now—the AAOS thrice-weekly, online update of news of interest to orthopaedic surgeons—brings you the latest on clinical, socioeconomic, and political issues, as well as important announcements from AAOS. Links to additional information are available online at www.aaosnow.

Biologic strategies to build bone

Annie Hayashi

Symposium examines clinical applications of bone formation strategies Stuart B. Goodman, MD, PhD Restoring lost bone and avoiding complications are just two of the issues they must consider, he pointed out. Although using an autograft is the “gold standard” for rebuilding bone, the supply is limited and harvesting may result in substantial morbidity.

Putting MSCs to the test

Annie Hayashi

Which stem cell has most chondrogenic potential? “Mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy is very attractive for cartilage repair because so many stem cells can be obtained without damaging the normal cartilage,” said Hideyuki Koga, MD, PhD, during his presentation at the 2008 annual meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS). “We found that synovial stem cells, when compared with the others we tested, had the highest chondrogenic potential in vitro and in vivo.”

AAOS issues call for 2008 OSAE recorded answers

The Academy’s 2008 Orthopaedic Self-Assessment Examination (OSAE) scored-and-recorded exam fulfills the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ self-assessment requirement for Maintenance of Certification (MOC). A minimum number of participants is necessary to ensure that statistically the examination items can be analyzed to establish reliable norms. Once you submit your OSAE answers to the AAOS Scoring Center (www.aaos.

Meetings and Course Listings

Listed below are upcoming continuing medical education (CME) courses and orthopaedic meetings (August through December 2008). For more information about AAOS-sponsored courses, contact the AAOS customer service department at (800) 626-6726 or visit the CME course section of the AAOS Web site at www.aaos.org/courses For more information about other CME courses or orthopaedic meetings listed, contact the source provided.

Is drug testing the answer?

Michael F. Schafer, MD; Mary Ann Porucznik

With the Beijing Olympics soon to begin, the issue of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) is center stage. According to the International Olympic Committee, 4,500 drug tests will be conducted during the games—more than in any previous Olympics. That many tests may be necessary to ensure that the playing field isn’t artificially raised by athletes who use erythropoietin (EPO), human growth hormone (HGH), or other types of PEDs.

A lesson for golfers

Ann Kepler

Anyone who watched the 2008 U.S. Open knew that Tiger Woods was playing in pain. Two days after winning his 14th major championship, he announced that he would miss the rest of the PGA Tour season and have reconstructive surgery for a damaged anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. The surgery was performed on Tuesday, June 24, as this issue of AAOS Now went to press. Woods has a distinctive, powerful swing that puts unusual stress on his left knee.