Study Indicates Swabbing for MRSA Does Not Lower SSI Rates in Pediatric Spine Patients

Terry Stanton

Presurgical testing for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) (MRSA) colonization with intranasal swabs is performed commonly, but a study published in the Sept. 1 issue of the Journal of the AAOS involving pediatric spinal fusion (PSF) patients found that MRSA swab results did not change treatment or outcome. The study comprised 1,200 patients who underwent PSF. Of the participants, 64.3 percent (n = 772) were female, and the average age was 13.8 years (range, 0–21 years).

U.S. News & World Report Announces Updates to Its Online Physician Profiles

Maureen Leahy

In 2017, during a forum held at the AAOS Annual Meeting, representatives from U.S. News & World Report introduced the publication’s plan to publish individual hip and knee surgeon performance analyses. The purpose, they explained, is to provide patients with decision support and better reflect the quality of care that orthopaedic surgeons provide (see U.S. News & World Report to Publish Hip and Knee Surgeon Ratings, AAOS Now, May 2017).

Studies Find Concerning Rates of Persistent Opioid Use After Common Foot and Ankle Procedures

Terry Stanton

Two studies examining opioid use by patients treated for foot and ankle conditions show that a substantial number of the patients continued to consume opioids persistently after the therapeutic course for pain had concluded. The studies, presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society annual meeting in Boston, found that in those who underwent surgery for hallux valgus, the rate of new, persistent opioid use was 6.

Understanding the Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Orthopaedic Surgery

Alan M. Reznik, MD, MBA, FAAOS; Kenneth Urish, MD, PhD

This is the first in a series of articles about artificial intelligence and its potential in orthopaedics. It seems we hear daily about advances in artificial intelligence (AI)—from self-driving cars, face recognition, and hacker protection to stock portfolios and more. This article provides a primer for those who have limited knowledge of AI, its history, and the newest possibilities.

Binge Drinking Affects Fracture Healing

Sharon Johnson

During his time as a resident at Loyola University’s Stritch School of Medicine in Maywood, Ill., Roman Natoli, MD, PhD, learned that excessive alcohol consumption correlates with nonunions, although the pathophysiology underlying the association was not well understood. “Orthopaedic surgeons have done well in understanding the mechanics behind fracture healing, but the biology is something that [has] been more difficult for us to grasp,” he said.

AAOS AUC Guide Residents’ Decision-making in the Acute Treatment of Distal Radius Fractures

Sravya Vajapey, MD

Distal radius fractures (DRFs) are among the most common injuries in orthopaedic practice and account for up to 20 percent of the fractures treated in the emergency department (ED). In tertiary care centers and academic institutions, the first provider to see a patient after an emergency physician’s evaluation is usually not an orthopaedic surgery attending. It can be a physician’s assistant (PA), a nurse practitioner, a resident, or an ED attending.