Iatrogenic Injury

Why Do Spinal Surgery Rates Continue To Rise?

By Frank M. Painter|April 10, 2010|Iatrogenic Injury, Low Back Pain, News, Unnecessary Surgery|

Why Do Spinal Surgery Rates Continue To Rise?

A Chiro.Org Editorial

First, let’s review some history. In 1974, the Congressional Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce held hearings on unnecessary surgery. Their findings from the First Surgical Second Opinion Program found that 17.6% of recommendations for surgery were not confirmed. The House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations extrapolated these figures to estimate that, on a nationwide basis, there were 2.4 million unnecessary surgeries performed every year, resulting in 11,900 deaths, at an annual cost of $3.9 billion. [1]

With the total number of lower back surgeries having been estimated in 1995 to exceed 250,000 in the U.S., at a hospital cost of $11,000 per patient. [2] This could suggest that the total number of unnecessary back surgeries each year in the U.S. could be 44,000, costing as much as $484 million. [3]

So, the first risk of spinal surgery is that it may not be necessary.

A most-recent review suggests that:

Back Surgery Fails 74% of the Time

(more…)

More Bad News For Medical Patients

By Frank M. Painter|January 7, 2010|Education, Iatrogenic Injury, Low Back Pain, News|

More Bad News For Medical Patients

The Chiro.Org Blog

Medical Training For Musculoskeletal Conditions is Inadequate

From Harvard Medical School in the U.S. to medical schools in Europe, medical education related to musculoskeletal conditions is inadequate. A 2009 survey tested physician’s knowledge related to simple low back pain management. [1] The average survey score of family practitioners was 69.7 and the average score of orthopedists was far less at 44.3. Orthopedists were less likely to make the proper radiological referral and appropriate pharmacological prescription based upon the literature. (more…)

Widely Used Anti-Inflammatory Drug Risky Even in Small Doses

By Frank M. Painter|November 22, 2009|Education, Iatrogenic Injury|

Widely Used Anti-Inflammatory Drug Risky Even in Small Doses

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: MedPage Today

Reporting on:

“Naproxen use increases the risk for complicated gastroduodenal ulcers in a dose-dependent fashion”

American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) 2009

Even at low doses, naproxen (Aleve, Anaprox, Naprosyn, Naprelan) may increase the risk of upper gastrointestinal complications, researchers said here.

Patients taking a 500-mg/day dose had a 2.5-fold increased risk of hospitalization from complicated gastric or duodenal ulcer, while those on the 750-mg/day dose had almost a threefold increased risk, Gurkirpal Singh, MD, of Stanford University, and colleagues reported at the American College of Gastroenterology meeting. [1]

The 1,000-mg/day dose carried more than a threefold increased risk of hospitalization. “We found that naproxen use is not safe even at lower doses,” Singh said. “We need to be careful about prescribing it, even in lower doses.” The lowest doses are available over the counter. (more…)