Knee Replacement News and Research

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Most hospital readmissions after surgery are not due to poor care coordination, finds new study

A study from Northwestern Medicine and the American College of Surgeons published today in JAMA suggests that penalizing hospitals for patient readmissions following surgery may be ineffective, and even counterproductive, for improving the quality of hospital care in America.

5 Feb 2015

Controlling acute and chronic pain in women

Despite the variety of effective treatments, and physicians who specialize in treating pain, women often suffer unnecessarily from conditions ranging from backaches to pain after cancer surgery, and also treat their pain with medications that may be ineffective and possibly harmful, according to a review of research related to women and pain by the American Society of Anesthesiologists.

20 Jan 2015

Injection technique provides pain relief following knee replacement surgery

It's estimated that more than half of adults in the United States diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis will undergo knee replacement surgery.

22 Dec 2014

Wearable technology and data analytics in healthcare: an interview with Mark Taglietti and Bob Zemke

Wearables is very much an emerging trend and healthcare is leading this effort. Consumer technology, such as the FitBit, Jawbone, and others, are going to merge with medical devices that are already being used in hospitals today.

15 Dec 2014

WSU researchers working on better bone-like materials used in hip and knee replacements

Washington State University researchers are working to improve materials used in hip and knee replacements so that they last longer and allow patients to quickly get back on their feet after surgery.

12 Dec 2014

Studies presented at ASH meeting compare new, standard-of-care treatments for blood clots

Studies presented at the 56th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition compare new and standard-of-care treatments for blood clots and further illuminate clot risks in vulnerable populations, such as cancer patients.

8 Dec 2014

Surgical treatment of obesity, diabetes as safe as other commonly performed surgical procedures

Laparoscopic gastric bypass surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes, once considered a high-risk procedure, carries a complication and mortality rate comparable to some of the safest and most commonly performed surgeries in America, including gallbladder surgery, appendectomy, and total knee replacement, according to new research from the Cleveland Clinic Bariatric and Metabolic Institute.

7 Nov 2014

New policy targeting hospital readmissions for COPD may hurt vulnerable patients, say experts

Last week, the federal government revealed that it will fine more than 2,600 hospitals in the coming year, because too many Medicare patients treated at these hospitals are ending up back in the hospital within 30 days of going home. Two new conditions have been added in this round of penalties: elective hip and knee replacement and chronic lung disease.

3 Nov 2014

Coordinated care by physician anesthesiologists can benefit knee replacement patients

Knee replacement patients go home sooner, are highly satisfied and incur less cost when a physician anesthesiologist coordinates care, suggests research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2014 annual meeting.

16 Oct 2014

Most surgical patients lack knowledge about roles of physician anesthesiologists

Most surgical patients know a physician anesthesiologist will "put them to sleep," but what they don't realize is that this medical doctor plays a major role in preparing them for the operation. Just as important, these physicians keep them safe and preserve their health during surgery and help them recover as quickly and as comfortably as possible, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2014 annual meeting.

14 Oct 2014

Psychological cognitive disorder can lead to development of persistent post-surgical pain

Patients with a psychological cognitive disorder known as catastrophizing are more likely to develop persistent, chronic pain after surgery, according to new research presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2014 annual meeting. Pain catastrophizing occurs when a patient has an irrational and illogical focus on pain, perceiving that it is worse than it actually is.

14 Oct 2014

Physical therapy before joint replacement surgery reduces need for postoperative care by nearly 30%

Physical therapy after total hip (THR) or total knee replacement (TKR) surgery is standard care for all patients. A new study, appearing in the October 1 issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery), also found that physical therapy before joint replacement surgery, or "prehabilitation," can diminish the need for postoperative care by nearly 30 percent, saving an average of $1,215 per patient in skilled nursing facility, home health agency or other postoperative care.

8 Oct 2014

Increased pain scores in surgery patients result in deceased sleep duration

Pain can make it difficult for some patients to get a good night's rest while recovering in the hospital following certain surgical procedures, often resulting in longer hospital stays, according to researchers at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

25 Sep 2014

Pain can disrupt sleep in surgery patients, result in longer hospital stays

24 Sep 2014

State Highlights: Calif. prop 45 ad truth check; Medi-Cal autism coverage

Proposition 45 would give California's elected insurance commissioner the authority to reject excessive health insurance rate hikes, a power the commissioner already wields for auto and homeowners insurance rates. The campaign against it -- for which the insurance industry has so far put up $37.3 million -- is now airing a 60-second radio ad narrated by a nurse named Candy Campbell.

16 Sep 2014

Research roundup: Prevention services for seniors; drug shortages

This policy brief reports the findings of a systematic review conducted by the Community Health Innovations in Prevention for Seniors (CHIPS) project. ... Clinical preventive services such as colorectal cancer screening and pneumococcal immunization can help reduce rates of premature death and disability. Yet, many older adults are not receiving the full set of clinical preventive services that have been proven effective and are considered "high value" in terms of their costs per life saved. Rates are particularly low among racial and ethnic minority older adults compared to national goals.

15 Sep 2014

Virginia Mason introduces surgical warranty for hip and knee replacements

Virginia Mason, a national leader in improving quality and safety and controlling health care costs, today introduced a surgical warranty for hip and knee replacements.

4 Sep 2014

Janssen, Bayer announce expansion of EXPLORER global cardiovascular research program for XARELTO

Janssen Research & Development, LLC and its development partner, Bayer HealthCare, announced today the expansion of the EXPLORER global cardiovascular research program for XARELTO (rivaroxaban) to include additional high-risk patient populations.

29 Aug 2014

Cost-saving strategy for orthopedic procedures at hospitals fails to meet goals

A pilot program intended to implement and test a cost-saving strategy for orthopedic procedures at hospitals in California failed to meet its goals, succumbing to recruitment challenges, regulatory uncertainty, administrative burden and concerns about financial risk, according to a new RAND Corporation study.

5 Aug 2014

Mortality rates decrease for hip and knee replacement surgeries in older patients

Over the past decade, a greater number of patients, age 80 and older, are having elective orthopaedic surgery.

18 Jul 2014