ISOC was founded in 2006 by Thomas P. Sculco, MD, Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus at Hospital for Special Surgery, and is currently led by Mathias P. Bostrom, MD, HSS Associate Surgeon-in-Chief. Though independently incorporated as a nonprofit organization, the society continues to draw significant administrative and intellectual support from HSS, including leadership from administrators Briana Bloom and Nicole Earley. Today, ISOC’s 23 member centers span multiple continents and represent a collaborative network committed to advancing musculoskeletal care through shared knowledge and collective ambition.

This year’s conference unfolded around the theme Beyond the Bone: The Power of Corporate Culture in Orthopaedic Care, reflecting a growing recognition that excellence in patient outcomes depends as much on institutional culture as on surgical technique. Led by Drs. Tim Simmers and Mark Stegman of the Sint Maartenskliniek, the program explored topics ranging from organizational identity and safety systems to physician well-being and workforce sustainability. Steven Forti, Chief Wellness and Resiliency Officer at HSS, presented the hospital’s widely recognized approach to clinician wellness, an area of increasing urgency across medicine.

Beyond the formal sessions—which included more than 100 presentations, research discussions, roundtables, and keynote lectures—the conference placed equal weight on conversation and connection. The result was both an exchange of ideas and a renewal of professional bonds across borders. With six ISOC centers ranked among the world’s top specialized orthopaedic hospitals by Newsweek, the meeting underscored the society’s role as a convening force for many of the field’s most influential voices.

Next year will mark a milestone for the organization. In 2027, ISOC will celebrate the 20th anniversary of its first conference, held in New York City in 2007 and hosted by HSS. To commemorate the occasion, member institutions will once again convene in New York, where HSS will host the 13th ISOC Conference—bringing the society back to where its global experiment in collaboration began.

Kellen Tower is adjacent to the main hospital at 535 East 70th Street and connected via a sky bridge. The building also connects to the HSS Pavilion to the west, further integrating inpatient, outpatient, and recovery services across the campus. The opening was celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on March 30.

“Demand for complex musculoskeletal care continues to grow, and many of the patients who come to HSS require expertise and resources that are not widely available elsewhere,” said Bryan T. Kelly, MD, MBA, President and CEO at HSS. “Kellen Tower allows us to expand access to that specialized care while maintaining the focused environment and standards of excellence that define HSS.”

Expanding Access to World-Leading Orthopedic Care

Recognized globally for excellence in musculoskeletal care, HSS is ranked the No. 1 hospital in orthopedics nationwide by U.S. News & World Report—a distinction it has held for 16 consecutive years. Patients travel from across the country and around the world to receive highly specialized surgical and nonsurgical care at HSS.

Kellen Tower will provide a specialized environment for joint replacement and spine surgery patients, including those with the most complex conditions. In addition to providing more space for physician offices and exam rooms, the new facility offers on-site imaging services and increases the number of single-bed rooms for patients. Three floors of private rooms are designed to enhance their comfort and care.

“The thoughtful design of Kellen Tower supports our commitment to delivering specialized care in a modern and highly efficient setting dedicated to orthopedic excellence and the needs of our patients,” said Thomas P. Sculco, MD, HSS Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus and Director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Complex Joint Reconstruction Center.

“The enhanced inpatient spaces and the renovation of recovery floors in the main hospital will allow HSS to improve how existing beds are used and increase the proportion of private patient rooms across the main campus, “he added. “This has been an institutional priority to optimize the healing environment for our patients.”

As part of the Kellen Tower project, HSS is also fulfilling a longstanding commitment to the local community by funding major improvements to the East River Esplanade from 72nd to 78th Streets. The work aligns with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation’s master plan for the waterfront walkway and builds on HSS’s prior $1.8 million investment to renovate the Esplanade between 70th and 72nd Streets in 2018.

