To The Editor:

In the paper “Orientation of the Femoral Component in Surface Arthroplasty of the Hip. A Biomechanical and Clinical Analysis” (2004;86:2015-21), by Beaulé et al., information on the clinical outcome presented in the Results section had already been published in the Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research article “Risk Factors Affecting Outcome of Metal-on-Metal Surface Arthroplasty of the Hip.”(1) However, the CORR article was referenced only in the Materials and Methods section of the JBJS article. Our intent was to provide the reader with the clinical context and the relevant data that motivated us to create the biomechanical model for the analysis of the stresses within the femoral neck that was presented in the second manuscript. In retrospect, we realized that the appropriate way to accomplish this would have been to present a summary of the methods, results, and discussion sections of the CORR article in the introduction section of the JBJS paper rather than in the Materials and Methods and Results sections. Unfortunately, the way that we presented our information in the JBJS article gave the impression that this was the first time that the clinical study had been published. We offer our sincere apologies to the Editors of both journals for this unfortunate mistake as well as for the oversight of not requesting prior copyright permission to reproduce Figure 2 of the CORR article in the JBJS article (Figure 1 in that article). As the two major contributors cited in both articles, we assume complete responsibility for this oversight and would also like to extend our apologies to the readership of both journals.

We would like to thank Dr. Heckman and Dr. Brand for bringing this to our attention, since maintaining the highest quality in peer-reviewed publication is something we all continue to strive for(2).

-Paul E. Beaulé, MD, FRCSC Harlan C. Amstutz, MD Corresponding author: Paul E. Beaulé, MD, FRCSC Joint Replacement Institute at Orthopaedic Hospital 2400 South Flower Street Los Angeles, CA 90007

References

1. Beaulé PE, Dorey FJ, LeDuff M, Gruen T, Amstutz HC. Risk factors affecting outcome of metal-on-metal surface arthroplasty of the hip. Clin Orthop. 2004;418:87-93.

2. Brand RA, Heckman JD, Scott J. Changing ethical standards in scientific publication. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2004;86:937-8.