INDEXING TITLE: NALUDINO'S MAR (07-07)

TITLE: Offering the "Unconventional"

PERIOD OF MEDICAL OBSERVATION: June 2007

NARRATION:

We were treating a patient at the emergency room. A paraplegic patient, he fell 8 years ago and injured his spinal cord. He was bedridden for life. Along with his condition were the concomitant complications such as decubitus ulcers. He was no different.

The conventional thinking would be to do debridement on this patient. Do daily wound care and debridement if necessary. There are others however, who are proposing new ways of caring for such patients.

We were presented with a new product. An ointment which claims to promote healing in patients even in chronic wounds. We wanted to try it. It would certainly benefit our patients. More options for treatment would mean more avenues to achieve well-being.

We subsequently enrolled our patient, gave the initial treatment. We were roaring to proceed. As fate would have it, the patient did not want to proceed. Sadly our "experience" with the drug lasted only for a short time.

INSIGHTS: (discovery, STIMULUS, reinforcement) (PHYSICAL, psychosocial, ethical)

This patient could have served as an example to others. We could have explored another mode of treatment if only he had cooperated and stayed. We should not limit ourselves to what the “conventional" is.

Knowing other forms of treatment would be a great advantage for us doctors should our patients ask for them. As long as these treatments do not endanger the safety of the patient and if the patient can afford it, it should be offered as an alternative. Care should be made to give them as an option with proper advice on the possible outcomes and consequences.