Second-Year Medical Student John Valentino's Abstract Accepted at the Upcoming Orthopaedic Research Society's Annual Meeting
"Is Poor Bone Quality Associated with Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty?" was recently accepted for a poster presentation at the 2020 Orthopaedic Research Society's annual meeting in Phoenix, Arizona.
"This project arose from working with fellow medical student Michael Langley, LSUHSC orthopedic faculty Dr. Jennifer Simkin, Dr. Luis Marrero, Dr. Vinod Dasa, as well as many other researchers including collaborations with Tulane School of Medicine," said second-year medical student John Valentino.
The team believes bone health is an important, under-investigated area of research. Some ramifications of poor bone quality are well known, such as fracture risks in osteoporotic patients; yet these types of risks are less defined in a surgical context. The preliminary findings suggest poor bone mineral density and systemic markers of bone turnover may be predictive of pain after a total knee replacement. This information could potentially be used to alter preoperative care, intraoperative technique, or manage postoperative expectations.
"We are excited to present this information at the national conference, and I look forward to the continuation of productive research at the LSUHSC Orthopaedic Department," said John.