Risk Factors for ACL Re-tears in Athletes

Female athletes, athletes younger than age 25, and athletes with a graft size less than 8 mm are at increased risk for an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) re-tear after reconstruction, according to study data presented at the 2016 annual meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine. "The minimum size required for a successful quadruple hamstring autograft ACL reconstruction remains controversial," the authors write.

High RTP Rates After Shoulder Surgery

Study data presented at the 2016 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine annual meeting indicate that return to play (RTP) rates are high for intercollegiate football players following shoulder stabilization surgery. Football athletes from seven programs in the Pacific-12, Southeastern Conference, and Atlantic Coast Conference participated in the IRB-approved study.

Study: Preoperative PROMIS Scores Can Predict Outcomes for Foot and Ankle Patients

Terry Stanton

A study that examined how well preoperative patient-reported outcome scores would predict postoperative improvement after foot and ankle surgery found that patients with low preoperative function and high preoperative pain experienced outcomes superior to those with relatively high function and lower pain. The authors of the study, which was the 2016 recipient of the J.

Stopping Biofilms Before They Form

Peter Pollack

Covalent attachment of antibiotics to allograft surfaces could inhibit bacterial colonization and help tumor patients resist infection for a far longer period than most current technologies, according to information from a study conducted by Constantinos Ketonis, MD, PhD, and his colleagues. Dr. Ketonis presented findings from his ongoing work in a scientific paper at the 2016 AAOS Annual Meeting.

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) Compartment syndrome—Findings published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma (online) suggest that direct measurement of tissue oxygenation may help diagnose acute compartment syndrome.

Mastering Communication Skills

Terry Stanton

In an Annual Meeting symposium focusing on core competencies for orthopaedic residents, AAOS Second Vice-President of the University of Vermont, underscored the importance of communication skills training. "The first premise is that communication matters," said Dr. Halsey. "You as a physician cannot fully delegate this task. Patients need to hear answers from you. For this reason, communication skills training is fundamentally important."