The AANA 35th Annual Meeting in Boston

Since 1985, Andrew Collier, MD, has served as a surgeon with Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates and taught as a clinical instructor at Thomas Jefferson University. Andrew Collier, MD, is the sole orthopaedic surgeon certified in arthroscopic laser surgery in Philadelphia, and he enjoys membership as a fellow of the Arthroscopy Association of North America.

In 1981, a caucus of physicians assembled in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, following an international meeting to weigh ideas for promoting advances in arthroscopy in the North American continent. As a result, the Arthroscopy Association of North America (AANA) formed and has since provided a wide range of resources and continuing education opportunities to orthopaedic doctors who concentrate in this area of subspecialty.

From April 14 to 16, 2016, the AANA will hold its 35th Annual Meeting at the John B. Hynes Veteran Memorial Convention Center, located in Boston, Massachusetts. Attendees will benefit from a variety of lectures and seminars, as well as courses focused on clinical skill development. For registration and hotel information, please visit www.aana.org.

Best Times for Taking an Alaskan Cruise

Andrew Collier, MD, a diplomate of the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery, practices with Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates in Pennsylvania. Away from his practice, Andrew Collier, MD, is a travel enthusiast who counts a two-week land and sea cruise to Alaska among his most memorable experiences.

Going on an Alaskan cruise gives travelers the opportunity to experience the state’s unique scenery and wildlife, but some times of the year are better for cruises than others. The official season for Alaskan cruises runs, roughly, from May to September. Traveling outside of those months limits visitors’ options to the Alaska Marine Highway system, a collection of ferries that offer basic rooms and meals on a reduced schedule.

During the cruise season, numerous large cruise lines market a variety of vacation packages. The peak cruise season in Alaska occurs during June and July because the daylight hours are longest and the weather typically is the mildest during these months. The Alaska cruise shoulder seasons are in May and September. Prices and crowds are normally lower during this time because they are during the school calendar year, when many families find it difficult to vacation.

Weather in Alaska is fairly unpredictable, as are wildlife sightings, so most cruises are left up to chance. However, July and August are typically the warmest, along with the wettest, months of the season, while May and September are drier. Additionally, from May to July, visitors have the greatest chance of spotting abundant wildlife, particularly mothers and their offspring who are often active during these times.

Holt International Children’s Services Hosts Annual Gala and Dinner

In addition to practicing as an orthopaedic surgeon with Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates, Andrew Collier, MD, holds teaching affiliations at Thomas Jefferson University and the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. A father of five children, Andrew Collier, MD, contributes financially to the Holt International Children’s Services adoption agency.

Incorporated in 1956, the Holt International Children’s Services began when Harry and Beth Holt wanted to adopt eight Korean children but learned they would need to get the Houses of Congress to pass special laws. They worked tirelessly to find homes for children and financed the organization through their own funds. Today, the agency has found homes for almost 40,000 children.

During the year, Holt International hosts fundraising events, with one scheduled for November 14, 2015. Its annual gala and dinner auction in Omaha, Nebraska, benefits children and families scattered across the globe. Attendees can bid on auction items and enjoy a program that highlights adoption. Proceeds from the event will support children and families with counseling, education, nutrition, and financial support services.

The Rarest Scoring Play in Football

Andrew Collier, MD, has worked as an orthopaedic surgeon in Pennsylvania with Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates since 1985. Andrew Collier, MD, has also served as team physician with little league and high school football teams, receiving a special distinction from the school board upon his retirement.

In the American sport of gridiron football, teams can score in a variety of ways, including through six-point touchdown plays and three-point field goals. Other scoring plays, such as a successful two-point conversion following a touchdown or a safety, are less common. However, perhaps the rarest scoring play in football is valued at one point.

