Joint surgery caused problems instead of solving them? Who would have
thought??

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1154/story/294342.html


A little commentary on the same case from the "Dr. Bicuspid" site:

Kallestad, 29, a former cheerleader and tennis player who had dreams
of becoming a lawyer, is now unable to work and lives under the care
of her parents. She was involved in a sledding accident in early 2000
that caused her to develop TMJ symptoms. She was also diagnosed with a
slightly displaced soft-tissue disk in her left jaw joint.

After nine months of pain and conservative treatment, she went to Dr.
Collins. He treated her with bilateral steroid and sodium hyaluronate
injections in her jaw joints, plus open joint surgeries, according to
Kallestad's attorney, Mary Schultz. Dr. Collins also performed an
arthroplasty with a modified Walker repair on Kallestad's left
partially displaced disk, claiming that he had a success rate of more
than 95% with the surgery. He then performed the same operation on her
right jaw joint.

The Walker repair procedure was originally developed by 84-year-old
surgeon Robert Walker in 1987, according to Schultz.

"It was controversial even then," she said. "Dr. Collins has reworked
it and made it more risky."

Dr. Collins published a study in 2007 that evaluated the outcome of
the Walker repair technique in TMJ patients, concluding that it is an
effective surgical treatment (Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial
Surgery, October 2007, Vol. 65:10, pp.1958-1962).

According to Kallestad's complaint, first filed in 2004, Dr. Collins
did not inform her of the controversy within the oral surgery
community regarding the use of invasive and irreversible surgery for
pain and minor disk displacement in circumstances like hers and the
potential risks associated with the treatment. Also, he did not tell
her about alternative treatments that would not carry these risks.

In fact, Dr. Collins assured Kallestad that the arthroplasty procedure
had a 95% success rate in reducing pain and dysfunction, but in his
hands it was 100% successful, Schultz said.

Kallestad's jaw started degenerating after the surgeries. She
developed complex regional pain syndrome, which began spreading from
the surgery sites to other parts of her body, and, ultimately, her jaw
started to fuse shut.

"He [Dr. Collins] told Kimberly, when she returned with pain, that he
had 'fixed' her and that there was nothing wrong with her," Schultz
said. He told her "it was all in her head."

Kallestad then consulted with other physicians. Her jaw had to be
reopened by a gap arthroplasty, but fused two more times due to the
ankylosis.

"Now she is fully disabled," Schultz said. "There is constant burning
pain in her jaw."

In article
<0ffb3a19-4a0c-4116-b489->,
Bill <> wrote:

> Kallestad then consulted with other physicians. Her jaw had to be
> reopened by a gap arthroplasty, but fused two more times due to the
> ankylosis.
>
> "Now she is fully disabled," Schultz said. "There is constant burning
> pain in her jaw."

She more than likely was/is a good candidate for a total joint
replacement with a device such as that made by TMJ Concepts.

In article
<0ffb3a19-4a0c-4116-b489->,
Bill <> wrote:

> Joint surgery caused problems instead of solving them? Who would have
> thought??
>
> http://www.tri-cityherald.com/1154/story/294342.html
>
>

I must admit that reading the article was enough to ... well ... maybe
it's just a little too close to home for someone like me.

But, I do thank you for the post, Bill.

Webby

In article <tmjiatroepidemic->,
The Webby <> wrote:

> In article
> <0ffb3a19-4a0c-4116-b489->,
> Bill <> wrote:
>

>
> She more than likely was/is a good candidate for a total joint
> replacement with a device such as that made by TMJ Concepts.

I certainly hope *someone* knows enough to get her to someone who can
give her a very good chance at a successful treatment of the chronic
ankylosis of her joints. In this day and age, there is *no* reason I
can think of to deny her that opportunity.

