The January 2007 issue of Esquire magazine featured the latest in the publication's "What I've Learned" interviews. In this interview, 25-year-old triple amputee Bryan Anderson of Rolling Meadows, Illinois, tells readers what he has learned since both of his legs and most of his left arm were severed when a roadside bomb hidden in a curb demolished the Humvee that he was driving in Baghdad in the fall of 2005. Anderson's language is fresh, even raw at times, and his descriptions are vivid and gripping. He brings the reality of war home to thousands of readers with an honesty that some might find disturbing. Anderson's perspective on life is inspiring. His story shows that life can change in an instant, and that people aren't defined by the changes they go through in life but by how they deal with those changes.
This is just one of many stories that have comprised my introduction to O&P since joining The O&P EDGE almost two months ago. I look forward to learning more about O&P and relating the many stories, advances, issues, and more on the pages of this publication. This month, our editorial highlight focuses on surgical solutions, trends, and techniques. Miki Fairley begins with a look at osseointegration , a promising technique for providing function and quality of life for amputees while eliminating the pain and soft-tissue problems often associated with conventional socket-type prostheses. However, at present, osseointegration has a downside: the risk of deep infection, which can lead to bone loss, loosening of the implant, and even a possible need to re-amputate the limb at a higher, less functional level. In her article, Miki consults with various groups that are marshaling their forces to find a solution.
Miki also explores the Ertl osteomyoplastic amputation surgery procedure . Anecdotal evidence indicates that this procedure provides amputees with a more easily fitted and functional residual limb for improved quality of life. A research study is now under way to establish evidence-based outcomes data.
Judith Philips Otto provides a discussion about the importance of communication between prosthetists and surgeons in affecting patient outcomes . She asks surgeons William J.J. Ertl, MD, assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine, and Daniel Fisher, MD, associate professor of survey at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, and prosthetists David Baty, CPO, Dynamic O&P, Houston, Texas, and Deane Doty, CPO, VP of Active Life O&P, Glendale, California, to weigh in on the topic.
Our monthly online reader's poll (on the home page) invites you to give your opinion on the subject as well. But please, don't stop there. Let us know what you think about any of the articles in The O&P EDGE or about the publication in general by sending an e-mail to editor@opedge.com . Your input is a large part of what has made this publication so successful over the last five years, and it is what will make it even better going forward.
