We are excited to announce that the registration form and agenda for Back Talk are now available.  To view these documents, click here – registration form link and agenda link.  
 

Again, this continuing medical education conference:
 Date:      August 22 and 23, 2008
New Conference Location:  The Westin Indianapolis
50 S. Capitol Avenue | Indianaplis | IN

The goal of this conference is to provide primary care practitioners the latest diagnostic and treatment information of spinal disorders, helping them to treat their patients that present with neck and back pain.

For additional conference information
call 317.228.7000 or toll-free 866.947.7463.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!   On August 22 and 23, Indiana Spine Group will be hosting a spine symposium for primary care physicians and other health care practitioners. 

BACK TALK:   A Comprehensive Review of the Latest Diagnostic and Treatment Information for Spinal Disorders

This continuing medical education session will address caring for the patient with traumatic spine injuries.  These spine injuries can occur from motor vehicle accidents, work-related injuries, falls and even sports.  At this session, Dr. Paul Kraemer will discuss the caring for the patient with acute traumatic spine injuries and will also discuss when spine surgery is an option.  The latest research and updates for the treatment of spinal cord injuries will also be reviewed.

Dr. Paul Kraemer is an orthopaedic spine surgeon, who has recently joined Indiana Spine Group. 

Minimally invasive spine therapies are one treatment option for spine problems and disorders.  At this session, case studies will be highlighted and the minimally invasive therapies used for treatment discussed.  Also included will be the decision triage for the applicable treatment modalities.  A few minimally invasive spine treatments that will be discussed include radiofrequency rhizotomy, percutaneous discectomy and IDET. 

The spine conference Back Talk has been moved to a new location.  This physician and health care practitioner symposium will now be held at The Westin Indianapolis. 

The Westin Indiananpolis is just a few blocks from the original location (NCAA Hall of Champions and Conference Center), and is located at 50 S. Capitol.

To learn more about this spine symposium, click here. 

One recommended treatment for neck and back pain /problems is physical therapy.  At this session, the goals of physical therapy for treating neck pain and lower back pain will be discussed.  Additionally, the different treatment modalities, indications and limitations of physical therapy will be identified. 

The speaker for this session is Guillermo (Bill) Cutrone, PT, DSc, OCS, Certified MDT.  Bill is a physical therapist with St. Vincent Health and he is the clinic coordinator for their Fishers physical therapy clinic

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As population continues to age, one common problem affecting older individuals is spinal arthritis.  At this continuing medical education session, Dr. Michael Stack will discuss the symptoms, diagnostic triage and treatment options for spinal arthritis.  Additionally, Dr. Stack will also discuss rheumatologic disorders that affect the spine including rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis.  

Dr. Stack is a rheumatologist with Diagnostic Rheumatology & Research, PC.

During this education session, Dr. Rick Sasso will discuss common spinal deformations which affect younger patients; including scoliosis.  This will include the latest diagnostic information and screening guidelines as well as treatment information.  Additionally, Dr. Sasso will discuss when spine surgery is a treatment option.

One of the breakout sessions will be presented by Alta Skelton, RN, MSN, NP, and Jennifer Turner, PA-C.  Alta is a nurse practitioner with Indiana Spine Group and Jennifer is a physician’s assistant – also with Indiana Spine Group. 

During their continuing medical education presentation, they will discuss the expected outcomes following spine surgery for a lumbar fusion.  Additionally, they will review patient care post-op for the spine surgery and how to identify complications following spine surgery.  Other discussion topics include expectations following discharge and patient recovery.

One of the main reasons people go to their doctor is for back pain!  This session, will provide physicians and health care practitioners the necessary tools to treat their patients with acute low back pain.  The presenter of this session is James Anderson, MD.  Dr. Anderson is a family practice physician with Anderson Family Practice located in Greenfield, Indiana.

At this session, Dr. Anderson will provide an overview of the initial assessment and neurological exam.  He will discuss the differential diagnoses for acute low-back pain, including red flags.  Additionally, initial management and patient education of patients with back pain will be reviewed. 

Another breakout session, at this continuing medical education symposium for physicians and health care practitioners, will address injuries incurred by athletes and the weekend warrior.  With the increased number of sports activities and programs, unfortunately this also includes an increase in back pain and injuries. 

During this session, Kevin Macadaeg, MD, and Nate Blume, DC, will provide the latest information for the prevention and diagnosis of spine-related sports injuries.  Additionally, they will discuss when spine problems should be evaluated by a spine specialist and what the more serious warning signs are; i.e. stress fractures.