Philanthropy Fuels Campus Transformation

The construction of Kellen Tower was made possible through the generosity of HSS donors, with early philanthropic contributions exceeding $195 million, including a lead gift of $35 million from the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, made at the recommendation of the Foundation Vice President and HSS Trustee Marina Kellen French. The gift honors the Kellens’ legacy and reflects the Foundation’s longstanding support of HSS.

“Our support for HSS is based on its unwavering commitment to improving musculoskeletal care on a global scale not only through unmatched patient care, but with groundbreaking research and the medical education of future leaders in the field,” said Marina Kellen French. “The new tower is not just about bricks and mortar; it’s about allowing HSS to care for more people, helping patients with the most complex needs for generations to come.”

“Kellen Tower represents an important evolution of the HSS campus,” said Jonathan Tisch, HSS Trustee and member of the HSS Kellen Tower Task Force. “It brings together the spaces, technology, and clinical resources needed to support the way care is delivered. It’s a meaningful step forward for patients and for everyone who works at HSS, strengthening our ability to deliver exceptional care every day.” The Special Amenities Inpatient floor, to be known as Tisch 5 in recognition of the generosity of Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch, will further elevate the patient experience within the new facility.

“These distinguished individuals embody the highest ideals of our profession,” said AAOS President Paul Tornetta, III, MD, PhD, FAAOS. “Through their leadership, service and unwavering commitment to excellence, they have not only improved patient outcomes but also inspired the next generation of orthopaedic surgeons. Their contributions are a testament to the profound impact our field has in enhancing lives globally.”

AAOS Diversity Award Recipient

Thomas P. Sculco, MD, FAAOS, surgeon-in-chief emeritus, Hospital for Special Surgery and professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York, was presented with the AAOS 2025 Diversity Award in recognition of his outstanding commitment to promoting diversity at the local, institutional and national level. Dr. Sulco’s dedicated and visionary leadership over the past five decades has thoughtfully shaped and established lasting infrastructures that have enhanced diversity among orthopaedic surgeons, addressed healthcare disparities and elevated the quality of patient care.

According to orthopaedic spine surgeon and President of the J. Robert Gladden Orthopaedic Society Susan E. Stephens, MD, FAAOS, “Dr. Sculco has embodied and lived diversity in orthopaedics. He has trained under his leadership more Black and Women Orthopaedic surgeons than any other majority training program in the world. The excellence of his trainees speaks for itself in their success by all standards. Dr. Sculco never stops leading by example and continues through his personal mission to impact healthcare disparities by creating an honorable legacy of excellence in diversity in orthopaedic surgery.”

AAOS Humanitarian Award

The AAOS honored Coleen S. Sabatini, MD, MPH, FAAOS, with the 2025 Humanitarian Award for her exceptional dedication to caring for children with musculoskeletal conditions both domestically and abroad. A pediatric orthopaedic surgeon based at the University of California San Francisco Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in Oakland, Calif., Dr. Sabatini believes that all children should have access to high quality, safe and affordable orthopaedic care. Her work abroad has focused on pediatric orthopaedic education and capacity-building to improve access to quality care for children with musculoskeletal conditions, along with conducting research on treatment of musculoskeletal problems for children in resource-limited settings.  Her efforts have had a profound impact worldwide, particularly in Uganda, where she has focused much of her work since 2013.

According to Lisa L. Lattanza, MD, FAOA, FAAOS, chair of Yale Medicine Orthopaedics & Rehabilitation, “While I admire all the work Dr. Sabatini does in the United States, Uganda and other countries, I believe her greatest contribution will be the legacy she leaves as a mentor. She has formally and informally mentored dozens of other orthopaedic surgeons, promoting her values of domestic and international care equity to the next generation. Dr. Sabatini’s career based on selflessly supporting international pediatric musculoskeletal health, addressing disparity issues in the United States, promoting those values in service of the AAOS volunteer structure.”

William W. Tipton, Jr., MD, Leadership Award

The Tipton Leadership Award recognizes AAOS members who have demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities that have benefitted the orthopaedic community, patients and/or the American public. The award honors and celebrates the life, accomplishments and qualities of the late William W. Tipton Jr., MD, an orthopaedic surgeon, educator and former AAOS chief executive officer.

The 2025 recipient of the William Tipton leadership award is Steven Gitelis, MD, FAAOS, Rush Medical College Endowed Professor of Orthopedic Oncology and Director of the Rush Musculoskeletal Oncology Program. A leading expert in Orthopaedic oncology and limb reconstruction, Dr. Gitelis is celebrated for his pioneering surgical treatment of bone and soft tissue sarcomas and steadfast commitment to patient care. Currently he serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Onkos, a company focused on innovative cancer care. When he joined Rush more than 40 years ago, the institution lacked a dedicated sarcoma program—under his leadership, it has grown into one of the largest in the region. He created and mentored the Rush Multi-Specialty Musculoskeletal tumor board to optimize patient care. During his long career, he was elected and served as President of seven Medical Organizations including the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society.  He also founded Illinois’ first tissue bank and has served as its medical director for over 30 years, overseeing its growth into one of the largest in the United States. Beyond his clinical and research contributions, Dr. Gitelis has been a dedicated mentor, shaping the next generation of Orthopaedic leaders. He served in the United States Navy during the Persian Gulf War where he provided cancer care and educated military Orthopaedic surgery residents. Through collaboration and education, he continues to bridge the gap between research, practice and training to ensure a strong future for the field.

“We are profoundly grateful to SNF and Andreas Dracopoulos for their longstanding and extraordinary friendship, leadership, and generosity over the past 20 years. From establishing training programs that immerse visiting surgeons from Greece in our clinical and research programs to naming the first center in the world dedicated to care of patients with complex joint conditions and revision surgery, SNF has been a catalyst for improving musculoskeletal care globally. This new commitment will allow HSS to care for more people and centralize resources for patients with the most complex needs,” said Thomas P. Sculco, MD, HSS surgeon-in-chief emeritus and director of the SNF CJRC.

“Every single person should have access to expert medical care, and visionary leaders like Tom Sculco and everyone at HSS are essential to this collective effort,” said SNF Co-President Andreas Dracopoulos. “Construction of the Kellen Tower is a milestone for HSS, but in truth the institution never stops building—skills among early-career surgeons, international pathways of knowledge exchange, new approaches to treatment, and new frameworks for delivering the best care possible. We are proud to support HSS in its commitment to excellence in improving health for all.”

“SNF has been a powerful and vital partner across our clinical, research, and education efforts. Their support of the Kellen Tower is helping to build the HSS of the future for patients counting on us now and for generations to come,” said Robert K. Steel, co-chair of the HSS Board of Trustees.

The Kellen Tower is  expected to open in 2025  and will become a hub for treatment of complex orthopedic conditions. It will centralize the specialized services necessary for the highest standard of care for these conditions.

About the Stavros Niarchos Foundation

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) is one of the world’s leading private, international philanthropic organizations, making grants in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and sports, and social welfare. Since 1996, SNF has committed $3.5 billion through over 5,200 grants in more than 130 countries around the world.

SNF funds organizations and projects, worldwide, that aim to achieve a broad, lasting and positive impact, for society at large, and exhibit strong leadership and sound management. The Foundation also supports projects that facilitate the formation of public-private partnerships as an effective means for serving the public welfare.

See more at snf.org.

TKA is among the most successful and widely used orthopedic procedures for patients with degenerative joint diseases, and the number of patients who will undergo this surgery is projected to grow to 1.28 million annually in the U.S. by 2030. For reasons that are not clear, a segment of these patients develop complications such as pain and stiffness that prevent them from experiencing the full benefits of this mobility-restoring procedure.

HSS is uniquely positioned to investigate the complex nature of this challenge as the top-ranked hospital for orthopedics in the U.S. for 11 straight years by U.S. News & World Report. HSS has a record of accomplishment as innovators and leaders in TKA research, including inventing the modern knee replacement, developing imaging techniques that have become the standard in the field, and building the largest and longest-running implant retrieval program. With this integral gift from Mrs. Kellen French, HSS will build upon these achievements and convene a multidisciplinary team of experts in knee surgery, bioengineering, basic science, pain management, and methodology to address the underlying, patient-specific causes of poor outcomes with the ultimate goal of more patients having successful long-term results.

Leading this research initiative is HSS Surgeon-in-Chief Emeritus and Director of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Complex Joint Reconstruction Center Thomas P. Sculco, MD, who reflected, “The COVID-19 pandemic greatly curtailed this knee outcome research program and so many others, we are profoundly grateful for Marina’s incredible support and the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation’s commitment, which will catalyze new discoveries that will improve the lives of so many suffering from debilitating arthritic conditions and certainly improve the success of knee replacement surgery”

Mrs. Kellen French has long been a champion of science at HSS, having created the Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Clinician-Scientist Program, the Marina Kellen Chair in Complex Joint Reconstruction, and an interdisciplinary research initiative and collaboration with the Mayo Clinic on arthrofibrosis after knee replacement.

HSS is the world’s largest academic medical center specialized in musculoskeletal health, spanning orthopedics, rheumatology and related disciplines. The HSS Research Institute maintains 20 laboratories dedicated to solving debilitating orthopedic and rheumatic conditions such as arthritis, bone and soft tissue injuries, autoimmune diseases, and musculoskeletal pain and deformities. There, more than 300 dedicated personnel focus on tissue repair, improving surgical outcomes, autoimmunity and inflammation, genomics, new treatments, and precision medicine.

“HSS has a long history of contributing to the collective base of clinical and basic science knowledge and finding healthcare solutions for complex conditions,” said Louis A. Shapiro, President and CEO, HSS. “We’re proud that through the joint efforts of our institution and philanthropic support, we will have the ability to make a strong impact on this growing and vital area of research.”

“As experts in inflammatory disorders and in the development of interventions for overactive immune responses, the clinicians and researchers at HSS are well-positioned to investigate many of the adverse effects of COVID-19,” says Lionel B. Ivashkiv, MD, Chief Scientific Officer at the HSS Research Institute. “This includes studying the causes of these adverse effects as well as how to prevent and treat them.”What follows are descriptions of the first group of funded projects in basic/translational research:

Activation of pDCs by SARS-CoV-2 and Its Impact on Macrophage Response

Principal Investigator: Franck Barrat, PhD

Co-Investigator: Marie-Dominique Ah Kioon, PhD

This project will study cell types that are responsible for cytokine storm syndrome — the hyperactive immune response seen in people with COVID-19 — by looking at how certain immune cells are activated by SARS-CoV-2. Research in mice infected with SARS-CoV, a coronavirus similar to the one that causes COVID-19, has suggested that plasmacytoid dendritic cell precursors (pDCs) are key to the immune response to infection. These pDCs activate macrophages, which in turn secrete cytokines. In the SARS-CoV research, depletion of pDCs appeared to protect the mice from lethal lung injury. Using blood samples from donors, the investigators will study the pathway by which pDCs activate macrophages and look at ways to therapeutically block that process.

Inhibiting RNA Polymerase II Transcription Complexes in Macrophages to Target COVID-19–Associated Cytokine Storm

Principal Investigator: Inez Rogatsky, PhD

Co-Investigators: Steven Josefowicz, PhD, and Robert P. Fisher, MD, PhD

This pilot project will dissect the role of macrophages in SARS-CoV-2-induced acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), the main driver of COVID-19-associated mortality. We will test small-molecule inhibitors of RNA Polymerase II (Pol II) transcription complexes for their ability to modulate type I interferon and inflammatory pathways in monocytes/macrophages. This research will be done using cultured macrophages as well as donor blood and blood from COVID-19 patients.

