Hand/Wrist News

NEW ORLEANS — Reimbursement for orthopedic procedures has decreased from 2000 to 2016, with adult reconstruction reimbursement decreasing at a greater rate than other subspecialties, according to data presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.

Patients who used long-term inhaled corticosteroids to treat their COPD were at moderately higher risk for upper extremity and hip fractures, according to findings published in Chest.

Hydroxychloroquine was not more effective than placebo for relieving moderate-to-severe hand pain and radiographic osteoarthritis, according to research published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

For decades, many medical specialties have used telemedicine, which is the electronic delivery of pictures or radiographs to diagnose and treat patients. The development of newer and more sophisticated technology, such as smart phones and iPads, has supported the increased use of telemedicine in text, as well as video platforms, making it more accessible to physicians and patients as a tool to continue care after the initial office visit or treatment. Although this is not a new concept in orthopedic surgery, the specialty has yet to truly adopt electronic continuity of care and telemedicine for its follow-up of patients.

While the Super Bowl draws the NFL season to a close, several health issues raised around this year’s game remain important for clinicians to consider.

Investigators found a high rate of return to sport among National Football League players who had open reduction and internal fixation for treatment of forearm fractures.

Investigators found perioperative gabapentin compared with placebo did not impact the time to postoperative pain resolution. However, gabapentin did have a “modest” impact on opioid cessation in patients who underwent surgery.

Results from this study indicated high school athletes were at risk for hand and wrist injuries. Findings also showed injury rates and patterns varied by sport and gender, demonstrating a need for sport-specific prevention efforts.

EFORT Open Reviews is the new open access journal from EFORT and Bone & Joint Publishing. All articles are free to read online with no subscription required. Have you read these articles yet?

VANCOUVER, British Columbia — At 1-year follow-up, functional outcomes were not different in adults with dorsally displaced distal radius fractures treated with either open reduction and internal fixation with volar locking plates, non-spanning external fixation or closed reduction and percutaneous fixation, according to results presented here.