A Modified Ogata-Goldsand Technique for Simplified Intraoperative Measurement of Femoral Version.

Background: Femoral anteversion can be difficult to determine intraoperatively, particularly in cases with complicated deformity. Although biplanar methodology exists for measuring femoral anteversion, the measurements are generally based on the proximal femur, without consideration for the femoral bow.

Methods: We directly measured femoral version in 70 mature cadaveric femora.

Has diversity increased in orthopaedic residency programs since 1995?

Background: Diversity among health professionals is believed to be an important step toward improving patient communication and addressing health disparities. Orthopaedic surgery traditionally has been overly represented by Caucasian males, and it remains one of the least racially and gender-diversified surgical subspecialties. As the US population becomes increasingly diverse, a concomitant increase in ethnic diversity and gender diversity is needed to ensure that all Americans receive high-quality, culturally competent health care.

BTI1, an azoreductase with pH-dependent substrate specificity.

The group II azoreductase BTI1 utilizes NADPH to directly cleave azo bonds in water-soluble azo dyes, including quenchers of fluorescence. Unexpectedly, optimal reduction was dye specific, ranging from a pH of <5.5 for Janus green B, to pH 6.

Evaluation of proximal femoral geometry using digital photographs.

The morphologic features of the proximal femur are used in preoperative planning prior to total hip arthroplasty. Recent literature evaluating the anatomy of the proximal femur, as it relates to total hip arthroplasty, has relied heavily on radiographs or computed tomography. We used digital photographs to compare 200 cadaveric femora in individuals who died prior to 40 years of age: 25 African-American males, 25 African-American females, 25 Caucasian males, 25 Caucasian females.

The evaluation of two references for restoring proximal femoral anatomy during total hip arthroplasty.

The morphologic features of the proximal femur are used in preoperative planning prior to total hip arthroplasty (THA). In this study we evaluated two references that have been widely used during THA to restore the normal anatomy of the proximal femur: (1) the distance from the lesser trochanter to the center of femoral head and (2) the anatomic relationship between the greater trochanter and the center of femoral head. We used digital photographs to compare 200 cadaveric femora in individuals who died prior to 40 years of age.

Analgesia for total hip and knee arthroplasty: a review of lumbar plexus, femoral, and sciatic nerve blocks.

Use of peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) during lower extremity surgery has evolved. In this article, we review the pertinent anatomy and the literature concerning the advantages and disadvantages of both PNBs and traditional methods of postoperative analgesia (neuraxial and patient-controlled) for total hip arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty. We conclude that use of PNBs for total hip and total knee arthroplasty compares favorably with traditional methods of postoperative analgesia.

Expansion of the coordinator role in orthopaedic residency program management.

The Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education's (ACGME) Data Accreditation System indicates 124 of 152 orthopaedic surgery residency program directors have 5 or fewer years of tenure. The qualifications and responsibilities of the position based on the requirements of orthopaedic surgery residency programs, the institutions that support them, and the ACGME Outcome Project have evolved the role of the program coordinator from clerical to managerial. To fill the void of information on the coordinators' expanding roles and responsibilities, the 2006 Association of Residency Coordinators in Orthopaedic Surgery (ARCOS) Career survey was designed and distributed to 152 program coordinators in the United States.

Diversity and professional excellence.

There are compelling moral and practical reasons why the memberships in professions should mirror the populations that they serve. In order to address this general issue more exactly, this essay will confine itself to a particular case as an emblem for the general point. The particular case is the profession of orthopedic surgeons in the United States.

Spinal cord injury caused by gunshot wounds: the cost of rehabilitation.

The current authors did a retrospective review of the medical records of 47 patients with spinal cord injury secondary to gunshot wounds who were admitted to National Rehabilitation Hospital between 1993 and 1999. There were 44 male patients and three female patients; the mean age of the patients was 24.7 years (range, 15-56 years).

Antibiotic therapy in gunshot wound injuries.

Protocols for antibiotic prophylaxis in the treatment of fractures caused by gunshots have not been delineated clearly in the literature to date. The current review of the literature reveals that antibiotic therapy for treatment of these fractures is predicated on the muzzle velocity of the weapon used to inflict the fracture. General consensus has been reached regarding the requirement of at least 24 hours of intravenous antibiotic treatment in fractures caused by high-velocity weapons in conjunction with the appropriate wound and fracture care.

A synopsis of urban firearm ballistics: Washington, DC model.

Although current statistics are available pertaining to weapon retrieval rates, the evolution of ballistics in most metropolitan areas has not been critically examined and correlated with the resultant impact on public health. Of special concern to law enforcement agencies and urban Level 1 trauma centers is the unabated increase in the availability of firearms with accelerated firepower capable of increased kinetic energy and reduced time to exhaust the weapon's magazine. The firearms statistics from the Washington, DC area were examined retrospectively by review of the records of the Firearms and Toolmark Examination section of the Metropolitan Police Department.