January/February 2006

News

PHYSIATRIST RECOGNIZED BY SCIENCE MAGAZINE

Jesse Sullivan, left, who has been described as “The World's First Bionic Man,” stands next to Todd Kuiken, MD, PhD.

Popular Science magazine recently announced that a neuro-controlled bionic arm had won the Grand Award in the "Best of What's New 2005" in the personal health category.

The technology was developed by physiatrist Todd Kuiken, MD, PhD, who began a quest to build a better prosthetic arm more than two decades ago. Over the years, Kuiken, a physiatrist at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, collaborated with many physicians and specialists on the project. The popular press recognized their work at the end of 2005.

"It's an honor to have this work nationally recognized," says Kuiken. "It's been a labor of love for not only me, but for my team of colleagues from around the world who all contributed to making this idea come to fruition."

Working at the Neural Engineering Center for Artificial Limbs, Kuiken pioneered the muscle reinnervation procedure that takes an amputee's own nerves and connects them to a healthy muscle. The "bionic arm" was developed with the help of Jesse Sullivan. In Sullivan's case, his nerves were dissected from his shoulder and transferred to the muscles of his chest.

The 12-pound prosthetic is the first to be controlled by the amputee's thoughts. When an amputee thinks about performing a specific movement, electrodes on the graft transmit the nerve impulses to a computer in the forearm that controls six motors that simultaneously move the three primary joints in the appendage.

Work on the project continues with a goal of an arm that is as good as or better than the human appendage. Although only one of these arms currently exists, a commercial version is tentatively planned for 2008.

Kuiken will be one of the presenters at The Association of Children's Prosthetic-Orthotic Clinics' annual meeting in Sacramento, Calif, May 17 through 20.

OLD TEST OFFERS NEW HOPE FOR BACK PAIN SUFFERERS

Results of a new University of Michigan Health System study indicate that electromyograms (EMG) can accurately diagnosis spinal stenosis, reducing misdiagnosis of low back pain and other common neuromuscular conditions that can mimic symptoms of ailments that often necessitate back surgery.

The technology responsible for these diagnoses has been around since World War II and is providing people born during that era with a more definitive diagnosis for back aches and pains that commonly come with age.

The findings from this study are published in the December 2005 issue of Spine.

An estimated 400,000 Americans have spinal stenosis, a narrowing of spaces in the spine that results in pressure on the spinal cord and nerves, and can lead to debilitating back pain or even paralysis if left untreated. And the number of people affected by spinal stenosis is only expected to grow as more Baby Boomers reach their 50s and 60s.

The problem, however, is that the symptoms of spinal stenosis are shared by many other diseases, including peripheral nerve disease and even arthritis in the joints, which can lead to costly misdiagnoses and unnecessary back surgery, says study lead author Andrew Haig, MD, associate professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the U-M Medical School.

"EMG plays an important role in the diagnosis of back pain because, unlike MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), EMG is more than a picture of a nerve—it can test nerve function and show if there is actual nerve damage," says Haig. "The EMG is really going to help doctors to avoid unnecessary procedures because it proves that there is nerve damage in the people who clearly have it and can accurately diagnosis spinal stenosis."

Although EMG has been around for about 60 years, there have been no controlled studies of EMG for spinal stenosis. Further, many past studies of spinal stenosis had only looked at asymptomatic patients, while others failed to include comparison groups for patients with back pain or symptoms of spinal stenosis.

OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR YOUNG ATHLETES WITH OA, EXPERTS SAY

While the joint pain and stiffness associated with osteoarthritis have been found to affect more than 8 million young athletes, there are nonoperative and operative options that may provide some relief.

According to recent statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 8.5 million individuals between the ages of 18 and 44 report that they have been diagnosed with the degenerative disease by a doctor.

"The irony about young adults and osteoarthritis is that it is often the sports themselves that either cause or contribute to such an early diagnosis," says Kevin D. Plancher, MD, MS, FACS, FAAOS, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at Plancher Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Greenwich, Conn, and New York, NY. Plancher is also an associate clinical professor in orthopedics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, and an official orthopedic surgeon of the United States ski and snowboard teams.

Colleague Michael A. Schwartz, MD, an orthopedic surgeon specializing in sports medicine at Plancher Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, adds, "The exact cause of osteoarthritis is not truly known; however, it is generally considered to be a degeneration of the joint surface secondary to a wear and tear phenomenon.

"It is usually preceded by many years of use, although certain types of injuries to joints can cause arthritis to develop earlier than typical."

Engaging in highly competitive sports puts athletes at a greater risk for injuries that can speed up the degeneration of cartilage and bone, which leads to osteoarthritis. According to the CDC, people who suffer severe joint injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injuries of the knee or rotator cuff injuries of the shoulder, are six times more likely to develop osteoarthritis than those who have never suffered such injuries.

Nonoperative treatments include avoidance of joint-loading activities; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications; injections—especially for knee arthritis—such as a corticosteroid injection or a lubricant-type of injection, known as visco-supplementation; vitamin supplementation; physical therapy; and weight reduction, if applicable.

The operative treatment options, in general, are arthroscopy and joint replacement. "All of these treatment options have varying degrees of effectiveness, dependent on multiple factors, including severity of the condition and the joint involved," Schwartz says.

Once osteoarthritis is diagnosed, athletics are not out of the question, but they may have to be modified. "In less severe conditions, an active lifestyle can still be maintained and encouraged if treated and monitored appropriately," Schwartz says.

Schwartz advises young athletes to avoid repetitive joint-loading exercises in order to try to prevent osteoarthritis. "Since osteoarthritis is most common in the knee and hip, as these are weight-bearing joints, I recommend that young athletes decrease the amount of repetitive running and substitute other activities," he says. Examples of such activities include exercising with an elliptical machine, a StairMaster, bicycling, and swimming.

TRADE SHOW SHIFTS TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS

Medtrade 2006 has been rescheduled to avoid overlapping with religious holidays. The event is now scheduled to take place September 19 through 21.

“When the dates for Medtrade 2006 were set 10 years ago, show producers were not aware the 2006 event was in conflict with any religious holiday,” says Art Ellis, group show director for VNU Expositions, producers of the Medtrade Conference and Exposition “For the past several years, VNU Expositions has been monitoring events in the fall schedule of the Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) in an attempt to move Medtrade to dates that would avoid this type of conflict.”

Due to the effects of the recent hurricanes Katrina and Rita, events scheduled for 2006 in New Orleans have been forced to either cancel or search for other venues. Knowing of Medtrade’s interest in securing other dates, the GWCC and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau alerted VNU Expositions’ management about the possibility of moving the dates of Medtrade 2006 to accommodate their request as well as those events displaced by the hurricanes’ effects.

To determine the industry’s reaction, VNU Expositions polled strategic partners, including associations, exhibitors, and attendees, in an effort to avoid conflicts with other industry-related events. The majority of companies contacted were in favor of the date change for 2006, indicating very little conflict with other industry events. Based on the positive overall response, VNU Expositions decided to confirm the change in dates for the 2006 event, according to Ellis.

Atlanta hotels also were instrumental in the move by transferring availability to these dates to maintain Medtrade’s hotel blocks. Attendees and exhibitors may contact Ambassadors Travel at (800) 631-3188 or by e-mail at for more travel-related information.

The shift in dates will affect only the 2006 event. VNU Expositions’ upcoming health care events include Medtrade Spring 2006, which will be held March 21 through 23 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

ATHLETE BECOMES YOGA SPOKESPERSON FOR FITNESS COMPANY

Kimberly Fowler is going to “Be Like Mike.” The triathlete, marathon runner, rock climber, equestrienne, brain tumor survivor, international lawyer-turned yoga instructor was signed by fitness giant Nike last November as a spokesperson athlete. She will serve as the sports giant’s “new face of modern yoga.”

Kimberly Fowler, creator of Yoga for Athletes, was recently signed by Nike to serve as a spokesperson-athlete.

Fowler has used yoga to help maintain, rejuvenate, and even restore health during the past quarter century. Her experience on the padded mat began more than two decades ago when a car hit her during a bike race. The second-year law student began to practice yoga as a form of physical therapy.

She rebounded quickly from the collision, but was soon diagnosed with a terminal, inoperable brain tumor. She incorporated yoga into her treatment plan and recovery. More than 20 years and countless marathons and triathlons later, Fowler is still cancer free, and credits her yoga practice with helping her develop both the inner and physical strength she needed to save her life.

Fowler has been affiliated with Nike since 2001—first, by participating in Nike “fitness academies,” and since 2003, by working as a yoga expert for the company, verifying poses and props for the Nike catalog. Fowler’s official role with Nike will now include: helping to position the company’s yoga commitment towards a core sports audience; consulting on the yoga apparel program and participating in product trials; making appearances as a Nike athlete; and appearing in editorial campaigns.

Fowler also owns YAS (Yoga and Spinning) in Venice, Calif, where she teaches her Yoga for Athletes™ philosophy and classes, along with her original Yoga and Spinning™ combination workout.

COMPANY ANNOUNCES OPENING OF NEW DISTRIBUTION CENTER IN INDIANAPOLIS

Sunrise Medical recently announced the opening of its new distribution center in Indianapolis. Designed to increase and expedite delivery coverage to customers in mid-America, as well as parts of the mid-Atlantic states, this distribution center is the third opened in the past year, and is part of an expanded distribution center strategy that will increase the company’s overnight delivery coverage in the United States from 30% to more than 80%.

The new center will also offer same day customer service for “Will Call” orders. Will Call was developed to provide customers with a new level of service and to ensure that the need for immediate product fulfillment is addressed. The new center is located in the northwest corner of Indianapolis near Interstate 465.

Sunrise Medical manufactures and markets medical products and assistive technology devices that address the recovery, rehabilitation, and mobility needs of consumers in institutional and home care settings. The company has manufacturer subsidiaries in North America, Europe, and Asia, and its products are distributed in more than 100 countries around the world.

COMPANY PURCHASES SCOOTER, POWER WHEELCHAIR RIGHTS

Access Point Medical (APM) anno-unced its purchase of the scooter and power wheelchair product lines of Bruno Independent Living Aids last fall. The transaction includes Bruno’s Cub and SuperCub line of scooters plus Bruno power wheelchairs. Also included is the transfer of intellectual property, regulatory approvals, and engineering designs for these products.

Using Bruno’s product designs, the equipment will be manufactured at APM’s facilities in China. Marketing is being done under the Access Point Medical brand.

“This purchase fulfills our commitment of offering power-mobility equipment by the end of 2005,” says APM’s CEO Hans Stover. “We’re putting our belief into action—that providers shouldn’t have to compromise on product quality in order to lower their acquisition costs.”

Founded in June, in St Louis, APM has entered the domestic home care market as a global manufacturer of high-quality, low-cost home medical equipment. APM offers ambulatory, bath safety, and mobility products, including canes, walkers, commodes, shower chairs, transport wheelchairs, and standard wheelchairs.

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