July 13, 2023 | Today’s News

Shooting at Campbell Clinic in Tennessee Takes Life of Orthopaedic Surgeon

Orthopaedic surgeon Benjamin M. Mauck, MD, FAAOS, was shot and killed Tuesday inside a Campbell Clinic facility in Collierville, Tenn. In a letter to members, AAOS President Kevin J. Bozic, MD, MBA, FAAOS, wrote: “A physician’s office should be a safe haven for physicians, healthcare teams, and patients, and we need to do all that we can to further prevent these tragedies now and in the future.” AAOS recently issued the Workplace Violence Toolkit, which provides resources to help AAOS members improve safety from violence for both orthopaedic patients and care teams. “We will continue our effort to address workplace safety and ensure our practices and healthcare facilities remain places of comfort, healing, and learning,” Dr. Bozic said.

Read Dr. Bozic’s letter…

Learn more about AAOS’ Workplace Violence Toolkit…

Aspirin versus Enoxaparin during Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: No Differences in 90-day Mortality

JAMA Network Open published a secondary analysis of a cluster randomized crossover trial which compared the effect of aspirin versus enoxaparin for venous thromboembolism prophylaxis on the rates of 90-day mortality in patients undergoing hip and/or knee arthroplasty. Overall, 14,156 patients received 100 mg of aspirin for 14 days postsurgery and 9,302 patients received 40 mg daily of enoxaparin for 35 days postsurgery. Within 90 days of surgery, the mortality rate was 1.67 percent and 1.53 percent in the aspirin and enoxaparin groups, respectively.

Read the study…

An MRI-based study in Knee Surgery, Sports Traumatology, Arthroscopy sought to identify the relationship between geometric factors and tunnel placement contributing to ACL graft impingement. Graft signal intensity, ACL/posterior cruciate ligament ratio (APR), ACL/muscle ratio (AMR), and graft impingement were retrospectively reviewed in 92 patients undergoing ACL reconstruction (ACLR). The proximal third of the ACL grafts had significantly lower mean APR and AMR than those in the middle third. There was a negative association between APR, AMR, and the distance from the anterior end of the intercondylar roof to the center of the tibial tunnel in the sagittal plane.

Read the abstract…

The Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics published a retrospective study evaluating the outcomes of open reduction of the hip in pediatric patients with developmental hip dislocation as well as the effects of preoperative severity of dysplasia, associated procedures, age on avascular necrosis (AVN), and reoperation. Of the 185 hips included, 32.4 percent needed secondary surgical procedures and high-grade AVN was observed in 13 percent. Patients aged >18 months at the time of open reduction who did not receive an acetabular osteotomy had higher rates of reoperation.

Read the abstract…

According to a study in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, stems with diameters <11 mm were more likely to break during distal femur resection and replacement for treatment of primary bone tumors. Investigating the factors associated with stem breakage, patient and implant details pulled from 92 patients’ charts were retrospectively analyzed The median time to fracture was 10 years; however, two stems broke within three years. Out of 92 patients, 5.4 percent experienced stem breakage, all with stem diameters of <11 mm. In all cases of stem fracture, there was minimal bone attachment to the porous coated body.

Read the abstract…

A Meeting of Minds: Town Hall Gives Platform to AAOS, FDA, and Industry

A special event at the AAOS 2023 Annual Meeting was billed as a “Town Hall with Key Leaders from AAOS, FDA, and Industry” to address the topic of innovation in orthopaedic medical devices, products, and technology. From Academy representatives came the message that AAOS is a willing partner in the effort to encourage technological innovation. The FDA representatives emphasized the ways in which the regulator has improved and refined its practices and structures, and industry executives largely expressed satisfaction with the regulatory climate and the trend of increased partnership and cooperation with U.S. regulators.

Read more…

Help Shape Policies That Support Patients and the Profession

Orthopaedic surgeons across the United States can help shape healthcare policy issues impacting musculoskeletal care during the upcoming, completely virtual 2023 Orthopaedic Advocacy Week, from July 24 to 28. This year, participants will be advocating for improved prior authorization processes, Medicare payment reform to protect patients’ access to specialty medicine, a repeal of the ban on physician-owned hospitals, as well as protections for healthcare professionals against workplace violence and liability lawsuits. You can add your voice to these important conversations with policymakers by participating in simple, minute-long advocacy activities, which will become available during the event.

Plan to participate in AAOS’ 2023 Orthopaedic Advocacy Week…

Do Not Miss These Hands-on Hip Courses in September and October

AAOS has not one, but two hip courses coming your way! Join AAOS from Sept 22 to 24 in Rosemont, Ill., to learn contemporary strategies for preoperative planning, surgical execution, and postoperative management for primary and revision total hip and total knee arthroplasty. Spend most of the course in the cadaver lab practicing current techniques for a variety of procedures with direct guidance from course instructors. Then, refine your skills in arthroscopic and open hip preservation techniques from Oct. 27 to 28 in Rosemont, Ill., during the Surgical Treatment of the Pre-Arthritic Hip Course, presented by AAOS, the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America (POSNA), and the Hip Preservation Society (ISHA).

Register now for AAOS Surgical Skills in Total Hip and Total Knee Arthroplasty…

Register now for AAOS/POSNA/ISHA Surgical Treatment of the Pre-Arthritic Hip…