DocTalk

This week's web rant is a little late; the consequence of night shifts. Working when it's dark gives medical people a harsh slant on the world, especially when it comes to the wasteful spending of health care dollars by people whose choices were not necessarily the best.

Thanks for reading.

Ben

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

It's a little like double dipping but I was assigned to write a review article on stress fractures and the timing was appropriate to add a sidebar about Yao Ming and his ailing foot. It seems sad that the fate of his career rests on the ability of a tiny artery to deliver blood to a bone in his midfoot; navicular stress fractures tend to form nonunions because of poor blood supply.

More on the web. Thanks for reading.

Ben

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

Night shift again this week and we get our share of trauma. Any information from the side of the road is extremely helpful, especially with head injury. Tools that help understand whether a patient is getting better worse make all hte difference in the world.

Unfortunately, thanks to Fellippe Massa, there is more about the Glasgow Coma Scale and head injury on the web.

Now,hopefully, back to sleep.

 

Night shift is done for the week and I have the chance to sleep when it's dark outside. Trying to cobble together 4 or 5 hours during the day is always tough and the week of nights leaves me overwhelming tired and cranky. The nurses are thrilled to say the least.

Sleep issues are the bane of the medical world and many other professions, as the world decides that allowing a task to wait till morning may be a mortal sin. AS an example, the NTSB released their report on a jet that missed Hawaii when the two pilots fell asleep at the wheel and one issue was their to long work day and too early start time.

There's more on the web.

www.MDdirect.org

 

The CDC has been all over the news in recent days about H1N1 vaccines and expectations for the upcoming pandemic. Internet marketers have their websites primed to sell everything adn anything anti-swine flu.

There is no doubt that public health concerns exist but common sense should prevail when it comes to everyday decision making. (no you do not need a hundered dollar HEPA mask).

I know that it is not sports related, but this spring, school sports were being cancelled because of the hysteria that surrounded the first round of swine flu. There's more this week on the web.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

It;s amazing how we take things for granted, especially when it comes to minor injuries. We expect that the pros will overcome, yet even minor inuries can cause the body to shut down. Plenty of minor injuries to talk about this week thanks to NFL training camps.

Thanks for reading.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

Somehow, even i can't connect Micahel Jackson to sports. But the propofol debacle just needs to be addressed. It is one of tehose practice changing drugs in critical care medicine because of its ease of use and safety profile. And now it's definitely getting a bad rap.

There's more on line. Thanks for reading.

www.MDdirect.org/blog

 

The death of Senator Kennedy was not unexpected. His type of brain tumor has a 50% mortality rate at two years and his initial diagnosis came less than 18 months ago. That knowledge allowed planning for living and planning for dying. It is difficult for patients and family to have end of life discussions but those who have that opportunity are blessed.

More on the web.

 

This week's web entry is a little philosophic about the transformation of doctors from book-bound theorists to bedside care givers. Think of it as an athlete moving from the practice field to game situations.

I appreciate the feedback that I get from the members of the board. Thanks for your kindness.

Ben

 

Doc,
I've recently discovered something on my back and wasn't sure if I needed to bug my doctor about it. Small red spot, about 1/2 the diameter of a pencil, but slightly raised. Potential major problem, or just minor skin issue?

 

It's tough to pratice dermatology on the net. Rashes, spots and dots (lesions oin medical terms) are meant to be seen and touched to help with diagnosis. I'm of the old school belief that if it is of concern, it should be checked out.

In osme people with fair skin or significant sun exposure, skin mapping on a yearly basis may be helpful in screening for potential skin cancers. Sometimes, the best a dermatologist can do is be concerned that a spot looks suspicious. Their next step is to cut it out and examine the tissue under a microscope to prove that it is benign.

CA, I know this isn't theanswer that you have hoped for, but it's the best I can do.

 

Second post of the day has tears associated with it. With ties to OU that go back to my residency, it was hard to see and read about Sam Bradford's shoulder injury. It's even harder to read press reports that he will be back in a couple of weeks whe normal people might take two or three months to heal.

This week's web post talks about AC sprains and shoulder separations, which happen to be one and the same.

www.MDdirect.org/blog