Episode 2 - The (Don) Buford Complex

In Episode 2 of The Sports Medicine Podcast, Dr. Dold sits down with Dallas-based sports orthopedic surgeon and orthobiologics guru, Dr. Don Buford. Discussion focuses on the topic of “orthobiologics,” the concept of manipulating our body’s own cells to improve healing and recovery from musculoskeletal injuries and surgery, while offering the potential to regenerate tissues of interest. Discussion points include platelet-rich plasma (PRP), bone marrow aspirate concentrate (BMAC), and stem cell therapy, as well as the compliance issues clouding this area of sports medicine. Orthobiologics have gained considerable attention recently in the sports medicine world and offer promising results and alternatives to surgery. However, much debate and controversy surrounds these “stem cell” therapies including various compliance and regulatory issues unbeknown to the patient. Dr. Buford grew up in Los Angeles and attended Stanford University. While at Stanford, he was a member of the baseball team and completed a double major in economics and pre-med. He then transferred to USC where he continued his athletic and academic pursuits. In 1988, he received the Woody Hayes NCAA Division I Academic All-American Award, which recognized the single most outstanding NCAA Division I male student-athlete. After graduating from USC, he signed a Major League Baseball contract with the Baltimore Orioles and also enrolled at UCLA Medical School. Dr. Buford is the son of Don Buford Sr., former Major League Baseball infielder and outfielder for the Chicago White Sox and the Baltimore Orioles from 1963 to 1972. Dr. Buford’s younger brother, Damon, had an 8 year major league career which included 2 years as the starting center fielder for the Texas Rangers as well as time with the Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, NY Mets, and Chicago Cubs. After graduating from the UCLA School of Medicine, Dr. Buford completed a 5 year orthopedic surgery residency at the University of Texas, Southwestern in Dallas. Following residency, Dr. Buford completed a one-year sports medicine fellowship at the prestigious Southern California Orthopaedic Institute (SCOI) in 1999 where he learned advanced arthroscopy techniques and started to focus on arthroscopic shoulder surgery. Dr. Buford’s name is synonymous with the shoulder, owing to a 1994 paper describing a cord-like anatomic variant of the middle glenohumeral ligament, thereafter known as “The Buford Complex.” He has become a leader in the world of orthobiologics and stem cells, and continues to confront the compliance and regulatory issues around the use of stem cells in the United States. Dr. Buford founded the Dallas PRP and Stem Cell Institute to provide patients with cutting edge PRP and stem cell options for arthritis, back pain, sports injuries, and other musculoskeletal conditions. For more information on Dr. Buford, please visit: https://smcnt.com/don-buford-md/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/donbufordmd/ This episode is sponsored by: TerumoBCT (previously Harvest Technologies): https://www.harvesttech.com/clinician?utm_source=Buford&utm_medium=podcast Links: Dr. Death Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/dr-death/id1421573955?mt=2 Gladiator Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gladiator-aaron-hernandez-and-football-inc/id1437935588?mt=2 The Buford Complex: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8086014 The Sports Medicine Podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesportsmedicinepodcast/ Feedback/Inquires: thesportsmedicinepodcast@gmail.com Web: www.thesportsmedicinepodcast.com Host: Dr. Andrew Dold, MD FACS FRCSC www.DoldMD.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dr.dold.md/ https://www.instagram.com/thesportsmedicinepodcast/