Physician Sportsmed
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Physician Sportsmed · Sep 2013
Comparative StudyShoulder surgeons' perceptions of interscalene nerve blocks and a review of complications rates in the literature.
Interscalene nerve blocks (ISBs) have been shown to be an effective option for regional anesthesia in shoulder surgery. Our study presents survey results of shoulder surgeons' perceptions of ISBs and a literature summary of complications rates with ISB use. ⋯ The majority of shoulder surgeons surveyed in our study would elect to have a single-shot interscalene nerve block if undergoing shoulder surgery themselves, indicating that ISB use is considered a safe and effective anesthetic option among shoulder surgeon specialists.
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Physician Sportsmed · May 2013
Short-/intermediate-term outcomes after medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction in the treatment of chronic lateral patellofemoral instability.
Disruption of the medial patellofemoral ligament (MPFL) is now considered the essential lesion of recurrent lateral patellar dislocation in patients with normal lower extremity alignment. Reconstruction of the MPFL is a technique gaining significant success in the treatment of patients with this disabling condition. ⋯ Reconstruction of the MPFL provides excellent stability and functional outcomes for patients with recurrent patellar instability.
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Physician Sportsmed · May 2013
ReviewEmergency preparedness in high school-based athletics: a review of the literature and recommendations for sport health professionals.
Approximately 7.6 million high school students in the United States participate in sports. Although most sport-related injuries in adolescents are considered minor emergencies, life-threatening illnesses or injuries may occur, such as sudden cardiac arrest, heat stroke, status asthmaticus and exercise-induced asthma, catastrophic brain injuries, cervical spine injuries, heat- and cold-related illness, blunt chest/abdominal injuries, and extremity fractures resulting in compartment syndrome. ⋯ Our article reviews guidelines for emergency preparedness put forth by the Sideline Preparedness collaboration (comprised of 6 major professional associations, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, American College of Sports Medicine, American Medical Society for Sports Medicine, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, and American Osteopathic Academy of Sports Medicine), the National Athletic Trainers' Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics' Committee on School Health, and the American Heart Association. Additionally, we review published data examining compliance of US high schools with these recommendations for emergency preparedness in school-based athletics, determine deficiencies, and provide recommendations for improvement based on these deficiencies.
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Physician Sportsmed · Nov 2012
ReviewEvolution of opioid risk management and review of the classwide REMS for extended-release/long-acting opioids.
In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act (FDAAA) afforded the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) the ability to enforce postmarketing risk management strategies for prescription medicines. Under this policy, certain medications with known or potential risks could be required to have a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy (REMS), a risk management program designed to ensure that a product's therapeutic benefit outweighs its risks. Prescription opioid analgesics, particularly extended-release (ER)/long-acting (LA) formulations, have undergone scrutiny in recent years due to the serious risks associated with their use, especially when they are prescribed improperly, misused, or abused. ⋯ This ER/LA opioid REMS program is designed to improve prescriber education and patient awareness about safe opioid use to minimize the risks of addiction, unintentional overdose, and death. Because clinicians often encounter patients with moderate-to-severe chronic, noncancer pain who are in need of around-the-clock opioid analgesia, knowledge of the conditions of this classwide REMS may become essential to continue prescribing ER/LA opioids. This article briefly describes the changes in US risk management policies that have shaped today's regulatory environment and provides an overview of the requirements for the classwide ER/LA opioid REMS.
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Physician Sportsmed · Nov 2012
ReviewA review of pharmacotherapy for chronic low back pain with considerations for sports medicine.
Up to 30% of athletes experience low back pain (LBP) depending on sport type, sex, training intensity and frequency, and technique. United States clinical guidelines define back pain as chronic if it persists for ≥ 12 weeks, and subacute if it persists 4 to < 12 weeks. Certain sports injuries are likely to lead to chronic pain. ⋯ Opioids may be an effective choice for moderate to severe pain but also have significant risks of adverse events and carry a substantial risk of addiction and abuse. Because the course of cLBP may be protracted, patients may require treatment over years or decades, and it is critical that the risk/benefit profiles of pharmacotherapies are closely evaluated to ensure that short- and long-term treatments are optimized for each patient. This article reviews the clinical evidence and the guideline recommendations for pharmacotherapy of cLBP.