Healio Orthopedics

Q&A: The role of robotics in the future of orthopedics

Joseph P. Iannotti, MD, PhD; Hunter Firment — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 14:34:00 Z

With the recent growth in utilization of robotic tools and AI learning modules in orthopedic practices around the country, surgeons must now adapt to a new status quo in the OR.
According to Joseph P. Iannotti, MD, PhD, professor of orthopedic surgery at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine, utilization of these technologies will only increase in the future, with more emphasis on computer vision and shared decision-making.
“At some point, an AI module will say, ‘I have analyzed 10,000 of these procedures already. I suggest that this is the right next step for this patient,’”

Successful outpatient TJA programs are ‘an iterative process’

Ugo N. Ihekweazu, MD, FAAOS, FAAHKS; Hunter Firment — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:21:57 Z

Across the country, there is an increase in same day discharge and outpatient total joint arthroplasty programs.
But according to Ugo N. Ihekweazu, MD, FAAOS, FAAHKS, chief of adult hip and knee reconstruction at Texas Orthopedic Hospital and a partner of the Fondren Orthopedic Group in Houston, Texas, the trend is only natural.
“It is a natural evolution of joint replacement that has been driven by better implants, less invasive surgical techniques, better anesthesia pathways and pain control,” Ihekweazu told Healio. “The other thing that comes with it is that patients like

‘Vital therapy option’: Denosumab does not raise atypical femur fracture risk

Regina Schaffer — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:47:42 Z

LAS VEGAS — Adults with osteoporosis prescribed the antiresorptive denosumab were no more likely to sustain an atypical femur fracture compared with bisphosphonate users over 4 years, according to data from a large, real-world study.
Long-term use of bisphosphonates, the first-line therapy for osteoporosis, is associated with rare but serious atypical femur fractures, which come with a high clinical burden that include delayed healing and significant morbidity, Haolan Qi, MD, MSc, a masters student in epidemiology at McGill University in Montreal, said during a presentation at the American

Gamified incentives help walking, not symptoms in osteoarthritis

Rob Volansky — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:30:00 Z

A game-based behavioral incentive program targeting physical activity improved walking outcomes but failed to improve symptoms in knee osteoarthritis, according to findings published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.
“Exercise is one of the most widely discussed treatments for knee osteoarthritis, but it is hard to motivate people to exercise,” Joshua F. Baker, MD, MSCE, of the Corporal Michael J. Crescenz VA Medical Center and the University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia, told Healio. “We hoped to use behavioral incentives to promote more walking and aimed to evaluate

More shoulder instability episodes may increase recurrence rate

Casey Tingle — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 19:41:55 Z

NEW ORLEANS — Patients with two or more shoulder instability episodes before arthroscopic Bankart repair had a significant increase in risk for recurrent instability postoperatively, according to results presented here.
“When a patient has one preoperative instability episode, considering surgery would help them have a better outcome,” Ryan T. Lin, BS, first author of the study and third year medical student at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, told Healio about results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting Specialty Day. “Once

'Never assume': Teaching clinical reasoning at ACP

Emma Bascom; Robert M. Centor, MD, MACP — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:10:35 Z

SAN FRANCISCO — Skepticism and clinical reasoning can be powerful teaching tools for the next generation of primary care physicians, according to a speaker here.
Robert M. Centor, MD, MACP, chair emeritus of the ACP Board of Regents and professor emeritus at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, offered a presentation on clinical reasoning at the annual ACP Internal Medicine meeting.
Healio spoke with Centor to learn more about the presentation, tips to help teach clinical reasoning, the value of skepticism and more.
Healio: Why did you decide to present on this topic? Why is it important for

Implantable shock absorber may improve medial knee OA outcomes

Hunter Firment — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:26:11 Z

NEW ORLEANS — An implantable shock absorber may provide sustained pain relief, high rates of survivorship and functional improvement in patients with medial knee osteoarthritis, according to results presented here.
“Anytime we are implementing novel techniques and technologies, it is important to have longer term results,” Seth L. Sherman, MD, FAAOS, associate professor of orthopedic surgery at Stanford University, told Healio about results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting. “This data at 5 years gives me information for my

Integrating multifamily real estate into financial portfolio

Kirk A. Campbell, MD — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:15:22 Z

Physicians spend a decade mastering the science of medicine yet receive almost no formal training in personal finance.
From medical school through residency and fellowship, the curriculum focuses on anatomy, physiology and clinical decision-making, but topics such as tax strategy, asset allocation and income diversification are rarely addressed. This gap is striking given that physicians graduate into one of the most complex financial environments of any profession, often carrying substantial educational debt while simultaneously entering the highest tax brackets.
At the same time, the economic

Reverse, anatomic TSA had similar return to sport rates

Casey Tingle — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 14:16:48 Z

NEW ORLEANS — Results presented here showed reverse and anatomic total shoulder arthroplasty had comparable return to sport and satisfaction rates as well as functional outcomes in patients aged 65 years or younger.
“There does not appear to be a significant difference in anatomic vs. reverse [total shoulder arthroplasty] with the ability to return to sport,” Samuel A. Taylor, MD, orthopedic surgeon at Hospital for Special Surgery, told Healio about results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.
Taylor, along with Anthony Finocchiaro, BS, and

Study: Human notes best AI across the board

Emma Bascom — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 19:12:30 Z

SAN FRANCISCO — Human-generated notes were deemed higher-quality and preferable to AI scribes in a new study that debuted today at the annual American College of Physicians meeting.
Ashok Reddy, MD, MS, an associate professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and a health services researcher at U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Puget Sound, presented the findings in ACP’s plenary session.
“We all know the problem. Every one of us has probably stayed late at the clinic — or, more likely, headed home to finish our notes at night. Ambient AI scribes promise to help,”