A traditional safety occurs when an offensive player carrying the football is tackled in his own end zone. The defensive team automatically scores two points on the safety and kicks off to the opposing team. A one-point safety, on the other hand, can only occur during a one- or two-point conversion attempt. Should the defense gain possession of the football before being tackled in its own end zone, a safety is called and the tackling team receives a single point.

Skiing at Switzerland's St. Moritz

Andrew Collier, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon with Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates, where he’s been since 1985. A skiing enthusiast in his free time, Andrew Collier, MD, has traveled extensively, including to the Switzerland resort town of St. Moritz, to try new routes.

The first winter-sports resort in the world, St. Moritz was established more than 150 years ago. It remains a popular destination for skiers as well as other outdoor sportsmen. Located in the Engadine valley in the south of Switzerland, near the Italian border, the resort enjoys consistent weather, with reliable snowfall and approximately 300 sunny days each year.

Its skiing amenities and accommodations are excellent, with 58 lifts and 350 kilometers of pistes divided into four sectors. Each sector offers its own advantages to skiers. A good choice for intermediate skiers, Corviglia is the main sector with a peak at 3,057 meters. Corvatsch, the north-facing sector, offers some of the best conditions in the region and has the highest lift, which takes skiers up 3,305 meters. This sector is best for freeriding.

In addition to great slopes, St. Mortiz offers half a dozen accommodation options and several restaurants.                             

Activities of the Eastern Orthopaedic Education Foundation

A partner in Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates in PA, Dr. Andrew Collier has almost 20 years' experience as a surgeon. Dr. Andrew Collier is a three-time recipient of the Patient's Choice Award, and a member of the Eastern Orthopaedic Association (EOA).

The EOA in 1998 established the Eastern Orthopaedic Education Foundation (EOEF) as a means of promoting lifelong learning among up-and-coming orthopaedists. This non-profit organization makes grants and awards to fellows and residents in order to enhance quality patient care and research. The EOEF meets these needs by sponsoring lectures and presentations of papers at EOA meetings.

Tax-deductible contributions to the EOEF support several programs. For example, donations make possible mentorships for surgeons by recognized authorities in the field. This includes expenses-paid two-week clinical visits. Young surgeons, residents, and fellows can also receive funds for traveling to scientific meetings of the EOA they could not otherwise attend.

Additionally, the EOEF sponsors research for an evidence-based practice and develops online information on its websites to better convey scientific data. 

Understanding the Basics of Skiing

For the last three decades, Andrew Collier, MD, has functioned as a physician and orthopaedic surgeon with Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates in Pennsylvania. Outside of his work as a surgeon, Andrew Collier, MD, enjoys spending time with his family. He is especially fond of taking family ski trips to places such as Austria and Switzerland.

There are a number of techniques individuals must master as they become familiar with the sport of skiing. However, one important piece of information involving how skis actually move on snow is often overlooked. The ability to ski down a mountainside is rooted in the principle that the freezing point for water changes with pressure. In other words, as skis are pressed against the snow, the applied pressure melts the snow. The result of the melting snow is a thin layer of water that allows the skis to travel downhill with little resistance.

This aspect of skiing plays a critical role in the concept of seeking out the path of least resistance. Skis naturally tend to travel in a straight path down the hill. In any other direction, skiers are forced to push more snow out of the way, creating added friction and slowing progress. A person can take advantage of the path of least resistance by taking a sideways position in order to slow down and come to a stop.                            

Packing Tips for Family Ski Vacations

An orthopaedic surgeon by profession, Dr. Andrew Collier of Philadelphia, PA, enjoys taking his family on ski trips. Dr. Andrew Collier and his family have traveled from Philadelphia, PA, to ski destinations in Vermont as well as to several of Europe's top ski destinations.

The first thing a family ski vacation needs is a sturdy suitcase or two. A large suitcase can carry enough clothing for one adult and as many as three children. All members of the family, even nonskiers, will need to pack the suitcase with warm and comfortable clothing for outdoor and for off-the-mountain activities. Pajamas, toiletries, and plenty of underwear are also key. Families with young children should consider bringing familiar games and toys for down time, and even older children appreciate having a deck of cards around if they get bored.

