Early screening is vital for FAI

Peter Pollack

Screening may be key to reducing osteoarthritis later Although some orthopaedists may view femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) as a relatively “new” condition, Rafael J. Sierra, MD, points out that published research discussed procedures similar to those currently being performed for its treatment as early as the 1930s. In recent years, the efforts of German orthopaedic surgeon Dr.

Don’t guess—test for your patient’s level of distress

Annie Hayashi

Award-winning study compares physicians’ clinical instincts to patient questionnaire “Psychological distress has been shown to be a predictor for poor outcomes in spinal surgery,” said Michael D. Daubs, MD, at the recent meeting of the North American Spine Society (NASS).

YOC introduces “informed patient” feature

Stuart J. Fischer, MD

AAOS patient education Web site offers new decision-making tool Your Orthopaedic Connection (YOC), the Academy’s patient information Web site, announces the launch of its newest feature—the Informed Patient module. The new feature is a joint effort between YOC and the AAOS Medical Liability Committee, chaired by Murray Goodman, MD. It’s also one of the first attempts on the World Wide Web to create an interactive tool that will help patients learn more about surgical procedures.

Funding not the only potential bias factor in IDE trials

Annie Hayashi

Desire for newest treatment may affect patient selection, outcomes In recent years, the issue of bias in medical studies has gained national attention. Although much of that attention has focused on the way that funding can affect the reporting of results, other factors may also bias results. Physicians and patients, influenced in subtle ways by cutting-edge devices and treatments, can make selection decisions that affect the outcomes of clinical trials.

The challenge of communicating with pediatric patients

John M. Purvis, MD

Tips for talking with children Do you see children in your orthopaedic practice? How’s the communication end of things going for you? When it comes to communicating with patients, physicians need to remember that children are not just small adults. Applying the four Es—engagement, empathy, enlistment, and education—to pediatric patients and their families requires a much different approach than with adults.

Meetings and Course Listings

Listed below are upcoming continuing medical education (CME) courses and orthopaedic meetings (March through June 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.

SaveYourKnees.org debuts this month

Addy Kujawa

New AAOS Web site provides single resource for patients Each year, patients make more than 19 million visits to doctors for problems with their knees—from knee pain to torn ligaments to osteoarthritis severe enough to require joint replacement. Many of those patients may come into your office with sheaves of paper, printouts from Internet sites that may or may not provide accurate information about injury prevention, surgical and nonsurgical treatments, and expected outcomes.

Second Look

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.