Mechanisms of Cytokine Storm in Patients with COVID-19

Principal Investigator: Mary K. Crow, MD

Co-Investigators: Mikhail Olferiev, MD, and Lionel B. Ivashkiv, MD

The objectives of this study are to describe the process of the cytokine storm in people with COVID-19 and to identify biologic predictors of a favorable outcome in patients with severe cases of the disease. The project aims to characterize immune cell populations seen in COVID-19 patients who experience cytokine storm and compare them to those patients who do not, to compare the immune response before and after patients are given the anti-inflammatory drug anakinra, and to identify measures that suggest patients are more likely to decline and eventually require mechanical ventilation. The research will employ blood samples from HSS patients who are being treated for COVID-19 at New York–Presbyterian Hospital and who meet certain other qualifications.

What follows are descriptions of the first group of funded projects in the areas of clinical and health outcomes research:

Response to and Recovery from TKA in Patients with Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2

Principal Investigator: Miguel Otero, PhD

Co-Investigators: Meghan Kirksey, MD, PhD, and Peter K. Sculco, MD

It is unknown if people who have been exposed to COVID-19 may be at higher risk of experiencing an abnormal immune response following surgery, resulting in poor outcomes. This study will evaluate the response to and recovery from total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in people who have antibodies to COVID-19 — a marker of exposure. This study will include both patients who have COVID-19 antibodies and those who don’t, to act as controls. Patients will be followed for six weeks after surgery and evaluated for the presence of certain immune markers in the blood, as well as symptoms of inflammation including pain and stiffness in the joint.

SARS-CoV-2 Exposure and the Role of Vitamin D Among Hospital Employees

Principal Investigator: Emily M. Stein, MD, MS

Co-Investigators: Theresa T. Lu, MD, PhD; Andy O. Miller, MD; Jeri Nieves, PhD; and Alana Serota, MD

It is unknown if people with vitamin D deficiency may be more likely to become infected with COVID-19. This study will investigate vitamin D status and associated immune markers as risk factors for COVID-19 infection in a cohort of healthcare workers. Healthcare workers are at higher risk of contracting COVID-19 than the general population, making them a good group to study. Vitamin D is critical for immune function and is known to be protective against respiratory-tract infection and tuberculosis. This prospective, observational study will follow healthcare workers at HSS and at other healthcare facilities for one year, to determine whether levels of vitamin D and certain immune cells in the blood make someone more susceptible to COVID-19 infection.

Association of Immunomodulatory Medication Use and Social Determinants of Health with COVID-19 Infection in Systemic Rheumatic Disease Patients in New York City

Principal Investigator: Medha Barbhaiya, MD, MPH

Co-Investigators from HSS: Lisa Mandl, MD, MPH; Catherine MacLean, MD, PhD; Vinicius Antao, MD, PhD; Jane Salmon, MD; and Mayu Sasaki, MPH

Other Co-Investigators: Candace Feldman, MD, MPH (of Brigham and Women’s Hospital); Debra D’Angelo, MS (of Weill Cornell Medicine)

Using data from the INSIGHT Clinical Research Network, a central repository containing longitudinal electronic health data for residents of New York City, investigators will assemble a cohort of patients being treated with immunomodulatory medications for rheumatic disease. This patient population will then be used to study the effect of these medications on COVID-19 incidence and outcomes. Retrospective data will be used to evaluate the incidence and severity of COVID-19 in these patients. Patients will also be studied prospectively to determine whether there’s a relationship between COVID-19 infection and future rheumatic disease as well as to study connections between infection and future psycho-social issues.

