Continuing Medical Education Programs

Indiana Spine Group announces their new expanded physical therapy services. In addition to providing spinal therapy, our physical therapy specialists also provide diagnosis-based educational programs to teach patients the proper way to exercise with their given diagnosis. Additionally, wellness programs and classes will soon be available.

 
Physical therapy services are provided at our Indianapolis and Carmel locations. At our new Carmel location, we feature a state-of-the-art physical therapy gym, with equipment selected specifically for treating spinal conditions. 

Patients are seen with a referral from their physician, or self-referrals with a physicians order. For more information, or to schedule an appointment call (317) 228-7000.

In May, I had the honor of being an invited faculty member at the 4^th Annual Dubai Spine Masters continuing medical education program. This “Spine Trauma Masters Update” was held in Dubai, and included  spine surgeons from 70 different countries who are leaders in spinal trauma.

At this meeting, I lectured on the Rationale and Overview of Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery in Spinal Trauma, and Balloon Assisted Endplate Reconstruction (BAER) for TL Burst Fractures. I also moderated a case discussion on thoracolumbar spine trauma.

In this blog, I included a picture of the Health Minister of the United Arab Emirates. At this meeting, he gave the opening address and welcomed the attendees.

This past spring I had the honor of presenting at the annual continuing medical education meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons / CNS Section on Disorders of the Spine and Peripheral Nerves. The focus of this medical education meeting, held in Phoenix, was Evidence-Based Spine Surgery in the Real World.

At this medical education program I was a faculty member for a section on cervical myelopathy, and presented on Myelopathy at the CVJ. This course reviewed and discussed the evaluation and treatment algorithms of cervical myelopathy and discussed surgical approaches. Additionally, etiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis of cervical myelopathy were reviewed. A few of the continuing medical education objectives of this session are outlined below.


Participants will be able to:

•  Synthesize appropriate anatomy and biomechanics of the cervical spine.
•  Differentiate the methods for diagnosis of neck disorders.
•  Apply operative and non-operative treatment options for cervical spine       disorders. 
• Recognize and respond to complications of surgical treatment, and more.

The new Medical Academic Center (MAC), a premier, full-service educational conference center, will be located within the new Indiana Spine Group facility will also open in September. This conference center will provide a facility and environment that allows clients to host high quality educational/continuing medical education programs, meeting the needs of their guests.

The MAC will feature 9,000 square feet of meeting and conference areas, that will include:

• Bio-Skills Laboratory with ten fully equipped cadaver work stations.
• Amphitheater with tiered seating for 65. 
• Multiple meeting rooms. 
• Dining/reception area.
• State-of-the-art audiovisual technology, allowing for on-time communication and video capability.
• Full support services, including tissue acquisition, catering coordination, instrument sterilization, conference coordination and more.

The MAC is ideal for conferences, educational programs, clinical and/or hands-on training workshops, meetings, serving as a video-conferencing host site and more. A client can reserve the entire facility or just a room/area within the MAC. Sandra Haugo, MS, will be the manager of the MAC, and will be supporting clients and their conference requirements.

Reservations are now being accepted for the MAC. For more information, call (317) 275-1947 or send an email to info@medicalacademiccenter.com. For an event request form, click here.

Recently I attended and presented at the annual continuing medical education conference of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS). This meeting was held in San Diego in February. One of the things that I did for this meeting was to plan one of the educational symposiums. This symposium was on the current concepts of spine trauma. As a part of this continuing medical education session, I brought together leaders throughout the world on cervical spinal trauma to be a part of the panel.

This two hour symposium covered the initial assessment of spinal trauma, imaging, and clearing of cervical trauma, as well as spine surgical techniques and more. In addition to moderating this session, I also presented on occipitocervical injuries, including odontoid fractures. Concluding the program, were presentations of case studies with a discussion and debate that included audience participation.

For a complete listing of this educational conference, visit this link.

Blog Entry: Annual AAOS Meeting

In February, Drs. Rick Sasso, and Paul Kraemer presented at the annual continuing medical education meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in San Diego.

Drs. Kraemer and Sasso co-presented a talked entitled, “Differentiating Cervical Spine and Shoulder Pathology: Common Disorders and Key Points of Evaluation and Treatment.” Additionally, Dr. Sasso co-presented other talks, of which a couple were: "The Degenerative Cervical Spine: What You Need to Know," and "Cervical Disc Replacement: Five Year Follow-up from the U.S. Prospective Randomized Bryan Trial." For a complete, continuing medical education program, visit this link.  

Keynote Speaker Announced

Back Talk | A Comprehensive Review and Practical Approach to Spinal Diagnosis and Treatment

November 11 and 12, 2011 | Carmel, IN

Indiana Spine Group is excited to announce that Josh Bleill is the keynote speaker for their fifth annual spine symposium / continuing medical education program Back Talk.

On October 15, 2006, Marine Corporal Josh Bleill's life was forever changed. While conducting combat patrols in Fallujah, the Humvee he was riding in was struck by an improvised explosive device (IED). Two fellow marines lost their lives, one lost a leg and Josh lost both of his legs. After extensive surgeries and rehabilitation, Josh is one of  the first persons to use blue-tooth technology in his prosthetic legs, and one of two members of the U.S. military to utilize this new technology.  Josh describes his legs as "the power knees" and "the latest and the greatest." With this technology, initially developed for unilateral prosthetics, blue-tooth transmitter/receivers are attached to his ankles. Josh uses muscle movement with his thighs to initiate walking, and once he starts to walk the legs mimic each other as he takes steps.

While recovering at Walter Reed Medical Center, Josh had the opportunity to meet Colts players and team owner Jim Irsay. The Colts stopped by to visit with war veterans on their way to the White House, after their 2007 Super Bowl victory.  Deeply impressed, Mr. Irsay told Josh to see him about a job when he returned home. Today, Josh is a community spokesperson for the Colts, an author and motivational speaker.

Conference attendees will hear his story, as he talks about his enlistment, experience in active duty, injuries, recovery and life today. Learn more about Josh Bleill at  CNN, or read his recently published book One Step At A Time: A Young Marines Story of Courage, Hope and a New Life in the NFL.

This past December, I served as a faculty member at the 15^th Instructional Course meeting for the Cervical Spine Research Society held in Charlotte, North Carolina. For this continuing medical education meeting, I was a member of the course program committee as well as a moderator and speaker.

The overall continuing medical education objectives for this meeting included:

·                     Review appropriate anatomy and biomechanics of the cervical spine,

·                     Compare the methods for diagnosis of neck disorders,

·                     Evaluate operative and non-operative treatment options for cervical   spine disorders, and

·                     Recognize and respond to complications of surgical treatment, and exchange information on cervical spine research, diagnosis and treatment with both US and international spine surgeons.

At this meeting, in a section on techniques in spine surgery, I lectured on C1 lateral mass/C2 laminar screw fixation for posterior atlantoaxial fusion. In that this was a spine surgical technique section, I described how the procedure was done and then presented a video demonstration.

There was another educational section on cervical myelopathy for which I was a co-moderator. During this section I also presented a talk on myelopathy. A basic definition of myelopathy is a functional or pathological change in the spinal cord.

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.