ACL tears - new study shows rehab may reduce need for surgery

Knee issues are one of the main areas where Pacific Medways gets inquiries. It's an issue faced by many Americans. A common problem is an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) injury - in fact it's probably the number one knee related issue faced by athletes. Treatment is often surgery - and a long period of recovery and physical therapy. Many people delay surgery knowing they will have to face a difficult recovery. The promising news is that a new study may show that surgery is not always the first option to try.

The New England Journal of Medicine just released a study suggesting that rehabilitation might be sufficient -and that those with ACL injuries might not want to have surgery until there has been time to evaluate the effectiveness of the rehab. The NEJM article is heavy reading, but here's a good recap from the Wall Street Journal Health Blog.

Hip Resurfacing

Among the great pleasures we have is visiting hospitals and meeting some great people. One of these is Dr. Michael Moreton at Bangkok Hospital. Dr. Michael has enjoyed a long career in medicine starting in his native U.K. and subsequently in the U.S. and Canada. He is now Bangkok Hospital's international patient coordinator.

Recently Dr. Michael published an article on hip resurfacing, a procedure that medical travelers seek. Hip resurfacing is an alternative to total hip replacement. It was originally developed in Birmingham, U.K. - which is why it's often known as Birmingham Hip Resurfacing. The first procedures were done in 1997 and it became a popular alternative but was not allowed in the U.S. until 2006. It's now common in the U.S. but costly and for those faced with large out-of-pocket expenses it continues to be a reason people travel.

Check to see what Dr. Michael has to say about the procedure. Bangkok Hospital is one of Pacific Medways' providers and we would be happy to assist patients seeking hip resurfacing.