D-dimer blood test shows value in detecting prosthetic joint infections

Measurement of plasma D-dimer levels – a test more commonly used to detect blood-clotting disorders – can provide useful information when making the difficult diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), reports a study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio in partnership with Wolters Kluwer.

Surgery for spinal stenosis linked to lower mortality and costs, compared to nonoperative treatment

For patients with spinal stenosis, operative treatment is associated with a lower risk of death and lower costs over two years, compared with nonoperative treatment, suggests a study in the February issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio in partnership with Wolters Kluwer.

Functional outcome measures show faster recovery with ‘partial’ versus total knee arthroplasty

For selected patients with knee osteoarthritis, unicompartmental (or “partial”) knee arthroplasty (UKA) shortens the recovery time for two key measures of physical function, as compared with total knee arthroplasty (TKA), reports a randomized trial in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio in partnership with Wolters Kluwer.

Early in their careers, sports medicine surgeons perform many non-sports medicine procedures

As they get started in their careers, orthopaedic surgeons with subspecialty training in sports medicine spend much of their time performing other types of orthopaedic procedures, reports a study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio in partnership with Wolters Kluwer.

Rapid test shows ‘solid performance’ for diagnosing infection around joint implants

The recently FDA-authorized alpha-defensin lateral flow test is a highly accurate, ten-minute test for diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) – a serious and costly complication of total joint replacement, reports a study in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio in partnership with Wolters Kluwer.