Here are 10 major orthopedic studies conducted in 2024 to know:
1. A study published in The Journal of Arthroplasty found that total joint arthroplasty procedures are the most common cause of malpractice claims within orthopedic surgery. The study ultimately reviewed 59 cases, including 33 total knee and 26 total hip arthroplasty cases. The TKA cases primarily cited pain (24%), while the THA cases cited nerve injuries (31%). Negligence largely stemmed from procedural error (47%), postsurgical error (27%), and failure to inform (14%). Case outcomes were in favor of the defense in 66% of cases.
2. A study published in The New England Journal of Medicine shows that weight loss medication Ozempic could be beneficial for treating knee pain caused by osteoarthritis. At the study's onset, the average amount of pain the participants felt on a 100-point scale was 70.9. Patients taking semaglutide lost an average of 13.7% of their starting body weight, while those who used the placebo lost 3.2%. The most significant reported physical improvement was to patient knee pain. People who took semaglutide had a 41.7-point reduction in pain compared to those who took a placebo and saw their pain reduced by 27.5 points.
3. CytexOrtho earned FDA approval to begin a clinical trial evaluating the safety and efficacy of its absorbable hip implant in human patients. The ReNew hip implant uses 3D manufacturing and polycaprolactone to help hip disease patients who do not need a full hip joint replacement.
4. A study found that having multiple orthopedic surgeries in the same hospital stay was linked to slower recovery and increased risk of death. Orthopedic patients who were malnourished also had higher hospital costs, the study found. Researchers suggest patients who have multiple orthopedic surgeries in one hospital stay get personalized nutritional support.
5. Approximately 5.7% of orthopedic surgeons leave their first practice within two years, according to a study published in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. The finding contradicts prevailing opinion that "50%" leave their first practice within that time frame, according to the report.
6. Patients prescribed glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, including Ozepmic and Wegovy, have a significantly higher postoperative infection rate following ankle-fusion procedures, according to a study presented at the American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society's annual meeting.
7. For patients 45 to 65 years old, orthopedic cases accounted for four out of five procedures, accounting for the highest proportions of postoperative opioid prescriptions, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
8. The first patient was enrolled in a clinical study to evaluate 3D-printed models for orthopedic tumor removal. The study will assess 3D-printed models as part of preoperative planning and tumor excision compared to sole reliance on CT or MRI imaging.
9. While total knee replacements performed with the help of surgical robots have better patient outcomes, they cost an average of $2,400 more than conventional knee replacements, according to new research published in the Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery.
10. Two studies presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeon's 2024 conference examined the impact that the drug semaglutide, which is sold as Ozempic to treat Type 2 diabetes and as Wegovy for weight loss, could have on patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty. The two new studies found that patients who take semaglutide at the time of a total hip replacement experience similar postoperative outcomes to those who do not take the drug.