AAOS Registry Program Marks Progress and Accomplishments in 2023

Erik Michalesko

The AAOS family of registries continues its growth trajectory, with more than 3.8 million procedures among five orthopaedic registries.

Unlocking the Power of Patient-Reported Outcomes: Essential Advantages for Orthopaedic Surgeons

Jeffery D. Angel, MD, MFin, FAAOS

The implementation of PROMs has become a pressing issue for the specialty, as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will soon start penalizing hospitals based on their rate of PROM collection.

Newly Revised CPG Provides Guidance on Osteoarthritis of the Hip

In December 2023, the AAOS Board of Directors approved a revamped Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for the Management of Osteoarthritis (OA) of the Hip.

AAOS Board of Directors Approves Three Clinical Practice Guidelines

Barbara Krause

The AAOS Board of Directors (BOD) approved two updates to Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs): an update to the 2017 AAOS CPG on the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip and a rapid update to the 2010 CPG on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD).

AAOS Approves Two New Appropriate Use Criteria on ACL Injury and Secondary Hip Fracture

Barbara Krause

The AAOS Board of Directors approved the Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) titled Return to Play to Pre-Injury Level Following Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Injury. The AUC is based on evidence from the 2022 AAOS Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) on the Management of ACL Injuries.

Evaluating an Opiate-Free Multimodal Pain Pathway in Elective Foot and Ankle Surgery

A study of patients undergoing elective outpatient foot and ankle surgery and receiving a comprehensive, opioid-free, multimodal pain-management protocol found that most patients achieved excellent pain control without significant postoperative side effects.

Alcohol Use Disorder Associated with Poor Outcomes after Bimalleolar Ankle Fractures

Research conducted at Maimonides Medical Center on patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) for bimalleolar ankle fractures revealed that individuals diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (AUD) experienced more complications within 90 days post-surgery and incurred higher healthcare expenses compared to those without AUD.

Ex-Fix In Situ for Staged ORIF of Pilon Fractures Is Not Associated with Infection or Reoperation

A study that sought to evaluate the safety of preparing the external fixator in situ during staged fixation of pilon fractures found that overall patients had relatively high infection (23.3 percent) and unplanned reoperation (11.3 percent) rates.

Study Tracks Postoperative Weight Gain Trends in Ankle Fracture Patients

A study presented at the AAOS 2023 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas examining weight changes in patients after surgery for ankle fracture found that although most did not experience weight and BMI changes in the early postoperative period, after 6 months, patients recovering from ankle open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) gained an average of about 10 pounds and 1.5 BMI points.

Do PROMs Improve Patient Experience in Foot and Ankle Surgery?

A study presented at the AAOS 2023 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas found that the adoption and application of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) by foot and ankle surgeons may not improve patient experience or activation and may, in fact, decrease understanding or patient activation in select populations.