Study Examines Early Weight Bearing After Microfracture Surgery for Talus Lesions

Terry Stanton

Patients managed with early weight bearing (EWB) following arthroscopic microfracture for osteochondral lesions of the talus exhibited significant improvement in early postoperative functional scores compared to those managed with delayed weight bearing (DWB), according to research presented by CPT J. Banks Deal Jr, MD, of Tripler Army Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii at the 2016 annual meeting of the Society of Military Orthopaedic Surgeons (SOMOS).

More from the SOMOS 2016 Annual Meeting

Andrew J. Sheean, MD

Throughout the 2016 SOMOS annual meeting, many well-known surgeons addressed attendees on a variety of subjects and moderated several scientific sessions on cutting-edge topics. provided his perspective on the treatment of femoral head fractures. Dr. Sagi advocated for operative treatment of Type I Pipkin fractures of the femoral head, either with fixation or excision. Additionally, Dr.

TJA: How Much Does Timing Matter?

Maureen Leahy

Research presented at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) annual meeting indicates that total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients with lower preoperative function have worse mid- to long-term outcomes than patients with higher preoperative function. According to Carlos J. Lavernia, MD, who presented the study, the findings suggest that timing of surgery may be an important consideration in patients undergoing TJA.

Second Look – Clinical News and Views

These items originally appeared in AAOS Headline News Now, a thrice-weekly enewsletter that keeps AAOS members up to date on clinical, socioeconomic, and political issues, with links to more detailed information. Subscribe at www.aaos.org/news/news.

Opioids and the Orthopaedic Surgeon

Terry Stanton

Although a flurry of legislative and regulatory activity in response to the opioid crisis has reduced the volume of opioid medications being dispensed, the epidemic of addiction continues to be a serious issue.

Research Uncovers New Treatments for Clubfoot

and Christina Gurnett, MD, PhD, will receive the Kappa Delta Ann Doner Vaughn Award for their paper "Advancing Personalized Medicine for Clubfoot Through Translational Research." The award will be presented in San Diego during the 2017 AAOS Annual Meeting. "Our work leverages scientific advances of the past decades, including human gene sequencing, molecular genetic engineering of mouse models, and magnetic resonance imaging, as well as new treatment technologies," write the authors.

Is Obesity a Modifiable Risk Factor for Elective Orthopaedic Surgery?

Laura M. Bruse, MD

Attention is increasingly being drawn to risk factors that may affect patient outcomes in orthopaedic surgery. Frequently, modifiable risk factors such as smoking, alcohol use, and obesity are discussed and modified prior to elective orthopaedic surgery. Obesity is a recognized medical condition which is increasing in both the adult and child population. The prevalence of obesity has doubled in adults in the past 20 years, with 35 percent of the U.S.