Continuing Medical Education Programs

In a prior blog entry, I highlighted a few of the talks I participated in at the annual Scoliosis Research Society meeting. The acronym for this annual continuing medical education meeting is IMAST, and stands for International Meeting on Advanced Spine Techniques.

This international meeting brings experts on spine surgery from all over the world to discuss the latest surgical techniques, devices as well as it provides a forum to provide the latest on research in progress.

The overall educational objectives of this meeting are listed below.

At the completion of this program, participants should be able to:

1. Assess the most recent advances in surgical techniques for the treatment of spinal disorders and when to use them, in the interest of providing optimal patient care.

2. Analyze the indications and potential complications for various spine fixation systems including spinal arthroplasty.

3. Recognize emerging technology that has the potential to improve patient outcomes for specific indications and populations.

4. Understand when it may be appropriate to use biologic options to enhance spinal fusion.

·         Understand the clinical algorithms to effectively diagnose and treat patients that present with back or neck pain. 

·         Discuss comprehensive evidence-based treatment options for the spine patient, from a non-operative and operative treatment prospective; including indications, applications and expected outcomes.

·         Identify common and uncommon spinal disorders; including spinal trauma, and discuss the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options. 

·         Address conditions and prevalent diagnoses that affect patients at specific life-stages.  Additionally, discuss intrinsic and extrinsic factors affecting these diagnoses, as well as prevention, diagnosis and treatment of these spinal disorders.

·         Highlight new and emerging technologies for the treatment of spinal disorders and abnormalities; including the indications and potential benefits. 

In October, I was a faculty member at the 8^th Annual Symposium on “Innovative Techniques in Spine Surgery.” This continuing education meeting, hosted in Phoenix, addressed the innovative and emerging technologies of spinal surgery including; arthroplasty, minimally invasive procedures, motion sparring technologies and biologics.  At this meeting I gave a talk on Lumbar Artificial Disc Replacement, and presented the results of the FDA studies for the Cervical Artificial Disc.

This education program was sponsored by the Organization of Spinal Teaching and Research.  The purpose of this group is to facilitate education and discussion among spine care providers and industry and this organization includes leaders in the field of spine surgery and technology that utilize the most advanced and effective technology available for the treatment of spinal disorders.

I am chairman of a continuing medical education program for spine surgeons which will be held in Chicago during November. This program, sponsored by the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, is titled “Contemporary Techniques in Spine Surgery.”

This is an interactive continuing medical education program which will provide spine surgeons the opportunity to learn the latest surgical techniques for addressing spinal pathology. This program will provide a comprehensive overview of the diagnosis and treatment of spinal pathologies, as well as applicable surgical techniques of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine. Additionally, this course will provide a hands-on lab where spine surgeons will have the opportunity to perform these newer procedures under expert direction.

A few course objectives include: 

·        Evaluate patients with cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spinal pathologies and formulate a treatment plan.

·        Compare and contrast various surgical and nonsurgical treatment protocols for spinal pathologies.

·        Discuss alternative treatment and rehabilitation techniques for spinal disorders.

·        Compare and contrast techniques of different surgical approaches to specific spinal disorders.

 To learn more about this spine surgery continuing medical education program, click here.

Brochures for Back Talk, Indiana Spine Groups continuing medical education symposium, have been mailed.  If you have not received a brochure, and would like to receive one – please call (317) 228-7000, or email your request to info@indianaspinegroup.com.  Registrations are now being taken for this medical education program. 

We are excited to highlight another silver sponsor of Back Talk, Indiana Spine Group’s continuing medical education program – Globus Medical.

Globus Medical is dedicated to providing the most advanced, simple to use, highest quality spinal products. Their spinal products include the areas of fusion, minimally invasive surgery (MIS), biomaterials and motion preservation. Since its founding in 2003, Globus Medical continues to develop new technologies to improve patient outcomes. 

The ultimate goal of Globus is to utilize superior engineering and technology to achieve pain free active lives for all patients.

Dr. John Arbuckle, will give a presentation entitled "Minimially Invasive Spine Treatments".  This presentation at our continuing medical education program for primary care physicians and practitioners, Back Talk, will address minimally invasive spine treatments. When medical and non-operative treatment options are ineffective or not a treatment option for back pain and spinal problems – interventional therapies may be a treatment option.

