Orthopedics

The fixed-dose combination aclidinium bromide/formoterol has been approved since November 2014 for long-term treatment of adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The German Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG) examined in a dossier assessment whether this drug combination offers an added benefit over the appropriate comparator … [Read more...]

It's epidemic and it costs billions. And, it can erode quality of life, rob precious hours of sleep and limit participation in daily activities. Back pain runs the gamut from irritation to agony, and statistics show that 75 percent of us will have at least one episode in our lifetime. Earlier this year, Australian researchers reported that acetaminophen appeared to make no … [Read more...]

McMaster University researchers have found that current evidence does not support the routine use of minimally invasive surgery to remove herniated disc material pressing on the nerve root or spinal cord in the neck or lower back. In comparing it with open surgery, they found that while minimally invasive surgery for cervical or lumbar discectomy may speed up recovery and … [Read more...]

Hammertoe is a condition where one or more toes are bent downward and frozen in an unnatural and uncomfortable position. The traditional method of fixing the toe can be painful, and require weeks of rehab. Now, a new procedure is making it easier for patients with hammertoe to get back on their feet. Catherine Linthicum is walking well, with a little help from her son, Jim. … [Read more...]

Prompt and appropriate treatment of a dislocated shoulder -- when the head of the upper arm bone (humerus) is completely knocked out of the shoulder socket (glenoid) -- can minimize risk for future dislocations as well as the effects of related bone, muscle and nerve injuries, according to a literature review appearing in the December issue of the Journal of the American … [Read more...]

After suffering years of severe neck pain, Debbie Yuss, RN, decided to see Loyola University Medical Center spine surgeon Alexander Ghanayem, MD. As a worker's compensation case manager, Ms. Yuss had seen firsthand the results Dr. Ghanayem achieves in treating spinal problems. "I knew just how good he is," she said. Dr. Ghanayem performed a two-level spinal fusion at the … [Read more...]

Despite increasing medical knowledge, treating shoulder pain in baseball pitchers and other throwing athletes remains one of the most challenging tasks in sports medicine. "The results of treatment are not as predictable as the patient, family, trainer, coach and doctor would like to think," according to an article in the journal Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics … [Read more...]

A new study out in the journal Neurology shows that pregabalin is not effective in controlling the pain associated with lumbar spinal stenosis, the most common type of chronic lower back pain in older adults. "Chronic low back pain is one of the most common reasons why older adults go to the doctor and lumbar stenosis is the leading indication for surgery in this age group," … [Read more...]

Having trouble sleeping? Then you are nearly one-and-a-half times more likely to eventually suffer from back pain, according to a new study conducted by the University of Haifa. "After controlling for a range of variables, including socioeconomic status and lifestyle issues, we came to the conclusion that insomnia is a marker for the increased risk of back pain, though the … [Read more...]

Researchers from the University of Helsinki, ETH Zürich, Aix-Marseille and the German Mouse Clinic teamed up to investigate the initiation process of dendritic spines. They discovered that protein called MIM bends the plasma membrane to aid the formation of dendritic spines from the surface of the neuronal dendrite. The discovery is important, as most of the neuronal … [Read more...]

Damage to myelin, the fatty insulator that enables communication between nerve cells, characterizes multiple sclerosis (MS) and other devastating neurological diseases. The damage doesn't come all at once: There is a "honeymoon" period during which some regeneration of myelin, called remyelination, does occur, but this ability to regenerate dissipates as the disease … [Read more...]

Stem cells hold great potential for addressing a variety of conditions from spinal cord injuries to cancer, but they can be difficult to control. Scientists are now reporting in the journal ACS Nano a new way to mimic the body's natural approach to programming these cells. Using this method, they successfully directed adult stem cells to turn specifically into muscle, which … [Read more...]

People with back pain who have low expectations of acupuncture before they start a course of treatment will gain less benefit than those people who believe it will work, according to new research from the University of Southampton. Conversely, those people who have a positive view of back pain and who feel in control of their condition experience less back-related disability … [Read more...]

Using virtual reality to misrepresent how far the neck is turned can actually change pain experiences in individuals who suffer from chronic neck pain, according to research published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. It may seem like our experiences of pain stem from some objective, physiological source, but research has shown … [Read more...]

