ODT’s Most-Read Stories This Week—Feb. 24

Nothing but the best for ODT website visitors this past week: best practices, products, and people. 

Johnson & Johnson MedTech company Ethicon topped the pageview pyramid in the last seven days with its two published studies that identify best practice approaches to wound closure and dressing management in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA). The published studies feature insights from 20 international orthopedic surgeons who identified key interventions in both TKA and THA that focus on patient safety and improved outcomes. Identified best practices include utilizing mesh adhesives over other skin closure methods, using barbed sutures over non-barbed sutures, and using triclosan-coated sutures over non-antimicrobial-coated sutures.

Popular people news came courtesy of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons: Annunziato (Ned) Amendola, M.D., was named first vice president of AAOS’ Board of Directors, and Boris A. Zelle, M.D., received the AAOS 2024 Diversity Award. Amendola is the division chief for sports medicine at Duke University, and his new role is the second in a four-year term of volunteer service during which he will serve as academy president next year.
 
Zelle was honored for his commitment to promoting diversity at the local, institutional and national level. He is vice chair of research and chief of orthopedic trauma in the Department of Orthopaedics at UT Health San Antonio, where he regularly treats an underserved patient population who face challenges of limited access to healthcare, language barriers, food insecurity, malnutrition, and mistrust in the medical system. A previous member of the AAOS Diversity Advisory Board, he is also an active participant in numerous diversity initiatives reaching disadvantaged high school and college students, including the Texas state-wide Joint Admission Medical Program as well as institutional programs at UT Health San Antonio (“Pathways into Medicine,” “Doc Talks”). 

The prevailing favorite in product announcements was the FDA clearance of Wandercraft’s Atalante X. This clearance supports the safety and effectiveness data of Atalante X for rehabilitation in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCI) levels T5 to L5. It has been evaluated in more than 500 patients including clinical trials1 and real-world evidence. Atalante X is touted as the only FDA-cleared exoskeleton with a powered ankle mechanism that mimics a natural gait. It performs unique and complex ankle movements that are combined with intelligent self-balancing technology so that patients can experience walking in a rehabilitation setting.

1. Ethicon Studies Identifies Best Practices for TKA and THA

2. Pure Packs: A Discussion of Ortho Device Packaging & Sterilization

3. AAOS24: Annunziato Amendola Assumes AAOS First VP Role

4. Boris A. Zelle Receives AAOS Diversity Award

5. Wandercraft Receives Second FDA Clearance for its Self-Balancing Exoskeleton