http://www.drwilliambarrett.com CHANGING THE FACE OF JOINT REPLACEMENT Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:46:05 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en An orthopedic implant manufacturer recently obtained approval to advertise that in laboratory tests, their joint replacement lasted 30 years. Unfortunately I think patients are misconstruing this information to believe that joint replacements will last 30 years. We have a long history of favorable laboratory studies that do not end up ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=150 Computer assisted joint replacement surgery has been around for almost 10-years. This began in Europe and spread to the United States over 5-years ago. There has been quite a bit of enthusiasm regarding the benefits of computer assistance in joint replacement and several studies have been reported using this technique. ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=87 As I have stated in previous blogs, there have been several reports in the orthopedic literature associating hospital and surgeon volume to outcome. Basically the higher volume facilities and surgeons tend to have lower complications and better outcomes. There is no agreement on what is the minimum number of procedures ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=149 Information reviewed at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons annual meeting in New Orleans, Louisiana, emphasized that cross-link polyethylene and metal remain the gold standard for hip bearings in total hip arthroplasty in 2010. Alternative bearings such as metal-on-metal and ceramic-on-ceramic continue to be used but concerns about reaction to ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=148 Revision knee replacement continues to be one of the more challenging operations in the repertoire of joint replacement surgeons. There are several factors leading to failure of a knee replacement, both short and long term. Short term they include mechanical problems and instability as well as infection. Long term, wear of ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=147 Fractures of the hip remain one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in the elderly individual. These injuries can rob the elderly of their independence. The number of hip fractures is expected to grow exponentially over the next 30 years. The mortality after a hip fracture in ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=146 A paper presented by Kevin Bozic at the Knee Society on March 13, 2010, as part of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Annual Meeting, reviewed the relationship between surgeon and hospital volumes and clinical outcomes, as well as adherence to standardized processes and the influence all of these have ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=145 At the Knee Society meeting on March 13, 2010, in New Orleans, Louisiana, several papers reviewed the outcomes of partial knee replacement, also known as unicompartmental knee replacement. There were excellent outcomes reported both for fixed bearing as well as mobile bearing unicompartmental replacements, as well as good results for ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=144 At the Knee Society meeting on March 13, 2010, in New Orleans, Louisiana, there were several papers discussing new techniques for performing knee replacement, including the use of custom-made guides based off preoperative MRI or CT scan, as well as robotically assisted surgical techniques for the placement of unicompartmental replacements. ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=143 In April 2010, The Joint Center at Valley Medical Center will move into its new location in the recently completed South Medical Tower. Our capacity will increase, our facilities will be brand new, and it gives us an opportunity to revisit our protocols and procedures. In over 10 years of operation ... http://www.drwilliambarrett.com/?p=142