AANA20: The 2020 Annual Meeting of the Arthroscopy Association of North America

Abstract

Arthroscopy, Arthroscopy Techniques, and Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation will be in attendance in force at the 2020 Annual Meeting of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA20). Program highlights and innovations include surgery simulcasts, “Great Debates,” award-winning papers, Feature Lectures, and sessions glimpsing what is On the Horizon—and perhaps over and beyond.

Editors' Note: At the time of this writing, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeon's annual meeting has been canceled due to COVID-19. At this time, AANA20 has not been canceled; hopefully, it will not. Either way, this editorial highlights the hot topics in arthroscopic and related surgery.

The 2020 Annual Meeting of the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA20) should be spectacular. The dates are May 7 through May 9. Hop a plane to Dallas-Fort Worth airport, only 10 minutes in the car, and you've arrived at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center.

Our journals, Arthroscopy, Arthroscopy Techniques, and Arthroscopy, Sports Medicine, and Rehabilitation, will be in attendance in force. A few seats remain available for the Journal Course for Writers and Reviewers. Our invaluable Managing Editor Deborah VanNoy will be staffing the booth outside the plenary session hall and will be accompanied by a roving crew of editors. We'll be recording podcasts at the end of the daily sessions and recruiting reviewers at the Resident and Fellow Symposium. Editors and reviewers will be monitoring the podium presentations and looking forward to peer reviewing the original scientific investigations and innovative new techniques presented when they are ultimately submitted to our journals. Editor-in-Chief Lubowitz will also be doing his best Hamlet impersonation—to repair or not to repair—in a debate on the torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Program highlights and innovations include surgery simulcasts and “Great Debates” including

• •Anterior cruciate ligament repair versus “not” versus all-inside reconstruction
• •Single- versus double-row rotator cuff repair
• •Meniscal root repair versus “over-rated”
• •Biceps “fix it” versus “let it fly” versus subpectoral tenodesis
• •Knee internal brace versus “no evidence”

In preparation for these AANA20 Great Debates, we have created a suggested reading list on these topics (Table 1 ).

Table 1.

Suggested Reading in Preparation for Great Debates

Anterior cruciate ligament

“Primary arthroscopic repair of the anterior cruciate ligament: A systematic review of clinical outcomes” by Houck et al.1

“Anterior cruciate ligament repair revisited…Do we need a paradigm shift?” (editorial commentary) by Hannafin2

“Anterior cruciate ligament repair outcomes: An updated systematic review of recent literature” by Nwachukwu et al.3

“Back to the past—Anterior cruciate ligament repair revisited” (editorial commentary) by Petersen and Achtnich4

“Clinical and functional outcome of all-inside anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction at a minimum of 2 years’ follow-up” by Schurz et al.5

Rotator cuff

“A prospective randomized trial comparing suture bridge and medially based single-row rotator cuff repair in medium-sized supraspinatus tears” by Yamakado6

“Does a medialized repair allow single-row to outperform double-row rotator cuff repair?” (editorial commentary) by Chalmers7

“Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair in 2019: Linked, double-row repair for achieving higher healing rates and optimal clinical outcomes” by Sheean et al.8

“Improving strength and clinical outcomes after rotator cuff repair—Role of choosing single- versus double-row repair” (editorial commentary) by Abrams9

Meniscus

“Meniscal root tears” by Chahla and LaPrade10

“Biomechanical properties of posterior meniscal root repairs: A systematic review” by Jiang et al.11

“Meniscus root repair vs meniscectomy or nonoperative management to prevent knee osteoarthritis after medial meniscus root tears: Clinical and economic effectiveness” by Faucett et al.12

“Partial meniscectomy provides no benefit for symptomatic degenerative medial meniscus posterior root tears” by Krych et al.13

Biceps

“Clinical outcomes after biceps tenodesis or tenotomy using subpectoral pain to guide management in patients with rotator cuff tears” by Kia et al.14

“Biceps tendon tenderness…Is it enough to guide surgical management?” (editorial commentary) by Nuelle15

“Biomechanical evaluation of a transtendinous all-suture anchor technique versus interference screw technique for suprapectoral biceps tenodesis in a cadaveric model” by Hong et al.16

“How can I tenodese the biceps tendon of the shoulder? Let me count the ways” (editorial commentary) by Werner17

Internal brace

“Independent suture tape reinforcement of small and standard diameter grafts for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: A biomechanical full construct model” by Bachmaier et al.18

Award-winning papers will include Cole on rotator cuff repair with or without bone marrow aspirate concentrate augmentation, Verma on balloon subacromial spacer versus partial repair for massive rotator cuff tears, and Sherman on medial patellofemoral ligament repair versus reconstruction in children and adolescents. Unique Feature Lectures will be presented by Snyder, Dragoo, O’Brien, O’Malley, Tokish, Scerpella, Sgaglione, Rodeo, Nho, Philippon, Arnoczky, Hannafin, Kibler, Tanaka, Andrews, Conway, Richmond, Fanelli, Svoboda, Shelton, Chahla, Lau, and American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons President Kristy L. Weber.

Glimpsing what is “On the Horizon”—and perhaps over and beyond—will be Murray, Wortman, Tauro, Farr, and Angelo. Keynote Guest Speaker, football coach, sports analyst, and author Lou Holtz will share his perspectives on overcoming hurdles through strategic goal setting.

At AANA20, participants can attend more than 20 Continuing Medical Education credits’ worth of sessions on every joint we treat—and everything we do! A tribute to Program Chair Julie Dodds: Following in the sizable footsteps of program chairs who have preceded her, Dr. Dodds takes AANA20 to a new level of interest, originality, and clinical relevance.

Socially, the Welcome Reception in the exhibit hall, morning breakfasts, afternoon “Devices and Desserts,” and venerated coffee breaks allow meeting attendees—from members to residents and fellows, to those dipping a toe in the AANA pool—to mix, mingle, reacquaint, and forge new friendships. A Golf Outing and Wine Tour add to the opportunity to achieve a celebrated work-life balance, as do the many features of the outdoorsy, family-friendly setting. And…did we mention those coffee breaks?

We'll be feting outgoing President Larry Field and welcoming incoming President Brian Cole. We eagerly anticipate Brian’s introduction of Dr. Field (which is bound to include elements of humor) and, most of all, Larry’s Presidential Address. Historically, the Introduction and the Presidential Address are highlights of the meeting for many; for those who are organizing their schedules, we certainly recommend starting by marking Brian’s remarks and Larry’s discourse on your calendars.

Each month, we reach readers through our journals, editorials, and web sites. Each year, we love seeing you at our Annual Meeting. We look forward to learning along with you at AANA20.