According to an analysis of national administrative claims data in the Journal of the AAOS®, the incidence and economic burden associated with venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis after total hip arthroplasty (THA) have significantly declined from 2011 to 2019. The study identified patients who underwent primary THA for osteoarthritis and employed multivariate regression to examine changes in 90-day VTE incidence, utilization of antithrombotic agents, and changes in the associated economic burden. Aspirin use significantly increased over time, and the use of non-aspirin anticoagulants significantly decreased. Additionally, the added reimbursements associated with VTE after THA significantly decreased.
Study: Arthroscopic Superior Capsule Reconstruction Technique Shows Positive Outcomes for Irreparable Massive Rotator Cuff Tears
A study was conducted to report the outcomes of the arthroscopic superior capsule reconstruction technique using a fascia lata autograft and synthetic scaffold patch graft for irreparable massive rotator cuff tears (RCTs). The study in Arthroscopy included 43 patients who were treated arthroscopically for an incompletely reparable massive RCT. The clinical outcomes were evaluated preoperatively and at the final follow-up using visual analog scale (VAS) and American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) scores. At the two-year follow-up, all clinical scores demonstrated improvement from baseline (mean VAS, 0.7 to 5.4; mean ASES, 92.6 to 34.8).
Retrospective Study Identifies Risk Factors for Deep Infection after Distal Femur Fracture
Seven percent of distal femur fractures developed deep surgical site infections (SSIs) in a retrospective cohort study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma. The study sought to identify risk factors for deep SSI after distal femur fracture and included 1,107 patients Following multivariate analysis, alcohol abuse, intra-articular injury, vascular injury, the use of topical antibiotics, and longer durations of surgery were found to be predictive of deep SSI. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was most frequently cultured (22 percent), followed by methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (20 percent) and Enterobacter cloacae (11 percent).
Study Finds Pediatric Tibial Fractures Carry Risk of Bowing Deformity
Orthopaedics & Traumatology: Surgery & Research published a retrospective study that evaluated pediatric tibial shaft fractures for bowing deformity and associated risk factors in 75 patients aged 2 to 15 years. The researchers found that fractures with fibular involvement had a higher initial tibial bowing angle, and a high initial tibial bowing angle (≥5 degrees) was a significant risk factor for persistent valgus malalignment. Tibial bowing angles did not change at the two-year follow-up, indicating limited remodeling potential.
Meta-analysis: Zoledronic Acid Found Effective in Bone Metastases Treatment
A study in the Journal of Bone Oncology published a meta-analysis comparing the efficacy of zoledronic acid (ZA) to other treatment options in patients with bone metastases secondary to any primary tumor. Primary outcomes included the number of skeletal-related events (SREs) and overall survival. The secondary outcome was pain measured at three, six, and 12 months after treatment. ZA in combination with chemotherapy or hormone therapy was statistically superior to placebo regarding the number of SREs, and 4 mg of ZA was statistically superior to placebo in terms of reducing pain at three and six months after starting treatment.
Mark S. Myerson, MD, Receives AAOS Humanitarian Award for Providing Deformity Care to Underserved Communities
AAOS presented its 2023 Humanitarian Award to Mark S. Myerson, MD, FAAOS, of Denver, Colo. Dr. Myerson was recognized for his work providing foot and ankle care to underserved communities around the world through his organization Steps2Walk. The organization’s volunteer faculty comprises more than 250 international foot and ankle specialists who attend annual programs around the globe to share education with local orthopaedic surgeons and treat complex cases. “I have always believed that humanitarian service is not an option, but our obligation,” Dr. Myerson said.
Submit to OVT Plus for the 2024 Annual Meeting–Call for Abstracts Now Open
Orthopaedic Video Theater (OVT) Plus 2023 Award Winners were honored at this year’s Annual Meeting in Las Vegas. This highly esteemed recognition is given to those identified by their peers as having programs exceptional in quality and content. The OVT Plus collection has an extensive peer-review process and comes with additional benefits: Lead authors enjoy free registration to the AAOS Annual Meeting, with a reduced registration rate offered to co-authors. To submit a video for consideration, visit aaos.org/abstracts now through July 15.
