Memorial Hermann Acquires Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic

Memorial Hermann Acquires Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic

Purchase Strengthens Hospital’s Orthopedic Presence in southwest and west corridors

HOUSTON, January 4, 2012

– Memorial Hermann has acquired Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic (RBJ) in a move that further strengthens the organization’s orthopedic network and adds additional specialty clinics to its growing roster, as well as builds on the hospital’s groundbreaking clinical integration initiative to bring medical staff physicians together in a common commitment to quality care and accountability.

 ”As a hospital system, we are preparing for the onset of healthcare reform,” said Dan Wolterman, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann. “A critical component of that process is identifying physician groups that align with Memorial Hermann’s culture of emphasizing safety and providing the high quality care that our patients have come to expect.

 ”Memorial Hermann Medical Group has been strategically leading the way in identifying talented, respected and clinically-integrated physician groups like Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic,” Wolterman continued. “As a result, MHMG is experiencing tremendous growth. We are pleased to have a high-caliber group such as RBJ join the Memorial Hermann family. It represents a win-win for both Memorial Hermann and our patients.”

 RBJ, one of the most highly-regarded orthopedic groups in the Houston region, offers an extensive range of orthopedic specialties such as general orthopedics and sports medicine, pediatric orthopedics, spine surgery, hand and wrist and foot and ankle replacement, pain management, and rehabilitation. The group is comprised of physicians nationally known for contributing to advances in orthopedic medicine through published articles, research studies and innovative new treatments.

 ”This is a mutually-beneficial partnership,” said Juliet Breeze, M.D., CEO of RBJ. “We will bring our extensive clinical expertise and knowledge of orthopedic medicine to Memorial Hermann and help to grow its orthopedic presence, particularly in the southwest region near its Sugar Land and Southwest hospitals. Moreover, we are aligning with one of the most innovative and clinically-integrated healthcare systems in the country. Our network of doctors and patients will benefit greatly being teamed with a system that is so forward-looking when it comes to medicine and quality care.”

 More than 15 physicians at the newly named clinics – Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic at Memorial Hermann – will align with other Memorial Hermann affiliated physician groups like UTHealth’s Department of Orthopedic Surgery to deliver safe, high-quality and results-driven orthopedic care to patients living in and around Richmond, Katy and Sugar Land.

 ”Our patients will receive the same personal and progressive care they’ve come to expect from their trusted physicians and clinical staff,” added Dr. Breeze.

 RBJ is already a member of the Memorial Hermann Information Exchange (MHiE), an innovative program that significantly improves transitions of care, safety and quality by putting patient health data at the fingertips of authorized caregivers. MHiE, the first health information exchange of its kind in Houston, utilizes a secure, encrypted electronic network to integrate and house patients’ digital medical records so they are easily accessible to its members.

Dr. Ali Motamedi, Orthopedic Specialist and Sports Medicine Physician of Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic, Receives his Board Certification in Sports Medicine

One of Richmond Bone and Joint Clinic’s recent Sports Medicine physician additions, Dr. Ali Motamedi has obtained his Subspecialty Certification in Sports Medicine.  Dr. Motamedi who joined the practice in October of 2009 came to RBJC by way of California.  He was the team physician for the UCLA baseball and men’s volleyball teams and an associate professor at UCLA. 

Dr. Motamedi joins a select few in the Houston area who have been awarded with the Subspecialty Certification in Sports Medicine.  In order to receive the certification applicants must complete within a 12 month period, 115 surgical cases.  At least 75 of the cases must involve arthroscopy as part of the procedure and ten additional cases need to be completed that were treated non-operatively.  After the requirements have been met applicants must also pass an examination administered by the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery.

“Because of this extensive certification, I have been able to study many other disciplines other than orthopedics.  This allows me to treat the athletes more completely and not just only a specific orthopedic issue,” said Motamedi.

Dr. Motamedi is currently seeing patients at the Richmond Clinic, 1517 Thompson Road and Sugar Land Clinic, 15035 Southwest Freeway and is looking forward to the busy sports season ahead, Texas High School Football.

Knee Injury a Career Ender for Many NFL Players

Knee Injury a Career Ender for Many NFL Players

By Frederik Joelving
NEW YORK | Sat Aug 7, 2010 2:51am IST

(Reuters Health) – Despite surgery, less than two-thirds of National Football League players are able to return to play after knee ligament tears, new research hints.
That number runs counter to the optimism of most team physicians, who said they believed 90 to 100 percent of players would be back on the field, according to an earlier survey.
However, the doctor who led the new study, based on 49 NFL players who had all had surgery to replace the knee’s anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, said he wasn’t surprised.
“At this level and with this much competition I think the lower rates of return were expected,” Dr. Vishal Michael Shah of the Richmond Bone and Joint Clinic in Sugarland, Texas, told Reuters Health in an e-mail.
The average career of an NFL athlete is only 3.5 years, according to the researchers, whose findings were published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
Whether or not players returned to compete, Shah said, probably had little to do with the success of surgery and more with “how much money the team has invested in them already and who else is waiting on the sideline to replace them.”
Shah said there wasn’t really much the highly trained NFL players could do to prevent injuries.
“The type of injuries they are sustaining are likely unpreventable,” he said.
Of the 49 players followed by the researchers, 31 went back to play NFL games, on average slightly less than a year after surgery. Age and type of surgery weren’t related to who returned, but those who’d played more games were more likely to go back.
And how many rounds of drafts the athlete had gone through turned out to make a big difference: those who’d been drafted in the first four rounds had 12 times the odds of competing again.
“Higher draft picks have generally been paid more money and the teams have more ‘investment’ in them,” Shah said.
“They are incentivized to give these players more of a chance to return and fight for their job while they may rather ‘cut their losses’ for late draft picks,” he added. “Basically it comes down to the fact that NFL contracts are not guaranteed.”
SOURCE: link.reuters.com/dak73n The American Journal of Sports Medicine, online July 7, 2010.

Pain, A Simple Word ….That Can Change Everything

Dr. Candice Burnette Brings a New Approach in Pain Management to Fort Bend County

Pain, as defined by the International Association for the Study of Pain, is “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage.”

To a chronic pain sufferer, it simply changes who you are.

It’s amazing that a simple four-letter word encompasses so much and has such an impact on life. It takes a toll on physical and mental well being, affecting overall quality of life.

Addressing pain while diagnosing and managing associated conditions is vitally important in overall health. It’s a multi-step process and takes a partnership. No one knows better what hurts than the patient. Physicians must then trace pain to its source, providing both relief and treatment.

Dr. Candice Burnette, the newest member of Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic (RBJC), specializes in interventional pain management of spinal and musculoskeletal disorders and is committed to this quest. Fellowship-trained in pain medicine and board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, she brings the latest technology to Fort Bend.

“To successfully manage pain it’s important to examine the whole person, in order to gain an understanding of specific needs – assessing pain as well as the functional, physical, and emotional limitations. A multidisciplinary approach best accomplishes this; a collaborate effort of specialized healthcare professionals,” said Dr. Burnette.

Among the valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tools she offers include; electromyography, peripheral joint and trigger point injections, fluoroscopic-guided epidural steroid injections, spinal cord stimulators, discography, and nerve blocks.

Linda’s Story
Linda Tucci, 41, suffered with myofascial pain syndrome and the painful symptoms and related conditions for seven years before meeting Dr. Burnette. Linda received treatment every three months and lived in constant pain until the day she was introduced.

“Pain changes you…you know? Dr. Burnette took the time to really figure out what worked. She gave me hope. She gave me my life back,” said Tucci.

Dr. Burnette increased the frequency of Linda’s visits to monthly, used injection therapy, and addressed associated conditions. The more frequent treatments produced immediate results.

