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In 2013, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) mandated orthopedic surgery residents to perform at least 1000 surgical cases during residency and specified “case minimums” for 15 core procedure categories. We assessed trends in the volume and variability of graduating orthopedic surgery resident caseload since the implementation of these case minimums. We performed a retrospective linear regression analysis of ACGME-published case log data of US orthopedic residents graduating from 2014 to 2019, with trend analysis, comparison of case volume between residents in 10th and 90th percentiles, and comparison of logged cases vs case minimums for core procedures. Median total procedures performed increased from 1464 (range, 592–2842) in 2014 to 1709 (range, 870–3318) in 2019, representing a 17% increase in case volume ( P Orthopedics . 2022;45(1):25–30.]

Upper extremity surgeons perform diverse operations, including hand surgery, microsurgery, and shoulder/elbow arthroscopy and arthroplasty. Declining orthopedic reimbursement rates may encourage surgeons to adjust their case mix, favoring a shift toward procedures with higher compensation. To determine whether upper extremity surgeons and hand-fellowship trainees may be financially incentivized to perform more shoulder/elbow procedures than hand procedures in a hospital-based setting, relative value unit (RVU) compensation rates were compared for these 2 fields. Using Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services–assigned work RVUs (wRVU) and National Surgical Quality Improvement Program operative time data, wRVU compensation rates per minute of operative time were determined for common shoulder/elbow surgeries. Overall nonweighted and weighted wRVU/min averages were calculated for hospital-based shoulder/elbow and hand surgery. A total of 27 shoulder/elbow procedures and 53 hand surgery procedures were analyzed. Nonweighted comparison showed shoulder/elbow surgery had a higher wRVU/min (0.19±0.03 vs 0.14±0.05, P P Orthopedics . 2021;44(3):e373–e377.]

After axillary lymph node dissection (ALND), patients are cautioned against ipsilateral interventional procedures to avoid the theoretical increased risk of postoperative complications, particularly lymphedema. The authors’ goal was to evaluate the complications of elective hand surgery after ALND. The authors reviewed patients presenting to their hand clinic from 1998 to 2011, selecting those with a diagnosis of breast cancer or melanoma and a history of previous ALND; the authors excluded those treated nonoperatively and those treated with elective surgery in the contralateral hand. Average age of the 22 patients meeting the criteria (20 with a history of breast cancer, 6 with preexisting lymphedema) was 53.9 years (range, 26.7 to 73.6 years) at the time of ALND and 63.1 years (range, 31.7 to 83.5 years) at the time of hand surgery. Average interval between surgeries was 9.2 years (range, 8 days to 37.3 years). Follow-up averaged 9.2 months (range, 8 days to 41.7 months). Fifteen patients were surveyed for long-term postoperative results (average surgery-to-survey interval, 4.3 years [range, 1 to 11.9 years]). Fifteen patients had uneventful postoperative recoveries, 4 had peri-incisional erythema requiring oral antibiotics, 1 had incisional pain and scarring, 1 had chronic wound-healing issues, and 1 had a dehiscence requiring a return to the operating room. In the 15 patients who completed the follow-up survey, there was no disease exacerbation in the 3 patients with preexisting lymphedema, and there were no new cases of lymphedema. Routine minor hand surgery did not result in lymphedema and did not increase existing lymphedema in these patients with previous ipsilateral ALND, but almost one-third of them had short-term complications in the postoperative recovery period. [ Orthopedics. 2015; 38(5):e367–e373.]

Callaghan has suggested that the most important factor in obtaining optimal results after total hip arthroplasty may be the ability to determine when to use cemented or cementless fixation. This article has presented the indications and relative contraindications for use of proximally porous-coated prostheses. Midterm results suggest that with appropriate patient selection, excellent clinical results can be achieved with currently available proximally porous-coated prostheses. Use of proximally coated prostheses is indicated for primary total hip arthroplasty in patients aged >70 years with good bone stock. Relative contraindications are based on interference with bone ingrowth or with the ability to achieve a congruent fit, both of which preclude establishment of rigid initial stability. These conditions include metabolic bone disease such as osteoporosis, osteomalacia, Gaucher's disease, sickle cell disorders, and Paget's disease; significant anatomical distortion, as seen in developmental dysplasia of the hip with anteversion, prior osteotomy, or intertrochanteric fracture; Dorr type C bone; and current treatment with radiation, chemotherapy, indomethacin, or diphosphonates. The same relative contraindications to use are applicable in revision situations. Further, proximally porous-coated prostheses should not be used for revision arthroplasty in the setting of massive bone loss, limited life expectancy, or inability to participate in protected weight bearing. These devices may be used successfully in revision arthroplasty when the hip has minimal or moderate bone loss, and occasionally in the setting of severe bone loss. As further information is revealed through the long-term (10-20 years) results of proximally coated prostheses, further refinements and knowledge of the indications and contraindications for the use of these prostheses will be revealed.

Between January 1, 1989 and July 31 , 1995, voluntary preoperative screening tests for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, using an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay, were completed on 2727 patients who underwent elective orthopedic surgical procedures. There were 2719 (99.7%) negative, 4 (0.15%) positive, and 3 (0.11%) false-positive results; 1 test was indeterminate (0.04%). All 4 positive patients were men with a mean age of 32 years (range: 26-43 years). Although the prevalence of positive tests is low in this setting, voluntary testing alerts the surgeon to higher risk patients, does not sacrifice patient care, and enables the incorporation of more extensive precautionary measures in the operating room to minimize occupational risks to the surgical team.