Save These Dates Win a Weekend Getaway Subscribe to

Save These Dates
Win a Weekend Getaway
Medical Staff members who have completed their medical
records in a timely manner for the prior quarter will be
entered into a drawing to win a fabulous weekend getaway!
The next getaway will be a dinner for four at The Brass
Elephant and four tickets to the show of your choice at the
Hippodrome in Baltimore!
Note: Physicians must be present to win. Only those physicians who have
not been placed on administrative action will be included in the drawing.
Quarterly Medical Staff Meeting
Tuesday, July 8; 6:30 p.m.
Civiletti Conference Center, Physicians Pavilion East
*Annual Physician Crab Feast to follow
Continuing Education Conferences
Schwartz Center Rounds at GBMC
Wednesday, May 7
“So How Does Hospice Benefit My Patient and Their Family?”
Wednesday, June 4
“When the Caregiver Becomes the Patient” and
Presentation of the 2008 Compassionate Caregiver Award
12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.
*Lunch served at 11:30 a.m.
Civiletti Conference Center, Rooms A & B
Enhancing Your Practice:
A Seminar Series for Physicians,
Practice Managers and Office Staff
Topic: Increasing Physician Productivity
Thursday, May 15; Noon - 1:00 p.m.
Civiletti Conference Center, Room A
Cost is $10; Lunch included
Pre-registration is required by calling 443-849-3670.
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M.D.TODAY WELCOMES YOUR FEEDBACK AND SUGGESTIONS FOR
ARTICLES ABOUT RESEARCH, NEW PROCEDURES OR MEDICAL
TRENDS. CONTACT LISA SCHWARTZ, EDITOR, AT 443-849-2459
OR E-MAIL [email protected].
GBMC HealthCare
6701 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21204
M.D.Today is published quarterly by the Marketing and Communications
Department of Greater Baltimore Medical Center, a private, non-profit
healthcare provider.
n
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Michael P. Hartnett, Director of Marketing & Research
Tracy M. Fitzgerald, Assistant Director of Marketing
Lisa J. Schwartz, Publications Supervisor/Editor
Alice M. Perez, Design & Production Manager
Jessica Schoeffield, Susan Walker, Contributing Writers
Mimi Azrael, Contributing Photographer
ShockDesigns, Design & Layout
Schmitz Press, Printing
6701 N. Charles Street n Baltimore, Maryland 21204
443.849.2000 n www.gbmc.org
NON-PROFIT ORG
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 4406
BALTIMORE, MD
SPRING 2008
A GBMC Publication for Physicians
Digital Mammography
Imaging Has Come a Long Way
FEATURE: THE GREATER BALTIMORE
LYMPHEDEMA CENTER
Helping Restore Quality of Life
from the deskof . . .
Dear Colleagues:
I hope you all enjoyed and had an opportunity to partake in the events surrounding Doctor’s Day on March 28.
GBMC’s medical staff continues to deliver outstanding care and this day was a way for the hospital to say “thank you”
for all of your contributions to our patients and families and to the hospital as a whole.
As always, patient safety is a top priority at GBMC. To this end, I’d like to remind you about the importance of avoiding
prohibited abbreviations in orders. You should have received a letter explaining the Do Not Use Abbreviations and
actions that are being taken to track violations. Abbreviations can be confusing, leading to medication errors. Please make every
effort to eliminate the use of these abbreviations from your documentation anywhere in the medical record. See the article on
page 4 for the complete listing of prohibited abbreviations.Your cooperation on this issue is essential and appreciated.
Over the next couple of months, we will be completing our inaugural physician profile report.Your chairmen have worked
hard to compile data that measure performance in the six competencies. Each report will have targets for
excellent performance.This way, everyone will have a set of clear expectations for performance. Remember, the data for this
report will be, in many cases, preliminary and will take time to have more meaning, so bear with us.
Finally, it’s that time of the year again – survey time! The annual physician satisfaction survey will begin in May and run
through June. There have been a number of measures taken throughout the past year to address the issues raised in the last
survey. Enhancing the work environment is, of course, an ongoing process and your feedback enables us to build upon the
actions already taken in an ongoing effort to improve your experience at GBMC.
Thank you for continuing to read M.D.Today. Please give us your feedback on the articles you read and the topics you’d like
to see covered in the future by e-mailing [email protected].
Sincerely,
John R. Saunders, Jr., MD
Chief of Staff
One year after the 2007 physician satisfaction survey, I am pleased with the progress made and the strides taken to address a
number of the issues raised by physicians, specifically, communication from the executive staff and nursing and quality and
staffing concerns. As we usher in the 2008 satisfaction survey, I’d like to recap some of the significant measures taken to
improve upon these two specific areas:
Communication – Physicians expressed the desire for regular reports on the state of the hospital and strategic direction.
As a result, a number of measures were put into place to increase the communication between hospital administrators
and physicians including: executive rounding, CEO attendance at department meetings and a biannual CEO newsletter
distributed to the medical staff.
In addition, members of the executive team have been attending monthly Chairman department meetings as
well as Grand Rounds, addressing your questions and providing ongoing updates on hospital services, growth and
strategies. Attendance at these forums has been particularly well received by members of the medical staff.
Nursing, Quality and Staffing – Since the beginning of the fiscal year 2008, there has been a keen focus on nurse
recruitment house-wide as well as incentives to promote retention of current nursing staff. In fact, as of March 31, 2008,
GBMC’s RN vacancy rate was at 10.8 percent, below Maryland’s average vacancy rate of 13 percent, according to the
Maryland Hospital Association.
The creation of the nurse recruitment and workforce planning committees has also added a new dimension to nurse
recruitment and succession planning for the next five years. In addition, the advancement of special grant and
scholarship programs for continuing nurse education as well as certification bonuses and annual, competitive
market adjustments are significant incentives for nurses to stay at GBMC.
Your participation in the annual physician satisfaction survey is vital and has played a leading role in the positive changes and
enhancements achieved over this past year. As always, I look forward to your feedback.
Best regards,
Laurence M. Merlis
President and CEO
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what’s new
New Digital Mammography Equipment Enhances
Women’s First Line of Defense Against Breast Cancer
Imaging has certainly come a long way over the past
decade, moving from film to digital technology. Proof of
this technological advance can now be seen at
GBMC with the introduction of sophisticated digital
mammography, offering superior images with exceptional
resolution that can be manipulated to obtain the best view
of the breast tissue.
With digital mammography, the time needed to perform
breast localizations and ductograms is dramatically reduced.
For screening mammograms, the patient exam is also
shortened because images are captured immediately on the
computer, eliminating the need to wait for films to be
developed.The need for repeat mammograms is decreased
because the technologist can immediately see the images
on screen, checking that all needed views are available
and of good quality. The equipment available at GBMC
offers patients another advantage — it can accommodate
patients with any size breast, which also minimizes patient
wait times.
“With digital mammography, we get better penetration of
the tissue and the ability to magnify sections of the
acquired images for closer examination and to pinpoint
calcifications,” explains Alex Munitz, MD, FACR, Chair of
GBMC’s Department of Radiology and Director of the
Imaging Center at the Sandra and Malcolm Berman
Comprehensive Breast Care Center. “In addition to
markedly improved patient comfort, the ability to perform
these procedures more rapidly can help us get patients to
the operating room more quickly and lessens the chance
that the patient will experience a vasovagal reaction.”
Adds Lauren A. Schnaper, MD, Director of the
Comprehensive Breast Care Center, “These advantages
are particularly useful for finding abnormalities in
patients with dense breast tissue.”
Additional advantages of digital mammography for
physicians include the ability to transmit images over
phone lines from remote locations to be read by
experienced breast imaging specialists. n
“
With digital mammography, we get
better penetration of the tissue and
the ability to magnify sections of the
acquired images for closer examination
and to pinpoint calcifications.
Alex Munitz, MD, FACR
”
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M.D.Today
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in the news
Remember Prohibited Abbreviations for Safety’s Sake
Taking heed of GBMC’s list of DO NOT USE ABBREVIATIONS
is of utmost importance for patient safety. Avoiding these
prohibited abbreviations has significantly helped avoid
misinterpretation of medical record entries – but there is
still work to be done to protect the health of all patients.
To help keep this issue on the forefront, a number of efforts
have been made to continue to draw attention to this issue.
