Adverse Local Tissue Responses to MoM Hip Implants

Maureen Leahy

Joshua J. Jacobs, MD, first vice-president of the AAOS and chair of the department of orthopaedic surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, is a recognized expert on bearing surfaces used in hip and knee implants. Joshua J. Jacobs, MD AAOS Now: Dr. Jacobs, ALTRs have been observed in some patients with MoM implants. Can you tell us what causes them? Dr.

New Tools in the Battle Against MRSA

Paul Zemaitis

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a staph bacterium resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics, is most commonly associated with skin infections in the community and more severe, potentially life-threatening infections in the healthcare setting. Of the 25 percent to 30 percent of community residents who are colonized with S aureus, approximately 2 percent have MRSA.

2012 National Patient Safety Goals Announced

Paul Zemaitis

Attention to patient safety issues has increased since the Institute of Medicine’s report, “To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System” in 1999. Major areas of concern include wrong-site surgery, medication errors, healthcare-acquired infections, falls, readmissions, and diagnostic errors. National Patient Safety Goals, introduced in 2002, were developed to help accredited organizations address specific patient safety issues.

Meetings and Course Listings

General JUNE 13–16 Western Orthopaedic Association Annual Meeting The Hilton Portland, Portland, Ore. Website: woa-assn.org JUNE 14–16 Mid-Central States Orthopaedic Society Annual Meeting Hilton Omaha, Omaha, Neb. Website: statesociety.org/mcsos JUNE 15–16 AAOS/Orthopaedics Overseas: Teach, Travel, and Learn: Volunteering with Orthopaedics Overseas Washington, D.C. Course director: Richard Fisher, MD Website: www.hvousa.

The Bearing Dilemma in 2012: What Are We to Do?

Mary Ann Porucznik

New materials and better information on the way older materials perform are having a significant impact on joint replacement—particularly for total hip arthroplasty (THA). At The Hip Society/American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons 2012 Specialty Day program, William J.

Help STOP Sport Injuries in Young Athletes

James R. Andrews, MD, a former president of the American Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM), has always had a keen interest in injury prevention in young athletes. In 2008, in cooperation with the AOSSM, he initiated the international STOP Sports Injuries Campaign to help curtail “the escalation of injuries in youth sports.” The campaign was a major focus of his AOSSM presidency. AAOS NOW spoke with Dr. Andrews about this important initiative.

Metal-on-Metal Hip Implants: The Clinical Issues

Terry Stanton

Recent concerns about metal-on-metal (MoM) hip replacement prompted a symposium of surgeons to discuss clinical considerations for patients with MoM devices during the 2012 AAOS Annual Meeting.

Distractions in the Operating Room Threaten Patient Safety

Do cell phones and tablets affect communication and concentration? A resident observing the surgery takes a call on his cell phone. The scrub nurse flips through images of wedding dresses on her smartphone. The operating surgeon’s assistant steps in to ask a question about another patient. The anesthesiologist taps his foot in time to the beat of the music in his earbud. It’s just another day in the operating room (OR). Recently, AAOS Now editorial board member Michael F.

Looking at the Past to Improve the Present

Andrew R. Hsu, MD

Perioperative infections after orthopaedic procedures can be devastating complications for patients, families, and physicians. The morbidity from surgical site infections includes pain, loss of function, increased hospitalization, prolonged rehabilitation, and higher rates of reoperation. Research has shown that certain orthopaedic procedures—such as revision total knee arthroplasty, ankle fusion, and subtalar fusion—carry a significantly greater risk of infection than other operations.

Orthopaedic Trivia Quiz

AAOS Now tests your knowledge of orthopaedic trivia. Take a minute and see how well you know your orthopaedic trivia—but don’t peek at the answers! What is the “official” number of orthopaedics? One Three Five Seven Ten This gentleman played varsity baseball and tennis at Long Island University, was the first African-American board-certified orthopaedist in the United States, and served as Chief of Orthopaedics at Howard University.

Maintenance of Licensure Coming Soon

Shepard R. Hurwitz, MD

Medical licensure is a practice requirement in all states and territories in the United States and the District of Columbia. Licenses are issued by state medical boards, with some states having separate licensing boards for doctors of osteopathy. Established in 1912, the Federation of State Medical Boards (FSMB) represents all of the nation’s state medical and osteopathic boards and functions as a clearing house of information about common licensing issues and professionalism.

MOC Myths—BUSTED!

In this feature, AAOS Now explores common misconceptions about the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery’s (ABOS) Maintenance of Certification™ (MOC) process. MYTH: Orthopaedists who are still practicing but no longer perform surgery cannot take part in the MOC process.