Penn Medicine experts available to offer medical insight and commentary during 2010 Winter Olympics

Feb 3 2010

Experts from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are available to offer expert medical insight and commentary during the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver on issues ranging from the effects of performance enhancing drugs to concerns about the spread of novel H1N1, head trauma and more.

Pennsylvania Hospital primary care physician and Philadelphia Flyers team internist, Gary Dorshimer, MD, will travel to Vancouver to as an internal medicine consultant, treating NHL players playing for their respective national teams. He served in this same role at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City and at the 1998 Winter Games in Nagano.

Interviews are able to be conducted via satellite uplink from the Penn campus.

HIghlighted experts include:

Head Trauma and Concussion
Douglas Smith, MD, professor of Neurosurgery and director of the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair is available to address risk factors for and medical problems resulting from traumatic brain injury. His laboratory's research interests include investigating the biomechanical effects of traumatic brain injury, imaging techniques to diagnose injury, and the link between diffuse axonal injury and Alzheimer's disease.

Preventing the Spread of H1N1
Neil Fishman, MD, associate professor of Infectious Diseases; director of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention & Control; president elect, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America, has been working vigorously with Penn Medicine and city of Philadelphia officials to prevent unnecessary spread of H1N1.
•Fishman has been a leader in the planning and distribution of the H1N1 vaccine, transmission of the virus, symptoms, management, prevention strategies, high-risk populations, and the go-to expert in the Philadelphia region.
•He is available to discuss concerns about H1N1 before and during the Olympics, prevention strategies for athletes and spectators alike, as well as any concerns or related illnesses as they arise during the Olympics.

Michael Buckley, MD, chair, Department of Medicine & chief medical officer, Pennsylvania Hospital is also available for comment on H1N1 and seasonal flu treatment and prevention as well as additional concerns around infectious diseases, including HIV.

Detecting The Next Generation Of Performance Enhancers
Tejvir S. Khurana, MD, PhD, associate professor of Physiology and a member of the Penn's Pennsylvania Muscle Institute, is available to discuss new efforts to develop a test to detect performance enhancers that increase the blood's ability to carry oxygen, resulting in improved
athletic performance.
•Dr. Tejvir S. Khurana is investigating ways to detect molecular signatures in blood and muscles to combat doping in sports, funded in part by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
•New performance-enhancing drugs aim to artificially increase the concentration of red blood cells in the body so more oxygen is delivered to muscles than normal, which can significantly improve an athlete's endurance and performance.
•Khurana and colleagues are studying how a mammal's physiology changes and what naturally triggers an increased red blood cell production at high altitudes.

Additional PENN Medicine Experts Available for Comment:

Story Angle
Sports Medicine
- Orthopaedic Injury
- Physical Therapy
- Orthopaedic Trauma
PENN Medicine Experts:
•Brian Sennett, MD, Director of Sports Medicine for the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery
•Gary Dorshimer, MD, Internal Medicine. Will be traveling to Vancouver as an Internal Medicine consultant for the NHL. He served in the same role at the 1998 Nagano and 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics; team internist with the Flyers, Phantoms, Eagles, Kixx; consulting internist to the Pennsylvania Ballet.
•Arthur R. Bartolozzi, MD, Director of Sports Medicine Programs at Pennsylvania Hospital. Treating world-class athletes in every sport, from wrestling to rowing, from the NHL to the NFL; former team physician for the Philadelphia Eagles, Flyers and Phantoms.
•Justin Shaginaw, Manager of Sports Medicine and Fitness Programs at Pennsylvania Hospital. Assistant athletic trainer for the US Men's National Soccer Team; assistant athletic trainer/physical therapist for the Philadelphia Kixx of the Major Indoor Soccer League; former physical therapist for the Philadelphia Charge of the WUSA, Villanova, St Joseph's and Temple University's athletic departments; past rehabilitation consultant for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League; medical staff for the Philadelphia venue of the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup; worked national and international level soccer players, NFL, NBA, MISL/NPSL, WUSA, MLS, WTA, NLL and Olympic athletes; expert in injury prevention and ACL injuries, particularly in female athletes.
•Wen Chao, MD/ Keith Wapner, MD, surgeon, Foot and Ankle surgeons at Pennsylvania Hospital. Dr. Chao operated on Allison Baver of Reading, PA, following a severe injury. Baver has since recovered and will complete on the US speed skating team at the Vancouver Olympics. Dr. Chao is the foot and ankle surgeon to the Pennsylvania Ballet. Dr. Wapner is President of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Surgeons (AAOFAS).
•Samir Mehta, MD, Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, Chief, Division of Orthopaedic Trauma, is available to comment on
achilles tendon ruptures and femur fractures to shattered pelvises and shoulders.

Infectious Disease
- H1N1
•Neil Fishman, MD, Associate Professor of Infectious Diseases; Director of Healthcare Epidemiology, Infection Prevention & Control; President Elect, Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America
Available for comment on all aspects of H1N1 and seasonal flu, including vaccination, transmission, symptoms, management, prevention strategies, high-risk populations, etc.
•Michael Buckley, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine & Chief Medical Officer, Pennsylvania Hospital. Available for comment on H1N1 and seasonal flu treatment and prevention, Lyme disease, and HIV-related issues.

Neurology/Neurosurgery
- Head/Neck Injury
- Spinal Injury
•M. Sean Grady, MD, Charles Harrison Frazier Professor of Neurosurgery and Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery
•Douglas Smith, MD, Professor of Neurosurgery and Director of the Penn Center for Brain Injury and Repair

Cardiology
- Heart Rhythm problems
- Sudden Cardiac Arrest
•David Callans, MD, Associate Director of Cardiac Electrophysiology
•Lance Becker, MD, Professor of Emergency Medicine and Director of the Center for Resuscitation Science.

Anti-Doping
- Research
- Mechanism of Action
•Tejvir S. Khurana, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Physiology, studies ways to detect molecular signatures in blood and muscles to combat doping in sports, funded in part by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Endocrine Issues
- Diabetes
- Metabolism
- Hormones
•Mitch Lazar, MD, PhD, Chief of the Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes & Metabolism and Director of the Institute for Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism
•Mark Schutta, MD, Director of the Penn Rodebaugh Diabetes Center

Muscle Physiology
•Tejvir S. Khurana, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Physiology

Psychiatry
- Performance Anxiety
- Mental Preparedness
- Eating Disorders
•Michael E. Thase, MD, Director of the Penn Mood and Anxiety Program
•Rita B. Ryan, PhD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychology in Psychiatry
•Thomas Wadden, PhD, Director of Weight & Eating Disorders

Travel Medicine
- Illness prevention
- Vaccinations for travel
- Motion sickness, jet lag, altitude sickness
•Suzanne Shepherd, MD, Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Director of Education & Research, PENN Travel Medicine. Available for comment on all aspects of travel medicine and health, including vaccinations/prescription drugs necessary for travel abroad, illness prevention during travel, how to access proper medical care while traveling, travel insurance, international disease surveillance, and tips for preventing/managing motion sickness, jet lag, blood clots, altitude sickness and digestive illnesses during travel.
•Michael Buckley, MD, Chair, Department of Medicine & Chief Medical Officer, Pennsylvania Hospital. Also available for comment on all aspects of travel medicine and health.

Sleep Disorders
- Time Change/Jet Lag
- Sleep Deprivation
•Allan Pack, MD, PhD, Chief of the Division of Sleep Medicine and Director of the Center for Sleep and Respiratory Neurobiology

Source: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine