Dr Steven Sampson teaching Sonosite Shoulder Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Workshop in Seattle, WA June 27, 2009

Along with Orthopaedist Ben DuBois MD, Dr Steven Sampson will be hosting a training seminar "Introduction to Shoulder Ultrasound." The course will be in Seattle WA on June 27, 2009 from 8:30am-5:30pm. Dr Sampson also will be acting as a Preceptor to train physicians who are beginning their ultrasound training.

http://sonositelearning.com/clinical_applications/musculoskeletal/introduction_to_shoulder_ultra.php#reg_form
A PDF brochure is available on this link.

Also, Dr Sampson will discuss his research & clinical experience with PRP, Platelet Rich Plasma Therapy.

Additionally Physicians from around the world visit Dr Sampson's Office: The Orthohealing Center in Los Angeles for training of platelet Rich Plasma procedures with ultrasound guidance.
For more info on PRP training: www.orthohealing.com

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound seeing increased use in Orthopaedics

Yale New Haven Hospital is among the growing community of progressive physicians integrating ultrasound into their orthopaedic practice.

I believe musculoskleletal ultrasound will become a standard tool to help physicians in orthopaedics & sports medicine, much like it is in Europe. With advancements in technology, ultrasound provides unbelievable images of tendons, ligaments, and fluid inside the body. These images are very useful for diagnostic purposesand also guide the physician with injection procedures to ensure accuracy within millimeters of the target. Anecdotally I have found that patients getting cortisone injections have less discomfort with ultrasound guidance because painful structures like bone & tendon are avoided. Also patients enjoy the interaction that ultrasound provides with the physician. Patients can for example move their shoulder around to a particular position to reproduce pain that may not be seen with a static exam like x-ray or MRI. Also ultrasound is cost effective.

A series of studies examined the use, training, outcomes and accuracy of surgeon-held musculoskeletal ultrasound at Yale School of Medicine and Duke Medical School. Researchers found that orthopaedic surgeons can reduce overall time to patient diagnosis, enhance subjective and objective clinical outcomes, and significantly lower some out-of-pocket expense for patients. Results of the studies were presented at the 2008 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) and American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM) annual meetings.

http://www.ynhh.org/press/2009/orthoultrasound.html

Dry Needling effective for Plantar Fasciitis

With musculoskeletal ultrasound to examine the heel (much like looking obstetrician's use to examine a fetus), physicians are able to accurately target heel pain.

With the advancement of technology we are able to further our understanding of disease as well as offer innovative treatments.

At the December 08 annual Radiological Society of North America, Luca M. Sconfienza, MD, from University of Genoa in Italy demonstrated 95% efficacy with dry needling followed by cortisone.

Plantar Fasciitis is one of the most common foot problems affecting 1 million people. Patients typically complain of inner heel pain with stiffness in the morning and later throughout the day with weight bearing.

44 patients were treated who had previously failed extra corporeal shockwave therapy. Shock wave therapy works by a similar means through creation of micro trauma that increases blood flow and promotes healing in a deficient ligament or tendon.

A similar procedure is done with platelet rich plasma therapy, which involves needling of the thickened and oxygen deficient plantar fascia under ultrasound guidance. But rather than using cortisone, the patients own growth factors (extracted from their arm from a blood draw) are injected into the area of injury to promote natural healing. Unlike cortisone, platelets & growth factors have no reported ill effects of tendon tearing or rupture, but rather regenerate the tissue.

http://www.healthimaging.com/index.php?option=com_articles&view=conference&id=publication:37:article:15307:section:1&division=hiit

Ultrasound Guided Platelet Rich Plasma Injections

A growing number of physicians are using musculoskeletal ultrasound to guide various injections. As a leading imaging technique in Europe, ultrasound is safe, economic, convenient, & effective in diagnosing many injuries. The technology has dramatically improved and allows us to visualize nerve & tendon fibers. While the quality is not quite MRI caliber, ultrasound allows for dynamic (motion studies). In other words, ultrasound allows functional evaluation of an injury with movement, whereas MRI takes a still image. Also, ultrasound has color doppler that shows areas of blood flow changes (called neo vascularization). This allows us to deliver the PRP within a millimeter of the target site, or even discover other regions that are affected.

Ultrasound technology continues to grow. I just upgraded to this Sonosite portable machine with color doppler.

New Platelet Rich Plasma Web Site

I recently launched a web site on PRP. It is another resource for health professionals & patients to learn more about this emerging therapy. Additionally, I will be hosting a conference in early May 2008, in Los Angeles to train other physicians on the use of PRP along with musculoskeletal ultrasound guidance.

www.PRPinjection.com

The site will include testimonials as well as promote further communication amongst patients.