Skiers need plenty of layers, including thermal underwear, an insulated layer, and a water-resistant shell. Everyone who will be outside in the snow needs high-quality waterproof gloves as well as good boots and thick wool socks. Sunscreen and lip balm are essential to keep faces from becoming burned, as are hydration packs if skiers plan on taking few breaks. Children will need helmets, and many skiers of varying ages prefer to have goggles on hand to protect the eyes from snow and glare.                            

Patricia Cornwell and the Scarpetta Series

A three-time winner of a patient's choice award, Dr. Andrew Collier served as an orthopaedic surgeon in Philadelphia, PA, for nearly three decades. When he is not in the operating room, Dr. Andrew Collier enjoys reading the mystery fiction of Patricia Cornwell.

Cornwell is known for her series of 22 novels about Kay Scarpetta, a medical examiner. The author of 26 New York Times bestsellers, she had a humble beginning to her literary career. At a signing for her first novel, Postmortem, the book sold only one copy. However, it received critical acclaim, winning five major awards.

Cornwell was born in Miami and grew up in North Carolina, where she joined the staff of the Charlotte Observer. At the Observer she became well known for her articles on prostitution. She later moved to Virginia to work for the Chief Medical Examiner, an inspiration for the Scarpetta character.

Now living in Boston, Cornwell cofounded the National Forensic Academy and appears on CNN as a consultant. She has also made donations to examine a Confederate submarine and excavate historic objects in Jamestown, Virginia.  

Holt International - Facilitating Adoptions of Korean Children

Well established in the Philadelphia, PA, community, Dr. Andrew Collier practices with Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates. Since the adoption of their oldest son, Dr. Andrew Collier and his wife have made contributions to Holt International Children's Services, an agency that maintains a strong presence in Korea.

Dedicated to the idea that children “need loving adoptive families,” Holt International was established by Harry and Bertha Holt in the mid-1950s, when many young Koreans were orphaned in the wake of the Korean War. After the Holts advocated before the U.S. Congress for a special act that would allow the adoption of Korean children, they were able to create their pioneering international adoption program.

Today Holt International continues in its mission with young Korean orphans, typically matching boys between 6 and 12 months of age with families in the United States. Most of these children are toddlers when they come home to adoptive families. As with children from other countries that Holt International works with, many Korean children have some health issue. This issue is frequently of a minor variety, such that the child is considered healthy upon arrival in the United States.

Open versus Endoscopic Carpal Tunnel Surgery

As a board-certified, practicing orthopaedic surgeon in Philadelphia, PA, Dr. Andrew Collier helps patients enjoy a better quality of life. Since 1985, Dr. Andrew Collier has worked at Philadelphia Orthopaedic Associates. As an organization, the practice focuses on less-invasive techniques such as endoscopic surgery for treating carpal tunnel syndrome and other debilitating conditions.

There are various treatments designed to help patients with carpal tunnel syndrome, ranging from nonsurgical to surgical. A nonsurgical approach is, of course, preferred. Minimally invasive endoscopic surgery is frequently used when nonsurgical approaches have failed. Other times, it is performed if a doctor is concerned about nerve damage or if the pain associated with the condition is particularly severe. 

In endoscopic carpal tunnel surgery, a surgeon maneuvers a small tube with a camera attached to the end of it into the affected area through a small incision. This allows the surgeon to see the area without surgically opening it up entirely, as is the case in open carpal tunnel surgery. Then the surgeon makes cuts to release pressure on the median nerve, thereby decreasing the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome. Since the endoscopic procedure is less invasive than open surgery, it is considered to have fewer risks and has a faster healing time. It is often recommended for patients who need to have surgery on both wrists or who depend on the use of their wrists for getting around in a wheelchair or on crutches.