Effect of Revision UCL Reconstruction on Return to Play in MLB Pitchers

Maureen Leahy

Study data presented at the 2013 American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Specialty Day indicate that many Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers are unable to return to their pre-injury pitch workload following revision ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstruction. “The available studies currently demonstrate excellent results following primary UCL reconstruction in MLB athletes,” said presenter Kristofer J. Jones, MD, of the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York.

Surgical Skills Program Sparks Students’ Interest in Orthopaedics

Maureen Leahy

On a snowy Saturday morning this past February, when most kids their age were still asleep, 41 Chicago middle school students arrived at the AAOS Orthopaedic Learning Center (OLC) in Rosemont, Ill., eager to take part in an orthopaedic surgical skills program. The field trip was a collaboration between the AAOS and High Jump—a tuition-free academic enrichment program for talented, low-income students.

RSA Tops Hemiarthroplasty for Humeral Fractures in Elderly

Terry Stanton

Reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA) may be a better choice than hemiarthroplasty (HA) in treating humeral fractures in the elderly, according to a study presented during the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) 2013 Specialty Day session on shoulder trauma and arthroplasty.

Risk Factors for Early Dislocation after RTSA

Terry Stanton

Male patients with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 30 who have had previous shoulder surgeries are at higher risk for early dislocation after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA), according to a study presented during the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) 2013 Specialty Day session on shoulder trauma and arthroplasty. Presenter Gregory P.

A Day’s Worth of Fractures

Every year, 2 million bone breaks occur due to osteoporosis. Attendees at the 2013 AAOS annual meeting in Chicago witnessed the impact of osteoporosis and bone breaks firsthand through the National Bone Health Alliance (NBHA) 2Million2Many (www.2Million2Many.org) campaign’s “cast mountain.” The mountain of casts in Chicago’s McCormick Place represents the number of fractures that occur in the U.S. in just 1 day. AAOS is among the 49 members of the NBHA.

Can Osteoporosis Treatment Reduce Shoulder Fractures?

Terry Stanton

Osteoporotic proximal humerus fractures constitute about 10 percent of all geriatric fractures, noted Anshu Singh, MD, of Kaiser Permanente San Diego, during the American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons (ASES) 2013 Specialty Day session on shoulder trauma and arthroplasty. But the impact of osteoporosis treatment on these fractures has not been measured, nor have such fractures been taken into account when assessing the value of osteoporosis screening and treatment. Dr.

OKOJ Issues to Focus on Obesity

The Impact of Obesity in Lower Extremity Joint Arthroplasty” will be the focus of two special upcoming issues of the Orthopaedic Knowledge Online Journal (OKOJ). The June issue will focus on the problem of obesity in the setting of total hip arthroplasty; a subsequent issue will be devoted to the impact of obesity in total knee arthroplasty. According to the editors—William Jiranek, MD; Robert Pivec, MD; and Michael A.

Confirm Before You Cut

David C. Ring, MD, PhD

Six critical components of surgical safety have been identified by Calvin C. Kuo, MD, and William J. Robb III, MD.

What’s Your Diagnosis?

In this feature, AAOS Now publishes a series of images, challenging readers to diagnose the condition depicted. This month’s challenge was submitted by Letha Y. Griffin, MD, of Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Griffin reports that the patient, a 42-year-old woman, had a history of being unable to bend or extend her right knee after squatting. The patient also reported feeling something slip inside her joint. She had no prior history of an injury to the knee.

Rule Aims to Predict Surgical Outcomes for CSM Patients

Jennie McKee

Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM), a degenerative spine disease, is the most common cause of spinal cord dysfunction in patients older than 55 years. A wide range of symptoms may be seen including impaired gait, numb hands, and weakness. Surgical intervention has proven to be an effective treatment option for patients with mild-to-severe CSM. It is important to determine which clinical variables can predict surgical outcomes to manage patient expectations.