Orthopedics
-
Two major forms of physician reimbursement include Medicare (MCR; federally funded) and Medicaid (MCD; state funded). The only oversight provided to individual states for setting MCD reimbursement is that it must provide a standard payment that does not negatively affect patient care. The goals of this study were to determine the variability of MCD reimbursement for patients who require orthopedic procedures and to assess how this compares with regional MCR reimbursement. ⋯ Disparities were found between MCR and MCD when comparing identical procedures. Further research is necessary to understand the impact of these significant differences. It is likely that these discrepancies lead to suboptimal access to necessary orthopedic care. [Orthopedics. 2019; 42(2):e193-e196.].
-
The clinical and radiological outcomes of proximal tibia fractures involving the meta-diaphyseal junction treated with unilateral 3.5-mm locking precontoured anatomical plates are reported. Thirty-nine patients (41 proximal tibia fractures) who had proximal tibia fractures with complete meta-diaphyseal dissociation were enrolled in the study. For all patients, immediate postoperative and final follow-up simple radiographs were evaluated to determine the quality of the reduction by assessing coronal and sagittal alignment. ⋯ All reductions but 1 were found to have satisfactory maintenance of the initial reduction. At final follow-up, the mean knee range of motion and Lysholm knee score were 122.5° (range, 100°-135°) and 75.8 (range, 50-100), respectively. A single lateral 3.5-mm plate fixation for proximal tibia fractures involving the meta-diaphyseal junction offers mechanically stable fixation with satisfactory clinical and radiological outcomes. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(6):e777-e782.].
-
There are several surgical options for addressing Paprosky type III acetabular defects during revision total hip arthroplasty. In physiologically young and active patients, using structural bone graft to restore bone defects and provide adequate initial support for the revision acetabular component is one such option. This study reports the mid-term results of using a structural allograft accompanied by a trabecular metal-coated hemispherical cup for Paprosky type III defects. ⋯ The mean modified Harris hip score showed significant improvement, from 29.7 (range, 11-52) preoperatively to 84.1 (range, 77-91) at the latest follow-up (P<.05). The use of a structural allograft combined with a tantalum trabecular metal acetabular cup in acetabular revision for Paprosky type III defects had a satisfactory mid-term clinical result. This is a viable option for patients with large acetabular shelf defects. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(6):e861-e867.].
-
Hip fractures are common in elderly patients, and which surgical modality to pursue is often debated. Malnutrition, which cannot be corrected preoperatively in this population, is often not considered. Therefore, the authors sought to investigate the association between hypoalbuminemia and postoperative outcomes based on surgical intervention. ⋯ When analyzing across surgical modalities, unique complications were identified for patients with hypoalbuminemia undergoing open reduction and internal fixation/prosthetic replacement (reoperation, P<.001) and arthroplasty (any infection, P=.028) compared with other treatment options. Hypoalbuminemia can predict postoperative complications for patients with hip fractures and should be considered preoperatively to guide surgical decision making in equivocal cases where multiple modalities may be used based on fracture pattern. This study supports that, compared with other interventions, intramedullary nailing is associated with fewer postoperative complications in patients with hypoalbuminemia. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(6):e789-e796.].
-
A recent study that evaluated the risk of facing a malpractice claim by physician specialty found that orthopedic surgeons were at a significantly greater risk of being sued than other medical specialists. To date, no studies have characterized trends in orthopedic surgery malpractice claims. The Westlaw legal database was used to locate state and federal jury verdicts and settlements related to medical malpractice and orthopedic surgery from 2010 to 2016. ⋯ The jury found in favor of the defendant orthopedic surgeon in most cases. Procedural error and/or negligence were cited most commonly by the plaintiffs as the bases for the claims. Verdicts in favor of the plaintiffs resulted in payouts nearly double those of settlements. [Orthopedics. 2018; 41(5):e615-e620.].