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HITTING THE MARK! ULTRASOUND IN THE OFFICE INJECTIONS IN THE orthopedic office have been a staple for years. However, with advances in ultrasound technology, injections can be given to specific areas with greater accuracy and certainty. "Most joints and tendons can easily be visualized with [ultra- sound], and specific injections can be given," states Christopher Breen, orthopedic physician assistant, who performs the procedure. "We can actually watch the needle go to the specific pathology for maximal effect." With the advent of platelet-rich plasma, ultrasound is vital to allow the solution to reach its target. Plasma is what's left when blood cells are separated from the liquid component of human whole blood. The plasma portion contains numerous biologic According to Dr. Wasserman, the sports medicine program is also fostering relationships beyond the therapy community. Many sports medicine staff are active participants in promoting injury prevention through lectures to physicians, allied health professionals and Long Island residents. Additionally, educational materials are available and distributed to increase public knowledge about conditions of the musculoskeletal system. As the number of athletes increases yearly, both the incidence and prevalence of sports injuries increase. Dr. Wasserman hopes that by reaching out to the community, the hospital will raise awareness of the important benefits of preventive care for athletes at any level. Sports Medicine: A Whole-Life Focus Dr. Grossman believes an important focus of the physicians at Winthrop-University Hospital is the impact of the sports injury on the patient's life as a whole. "When patients come to the office, we have in-depth conversa- tions about their injuries in relation to their sports and the goals they are attempting to achieve," says Dr. Grossman. "For instance, the point at which the injury occurs during the athletic season or scholarship aspirations may determine a patient's treatment timeline. We have to determine whether it's safe to finish the season with conservative treatment and consider operative treatment after he or she has fulfilled his or her obligation to the sport." This commitment to treating the whole person combined with the availability of various orthopedic specialists adds to the robustness of the patient treatment platform. "When patients come to Winthrop-University Hospital with multiple orthopedic ailments, they are treated by physicians with multiple areas of specialty training to optimize outcomes," says Dr. Wasserman. For more information, visit www.winthrop.org. ■ Reference 1 C. J. Wahl, M.D.; R.W. Westermann, B.S.; G.Y. Blaisdell, M.D.; A.M. Cizik, M.P.H., "An Association of Lateral Knee Sagittal Anatomic Factors with Non-Contact ACL Injury: Sex or Geometry?" The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery. 2012; 94:217-226 doi:10.2106/JBJS.K.00099 Mark Grossman, M.D., orthopedic surgeon and Chief of the Division of Sports Medicine at Winthrop-University Hospital, and his medical assistant review an imaging study. "What's interesting is that sports medicine encompasses all ages, all sports, all seasons. We have so many youth and adult leagues and athletes who play their sports all year round. It's our job to keep them going." — Mark G. Grossman, M.D., Chief of Sports Medicine at Winthrop-University Hospital and clinical assistant professor at SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine MDNEWS.COM ■ MD NEWS Long Island | 19 factors that have been shown to enhance healing in animal and human studies. Therefore, the patient's own blood is spun down, and the platelet healing factors are injected into the same person's area of pathology. "It is easily done in the office by many of our orthopedic faculty," says Mark G. Grossman, M.D., Chief of Sports Medicine at Winthrop-University Hospital and clinical assistant professor at SUNY Stony Brook School of Medicine. "It's primarily used for tendinopathies such as tennis elbow when other conservative measures are exhausted and as an alternative to surgery. More studies need to be performed to define the efficacy, but the future seems hopeful." SPECIAL CLINICAL SECTION: ORTHOPEDICS