Category: Orthopedics

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Increased Insurance Footprint? Exagen Diagnostics

Annie

You ache and it feels like your whole body has a nasty case of the flu. This has been your life for too long, so your doctor orders a blood test, an ANA: it is positive. Because the ANA is positive she would like you to have AVISE® CTD testing-Where CTD=Connective Tissue Disease-for connective tissue disease). AVISE® is highly specific testing which can give your doctor valuable information that can lead to a diagnosis much more quickly; However, you find out that your insurance company does not cover AVISE® testing. That was then: several days ago, CareFirst/Blue Cross Blue Shield announced … Continue reading Increased Insurance Footprint? Exagen Diagnostics

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The use of the buzzsaw in orthopedics

Annie

Gazing at the cast cutter as a child, I saw an ominous thing that looked like it was going to eat me alive. Guess what? It did! The cast cutter (possibly a buzz saw in a former life) cut my cast off all right; it also cut my skin. It was a tiny cut, but my 12-year-old saucers-eyes saw a huge crater which became infected and left a large scar. A  bit of history so you can understand my apprehension about having this cast removed. I could only hope that in 50 years there have been advancements in cast removal! “Joy to … Continue reading The use of the buzzsaw in orthopedics

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Ostenecrosis/Avascular Necrosis

Annie

What is osteonecrosis? What is avascular necrosis? One and the same. Osteonecrosis or avascular necrosis is a rare and often very painful condition but before I explain it, I’ll explain the names. Quite simply it is a combination of two words: osteo: bone, necrosis: dead. ‘Dead bone’: OR avascular: without blood, necrosis: dead bone: Bone death in absence of blood For simplicity sake, we’ll refer to the same conditions as osteonecrosis. How do you get osteonecrosis? Bone is normally nourished by a blood supply from which it receives oxygen and nourishment; toxins from the bone are removed. Anything that causes … Continue reading Ostenecrosis/Avascular Necrosis

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How I celebrated…

Annie

No, I wasn’t amongst the throngs of people present to watch any of many fireworks display, rather, I enjoyed celebrating our Independence Day. Normally, I’d be there, ready for the concert and fireworks, but this year was a bit different. Several days ago, I fell, broke the fall with my hands (not the smartest thing to do-but so instinctual!) and because of the force of the fall, I broke the two bones of the wrist: the radius and the ulna.I also chipped a bone. My arm looks like this for now:   Continue reading How I celebrated…

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Nurses Need Care, Too

Annie

When my leg gave way, the natural reflex kicked in: I held out my hands to break the fall and my wrists took the brunt. OUCH, big ‘owie! ‘ Much to my dismay, I’ll be in the cast for @ 10 weeks, but, I manage with the ‘pick and peck’ method of typing. Slow, slower, slowest! With that, a little ‘primer’ on bones. Held together by strong ligaments and tendons, bones form our skeleton. Bones are living tissue, made of collagen and calcium. Collagen is the protein in bones and calcium in bones provides the hardness and strength of bones. … Continue reading Nurses Need Care, Too