Publications by authors named "North W"

Robotic-assisted devices help provide precise component positioning in conversion of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) to total knee arthroplasty (TKA). A few studies offer surgical techniques for computed tomography (CT) based robotic-assisted conversion of UKA to TKA; however, no studies to date detail this procedure utilizing a non-CT-based robotic-assisted device. This article introduces a novel technique employing a non-CT-based robotic-assisted device (ROSA Knee System, Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, IN) for converting UKA to TKA with a focus on its efficacy in gap balancing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The impact of cementless trabecular metal (TM) implants on implant survivorship are not well delineated. This study compares primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) revision rates of cemented knee replacements with two cementless knee replacement designs-cementless TM and a non-TM cementless design. Data from a national registry queried TKA procedures performed for osteoarthritis from 1999 to 2020.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Vasopressin gene expression has been demonstrated to be a common feature of all small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and breast cancer. Provasopressin (ProVP) is a component of the cancer cell membrane and a likely target for treatment. However, a measurable fraction of this cancer provasopressin is also normally processed and products are released into the circulation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Periprosthetic femur fracture (PFF) is a complication of total hip arthroplasty (THA). These occur intraoperatively or postoperatively, and documented risk factors of PFFs include women, age greater than 65 years, cementless stems, and inflammatory arthropathies. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to assess the relationship of years of surgical experience and surgeon annual THA volume on intraoperative and postoperative PFFs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Intravenous dexamethasone has been shown to reduce pain in total joint arthroplasty. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial investigated the postoperative effects and safety of oral dexamethasone as a potential augment to multimodal pain management in outpatient knee arthroplasty.

Methods: The authors prospectively randomized 109 consecutive patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Effective engineering and exploitation of coherently coupled vertical cavity surface emitting laser arrays will benefit from simple and fast characterization of the optical coupling and coherence. We propose a Fourier method of analyzing beam profiles as an alternative to the prior beam visibility analysis and show that the mode suppression ratio and phase between a pair of supermodes can be extracted. Our analysis enables fast quantitative determination of the array coherence and supermode characteristics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study investigates the effects of preoperative carbohydrate-rich drinks on postoperative outcomes after primary total knee arthroplasty.

Methods: We prospectively randomized 153 consecutive patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty at one institution. Patients were assigned to one of three groups: group A (50 patients) received a carbohydrate-rich drink; group B (51 patients) received a placebo drink; and group C (52 patients) did not receive a drink (control).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Templating prior to total hip arthroplasty is a widely adopted practice that aims to improve operative efficiency and reduce clinical outliers. Predicting implant size before total knee arthroplasty (TKA), although less common, could increase operating room efficiency by reducing necessary equipment needed for the procedure. This study compared templating accuracy in TKA using two-dimensional (2D) digital radiographs to a novel imaging technology that generates a three-dimensional (3D) model from these 2D radiographs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Boccomino, HL, Daoud, BT, Hudas, A, North, WA, and Malek, MH. Log-transformed electromyography amplitude power output relationship: nondominant vs. dominant limb.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to assess how using multiple venous thromboembolism (VTE) medications affects recovery outcomes after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) in over 2600 patients.
  • Results indicated that patients on 2 or more VTE medications had longer hospital stays, more blood transfusions, and higher rates of complications like emergency visits and readmissions.
  • The findings suggest that using multiple VTE medications after TJA could lead to worse outcomes, highlighting the need to limit their use when possible.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Purpose: Alignment errors in medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) predispose to premature implant loosening and polyethylene wear. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a novel CT-free robotic surgical assistant improves the accuracy and reproducibility of bone resections in UKA compared to conventional manual instrumentation.

