The article, "Chiropractic with Anesthesia" begins with a little history: MUA only began four years ago with Doctors Hospital East Loop in Houston, Texas, and is "an established osteopathic procedure" that is used at 7 of the 31 hospitals in the U.S.
G. Ron Austin, D.C., of Coast Plaza Hospital in Norwalk, California explains in the article that MUAs are used for bulging disks, sciatic pain, and cervical conditions that have not responded to conventional care. Proponents of MUA, cites the article, estimate that the procedure is warranted for 5-10 percent of chiropractic patients whose adjustments would be too painful with anesthesia.
The article is refreshingly positive for chiropractic. Orthopedic surgeon Khalid Ahmed expresses that DCs he works with at Coast Plaza Doctors are "nice people who have good rapport with their patients." Dr. Peter Golden, an anesthesiologist from Coast Plaza who's involved with 20 MUA procedures a month, notes that his apprehensions have faded in working with the DCs.
Editor's note: Below are articles "DC" has presented on MUA for reference sake.
- Capps S: Manipulation under anesthesia or conscious sedation, Dynamic Chiropractic, January 31, 1990, p. 9, 18, 21, 43.
- Francis R: Texas Chiropractic College building bridges, Dynamic Chiropractic, December 15, 1989, p. 1, 45, 47.
- Pugliese, D: Buena Park Doctors Hospital leads the way, Dynamic Chiropractic, February 1, 1991, p. 1, 28-29.
Please see page five article in this issue, "DCs Referred by MDs -- A Matter of Perspective" for a synopsis of an article on referring patients to chiropractors that was published in the same issue of Physician's Weekly as the MUA story.
Dynamic Chiropractic editorial staff members research, investigate and write articles for the publication on an ongoing basis. To contact the Editorial Department or submit an article of your own for consideration, email
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