When demand exceeds supply

Peter Pollack

Will orthopaedists be able to keep up? Driven by the aging baby boomer generation and an increase in the number of obese patients, demand for arthroplasty is projected to double over the next decade. However, according to a paper presented by Thomas K. Fehring, MD, at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons 2008 annual meeting, decreased interest among residents in choosing careers in adult orthopaedic reconstruction is likely to result in a shortage on the supply side. Dr.

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.

Behind the scenes of an AAOS Webinar

Murray J. Goodman, MD

By Murray J. Goodman, MD An inside look at planning and executing an Academy Webinar It’s Tuesday night, Nov. 13, 2007, and I’m about to make my online debut as a faculty presenter on the Academy’s first Webinar, Orthopaedists At Risk: Navigating Industry Relationships. I am at home in my study, linked up with the other faculty via a telephone bridge. I will not see anyone in the audience when I make my presentation. All I will see is my computer screen.

Meetings and Course Listings

For more information about other CME courses or orthopaedic meetings listed, contact the source provided. Meetings and courses sponsored by Board of Specialty Societies members and regional orthopaedic organizations may be listed in the print version of AAOS Now. Send information, including contact name and e-mail address to: AAOS Now 6300 N. River Rd. Rosemont, Ill. 60018-4262 Fax: (847) 823-8033 E-mail: aaoscomm@aaos.

SpotCheck: Intertrochanteric fracture treatment

A recent article in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery found a “dramatic change in surgeon preference” from plate fixation to intramedullary (IM) nail fixation for the treatment of intertrochanteric fractures. What method do you use to treat intertrochanteric fractures and why? Richard F. Kyle, MD Hennepin County Medical Center I use a hip screw for all routine intertrochanteric fractures with an intact lateral buttress (Fig. 1).

Award-winning study examines outcomes based on novel diagnostic indications

Annie Hayashi

Study is move toward evidence-based decisions in spinal surgery “Chronic low back pain is a symptom, not a diagnostic entity from which treatment outcomes can be readily extrapolated,” said Steven D. Glassman, MD, at the recent North American Spine Society Meeting. “Asking whether fusion is a good treatment for low back pain is like asking whether antibiotics are a good treatment for shortness of breath.”

Patient characteristics, surgical choice influence infection rates

Annie Hayashi

Study identifies factors that elevate TJR infection rates “Total joint replacement (TJR) infection is a complication that negatively affects outcomes,” said Robert A. Malinzak, MD. “Iden­tifying ways to minimize this com­plication will improve out­comes for surgeons and their pa­tients as well as minimize societal costs.” To identify factors that influence TJR infection rates, Dr.

Pearls and pitfalls of treating SLAP lesions

Annie Hayashi

Diagnosis and treatment tips from a veteran arthroscopic surgeon Superior labral anterior posterior (SLAP) tears can cause significant dysfunction in the overhead throwing athlete but can also be difficult to diagnosis, according to Stephen S. Burkhart, MD. Once an accurate diagnosis has been made, however, arthroscopic repair of the SLAP tear can produce excellent results—returning a high percentage of pitchers to their preinjury level of performance.

Prevent infections by leading your OR team

Robert Brooks, MD, PhD, MBA

What you do before and during surgery is important A recent review article published in the Journal of the AAOS emphasized the important role that continuously correct intraoperative antibiotic levels play in preventing surgical site infections (SSIs).

Arthroplasty in patients with Parkinson’s disease

Mary Ann Porucznik

An interview with Lee M. Zuckerman, MD An article in the January 2009 issue of the Journal of the AAOS reviews the evaluation and treatment of orthopaedic conditions in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). In an interview with AAOS Now, author Lee M. Zuckerman, MD, chief orthopaedic resident at SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., focused on issues relating to total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in Parkinson’s patients.

What’s the latest word in joint replacement?

Jennie McKee

Panel reviews new technology, research directions After receiving wrist implants, a young patient with severe rheumatoid arthritis has pain-free, flexible wrists for the first time in her life. A reverse total shoulder replacement enables an elderly patient with severe arthritis and rotator-cuff loss to lift his arm above his head and reach a can in his kitchen cabinet.

Genes may determine best candidates for lumbar fusion

Annie Hayashi

NASS “Best Paper” finds link between genes and pain associated with degenerative disk disease “It may be possible to draw a blood sample or a buccal swab from a patient, run a quick gene sequencing test, and provide the patient with very specific probabilities regarding the outcome following surgical treatment,” Dr. Kim said. “In fact, a rapidly growing body of scientific and clinical evidence suggests that we are not far from being able to do just that.” Dr.