A level-II retrospective prognostic study of 137 patients with type III open tibia fractures found that those given antibiotics within 66 minutes of sustaining the injury were nearly four times less likely to develop a deep infection during a 90-day …
Since our last post about interstate physician licensing in August 2014, 15 states have introduced legislation to approve the plan, which would establish a voluntary process to streamline licensing for physicians in multiple states. Legislative chambers in three of …
A randomized study of 80 postmenopausal women with mild knee osteoarthritis found that those assigned to a supervised progressive-impact exercise program (including jumping and change-of-movement exercises) thrice weekly for a year experienced more biochemical improvements in their patellar cartilage, as …
Physicians worldwide frequently prescribe bisphosphonates such as alendronate (Fosamax) and ibandronate (Boniva) to treat osteoporosis and prevent fragility fractures. Unfortunately, long-term bisphosphonate use has been linked to an increased risk of atypical femoral fractures. In the March 3, 2015 edition …
A study on rat knees in Osteoarthritis and Cartilage suggests that irrigating joints with hyperosmotic saline (600 mOsm) reduced surgically induced chondrocyte death, relative to irrigation with normal saline. Other measures of tissue repair and inflammation were also better in …
Most patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will undergo orthopaedic surgery during the course of their disease, and more than 80% of that cohort will be taking traditional or biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) at the time of their operations. That …
In the February 18, 2015 issue of The Journal, Rohner et al. report their experience with knee arthrodesis using an intramedullary rod as the definitive treatment for failed total knee arthroplasties (TKAs) related to infection. They report the …
A page-1 article in the February 18, 2015 New York Times caught our eye. It focused on patient “suffering” caused by the often frustrating, inconvenient, and noncommunicative way health care is delivered. Thomas H. Lee, MD, chief medical officer of …
The proposed fiscal 2016 budget for the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) includes a change to existing exceptions in the physician self-referral (Stark) law that could affect some orthopaedic practices. Beginning in 2017, HHS would prohibit many …
