Rothman Orthopaedic Institute

CHICAGO — Use of rivaroxaban may reduce the risk of thromboembolic events after osteotomy, according to results presented at the Arthroscopy Association of North American Annual Meeting.

BOSTON — At the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting, Steven Raikin, MD, and Brian Winters, MD, discussed a study that evaluated the effect of ketorolac, a perioperative NSAID, on opioid use and pain relief after ankle fracture surgery. They said ketorolac significantly reduced pain and opioid use after surgery.

Success as an orthopedic surgeon is often associated with factors such as surgical skill and ability to communicate with patients. Behavior we develop through our education sets the foundation for accomplishments during our professional career.

The appropriate indications for arthroscopic ankle fusion remain a topic of active debate. Several studies have demonstrated rates of nonunion and other complications with the arthroscopic technique that are low and comparable to traditional open approaches for ankle fusion. Despite this, open approaches continue to be widely used. This Orthopedics Today Round Table provides diverse opinions regarding the potential advantages and limits of arthroscopic fusion with regard to the amount of correction possible for patients with associated deformities.

A 73-year-old, right-hand dominant man presented with a 4-day history of right shoulder pain. He underwent reverse total shoulder arthroplasty in that shoulder 22 months prior for cuff tear arthropathy. He was doing well clinically at his last follow-up appointment at 12 months postoperatively, with forward elevation to 120°, abduction to 90°, external rotation to 30° and internal rotation to the level of his sacrum without pain.

The incidence of surgical site infection after orthopaedic procedures continues to increase and have a potential affect on the success of procedures orthopaedic surgeons perform and possibly threaten our profession, according to Javad Parvizi, MD, FRCS.

Rothman Institute Orthopedics announced the addition of Anthony A. Romeo, MD, as chief of orthopedics – New York, where he will lead Rothman Institute’s expansion into New York City and Westchester County this fall.

It has been 5 years since the first International Consensus Meeting on Periprosthetic Joint Infection was held. That meeting, held in Philadelphia, was lauded as a success and was attended by 400 delegates from 52 countries. The proceedings of the meeting were published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Arthroplasty and in a book translated into 18 languages that came out after the meeting. More than 30,000 copies of the book were distributed worldwide. The definition of periprosthetic joint infection proposed by the International Consensus Meeting group was adopted by the CDC.

As orthopedic specialty and physician-owned hospitals strive to deliver quality health care that is a good value for patients, these centers are addressing uncertainties in the changing health care landscape, some of which are also felt by other types of hospitals.

Due to concerns regarding higher cost of care and financial conflicts of interest, the ACA placed a moratorium on the expansion of POHs in 2010. Supporters of these restrictions argue POHs “cherry-pick” only the healthiest of patients and maintain that POHs do not improve patient outcomes or cost efficiency. The current literature, however, does not justify this moratorium on regulation of hospital ownership. We can all agree current reform efforts should focus on improving value in our health care system. Our policymakers should be passing legislation that focuses on improving the quality of care while reducing costs.