ORTHOPAEDICS HORIZON SCANNING BULLETIN Volume 3 Issue 2

NICE approves a new drug to prevent blood clots after knee and hip surgery

Source:  NICE  

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: 23 January 2012

Publication type:  Guideline

In a nutshell:  NICE recommends apixaban as a possible treatment to reduce the risk of venous thromboembolism in adults.  It is recommended because it works more effectively and costs less than one of  the most commonly used drugs available on the NHS that is used to reduce the risk of thromboembolism.  apixaban should be given shortly after surgery and for a few weeks after this to prevent VTE.

Length of publication: 42 pages

Some important notes:   Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text.  Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  NICE

Guidelines: management of proximal femoral fractures 2011

Source:  Anaesthesia  2012, 67 (1), 85-98

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: January 2012

Publication type:  Guideline

In a nutshell:  All patients with hip fractures should be fast-tracked through hospital emergency departments and operated on within 48 hours of admission according to new consensus guidelines developed by UK experts in anaesthesia, orthopaedics, geriatrics and emergency medicine.  It recommends that patients should receive multidisciplinary care, led by orthogeriatricians.  It is hoped that these guidelines will address current variations in clinical practice giving patients a more consistent approach.

Length of publication: 14 pages

Some important notes:   Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text.  Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  Medical News Today

New technology to track movement and durability of hip and knee implants

Source:  Orthosupersite

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: 27 January 2012

Publication type:  News item

In a nutshell:  A device using radiostereometric analysis (RSA) can help doctors monitor if replacement implants are wearing down or moving.  A RSA registry has also been set up for implants allowing researchers to collect data on materials and designs used for hip and knee replacements.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes:   Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text.  Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  Midwest Orthopaedic at Rush

New imaging tool for observing muscle activation

Source:  Simon Fraser University, Canada

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Date of publication: 23 January 2012

Publication type:  News item

In a nutshell:  A professor at Simon Fraser University has developed a novel method of using ultrasound imaging to capture 3D images of muscle structure in 90 seconds compared with the current 15 minutes.  The goal of this development is to improve the muscle models used in simulation software that predicts how people move and the forces on their joints.  This has applications for predicting the outcome of orthopaedic surgery such as tendon-transfers.

Length of publication: 1 web page

Some important notes:   Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text.  Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  Medical News Today

Monitoring the introduction and performance of a joint replacement: the United Kingdom metal-on-metal alert

Source:  JBJS(A) 2011, 93 (supplement 3), 37-42

Follow this link for abstract

Date of publication:  December 2011

Publication type:  Journal article

Length of publication:  6 pages

In a nutshell:  Discusses concerns about how modifications to already existing implants are assessed and monitored, and makes suggestions for improvements to the present system.

Some important notes:  You will need an NHS Athens username and password to access this article.  Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text.  Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (American)

Keeping up with orthopaedic apps

Source:  AAOS Now 2012 6 (1)

Follow this link for the full text

Date of publication: January 2012

Publication type:  News item

In a nutshell:  There are many apps available in orthopaedics.  This item highlights a few considered most useful by the author.  Remember that apps are not regulated, controlled for quality or accuracy so you must assess the validity of the information given.

Length of publication: 3 pages

Some important notes:   Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text.  Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Value of routine blood tests for prediction of mortality risk in hip fracture patients

Source:  Acta Orthopaedica 2012, January 17. [Epub ahead of print]

Follow this link for abstract & link to freely available full text

Date of publication:  January 2012

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell:  Article investigates the predictive value for mortality of routine blood tests taken on admission which may be of use in identifying patients who may benefit from increased perioperative attention.

Acknowledgement:  Acta orthopaedica

The impact of snow on orthopaedic trauma referrals

Source:  Injury 2012, January 13. [Epub ahead of print]

Follow this link for abstract

Date of publication:  January 2012

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell:  Retrospective study undertaken at a teaching hospital looks at increase in referrals during snow days compared to normal weather days and at the measures that should be put in place to cope with this increase in demand.

Some important notes:  You will need an NHS Athens username and password to access this article.  Please contact your local NHS library if you cannot access the full text.  Follow this link to find your local NHS library.

Acknowledgement:  Injury

Joint replacement surgery: comparing hospitals

Source:  British Journal of Healthcare Management 2012, 18 (1), 34-37

Follow this link for full text

Date of publication:  January 2012

Publication type:  Journal article

In a nutshell:  Proposes use of geometric mean and mode instead of arithmetic mean for comparing lengths of inpatient stay following hospital admissions of elective joint replacement surgery.

Length of publication:  4 pages

Acknowledgement:  British Journal of Healthcare Management

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