Today’s Top Story
FDA announces Class I recall of MicroPort Orthopedics PROFEMUR Neck Varus/Valgus CoCr 8 Degree modular neck.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced a Class I recall of the MicroPort Orthopedics PROFEMUR Neck Varus/Valgus CoCr 8 Degree modular neck, part number PHAC 1254. On Aug. 7, 2015, Microport Orthopedics, Inc. initiated a voluntary recall of the device due to reports of an unexpected rate of fractures after surgery related to this specific modular neck. This is a Class I recall, involving a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that use of these products will cause serious adverse health consequences or death. The company has instructed healthcare providers to stop using and distributing the affected product, and to return the recalled product to the manufacturer. Read more…
Read the recall notice…
Other News
Study: Obese and overweight patients may be less likely to require blood transfusion during joint arthroplasty.
According to data presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Technology in Arthroplasty, obese and overweight patients who undergo joint arthroplasty procedures may be less likely to require blood transfusion than normal weight patients. The researchers analyzed data on nearly 900 hip arthroplasty patients and more than 1,500 knee arthroplasty patients at a single center. They found that 35 percent of normal weight hip arthroplasty patients (body mass index [BMI] ≤ 25) were given blood transfusions, compared to 28 percent of overweight patients (BMI 25-30) and nearly 22 percent of obese patients (BMI > 30). Similarly, 17 percent of normal weight knee arthroplasty patients underwent blood transfusion, compared to 11 percent of overweight patients and 8 percent of obese patients. The researchers state that increased BMI was not associated with longer time spent on the operating table. However, they did note a trend towards an increased risk for infection among overweight and obese patients. Read more…
Study: High volume an indicator for quality hip fracture care in skilled nursing facilities.
Findings published online in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society suggest that the likelihood of patients treated for hip fracture to successfully return to the community may vary based on volume characteristics of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). The research team conducted a prospective, observational study of 512,967 individuals discharged to one of 15,439 SNFs after treatment for hip fracture. They found that overall rate of successful discharge to the community was 31 percent, with increased volume of hip fracture admissions linked to an increased rate of discharge to the community. The research team states that unadjusted successful discharge from SNF to community was 43.7 percent in high-volume facilities (> 24 admissions/year), versus 18.8 percent in low-volume facilities (1–6 admissions/year). The facility volume effect persisted after adjusting for participant and facility characteristics associated with outcomes. Read more…
Read the abstract…
Study: Land-based exercise may help reduce pain and improve quality of life for patients with knee OA.
A study published online in the British Journal of Sports Medicine suggests that land-based therapeutic exercise may offer short-term benefit to patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA). A pooled analysis of 44 studies found that land-based therapeutic exercise was significantly associated with moderately reduced pain and improved physical function immediately after treatment. In addition, evidence from 13 studies suggested that exercise significantly improved quality of life immediately after treatment with small effect. Finally, 12 studies provided 2-month to 6-month post-treatment sustainability data suggesting significantly reduced knee pain and 10 studies which demonstrated improved physical function. Read more…
Read the abstract…
GAO: No shift in hospital performance linked to early years of HVBP program.
A report released by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) finds no shift in hospital performance linked to implementation of the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Hospital Value-based Purchasing (HVBP) program. The researchers analyzed data on approximately 3,000 hospitals eligible for the HVBP program from FY2013 through FY2015, as well as additional data on quality measures collected by CMS between 2005 and 2014 as part of the Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program. The “analysis found no apparent shift in existing trends in hospitals’ performance on the quality measures included in the HVBP program during the program’s initial years,” the researchers write. “However, shifts in quality trends could emerge in the future as the HVBP program continues to evolve. For example, new quality measures will be added, and the weight placed on clinical process measures—on which hospitals had little room for improvement—will be substantially reduced.” Read more…
Read the complete report (PDF)…
How relevant are surgeon scorecards?
A perspective piece in MedPage Today looks at the issue of surgeon scorecards, focusing primarily on the recently released ProPublica surgeon scorecard website. The writer notes that the ratings are based only on Medicare data, covering only certain procedures and a time period that ended nearly 2 years ago. She argues that the data are displayed with more precision than the data sources should indicate, and that the data are not necessarily presented in a consumer-friendly fashion. “The issue of consumer rights is always a juggling act: we have the right to information and choice, but also the right to safety,” the writer states. “I think the public reporting of surgeon performance has yet to clamber over the ‘first, do no harm’ hurdle.” Read more…
New Jersey.
Law360 reports that a three-judge panel of the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court decision in finding that disputes between healthcare providers and insurers over reimbursement for in-network providers is not covered under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). A three judge panel of the court ruled that ERISA is meant to cover disputes between insured individuals and those administering an ERISA-covered health plan, in which doctors do not participate. At issue were three cases in which patients assigned rights to payment, but the insurer refused to pay the claims. Read more…(registration may be required)
AAOS Board approves AUC on ACL injury prevention and treatment.
The AAOS Board of Directors has approved Appropriate Use Criteria (AUCs) for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention programs and treatment, as well as rehabilitation and function checklists to help guide and ensure a safe return to sports for the treated athlete. Last year, the AAOS released the Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG), “Management of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries.” The new “Appropriate Use Guideline for the Treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries” provides more specific guidance to orthopaedic surgeons based on a patient’s various indications, including age, activity level, presence of advanced arthritis, and the status of the ACL tear. The guidelines recommend specific next steps and procedures to ensure optimal recovery. Each treatment recommendation is ranked by level of appropriateness. Read more…
