The annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopedics is being held in San Diego this week (March 14-18, 2017). Here are some of the headlines coming out of the meeting. I have grouped them by category for your reading pleasure and provided links to the AAOS press releases so you can learn more.
Joint repair and replacements
- Nearly all shoulder replacement patients under age 55 return to sports
A new study found that 96.4% of recreational athletes, age 55 and younger, who underwent total shoulder replacement surgery returned to at least one sport, on average, within 7 months of surgery. - High rate of return to running following arthroscopic hip surgery
Ninety-six percent of patients who were recreational or competitive runners prior to developing hip bone spurs returned to their sport within 9 months of arthroscopic surgery. - Medication to treat anxiety, depression may reduce hip, knee replacement revision risk
Patients who take selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), commonly prescribed medications used to treat anxiety and depression, may experience a reduced risk of revision surgery following total hip (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR). - Home may be the best place to recover after total joint replacement surgery
Despite higher costs, many doctors recommend and some patients prefer recovery at an in-patient rehabilitation facility following total hip (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) surgery. Research has found that even patients who live alone can recover effectively and safely at home. - One-third of costs prior to knee replacement for non-recommended therapies
In the year prior to total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, almost one-third of the costs for treatment of arthritis symptoms went toward strategies not recommended by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Costs could decrease by an estimated 30% if treatments that are not recommended are no longer utilized. - Women and men differ in what they want from hospital staff following total hip replacement (THR) surgery
If you’re a woman, you want responsiveness and clear communication from nurses and doctors. If you’re a man, it’s optimal pain management that’s most important.
Fractures
- Men face greater risk of death following osteoporosis-related fractures
Men face a greater risk of mortality following a fracture related to osteoporosis, a common disease where the bones become weak and brittle. - Less than half of elderly hip fracture patients take vitamin D supplements
Despite national recommendations for daily vitamin D intake, just 45.7% of patients reported consistently taking vitamin D supplements following a hip fracture, a known treatment and preventative strategy for osteoporosis.
Soft tissue injuries
- High cholesterol levels linked with rotator cuff surgery failure
Patients with higher cholesterol levels face a significantly greater risk for failure of minimally invasive (arthroscopic) rotator cuff surgery. According to a new study, statins, commonly-used cholesterol lowering drugs, diminish this risk.
Sports medicine
- Nearly half of today’s high school athletes specialize in one sport
Youth single sport specialization—training and playing just one sport, often year round and on multiple teams—is a growing phenomenon in the U.S. A new study found that 45% of high school athletes specialize in just one sport, two years earlier than current collegiate and professional athletes say they did. - Female soccer players suffer the most concussions in high school sports
High school girls have a significantly higher concussion rate than boys, with female soccer players suffering the most concussions.
Outcomes
- Shared doctor-patient orthopedic treatment decisions improve outcomes, patient experience
Well-informed patients who decide with their orthopedic surgeon what treatment is best for them have better outcomes and higher patient satisfaction rates.
Here is a link to the home page for the annual meeting.