Linda then began Radiofrequency Neuroablation (RFA) for sacroiliac joint-related pain, something no other physician had offered.

“This treatment made a huge difference. Dr. Burnette doesn’t just leave you hanging out there. She talked to my other doctors and she talked to me about everything we were doing. When you deal with pain it can be emotional. You can feel like you have no hope whatsoever. She changed everything for me,” added Tucci.

Candice Burnette, MD

Pain Management – Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

Stress Fractures of the Foot and Ankle

Stress fractures occur as a result of repetitive injury to bone and not from a single injury. They usually happen due to marked increase in the load on normal bone during increase in training regimen. They can also occur in normal load situation if there is underlying medical conditions that impairs bone repair and healing such as eating disorders and osteoporosis. Other factors such as poor training techniques, shoe wear, muscle imbalance, or rigid playing surface can contribute to stress fractures. These fractures are typically seen in runners, soccer players, and military recruits, but can happen with any sport.

Symptoms include pain and swelling with activity in the area of injury which improves with rest. Full evaluation is needed to rule out medical conditions that could contribute to bone disease. Imaging evaluation is usually with x-rays and MRI.

Treatment options include, rest, bracing or casting, and modification of training regimen until the pain subsides. This is followed by a course of physical therapy and muscle conditioning and gradual return to full sports. Some stress fractures have poor healing potential and may need surgical intervention.

Dr. Ali Motamedi
Orthopedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine

Dr. Matthew Mays, Orthopedic Specialist and Sports Medicine Physician of Richmond Bone & Joint, Improves Quality of Life for the Struggling in Guatemala

Expanding Community Care to the Global Village, Mays and His “Faith in Practice” Colleagues Provide Instruction and Medical Care to Guatemalan’s throughout Antigua and Surrounding Region

Sugar Land, TX – With the same community conviction that drives his orthopedic colleagues at the Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic, Dr. Matthew Mays and fellow physicians from across the United States provide life-changing medical and dental care to those in need in Guatemala through Faith in Practice.
Similar to “Médecins Sans Frontières” (Doctor’s Without Borders), Faith in Practice is comprised of medical professionals in a variety of specialties who travel beyond the United States to bring medical expertise and care to areas with limited access.
The religious-based group established a post in Antigua and began partnering with area hospitals nearly 20 years ago when original founders were touched by a story of the Franciscans at Las Obras Sociale del Hermano Pedro, a home for the abandoned and incapacitated in Antigua.
Since early efforts, the team has grown to include physicians from not only Texas but also across the United States. They have performed hundreds of procedures to correct such problems as cleft pallet, club foot, herniated discs, prolapsed uterus, impacted teeth and many other minor problems and acute illnesses.
Dr. Mays and his wife seized the opportunity to provide specialized care needed in the area after watching the work of the organization and partnering physicians. He recently transported a small staff and necessary equipment to the area and performed procedures ranging from arthroscopic surgery to joint replacement and deformity correction.
“We’re just there to help improve their quality of life. We have a skeleton crew and limited options, so we have to remain flexible and creative in addressing problems. There is no insurance involved and everyone is there at their own expense. It’s a purity of medicine,” said Mays.
“It’s very rewarding to see the real difference you can make. And you carry away an appreciation for what we have here – even the poorest are leaps and bounds richer than those in countries like this. I encourage everyone to use their talents in such a way, here at home or abroad,” Mays added.
In addition to the care the multiple specialty medical team provides, they also present post-graduate level experiences to the Guatemalan medical community in Antigua and Guatemala City. Topics include ear infections, knee surgery, hip replacement, ovarian cancer and cancer pain control.
Dr. Mays’ journey comes on the heels of a Haiti Relief effort launched by RBJC, which took a number of its physicians on multiple trips to Haiti following the devastating earthquake.
“The outreach effort of these physicians and the enormous dedication they have to improving quality of life and standard of care in this community as well as those less fortunate than ours really speaks to the core values and culture of our clinic. We have an amazing team and it’s a privilege to be a part of it,” said Cheryl Howard-Bertrand, RBJC Marketing Director.
To learn more about Dr. Mays’ work and that of the other RBJC orthopedic specialists, log onto www.rbjc.com. Or, call (281) 344-1715.

