DPM Blogs

How Young Surgeons Can Gain The Trust Of Their Patients

Bradly Bussewitz DPM
9/14/12 | 5734 reads | 3 comments
The Just For Men commercials are playing on the human psyche. Gray hair equates to experience while the hair color of a more youthful man must equate to vigor and enthusiasm. Is this true in medicine? There are obvious advantages to experience but there also must be advantages to youth, right? What are these advantages and how does one convey them to the patient and, perhaps more importantly, to oneself? Read More.

Coping With Office Dynamics When The Doctor's Spouse Is A Co-Worker

Lynn Homisak PRT
9/13/12 | 2551 reads | 2 comments
Should spouses work in the office or shouldn’t they? Read More.

Pain Management: Is It Time To Start Looking At The Patient's Genes?

Stephen Barrett DPM FACFAS
9/12/12 | 2585 reads | 0 comments
Genomics. Now that is a word that has some real catchiness to it, a virtual aphrodisiac for even the most adroit etymologist. I just like to say "genomics.” It conjures up the great line ("Plastics?") Dustin Hoffman repeated in The Graduate. “Mrs. Robinson (another reference from The Graduate), we’re into ‘genomics’ now and we need to take a look at your genomes so I can provide you with the best perioperative care for your upcoming reconstructive foot surgery.” “Really?” she replies. “Is there a test for that and will it hurt?” Read More.

Should We Do Patch Testing Prior To Using Metal Implants In Patients With Reported Sensitivity?

Tracey Vlahovic DPM
9/7/12 | 2971 reads | 1 comments
Have you ever had a post-op patient with a metal implant who suddenly developed a rash, pain or loosening of the implanted device? I have had patients develop both a rash and pain following metal implantation, but attributed it to a Vicryl reaction as their reactions eventually resolved after treatment. I still stand by that diagnosis but after reviewing a recent article in the Archives of Dermatology, I feel compelled to delve deeper into the allergy section of my patient interview prior to surgical planning.1 Read More.

My Surgical Tips And Pearls For Residents

William Fishco DPM FACFAS
9/6/12 | 2426 reads | 0 comments
In this blog, I want to share with you surgical tips and pearls that I regularly teach my residents. Read More.

Recommending Shoes To Patients Who Insist On Minimalist Running

Jenny L Sanders DPM
8/31/12 | 2888 reads | 0 comments
Let me first say that I am not a fan of minimalist running for the majority of my patients. Having said that, “just don’t do it” is not an acceptable directive to patients who are going to run in minimalist shoes in spite of what I recommend. Due to this, I have reluctantly learned to evaluate minimalist running shoes. Not surprisingly, the best way to do this utilizes some of the same principles used when evaluating non-minimalist styles. Read More.

PAD Awareness Month And The Case For Limb Preservation

Desmond Bell DPM CWS FACCWS
8/30/12 | 1979 reads | 0 comments
Unlike October, which is abundant with the color pink and matching ribbons symbolizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month wherever we turn, we have no such ribbon for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) Awareness Month. In my travels over the past few years, I have noted several instances that illustrate a lack of PAD awareness and understanding among providers and the general population. Read More.

Why We Need To Be More Judicious With Diagnostic Testing

Ron Raducanu DPM FACFAS
8/29/12 | 1467 reads | 0 comments
As an extension of last month's magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) blog, I had an interesting case in our local hospital, which I wanted to share with the readership. This is about a female who presented to the emergency room with a toe ulcer and the roundabout way we were able to “save” her toe. Read More.

Emphasizing The Study Of Human Motion To Improve Patient Outcomes

David G. Armstrong DPM PhD MD
8/24/12 | 1687 reads | 0 comments
We are pleased to announce the formation of the Interdisciplinary Consortium on Advanced Motion Performance (iCAMP) at the University of Arizona. This consortium will be lead by Bijan Najafi, PhD, a biomedical engineer and renowned expert on human motion. Comprised of teams from podiatric and vascular surgery, orthopedics, nursing, geriatrics, anthropology and engineering, iCAMP researchers will be studying physical activity patterns, gait parameters and three-dimensional joint structures through high-tech sensors that are embedded in shirts, socks, straps and patches worn by patients. Read More.