05/09/07-06/09/07

Boston

Arrived in Boston after a slight delay for fog in Detroit. Taxi driver refused to accept that the Hotel we were going to was actually open but after some encouragement, took us anyway. Turns out the Liberty Hotel (formerly Suffolk County Jail) had only opened that day. Fantastic galleried entrance hall, barred windows Alibi Bar & restaurant called “Clink” but most importantly less than 20 yards from Massachussets General Hospital where we met Henrik Malchau & had a tour of the Harris Biomechanical Lab.

This is the lab where highly cross-linked poly was developed & they are currently working on impregnation with Vit E to scavange free radicals & prevent ongoing oxidation & deterioration of mechanical properties. Also they are working on hyrogels (PVA) as potential a biomaterial for cartilage replacement, amongst other applications.

Visited the “Ether Dome” where Morton, a Boston dentist, gave the first general anaesthetic for removal of a neck lump by a Dr Warren in 1846. The amphitheatre-like building is still decorated & set out as in the C19th.

Next to theatre with Dr Andy Freiberg to see a mini modified lateral approach for a cementless THR (metal on x-linked poly of course) in a man of 6’8” weighing 260 pounds.

The following day was spent with Dr Joe McCarthy at Newton–Wellesley Hospital watching hip arthroscopy, a day that would have been good enough even without the fact that they were having a “clam bake” which turned out to mean that all hospital staff were given a traditional New England (free) lunch of clam chowder & lobster. Didn’t seem to notice two Limeys slipping into the queue (sorry, line). Certainly a distinct improvement on UK hospital canteen fare. Perhaps we could do the same with Cromer crab?