Assessment of Surgical Outcomes in the COVID-19 Pandemic Era

Principal Investigator: Andy O. Miller, MD

Co-Investigators: Scott A. Rodeo, MD, and Mark Fontana, PhD

Investigators will implement a patient registry to evaluate how COVID-19 affects outcomes and complication rates after orthopedic surgery. This registry, along with COVID-19 screening procedures, will provide the tools to address specific research questions. Among these questions are determining the incidence of current and prior infection among the HSS surgical population, the clinical features associated with current and prior infections in this patient population, and whether COVID-19 status affects short-term complication rates.

What follows is a description of an integrated multidisciplinary study being undertaken jointly by the Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement (ARJR) Perioperative Research Group, Anesthesiology and Rheumatology:

Prediction and Prevention of Postoperative Blood Clots in COVID-19 Patients

Principal Investigators: Friedrich Boettner, MD; Kethy M. Jules-Elysee, MD; Lisa A. Mandl, MD, MPH

Co-Investigators: ARJR surgeons: Alejandro Gonzalez Della Valle, MD; Jason Blevins, MD; David J. Mayman, MD; Peter K. Sculco, MD; Geoffrey H. Westrich, MD and Thomas P. Sculco, MD

Medicine/Rheumatology: Medha Barbhaiya, MD, MPH; Doruk Erkan, MD, MPH; Deanna Jannat-Khah, DrPH

Pathology: Thomas W. Bauer, MD, PhD

Anesthesiology: Stavros G. Memtsoudis, MD, PhD, MBA; Alexandra Sideris, PhD

ARJR: Amethia Joseph, MHA; Ethan Krell, MS

Weill Cornell Medicine: Raymond David Pastore, MD

Recent literature suggests that one of the major complications seen in people with COVID-19 is thrombosis (the formation of blood clots) due to endothelial dysfunction, persistent inflammation and potentially antiphospholipid antibodies. As elective surgeries resume, those with prior exposure to SARS-CoV-2 will inevitably present for treatment, and some may have perioperative management considerations related to their risk of deep-vein thrombosis. This project will use, a noninvasive device that can determine clotting risks, to investigate whether people who have had COVID-19 have a more dysfunctional endothelium preoperatively and at 24 hours after surgery. The investigators will measure antiphospholipid antibodies and inflammatory markers, and evaluate the prevalence of asymptomatic post-operative deep-vein thrombosis in people who undergo TKR and have SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

COVID-19 Translational Research Core at HSS

Principal Investigator: Theresa Lu, MD, PhD

Co-Investigators: Jessica Andrés-Bergós, PhD; Miguel Otero, PhD and Emily M. Stein, MD, MS

The COVID-19 Translational Research Core (TRC) was designed to fill critical gaps in the resources needed to promote the broad range of COVID-19–related clinical and translational research at HSS. The TRC will provide consultation on the design and implementation of COVID-19 research in the areas of orthopedics, rheumatology and metabolic bone disease; support for a COVID-19 biobank; and technical expertise and facilities required for clinical and translational researchers working on COVID-19–related projects. The TRC staff will help to acquire, house, and track biospecimens from investigator-initiated COVID-19–related research studies.

"Cynthia and I have always been very proud of the education we received at Westerly High School and how important it was for our future academic and professional careers," said Sculco. "So we were happy to do this once we learned of the need and hope we encourage others to do the same." 

Read the full article on thewesterlysun.com 
 

SNF co-president Andreas Dracopoulos and other representatives of the Foundation joined Thomas P. Sculco, MD, director of the CJRC, and HSS leadership for the event.

SNF and HSS have a longstanding relationship – the HSS-Stavros Niarchos Foundation Orthopaedic Seminar Program has brought dozens of Greek surgeons to learn from joint replacement specialists at HSS over the years.

Read the full article at TheNationalHerald.com.

Since 2014, this seminar has brought dozens of Greek surgeons to NY to learn from HSS experts.

This year's program offers 14 Greek surgeons professional development programming including case presentations and hands-on practices, as well as access to the 2018 Annual Holiday Knee & Hip Course.