If anyone knows the woman, please direct her to tmjconcepts.com

Webby

Indications and Contraindications
http://tmjconcepts.com/indication.html

Webby

In article <tmjiatroepidemic->,
The Webby <> wrote:

> In article <tmjiatroepidemic->,
> The Webby <> wrote:
>

>
> I certainly hope *someone* knows enough to get her to someone who can
> give her a very good chance at a successful treatment of the chronic
> ankylosis of her joints. In this day and age, there is *no* reason I
> can think of to deny her that opportunity.
>
> If anyone knows the woman, please direct her to tmjconcepts.com
>
> Webby

On Sep 4, 8:24*am, The Webby <tmjiatroepide...@cox.net> wrote:

> In article
> <0ffb3a19-4a0c-4116-b489-ce53ddd50...@i24g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,
>
> *Bill <dental...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>

>
> I must admit that reading the article was enough to ... well ... maybe
> it's just a little too close to home for someone like me. *
>
> But, I do thank you for the post, Bill. *
>
> Webby

You're welcome. When I came across that article, I thought you might
be interested in seeing it.
- dentaldoc

An old Angle Class II skeletal anterior open bite two-jaw orthognatic case
(late 80s - Columbus, OH) checked back in with me in early August about
doing "brackets for intermaxillary fixation."

Patient had, or is about to get, a couple of these done in Pittsburgh.

All the teeth are now full crowns and a couple of bridges.

I don't have the patience to fight keeping these attached anymore, so I
passed and said to get some poor bastard in Da Burgh to do that.

Patient had several TM joint surgeries - beginning with repositioning
articular discs a few years before my involvement in the orthognathic
surgery.

Got bilateral Proplasts later on, then removal of Proplasts and replacements
with temporal muscle fascia when they went bad.

I thought everything was going OK after the original orthognatic surgery,
but unless and until they let you know about what is going on, you never
know. Obviously, there is a personal black cloud following everywhere this
one goes.

Sometimes, I think these folks are just cursed by the gods and condemned to
be professional victims.

Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, money was never the issue, so whatever
comes along after the TMJConcepts custom implants will probably get put in
there too.

In article <D%Vvk.582$Wd.261@trnddc01>, "Docky Wocky" <>
wrote:

> An old Angle Class II skeletal anterior open bite two-jaw orthognatic case
> (late 80s - Columbus, OH) checked back in with me in early August about
> doing "brackets for intermaxillary fixation."
>
> Patient had, or is about to get, a couple of these done in Pittsburgh.
>
> All the teeth are now full crowns and a couple of bridges.
>
> I don't have the patience to fight keeping these attached anymore, so I
> passed and said to get some poor bastard in Da Burgh to do that.
>
> Patient had several TM joint surgeries - beginning with repositioning
> articular discs a few years before my involvement in the orthognathic
> surgery.
>
> Got bilateral Proplasts later on, then removal of Proplasts and replacements
> with temporal muscle fascia when they went bad.
>
> I thought everything was going OK after the original orthognatic surgery,
> but unless and until they let you know about what is going on, you never
> know. Obviously, there is a personal black cloud following everywhere this
> one goes.
>
> Sometimes, I think these folks are just cursed by the gods and condemned to
> be professional victims.
>
> Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, money was never the issue, so whatever
> comes along after the TMJConcepts custom implants will probably get put in
> there too.

I'm sorry but I don't quite follow. Could you add a bit more to clarify
your point about "the TMJConcepts" comment?

Thank you,
Webby

As I understand it, TMJConcepts fabricates custom fossa/condyle implants for
these patients from 3D CT Scans.

Perhaps, I am too cynical, or have seen too many answers go by.

In article <wTWvk.577$393.466@trnddc05>,
"Docky Wocky" <> wrote:

> As I understand it, TMJConcepts fabricates custom fossa/condyle implants for
> these patients from 3D CT Scans.
>
> Perhaps, I am too cynical, or have seen too many answers go by.

My confusion was about this section of your post:

> Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, money was never the issue, so whatever
> comes along after the TMJConcepts custom implants will probably get put in
> there too.

Yes, TMJ Concepts does fabricate custom joints. I guess I'm confused.
Did you mean to imply that the patient will seek out every available
surgery (just because the option exists) and that the concern about cost
is not a factor?

I just don't quite understand. It's easy to become cynical, if too too
cynical, when this topic is brought up. But, could you clear up my
confusion?

Webby