Letter to the Editor☆

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To the Editor:

The article by Michael Ellman, MD, and Brett Levine, MD, titled “Fracture of the modular femoral neck component in total hip arthroplasty,” published online in the Journal of Arthroplasty presents a patient who sustained a fracture of a modular femoral neck component and underwent 3 surgical procedures to achieve a satisfactory result. The authors refer to 2 of these 3 procedures as “unnecessary.”

Frankly, I was shocked to see an internationally read, peer-reviewed journal allow this verbiage to be published. Although I fully recognize that we want the highest level of integrity in our publications, I do not know that the authors were in a position to determine the “appropriateness” of the procedures because they were not the treating surgeon. Is every failed surgical procedure to be judged “unnecessary?” Is our journal to become a venue in which surgeons are judged, most likely without their knowledge or ability to defend their decisions?

I suggest the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Standards of Professionalism provide a lens through which articles such as this should be examined:

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Standards of Professionalism: Professional Relationships [1].

Mandatory standards:

We created these Standards of Professionalism as guidelines to protect our patients and improve and protect our profession. We all suffer when they are not met, and we all need to follow them.

Conflict of Interest Statements

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Reference 

1. AAOS Standards of Professionalism: professional relationships. Published April 18, 2005.
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