AAHKS Amplified

In this very special episode of AAHKS Amplified, host Benjamin J. Schwartz, MD, MBA spoke with Alexander T. Bradley, MD, MBA and Ilya Bendich, MD, MBA about Knowing Your Worth. This episode takes a dive into the importance of understanding how surgical payment exists within different practice models and how that is evolving. Traditionally, arthroplasty surgeons have experienced three different practice models – academic, private practice and the employed model. In this episode, they discussed if this has changed in recent years, what does the change look like, incentive structures for each and how productivity plays a huge part now.  They also talk about understanding your contribution margin, importance of ancillary income and thinking about the value that arthroplasty surgeons create. Don’t forget to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:Ilya Bendich, MD, MBAAlexander T. Bradley, MD, MBABenjamin J. Schwartz, MD, MBA The post Know Your Worth first appeared on AAHKS.

In this episode of AAHKS Amplified, host Cory L. Calendine, MD had the pleasure of sitting with Jenna Harrington of Vertex Pharmaceuticals to discuss JOURNAVX® (suzetrigine). Vertex won the 2025 AAHKS Industry Innovation Award. An award presented each year at the AAHKS Annual Meeting to companies with cutting-edge innovations in the field of orthopaedic hip and knee arthroplasty by exhibitors. For more information on Journavx including full important safety information, tune in for the full recording and see the full Prescribing Information. Don’t forget to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:Cory L. Calendine, MDJenna Harrington The post Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ Journavx Wins Award at 2025 AAHKS Annual Meeting first appeared on AAHKS.

In this episode of AAHKS Amplified, our host Michael Blankstein, MD, MSc, FRCSC sat down with Amit Atrey, MD, MSc and Daniel J. Berry, MD to answer the number one question most surgeons hear “how long will my implant last for?” In today’s world, having access to medical information online has prompted more patients to ask their surgeon this. Many patients are concerned that having a knee replacement early will drastically increases their need for a revision in the future. They’ve heard the saying “the later, the better” as it relates to the longevity of knee replacements. In the past, it was common for patients to need a revision and for various reasons such as infection, loosening of the actual implant and developing a facture around the implant. But with modern advancements, many of the factors that call for a revision are now less likely to happen.   Our guests share their experiences with patients who have this concern and how they advise them. Although this is a very common question, the truth is, lots of advancements have been made to knee implants in respect to how long they’ll last. The most effective thing done to extend the life of knee implants in the recent years is improving the quality of the plastic. Surgeons are now seeing 92% of knee implants lasting beyond 15 years just by improving the quality of the plastic. For more information on how our guests advise their patients who are concerned about the longevity of an implant, then tune in for the full recording. Don’t forget to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:Amit Atrey, MD, MScDaniel J. Berry, MDMichael Blankstein, MD, MSc, FRCSC The post How Long Should My Implant Last For? first appeared on AAHKS.

At the 2025 AAHKS Annual Meeting, our hosts William B. Kurtz, MD and Matthew W. Bullock, DO sat with Matthew S. Hepinstall, MD, FAAOS and Kyle L. McCormick, MD, the 2025 Clinical Research Award winners to discuss their study “Maximizing Bearing Diameter Markedly Lowers Dislocations in Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty” that was presented at the AAHKS Annual Meeting.   Prevention of dislocation is a topic of interest for Drs. Hepinstall and McCormick which is what prompted this study that consisted of over 8,000 patients who underwent fixed-bearing THA. Because modern polyethylene allows larger bearings in fixed-bearing THA, stability benefits of fully maximizing bearing diameter (e.g. 36-mm in 48/50-mm cups) are not well established. Drs. Hepinstall and McCormick discussed on the podcast the number of dislocations in the study with patients with maximized bearing diameters and how certain variables such as age, sex and body-mass index help to protect against dislocation.  For more on how fully maximizing bearing diameter reduced dislocation odds in primary fixed-bearing THA, listen to the full podcast. Don’t forget to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:Matthew W. Bullock, DO Matthew S. Hepinstall, MD, FAAOSWilliam B. Kurtz, MDKyle L. McCormick, MD  The post The 2025 AAHKS Clinical Research Award Winner first appeared on AAHKS.

At the 2025 AAHKS Annual Meeting, our hosts William B. Kurtz, MD and Pier Francesco Indelli, MD, PhD had the opportunity to sit with Charles Gusho, MD and Wayne T. Hoskins, FRACS, PhD, the winners of AAHKS’ 2025 Surgical Techniques & Technologies Award to discuss their study on “What Is the Ideal Technique and Construct in Aseptic Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty?” Drs. Gusho and Hoskins’ main objective was to explore the various techniques, constructs and fixation strategies for a revision TKA (RTKA). This study assessed re-revision outcomes based on what components were revised, implant choice and construct fixation. Ultimately, they discovered superior results occured when there was a complete revision – when femur and tibia components were removed, new femur and tibias were put in with stems and the use of a cone or sleeve on the tibia or femur.  Listen to the full  episode for more on how Drs. Gusho and Hoskins conducted this national registery-based retrospective cohort study and the results they discovered. Be sure to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:Charles Gusho, MDWayne T. Hoskins, FRACS, PhDPier Francesco Indelli, MD, PhDWilliam B. Kurtz, MD The post 2025 Surgical Techniques & Technologies Award Winner first appeared on AAHKS.

