Study: No Advantage to Liposomal Bupivacaine for TKA

Terry Stanton

A study comparing the effect of the use of liposomal bupivacaine versus ropivacaine in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), found no increased benefit of liposomal bupivacaine for postoperative pain control. The prospective, double-blind study, was presented by of Ascension Crittenton Medical Center, Rochester Hills, Mich., during the AAOS Annual Meeting. The authors randomized 96 patients undergoing unilateral TKA into two groups.

Study: Diagnosing PJI after TJA

Maureen Leahy

Study data presented at the AAOS Annual Meeting indicate that a minimum of five periprosthetic samples need to be cultured and held for at least 14 days to reach a diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) following total joint arthroplasty (TJA).

PRP Injections Are an Effective Treatment for Carpometacarpal Joint OA

Maureen Leahy

Results from an ongoing study presented at the AAOS Annual Meeting indicate that platelet rich plasma (PRP) injections may be an effective nonsurgical treatment option for carpometacarpal (CMC) joint osteoarthritis (OA). The study was designed to compare the efficacy of PRP injections vs. the standard treatment of corticosteroid injection(s) for pain relief, functional return, and improved range of motion in patients with CMC joint OA.

Study: HbA1c Risk Threshold for Infection Identified for Diabetes Patients Undergoing Shoulder Replacement

Terry Stanton

A study, presented at the AAOS Annual Meeting in San Diego, reported, that, in patients with diabetes mellitus undergoing shoulder arthroplasty, the risk of deep postoperative infection rises with increasing hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. The data also suggested a perioperative HbA1c greater than 8.0 mg/dL might serve as a threshold for a significantly increased risks of postoperative infection.

Study: Study Probes Reimplantation Rates, Complications Following THA Infection

Terry Stanton

A Medicare database study reviewing outcomes for patients who underwent antibiotic spacer placement following removal of total hip arthroplasty (THA) due to infection found that only 60 percent of such patients underwent THA reimplantation. Approximately 6 percent of these patients died within 1 year following removal.

Study: Increased Workload After Tommy John Surgery Increases Re-tear Risk

Terry Stanton

A study of 28 Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers who underwent revision surgery after primary ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction (Tommy John surgery) found that they had pitched at or above their pre-primary UCL workload, while pitchers who did not require revision pitched significantly less—below their pre-reconstruction workload. These findings indicate that relative changes in workload may be a risk factor for re-rupture, said Robert A.

Preparing the Graft in Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Peter Pollack

“The all-inside technique for knee cruciate ligament reconstruction has gained popularity in recent years,” explained Jacqueline M. Brady, MD. “Various techniques for graft preparation have been described, but little research has been conducted to compare those techniques.

Saving Bone

The process of bone remodeling involves a balancing act between two cell types: osteoclasts that resorb bone and osteoblasts that form new bone. Researchers have characterized the molecules primarily responsible for regulating this balance. The mechanism of age-associated bone loss—when osteoclasts outpace the work of osteoblasts—is also generally well defined. And yet, gaps in our understanding remain.

Academy Announces Plans to Launch JAAOS Global Research & Reviews

The Academy has announced plans for a spring 2017 launch of JAAOS Global Research & Reviews, a new online journal that will serve as an open access companion title to the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS). The journal is under the leadership of William N. Levine, MD, editor-in-chief; Jeffrey S. Fischgrund, MD, research editor; and the entire editorial board of JAAOS.

Are Your Patients Visiting Reliable Websites for Information?

Alan S. Hilibrand, MD

A new study, presented at the AAOS 2017 Annual Meeting, confirmed what many orthopaedic surgeons already know: Most of their patients use the Internet to research symptoms, conditions, and procedures, and that the information they are accessing may not be reliable.