Methods: Sixty matched cadaveric limbs received medial UKA with either the ROSA Partial Knee System or conventional instrumentation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Golf is a popular sport among patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The golf swing requires significant knee rotation, which may lead to changes in golfing ability postoperatively. The type of implant used may alter the swing mechanics or place different stresses on the knee.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: This study aims to determine if socioeconomic (SE) parameters, primarily area deprivation index (ADI), relate to postoperative emergency department (ED) visits after total knee arthroplasty (TKA).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 2655 patients who underwent TKA in a health system of 4 hospitals. The primary outcome was an ED visit within 90 days, which was divided into those with and without readmission.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Case: Pain control after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains a significant challenge, especially in the context of certain patient-specific factors. We present a case of a 59-year-old woman with opioid-induced hyperalgesia who was referred for left knee pain and end-stage tricompartmental degenerative joint disease after failure of conservative management. We outline an approach to control postoperative pain in patients undergoing TKA who have severe opioid contraindications.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

As part of the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Society for Risk Analysis and Risk Analysis: An International Journal, this essay reviews the 10 most important accomplishments of risk analysis from 1980 to 2010, outlines major accomplishments in three major categories from 2011 to 2019, discusses how editors circulate authors' accomplishments, and proposes 10 major risk-related challenges for 2020-2030. Authors conclude that the next decade will severely test the field of risk analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate if not placing an indwelling urinary catheter leads to a higher potential for adverse genitourinary (GU) issues after total joint arthroplasty (TJA) under epidural anesthesia.

Methods: Three hundred thirty-five consecutive patients who underwent primary TJA using epidural anesthesia were retrospectively reviewed. The initial 103 patients received a preoperative urinary catheter, which was maintained until the morning of postoperative day 1.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Aseptic loosening and wear is second to only infection as the most common cause of arthroplasty failure. Degeneration of the polyethylene and metal arthroplasty components can lead to metallosis, which can cause a combination of direct cytotoxic effects and an inflammatory response within the synovial and periarticular tissues. This can result in bone resorption and secondary arthroplasty component loosening as well as a metal containing joint effusion and metal-induced synovitis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement Model, developed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, aims to improve the quality of joint replacement. Metrics including emergency room visit rates after primary total knee and total hip arthroplasty (TKA and THA) are of particular interest. The purpose of this study is to determine if preoperative emergency department (ED) visits are predictive of postoperative ED visits among patients undergoing elective THA or TKA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) has a poor prognosis with no effective treatments for recurrent cases, but previous studies found that NMDA receptors in tumors can be targeted to reduce their viability.* -
  • This study tested the effects of two drugs, ifenprodil (a GluN2B antagonist) and memantine (a channel-blocker), on tumor growth in mice with recurrent SCLC, finding that both drugs significantly decreased cell viability and tumor growth.* -
  • The combination of ifenprodil with the chemotherapy drug topotecan showed particularly strong results, completely stopping tumor growth in mice, indicating this combination could enhance outcomes for patients with recurrent SCLC.*
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We here report the responses of African bush elephants (Loxodonta africana) to a crude approximation of the honeybee alarm pheromone blend. We show that the elephants had an avoidance response to the semiochemical blend. The use of honeybee alarm pheromones to manage elephant movements in a non-invasive manner, using natural cues to which elephants may have an evolved response, holds potential for development of new options for an integrated system for elephant movement management and protection.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Objectives: The Functional Movement Screen (FMS™) has been used as a screening tool to determine musculoskeletal injury risk using composite scores based on movement quality and/or pain. However, no direct comparisons between movement quality and pain have been quantified.

Design: Retrospective injury data analysis.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Pancreatic cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, is a common disease with a poor prognosis. In this study, the importance of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors for the growth and survival of pancreatic cancer was investigated. Immunohistochemistry performed with antibodies against GluN1 and GluN2B revealed that all invasive adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors likely express these two NMDA receptor proteins.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The treatment of hematologic malignancies has advanced over the years, resulting in an improved survival of patients. As a result, these patients may be a part of the increasing population requiring total knee arthroplasty (TKA); however, they might be at a higher risk of adverse perioperative outcomes. The purpose of this study was to determine the perioperative outcomes (complications, length of stay [LOS], and costs) of patients with hematologic malignancies following TKA.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF