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Let Orthopedic Surgery Wait Until Morning When Possible

2009-11-20T23:04:00+01:00

Scheduling a prime daytime slot to undergo an orthopedic procedure may lower your risk of an unplanned follow-up surgery later on, a new study has found. The study, published in the September issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery, found little difference otherwise for healing, recovery time and major complication rates between certain orthopedic surgeries done during the day (between 6 a.m. and 4 p.m.) and those done after hours (4 p.m. to 6 a.m.). "Although everyone wants to be treated immediately, it may be in a patient's best interest to wait until morning. The reality is that the on-call night surgical team may not be well rested, as it is likely they had just finished a normal day shift," study lead author Dr. William M. Ricci, chief of the Orthopaedic Trauma Service at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said in a news release issued by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. The study of 203 surgeries to repair either a fractured thigh or shin bone found a higher incidence of follow-up surgery to remove painful hardware (often a supportive rod called an intramedullary nail fixation that was placed to stabilize the broken bone) in the after-hours patients than the daytime patients -- 27 percent versus 3 percent, respectively. "The results of the study suggest that the system is working fairly well and it is not always best to rush a patient to the OR in the middle of the night. Naturally, when the medical condition is emergent and time is a critical factor, immediate surgery should proceed regardless of time of day," Ricci said in the news release. "For non-emergent fracture care, sufficient daytime resources should be made available to avoid unnecessary night-time surgery," he added.

”New Moon” plays it by the book

2009-11-20T09:41:55+01:00

The moon may be new, and the director may be different (Chris Weitz takes over the reins from Catherine Hardwicke), but otherwise, the second installment of the "Twilight" saga remains, for better or worse, exceptionally faithful to its 2008 beginnings.Understandably not wanting to mess with that $350 million worldwide success, "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," is content to stay within those tonal parameters rather than venture out in potentially more intriguing or substantial directions, which should suit its ferocious adolescent female fan base just fine.The uninitiated, meanwhile, might find that the film's deliberately unhurried 130-minute running time feels like a Cullen clan eternity.Anticipation is sufficiently high that opening weekend box office for the Summit Entertainment release is guaranteed to be anything but anemic, most likely eclipsing the $70 million taken by "Twilight" this time last year. The film bows Friday (November 20).Alluding more obviously to the "Romeo & Juliet" vibe of author Stephenie Meyer's books, "New Moon" finds heroine Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) caught in a tricky triangular relationship with Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob Black (Taylor Lautner).Not wanting to give away too much of the plot (though chances are most of the movie's audience will have already read the book), let's just say brooding Bella is having a tough time where both objectified males are concerned, and that it turns out Jacob's been keeping a little secret of his own -- and it's not just finding a personal trainer in the middle of Forks, Washington.

'New Moon' causes strange changes for Taylor Lautner

2009-11-18T09:41:18+01:00

It must be terrifying to know that fame, like a giant, all-consuming tidal wave, is about to break over you at any moment. But if Taylor Lautner's scared, he's not showing it. In fact, the 17-year-old star of “The Twilight Saga: New Moon,” which opens in theaters at midnight Thursday, seems a little too calm. When talking about his starring role as Jacob Black in the follow-up to last year's box office breakout "Twilight," he exudes an effortless boy-next-door charm. His demeanor, though somewhat guarded, is more small-town high school football star than newly minted teen heartthrob.It's a little eerie, really.Maybe that sense of calm is because the frenzy around Lautner's rising star has only just begun, or perhaps he's well suited to life at the center of the pop culture maelstrom sparked by Stephenie Meyer's bestselling young-adult novels about high school student Bella Swan and the two supernatural suitors vying for her affections. Jacob, unfortunately, is the underdog in that particular battle, although "New Moon" centers largely on his relationship with Bella (Kristen Stewart). Heartbroken after the abrupt departure of her brooding vampire beau Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), she finds solace in Jacob, but he has problems of his own -- namely, a massive crush on Bella and a just-discovered genetic mutation that causes him to turn into a werewolf with little provocation. No full moon required."When I was reading the books, I felt so bad for Jacob's

Police: Mike Tyson in scuffle at LA airport

2009-11-12T19:08:57+01:00

Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson and a photographer are being investigated for misdemeanor battery after an airport scuffle that injured the paparazzo, police said Thursday.Tyson and Tony Echeverria, 50, made citizens' arrests of each other after a confrontation at about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday at Los Angeles International Airport, airport police Sgt. Jim Holcomb.Police were called and they were fingerprinted and photographed, then released without bail, Holcomb said. The city attorney will decide whether to file criminal charges.Echeverria, who described himself as a freelance photographer, told police that Tyson struck him once. The photographer fell to the ground and was treated for a cut to his forehead at a hospital.Tyson had stopped at LAX while traveling from Europe to Las Vegas when several photographers began snapping him near a ticket counter, Holcomb said.Tyson's spokeswoman Tammy Brook said the boxer was traveling with his wife and 10-month-old child when he was attacked by an overly aggressive paparazzo."Mike acted in self defense as a father protecting his child," she said.Echeverria's camera was booked as evidence and police also were checking if there was any surveillance video of the incident.Tyson was cooperative as he waited in a holding cell at the airport police station, Holcomb said. Echevarria was treated at a hospital while Tyson continued his trip, Holcomb said.Holcomb said both men were released without any restrictions and free to go wherever they want.

Rihanna warning over Brown attack

2009-11-05T18:24:33+01:00

Singer Rihanna has spoken on US TV for the first time about being assaulted by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, warning that "it could happen to anybody".The 21-year-old, who was interviewed on ABC's Good Morning America programme, also called her brief reconciliation with Brown "embarrassing". "I realised that my selfish decision for love could result in some young girl getting killed," she added. Brown was sentenced to five years' probation after February's assault. 'I didn't do it'The singer, who has since apologised to fans for his actions, was also given a community service order. MTV is due to air an interview with Brown on Friday. Rihanna, who is due to release her new album Rated R on 23 November, told interviewer Diane Sawyer: "I am strong. This happened to me. I didn't cause this. I didn't do it." The singer added of her decision to reconcile with Brown after the assault: "So far in love, so unconditional, that I went back. That's not what I want to teach people." The Barbadian-born star admitted that the blaze of publicity that surrounded the attack had been hard to deal with. "There are a lot of women who have experienced this, but not in public. That made it really difficult. I thought 'there goes my little bit of privacy.' "It's something that nobody wants anybody to know. So here I am, the whole world knowing," she said. Rihanna offered advice to women tempted to go back to their partner after an incidence of domestic violence: "Don't react off of love." Further extracts of ABC's interview with the singer will be screened on Friday in the US.