Strategies for Preventing TJA Infections

Terry Stanton

Infection is a major cause of failure after total joint arthroplasty (TJA), yet the risk of infection can be minimized through methodical attention to prevention before, during, and after surgery. During the 2017 annual meeting of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society, Antonia F. Chen, MD, MBA, provided an overview of measures surgeons can take to reduce the risk of infection following TJA procedures.

Resource Utilization is High in Patients Undergoing TKA Revision for Infection

Maureen Leahy

A study that examined whether risk adjustment is necessary in value-based reimbursement models for infected total joint replacement found that patients who undergo revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for infection utilize more resources in a 30-day episode of care than patients who undergo aseptic revision TKA.

Understanding Patient Perceptions Regarding Unused Opioid Medication

T.K. Miller, MD; Susan Giampalmo, BS; Malek Bouzaher, BS, MS; Joseph T. Moskal, MD

The Virginia Orthopaedic Society (VOS) has an opioid prescribing policy for its membership and works closely with the Medical Society of Virginia to update and promote it. While opioid analgesics play an essential role in the care of acute musculoskeletal injuries and postoperative management of pain, orthopaedic providers must balance this appropriate use with the risks if their patients misuse or divert these medications.

Culture of Safety

David Ring, MD, PhD

This feature is the next installment in a series of dialogues among members of the AAOS Patient Safety Committee. This dialogue focuses on how to establish and maintain a culture of safety within an environment in which everyone is expected to err but also champions the teams and systems that catch errors before they cause harm. Dr. Ring: Let’s talk about ideas for creating a culture of safety. Dr.

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.asp (member login required). Findings published in Arthritis Care & Research (online) suggest that many rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients for whom treatment is indicated may not receive osteoporosis medication.

A Closer Look at ACL Tears in Male and Female Athletes Reveals Interesting Data

Kwadwo Owusu-Akyaw, MD

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are a dreaded injury for athletes at all levels and are a leading cause of knee instability and dysfunction. For athletes, an ACL tear may mean surgical reconstruction followed by up to 1 year of focused rehabilitation prior to return to sport. Unfortunately, for many athletes, an ACL rupture can affect future athletic performance as well as collegiate and professional opportunities.

Culturing PJI: How Many Samples; How Long to Grow?

Peter Pollack

"Periprosthetic joint infection [PJI] can be very difficult to diagnose. Isolating the organism is crucial in directed treatment; however, an organism’s virulence may impact the culture growth,” explained Michael M. Kheir, MD, who presented findings from the paper, “Culturing PJI: A 15-year Study of Samples, Growth Duration, Outcomes, and Organisms,” at the 2017 annual meeting of the Musculoskeletal Infection Society (MSIS). With their study, Dr.