Journal of Orthopaedic Business

Estimated Cost of Fibrin Glue

Shayli Schulz — 2024-04-01

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to systematically investigate the current cost/mL of fibrin glue to be used in the operating room based on currently published literature.

Design: Systematic literature review.

Main outcome measurement: Cost in dollars per milliliter.

Results: Literature search produced 500 articles regarding “Fibrin Glue Cost” of which 18 had novel estimates for the cost of fibrin glue per mL. The average cost estimate for fibrin glue among the current literature is $161.61 ± $140.78. With outliers removed it was $122.45 ± $61.90.

Conclusion: Fibrin glue is used in many procedures for its hemostatic, adhesive, and sealant properties. In this literature review study, we found the average cost of fibrin glue to be $161.61/mL with indications that the true cost may be significantly cheaper. It is a financially stable option that has not become more expensive since it came into practice. Future studies are needed to investigate the overall cost benefit analysis.

Level of Evidence: IV; Systematic Review of level IV or higher evidence

Keywords: Business, management, resources, cost, value, efficiency.

The Publication Trends of Orthopaedic Surgery Residents Accepted into Spine Fellowship Programs

Franklin Powlan — 2024-04-01

Background: Many orthopaedic surgery residents continue to publish research articles despite no requirements for most spine fellowships. We hypothesize that the number of publications published by orthopaedic surgery residents accepted into spine fellowship are increasing.

Objective: To determine research trends of orthopaedic surgery residents who go onto spine fellowship after residency.

Methods: A list of spine fellows who matched into fellowship between 2013 to 2019 was compiled from publicly accessible information on spine fellowship websites. Data collected included specific year of fellowship, fellowship program, region of fellowship, number of articles published, high impact journals, and first authorship publications and statistically analyzed with Microsoft Excel.

Results: A total of 306 spine fellows who matched between 2013 to 2019 were identified with 1522 publications during residency, 404 (26.5%) publications in high impact journals, and 541 (35.5%) first author publications. Average publications per fellow increased from 1.1 in 2013 to 6.6 in 2019 with an R² of .90 on linear regression analysis. The highest average publications came from the Midwest and South region. The highest average of publications in high impact journals, and first authorships came from the Midwest region.

Conclusion: The average number of publications, first authorships, and publications in high impact journals has increased over recent years. These trends are important for residents considering applying to spine fellowship in order to give themselves a competitive advantage, target regions that best suit them, and provide themselves with the best opportunity to match into a spine fellowship program.

An Overview of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency in Healthcare and Orthopaedic Surgery

Evan Banks — 2024-04-01

Objective: Analyze the current published literature and provide a high-level overview of blockchain technology in healthcare and orthopaedic surgery.

Design: Narrative Review

Results and Conclusion: While the advantages of blockchain technology have been discussed extensively in the finance world, there are also many potential advantages for blockchain to be implemented in healthcare and orthopaedic practice. Some of these advantages include enhanced data security, research, remote patient monitoring, and supply chain tracking. However, many limitations with the current iterations of blockchain technology prevent its practical use.