Joint Commission updates outpatient THKR implementation guide
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 7 announced that an updated THKR Outpatient Performance Measurement Implementation Guide is now available for its Total Hip and Total Knee Replacement (THKR) Certification program. The update includes the 2018 CPT codes. Joint Commission Online Weekly Newsletter Read More >>
Prevalence of neurocognitive dysfunction and effects on total joint outcomes
Editor's Note Neurocognitive dysfunction is highly prevalent in total joint candidates and predisposes patients to suboptimal postoperative outcomes including increased ICU admissions and prolonged rehabilitation, this study finds. The researchers found that nearly 54% of 99 patients analyzed had neurocognitive dysfunction, which correlated with age more than 60 years, body…
FDA: Recall of methylprednisolone sodium succinate for injection
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 6 announced the recall by Sagent Pharmaceuticals (Schaumburg, Illinois) of 10 lots of methylprednisolone sodium succinate for injection, USP, 40 mg, 125 mg, and 1 g. The recall was initiated because of the discovery of high out of specification impurity…
Model helps predict pain, functional outcomes after lumbar spine surgery
Editor's Note In this study, researchers used patient-reported outcome (PRO) scores from 15 hospitals in Washington to create a clinical prediction model for spine surgery patients that explains most of the variability in pain reduction and functional improvement after surgery. The researchers found that after lumbar fusion surgery: 58.0% had…
Analysis predicts growth for thoracolumbar spine devices market
Editor's Note A Technavio analysis predicts that the global market for thoracolumbar spine devices will see a compound annual growth rate of almost 4% through 2022, the March 1 Beckerโs SpineReview reports. A major driver of the growth is the increasing prevalence of spinal disorders. The market was dominated in…
Opioids not better at reducing pain-related function than nonopioids
Editor's Note Opioids were no better than nonopioid medications at improving pain that interfered with activities such as walking, work, and sleep in patients with moderate to severe chronic back pain or hip or knee osteoarthritis pain, in this study. In 240 patients who were followed for 12 months, the…
Global orthopedics market set to grow
Editor's Note A GlobalData analysis predicts the global orthopedics market will reach $66.2 billion by 2023, with a compound annual growth rate of 3.8%, the March 2 Beckerโs SpineReview reports. Among the key players in the market, which is dominated by spine devices, hip and knee implants, and trauma fixation…
FDA: Hospira recalls three lots of hydromorphone HCL injection
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on March 5 announced the recall by Hospira (Lake Forest, Illinois) of three lots of hydromorphone HCL injection, USP Cll 10 mg/mL, 1 mL in 2 mL single dose vials. The recall was initiated because units from these lots may be empty…
Study: MIS vs open surgery in Medicare population
Editor's Note In this study led by Martin A. Makary, MD, MPH, professor of surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) was associated with better outcomes than open procedures in the Medicare population. Of 233,984 Medicare patients who had one of seven common surgical…
Analysis predicts costs of adverse patient safety events
Editor's Note A Frost & Sullivan analysis shows adverse patient safety events will cost the US and western Europe $383.7 billion by 2022, the February 26 Beckerโs Clinical Leadership & Infection Control reports. These adverse events will lead to an estimated 91.8 million patient hospital admissions and about 1.95 million…