Instructional course lectures
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Being served with a medical negligence lawsuit usually is a traumatic event for an orthopaedic surgeon. The course of litigation is long and tedious, and the defendant physician must be well prepared for the experience. It is imperative that the physician contact his or her insurance carrier immediately after being served with the complaint because many legal actions are time dependent. ⋯ Because the testimony of expert witnesses often decides the outcome of the case, it is important for the physician to help the attorney identify the best potential witnesses. A thorough knowledge of the tactics that the plaintiff's attorney may use during cross-examination can help ensure that the truth is clearly portrayed. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Professional Compliance Program is designed to ensure that all testimony in medical liability cases is fair and factual.
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Pediatric musculoskeletal infections can cause devastating complications (including death) in this era of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and other virulent bacterial strains. The complexity and severity of these infections require timely diagnosis and treatment. A thorough emergency department evaluation, diagnostic workup, and early surgical intervention can influence outcomes. ⋯ Because of genetic changes and inducible resistance, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus causes more complex infections than in the past. Deep, soft-tissue abscesses; pyomyositis; osteomyelitis; and septic arthritis often occur concurrently, causing destruction of musculoskeletal tissue. Severe and life-threatening complications, such as septic emboli, deep venous thrombosis, and multiorgan system failure may result from these infections.
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Intra-articular fractures of the tibial plateau, pilon, and calcaneus often present a challenge for the treating orthopaedic surgeon. These injuries can have substantial comminution in the joint and the metaphyseal areas and are often accompanied by considerable soft-tissue trauma. ⋯ These myths include the beliefs that most patients with intra-articular fractures will have poor outcomes even with good surgical treatment, severe intra-articular fractures require a later reconstructive procedure regardless of the treatment, and the surgical treatment of comminuted intra-articular fractures has a high complication rate and may result in infection and limit the available options for limb salvage. A review of the literature regarding the treatment of common intra-articular fractures is helpful in determining if these myths concerning treatment options can be confirmed or disproved.