Central New York Injury Lawyer Blog

I recently read about a Finish study published in the New England Journal of Medicine suggesting that one of the most common types of knee surgery (a meniscectomy) is worthless. The meniscus (see photo), by the way, is the cartilage of the knee located on either side of what is popularly known as the “knee cap” (patella). It acts as a shock absorber.

The removal of (either part of or the entire) meniscus, known as a “meniscectomy”, is a simple operation: Small incisions are made for inserting the arthroscope (a small surgical camera) inside the knee. A tool called a “shaver”, guided by the surgeon, then trims torn meniscus and smooths the edges.

In the study, 146 patients with torn menisci were divided into two groups, one to receive real meniscectomies, and the other to receive a “fake surgery”, in which blade-less shavers were rubbed against the outside of the knee cap to simulate the sensation of having an actual meniscectomy.

Why is New Year’s Eve so damn dangerous? Drunk driving is, of course, the biggest killer tonight. But drunk walking is a close second. Did you know that more people die while walking down the street tonight than any other night of the year? The dangers of dunk driving and drunk walking are easy to avoid; just stay home and celebrate with friends and champagne, right?

Yes, but even if you stay home there is one New Year’s Eve danger you need to avoid tonight. Cork popping. No, not popcorn popping, cork popping. Champagne, a big New Year’s favorite, incorrectly popped, causes serious blinding injuries each year. The pressure in those bubbly bottles can reach 90 pounds per square inch – more than most car tires. The cork can travel at a bullet-like 50 miles per hour as it leaves the bottle, fast enough to rupture eyeballs, detach retinas and take out your eye, or the eye of a fellow reveler. Spending New Year’s Eve on an ophthalmologist’s surgery table is not a good way to bring in the New Year. And guess what — it happens every year. Just ask your local emergency room doc.

But thankfully there’s a surefire (no pun intended) way to slow down the cork’s pace — and thus make it a lot safer. Make sure your champagne bottles are well chilled. A warm bottle’s cork explodes much sooner and with greater force than a cold bottle’s. And here’s some other safety tips for uncorking the bubbly:

As Syracuse Crunch fans all know by now, Michaels Bersani Kalabanka, your Central New York Injury Law Firm, is honoring “Everyday Heroes” at all Syracuse Crunch home hockey games this winter. “Everyday Heroes” are local community volunteers who have given their time and talents to a local charitable organization. In front of the whole Crunch crowd, we regal them, and their family and friends, with free game tickets, food, drink, etc.

Let me introduce you to Michaels Bersani Kalabanka’s latest “Everyday Hero”, eleven year-old Christopher Rawlins. Chris was born with Cerebral Palsy. He attends Reynolds Elementary School where he is an excellent student, plays the tuba and soccer, and participates in school plays. Chris has also participated in the Special Olympics and is a Jr Elk at the American Legion in Baldwinsville.

Nothing holds this kid back! He has a fantastic attitude, an infectious smile, and likes to keep friends and family entertained with knock-knock jokes. He is a huge Dallas Cowboys fan and can rattle off statistics on games and players.