David H. Chafey MD FAAOS, FAOA

A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. – Herm Albright 😁 ( Makes me smile every time I read it)

A 29-year-old U.S. Army staff sergeant was referred after being diagnosed with chondrosarcoma in the left side of his pelvis. 10 years ago, the only options after resecting the cancer would be to amputate the leg or leave a flail leg. In this case, our sarcoma team opted to replace the removed bone with a custom 3D-printed implant. More about the case: cle.clinic/42Zr8pR

@jointdocShields *QR code for free E-scooter rental

I just left the dentist and she gave me cookies when I was done. Interesting business model Next week all ortho patients are getting roller skates as a gift at the end of the visit

Published by OrthoSolutions today, featuring the hard work of @Drlyndonmason ... and riding on the shoulders of the people doing the heavy lifting OperativeINK.com sees its first publication... A surgical guide on anterior tibial plating

The Association Between Distal Screw and Articular Subsidence in the Open Treatment of Intra-articular Distal Radius Fractures @MedStarHealth @UTHealthSA #DistalRadius #OperativeFixation #Trauma #VolarLockingPlate #WristSurgery jhandsurg.org/article/S0363-…

Surgery is a "wicked" environment: feedback is delayed, noisy, and often biased. My essay on why experience doesn't always equal mastery, and how to learn when the feedback loops are broken. leezhaomd.org/post/the-wicke… #MedTwitter #Surgery #MedEd

A quick tip. For anyone treating fractures(or not), it is often helpful to know something about bone quality. Most patients already have CT of the chest or abdomen and pelvis. If it is not mentioned in report, you can quickly assess it yourself by checking the HU m, ideally L1 vertebral body. This is often as good or better than DEXA. Easy, quick, underutilized.

@DrFraneNicholas @orthotraumamd @orthobullets @IU_Health @bonesmith_ @KrystinHiddenMD @FractureDoc @itius @rkh_md @BrandonYuanMD @IMNailR @schulte_ss @Drlyndonmason @FootAndAnkleMD Agree with using a hindfoot nail to maximize distal fixation, given BMI. depending on lab work-up, single stage in prone position could work. no gif to simplify that

@orthotraumamd @davidhcmd @orthobullets @IU_Health @bonesmith_ @KrystinHiddenMD @FractureDoc @itius @rkh_md @BrandonYuanMD @IMNailR @schulte_ss @Drlyndonmason @FootAndAnkleMD 50+ bmi TTC nail

Here is a new case by Dr. Jan Szatkowski @orthotraumamd and @IU_Health. PILON FRACTURE NONUNION IN 58F How would you manage this #orthotwitter? Vote on this case for CME: orthobullets.tiny.us/2a9tbyyj

@orthotraumamd @orthobullets @IU_Health @bonesmith_ @DrFraneNicholas @KrystinHiddenMD @FractureDoc @itius @rkh_md @BrandonYuanMD @IMNailR @schulte_ss @Drlyndonmason @FootAndAnkleMD

@orthobullets @IU_Health @bonesmith_ @DrFraneNicholas @KrystinHiddenMD @FractureDoc @itius @rkh_md @BrandonYuanMD @IMNailR @schulte_ss @Drlyndonmason What would be your plan here? @rkh_md @FootAndAnkleMD @IMNailR

AAOS establishes Orthobiologics Registry to advance evidence-based orthobiologics research aaos.org/aaosnow/2025/d…

@pratikorho good construct for such a pattern. Without knowing patient factors, THR is not for everyone and has a distinct complication spectrum the TAD is for IT fractures. using 2 points of fixation controls rotation while providing fixed angle support. which one is placed first?

Neck of femur fracture in 55 year old gentleman, Pauwel type 2 Mild Comminuted ! Did DHS with CC Screw. #medtwitter #medx #orthotwitter #orthox #fracture

History of Troch Bursitis.......I met a patient recently while I was on call who had their CMN lag screw removed because it was painful laterally… then they fell again and sustained a femoral neck fracture. 2 fractures but 3 surgeries. It was a pretty sobering reminder that “small” hardware details can have big downstream consequences. That case made me re-read this JOT paper on laterally protruded lag screws as a consistent source of lateral thigh/hip pain after pertrochanteric fracture fixation. In their cohort (n=134), even minimal protrusion past the GT reference line was associated with more lateral thigh pain and more difficulty lying on the operative side—and patients with less “soft tissue buffer” were at higher risk. A few questions for the group: How far do you want the lag screw sticking out laterally? Do you have a personal “flush / slightly proud / never past GT” rule? How do you plan for inevitable fracture impaction/collapse so it doesn’t become progressively more proud over time? Any experience with designs/techniques that allow controlled collapse but reduce the lateral irritation problem (the “self-collapsing screw” idea)? orthobullets.com/post/view?id=1…

very clever winning submissions 💪🏽 #saltimusprime ❄️ 🚛

Excited to be back behind the mic 🎙️ I’m now co-hosting the Mayo Clinic Orthopedic Surgery Podcast with Jon Barlow, couldn’t stay away after @OfficialJAAOS Unplugged! Big 2026 season ahead, stay tuned! #MedEd #MedicalLeadership

Kicking off 2026 with #FractureFriday—Dr. Augustine Saiz reviews the essentials of pelvic imaging. Watch now and keep learning with AO NA LINK. Join Session 7: Polytrauma: Improving Patient Outcomes on Jan 8, 2026. 🔗 blog.aona.org/ao-na-link/ #Orthopedics #MedicalEducation

Advance your knowledge in fracture management at the New England Regional Fracture Summit. Join us for hands-on training, interactive case discussions, and faculty-led guidance. 👉🏻 go.aona.org/Trauma_NewEngl…

2025 was a full-throttle year. 🏎️💨 We’re building real momentum in global education at @orthobullets — powered by a community that loves to learn, teach, share, and care. And honestly? The friendly banter and constant exchange of ideas is the best part. This highlight reel is a quick snapshot of that energy… and we’re not lifting off the gas in 2026. Boom — excited for what’s next. 🏁🌍

Member Spotlight! Learn more about our President, Mitchell Bernstein. 👇

2026 Ortho Trend Alert: The hottest new accessory is the Knee Arthroscopy Belt. It supports the patient and your lumbar spine and gives powerlifting-belt energy! 🦾 #NewYearNewBelt

Thank you @Coach_Eck and the rest of the @UNMLoboFB team for an unforgettable season! Lobo fans sure did travel well to Phoenix! #GoLobos Great seeing my @aossm1972 co-traveling fellow Jeff Macalena and colleague @anikarchhabra at the Rate Bowl.