Closing the TJA gender gap

Jennie McKee

Two patients—one male, one female, both with osteoarthritis of the knee and with identical clinical scenarios of chronic knee pain—visit their primary care provider. The man is referred to an orthopaedist for a possible arthroplasty. The woman is given prescriptions for an analgesic and physiotherapy. Is this appropriate care—or does it demonstrate a gender disparity?

Has MOM worn out its welcome?

Recently, the United Kingdom’s Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency issued an alert on metal-on-metal (MOM) hip devices. That prompted AAOS Now to contact several prominent joint replacement specialists to discuss the use of MOM in hip resurfacing and hip replacement and how to address the issue with patients.

High cholesterol and tendon injury

Jay D. Lenn

OREF grant recipient studies intrinsic causes of tendon problems High cholesterol presents a significant health risk in the United States. More than 16 percent of adults have hypercholesterolemia, generally defined as a concentration of 240 milligrams or more of cholesterol per deciliter of blood. Although high cholesterol is a known risk factor for heart disease and stroke, its potential role in musculoskeletal health is not well understood.

The pregnant trauma victim

Susan V. Bukata, MD; Caleb J. Behrend, MD; Julie A. Switzer, MD

Handling an on-call emergency The information gives you pause, but you believe you can handle it with some changes in the usual trauma protocol. “Call the Ob/Gyn, get extra shielding for the patient for X-rays, make sure the backboard is tilted 15 degrees to the left, and I’ll be right there,” you say. Trauma is a leading cause of death and a frequent cause of injury during pregnancy, affecting 8 percent to 10 percent of all pregnancies.

Do gender and ethnicity affect hip fracture outcomes?

Jennie McKee

Researcher examines the influence of patient-specific factors Hip fractures are a major public health concern, affecting more than 340,000 patients in the United States each year. Because these fractures are primarily associated with osteoporosis and the elderly, they have been studied much mor extensively in white women than in men or in members of racial or ethnic minorities.

Don’t lose your AAOS membership benefits!

Are you finishing an orthopaedic training program? Have you completed your residency and plan to go on to a fellowship or enter a practice? Have you completed a fellowship and are ready for practice (or a second fellowship)? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, the AAOS needs to hear from you. Go online at www.aaos.