Thomas P. Sculco, MD, surgeon-in-chief emeritus at HSS, is pictured with SNF co-president Andreas Dracopoulos.

This article originally appeared at TheNationalHerald.com.
 

Thomas P. Sculco, MD, surgeon-in-chief emeritus and director of the CJRC, explained that the most difficult joint replacement cases will be treated through the Center.

"A part of the mission of the Center will be strategic research initiatives currently in periprosthetic infection and knee arthrofibrosis after knee replacement. The Center will be looking for susceptible host populations and prevention as well as best treatment options which will be evidence based derived from prospective registry data. Also, Consensus Panels will be created to try to answer complex questions in revision hip and knee replacement," said Dr. Sculco.

Read the full article at Ryortho.com.

Todd J. Albert, MD, surgeon-in-chief at HSS and a longtime colleague of Dr. Rothman, said "the world of orthopedics has lost a giant with the passing of Dick Rothman. He was an incredible mentor and best friend to many of us, as well as an inspiration to all who knew him and those who never had the privilege."

HSS surgeon-in-chief emeritus Thomas P. Sculco, MD, added "Dick Rothman was a brilliant surgeon, innovator in hip surgery and creator of one of the great orthopedic institutions in the world. His talents were incredible and his enthusiastic spirit in everything he did made him a natural leader and ensures his extraordinary legacy."

Read the full article at healio.com [registration required].

"Cost is one. The emergence of resistant organisms is another. Alteration of mechanical properties is a third. If you get carried away and you use more, certainly you can impede the mechanical properties," said Dr. Sculco during the debate at the Annual Current Concepts in Joint Replacement (CCJR) Spring meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada.

"It's primarily useful in that high-risk primary or revision knee," he added.

Read the full article at ryortho.com [subscription required].

"This generous gift will improve the lives of countless patients who suffer from debilitating complications or need revision surgery due to failed implants," said HSS surgeon-in-chief emeritus Thomas P. Sculco, MD, in a release.

Read the full article at ryortho.com [subscription required].

He writes that continued efforts to reduce periprosthetic infection (a catastrophic event) have made the need for antibiotic-impregnated cement in routine arthroplasty not cost effective and with possible serious downsides.

"It would require reduction of the current 1 percent infection rate to an impossible 0.04 percent for use of ABLC [antibiotic-loaded cement] to be cost neural," he explains.

Additionally, he describes how a major detrimental effect of using ABLC is the potential for resistant organisms. Studies have shown that there is a rapid mutation of bacteria when confronted with antibiotics which could lead to difficulty in eradicating infections due to these resistant organisms.

Read the full counter point at Healio.com.

According to the American Joint Replacement Registry, there are over 7 million Americans living with replaced hip and knee joints and, should they fail, treatment is complex and requires specialized management.

"This generous gift will improve the lives of countless patients who suffer from debilitating complications or need revision surgery due to failed implants," said Thomas P. Sculco, MD, surgeon-in-chief emeritus and director of the CJRC at HSS. "We are deeply honored by the visionary leadership of the SNF in supporting our endeavor to lessen implant failure, restore function, and relieve pain for patients who need specialized joint reconstructions."

As the first of its kind, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Complex Joint Reconstruction Center provides the best in diagnosis and treatment for patients with the most challenging conditions in joint reconstructions, regardless of their financial circumstances, and conducts cutting-edge basic and clinical research on the causes and prevention of implant failure.

"Having partnered with HSS for over a decade, the SNF has witnessed first-hand the deep commitment of the people of HSS to excellence and progress in orthopedic care," said Andreas Dracopoulos, Co-President of the SNF. "We are especially proud to support Dr. Sculco’s vision to improve the lives of patients with the most complex cases of joint reconstruction, and to seek solutions to issues that impact the field at large."

