Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

The urge to create controversies in medicine can harm patients

Jonathan D. Gelber, MD
Physician
August 19, 2016
Share
Tweet
Share

As an orthopedic sports medicine surgeon newly in practice, I read with interest Gina Kolata’s article “Why ‘Useless’ Surgery Is Still Popular.” As a doctor with a research background, I often champion the importance of research and promote a practice rooted in evidence-based medicine. It also came to me as no surprise when my partner and several physician assistants in the practice pointed out the article to me. In fact, every few years a similar article on meniscus surgery is published and immediately the nearest sports medicine surgeon is asked his or her opinion.

When it comes to meniscus surgeries, much of what causes the patient pain is still a mystery. There are no major nerve endings in a meniscus, so the mechanism of pain generation is not from the tear itself, but perhaps from the mechanical problems the tear creates in the knee causing the lining to become inflamed. In addition, many people have meniscus tears, especially degenerative tears from years of wear and tear, and have no symptoms.

What many of these studies show is that there is a role of physical therapy in the treatment of meniscus tears, not that surgery is useless. In fact, the studies show surgery is far from useless. In a similar study published in the New England Journal of Medicine entitled “Surgery versus Physical Therapy for a Meniscal Tear and Osteoarthritis” patients with only a little bit of arthritis were randomized to have surgery for a meniscus tear or undergo physical therapy. Approximately 2/3 of the patients got better in both groups. And those patients that did not improve with physical therapy by 3 or 6 months were able to cross-over into the surgery group and still reap the benefit of surgery: improved pain and function scores.

What this and many other studies show is that patients can get better with either physical therapy (PT) or surgery. However, some patients do not get better with PT and therefore should have surgery with the odds of getting better in their favor. Furthermore, the research shows that patients who undergo surgery get better faster. This becomes important when some patients present with such pain they cannot do PT or they do not have the time or are unwilling to wait months for improvement. Thus, if a patient wishes to avoid the risks of surgery and is willing to wait for similar results, he or she should undergo physical therapy and if it works, great! If not, they can then undergo surgery whose results are far from “useless”.

What all of this boils down to is presenting patients with appropriate information so they can make an informed decision with their surgeon. Medicine is not a “cookie-cutter” practice and to misinterpret data simply to sensationalize surgery as harmful or useless is irresponsible and often, incorrect. I encourage journalists, patients, and doctors to ensure that medical information that is released into the press is adequately vetted to eliminate bias. The urge to create controversy that undermines the balance between science and the art of medical practice may actually be harmful to the patient if it disrupts the patient-physician relationship and arms the patient with misinformation. I agree that ineffective surgeries should not be performed. Unfortunately, people tend to have a reductionist mentality and want to see things as good or bad. Research data can tell us that, but all too often the data tells us something in between.

Jonathan D. Gelber is an orthopedic surgeon.  This article originally appeared in the Huffington Post.

Image credit: Shutterstock.com

Prev

This story shows the humanity of medicine

August 19, 2016 Kevin 4
…
Next

MKSAP: 61-year-old man with generalized weakness

August 20, 2016 Kevin 1
…

Tagged as: Orthopedics

Post navigation

< Previous Post
This story shows the humanity of medicine
Next Post >
MKSAP: 61-year-old man with generalized weakness

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Jonathan D. Gelber, MD

  • Why paying doctors more is a win-win

    Jonathan D. Gelber, MD

Related Posts

  • When Western medicine fails patients and clinicians

    Kimberly Rogers, MD
  • Why social media may be causing real emotional harm

    Edwin Leap, MD
  • Are patients using social media to attack physicians?

    David R. Stukus, MD
  • How Big Medicine is hurting patients and putting small practices out of business

    John Machata, MD
  • A surprising example of how medicine is learned from our patients

    Aaron Grubner, MD
  • Cannabinoids are medicine, but patients aren’t getting the care they need

    Jill Becker, MD

More in Physician

  • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

    Curtis G. Graham, MD
  • The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change

    Jessie Mahoney, MD
  • Time theft: the unseen harm of abusive oversight

    Kayvan Haddadan, MD
  • Why more doctors are leaving clinical practice and how it helps health care

    Arlen Meyers, MD, MBA
  • Harassment and overreach are driving physicians to quit

    Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD
  • Why starting with why can transform your medical practice

    Neil Baum, MD
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • Harassment and overreach are driving physicians to quit

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why peer support can save lives in high-pressure medical careers

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
    • Addressing menstrual health inequities in adolescents

      Callia Georgoulis | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician
    • Clinical ghosts and why they haunt our exam rooms

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
    • High blood pressure’s hidden impact on kidney health in older adults

      Edmond Kubi Appiah, MPH | Conditions
    • Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How declining MMR vaccination rates put future generations at risk

      Ambika Sharma, Onyi Oligbo, and Katrina Green, MD | Conditions
    • The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

View 1 Comments >

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why specialist pain clinics and addiction treatment services require strong primary care

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Conditions
    • Harassment and overreach are driving physicians to quit

      Olumuyiwa Bamgbade, MD | Physician
    • Why peer support can save lives in high-pressure medical careers

      Maire Daugharty, MD | Conditions
    • When a medical office sublease turns into a legal nightmare

      Ralph Messo, DO | Physician
    • Addressing menstrual health inequities in adolescents

      Callia Georgoulis | Conditions
  • Past 6 Months

    • Forced voicemail and diagnosis codes are endangering patient access to medications

      Arthur Lazarus, MD, MBA | Meds
    • How President Biden’s cognitive health shapes political and legal trust

      Muhamad Aly Rifai, MD | Conditions
    • Why are medical students turning away from primary care? [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • The One Big Beautiful Bill and the fragile heart of rural health care

      Holland Haynie, MD | Policy
    • Who gets to be well in America: Immigrant health is on the line

      Joshua Vasquez, MD | Policy
    • Why “do no harm” might be harming modern medicine

      Sabooh S. Mubbashar, MD | Physician
  • Recent Posts

    • The shocking risk every smart student faces when applying to medical school

      Curtis G. Graham, MD | Physician
    • Clinical ghosts and why they haunt our exam rooms

      Kara Wada, MD | Conditions
    • High blood pressure’s hidden impact on kidney health in older adults

      Edmond Kubi Appiah, MPH | Conditions
    • Deep transcranial magnetic stimulation for depression [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • How declining MMR vaccination rates put future generations at risk

      Ambika Sharma, Onyi Oligbo, and Katrina Green, MD | Conditions
    • The physician who turned burnout into a mission for change

      Jessie Mahoney, MD | Physician

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

The urge to create controversies in medicine can harm patients
1 comments

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...