In this very special episode of AAHKS Amplified, we have members from the AAHKS Patient and Public Relations Committee join us to discuss operative approaches to knee replacement. Our host David G. Deckey, MD curated a wonderful conversation with Cody C. Green, MD, Andrew Scott Murtha, MD and Charlie Yoo, MD around the various ways surgeons can get to the joint itself and depending on the approach taken, this may or may not dictate what the first few weeks of recovery looks like for the patient. So, in this episode, listeners will learn to identify “surgical jargon” so that a more informed conversation can be had between surgeon and patient. They also talk in great detail about the medial parapatellar approach which happens to be the most common approach to knee replacement surgery.  If you are someone you know is considering a knee replacement, this is a podcast you don’t want to miss. Be sure to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:David G. Deckey, MDCody C. Green, MD, Andrew Scott Murtha, MD Charlie Yoo, MD  The post Operative Approaches to Knee Replacement first appeared on AAHKS.

At the 2025 AAHKS Annual Meeting, our host William B. Kurtz, MD had the great opportunity to sit with Michael E. Neufeld, MD, MSc, FRCSC whose study Synovial Metal Ions in “Nickel Free” vs. Standard Cobalt-Chrome Containing Total Knee Replacement won the James A. Rand, MD Young Investigator’s Award.  It was a case-controlled study, consisting of 22 patients with metal allergies and 19 controls with patients that underwent standard knee replacement with cobalt-chrome containing knees. What made this study so fascinating is that implants are hypoallergenic, containing no nickel in them, however Dr. Neufeld’s study found that nickel content in the hypoallergenic knee was four times higher than the standard cobalt-knee. So, our host and Dr. Neufeld discuss all possible explanations for why in this study implants had higher nickel in the synovial fluid.  Listen and learn what their hypothesizes were for this. Be sure to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:William B. Kurtz, MDMichael E. Neufeld, MD, MSc, FRCSC The post The 2025 James A. Rand, MD Young Investigator’s Award Goes to Presentation on “Nickel Free” vs. Standard Cobalt-Chrome first appeared on AAHKS.

Our host, Thomas G. Myers, MD had the opportunity to sit with the 2025 AAHKS Annual Meeting Presidential Award winner Adam J. Rana, MD to discuss advocacy and health policy.   Dr. Rana began the podcast by thanking Richard Iorio, MD AAHKS’ 2001 President for introducing him to health policy in 2012 as a resident. He quickly learned the economics surrounding hip and knee arthroplasty like implant costs and the importance of preserving the profession of arthroplasty for current surgeons, future surgeons and keeping access to care available for all patients. Dr. Rana’s passion for health policy only grew during his two-year period as a member of the AAHKS Health Policy Fellowship. He recalls his two-year time in the AAHKS Health Policy Fellowship as a very formative period for him, having the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. to meet with congressional members.  Dr. Myers ask Dr. Rana his thoughts on the BIG CUT that may be coming and why it’s happening. Dr. Rana shares that payment reform, value-based care and prior authorization are the three leading concerns of arthroplasty surgeons right now. Learn why and what his thoughts are concerning each topic.  This is a recording you don’t want to miss. Be sure to subscribe and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode:Thomas G. Myers, MDAdam J. Rana, MD The post Advocacy Discussion with AAHKS Presidential Award Winner first appeared on AAHKS.

Last year at the 2025 AAHKS Annual Meeting, our host William B. Kurtz, MD spoke with the James A. Rand, MD, Young Investigator’s Award recipient Michael E. Neufeld, MD, MSc, FRCSC about his study on Synovial Metal Ions in “Nickel Free” vs. Standard Cobalt-Chrome Containing Total Knee Replacement.  Dr. Neufeld shared that the aim of his study was to compare intraarticular synovial fluid levels of metal ions in patients who underwent cemented primary TKA with a hypoallergenic implant vs. a matched cohort of standard cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) containing implants at a minimum two-year follow-up. A case-controlled study was conducted using prospectively collected data from a single institution – 22 cases and 19 controls.  Interestingly, the study uncovered that patients with hypoallergenic implants had intraarticular synovial Ni ion levels 3.6 times higher vs. standard implant controls, contesting the use of this hypoallergenic implant for Ni allergy/hypersensitivity. Listen to the full discussion and make sure you click subscribe! Thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode: William B. Kurtz, MD Michael E. Neufeld, MD, MSc, FRCSC The post Synovial Metal Ions in Nickel Free vs. Standard Cobalt-Chrome Containing Total Knee Replacement first appeared on AAHKS.

At the 2025 AAHKS Annual Meeting, our host Craig R. Mahoney, MD had the opportunity to sit with Vice President of Marketing Lauren Venekas and discuss Stryker’s award-winning product Mako SmartRobotics. The advancements made to the Mako SmartRobotics won Stryker the 2025 Industry Innovation Award.  An award that’s truly deserved because Stryker is revolutionizing robotic hip replacements from primary to revision. The expanded application is the first-to-market robotically enabled revision hip solution in a single application. Lauren explains how Mako Total Hip now serves primary, complex primary and revision indications with advanced planning features like screw and augment planning, plus stem planning, and is now compatible with Stryker’s revision hip products, including Restoration Modular. We think you’ll enjoy this podcast and learning about the journey of the Mako SmartRobotics.  Enjoy, and thanks for listening to AAHKS Amplified!   In This Episode: Craig R. Mahoney, MD Lauren Venekas    The post Stryker’s Award-Winning Product Mako SmartRobotics first appeared on AAHKS.