INTRODUCTION
This free CME activity is based on a dinner symposium held in San Diego, California, on February 14, 2007. The Discovery Institute of Medical Education (DIME) is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians. DIME designates this educational activity for a maximum of 1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™.

Persons in attendance at the dinner symposium are NOT eligible for AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™ for completing this enduring material. Please note that the course is certified only for physicians (MD, DO, or equivalent). All other participants receive a certificate of completion.

New technologies and recent advances in joint reconstruction surgery have enhanced surgical outcomes and improved patient safety. This activity allows participants to evaluate emerging technologies in the clinical setting.

An important consideration for all orthopaedic surgeons is the potential morbidity associated with sequelae of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Patients who experience knee or hip replacement surgery or hip fracture surgery are at the highest risk for VTE. Consequences of VTE can include recurrent deep vein thrombosis (DVT), postthrombotic syndrome, and fatal and nonfatal pulmonary embolism (PE).

An understanding of VTE prophylaxis guidelines and their implications is requisite for clinicians in orthopaedic surgical practice. For surgeons using the latest orthopaedic reconstruction techniques, the evidence-based guidelines provide crucial insights into the best practices in preventing thromboembolic events in the surgical patient.

Porous Tantalum in Orthopaedic Reconstruction: Basic Science and Clinical Applications (Louis M. Kwong, MD, FACS) The Relevance of VTE Prophylaxis Guidelines to the Latest Techniques in Orthopaedic Reconstruction (Clifford W. Colwell, Jr, MD)