The list of Do Not Use Abbreviations has been printed in
red on each order sheet and signs will be placed in plain
sight near computers in patient care areas.The Pharmacy is
also stepping up efforts to eradicate the use of these
dangerous abbreviations. More information on prohibited
abbreviations can be obtained on the GBMC InfoWeb
by clicking on Medical Library/Medical Abbreviations
Reference or by visiting www.medabbrev.com and
clicking on the “do not use list” button on the left hand
side of the page. n
Abbreviation
Intended Meaning
Common Misinterpretation
Alternative
U or u
Unit
Mistaken as a zero resulting in ten-fold overdose
Unit
mg
Micrograms
Mistaken for mg (milligrams)
Mcg
T I W or tiw
3 times a week
Mistaken as 3 times per day or twice per week
3 times per week
AU, AS, AD
Both ears, left ear,
right ear
Misinterpreted as “OU” (both eyes),
“OS” (left eye), “OD” (right eye)
Do not abbreviate
OD
Once daily
Misinterpreted as “right eye” or every other day
Daily
IU
International unit
Misread as IV (intravenous)
Units
x 3d
For 3 days
Mistaken as: For 3 “doses” for 3 days
Do not abbreviate
QD and QOD
Once daily and
every other day
Mistaken for each each other
Daily
Every other day
Trailing zero
and Lack of
leading zero
Decimal point is missed
MgSO4
MSO4
MS
Magnesium Sulfate
Morphine Sulfate
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M.D.Today
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Never write a zero
by itself after a
decimal point and
always use a zero
before a decimal point.
Mistaken for each other
Magnesium Sulfate
Morphine Sulfate
When Using the Phone, Name and Diagnosis, Please
When giving verbal and/or telephone orders, physicians
are required to use two patient identifiers, neither of which
can be the room number. Since the patient date of birth
may not be available, physicians may provide a patient’s
name and diagnosis as the two identifiers. This practice
helps avoid patient misidentification.
Physicians must use name and diagnosis to correctly
identify the patient when calling in response to a page, to
give an order, to obtain critical test results or to obtain
equipment for a bedside procedure. When physicians have
access to the patient chart, following the name and date-ofbirth protocol is acceptable.
For more information, contact Mary Whittaker, RN, Director
of Performance Improvement at [email protected]. n
Compassion Has a New Name
Hospice of Baltimore and Hospice of Howard County has
announced that it is changing its name to Gilchrist Hospice
Care. The new name was developed to create one unified
brand that will increase awareness and recognition.
Market research conducted by the Hospice revealed that
some patients, families, medical workers, social workers and
volunteers were increasingly confused by the multiple
geographic names of the Hospice, were unaware that they
were part of the same organization, and felt the current
names limited the perception of the Hospice’s service
area. Gilchrist Center is currently the name of the
Hospice’s renowned 24-bed inpatient facility, located on
the GBMC campus.
Gilchrist Hospice Care serves patients and their families
in Baltimore City and Baltimore, Howard, Harford
and Carroll counties. In 2007, its staff of more than
230 employees and 250 volunteers provided compassionate
care to over 2,300 terminally ill people in patient’s
homes, nursing homes, retirement communities and other
residential care facilities, in addition to the Gilchrist Center,
its dedicated inpatient facility.
Catherine J. Boyne, President of Gilchrist Hospice Care
says, “Our new name consolidates all of our different
operating names into one powerful, unified brand,
positioning us well for our next phase of growth.
We’re dedicated to serving patients and their families
throughout central Maryland, whether home-based or
inpatient, without geographic limits.We’ll continue to lead
the way by providing uniquely personal attention and
exceptionally compassionate care. So while our name is
changing, our mission is not.”
For more information on Gilchrist Hospice Care, visit
www.gilchristhospice.org.
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feature story
The Greater Baltimore Lymphedema Center
For Patients Living with “Orphan Disorder,” Quality of Life Restored
GBMC plans to further assist patients with expanded Lymphedema Center and new oncology rehabilitation program
When patients from across the country and even from
other parts of the world travel to the Greater Baltimore
Lymphedema Center for treatment, one must assume that
they are doing something right. Just ask the more than
250 patients who receive therapy at the Center each year
and who sing the praises of the staff who have helped
them regain their quality of life.
Alan Kimmel, MD, Director of GBMC’s Lymphedema
Center and head of the hospital’s Division of General
Internal Medicine, refers to lymphedema as “the orphan
disorder” because very few physicians specialize in it. He
explains that physician-managed lymphedema treatment
centers are so uncommon that GBMC often has patients
referred from across the country to receive Complete
Decongestive Therapy (CDT), the standard of care, from
GBMC’s specially trained therapists.
A common, yet frequently overlooked disorder,
lymphedema is an abnormal collection of protein-rich
fluid in the interstitium, that causes chronic swelling,
discomfort, tissue damage, decreased mobility of
the affected area and an increased risk of cellulitis.
Challenging to diagnose, lymphedema can be mistaken
for other disorders such as congestive heart failure, deep
vein thrombosis, lipedema or recurrent cancer.