While men and women have similar levels of improvement following total knee replacement (TKR) surgery, men have higher levels of function before and after TKR, according to new research presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). According to the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, more than 600,000 knee … [Read more...]

Rice University catcher, John Clay Reeves, felt pain in his groin after a collision at the plate with an opposing player. He thought he had pulled a muscle, but it turns out he was suffering from a common condition seen in teens and young adults known as hip impingement. "The issue with hip impingement is not treating it, but diagnosing it," said Joshua Harris, M.D., a … [Read more...]

Patients who have lower extremity proximal deep vein thrombosis (LE-DVT), or a blood clot in their leg, are increasingly undergoing minimally invasive catheter-based blood clot removal -- also referred to as catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) -- rather than solely being treated with traditional blood-thinning medications (anticoagulation alone). This trend is due to recent … [Read more...]

Genetic factors help to explain the commonly found association between low back pain and depression, suggests a large study of twins in the March issue of PAIN®, the official publication of the International Association for the Study of Pain. The journal is published by Wolters Kluwer. Genetic factors affecting both conditions may be involved in the association between back … [Read more...]

Among patients with a displaced fracture in the upper arm near the shoulder (proximal humeral), there was no significant difference between surgical treatment and nonsurgical treatment in patient-reported outcomes over two years following the fracture, results that do not support the trend of increased surgery for patients with this type of fracture, according to a study in the … [Read more...]

A minimally invasive spinal fusion back surgery results in less blood loss, less postoperative pain, smaller incisions, a shorter hospital stay and faster recovery and return to work. Rather than cutting through paraspinal (back) muscles, the surgeon spreads and dilates the muscles to obtain access to the lumbar (lower back) spine. One such operation is called a minimally … [Read more...]

Tablet use has rocketed. Last year in the US, for example, 42% of under 18's owned one and more than half of 35-49 year olds used them regularly. This figure seems unlikely to decrease and yet only limited guidance is available on minimising health risks. Tablet use requires significant head and neck flexion and has implications for potential neck injury to users. In this … [Read more...]

Older adults who had spine imaging within 6 weeks of a new primary care visit for back pain had pain and disability over the following year that was not different from similar patients who did not undergo early imaging, according to a study in the March 17 issue of JAMA. When to image older adults with back pain remains controversial. Many guidelines recommend that older … [Read more...]

Hip replacement is often performed in patients with juvenile arthritis when their joints have been severely damaged by the disease. A study at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) finds that the procedure is an excellent option to alleviate pain and improve function in juvenile arthritis patients under age 35 when conservative treatments fail to provide relief. The study, to … [Read more...]

While women may have their first total joint replacement (TJR) at an older age, they are less likely to have complications related to their surgery or require revision surgery, according to a new study presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). The findings contradict the theory that TJR is underutilized in female patients … [Read more...]

The first-ever randomized, controlled trial to compare spinal cord stimulation (SCS) technologies found that high-frequency SCS using 10 kHz (HF10) exceeded lower-frequency, traditional SCS in response rate and pain relief. Further, this was achieved without the paresthesia that may cause discomfort with traditional SCS, the researchers reported in a scientific poster at the … [Read more...]

An injection of a patient's bone marrow stem cells during rotator cuff surgery significantly improved healing and tendon durability, according to a study presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). Each year in the U.S., more than 2 million people have rotator cuff surgery to re-attach their shoulder tendon to the head … [Read more...]

New research presented today at the 2015 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) identifies nicotine dependence, obesity, alcohol abuse and depressive disorders as risk factors for low back pain, a common condition causing disability, missed work, high medical costs and diminished life quality. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control … [Read more...]

Early surgery may not be the best treatment option for patients with Type V AC joint injuries, according to new research from Tripler Army Medical Center. The study, presented today at the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) Specialty Day, showed military personnel returned to duty faster when surgery was not performed. The final study group focused on … [Read more...]

The United States makes up less than five percent of the world's population but consumes 80 percent of the global opioid supply and approximately 99 percent of all hydrocodone--the most commonly prescribed opioid in the world. And, according to the authors of a new literature review in the May issue of The Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, orthopaedic … [Read more...]

fitness news , Font size Orthopedics France ponders removing risky breast implants   - Reported, January 13, 2012   French health authorities are considering whether to suggest that an estimated 30,000 women in France get their breast implants removed, amid warnings by leading doctors about the risks of rupture and possible … [Read more...]