This special interest symposium, The Physical Exam, will be lead by Laurie Scott, RN, MSN, NP-C, and Jodi Hetterman, PA-C.  Laurie is a nurse practitioner with Indiana Spine Group, and she works with spine surgeon Thomas Reilly, MD.  Jodi is a physician assistant with Indiana Spine Group and she works with our neurosurgical spine surgeon Kenneth Renkens, MD. 

During this workshop, they will demonstrate using a live-model, the diagnostic steps in conducting a physical exam related to spine pain (back and neck).  In their presentation, they will include key points in evaluating both lumbar and cervical problems.  Additionally, with the lumbar exam – they will specifically discuss the identification of radicular pain from low-back pain, and the evaluation process to rule out hip abnormalities or knee problems. 

At this special interest session Drs. John Arbuckle and Jonathan Gentile will discuss what to do with patients that continue to have back pain despite spine surgery and/or ongoing treatments.  A diagnosis that remains a challenge to phyiscians, this session will define what a failed back is and what the warning signs are.  Additionally, treatment options will be discussed including pharmacological therapy and implantable therapies; i.e. spinal cord stimulator. 

This special interest symposium will focus on an alternative minimally invasive spine treatment option – spinal manipulation.  Chiropractic physicians Dr. Jeffrey Hebert and Dr. Tony Origer will co-present at this continuing medical education symposium special session.

This session will review the application and effectiveness of spinal adjustments through spinal manipulation and mobilization as a treatment option for lower back and neck pain.  During this discussion, evidence-based research will be highlighted.  Additionally, a review of the different techniques, their indications and safety issues will be reviewed. 

Another special interest symposium for this continuing medical education program is entitled, “The Osteoporotic Spine”.  Co-presenters for this session are Kevin Macadaeg, MD, and Michael Stack, MD.  Dr. Macadaeg is a minimally invasive spine specialist with Indiana Spine Group, and Dr. Stack is a rheumatologist with Diagnostic Rheumatology & Research, PC.

Osteoporosis has been identified as a major health concern, and the National Institutes of Health predicts that one in two women and one in four men over the age of 50 will suffer from a vertebral compression fracture.  Many times, not diagnosed until there is a fracture – this session will highlight the latest screening and diagnostic guidelines and recommendations.  Additionally, there will be a review of the recommended treatments including anti-osteoporotic medications and vertebral augmentation (vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty). 

On Saturday, the Back Talk continuing medical education program will focus on different diagnoses and treatments and will feature concurrent sessions.  These next series of blog entries will highlight these special interest symposiums.

One special interest symposium entitled, The Healthy Spine, will be presented by Alta Skelton.  Alta is a nurse practitioner with Indiana Spine Group.  

During this session, Alta will be discussing how lifestyle can affect the health of one’s spine.  She will address exercise, posture, obesity, smoking and the role of nutrition and diet; and how these key lifestyle factors affect the spine.  Additionally, Alta will discuss key characteristics that dispose an individual to spine problems. 

On Friday the continuing medical education session will also be on spine surgery.  Dr. Rick Sasso, a spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group, will discuss the indications and surgical options for the cervical patient.

Dr. Sasso’s discussion will:

§          Review traumatic and degenerative cervical pathologies.

§          Review the indications and considerations for cervical disc fusion and artificial cervical disc replacement.

§          Provide a brief overview of the surgical procedures and expected outcomes for cervical disc fusions and artificial cervical discs.

This continuing medical education program will also provide in-depth information on spine surgery – areas focused on will be lumbar surgery and cervical spine surgery. 

This session will be presented by neurosurgical spine surgeon Kenneth Renkens, MD, and will provide an overview of spine surgery procedures for the lower back and indications. 

Topics discussed will include:

 §     Identify and discuss the indications for common lumbar surgical  procedures, including decompression, lumbar spinal fusion and disc replacement.

In this session, which focuses on evaluating a patient for spine surgery, spine surgeon Thomas Reilly, MD, will discuss when spine surgery is an option and timing for referral to a spine surgeon. 

In that only 10 -20% of patients with spine problems require spine surgery, this session will provide: 

§          Detailed indications and contraindications for spinal surgery.

§          When to refer to the spine surgeon; a review of case studies.

§          An overview of surgical options and expected outcomes.