For P.M. ReleaseWednesday, February 28, 2001
ALTERNATIVE AND COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE IN ORTHOPAEDICS
SAN FRANCISCO--As healthcare changes, so does the emergence of complementary and alternative medical therapies into "mainstream" medicine. Many patients are using these therapies, and while many are safe and effective, many are not.
During a media briefing at the 68th annual meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, a panel of experts discussed common alternative medicine and therapies used today in orthopaedic medicine.
Moderated by orthopaedic surgeon Harris Gellman, MD, professor and co-chief, division of hand surgery, department of orthopaedics and rehabilitation, University of Miami, the panel included Charles Kennedy, MD, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, University of Texas, San Antonio; David L. Skaggs, MD, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, University of Southern California of Medicine and Children's Hospital Los Angeles; and William Arnold, MD, Illinois Bone and Joint Institute, Des Plaines, Ill. The panelists are members of the Academy's complementary and alternative medicine committee. The National Institute of Health (NIH) is increasing funding for alternative medicine and the number of studies is rapidly increasing, although many people are still unaware of the side effects of some herbs and nutritional supplements.
"St. John's Wort, which is used an antidepressant, interacts with some anesthetic agents. Anyone using St. John's Wort who is thinking of having surgery should let their doctor know that they are taking it", said Dr.Gellman.
Dr. Gellman emphasizes that physicians don't have to believe in alternative and complementary medicine, but they need to understand potential drug interactions.
An orthopaedic surgeon who has been using magnets in his orthopaedic practice for ten year, Dr. Kennedy explains, "that patients should combine the best of traditional medicine with the best of well-researched alternative medicine. Physicians need to play the role of "coach" for patients, encouraging them to take greater individual responsibility for their health and be a partner in their care."Dr. Kennedy uses magnets placed near the pain site to dull acing muscle pain. This allows individuals to move the extremity and exercise it to strengthen the muscle.
An orthopaedic surgeon who does yoga and meditates, Dr.Skaggs emphasizes, "that patients should not exclude traditional medicine and it is okay to try complimentary and alternative medicine. Don't be afraid to discuss it with your doctor."
New research is now showing that nutritional supplements can influence the inflammatory and immune response. "Despite the perception that "natural" is synonymous with "safe", herbs and nutritional supplements are potent agents that should be treated with respect by both the physician and patient.
There is potential for complications due to herbal or nutritional supplement use during and after surgery," explains Dr. Arnold. He feels it is important to use traditional medicine with nutritional supplements, especially for treating osteoarthritis.
It is likely that continued research will reveal the clinical effectiveness of some of these therapies so that future treatment programs will need to be truly integrated. Therefore, orthopaedic surgeons must keep aware of progress, or lack of it, in this area in order to deliver and supervise the highest quality of clinical care for their patients.
An orthopaedic surgeon is a medical doctor with extensive training in the diagnosis and nonsurgical as well as surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system including bones, joints, ligaments, tendons, muscles and nerves.
The 25,500-member American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (www.aaos.org) is a not-for-profit organization that provides education programs for orthopaedic surgeons, allied health professionals and the public.
An advocate for improved patient care, the Academy is participating in the Bone and Joint Decade (www.bonejointdecade.org), the global initiative in the years 2000-2010 to raise awareness of musculoskeletal health, stimulate research and improve people's quality of life. The Academy's annual meeting is being held February 28-March 4, 2001 at the Moscone Convention Center, San Francisco.
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For more information, contactJoanne Swanson (847) 384-4035, [email protected] Todd Schuetz(847) 384-4032, [email protected]A.J. Wright(847) 384-4034, [email protected]
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