Ahead of World Spine Day, MSA members continue to raise awareness of risks associated with Ankylosing Spondylitis
LANSING – Members of the Michigan Society of Anesthesiologists (MSA) are educating first responders and health care providers about protecting patients who are at increased risk of spinal injury with standard medical procedures.
Emergency procedures such as putting patients on a stretcher or intubating them could result in inadvertent spinal injuries for patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), an inflammatory disease associated with spinal stiffness, deformity and an increased risk of vertebral fracture. Nationwide, at least 2 million adults have AS. Its parent disease, Axial Spondyloarthritis, affects about 5.9 million adults in the United States.
“October 16 is World Spine Day, and it’s the perfect opportunity to remind our colleagues about the special precautions we must take while working with patients who have Ankylosing Spondylitis,” said Dr. Anoop Chhina, anesthesiologist with Henry Ford Health System. “These patients require coordinated, individualized care to ensure the best health outcomes.”
Chhina has worked with Henry Ford’s Anesthesiology Executive Vice Chair Dr. William Peruzzi on an article for the Society of Critical Care Anesthesiologists as well as a module for continuing medical education covering case studies, evidence and best practices related to airway management considerations in patients with AS.
“As anesthesiologists, we use our extensive medical education and training to evaluate patients, identify and address potential risks and create tailored care before, during and after surgery,” Peruzzi said. “We use this expertise to help educate providers across different departments to quickly identify and care for patients with increased spinal injury risks.”
comments