Will 3-D printing launch a new industrial revolution?

Every year the technique turns out more complex artifacts, faster and cheaper. The technology is now used to print aircraft landing gears, dresses, car parts, individualized tooth crowns, artificial hips and knees, and more. PhysOrg

Similar post from Nov. 2011: Bare Bones Expenses for Orthopedic Surgeons: 3-D bone printing at 10% cost of traditional bone models

An Evaluation of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Parent Stress in Children With Orthopaedic Injuries

Trauma has more than physical effects on pediatric patients and their families. The purpose of this study was to evaluate pediatric orthopaedic trauma patients and patients with isolated nonoperative upper extremity (UE) fractures for emotional/psychologic symptoms associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and parent stress. Wallace M, Puryear A, Cannada LK. J Orthop Trauma. 2012 Apr 10. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 22495522 (J Orhop Trauma Publish Ahead of Print )

The Humble Cervical Collar Gets an Overhaul

An undergraduate team of three mechanical engineering students and three biomedical engineering students have redesigned the common cervical collar to provide better stabilization for the head and neck of accident victims. The inspiration for the HeadCase cervical collar came from Dr. John Hipp a former director of the Spine Research Laboratory at Baylor College of Medicine.

Dr. Hipp and his colleagues published a paper in 2010 in The Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery reporting abnormal separation between vertebrae in cervical collar users. The HeadCase collar aims to prevent this separation by providing a greater degree of immobilization. Where existing collars are wrapped around the neck, the HeadCase provides support to the cheeks, chest and top of the back. MedGadget

The Journal of Hand Surgery: articles in press

Posterior Elbow Release and Humeral Osteotomy for Patients With Arthrogryposis. Dan A. Zlotolow, Scott H. Kozin PDF

Biomechanical Measurements of Forearm Pronosupination With Common Methods of Immobilization. Aron M. Trocchia, John C. Elfar, Warren C. Hammert PDF

Vascularized Bone Grafts for Scaphoid Nonunions. D.B. Jones Jr, P.C. Rhee, A.Y. Shin PDF

Three-Dimensional Computed Tomographic Analysis of 11 Scaphoid Waist Nonunions. Andreas Schweizer, Philipp Fürnstahl, Ladislav Nagy PDF

Researchers find hospital residents more efficient with smartphones than pagers

Is the day of the hospital pager coming to an end?

Well, not yet, but the use of pagers in the hospital is being challenged by new wireless technological solutions.

Since 1949, pagers have remained one of the most commonly used technologies among all hospital personnel. However, researchers in the United Kingdom are looking to change this. They recently assessed whether a new wireless system can decrease some of the efficiencies of pager systems in hospitals. iMedicalApps

Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group

The Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group is one of around 50 collaborative Review Groups within The Cochrane Collaboration. Members of this Group – researchers, health care professionals from many disciplines and consumers - share an interest in generating reliable, up-to-date evidence. These reviews are published in The Cochrane Library (via Ovid).

Hyperspectral imaging: Shedding new light on wound healing

Clinicians who treat severe wounds may soon have powerful new diagnostic tools in the form of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) devices, calibrated to new NIST standard reference spectra, which will provide unprecedented perspective on the physiology of tissue injury and healing. PhysOrg.com

Measurement of tibial nerve excursion during ankle joint dorsiflexion in a weight-bearing position with ultrasound imaging

The ability of peripheral nerves to stretch and slide is thought to be of paramount importance to maintain ideal neural function. Excursion in peripheral nerves such as the tibial can be measured by analysis of ultrasound images. The aim of this study was to assess the degree of longitudinal tibial nerve excursion as the ankle moved from plantar flexion to dorsiflexion in a standardised weight-bearing position. The reliability of ultrasound imaging to measure tibial nerve excursion was also quantified. PDF

Negative Pressure Wound Therapy Reduces Deep Infection Rate in Open Tibial Fractures

Conclusions: These results suggest that NPWT reduces the rate of deep infection when used for the dressing of traumatic wounds in open tibial fractures.

Rotator Cuff Regeneration Using a Bioabsorbable Material With Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in a Rabbit Model

Hypothesis: A polyglycolic acid sheet scaffold with seeded mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) may enhance the expression of type I collagen products and increase the mechanical strength of the regenerated tendon in vivo. PDF

Brain controlled Upper Extremity Prosthesis

Wounded Warrior tests brain-controlled prosthetic
U.S. Air Force Tech Sgt. Joe Delauriers was the first patient at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) to begin using the Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL). The brain-controlled prosthetic has nearly as much dexterity as a natural limb, 22 degrees of motion, and independent movement of fingers, the MPL was developed as part of a four-year program by the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), along with WRNMMC and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU).

Look for the full story and interview with Tech Sgt. Delauriers in the Spring 2012 edition of the Navy Medicine Magazine.