DocTalk

It was an interesting weekend of medical stories in the sports section. I couldn't pick just one, so this week's web entry is a potpourri of heat stroke, head injury and cancer. Sometimes it's easier when sports is just sports.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

I had the duty in the ER this weekend and we were so busy that i wasn't able to watch even one play in the Super Bowl. As it turns out, the drama and suspense that played out on the field probably didn't match the emotions felt by Jerry Richardson, the Panther owner. His Super Bowl was interrupted when he was summoned to the hospital to receive a new heart to replace his failing one. Mr. Richardson is one of the lucky ones. He lived to get a donated organ.

More on the web. Thanks for reading.

And once again, i appreciate all those who call or email asking for background medical information. I'm glad that i'm able to help.

www.MDdirect.org/

 

This week can only be about A Rod. Perhaps the discussion shouldn't necessarily be about the drug; it should ask about what constitutes cheating. Why do we appreciate the spitter and stealing signs or watering the infield to slow a speedy opponent, yet we wonder about corked bats? Drug use philosophy on the web.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

Valentine's Day weekend seemed appropriate for a heart related story and Mike Hampton was kind enough to oblige. Atrial fibrillation is a safe rhythm. The heart won't just stop beating but there are potentially devastating complications. The rest of the story is on the web.

Having a foot in two professions, I remind myself that my street cred depends upon my medical cred. That gets some buffing in the next few weeks as I put on my teaching hat and get ready to give lectures in Phoenix, Philadelphia, Wilmington and Las Vegas. Enough self promotion.

Thanks for reading.

www.MDdirect.org

 

Greetings from Phoenix and the annual meeting of the American Academy of Emergency Medicine. Aside from lectures and seminars, there has been time to watch a little cactus league baseball and enjoy the warmth that has escaped Wisconsin for the past six months.

Night shift got the better of me last week, so it was a forced break from a blog entry. I hope you all took the opportunity to read an older article and consider it a rerun.

This week it's about back pain. Allen Iverson is hurting and perhaps looking for a fountain of youth to recover from his back injury. I wish him the guidance of Ponce de Leon and success in finding relief.

Thanks for reading.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

Another week of nights and I'm a little late with this week's entry. It has to be about hip arthroscopy and A Rod's successful (so far) surgery.

More on the web at www.MDdirect.org/blog

Thanks for reading.

 

It's a few hours late, but I wanted to see if more news was available about Natasha Richardson's condition before posting on the website.

The timing of the story is a little eerie. I'm in the middle of a lecture tour at a couple hospitals in Philadelphia talking about minor head injury. If any of you are interested in seeing the powerpoint, please PM or email.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

It may be a good time to invest in titanium futures as Lance Armstrong undergoes surgery to have his broken collarbone repaired. Usually, a titanium plate is used that is molded to fit the curvature of the bone and is permanently screwed in place. And if a celebrity can have a titanium enhanced body, there is no doubt that every almost athlete will want one.

There's more about clavicle fractures on the web this week. It's not the most exciting injury but it's pretty common bread and butter ER stuff.

Once again, I have to thank those of you who have emailed and called about medical topics. It's my pleasure to help out with the background information and it's good stuff to see medicine being taught subliminally to your readers.

Cheers,

Ben

 

Too often, we read about disasters around the world, but because they are so far removed from our own experiences, it's hard to relate. A volcano erupts in Alaska or a riot breaks out at a world Cup qualifier in the Ivory Coast have little impact on daily life but medical people learn about preparation for the unexpected. More on the website.

Thanks for reading and calling.

www.MDdirect.org/bog

 

I broke my collarbone in a car accident 8 years ago and it didn't heal correctly - you can feel where the seatbelt broke it in two places. No surgery, no work done to correctly align the bones, and I still have pain when I'm lifting weights, both around the break and in my shoulder blade. I wish I had had surgery to fix the break.

 

The unfortunate part of statistics is that when they are applied to the individual, the humbers don't mean much. Either your outcome is good or it isn't. Sorry that you've had problems. Have you checked with your doc?

The standard of care for clavicle fractures remains non operative treatment.

 

The Anchorage airport has opened again and my colleagues in the ER are rejoicing. It's amazing how unexpected weather and natural disasters can affect people so far from the event.

www.MDdirect.org/blog