This Medical Life

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This Medical Life

Using storytelling and expert guests, this podcast is aimed at GPs.

In This Medical Life, Dr Travis Brown and Steve Davis explore the history of diseases and medical treatments, and share the latest insights of the modern approaches being used.

14/10/2024

Episode 70: Understanding troponin | As serious as a heart attack

Troponin is a protein found in heart muscle that was a game changer when it came to diagnosing heart attacks and myocardial injury in the late 1990s. Three decades later, it is an invaluable test with widespread use throughout medicine.

Troponin assays are venturing into their 5th generation with high-sensitivity and Point-Of-Care (POC) devices. However, there are important exceptions, caveats and pitfalls for doctors to know.

This is the story of troponin.

Our special guest is Dr Christina Trambas who is a chemical pathologist, Medical Director at St Vincent’s Pathology and chair of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australiasia (RCPA) Troponin Working Party.

01/10/2024

Episode 100...well…kinda | Historical autopsy of Oscar Wilde

Our eagle-eyed This Medical Life podcast listeners will wonder why we have called this episode 100…is that right? Well, it kinda is. If you add up both This Pathological Life and This Medical
Life podcasts episodes, it’s well over 100 episodes. This is a small milestone for this ‘Trav and Steve’ dynamic duo who have never resolved the question: ‘which one is Robin?’.

In honour of this achievement, we reflect upon the life and death of an amazing poet and author Oscar Wilde. We dive back into the second half of the 19th century when modern medicine was at its
infancy and the ‘love that dare not speak its name’ was a crime.

This is the story of Oscar Wilde

Our appreciation goes out to our listeners who we hope will enjoy this flight of fancy episode and reflect on where we have come from, where we are, and where we are heading.

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services & Spotify

Website: https://thismedicallife.com.au/episode-100-well-kinda-historical-autopsy-of-oscar-wilde/

20/09/2024

This is a simple community service announcement: the doctor says all work and no play makes Travis a dull boy.

So, Steve took him out to witness some theatre last Friday night at the Stirling Players Community Theatre in the Adelaide Hills.

Now that the announcement is over, it’s time to make sure you do not miss the current episode with Paralympian, Janet Watson. It is a showstopper

17/09/2024

Episode 68: Janine Watson | Taking the challenge head on

This is the story of Janine Watson's journey from Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis to history making Paralympian & how listening to a particular episode of This Medical Life changed her future

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services & Spotify

Our special guest is Janine Watson PLY

02/09/2024

This Medical Life podcast episode 67

Season 5 reflections and highlights

Sometimes it’s nice to reflect on some of our favourite moments over the last year

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify

20/08/2024

Episode 66: Thyroid lumps | The Good, the Bad, and the Nodular (Part 2)

What does the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in 1986 have to do with molecular testing for thyroid cancer today?

This is the story of Thyroid lumps (Part 2)

Part 1 focuses on cytology and surgery for thyroid
Part 2 focuses on anatomical pathology and molecular/genetics

Our special guests:

Professor Yuri Nikiforov is the Director of the Division of Molecular Anatomic Pathology at the University of Pittsburgh and expert in thyroid molecular pathology. He, with his wife Professor Marina Nikiforov developed the molecular test called ThyroSeq.

Dr Tiffany Symes is a histopathologist and deputy director of Anatomical Pathology at Melbourne Pathology.

Dr Rachael Chambers is a histopathologist at Sullivan Nicholaides with an interest in molecular genetics in thyroid pathology.

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services & Spotify

Website links

TML website: https://thismedicallife.com.au/episode-66-thyroid-lumps-the-good-the-bad-and-the-nodules-part-two/
ThyroSeq website: https://www.thyroseq.com/
Sonic ThyroSeq information: https://www.sonicgenetics.com.au/our-tests/all-our-tests/thyroseq/
Sonic ThyroSeq brochure:https://www.sonicgenetics.com.au/media/sp5pds3v/thyroseq_drbrochure_2024.pdf

30/07/2024

Episode 64: Pregnancy & Epilepsy | Dispelling the myths

A common myth about epilepsy is that women who suffer from this condition should avoid getting pregnant. This is simply not true. Epilepsy is not a contraindication for pregnancy. It can be safely managed for both the mother-to-be and future child.

Certainly there are additional precautions and steps that should be taken when a woman who has epilepsy is considering starting a family and it requires a multidisciplinary approach.

This is the story of pregnancy and epilepsy.

Our special guests include:

Daisy Beyer who lives in Melbourne with her husband and son expecting their second child in August of this year. Daisy is a registered psychiatric nurse and lives with generalised epilepsy.

Dr Amber Moore is an obstetrician and gynaecologist working in Melbourne, Federal Councillor for the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists, and deputy chair of the Continuing Professional Education Committee.

Professor Mark Cook is a consultant neurologist, Director of Neurology and Chair of Medicine at St Vincent’s Hospital in Melbourne. He was awarded an Officer in the Order of Australia for distinguished service to neurological medicine and treatment research for epilepsy.

Anna Heldorf lives in Melbourne with her partner and is a public servant. Anna was diagnosed with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy and had her first baby in April this year.

Our gratitude goes to Dr Amber Moore for her assistance in helping get this episode together.