Anterior Approach for Total Hip Replacements

Anterior approach for total hip replacement has definite advantages for patients:

• Rehabilitation is simplified and accelerated
• Dislocation risk is reduced
• Leg length is more accurately controlled
• Incision is small

The anterior approach is an approach to the front of the hip joint as opposed to a lateral (side) approach to the hip or posterior (back) approach. Rehabilitation is accelerated and hospital time decreased because the hip is replaced without detachment of muscle from the pelvis or femur. Lack of disturbance of the lateral and posterior soft tissues also accounts for immediate stability of the hip and a low risk of dislocation. X-rays taken during surgery with a fluoroscope ensure correct position, sizing and fit of the artificial hip components, as well as correct leg length.

Dr. Volkan Guzel
Orthopedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine

Fibromyalgia-Causes and Treatments

Fibromyalgia is a condition associated with widespread chronic pain, fatigue, memory problems, sleep disturbance and mood changes. It affects about 4 % of the U.S population, and it occurs more commonly in women than men. Fibromyalgia is not a disease, but a condition that can be managed.
A person is usually diagnosed as having fibromyalgia if he or she has a history of widespread pain involving all four quadrants of the body that lasts for at least three months with the presence of tender points on physical examination. There is no lab test or X-ray that can help a doctor diagnose fibromyalgia. But laboratory tests can help to diagnose other medical problems that can have symptoms similar to fibromyalgia.
The cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but is thought to be due to abnormalities in central nervous system function, leading to an “amplification” of normal pain signals.
Treatment options for fibromyalgia include:
Medications to diminish pain and improve sleep including cymbalta, savella, amitriptyline, lyrica, tramadol, tizanidine etc. activity and exercise programs to increase overall health and on occasion trigger point injection.

Dr. Fayyaz Ahmed

Rheumatology

What is “Flatfoot” and how is it treated?

The most common cause of the development of flatfoot or “fallen arch” in adults is an injury to a tendon that is located on the inside portion of your ankle.   This tendon is called the posterior tibial tendon.  Injury to this tendon can result from direct trauma or the wear and tear of daily life.  Medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and obesity may increase the risk of injury to this tendon. Lifestyles requiring prolonged walking or standing can increase risk of this injury.

                The most common symptoms are pain and swelling along the inside portion of the ankle.  A patient may also notice the progressive flattening of the foot or arch.  The diagnosis is confirmed by physical exam, x-rays, and occasionally, MRI. 

Treatment of this injury includes activity modification, shoe evaluation, bracing, medication, and physical therapy.  At times surgery is needed to effectively manage the pain associated with this condition. 

Dr. Richard Beaver

Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Surgeon

Throwing Injuries in Young Athletes

Shoulder and elbow injuries in young throwing athletes, both male and female, have become an epidemic in our country. The unprecedented popularity of baseball and softball, the prevalence of year-round seasons and events and the high level of competitiveness at all levels have led to a high incidence of stress fractures, ligament injuries and cartilage damage in young arms. Maturing joints need time to heal from the accumulated repetitive microtrauma that results from prolonged throwing. The best way to protect your child from injury is to adhere to clinically-proven pitch count restrictions and rest periods, to teach proper throwing mechanics and body conditioning, and to allow for a yearly “throwing holiday” period of several months followed by gradual return to sport. These simple recommendations can prevent the majority of this spectrum of overuse injuries. If your child does complain of persistent pain, early evaluation and treatment which typically consists of a brief period of throwing rest and/or a physical therapy regimen can prevent minor conditions from becoming serious injuries.

Dr. Vishal Shah

Orthopedic Surgeon and Sports Medicine