"HSS is uniquely positioned to develop new techniques and improvements in implant design that will significantly impact global care for these complex problems." said Dr. Sculco. "People are living longer and leading more active lives thus making the need for progress in our knowledge and treatment of these failed implants more critical than ever."

Dr. Sculco is internationally recognized as a leader in hip and knee replacement surgery, having pioneered minimally invasive surgical techniques. Now, he is leading efforts to improve the success and longevity of implants to benefit millions of patients worldwide.

Over the past year, the CJRC has expanded its surgical team to 16 experienced orthopedic surgeons and successfully launched a patient registry with over 800 surgical cases already recorded. This registry is the first in the world solely dedicated to capturing vital clinical and outcomes data from patients undergoing joint reconstruction and complex primary joint replacement surgery. This data creates a platform for clinical trials, translational research and innovations in treatment that will lead to improved standards of care. In 2017, the CJRC performed 534 surgeries on patients with complex joint reconstructions.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation is one of the world’s leading private international philanthropic organizations, making grants in the areas of health and sports, arts and culture, education, and social welfare. The SNF supports projects that aim to achieve a broad, lasting and positive impact on society.

Spanning over a decade, HSS and SNF’s longstanding relationship has spurred programs such as the Stavros Niarchos Foundation-Thomas P. Sculco, MD International Orthopaedic Fellowship Program, HSS Stavros Niarchos Foundation Orthopaedic Seminar and Academic Visitor Program to educate Greek orthopedic surgeons on ways to improve treatment and outcomes in joint replacement.

Since 2006, HSS has hosted Greek surgeons for the annual HSS Stavros Niarchos Foundation Orthopaedic Seminar Program, which teaches the latest techniques and innovations in complex and primary total hip and knee replacement with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare in Greece.

This year, the seminar will take place on November 27-28, 2018 with two days of didactic sessions, case consultations, roundtable discussions, hands-on workshops and operating room observation at operations at HSS. The following three days will include attendance at the 30th Annual HSS Holiday Knee & Hip Course, a CME-accredited professional education course.

The program immerses visiting Greek surgeons, typically those early in their careers, in the high-volume joint replacement environment at HSS.

SNF also previously granted HSS $1 million to fund the Thomas P. Sculco, Chair in Orthopedic Surgery, which played an instrumental role in the creation of the CJRC.

About the Stavros Niarchos Foundation

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation [(SNF) (www.SNF.org)] is one of the world’s leading private, international philanthropic organizations, making grants in the areas of arts and culture, education, health and sports, and social welfare. Since 1996, the Foundation has committed more than $2.6 billion, through more than 4,000 grants to nonprofit organizations in 124 nations around the world.

The SNF funds organizations and projects, worldwide, that aim to achieve a broad, lasting and positive impact, for society at large, and exhibit strong leadership and sound management. The Foundation also supports projects that facilitate the formation of public-private partnerships as an effective means for serving public welfare.

The article notes that with Thomas P. Sculco, MD, surgeon-in-chief emeritus at HSS, as director, the center has expanded to 16 surgeons who have developed a patient registry of over 800 surgical cases.

This coverage originally appeared in beckersspine.com. The original article is no longer available online.

"Initially not resurfacing the patella leads to higher revision rates and equal or more pain. So, why are we doing it? A meta-analysis (Nizard et al., CORR 2005) shows that un-resurfaced patellas had increased pain, greater reoperations, greater anterior knee pain," said Dr. Haas during the debate at the Annual Current Concepts in Joint Replacement (CCJR) Winter meeting in Orlando, Florida.

According to recent studies, Dr. Haas stated that non-resurfaced patellas required re-operation compared to those with a resurfaced patella.  

"If 3-5% [of patients] are going to go back, my patients are not going to be happy. I think that if you resurface them you're going to be happier with that result and not have to go back and re-operate," he said.

The debate was moderated by HSS surgeon-in-chief emeritus Thomas P. Sculco, MD.

Read the full article at ryortho.com [subscription required].