Tibial tubercle osteotomy did not improve graft survivorship

Casey Tingle — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:38:17 Z

NEW ORLEANS — Concomitant tibial tubercle osteotomy did not improve graft survivorship among patients undergoing patellofemoral osteochondral allograft transplantation, according to results presented here.
“Typically, with cartilage grafts around the knee, the idea is that we want to unload the patella to take pressure off to allow the cartilage to heal,” Laith M. Jazrawi, MD, FAAOS, chief of sports medicine and director of the sports medicine fellowship at NYU Langone Health, told Healio about results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting. “What we found in

Cemented, uncemented TKA had similar outcomes

Casey Tingle — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 14:27:33 Z

NEW ORLEANS — Cemented and cementless total knee arthroplasty with patella resurfacing yielded similar revision rates, reoperation rates and patient-reported outcome measures, according to results presented here.
“In this large, randomized controlled trial of cemented vs. uncemented knees with all patella resurfaced, we were unable to show a difference in clinical outcomes, but we showed an equivalent outcome between cemented and uncemented knees at 5 years for patient-reported outcomes, revision rates and radiographic outcomes,” Simon W. Young, MD, FRACS, from the University

Trump nominates Erica Schwartz as next CDC director

Sara Kellner; Gerard Gallagher; Anthony Stitt — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 22:12:00 Z

President Donald J. Trump announced Thursday that he is nominating Erica Schwartz, MD, JD, MPH, to lead the CDC.
Schwartz was Deputy Surgeon General during Trump’s first presidential term. She served as a physician in the U.S. Coast Guard for 24 years and as chief medical officer and director of health, safety and work life from 2015 to 2019, according to personal details published online by the Butterfly Network, a health care company where she served on the board of directors.
“She is a STAR!” Trump wrote in his announcement on Truth Social.
For much of Trump’s second term, non-experts have

Antidepressant use during TJA may be associated with opioid abuse

Hunter Firment — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 20:08:10 Z

NEW ORLEANS — Patients undergoing primary total joint arthroplasty taking perioperative antidepressant medications may be more likely to be prescribed and to abuse opioids at both short- and long-term follow-up, according to results.
“There are some populations that have higher susceptibility to become [opioid] abusers,” Alireza Mirahmadi, MD, MPH, postdoctoral fellow in orthopedic surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, told Healio about results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting. “It is better for

Patients on testosterone have higher risk for TKA complications

Kristine Houck, MA, ELS — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:57:25 Z

NEW ORLEANS — Patients who have undergone prior testosterone replacement therapy may have higher risk for complications after total knee arthroplasty, according to a recently presented study.
Argen Omurzakov, a third-year medical student at Case Western Reserve University, and Arsen M. Omurzakov, a third-year medical student at Weill Cornell Medical College, presented the data at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting.
“Testosterone is a systemic hormone with wide-ranging physiologic effects. Our findings suggest that patients on testosterone replacement therapy undergoing

Teen girl with swollen leg, fever after soccer injury

James H. Brien, DO — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:36:55 Z

A healthy, 16-year-old girl sustained a significant injury to her left lower thigh playing competitive soccer. Her coach put her on the bench, had her elevate her leg and applied an ice pack.
The next day, she noticed marked bruising and swelling to her lateral lower left thigh. She was taken to her provider, who obtained plain radiographs showing normal bone with generalized soft tissue swelling. She was diagnosed with a soft tissue injury of the left distal thigh. The area was wrapped with a compression bandage, and the patient was told to take acetaminophen and continue compression, ice and

Pediatric patient with aggressive left distal femur mass

Mitchell F. Bowers, MD; Jennifer L. Halpern, MD — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:28:09 Z

This is a case of a 7-year-old girl referred to our clinic in 2018 for an aggressive left distal femur mass.
The patient had no previous history of malignancy or trauma but started having ambulatory pain approximately 1 month prior to presentation. Initial evaluation was notable for swelling in the left distal femur and pain with ambulation. Subsequent radiographs (Figure 1) demonstrated a destructive bone lesion with associated soft tissue mass, which was also apparent on MRI (Figure 2). The patient underwent staging in the form of open biopsy, CT chest and whole-body bone scan.
Biopsy

Pediatric patient with aggressive left distal femur mass

Mitchell F. Bowers, MD; Jennifer L. Halpern, MD — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:28:09 Z

Former CDC director: Loan cap may ‘price out’ medical students

Jason Laday — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 09:30:00 Z

Nearly half of physicians who graduated with MDs in 2025 carry debt that surpasses the $200,000 cap on medical student loans proposed by the U.S. Department of Education, according to an analysis co-authored by a former CDC director.
The proposed cap is part of the negotiated rulemaking process to implement the student loan provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act of 2025 signed by President Donald Trump. In an editorial published on April 7 in Annals of Internal Medicine, Rochelle P. Walensky, MD, MPH, who served as director of the CDC from 2021 to 2023, and Nicole C. McCann, BA,

Obesity may not increase complications in MPFL reconstruction

Hunter Firment — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 20:42:07 Z

NEW ORLEANS — Patients with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater who underwent medial patellofemoral reconstruction had similar complication rates to patients with a BMI less than 30 kg/m2, according to results presented here.
“BMI is a useful screening tool, but it is an imperfect measure of obesity and most physicians recognize its limitations,” Elizabeth R. Dennis, MD, MS, FAAOS, assistant professor in the department of orthopedics at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, told Healio about results presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting. “While BMI is