By Laura Hochnadel
The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) recently approved new Appropriate Use Criteria (AUC) for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip. AUCs provide clinicians with algorithms on how to optimally treat an orthopedic injury or condition, including hypothetical scenarios and possible treatments, ranked for appropriateness based on the latest research and clinical expertise and experience.
The new AUC supports the Clinical Practice Guideline, “Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hip” that strongly recommends (1) The use of presurgical treatments to ease pain and improve mobility, including corticosteroid injections, physical therapy, and non-narcotic medication (specifically acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and tramadol) for pain and (2) both anterior and posterior approaches for total hip replacement surgery. In addition, the new criteria highlight when “hip replacement may be appropriate even when patients have modifiable risk factors, such as obesity, mental health disorders, smoking and diabetes,” said Robert H. Quinn, MD, AAOS, AUC section leader on the Committee on Evidence-Based Quality and Value.
