NSAIDs may be better than steroids for SIS

Peter Pollack

NSAIDs result in greater improvements in motion, pain Pressure on the rotator cuff from the shoulder blade as the arm is lifted often results in subacromial impingement syndrome (SIS), a common shoulder injury among overhead athletes. Symptoms include pain and swelling in the shoulder, and the syndrome is usually treated nonsurgically.

What’s your hand hygiene?

Calvin C. Kuo, MD

Despite a choice of agents and techniques, adherence is challenging I’ll never forget my first simulated clinical patient exam in medical school. After entering the exam room, I introduced myself to the patient and shook his hand. The proctor immediately interjected and told me that I had failed the first test. She made the point that we, as healthcare providers, should cleanse our hands before as well as after every patient contact.

OSI students introduced to orthopaedic research

Maureen Leahy

Summer program promotes orthopaedics to minority students “Research does more than advance medical care for patients,” Charles L. Nelson, MD, told participants of the Orthopaedic Summer Internship (OSI) orientation held at AAOS headquarters in May. “It helps providers develop critical thinking skills, enhances opportunities for advancement, and can lead to improvements in other fields.”

Meetings and Course Listings

Listed below are upcoming continuing medical education (CME) courses and orthopaedic meetings (November 2011 through January 2012). 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.

Looking for an edge: Steroids, supplements, and “vitamins”

Peter Pollack

Team physicians must help athletes to make smart choices; gauge risks “Being a team physician may sound like a dream come true, but with the job comes significant responsibilities,” said Edward R. McDevitt, MD, “You want your team to win, but the safety of the players must come first.” What’s the problem? Speaking at the 2011 annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, Dr.

Biologic treatments emerge for IVD

Terry Stanton

JAAOS article reviews current science, therapies Intervertebral disk (IVD) degeneration is a complex process that was recognized as a clinical entity before the underlying molecular pathophysiology was studied or understood. Research into the molecular basis of degenerative disk disease has greatly increased understanding of the biology underlying this complex process. In the September issue of the Journal of the AAOS (JAAOS), Christopher K.

To the edge and back

William T. Obremskey, MD, MPH; Jill Obremskey, MD

My battle for life was a lesson in living As a trauma surgeon, I am frequently called into sudden action and have grown accustomed to the emergent nature of my profession. But little did I know that a routine Monday morning call would change my life and ultimately lead me to adopt four critical principles of living. The day began with a page from a colleague requesting my immediate presence in the operating room (OR).

AAOS Now Perioperative Smoking Cessation Forum

Monday, Feb. 6, 2012 San Francisco Marriott 1 p.m. – 6 p.m. AAOS Now is organizing a half-day forum focused on the effects of smoking on musculoskeletal health and orthopaedic procedure outcomes, and the effectiveness of perioperative smoking cessation programs in an orthopaedic context.

Upcoming deadlines for Maintenance of Certification

For complete information, refer to the website of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, www.abos.

Perspectives on knee osteonecrosis broaden

Jennie McKee

Review article explores latest research on three pathologic entities Knee osteonecrosis (ON) is a progressive disease that can lead to subchondral collapse and debilitating arthritis. Researchers initially thought it developed spontaneously and typically involved the medial femoral condyle. That view of the disease has expanded, however, to include three distinct pathologic entities: secondary ON, spontaneous ON, and postarthroscopic ON.

Introducing the AAOS Orthopaedic Theater

Reid Stanton

Peer review makes the difference How would you like easy access to a growing library of peer-reviewed orthopaedic surgical videos? That’s what you get with the AAOS Orthopaedic Theater, accessible through the AAOS OrthoPortal. Orthopaedic Theater’s online collection of peer-reviewed orthopaedic surgical videos includes programs from the Annual Meeting’s Multimedia Education Center for the past 3 years.

Course prepares members for disaster service

Maureen Leahy

Disaster response course readies volunteers for relief efforts In 2010, hundreds of AAOS members volunteered to help when a massive earthquake devastated Haiti. But many were shocked by what they saw when they arrived. The lessons learned from those experiences led to the formation of an AAOS–Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) Disaster Preparedness Project Team and an AAOS Disaster Preparedness Plan, which was recently approved by the AAOS Board of Directors.