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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 5 | O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
commonplace in my practice. Nerve blocker sounds
more like a machine than a single-dose anesthetic.
• Synvisc. Patients commonly pronounce the popu-
lar hyaluronic acid preparation as
S ynvix
. Surely this
pronunciation is easier, but it does present problems to
pharmacies and insurers. No wonder this product is often denied!
• Baker cyst. This commonly found benign lesion in the posterior knee
is often referred to as a
Baker's cyst
. No, it's not more endemic in
those who make homemade bread or sell birthday cakes. Rather it was
described by William Morrant Baker, a 19
th
Century English surgeon and
anatomist. Dr. Baker had a penchant for dissection and cricket, not the
kitchen.
• Issues. Many patients will present a joint complaint and refer to their
pain as an
issue
. "Dr. Kelly I have some real issues with my shoulder."
Issues with your shoulder? Did your shoulder abuse you when you were
younger? Did it neglect you in your formative years? Have you not forgiv-
en your shoulder? Were you traumatized by your shoulder at any point?
Loud and clear, despite the poor agnostics
The good news is despite the malapropisms, I usually know exactly
what my patients are trying to say. When you consid-
er that there are thousands of medical terms,
patients are doing pretty well in navigating the ter-
minology labyrinth. Now, if you will excuse me, I
must go. My wife is trying to tell me something. I
have trouble hearing her because the
ag nostics
in our
den are poor. OSM
Dr. Kelly (johndak4@gmail.com) is an orthopedic surgeon/sports-
shoulder specialist who practices in Philadelphia, Pa.
Ouch, I
tore my
rotary cup!
The nerve
blocker
wore off
