Better fixation for cementless implants possible

Jennie McKee

Locally delivered bisphosphonates may enhance bone formation “Bisphosphonates are known to have potential for increasing bone stock by suppressing osteoclastic activity,” said J. Dennis Bobyn, PhD. By enhancing local bone formation, contended Dr. Bobyn, these drugs may provide better mechanical fixation for total joint implants. Dr. Bobyn and his colleagues studied the impact of adding zoledronic acid (ZA) to the hydroxyapatite coating of cementless metal implants.

ED call: Is coordinated care the solution?

Peter Pollack

Panel offers possible solutions to ED crisis “An increasing number of patients are seeking care through the emergency department (ED),” said Michael J. Bosse, MD, as he opened the symposium “Orthopaedic emergency room coverage: Where are we going?” at the AAOS Annual Meeting. “But up to 75 percent of EDs lack appropriate specialty coverage.” The following factors have contributed to the crisis, noted Dr. Bosse: Many EDs and trauma systems are underfunded.

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.

Meetings and Course Listings

Listed below are upcoming continuing medical education (CME) courses and orthopaedic meetings (May through September 2009). 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 a gender-specific design necessary?

Jennie McKee

Findings do not support need for female-specific implant designs “Specific anatomic differences are thought to account for gender-specific outcomes after total knee arthroplasty (TKA); however, using prospectively collected data, our study found that females had higher early improvement in function and pain scores after unisex TKA than males,” said Thoralf R. Liebs, MD, the lead author of a paper that was presented at the 2009 AAOS Annual Meeting. Dr.

What’s your “return-to-driving” policy?

Jennie McKee

Researchers recommend developing a consistent procedure “Deciding when a patient can return to driving is a complex decision that should not be made lightly, given the patient and public safety implications, as well as potential legal issues,” said Edward K. Rodriguez, MD, PhD. He covered many of those issues in his podium presentation at the 2009 Annual Meeting, “Return to driving after orthopaedic injury or surgery: Patient concerns.” Based on a patient survey that Dr.

Four out of five patients satisfied after TKR

“Patients who are older, who have unrealistic expectations, who have comorbidities, who live alone, or who have a complication requiring hospital readmission are most likely to be dissatisfied following total knee replacement (TKR),” according to Robert B. Bourne, MD. Dr. Bourne presented the results of his paper, “Patient satisfaction after TKR: Who is happy and who is not?” at the 2009 AAOS Annual Meeting.

Computer-assisted TKAs yield better outcomes

Peter Pollack

Computer-assisted navigation may result in better outcomes than standard instrumentation methods for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients, according to the authors. John M. Dillon, MRCS, presented the results of “Functional outcome assessment after navigated and standard TKA using gait analysis” at the 2009 AAOS Annual Meeting. The research team conducted a prospective, controlled study of 54 patients based on gait analysis.

Let’s rethink how we train orthopaedic surgical residents

Joseph E. Sheppard, MD

Can a cooperative effort between academic and community-based orthopaedists work? The evolution of orthopaedic resident training over the past 50 years has received significant attention recently. Historically, resident training was centralized in an academic setting; the medical school was affiliated with a major university. Subsequently, community-based programs have evolved to service the growing demand for qualified orthopaedic surgeons.

OREF invites fellowship grant applications

On March 10, the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) launched the first phase of its new Clinician Development Program, inviting applications for institutional graduate medical education (GME) fellowship grants for the 2009–2010 academic year.

Half of all musculoskeletal injuries occur in home

USBJD project draws attention to burden of musculoskeletal conditions More than three of every five accidental injuries that occur annually in the United States are to the musculoskeletal system. In 2004, more than 57.2 million musculoskeletal injuries were treated in healthcare settings and accounted for 60 percent of injuries of all types treated that year. Musculoskeletal injuries include sprains and strains, usually incurred during sudden movement or excessive use (16.