The risks of small community practice.

Small community practice has risks not present in a metropolitan practice. The practice is general orthopaedics and subspecialization does not thrive. The quality of consulting physicians and the community hospital may not be of the level desired.

The risk of product liability: orthopaedic surgeons can be trapped.

Orthopaedics has become the specialty that it is because of the technologic advancements of medicine in designing successful implants. However, the use of implants introduces a new risk of product failure. The orthopaedic surgeon needs to be aware of the potential consequences of the risks of use of devices in treating patients.

Comparison of preoperative radiographs and intraoperative findings of fixation of hemispheric porous-coated sockets.

Background: The radiographic criteria for identification of loose cementless acetabular components have not been well established. The purpose of this study was to compare the radiographic appearance of a hemispheric porous-coated cementless cup fixed with screws with the intraoperative findings with regard to the fixation status.

Methods: The quality of the cup fixation was evaluated at fifty-two hip revisions that were performed, for reasons other than infection, at an average of 89.