Category: orthopedic surgery

Early detection of osteoarthritis in dogs could open doors for a cure

June 10, 2009

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Osteoarthritis is commonly diagnosed in the late and irreversible stages, when treatment can only be expected to decrease pain and slow progression of disease. Because osteoarthritis is a widespread problem in dogs, horses and humans, doctors and veterinarians need a precise way to diagnose the disease early and accurately.

Elderly women with 'dowager's hump' may be at higher risk of earlier death

May 21, 2009

Hyperkyphosis, or "dowager's hump" ? the exaggerated forward curvature of the upper spine seen commonly in elderly women ? may predict earlier death in women whether or not they have vertebral osteoporosis, UCLA researchers have found.

Straight from the comics: Nanotech, stem cells for fast bone regrowth

January 30, 2009

Engineers at the University of California at San Diego have come up with a way to help accelerate bone growth through the use of nanotubes and stem cells.

Astronauts lose hipbone strength

January 26, 2009

Astronauts spending months in space lose significant bone strength, making them increasingly at risk for fractures later in life.

Surgeons use GPS for better knee surgery

June 22, 2004

Rush University Medical Center is among the first hospitals in the country to use a computer-assisted navigation system in orthopedic joint replacement surgery.
The image-guided navigation system is similar to the location and directional tracking systems used for cars and ships today -- it is, in effect, a global positioning system (GPS) for the surgeon. Informative positioning calculations are displayed on a graphically intuitive screen, which dynamically changes with the individual patient's anatomy.