Ashish Shah, M.D., FAAOS, associate professor, director of international education, was featured in a full-page spread of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) Now magazine Dec. 2020 issue.

AAOS Now, a monthly news magazine published by the AAOS, is the No. 1 nonpeer-reviewed orthopaedic publication and is No. 2 of all orthopaedic publications, including peer-reviewed journals, trailing only the Journal of the AAOS.

Shah’s feature highlighted his most recent study, “Factors affecting emergency department visits, readmissions, and reoperations within 30 days of ankle fracture surgery- an institutional retrospective study.” Other UAB Department of Orthopaedic Surgery authors included John Prather, M.D., Bradley Alexander, M.D., Jared Halstrom, M.D., Charlie Sutherland (medical student), and Akshar Patel (medical student).

In addition to being featured in the AAOS Now, Shah, senior author of the study, also presented the research as a poster at the Virtual American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society Annual Meeting.

The study examined factors affecting emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, and reoperations within 30 days of ankle fracture surgery found that age younger than 45 years was a risk factor for early ED visits, highlighting a potential at-risk population. “Understanding what factors influence the frequency of 30-day ED visits, readmissions, and reoperations after ankle fracture repair is crucial in optimization of our healthcare system,” said Shah.

Shah and his colleagues stated they were motivated to complete this study because ankle fractures are the most common of orthopaedic injuries, constituting nine percent of all fractures. The study involved 596 fractures in patients who underwent surgery.

Shah said the study findings indicate that clinicians should place emphasis “on identifying patients most sensitive to postoperative pain and educating these patients on pain expectations.” To read the complete study, click here.