AAOS Now, May 2016
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Managing Talar Neck Fractures
Fractures of the talus are often high-energy injuries, most commonly due to high-speed motor vehicle accidents. As more and more people are surviving these accidents, the number of comminuted talar fractures is increasing, according to Alexandra K. Schwartz, MD, clinical professor and chief of Orthopedic Trauma at the University of California, San Diego. Speaking at the 2016 Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America Specialty Day, Dr.
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Bone Health Lifetime Challenges: Diagnosis and Treatment
In the first part of this two-part series on fragility fractures and bone health, we examined the biologic processes and therapeutic considerations involving nutrition, supplementation and activity. In this concluding second part, we turn to issues in diagnosis and treatment for patients with fragility fractures and other conditions related to osteoporosis.
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Improving Transfer of Information to Optimize Patient Safety
The competing demands of mastering minutiae and working expeditiously create tension for many healthcare providers. Efforts to satisfy both these goals often involve negotiating "efficiency-thoroughness trade-offs," a normal process wherein providers strike a balance between productivity and safety. This is particularly evident when providing patient information during transitions of care.
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Fewer Concussions, More Leg Injuries?
Recent years have seen a tightening of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) regulations aimed at preventing concussion. Although it is generally agreed that the rules are necessary and effective, an unintended consequence of implementation may be an increase in lower extremity injuries. A paper presented at the 2016 Specialty Day meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine attempted to evaluate such an effect.
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Sports Medicine Research at the 2016 AAOS Annual Meeting
The 2016 AAOS Annual Meeting featured innovative and thought-provoking research in all fields of orthopaedics. Summarized here are some highlights from presentations in sports medicine and arthroscopy. In the April issue, we looked at studies on lower extremity, basic science, and cost-effectiveness. Here we cover selected research on upper extremity and rehabilitation and return to play. Upper extremity In Paper 328, CPT Drew W. Nute, MD, CPT Nicholas A.
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Second Look – Clinical News and Views
These items originally appeared in AAOS Headline News Now, a thrice-weekly enewsletter that keeps AAOS members up to date on clinical, socioeconomic, and political issues, with links to more detailed information. Subscribe at www.aaos.org/news/news.asp (member login required) A study published in The American Journal of Sports Medicine (AJSM, March) suggests increasing use of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction over a 10-year period.
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Face Off: Open Versus Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Release
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS)—a compressive neuropathy resulting in numbness and paresthesia—is recognized as one of the most common hand disorders. CTS manifests most commonly in middle-aged and elderly women, with a general population prevalence of 50 cases per 1,000 subjects. Carpal tunnel release (CTR) has become the most common hand and wrist procedure performed in the United States, with an estimated 400,000 patients undergoing open or endoscopic surgery every year.
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Risk Evaluation and Management Strategies for Prescribing Opioids
During the AAOS Annual Meeting, experts discussed the epidemic of opioid drug use, misuse, and abuse in the United States, and focused on ways in which orthopaedic surgeons can practice safe and effective pain management for their patients. "Risk Evaluation and Management Strategies for Prescribing Opioids," a symposium moderated by began with a presentation by David H. Sohn, MD, JD, who explored the complicated legal landscape that has developed around physicians' prescribing habits.