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MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The skeleton is made up of bones, which provides support and shape to the body. They protect soft internal organs, such as the brain, and heart from injury. Together with muscles, strong bones enable the body to move freely. Bones have a solid outer surface called compact bone. The inner bone is called spongy bone, because it is less dense than compact bone and has many small holes, like a sponge. Bones contains cells osteoclasts that break down bone tissue. Other cells called osteoblasts make new bone tissue using minerals, such as calcium and phosphate from the blood. Hormones, such as estrogen, growth hormone, and testosterone help keep the number and activity of osteoblasts higher than osteoclasts so that more bone is made then removed. Physical forces and pressure during exercise also help bones to grow stronger and denser. These processes allow bones to grow strong in children and young adults. People have their strongest most dense bones called peak bone mass in their 30s. After this age, osteoclasts gradually remove more bone than the osteoblasts make. Osteoporosis is a condition that leads to weakened bones causing them to break more easily. Healthy bone is dense enough to support and protect the body and to handle the stresses of movement and minor injuries. However, people with osteoporosis have abnormally thin bones with larger holes in the spongy bone. There are two types of osteoporosis. Primary osteoporosis is usually related to older age, as well as a reduced amount of estrogen. Secondary osteoporosis affects both children and adults. It is related to other diseases or conditions, such as cancer, hormone problems, or use of certain medications. A person has a greater risk for either type of osteoporosis if they don't develop enough bone mass when they're growing from childhood to adulthood. Risk factors that can lead to low peak bone mass include a family history of osteoporosis, being white or Asian, being female, a poor diet, certain medications-- such as steroids or certain seizure medicines-- lack of physical activity and weight bearing, exercise and lifestyle behaviors-- such as smoking and drinking too much alcohol. A person also has a greater risk for either type of osteoporosis if they have an abnormal amount of bone loss after age 30. Some bone loss is normal after this age. However, a person with the same risk factors for low peak bone mass can be more likely to get osteoporosis as they age. Increased bone loss is also common in women after the time of a woman's last period called menopause. After menopause, a woman's ovaries stop making the hormone estrogen. With the drop in hormones, bone removing cells called osteoclasts are more active than the bone making cells called osteoblast. Bones may break or fracture easily, because they're unable to withstand the physical strain and pressure from even normal activities. Common fracture locations and people with osteoporosis include the wrists, spine, and hips. Building strong healthy bones through a diet rich in calcium and vitamins and getting regular exercise can help prevent, as well as treat osteoporosis. Common medications for osteoporosis include bisphosonates, a medication called Denosumab, selective estrogen receptor modulus or SERMs, and Calcitonin. In general, these medications act on bone removing cells called osteoclast. Parathyroid hormone acts on bone making cells called osteoblasts. Food or supplements containing calcium and vitamin D are also recommended for osteoporosis. For more information, talk to a health care professional.
"It is my experience that it's much more effective to show a jury what
happened than simply to tell a jury what happened. In this day and age where
people are used to getting information visually, through television and
other visual media, I would be at a disadvantage using only words.
I teach a Litigation Process class at the University of Baltimore Law Schooland use [Medical Legal Art's] animation in my class. Students always saythat they never really understood what happened to [to my client] until theysaw the animation.
Animations are powerful communication tools that should be used wheneverpossible to persuade juries."
Andrew G. Slutkin Snyder Slutkin & Kopec Baltimore, MD
"Whether it's demonstrating a rotator cuff tear, neck movement a few
milliseconds after rear impact, or a proposed lumbar fusion, the Doe Report
represents an instant on-line database of medical illustration for
health-care and legal professionals.
Illustrations can be purchased 'as is' or modified within hours and sent
either electronically or mounted on posterboard. An illustration is worth a
thousand words, as juries perk up and look intently to capture concepts
that are otherwise too abstract. Start with good illustrations, a clear and
direct voice, a view of the jury as 12 medical students on day one of
training, and your expert testimony becomes a pleasure, even on cross
examination. An experienced trial lawyer should also emphasize these
illustrations at the end of trial, as a means of visually reinforcing key
concepts covered.
As a treating physician, I also use these accurate illustrations to educate
my own patients about their medical conditions. The Doe Report is an
invaluable resource, and its authors at MLA have always been a pleasure to
work with."
Richard E. Seroussi M.D., M.Sc.
Diplomate, American Boards of Electrodiagnostic Medicine and PM&R
Seattle Spine & Rehabilitation Medicine
www.seattlespine.info
"Thank you for the splendid medical-legal art work you did for us in the
case of a young girl who was blinded by a bb pellet. As a result of your
graphic illustrations of this tragic injury, we were able to persuade the
insurance company to increase their initial offer of $75,000.00 to
$475,000.00, just short of their policy limits.
We simply wanted you to know how pleased we were with your work which, to
repeat, was of superlative character, and to let you know that we would be
more than willing to serve as a reference in case you ever need one. Many
thanks for an extraordinary and dramatic depiction of a very serious injury
which clearly "catapulted" the insurance company's offer to a "full and
fair" amount to settle this case."
Philip C. Coulter Coulter &Coulter Roanoke, VA
"At 3 PM it hit me--I needed exhibits of a tracheostomy, a coronary artery
bypass and a deep vein thrombosis--all in time for a for-trial video
deposition the next day. The Doe Report had each exhibit on line. In
addition, I ran across an exhibit I hadn't even thought of: reduced ejection
fraction after a heart attack. Because this was a video deposition, I could
use the e-mail version of the medical exhibit, print it on my color copier,
and let the camera zoom in. For $400, less than one blow-up by one of The
Doe Report's competitors, I got four first-rate exhibits in less than a day.
The Doe Report saved me time and money."
Medical Legal Art creates medical demonstrative evidence (medical
illustrations, drawings, pictures, graphics, charts, medical animations,
anatomical models, and interactive presentations) for use during legal
proceedings, including research, demand letters, client conferences,
depositions, arbitrations, mediations, settlement conferences, mock jury
trials and for use in the courtroom. We do not provide legal or medical
advice. If you have legal questions, you should find a lawyer with whom you
can discuss your case issues. If you have medical questions, you should seek the advice of a healthcare provider.
