Study Evaluates Efficacy of a Multidisciplinary Team Approach for Elderly Patients with Intertrochanteric Fractures
A prospective randomized trial in the Journal of the AAOS® compared the efficacy of the multidisciplinary team (MDT) versus a conventional group participating in the perioperative administration and one-year follow-up for elderly patients with intertrochanteric fractures. Seventy-six patients comprised the study population, and the MDT was composed of doctors from nine disciplines The time before weight bearing (59.93 versus 67.93 days), fracture healing time (68.98 versus 78.81 days), and the length of stay (10.43 versus 13.87 days) were shorter in the MDT group. Additionally, postoperative complications were more common in the conventional group.
Study: Impact of Bone Bruise on Function and Muscle Strength after ACLR
The Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery published a prospective study assessing the influence of distribution, severity, and volume of bone bruise (BB) in isolated ACL injuries on function, quality of life, and muscle strength after ACL reconstruction (ACLR). Radiographs from 122 ACLRs were evaluated, and BB was differentiated as medial/lateral femoral condyle (MFC/LFC) or medial/lateral tibial plateau (MTP/LTP). The incidence of BB was 91.8 percent. LTP was observed in 91.8 percent, LFC in 64.8 percent, MTP in 49.2 percent, and MFC in 28.7 percent. BB distribution, severity, and volume did not affect function or objective muscle strength.
Study: Number of Female Residency Orthopaedic Surgery Applicants Has Increased Dramatically
Over the past 15 years, the percentage of female medical students applying to orthopaedic surgery residency has increased nearly two-fold, according to a study in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery. Querying the Electronic Residency Application Service, the annual percentage of female applicants and annual change in percentage of female applicants between 2007 and 2022 were recorded. The percent of female applicants increased from 11.8 percent in 2007 to 23.0 percent in 2022. Four years saw a statistically significant increase in the percentage of women applying to orthopaedic surgery (2008, 2014, 2019, and 2022).
Study Finds Association of Abdominal Aortic Calcification with Lumbar Paraspinal Muscle Atrophy and Fatty Infiltration
The European Spine Journal published a retrospective study which found a significant and independent association between aortic abdominal calcification (AAC) and posterior paraspinal muscle (PPM) morphology. Radiographs from 230 patients with lower back pain were reviewed. The association of AAC and fatty infiltration (FI) in addition to AAC and functional cross-sectional area (fCSA) was assessed via multivariable linear regression. Compared to patients without AAC (33.3 percent), the median FI of the PPM was 44.6 percent in patients with AAC. In addition to PPM, fCSA was observed to have a significant and independent association with the degree of AAC.
Members of Congress Urge the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to Finalize Prior Authorization Reforms
More than 230 U.S. representatives and 61 senators recently wrote a letter to regulatory agencies urging for changes to improve prior authorization processes. Specifically, they called for real-time prior authorization for routine matters, a 24-hour deadline for responses on urgently needed care, and more transparency metrics. The congressional push comes after a strong grassroots advocacy effort from AAOS members who have been advocating for changes that would allow physicians to spend more time treating patients and less time on paperwork.
‘I Left My Heart in San Francisco’: AAOS 2024 Annual Meeting Returns to the City by the Bay
The AAOS 2024 Annual Meeting will return to San Francisco. In this article, Stuart J. Fischer, MD, FAAOS, details the rich history of the city’s past, as well as spotlighting its present attractions, which ensure next year’s meeting to be an exciting educational event and family destination. “It is great to be back in San Francisco after all these years. Enjoy the meeting, but take time out to sample the unique pleasures of the City by the Bay,” he writes.
Do you have timely research or an interesting story to tell? AAOS Now is seeking editorial submissions from orthopaedic surgeons and orthopaedic- and practice-related product and service providers that qualify as subject matter experts. The magazine features various formats and opportunities to highlight your information or topic. AAOS Now encourages interested authors to contact staff prior to writing in order to review suggestions and provide feedback. Submit an article suggestion online or email AAOS Now Publisher Dennis Coyle at coyle@aaos.org.
