The Voice of Podiatrists

Serving Over 9,000 Podiatrists Daily

November 13, 2006 #2,739 Editor-Barry Block, DPM, JD

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Probation of TX Podiatrist Shortened

Dr. James Naples’ request for his probation to be shortened has been granted by a district judge. Naples, a Texarkana podiatrist who was convicted of a federal felony, was given two years of probation for obstruction of justice. Naples went on probation on April 26, 2005, following his guilty plea. The charge was related to airplane logs that were withheld as part of a federal probe into Naples’ business practices.

According to district court documents, Folsom considered sentencing factors as well as factors used by the probation office including stable community reintegration, no history of violence, no recent evidence of alcohol or drug abuse and no identifiable risk to public safety. According to the documents, “while the court recognizes that defendant may have played an aggravated role in the offense, all of the other factors considered by the court weigh in favor of terminating defendant’s probation. The court finds that defendant has complied with all conditions of supervised release and presents no threat to society.”

Source: Lori Dunn, Texarkana Gazette, [11/11/06]

Risks Get Little Air Time on Medical Reality TV: Study

Intrigued by the pairing of reality TV and health, the Kaiser Family Foundation last month assembled TV and healthcare types to explore this small-screen marriage. A discussion paper for the foundation examined 10 health-based reality shows and their role in providing useful health information and shaping attitudes.

The main findings: Beauty and sex appeal are key themes; physicians are depicted as courageous and intelligent heroes; and procedures and treatments always seem to work with few or no complications.

"They can downplay risks, and they can set unrealistic [expectations]," said Victoria Rideout, vice president and director of the foundation's program for the study of entertainment media and health. "This is part of the mind-set of patients who are coming to see [physicians]. It behooves doctors to pay attention to what popular culture is saying and portraying about health issues."

Source: Damon Adams, AMNews [11/13/06]

Query: Off-site Access and HIPAA

Has anyone used "gotomypc.com" to access remotely information from the office? Is it HIPAA-compliant? Is it encrypted and safe from a security point of view?

Pat Caputo, DPM, Holmdel, NJ

Editor’s comment: PM News does not provide legal advice. These services are generally secure and used a high level of encryption, making them HIPAA-compliant. We recommend www.logmein.com, which is free.

RE: HPV and Cervical Cancer (Dale Smith, DPM)
From: Paul Bishop, DPM

I have had the same discussion with some of the OB/GYN physicians at my hospitals about wondering if there is a link between HPV on the foot and the cervix. Although there are a few subtypes that are found in both areas (hpv strains 2 and 16) there doesn't seem to be a link between the two. Anecdotally, about 2 years ago I began asking all my menstruating females with warts on their feet if they had ever had an abnormal pap smear. I found that about 10% had. Of those that had an abnormal PAP, I asked them if they were ever screened for HPV, most had said no, or they did not know.

My thinking was the same, that if someone can harbor one type of virus, why not another if they had been exposed to it? Of the group that I had asked to follow up with their OB/GYN after an abnormal PAP, I have had several that have come back telling me they went back and were screened and were HPV positive. To date, because of the questioning, we have found 2 patients with active cervical cancer, one in a 27 y/o female at an advanced stage and one in a 34-35 y/o female that was treated. I have lost track of the younger patient and do no know of her outcome.

Perhaps there is a study to be done here. My more pressing question is will the HPV vaccine influence the numbers of plantar and palmar verruca that we see? Will there be some cross immunity with the different subtypes of HPV? I think that is where we need a study done.

Paul Bishop, DPM, Feetpeople@aol.com, Yorkville, IL

RE: Chronic Tibial Sesamoiditis and HAV (Alan Mauser, DPM)
From: Jim Giannakaros, DPM

I recently had a similar case in which I performed an Austin osteotomy with a medial sesamoid removal all through one incision. Place your incision a little more medial than your normal dorsal-medial incision and you should have more than enough exposure to isolate and remove the medial seamoid. If you lengthen your incision an extra centimeter, this will also make your exposure better. Obviously, be careful of neurovascular structures if you are too medial. Be sure to perform an adequate lateral release as to prevent recurrence.

Jim Giannakaros, DPM, Manahawkin, NJ, Jimpody3@aol.com

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Available for recent graduates or former PPMR/RPR or PSR-12 residents. this is a major teaching affiliate of Michigan State University college of Osteopathic Medicine and serves 17 residency and fellowship programs. Active podiatric clinics in wound care, limb salvage, foot and ankle surgery, medicine and orthopedics. competitive salary and benefit package. meded@pohmedical.org

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