Medical Director Dr. Alan Kimmel and
therapist Virginia Moratz discuss a
patient's course of treatment.
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M.D.Today
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Although lymphedema is often a result of lymph node
damage or removal due to treatment for breast, head and
neck and pelvic cancers, patients can also be born with the
“primary” form, or a tendency towards the disorder.
Virginia Moratz wraps her patient’s affected leg.
<
Heidi Miranda-Walsh checks her
patient's compression stocking.
<
<
Virginia Moratz uses a medicine ball to perform one
of the many therapeutic exercises to help decrease
swelling and fluid build-up in her patient.
Primary lymphedema can be triggered by obesity,
medication or a non-healing wound. There is no cure,
but CDT helps control the progressive condition.
CDT consists of a course of Manual Lymph Drainage (a
type of tissue massage requiring extensive training and
certification), bandaging of the affected area and
wearing of compression garments. Reduction, or
“debulking” surgery is rarely of benefit.
Greater Baltimore Lymphedema
Center to Undergo Expansion in 2008
Patient education is the most effective means of managing
lymphedema, notes Dr. Kimmel. “I encourage physicians,
especially oncologists, to discuss lymphedema with their
patients, so that they can recognize it at the onset of
symptoms. Arming patients with knowledge may
prevent them from enduring years of discomfort and
possibly life-threatening infections.”
square-foot facility, which will feature a new
Soon, patients will have an additional resource for
healing at their fingertips when the expanded
Lymphedema Center opens. Plans for the 4,000-
Oncology Rehabilitation Program, have been
underway for the past year. As noted by Dr. Kimmel,
the floor plan includes eight private treatment
rooms, an education area and a gym where patients can
The Greater Baltimore Lymphedema Center is located
on the fourth floor of the main hospital, within the
Wound Care Center. Physicians can refer patients to the
Center for initial evaluation to determine whether they
suffer from lymphedema and, if so, how to proceed with
treatment. Dr. Kimmel is also available to consult with
physicians at the Center as needed.
work on improving strength and stamina under the
supervision of physical and occupational therapists.
The Oncology Rehabilitation Program will operate
in conjunction with GBMC’s Division of Oncology
To request an overview of screening indicators for
lymphedema therapy referral, physicians may call
Heidi Miranda-Walsh, OTR, CHT, CLT/LANA or Virginia A.
Moratz, OTR, CHT, MLT, at 443-849-6210. n
and the Greater Baltimore Wound Care and
Lymphedema Centers. According to Dr. Kimmel, it
will offer patients “another means for healing.”.n
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M.D.Today
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of note. . .
Awards and Achievements
Harold Goll, MD, Chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology, has been named
President of the Maryland Society of Anesthesiologists. Dr. Goll has been a physician at GBMC
since 1988. He says challenges in the field of anesthesiology include caring for an aging and
more complicated population of patients, integrating technology into clinical medicine and
providing comprehensive patient care in a fragmented medical landscape. The Maryland
Society of Anesthesiologists represents anesthesiologists throughout Maryland and advocates
policy that preserves the appropriateness and safety of the delivery of anesthesia care. n
>
<
Scott E. Woodburn, DPM, was recently honored for his service on the Board of Directors
of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Dr.Woodburn was elected to the Board in 2001
after serving on various written and oral examination committees. During his six-year tenure,
he held numerous committee and liaison positions. He chaired the credentials
committee and was elected to the Executive Board where he served as Vice President.
The American Board of Podiatric Surgery certifies qualified podiatric surgeons in foot
and ankle surgery. n
New Vice Chairman of Department of Surgery Appointed
John L. Flowers, MD, FACS, was named Vice
“
I am pleased
to be serving in
this capacity.
”
John L. Flowers, MD
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M.D.Today
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Chairman of the Department of Surgery in
January 2008. Board-certified in surgery,
Dr. Flowers has been a GBMC physician for
two years. Dr. Flowers succeeds recently
retired physician Sandy Fogel, MD, who
fulfilled the duties of Vice Chairman of
the Department of Surgery for more than
10 years. In his new role, Dr. Flowers
provides coverage for Chairman of Surgery
Dale Buchbinder, MD, FACS, co-directs the
GBMC Contract Surgeon Program, assists
with training in the Department’s
Non-physician Practitioner Program and
acts as the physician advocate for the
American College of Surgeons National
Surgical Quality Improvement Program
(ACS NSQIP). “I am pleased to be serving
GBMC’s Department of Surgery in this
capacity,” he states. Dr. Flowers also serves on
several GBMC committees including
Pharmacy Therapeutics, Quality Assurance,
Surgical Advisory and Patient Throughput.
