Taking a Bite Out of Dental Prophylaxis Guidelines

Mary Ann Porucznik

Could the bacteria released during certain dental procedures result in a periprosthetic joint infection? That question has long plagued patients, their dentists, and their orthopaedists. No one wants to risk an infection, but the medical and monetary impact of the unnecessary use of antibiotics are well-known.

Syndesmotic Compression: How Much Is Too Much?

Mark Crawford

Ankle injuries resulting in a torn tibiofibular syndesmosis ligament are common. Normally these injuries are surgically repaired by re-opposing the separated fibula and tibia and fixing the bones in place with plates and screws. A recent landmark study indicated that the repair could be compressed as tightly as the surgeon likes, without any negative side effects. This was not, however, what Phinit Phisitkul, MD, was seeing in his practice. Using before and after radiographs, Dr.

Tissue Engineering Research Wins Young Investigator Award

Terry Stanton

Meniscal damage remains a vexing treatment challenge for orthopaedic surgeons and their patients. The relatively scant cellularity, avascularity, and density of the meniscal cellular matrix present a challenging mechanical environment for healing. In the adult meniscus, healing can occur only in the vascular periphery, resulting in a poor prognosis for complex tears such as radial ruptures.

New Support for Quality, Patient Safety Efforts

At its December 2014 meeting, the AAOS Board of Directors approved a funding program to support quality and patient safety efforts by member societies of the Board of Specialty Societies (BOS). The BOS Quality and Patient Safety Action Fund will award matching funds up to $50,000 per project to BOS member organizations that meet the prescribed grant criteria.

AJRR Launches Orthopaedic Quality Resource Center Web Portal

The American Joint Replacement Registry (AJRR), the nation’s largest orthopaedic registry, has launched a web portal that enables participating surgeons to report to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) program. AJRR is one of 41 organizations in the United States designated as a Qualified Clinical Data Registry (QCDR) by CMS to provide expanded, comprehensive medical procedure outcome information, including patient safety data.

Sex-related Side Effects of Corticosteroid Injections

Caroline H. Hu, BA; Emily Brook; Elizabeth G. Matzkin, MD

Corticosteroid injections are a nonsurgical treatment modality, frequently used when other conservative treatments are ineffective. Corticosteroids are often used to treat knee and shoulder osteoarthritis, rotator cuff tendinopathy, adhesive capsulitis, and acute inflammation.