Who Sets the Standards?

William M. Mihalko, MD, PhD

All medical devices used by orthopaedic surgeons are subject to approval processes that involve testing of these products, using standards that are developed and approved by the International Standards Organization (ISO) and/or the American Society for Testing Materials International (ASTM International). These standards are typically developed by a team of academic and corporate engineers, along with representatives from the U.S.

Connecting Science to Care

Lisa Applegate

Jonathan Schoenecker, MD, PhD, was drawn to treating children with hip disorders, such as Perthes disease, because of the dramatic improvement surgery can make in their lives—allowing them to run, play, and grow normally. But the two-time Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) grant recipient also envisions a day when these children will be able to attain normal development and movement without surgical intervention. Dr.

AUCs in Development

The AAOS is currently working on the following three Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC): Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures (DRF) Optimizing the Treatment of Rotator Cuff Problems (RC) Nonsurgical Treatment of Osteoarthritis of the Knee (OAK) Three panels—writing, review, and voting—are involved in preparing AUCs. The AAOS follows the RAND/UCLA appropriateness method procedures and all AUCs are based on a systematic review of the research literature.

AJRR: Making Enrollment Easier

How your hospital can become part of the movement Caryn D. Etkin, PhD, MPH, and Susan E. Hobson, MPH With more than 100 participating hospitals, the American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR) has been able to streamline the enrollment process and make it easier for orthopaedic surgeons and their affiliated hospitals to participate in this important quality initiative. This article outlines the enrollment steps; readers should feel free to share it with key hospital decision makers.

Reducing Perioperative Bleeding with Antifibrinolytics

Glenn D. Wera, MD; Ryan M. Garcia, MD; Victor M. Goldberg, MD

Perioperative bleeding is a major concern in orthopaedics and is associated with additional risks and costs to the procedure. In addition, the rapid discharge of patients after surgery has increased the emphasis on blood conservation to enhance patient outcomes. Antifibrinolytics have been used to reduce perioperative bleeding in other areas such as cardiac surgery. They have recently been introduced in spine and arthroplasty procedures.

Shedding Light on the “Dark Side”of the Knee

Terry Stanton

For years, Robert F. LaPrade, MD, PhD and colleagues, have sought to advance knowledge of the posterolateral corner of the knee (PLC) and find more effective treatment strategies for injuries to this challenging anatomic site. Their efforts were recognized with the 2013 Orthopaedic Research and Educational Foundation (OREF) Clinical Research Award. The award recognizes Dr.

Award-Winning Research May Make ACL Healing Without Reconstruction Possible

Terry Stanton

Preclinical studies have shown promising results for the use of a “bioenhanced repair” technique for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears as an alternative to ligament reconstruction. The research, under the direction of Martha M. Murray, MD, and Braden C. Fleming, PhD, received the 2013 Ann Doner Vaughn Kappa Delta Award. Martha M. Murray, MD After a series of laboratory studies examining the biology of ACL injury and repair, Dr. Murray, of Boston Children’s Hospital, and Dr.

Orthopaedic Surgical Consent: The First Step in Safety

William J. Robb III, MD; Charles Carroll IV, MD; Calvin Kuo, MD

The AAOS initiated its “Sign Your Site” program in 1997 to reduce the incidence of wrong-site surgery among orthopaedic patients. In 2004, elements of this program were incorporated into The Joint Commission’s (TJC) Universal Protocol surgical standards program, which was designed to reduce preventable surgical harms including wrong site, wrong side, wrong procedure, wrong implant, wrong level, and wrong patient surgeries.