Difficulties with harvest of the Semitendinosus (ST) and, if necessary, Gracilis are vexing for many Orthopaedic Surgeons. It is the primary force that drives many surgeons to use allografts despite the fact the results of allografts are clearly substantially inferior to autografts. I used hamstrings from the beginning of my career in 1985 for open ACL reconstruction. I used large incisions and harvest was easy. MORE

There are conflicting data on the comparative safety and effectiveness of bivalirudin compared with unfractionated heparin (UFH) in relation to the planned use of glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPIs). The issue has been made more unclear with the expansion of antithrombotic therapies available for patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), which has led to a reduction in planned GPI use. This analysis of the MATRIX trial assessed the efficacy and safety of bivalirudin compared with UFH with or without GPIs in patients with ACS who underwent invasive management. In the MATRIX (Minimizing Adverse Haemorrhagic Events by Transradial Access Site and Systemic Implementation of AngioX) trial, 7,213 patients with ACS were randomly assigned to receive either bivalirudin (with GPIs restricted to bailout use) or UFH (with GPIs use left to the discretion of the operator). MORE

The esteemed Diagnostic Pathology series is comprised of visually stunning and easy-to-use references covering all aspects of pathology. The Diagnostic Pathology series is packed with high-quality, carefully annotated color images depicting classic pathological features as well as variant patterns that are prone to creating diagnostic problems. MORE

Even though my own internship was a decade ago, I vividly remember the transition from student to resident. Residency was monumental in my path to becoming a physician. There were obvious changes; people now called me “doctor,” my misshapen short white coat was upgraded to a comforting full length one, and I was often the first one paged to respond to patient problems. Coupled with the positive aspects though, I also faced some challenges. I struggled with depression, my relationship with my girlfriend was strained, and I felt overwhelmed as I contemplated switching specialties after my second year (from ophthalmology to internal medicine). Despite the stress, I look back with fond recollection and a realization that the tremendous experiences and camaraderie can never again be replicated. As a resident, I was privileged to help take care of an underserved population in New York City, learned from inspiring teachers, and worked hard alongside talented co-residents (some of whom will undoubtedly be lifelong friends, and one of whom I married). This is my advice for thriving during your own residency odyssey… MORE