Orthopedic News and Research

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Orthopedic surgery or orthopedics (also spelled orthopaedics) is the branch of surgery concerned with conditions involving the musculoskeletal system. Orthopedic surgeons use both surgical and non-surgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors, and congenital conditions.

New method to detect infection in prosthetic joints

A team of Mayo Clinic researchers has discovered a new, more accurate diagnostic test to detect infection of prosthetic joints, potentially leading to better treatment options and patient outcomes.

17 Aug 2007

Lower-limb injuries common place in U.S. soldiers in Iraq

A study released in advance of the American Podiatric Medical Association's (APMA) 95th Annual Meeting in Philadelphia reveals nearly 68 percent of all U.S. soldiers wounded in the Iraq and Afghanistan conflicts are a result of extremity injuries and nearly 22 percent of those injuries involve the foot and/or ankle.

16 Aug 2007

Study compares specialty orthopedic and general hospitals

Specialty orthopedic hospitals serve a healthier population of Medicare patients compared to general hospitals, according to a new study by investigators at the University of Iowa and Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Iowa City Health Care System.

3 Aug 2007

Hip resurfacing may delay hip replacement

In the world of prosthetic hips, what was old is new again. A procedure known as hip resurfacing, once tried two to three decades ago, is experiencing a resurgence in the U.S., thanks to improved technology.

3 Aug 2007

Web site puts physicians and hospitals under microscope

As health consumers across the country demand better and more detailed information about their physicians and hospitals, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) is stepping up to detail its own performance efforts ranging from the percentage of clinicians who clean their hands to the number of times physicians take the proper steps in treating heart attack patients.

19 Jul 2007

New medical device to treat cervical degenerative disc disease

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved for marketing the Prestige Cervical Disc, made by Medtronic Sofamor Danek of Memphis - the first artificial cervical (neck) disc for the treatment of cervical degenerative disc disease, one of the most common causes of neck and arm pain.

18 Jul 2007

Throwing motion in young baseball players may actually protect shoulder

Adaptive changes occur in the arm bone and soft tissue of the shoulders of young athletes participating in youth baseball and help protect them against injury, according to new research released at the 2007 Annual Meeting of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine at the Telus Convention Center.

16 Jul 2007

Catastrophic head injuries in football dramatically higher at high school level than college level

The incidence of catastrophic head injuries in football is dramatically higher at the high school level than at the college level, according to a study published in the July issue of The American Journal of Sports Medicine.

4 Jul 2007

New brace for correction for clubfoot

A new brace that maintains correction for clubfoot, a birth defect in which the foot is turned in toward the body, has shown better compliance and fewer complications than the traditional brace used to treat the condition.

29 Jun 2007

Childhood cancer survivors at increased risk of severe health problems as adults

A substantial proportion of childhood cancer survivors experience serious health problems as young adults, particularly those who received radiation treatment, according to a study in the June 27 issue of JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on chronic diseases of children.

27 Jun 2007

Scoliosis gene found

Physicians have recognized scoliosis, the abnormal curvature of the spine, since the time of Hippocrates, but its causes have remained a mystery -- until now. For the first time, researchers have discovered a gene that underlies the condition, which affects about 3 percent of all children.

26 Jun 2007

Preventing and treating common foot conditions

Add foot problems to the long list of conditions that being overweight can cause or exacerbate, says Foot Care Basics: Preventing and treating common foot conditions , a newly updated report from Harvard Medical School.

17 Jun 2007

Scientist's discovery of role of Aquaporin in spinal injuries recognized with research funding award

Dr. Olivera Nesic-Taylor, an assistant professor in biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of Texas, Galveston, was presented with the Erica Nader Award for 'breakthrough research in spinal cord regeneration.'

3 Jun 2007

Drug eluting nanostructured coatings

Drug delivery systems have progressed from the teaspoon to time-release capsules to drug-eluting stents.

22 May 2007

Inaugural meeting of the International Specialty Orthopaedic Collaboratorium

Nine institutions from eight countries participated in the inaugural meeting of the International Specialty Orthopaedic Collaboratorium (ISOC), hosted by New York City's Hospital for Special Surgery.

18 May 2007

African-Americans and Asian-Americans need to check their feet for signs of skin cancer

Many people don't know that the Jamaican musician, Bob Marley died of malignant melanoma in his right foot.

10 May 2007

Grey literature in meta-analyses of randomized trials of health care interventions

Flooded with new health information every week, patients and their doctors look for ways to sort the best from the rest.

19 Apr 2007

Staph infections among hospitalized patients are on the rise

The study, conducted by Gary Noskin, MD, infectious disease specialist and associate chief medical officer at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, also revealed that the increase in staph infections is resulting in millions of dollars of excess healthcare costs due to longer hospitalizations.

17 Apr 2007

UT ligament split tear in wrist can be fully repaired through an arthroscopically guided surgical procedure

A Mayo Clinic orthopedic surgeon has discovered a common cause of debilitating wrist pain - a split tear of the UT ligament - that can be reliably detected through a simple physical examination and can be fully repaired through an arthroscopically guided surgical procedure.

12 Apr 2007

OHSU surgeon implants donated tissue allografts

Over the years, orthopedic surgeon Dennis Crawford, M.D., Ph.D., of Oregon Health & Science University found it difficult to obtain tissue for transplant to treat some of his patients suffering with severe joint disorders.

11 Apr 2007