During this presentation Dr. John Arbuckle, a minimally invasive spine specialist with Indiana Spine Group, will highlight the different minimally invasive treatment options. He will discuss the indications and efficacy of these treatment options; including IDET, epidural steroid injections and rhizotomy. 

To learn more about our continuing medical education symposium click here. The Back Talk section of our web site includes all of the education program information, including the agenda, accreditation, hotel information, sponsors and more. 

Additionally, registrations are now being accepted for Back Talk, and registration forms are online. For more information about Back Talk, call 317.228.7000 or email info@indianaspinegroup.com. 

This blog entry will highlight Rapp Medical Systems Inc. | Medtronic Spinal & Biologics, a silver sponsor of Back Talk. Back Talk is the continuing medical education program that Indiana Spine Group is sponsoring for primary care physicians and practitioners. 
 

Rapp Medical Systems Inc. is a local medical product distributorship representing Medtronic Spinal and Biologics. Working with physicians, their mission is to provide superior products and service which will enable our physician partners to provide the highest level of patient care possible.

Medtronic Spinal and Biologics, is a division of Medtronic which focuses on spinal and  musculoskeletal therapies. Their key product areas include:

• Minimal Access Spine Technologies (MAST™) for treating painful conditions of the spine, such as degenerative disc disease.
• Fusion systems¹ that correct and stabilize abnormal spine curves.
• Artificial cervical discs² to replace damaged or degenerated discs in the neck. Our latest disc is made of surgical-grade stainless steel and allows motion so patients can go back to doing everyday activities they love.
• Infuse^® Bone Graft,³ a biologic that stimulates the body to regrow bone and is used to treat certain spinal, tibial, and maxillofacial conditions. Infuse Bone Graft eliminates the need to harvest bone from another area of the patient's body, thus eliminating an additional, often painful, surgery.

For more information, visit Medtronic Spinal and Biologics and for consumer education information visit their patient education site. 

Key to diagnosis is spinal imaging. With proper imaging studies, a majority of spinal diagnoses can be determined. The spinal imaging presentation, during this continuing medical education program, will provide attendees an opportunity to review imaging studies and understand the indications and applicability of the studies for effective spinal diagnosis and treatment. 

Dr. Thomas Reilly, a spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group, will discuss the clinical indications and appropriate imaging studies. As he reviews imaging studies, Dr. Reilly will compare those to anatomical illustrations for a better understanding of underlying spinal problems and their significance. 

Another talk scheduled for Back Talk, Indiana Spine Group's continuing medical education program is entitled, Spinal Disorders | Uncommon & Difficult. Many times, these patients present with back pain and other symptoms that are similar to many spinal diagnoses, therefore these uncommon problems can be difficult to diagnose.

In one talk, Dr. Michael Stack will discuss benign spinal disorders. This will include a review of rheumatologic and endocrinologic disorders as well as the symptoms, diagnoses and treatment indications. Dr. Stack is a rheumatologist with Diagnostic Rheumatology & Research PC.

Dr. Kenneth Renkens, a neurosurgical spine surgeon with Indiana Spine Group, will discuss the urgent spinal diagnoses. During his discussion, he will identify the red flags of spinal and nonspinal conditions that can present as back pain. This includes infections and vascular disorders. Additionally, he will review the symptoms and diagnostic indications of primary and metastatic spinal cancer. 

During this talk, Dr. Macadeg will discuss the normal spine, and the normal degenerative cascading process of the spine. He will discuss evidence-based guidelines for diagnosing neck and back pain and review recommended spinal diagnostic testing. This review will also include identification of red flags that present as back pain. Additionally, Dr. Macadaeg will discuss the different minimally invasive diagnostic tests and their indications. This discussion will include selective nerve root injects, facet joint injections and discograms. 

As planning continues for the continuing medical education program sponsored by Indiana Spine Group,  Back Talk: Comprehensive Concepts in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Disorders, applications for continuing medical education are being submitted. An updated list of all available CME’s is posted on the accreditation section (link to: http://indianaspinegroup.com/backtalk/Accredit2.27.pdf) of the Back Talk page on Indiana Spine Group’s web site. 
 

