Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Orthopedics for May 2009. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Cell Transplantation May Improve Bladder Function
FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- In rats with spinal cord injury, transplantation of neuronal-glial restricted precursors or bone marrow stromal cells leads to significant improvement in bladder function but falls short of inducing full recovery, according to a study published in the June issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Physician, Patient Traits Affect Back Pain Imaging in Elderly
FRIDAY, May 29 (HealthDay News) -- Quality metrics that focus on overuse as well as underuse of services may be helpful in improving the quality of diagnostic services for elderly patients presenting with acute low back pain (LBP), according to a study in the May 25 Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Computerized Prescription Order Errors a Risk for Patients
THURSDAY, May 28 (HealthDay News) -- Computerized provider order entry systems are prone to input errors that may put patients at risk, according to a study published in the May 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Focus on Meaningful Work Protects Doctors From Burnout
THURSDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- Academic faculty physicians who focus on what they find most meaningful are less likely to experience burnout, according to a study published in the May 25 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Three-Step Program Helps Manage Depression and Pain
TUESDAY, May 27 (HealthDay News) -- In patients with depression and chronic pain, an optimized three-step intervention may lead to significant improvements in both conditions, according to a study published in the May 27 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Music Reduces Confusion After Hip or Knee Surgery
MONDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- In older adults who undergo hip or knee surgery, postoperative music therapy may reduce acute confusion, according to a study published in the May issue of Applied Nursing Research.
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Bioresorbable, Titanium Plates Similar in Spinal Fusion
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with degenerative disc disease undergoing cervical spine fusion with plate fixation do equally well with a bioresorbable plate compared with a titanium plate, according to a study in the May issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
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Special Interest in Back Pain May Cause Treatment to Suffer
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- Australian physicians with an interest in low back pain (LBP) or related fields harbor beliefs that are at odds with current evidence-based practice, according to a study in the May 15 issue of Spine.
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Comfrey Root Ointment Found to Reduce Lower Back Pain
FRIDAY, May 22 (HealthDay News) -- An ointment made from comfrey root extract dramatically reduced lower back pain compared to placebo, according to a study published in the May 21 issue of the British Journal of Sports Medicine.
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Democrats Set Ambitious Goal for Health Care Reform
THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Congressional Democrats face formidable challenges in their efforts to pass health care reform legislation by July 31, but physicians can take the lead to ensure changes are enacted, according to two perspectives published online May 20 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Scans Correlate Well to Assess Spinal Deformity
THURSDAY, May 21 (HealthDay News) -- Computed tomography (CT) and radiography scans correlate well in assessing traumatic spinal deformity, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders and Techniques.
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Sticking to Work Hours Limits Very Costly
WEDNESDAY, May 20 (HealthDay News) -- Adherence to the 2003 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) limits on work hours, and other measures aimed at reducing fatigue among residents, would be costly with no proven benefits, according to an article published in the May 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Hyperkyphosis, Spinal Fracture Linked to Mortality Risk
TUESDAY, May 19 (HealthDay News) -- Older women with hyperkyphosis and a history of vertebral fractures may have a higher risk of death, according to research published in the May 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Treatments Show Benefits in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis
MONDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- Physical therapy and epidural steroid injections both appear to be useful treatments for individuals with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), according to research published in the May 1 issue of Spine.
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American Pain Society Offers Back Pain Treatment Guidance
MONDAY, May 18 (HealthDay News) -- The American Pain Society (APS) has issued a new series of recommendations to guide clinicians deciding among the various surgical and nonsurgical options for treating low back pain (LBP). The guidelines are presented in separate studies in the May 1 issue of Spine.
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Cement-Free Hip Replacement Has Good Long-Term Results
THURSDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Porous-coated acetabular metal shells inserted without the use of cement during total hip arthroplasty produce good long-term results, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Acupuncture Beats Usual Care at Relieving Back Pain
TUESDAY, May 12 (HealthDay News) -- Acupuncture, even simulated acupuncture using a toothpick, outperformed usual care in relieving low back pain according to a study in the May 11 Archives of Internal Medicine.
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Abnormal Bone Growth More Common in War Wounds
MONDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- War wounds are more likely than civilian wounds to result in heterotopic ossification, and the complication is common among patients who undergo amputation as a result of blast injuries and those who undergo amputation within the zone of injury, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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NSAID Use Inhibits Post-Surgery Spine Fusion
MONDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- The use of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) diclofenac sodium for pain after vertebrae-fusing surgery appears to inhibit the successful fusion of the vertebrae, according to a study published in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Spinal Outcomes Linked to Pre-Surgery Time Off
MONDAY, May 11 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with symptomatic disc degeneration have a greater improvement in pain and disability after surgery if they were off work less than 13 weeks before surgery, according to a study in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Simple Plastic Glasses Can Protect Orthopedic Surgeons
FRIDAY, May 8 (HealthDay News) -- Orthopedic surgeons can best protect themselves from conjunctival contamination during surgery with simple, disposable plastic glasses, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
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Screening Can Spot Those Most at Risk for Missed Work
WEDNESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- A brief screening questionnaire can identify workers with chronic low back pain who are most at risk for long periods of missed work, according to a study published in the May issue of The Spine Journal.
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Physical Therapists Can Successfully Treat Clubfoot
WEDNESDAY, May 6 (HealthDay News) -- Physical therapists can use the Ponseti method to treat clubfoot as effectively as surgeons and their patients have fewer recurrences, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
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Rivaroxaban Effective in Preventing Thrombosis
TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- A phase III trial of oral rivaroxaban has shown that it is more effective than subcutaneous enoxaparin in preventing venous thromboembolism after total knee arthroplasty, according to a study published online May 5 in The Lancet.
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Medical Center Press Releases Often Lacking Key Details
TUESDAY, May 5 (HealthDay News) -- Press releases from academic medical centers may often overstate the importance of research findings while failing to acknowledge relevant limitations of the studies, according to research published in the May 5 Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Falling Furniture Is an Increasing Hazard for Children
MONDAY, May 4 (HealthDay News) -- Because tipped-over furniture accounts for an increasing number of injuries among children, pediatricians and caregivers need to be aware of such hazards and acquaint themselves with prevention strategies, according to a study published online May 3 in Clinical Pediatrics.
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More Americans Reporting Disability
FRIDAY, May 1 (HealthDay News) -- The number of Americans reporting disabilities rose by 7.7 percent from 44.1 million in 1999 to 47.5 million in 2005, according to a report in the May 1 issue of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
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