Editor's Note, Volume 12 Issue 5

D’Arcy Little, MD, CCFP, FCFP, FRCPC Medical Director, JCCC and HealthPlexus.NET

I am pleased to introduce the next issue of the Journal of Current Clinical Care.

Drs. Erika Leck and Sean D. Christie present Spine Surgery Considerations in the Aging Population. The global population is ageing, and with that there is a concomitant increase in spinal pain and mobility complaints, most commonly related to degenerative changes. It is important to consider how the markers of aging and, specifically frailty, can overlap with symptoms of spine disease. Although non-operative management should be the initial response, spine surgery in older adults is safe and should be considered as part of a holistic approach for patients with persistent neuropathic pain.

Matt Farrah Co-founder of Nurses.co.uk, from East Sussex, United Kingdom offers a discussion on What Challenges are Involved in Surgery for Elderly Patients? Elderly patients who require surgery are often considered "high-risk" by healthcare providers for many reasons. Many elderly are frail and in poor health. Although outcomes of surgery are improving for elderly patients, experts recommend avoiding surgery if less invasive methods are available.

Dr. Michael Gordon, Emeritus Professor of Medicine from the University of Toronto presents an interesting conversation on The Importance of the Pecking Order in Humans and Other Living Species. Most of us either know about, have heard about, or have experienced the existence of a pecking order. Whether in school, at work or at social functions, pecking order attributes are often manifest, without necessarily being recognized for how important it is for those involved or affected. By understanding its cause and its manifestations, especially those that might be deleterious, those of us at the top of the pecking order, make sure that those closer to the bottom are not left out of the important activities of the enterprise. Dr. Gordon's second narrative If Pigs Might Fly… covers the topic of organ transplants and xenotransplants.

I hope you enjoy this latest edition.