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify

Link: https://thismedicallife.com.au

02/07/2024

Episode 62: Lactose intolerance | Udderly unbearable

Over two-thirds of the world’s population lose the ability to metabolise during their lifetime (the majority during childhood). We know today that lactose intolerance, or lactase persistence, has a strong genetic predisposition.

Almost 100% of Asians, 70% of African-Americans, East Indians, US Hispanics and approximately 50% of Spanish and French have very low levels of lactase in adulthood (what we would call lactose
intolerant). Alternatively, the majority of Caucasians can tolerate lactose into adulthood.

Testing for lactose intolerance/lactase persistence can be done either via chemical or genetic testing. Each has their advantages and disadvantages but is important for any doctor or patient to know about.

This is the story of Lactose intolerance/Lactase persistence.

Our special guests include:

Dr Michael Page is a Chemical Pathologist and Chief Executive Officer at Clinipath in Western Australia
Dr Melanie Galea is a Genetic Pathology specialist and Director of genetics at
Douglass Hanly Moir Pathology in Sydney

Website: https://thismedicallife.com.au/episode-62-lactose-intolerance-udderly-unbearable/

18/06/2024

Episode 61: Pelvic pain & endometriosis | More than the black spots

Pelvic pain is a difficult and challenging medical condition for both patients and doctors. It can be debilitating for women that can begin as a teenager or a young adult and progress for years impacting every facet of their lives.

Similiarly, pelvic pain can be challenging for symptom to assess and manage for doctors as there are a multitude of causes that range from simple and straight forward to complex and chronic diseases such as endometriosis.

In this episode we discuss pelvic pain and endometriosis with two guests who are leaders in diagnosis, treatment and management.

This is the story of pelvic pain and endometriosis

Our special guests:
Dr Alecia Macrow who is a General Practitioner, owner of Thrive Family Practice, and one of 22 clinics around Australia that received government funding to assist patients with pelvic pain and endometriosis.

A/Professor Susan Evans who is a Gynaecologist, Surgeon and Pain management physician in Adelaide. A/Prof Evans is Executive Chair of the Pelvic Pain Foundation of Australia (https://www.pelvicpain.org.au/) and CEO of Alyra Biotech which is a biopharmaceutical company developing intrauterine products for pain relief.

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services & Spotify

Website link: https://thismedicallife.com.au/episode-61-pelvic-pain-and-endometriosis-more-than-the-black-spots/

21/05/2024

Episode 59: Scleroderma | Arboreal integument

Scleroderma is a disease characterized by the hardening and tightening of the skin and connective tissues. The first medical description can be traced back to the 1750s. Our understanding has evolved over the centuries but the pathogenesis remains largely unknown.

The disease has several forms including diffuse and localised. Symptoms include skin discoloration and tightness to more severe complications like organ dysfunction. Fortunately we have several different treatment options available for patients that can assist them in managing this disease.

This is the story of Scleroderma.

Our special guest is Dr. Daman Langguth, a renowned clinical and laboratory immunologist with deep expertise in autoimmune diseases. Dr. Langguth discusses the importance of recognising scleroderma’s symptoms, the critical nature of early diagnosis, and the latest advancements in treatment.

Image: Rembrandts ‘Portrait of a scholar’ shows a man with a pinched nose, tight mouth, pale face, puffy hands and a swollen right thumb leading some to raise of the question of whether he had scleroderma.

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify. Help support us at https://www.patreon.com/ThisMedicalLife

07/05/2024

Episode 58: Rickettsia | Ticking the Spotted Fever box

In 1901, the state of Montana organised for scientists and doctors to investigate a mysterious illness from the Bitterroot Valley called ‘Black measles’ and ‘Black typhus’. People of all ages were affected but predominantly those who worked in the brush and were exposed to tick bites. The investigators called it ‘tick fever’ and this particular strain had a mortality rate over eighty percent.

Today this disease is known as Rocky Mountain spotted fever. In Australia, it is sometimes called ‘spotted fever’ or ‘Queensland tick typhus’. It is caused by an obligate intracellular bacterial micro-organism (needs a cell to survive). This organism is very difficult to culture and can be even more difficult to diagnose but surprisingly easy to treat. Rickettsial disease is an under-recognised infection and important in the differential diagnosis of any patients presenting with fevers, headaches and rash.

This is the story of Rickettsia

Our special guest:
Professor Stephen Graves who is a medical microbiology and founder of the Australian Rickettsial Reference Laboratory (ARRL). He specialises is infectious diseases transmitted by ectoparasites such as ticks, lice, fleas and mites.

This Medical Life podcast is available on all podcasting services and Spotify

21/03/2024

While you were preparing for your day or doing rounds, we were interviewing Dr Michael Wehrhahn from Douglas Hanly Moir Pathology. This episode about Metapanel, will be published in a few weeks from today.

25/01/2024

Dr Travis Brown deep in thought during our late night recording of a new episode, with a guest from Scotland.

This Medical Life returns soon.

26/04/2023

On behalf of Travis, Steve, Tim, Tom, and our many generous guests, thank you for listening and subscribing to our humble podcast.

We have plenty more stories about medicine to share and if you have friends or family members who are GPs, specialists, or medical students, we’d be most grateful if you’d let them know we’re here.

Once again, thank you for your support, interest, and wonderful feedback.

14/04/2023

Behind the scenes snapshot of Steve Davis and Dr Travis Brown recording an upcoming episode about Barrett Oesophagitis with Dr Tristan Rutland of Western Sydney University.

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