UVA Medical School News

Resident Awards at AAOS for UVA

By Jourdan M. Cancienne, MD
Resident Physician
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
University of Virginia

Several of the UVA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery papers and posters were recognized with Top 10 Awards at the AAOS Annual Meeting. The abstract reviewers within each division selected them out of all posters/papers presented as the highest scoring and most impactful papers/posters of the meeting. Below is a list of the papers/posters.

Do Epidural Injections Prior to Lumbar Fusions Effect Postoperative Infection And Intraoperative Durotomy Rates? A Nationwide Database Analysis of 231,439 Cases. Cancienne JM, Yang S, Werner BC, Hassanzadeh H, Shimer AL, Shen FH, Singla A. Podium Presentation; Top 10 Spine Paper. AAOS 2016 Annual Meeting, March 1-5, 2016. Orlando, FL.

Complication Rates after Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty in Patients with Hepatitis C Compared to Matched Controls. Werner BC, Cancienne JM, Cui Q, Browne JA. Podium Presentation; Top 10 Adult Reconstruction Knee Paper. AAOS 2016 Annual Meeting, March 1-5, 2016. Orlando, FL.

Super Obesity (BMI > 50kg/m2) and Complications after Posterior Lumbar Spine Fusion. Cancienne JM, Werner BC, Yang S, Singla A, Shen FH, Shimer AL, Hassanzadeh H. Poster Presentation - Highlight Poster for American Poster Tour; Top 10 Spine Poster. AAOS 2016 Annual Meeting, March 1-5, 2016. Orlando, FL.

Does the Timing of Previous Intra-Articular Steroid Injection Affect the Post-Operative Rate of Infection in Total Knee Arthroplasty? Cancienne JM, Werner BC, Luetkemeyer LM, Browne JA. Podium Presentation; Top 10 Adult Reconstruction Knee Paper. AAOS 2016 Annual Meeting, March 1-5, 2016. Orlando, FL.

Using the PearlDiver Patient Records Database, we were able to identify 35,890 patients who underwent total knee arthroplasty after ipsilateral knee injection from 2005 to 2011. We categorized patients into the following cohorts: patients who received TKA within 3 months after ipsilateral knee injection (n=5,313), TKA within 3 to 6 months after ipsilateral knee injection (n=8,919), and TKA between 6 and 12 months after ipsilateral knee injection (n=8,008). We then created a matched control cohort of patients who underwent TKA without any prior documented knee injection (n=13,650). Compared to our control group, patients who received an ipsilateral knee injection within 3 months of TKA had significantly higher infection rates within 3 and 6 months postoperatively. This association was not seen in patients who underwent TKA more than 3 months following ipsilateral knee injection. Thus, patients who received ipsilateral intra-articular knee injection within 3 months prior to total knee arthroplasty experienced a significantly increased incidence of postoperative infection compared with matched controls, and we recommend waiting more than 3 months following injection before performing a TKA in these patients to reduce the risk of postoperative infection.

2016 American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) Resident Leadership Forum

By Jeffrey D. Boatright, MD, MS
Chief Orthopaedic Surgery Resident

I am very fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent the University of Virginia Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the recent 2016 American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) Resident Leadership Forum held in Seattle, Washington at the end of June. This was an extensive two day forum preceding the AOA Annual meeting, designed to further identify and cultivate key leadership skills in rising PGY-5 Orthopaedic Surgery residents who have been recognized as emerging leaders at this level. This forum included didactic lectures, expert panel discussions, small group workshops, and brainstorming sessions with program directors and distinguished faculty members. There were also multiple networking opportunities within a variety of social contexts.

The breadth of topics covered was impressive. Within this framework, we explored means to become more effective educators by identifying ways to maximize teaching opportunities within the confines of the busy daily routine of an orthopaedic resident. We investigated strategies for providing effective feedback and for implementing change within a resident body. We reflected on the common traits of effective leaders and how these can be specifically applied to our field. Advanced problem solving skills were introduced and we identified a number of challenges impacting orthopaedic residency programs across the country as well as issues affecting our specialty as a whole. We were then provided the opportunity to implement these skills and address some of these challenges in breakout sessions by collaborating with members of the Council of Orthopaedic Residency Directors (CORD).

The list of speakers and mentors was equally impressive. This included Drs. William Levine, Jonathan Braman, Douglas Dirschl, and Paul Tornetta, to name a few. We were counseled on a variety of topics pertaining to transitioning from residency/fellowship into practice. The aforementioned distinguished guests advised us of many of the common pitfalls of early practice as they frankly shared their personal experiences.

I would like to thank my Chair, Dr. Chhabra, and my Program Directors, Drs. Dacus and Gwathmey, for their endorsement and nomination. Further, I would like to express my gratitude to the UVA Department of Orthopaedic Surgery for their support in this endeavor. It was a remarkably valuable experience and I look forward to implementing these skills moving forward in order to provide a positive impact on our residency program, department, and the field of orthopaedic surgery.