ORCID
An Internet Database for the Management of Rare Conditions

Rickets in a patient on phenytoin

Rare Conditions are:

Interesting because they are challenging and require orthopaedic surgeons to return to first principles, books, journals and the library. After you have treated a rare problem it is probably true to say that you are much more expert about that condition than most of your colleagues.

Surprising because the rare condition you encounter is hardly ever one you have seen before or thought about.

Frustrating because there is seldom much help around. Even major centers seldom see large numbers of these cases so the exact problem you face may “never” have been reported. Reports in the literature are very scattered and may be difficult to find let alone obtain at the time you are trying to make management decisions. Once you have become expert on the subject it is frustrating not to share that expertise and offer the kind of help you wish you had had when you began.

Common. Although each individual condition is rare each orthopaedic surgeon encounters several in the course of his or her practice.

If you think that these cases are a problem for the treating orthopaedic surgeon, take a moment to consider how the patient feels.

The Internet dramatically lowers the barriers to communication. Posting on the Internet is rapid, cheap and available worldwide to whomever is interested. It is therefore possible to accumulate (virtual) experience about rare conditions by posting case reports in a central repository.
ORCID was set up to provide such a repository.