A graduate of Hahnemann University of
the Health Sciences, Dr. Flowers spent more
than 11 years at the University of Maryland
Medical Center after completing his
residency and fellowship there. He served
in various faculty positions including
Division Head of General Surgery; Associate
Professor of Surgery; Director, Section of
Surgical Endoscopy and Laparoscopy as
well as Director, Maryland Center for
Videoscopic Surgery. n
Who’s New?
>
Ira D. Papel, MD, was recently
installed as President of the
Baltimore County Medical
Association for 2008-2009.
Dr. Papel is a board-certified
facial plastic surgeon and
otolaryngologist-head and
neck surgeon at the Facial
Plastic Surgicenter in Pikesville. A member of the
medical staffs at GBMC and Johns Hopkins
Hospital, he is also an Associate Professor of the
Division of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive
Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and
Neck Surgery at the John Hopkins University
School of Medicine. Dr. Papel has also served as a
visiting professor in facial plastic and reconstructive
surgery throughout the world.
Other 2008-2009 BCMA officers from GBMC’s
medical staff include Robert P. Roca, MD, Vice
President; Richard T. Scholz, MD, Secretary; and
Carol Ritter, MD, Treasurer. The outgoing president,
Ambadas Pathak, MD, will serve as Chairman of the
Board of Governors. n
Nominate a Coworker for the
Compassionate Caregiver Award
Has a fellow physician, nurse, employee or volunteer
made a difference in the life of a GBMC patient?
If so, nominate them for the Nancy J. Petrarca
Compassionate Caregiver Award for 2008, which
was established as a part of the Schwartz Center
Rounds at GBMC. Nomination forms, including
guidelines, are available on the home page of
the InfoWeb, in the dining room vending area,
on the main level of Physicians Pavilion East near
the elevators and by contacting the Continuing
Medical Education office at (443) 849-3670.
One winner and four finalists will be recognized at
the June 4, 2008 Schwartz Center Rounds. n
The deadline for nominations is
Friday, May 9, 2008 at 5:00 p.m.
Head and neck surgeon Joseph A.
Califano, MD, has joined the newly
created Johns Hopkins Head and Neck
Surgery program within GBMC’s
Milton J. Dance Center in April 2008.
In addition to bringing his busy clinical
practice to GBMC, Dr. Califano is
expanding the clinical trials program for head and neck
cancer patients. He will also continue his role as professor
in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the
Johns Hopkins, heading the research on a diagnostic
DNA-based saliva test. The premise of this test is that one’s
biological profile is contained in saliva.
Dr. Califano earned his Medical Degree from Harvard
Medical School, followed by a residency at The Johns
Hopkins Hospital and a fellowship at Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Center. He is board-certified in
Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and is a frequent
contributor in peer-reviewed journals. His other clinical
interests address tumors of the oral cavity, larynx,
pharynx, neck, skull base, salivary glands, thyroid cancer and
premalignant conditions of the upper aerodigestive tract.
His work also includes research into melanoma and
advanced skin cancers.
Allison A. Jensen, MD, has joined the
Department of Ophthalmology’s
Division of Pediatric Ophthalmology
and Strabismus. In addition to
providing comprehensive eye care for
pediatric and adolescent patients,
Dr. Jensen specializes in treating
amblyopia,
strabismus,
lacrimal
disorders, as well as adult patients with strabismus
and diplopia. She received her medical degree from
the University of Maryland School of Medicine, did
her residency at Northwestern University in Chicago
and her fellowship at the University of Minneapolis.
She is board-certified in Ophthalmology and a fellow
of the American Academy of Ophthalmology and of
the American Academy of Pediatric Ophthalmology
and Strabismus.
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M.D.Today
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spotlight
GBMC Endocrinologists Make Strides
in International Type 1 Diabetes Study
GBMC is one of more than 150 medical centers across the
United States, Canada, Australia and Europe participating
in a groundbreaking study on prevention and early
detection of type 1 diabetes through Type 1 Diabetes
TrialNet, a worldwide network of diabetes researchers.
GBMC is the only community hospital in Maryland
involved in this prospective, observational research study
supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH),
Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and
American Diabetes Association (ADA).
