Many of the patients we evaluate for kidney transplant wonder how they could have found out they had kidney disease earlier, or before it progressed to the point that they needed to consider kidney dialysis or transplantation. (more…)
Guest blog post by Andrea L. Hughie, RN, MSN.
Little Samirawit Hailemariam (Sami) was introduced to the INN (Hyman-Newman Institute for Neurology and Neurosurgery) at Mount Sinai Roosevelt in August of 2011. Initially a shy and guarded four year old, Sami left her family in Ethiopia to travel to New York City for advanced treatment of her life threatening venous malformation. If left untreated this dangerous collection of vessels could have caused Sami to bleed to death. In her eight months in the United States the large venous malformation that covered the entire left side of her face and mouth was significantly reduced and stabilized by the advanced technology and techniques of Dr. Alejandro Berenstein and Dr. Milton Waner. (more…)
Guest blog post by Michael Wayne, DO.
Pancreatic cancer is a silent killer. Unfortunately, the majority of patients have an advanced stage of the disease by the time they come to a doctor’s office with complaints. Science does not yet have any early markers, such as simple, reliable blood or urine tests, to help detect this deadly cancer or to determine if you are at risk for pancreatic cancer.
Still, there are things to keep in mind that can possibly give you a better edge on the odds:
* If you have a family history of pancreatic cancer, you should speak to your doctor about genetic testing and/or other possible screenings.
* If you have unexplained weight loss, new onset of diabetes as an adult or a worsening of previously controlled diabetes, talk to your doctor about the possibility of pancreatic cancer screening. When patients have any of the symptoms mentioned above, they should get either a CT scan or an MRI of the abdomen.
* Unexplained back pain can be another presenting sign of pancreatic cancer and should be investigated thoroughly.
If anything abnormal is found in the imaging tests, then there are other tests we can do to determine if this is pancreatic cancer. If we suspect pancreatic cancer, hopefully we can catch it at an early stage when it is more likely to be treated successfully.
Michael Wayne, DO is surgical director at the Center for Digestive Health and the Chief of Pancreato-biliary Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center.
Guest blog post by Angelo T. Reyes, MD.
As a surgeon at Beth Israel Medical Center, I use a range of surgical techniques to treat my lung cancer patients. Advancing minimally invasive techniques like robotic surgery and video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) allow for very small incisions and limited trauma to the body, resulting in faster recovery times, shorter hospital stays and less pain and scarring for patients.
Robotic thoracic surgery is the very latest advance in minimally invasive approaches to traditional lung cancer and Beth Israel is a citywide leader in the field. When I operate on a patient robotically, I accomplish all the goals of traditional lung cancer surgery, but I use only tiny incisions through which I insert the robot’s special instruments, which allows me to see the structures inside the chest via three-dimensional, high-definition optics. In fact, I see the structures better and more accurately than if I were operating in an open surgery using just my own eyes!
A recent lung cancer patient was able to go home the following day after robotic surgery. One week later, he was experiencing minimal pain and all his incisions were well healed. This patient had essentially returned to the normal functioning he enjoyed before his surgery. Compare this to traditional lung cancer surgery patients who are in the hospital for one week and have to wait up to eight weeks or longer before they can return to their regular activities of daily living and you can see why, in my opinion, robotic surgery is a real game changer in treating patients with lung cancer.
Video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) is another surgical technique we use to treat lung cancer that carries the benefits of minimally invasive surgery. Watch this video where I explain how VATS works.
Each case requires careful determination on which type of surgical technique will best serve the patient, but continually advancing minimally invasive techniques are letting many patients get back to their lives quicker and with less pain. Learn more about how you can reduce your risk for lung cancer at www.cancerteam.com.
Angelo T. Reyes, MD is Chief of Minimally Invasive and Robotic Thoracic Surgery at Beth Israel Medical Center and Beth Israel Brooklyn; Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Beth Israel Brooklyn; and Chief of the Asian Services Program at Beth Israel Medical Center.I am a surgeon and I understand that you may be anxious, nervous and hesitant about your upcoming surgery. Anxiety, however, causes your blood pressure and heart rate to increase, lowers your threshold for pain, and agitates your nervous system. I have a prescription for that. It’s called meditation and breath work. As a vascular surgeon at Beth Israel Medical Center who is also a devoted yoga practitioner, I have seen many patients benefit from meditation as a part of preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative healing work.
Do you remember what your Mama told you when you were nervous? “Take a deep breath, relax, focus and it will all feel better.” Mama knows best because that is an accurate description of meditation!
Pranayama is a Sanskrit word that refers to breath work and is an essential and important part of meditation. Prana refers to that life force that is within us all and moves as the breath. When patients are comfortably and kindly ushered into a gentle space where they can engage in their breath, they experience a significant drop in their feelings of stress, nervousness, anxiety and pain.
* Find a comfortable, quiet seat.
* Close your eyes and clear the chatter in your mind. Center center your mind and turn inward.
* Find a soothing mantra to repeat to yourself. Try, “I am relaxed and calm. I trust my surgeon. I see a life where I am strong and healthy.”
* As you repeat your mantra, breathe in deeply to a count of 8. Hold the breath in for a count of 2. Exhale to a count of 8.
* When your mind returns to distracting, fearful or anxious thoughts, simply say “hello” to them briefly and then refocus on the quiet meditative power of your breath.
Meditation is something everyone can do, regardless of what surgical procedure they have had or are about to undergo. You don’t need to be an expert or an accomplished yogi to practice meditation. Even if you find it challenging to quiet your mind, the practice will be helpful to you as you heal and in your everyday life.
Jennifer Svahn, MD, FACS is an attending vascular surgeon at Beth Israel Medical Center and registered yoga teacher.Guest blog post by Gary Gwertzman, MD, FACS, RPVI.
There are many reasons why one’s leg may hurt and vascular blockages are definitely on that list.
What are vascular blockages?
Arteries are the pipes that bring blood from the heart to the rest of the body. Blood carries oxygen, sugar and other nutrients that keep your body working. Arteries are normally wide open, and blood flows freely through them. Some people, however, develop blockages in their arteries. These blockages are commonly known as peripheral arterial disease or PAD. These blockages can show up anywhere in the body, but the legs are one of the more common sites.
Why don’t my legs hurt when I sit?
When you are sitting still, your legs don’t require much from the blood stream, and they feel fine. As you start to walk or exercise, your legs require more and more blood. If you have blockages in your arteries, however, the muscles cannot get that extra blood. If the blood can’t get there, your legs will start to hurt. The medical term for that pain is called claudication. The pain is relieved by stopping and sitting.
How will I know if it’s PAD?
The diagnosis of PAD can be very simple. Most physicians will order non-invasive tests that don’t use needles, but rather pressure cuffs and ultrasounds.
How is PAD treated?
If you do have PAD and you smoke, you should quit. You may also be advised to take a daily aspirin, as well as medicine to lower cholesterol. Exercise often helps, and some patients can exercise the pain away. PAD can become serious, however, so once the diagnosis is made, patients need to be followed very closely by their physician and a vascular specialist.
Gary Gwertzman, MD, FACS, RPVI, is the Director of Vascular Surgery at Beth Israel Brooklyn.