Published on: 07-Aug-2024
Research shows that educated patients can have better outcomes. Dr. Cole is committed to educating his patients and their families on sports medicine conditions and treatment options. We hope you enjoy viewing Dr. Cole’s discussions on joint health.
Video Transcript
I would like to share with you the concept of skillful neglect. There’s an excellent quote by Voltaire who said that the art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease.
As we age there are many parts of our body that deteriorate over time but that doesn’t mean they will actually cause symptoms or become problematic. The more sensitive the test, the more likely it is that we’ll pick up something that’s “abnormal”. For example if I were to obtain an MRI of your shoulder, I might find a rotator cuff tear, a labral tear or a cartilage tear that presented no symptoms. Similarly if I took an MRI of your knee, we might find a meniscal tear, a cartilage defect or even osteoarthritis and loss of cartilage in general.
What’s interesting is that you may never have symptoms from those conditions. If you do develop symptoms, because we have a good understanding of the natural history of what happens over time, the concept of skillful neglect is incredibly important. Knowing the history of a disease found on an MRI can help me educate you.
I can say “look, I know if we ignore this and we treat it properly without surgery to correct the problem and modify your symptoms, we can help keep you out of the operating room. I think an important tenet is that we don’t treat MRI’s or X-rays but we treat people. So the concept of skillful neglect is embodied in my experience as an orthopedic surgeon and understanding which things can be safely ignored without causing a different problem later on.
The best orthopedic care starts with the best orthopedic research. I am a proud faculty member in the department of orthopedic surgery at Rush University, home to the Midwest’s largest team of bone and joint scientists. With surgeons and clinicians partnering with elite laboratory researchers and data scientists, we continue to devise new solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions.
Our work informs orthopedic care around the world and is fueled by donors, patients and families who believe in our research to help more people lead active lives free of pain. To learn more about opportunities to participate in research or become a supporter please ask a member of my team or visit our website at this address: www.rush.edu/LiveActive.
Brian Cole, MD, MBA is an expert in shoulder, elbow and knee surgery. He is the Chairman of Surgery at Rush Oak Park Hospital and leads the Rush Orthopedic Master’s Program. Dr. Cole holds several leadership positions in national and international orthopedic societies.
Dr. Cole speaks often on the importance of A Surgeon’s Intuition…Listen Before You Operate, and has been featured on TEDX talks speaking on Sparing the Scalpel: A Surgeon’s Perspective on the Future of Orthopedics.
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