At this time physicians can receive AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Additionally, this activity has been reviewed and is acceptable for up to 11.75 credit(s) by the American Academy of Physicians. Osteopathic and chiropractic physicians, as well as registered nurses will also receive continuing education credits. An application has been filed for nurse practitioners. 

Planning continues for the annual spine symposium / continuing medical education conference Back Talk. The overall objective of this conference is to provide primary care physicians and practitioners comprehensive information for the diagnosis and treatment of their patients with spinal disorders, injuries and abnormalities. 

At the conclusion of this program, participants will:

·        Provide a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of patients that present with back and neck pain; including the physical exam, imaging and psychological assessment.

·        Review current evidence-based treatments of spinal disorders from a non-operative to an operative perspective; including medical and physical therapy, chiropractic care and when referrals are indicated. 

·        Identify the diagnostic and treatment algorithms of spinal conditions specific to life stages – from the pediatric patient to the older adult; i.e. pediatric injuries, scoliosis, osteoporosis, and the degenerative spine.

·        Discuss spinal injuries resulting from sports activities and trauma, their non-operative and operative treatments as well as preventative measures. 

·        Identify uncommon and difficult causes of spine disorders; including rheumatologic disorders and cancer.

·        Understand the key principles of spine wellness to maintain a healthy spine; i.e. nutrition, lifestyle and exercise.

·        Discuss emerging technologies and the future of spine care. 

For more information, visit the Back Talk information page on Indiana Spine Group's web site.

Planning on the third annual spine symposium / continuing medical education program continues.  This conference entitled, Back Talk:  Comprehensive Concepts in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Spinal Disorders - will address one of the key reasons people visit their physicians, back pain! 

This symposium will discuss the latest spinal diagnostic and treatment information for back and neck problems.  Overall conference objectives include:  

·        Provide a comprehensive diagnostic assessment of patients that present with back and neck pain; including the physical exam, imaging and psychological assessment.

·        Review current evidence-based treatments of spinal disorders from a non-operative to an operative perspective; including medical and physical therapy, chiropractic care and when referrals are indicated. 

·        Identify the diagnostic and treatment algorithms of spinal conditions specific to life stages – from the pediatric patient to the older adult; i.e. pediatric injuries, scoliosis, osteoporosis, and the degenerative spine.

·        Discuss spinal injuries resulting from sports activities and trauma, their non-operative and operative treatments as well as preventative measures. 

·        Identify uncommon and difficult causes of spine disorders; including rheumatologic disorders and cancer.

·        Understand the key principles of spine wellness to maintain a healthy spine; i.e. nutrition, lifestyle and exercise.

·        Discuss emerging technologies and the future of spine care. 

For more conference infomration, visit Indiana Spine Group's web site, or call (317) 228-7000.

At a recent continuing medical education program one of the speakers Dr. James Anderson discussed the assessment of low-back pain.  Dr. Anderson is a family practice physician in Greenfield.

During his presentation, Dr. Anderson highlighted a few spine wellness / patient education sites.  These sites provide spine eucation information as well as other health information on other topics.  These sites are  http://orthoinfo.aaos.org, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/, and www.uptodate.com/patients.  A few books that he recommended include:  Kortz, JN, Parkinson, G. Heal Your Aching Back.  McGraw Hill, New York, 2007 and Dumhi, HA.  All You Need to Know About Your Back Pain.  Arthritis Foundation, Atlanta, 2002.

Additionally,this link on Indiana Spine Groups web site provides a listing of other useful spine related web sites.   

In July, I presented at the 15^th annual International Meeting of Advanced Spinal Techniques.  I was honored to present two scientific papers at this medical education program.  One was about the US FDA IDE trial for the Bryan cervical disc replacement.  My second presentation was also about the Bryan cervical artificial disc replacement, and was a detailed motion analysis of the Bryan cervical disc. 

Here are links to the abstracts presented –“Radiographic Results from the BRYAN® Cervical Disc IDE Study,”and “Comparison of BRYAN Cervical Disc Arthroplasty with Anterior Cervical Decompression and Fusion: Clinical and Radiographic Results of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.” 

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.