No images? Click here May 2020 Comprehensive Spasticity Management Team Update The comprehensive spasticity management team continues to grow in its clinical, educational and research efforts. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives and health care system but not the need for ongoing ITB pump management and neurotoxin injections. Throughout the recent surge plan to accommodate these changes, our dedicated team has continued to refill ITB pumps and administer urgent neurotoxin injections three days per week in the outpatient clinics and continued the daily management of spasticity patients in the hospital. Prior to the COVID crisis at this year’s AAP/ISPRM, Drs. McGuire, McGonigle, Goodfriend, Walker, Ryan, Kotsonis, and Ketchum were lead faculty at two spasticity workshops directed at both resident and attending level education. Over 250 participants attended these combined sessions. Drs. McGuire and Ketchum have served as faculty for the AAPM&R Ultrasound and Spasticity STEP programs. Mary Elizabeth Nelson continued her national course teachings on intrathecal Baclofen, and Drs. McGuire, Ketchum, and McGonigle continued their national and international course teachings on botulinum toxin injections. Current spasticity fellows Drs. Ryan and Walker prepared lectures that are expected to be broadcasted to both MCW and Jefferson departments of PM&R residents. Additionally, a collaborative effort is underway with Jefferson to prepare a submission to AAP for a session on developing a spasticity fellowship. An article on ITB Catheter Malfunction was published by Drs. Nelson and McGuire. The ongoing data collection for the study on dosing intrathecal Baclofen was completed with the help of Dr. Pfeiffer. Statistical analysis is wrapping up. The study validating the RATS scale continued to enroll patients and collect data. The fMRI study on diagnostic nerve blocks also enrolled patients and completed data collection on its first patient until COVID-19 stopped enrollment. This study is in collaboration with Neurosurgery on intrathecal catheter complication rates completed data collection and is ready for statistical analysis. A case series for spinal surgery after intrathecal Baclofen was approved. Manuscript is in rough draft status. An industry-sponsored study on Botulinum toxin injections has been approved by the IRB, and the spasticity team underwent training for this study. A second industry-sponsored study is in pre-approval at this time. The Spasticity Fellowship is preparing to graduate its 11th and 12th Spasticity Fellows this year. Drs. Ryan and Walker have secured jobs in PM&R with a focus on spasticity management on opposite ends of the country, expanding the impact of our programs nationally. California and New York will never be the same! Funding has been secured for next year’s program. Recruitment has been completed for next year’s Fellow, Dr. Nick Wilcox. Congratulations to Drs. Diane Braza, David del Toro, Nick Ketchum, Tom Kotsonis, John McGuire, and Kim Zvara for being recognized in the Milwaukee Magazine’s Top Docs 2020. Congratulations to Dr. Farhad Sepahpanah for his recent publication: Jessica A. Brundage, Roger D. Williams, Katie Powel, Jaclyn Raab, Caroline Engler, Nicole Rosin & Farhad Sepahpanah: An Interdisciplinary Sexual Health Rehabilitation Program for Veterans with Spinal Cord Injury. Sexuality and Disability. Published 01 April 2020. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-020-09629-0 Congratulations to Drs. Michael Harper and Ken Lee for being awarded a $50,000 grant from the PVA to develop the "Concussion Management Program for the Wheelchair Athlete." Dr. Harper is in the PM&R resident research intensive tract. Residency Match Results 2020-2021 I am excited to welcome our new residents to the MCW PM&R family! Thank you to everyone for help during recruitment. A special thanks to Sue Abrahms for all the hard work and hours put in to make this possible. Nick Baby News Please join me welcoming baby girl, Makenna Grace Dunn, who was born on Wednesday, 3/4/20. She is 7lb 10oz and 21 inches long. Both she and Catherine are doing great. Have news to share with your PM&R colleagues? We would love to hear from you for our next issue, so please email any recent publications, awards, presentations, shout-outs, etc. to Beatriz Envila at benvila@mcw.edu. Medical College of Wisconsin | 8701 Watertown Plank Road | Milwaukee, WI 53226 Connect to MCW on Social |