Nikhil N. Verma, M.D.: New Director of Sports Medicine at Rush
Nikhil N. Verma, M.D. an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine physician with Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush (MOR), is the new director of the Division of Sports Medicine for the Department of Orthopedic Surgery at Rush University Medical Center.
Dr. Verma, team physician for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, has also been chosen as fellowship director for Sports Medicine. Dr. Verma will also continue as professor and director of Clinical Research, Sports Medicine Section, Rush University Medical Center.
Dr. Verma is taking over from MOR partner Bernard R. Bach, Jr., M.D., who served in these roles for 30 years and will continue with his clinical practice.
Dr. Verma also has been selected by senior managing partner, Dr. Charles A. Bush-Joseph, president elect of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine, as his program chairman for his 2018 presidential year.
“Fortunately, ” Dr. Verma told OTW, “I have inherited a very stable department with a well established faculty, administrative and clinical support. On the academic side, Rush sports medicine has enjoyed significant success in the past five years. Given my long standing relationship with the department I would expect a seamless transition with no major changes.”
“My short term plans for the department include evaluating and refining our research programs. Most recently, we have added a formal sports medicine motion analysis program. Through the charitable donations of our grateful patients, we have recruited a full time director of sports medicine motion analysis. We are excited about this important research area to further study in vivo changes that occur within the upper extremity and shoulder due to disease or surgical intervention. We also hope that this program can be used for community outreach including injury screens and throwing motion analysis for injury prevention.”
“I also plan to initiate a larger scale centralized philanthropic effort. Rush Sports Medicine has a long-standing history of translational clinical research which has directly impacted the quality of clinical care for patients around the world with conditions involving the shoulder, hip and knee. As changes in healthcare funding and research support continue to decline, we feel a dedicated philanthropic effort will help to sustain our program in the long term with a continued focus on research and education.”
“We look forward to augmenting clinical care and patient access with plans to develop a sports medicine application to allow patients easier access to our physicians in the setting of acute injury. The app will provide patient’s with information about our programs and services, as well as email or phone access to a clinical provider who can triage their injury, and provide immediate scheduling of an appointment with the appropriate provider.”
“In regard to the fellowship, we have recently increased our number of trainees from five to six, including one shoulder/elbow fellow and five sports medicine fellows. The fellowship has a longstanding history of clinical excellence and is among the best in the country. We plan to continue this tradition with no major changes expected.”
“We are expected to have continued organic growth in faculty based on the establishment of new geographic locations for MOR and further demands for our clinical services.”
“Overall, I am extremely excited about the opportunity to lead this division into the future. We are in the midst of significant change in healthcare delivery, which will impact clinical care, education and medical research. This will require steady leadership to maintain stability but also evaluate and execute on opportunities that always present themselves during periods of change.”
HSS Opens Patellofemoral Center of Excellence
Rather than give up on patients with knee problems, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has taken the bold step of opening a Patellofemoral Center of Excellence. HSS orthopedic surgeons Beth E. Shubin Stein, M.D., and Sabrina M. Strickland, M.D., have devoted significant energy to identifying and treating patients with patellofemoral disorders who have been misdiagnosed or not offered a full range of treatment options.
“Women are more widely affected by the condition because their flexibility and alignment impact their joints differently than men, ” said Dr. Shubin Stein in the July 21, 2016 news release. “With this understanding, we are able to provide care tailored to the needs of each patient based on his or her type of patellofemoral condition and level of activity with the overarching goal of helping patients return to daily activity with a stable knee and without pain.”
Dr. Strickland told OTW, “As patellofemoral injuries can be conditions that a lot of people may not necessarily be aware of, or may go misdiagnosed by others, one challenge is trying to anticipate what questions to ask to identify patients for this center. A lot of information is at our fingertips so we just needed to pull it all together in a cohesive way.”
Dr. Shubin Stein commented to OTW, “We are happy to see any patient whether they have been treated operatively in the past or not. While some patients may benefit from surgical intervention, many patients do not require surgery and we look to provide comprehensive care and are always happy to refer back to general orthopaedic surgeons for continued care, after providing our opinion, if that is the wish of the referring physician.”
Aleve Direct Therapy: Portable TENS Unit!
For those suffering from lower back pain—especially pain that makes it hard to get to the doctor’s office—there is now a portable unit that can be used at home. Bayer has come forth with Aleve Direct Therapy, a drug-free device that uses the same TENS (Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) technology used by doctors.
The unit, a Class II medical device, is meant for the temporary relief of pain in the lower back due. The unit has a patented waveform technology which blocks the body’s pain signals and releases endorphins.
Asked for details on the waveform technology, Fred Duchin, vice president of Marketing Analgesics of Cough & Cold, Cardiovascular, Consumer Health Division, told OTW, “The patented waveform technology incorporates a 3-stage stimulation pattern. It was designed to incorporate two clinical theories of how TENS provides pain relief: by blocking the transmission of pain and stimulating endorphins, the body’s natural pain reducing chemicals.”
“Stage 1 is 5 minutes of high-frequency stimulation (sometimes described as a strong tingling sensation) that can initiate the feeling of pain relief by suppressing the transmission of pain signals from nerves.
Stage 2 is 20 minutes of low-frequency stimulation that feels like a gentle tapping sensation. This can stimulate increased endorphin release to reduce the sensitivity to lower back pain beyond the 30-minute session for some people.
Stage 3 is five minutes that, like Stage 1, is a high-frequency stimulation that helps maintain the feeling of pain relief to complete the session.”
“Orthopedic surgeons should be aware of the indication and overall safety information. A couple of key points include the fact that, since this is a drug-free therapy with no contraindication for use with analgesics, it can be another useful option for people with lower back pain. Also, they should be aware that the device should not be used if a patient has a cardiac pacemaker, implanted defibrillator, or other implanted metallic or electronic device.”
As for the decision to sell directly to consumers, Duchin commented to OTW, “Bayer Consumer Health is at the forefront of helping to meet the self-care needs of consumers. According to the CDC, 29% of the U.S. population age 18+ experienced back pain in the past three months, making it the fifth most common complaint to healthcare professionals. However, 37% of Americans who experience back pain don’t seek professional help. Our research also pointed to the fact that many people with lower back pain use multiple therapies and are highly interested in new ones. Our device provides a great option for consumers, having multiple patents, including the waveform technology and ergonomic design. It is discrete, flexible and durable. In addition, our device can be used throughout the day for temporary relief of pain associated with sore and aching muscles in the lower back due to strain from exercise, and normal household and work activities.”
