Editors Choice

According to a study published in the January issue of the Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery, smoking may increase risk of complication following total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) or reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). 

Findings from a study published online in the journal Annals of Surgery suggest that overlapping surgery may be safe, at least in concept. The researchers reviewed data on 10,765 overlapping surgical cases, of which 10,614 (98.6 percent) were matched to 16,111 non-overlapping procedures at a single center. 

According to a study published in the Dec. 6 issue of The Journal of the American Medical Association, end-of-rotation transition in care may be linked with increased risk of in-hospital mortality. 

Information from a research letter published in the Dec. 6 issue of the journal Annals of Surgery suggests an overuse of certain antibiotics, aggressive non-palliative treatment in patients with limited life expectancy, treatment of chronic pain, and dietary supplements. 

Data from a research study published in the Journal of the AAOS suggests that for certain orthopaedic procedures, day surgery at an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) may be more cost effective than the same surgery performed in the hospital. 

Bloomberg reports that a jury in Texas has ordered Johnson & Johnson to pay more than $1 billion to six patients, agreeing with plaintiffs that the company knew there were flaws in the design of the DePuy Pinnacle metal-on-metal hip replacement system, but failed to properly warn physicians and patients regarding the risks.

A study published online in the journal Pain suggests that opioids prescribed at discharge from the emergency department (ED) may offer no advantage compared to NSAIDs for risk of moderate to severe musculoskeletal pain among patients who have been involved in a motor vehicle collision (MVC). 

A survey published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons suggests that a majority of surgical residents may prefer to work under flexible duty hour policies compared to standard policies.

Findings from a study published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery suggest that, in an ambulatory setting, the practice of overlapping surgery may not be associated with increased complication rates compared to non-overlapping procedures.