Rheumination

Discosupplementation

Discosupplementation

It's not the first time that I've used the term viscosupplementation in one of my dictations, but it may be my last.  It refers, of course, to the use of hyaluronate injections for osteoarthritis of the knee, and I use the term instead of the brand names like Synvisc or Durolane when writing to my referring family MDs.  I guess it must have been a late friday afternoon dictation and my secretary was already thinking of hitting the clubs because instead of writing:

...if the corticosteroid injections don't help we can try viscosupplementation..

she wrote:

...if the corticosteroid injections  don't help we can try discosupplementation... 

Almost makes you wonder which would work better.

Found in Translation

I'm english but I work primarily in a french milieu.  While I now can speak the language well enough I've never felt that great about my consultation letters.   It is much easier to speak to a patient in french than to dictate an intelligent letter to a knowledgeable french-speaking physician using medical jargon.  My earliest attempts could best be described in radiological terms, degenerative and erosive.  Fortunately I have fantastic secretaries at our office.  They somehow take my garbled attempts and transform them into something Dupuytren or Forestier would be proud of.  I often don't recognize the stuff that comes out, but it sure looks good.

That said, when I do write the odd english letter it still comes out sounding like Dupuytren was at the word processor.  Usually the mistakes are benign, but not always.  My colleague in the office once dictated to a hematologist;

    ...and would appreciate if you would follow the patient together with me.

It was typed out as;

    ...and would appreciate if you would blow the patient together with me.

Always read your letters.