In
just
over
two
years,
principal
investigators
James Mersey, MD, Head, Division of Endocrinology at
GBMC, and endocrinologist Philip Levin, MD, along with
study coordinators at MODEL Clinical Research, have
screened more than 400 individuals (mostly children) for
elevated autoantibodies, a sign that one’s immune system
may be attacking the insulin-producing cells in the
pancreas, which eventually leads to type 1 diabetes.
This screening phase of the investigation, called the
Natural History Study, was designed to identify how type
1 diabetes develops in at-risk people. Initial screening
consists of a no cost, quick blood test that can reveal a
person’s risk for developing the disease up to 10 years
before the actual diagnosis.A Certificate of Confidentiality
has been issued by the NIH for this study to ensure
participant confidentiality.
Dr. Levin notes that not all people with positive results
in the screening will go on to develop diabetes and
recommends that at-risk children be screened every year.
Screenings are free up until age 18. Individuals with
elevated antibodies will be encouraged to continue and
be followed as part of Phase 2 and Phase 3 and may be
eligible to enroll in a prevention trial.
(L-R): Dr. Philip Levin, Lee Bromberger, BS, CCRP and Dr. James Mersey.
Researchers Test Oral Insulin’s Effect on Type 1 Diabetes
As part of the Diabetes TrialNet, the Oral Insulin study is
investigating the drug’s effectiveness at delaying type 1
diabetes in individuals identified by the screening test as
high-risk, and its potential in preventing the disease.
“Oral insulin, when started before the body’s insulinproducing cells are severely damaged by the disease, has
been shown in pilot studies to be an intervention with
great potential and, in some cases, has delayed the onset of
the disease by five or six years,” states Dr. Mersey.
“Additionally, the drug has virtually no toxicity, which
makes it easy for children to tolerate.”
Adds Dr. Levin,“The ultimate goal is prevention and delay
of the disease. If we can find a way to delay the disease by
even 10 years using oral insulin, these kids will have a great
advantage. There is a big difference in how a 10-year-old
handles the management of such a difficult, life-long
disease and how a 20-year-old handles it. And, delaying
the disease gives researchers time to find other effective
treatments, or even a cure.”
Next up? A type 1 diabetes vaccine.
For more information, contact Lee Bromberger, BS, CCRP,
at MODEL Clinical Research at 443-279-0036 or
[email protected] or visit the Type 1 Diabetes
TrialNet website at www.diabetestrialnet.org. n
To participate in the Natural History Study, a patient must be:
• One to 45 years of age and have a brother, sister, child or parent with type 1 diabetes or
• One to 20 years of age and have a cousin, aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, half-sibling or grandparent with the disease
10
M.D.Today
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ourgallery
Physician Nurse Reception
April 8, 2008
GBMC Spine Surgeon First in Maryland to
Perform New Anatomic Facet Replacement
System Surgical Procedure
GBMC is one of only seven sites in the U.S., and the only
hospital in Maryland, participating in a clinical research
study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the
Anatomic Facet Replacement System (AFRS)™.
Charles Hartjen, MD, Director of the GBMC Spine Center,
is a principal investigator for this study, sponsored by
Facet Solutions, Inc., and the only surgeon in Maryland to
date to perform the procedure that involves total
replacement of the facet joint in the spine to relieve the
symptoms of spinal stenosis. Since the beginning of 2008,
Dr. Hartjen has performed four facet joint replacement
procedures at GBMC as part of this study. He was also the
first surgeon in the state to perform the X-Stop surgery
in 2000, another type of implant developed to relieve
symptoms of lumbar spinal stenosis.
According to Dr. Hartjen, the AFRS allows for full
decompression of the spine and restores near normal
range of motion, offering patients with spinal stenosis a
viable alternative to spinal fusion, which often limits
flexibility. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spaces in
the spine that can cause pressure on the spinal cord and
nerve roots, resulting in leg and lower back pain.
“
...offers more
stability to
the spine and
maintains a
natural range
of motion...
”
Charles Hartjen, MD
“Artificial joints must simulate the form and function of
the original joint in order to be successful for the patient,”
he explains. “The AFRS offers more stability to the spine
and maintains a natural range of motion while also
relieving leg and lower back pain.”
The procedure involves removal of the original facet joint
to relieve pressure on nearby nerve roots. The AFRS
implants are sized to the patient’s anatomy and secured in
place, restoring the natural anatomy of the lumbar spine.
“All of my patients reported rapid improvement in their
leg pain following the procedure,” states Dr. Hartjen.
For more information on spine services at GBMC, call
443-849-GBMC (4262). n
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