Kalamazoo, Mich.-based Stryker Corp. launched its Iconix all suture anchor platform for shoulder and hip arthroscopy at the 2013 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting in Chicago last month, according to Zacks.

Center Valley, Pa.-based Aesculap Implant Systems' PL-AGE System is now available for commercial use.

ICD-10 and meaningful use present significant changes and challenges for orthopedic practices, and a panel of physicians at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting 2013 tackled several steps toward preparedness.

Adverse events can occur during clinical trials of spine techniques and devices, but are researchers properly reporting these outcomes and do conflicts of interest ever come into play?

Treatment for orthopedic and spine injuries and conditions can have a huge economic impact on individuals as well as society. However, untreated orthopedic injuries and conditions often leave people unable to work, placing additional economic strain on patients and families. At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting 2013, Past President John R. Tongue, MD, moderated the Presidential Symposium titled "The Economic Value of Orthopaedic Surgery."

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KNG Health Consulting was commissioned to conduct a study on the societal and economic value of musculoskeletal care with its partner, IHS Global Insight, by AAOS. One of the treatments they discussed was disc herniation.

Patients who underwent discectomy for disc herniation had an increased QALY, but also increased direct medical cost of $14,202 on average, according to the report. However, these costs were offset by societal benefits of $24,024, including $23,121 from higher rate of employment and income. Around $606 came from fewer missed work days.

The net societal savings per person who underwent discectomy was $9,822 during a four-year period, and the authors of the report estimated discectomy for disc herniation could "generate a total net societal savings of $2.1 billion" when compared with non-surgical treatment.

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The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Board of Directors has approved its first appropriate use criteria, according to an AAOS news release.

Treatment for orthopedic injuries and conditions can have a huge economic impact on individuals as well as society. However, untreated orthopedic injuries and conditions often leave people unable to work, placing additional economic strain on patients and families. At the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Annual Meeting 2013, Past President John R. Tongue, MD, moderated the Presidential Symposium titled "The Economic Value of Orthopaedic Surgery."

At the 2013 AAOS Annual Meeting, researchers presented the results of a study of 45 academic medical centers' spinal implant purchasing records, according to a News Medical report.

Mark H. Gonzalez, MD, received the 2013 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Diversity Award.

Warsaw, Ind.-based Zimmer released its Trabecular Metal Total Ankle replacement and instrument system at the 2013 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting this week in Chicago.