STAT (4/24, Ross) examines questions about whether so many orthopedic surgeries are necessary, based on an “evidence gap” of support for them and the increase in volume in procedures such as knee replacements, which have doubled since 2000 in the US and account for some $10 billion in annual costs to the health care system. Other surgeries under scrutiny include the repair of a torn meniscus, vertebroplasty, clavicle fracture repair in young people, ACL repairs, and rotator cuff repairs. Dr. David Jevsevar, who chairs the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ council on research and quality, says general scrutiny of individual procedures may overlook that “it’s challenging to determine what the right amount is because every patient is unique and every patient has his or her own set of situations and expectations.”