Edward Yang, MD, Chief of Orthopaedics, Mount Sinai Queens
Pre-surgery efforts can influence the success of the surgery and recovery, says Edward Yang, MD, board certified orthopedic surgeon and Chief of Orthopaedics at Mount Sinai Queens.
When orthopedic surgery is part of your care plan, there are many steps you can take to help optimize results. Communication is key. Surgery can be overwhelming; it is important to talk with your surgeon about how to best prepare.
Dr. Yang has compiled a “to do” list to help patients take an active role in their surgery and recovery.
Be clear on your diagnosis and the procedure you are about to undergo. In addition, be sure to know:
What the surgery is meant to accomplish
Exactly which body part is being operated on and why
Is this the best option to achieve your health goal? Will the procedure result in the reduction of pain, improvement of function, or prevention of further deterioration or damage?
In addition to direct questions, ask your surgeon for literature or online resources to learn more about what to expect.
Set a date that is convenient for you and a friend or family member.
It is reassuring to have an advocate at the hospital with you. For outpatient surgery, you will need someone to help you get home, and if possible, stay over at your home the night of the surgery.
Find out about the recommended physical therapy for before and after the surgery.
In some cases, physical therapy before the surgery is imperative. For example, with a knee procedure called an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, pre-surgery physical therapy is needed to reestablish full range of motion and strengthen the quadriceps (the muscle on the front of the thigh). Physical therapy before surgery often decreases recovery time and improves results.
What are the pre-surgical instructions? Are there medications you need to stop taking before the surgery?
Over-the-counter medications that thin the blood, like aspirin and ibuprofen, and prescription blood thinners, like warfarin and clopidogrel, should be stopped seven days prior to surgery. It is important for you to discuss your medication regimen and what changes may be needed before and after surgery.
Find out ahead of time what to expect after the surgery. Specifically, it is important to know:
How much pain you will experience
What medications you will be given
How long before you can return to work or school
If any medical equipment will be needed to aid in recovery. For example, machines that apply cold and compression therapy are useful for decreasing inflammation and pain post-surgery.
When your first post-surgical office visit is scheduled
You will almost certainly have other questions. Write them down and ask your surgeon or the office staff. Being ready both physically and mentally will almost certainly aid in your recovery.
Dr. Yang often conducts pre-surgery workshops to ensure his patients are best prepared for the surgery and recovery. For more information, or to register, click here.
Future posts will detail Dr. Yang’s perspective on orthopedic surgery, how to best prepare for orthopedic surgery, and the surgical services offered at Mount Sinai Queens. Please remember that this information is not a substitute for direct medical advice.
Scott H. Sicherer, MD, Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Professor of Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology, left and Hugh A. Sampson, MD, Director of the Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute
Scott H. Sicherer, MD, Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Professor of Pediatrics, Allergy and Immunology and Chief of the Division of Allergy and Immunology in the Department of Pediatrics at The Mount Sinai Hospital, served on the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases-sponsored panel that developed new guidelines on preventing peanut allergies in young children, along with Hugh A. Sampson, MD, Director of the Elliot and Roslyn Jaffe Food Allergy Institute at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He explains the new guidelines.
“It is important for parents to speak to their pediatrician or an allergist to find out if the new recommendations for preventing peanut allergy apply to their child. The hope is that these guidelines will reduce a major health burden by helping to prevent peanut allergies altogether. And if your child already has peanut allergy, be sure to talk to your doctor about the best ways to manage it,” he writes in the Huffington Post.
A new tool is giving orthopedic surgeons an innovative view inside the body. “It’s an instrument that has a digital camera at the tip of it so that once you put it in the joint you can look around,” says James N. Gladstone, MD, Co-Chief, Sports Medicine Services, Orthopedics at The Mount Sinai Hospital. “It’s giving you a review that’s more or less equivalent to what you have in the operating room. If you think you have a meniscus tear, you go in, you look, and either there is a meniscus tear there or not, and all within the same visit you have an answer. The patient leaves with the treatment plan in place. You can obviate the need for the MRI altogether.”
Some cancers are largely discovered “incidentally,” or when a person is seeking treatment for an unrelated reason; kidney cancer is one of those. Ketan Badani, MD, Professor, Urology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains the risk of kidney cancer and some of the ways doctors are trying to improve early detection and intervention. “The majority of kidney cancers are asymptomatic. Whatever the symptom was that got you to your primary doctor or the emergency room is probably completely unrelated to the fact that you found a kidney tumor,” says Dr. Badani, who is Vice Chairman, Urology, Robotic Operations, and Director, Comprehensive Kidney Cancer Center at Mount Sinai Health System, and Director, Robotic Surgery, at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West.
Matthew B. Hirsch, MD, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai’s Department of Otolaryngology
Facial injuries are very common, affecting children and adults of all ages and walks of life. But that doesn’t mean you should treat them casually, according to Matthew B. Hirsch, MD, Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeon at New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai’s Department of Otolaryngology.
The spectrum of facial trauma is broad, from small cuts and bruises to major injuries involving the jaw, nose, eye socket (orbit), facial bones, or even the nerves of the face.
In the United States, vehicular accidents account for the majority of facial trauma among adults and children. Varying by region, other causes include fighting, sports injuries, and falls. Regardless of source, if not treated effectively, every facial injury has the potential to cause cosmetic problems.
It is extremely important to see an experienced facial trauma expert for any facial injury. If not closed with plastic surgical technique, a simple facial laceration may leave an unsightly scar or change the position of the eyelid or lip. Incorrectly treated facial injuries may also result in functional problems with chewing, nasal breathing, sinus function, vision, or hearing.
As an ear, nose, and throat doctor and a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. Hirsch treats all aspects of patient facial injuries, both cosmetic and functional.
Dr. Hirsch has extensive experience treating facial fractures in both adults and children—including lower (mandibular) and upper (maxillary) jaw fractures, nasal bone fractures, orbital (eye socket) fractures, and frontal sinus fractures. His expertise in cosmetic and functional rhinoplasty allows him to provide patients with multiple options for correction of nasal trauma, months to years after the injury. For complex craniofacial injuries or fractures of multiple facial bones (pan facial fractures), Dr. Hirsch’s experience in skull base surgery—in collaboration with neurosurgeons within the Mount Sinai Health System—allows him to provide high-level care.
“The most important thing to remember when you or your child experiences a facial injury is to have it evaluated by a facial trauma specialist,” says Dr. Hirsch. While the local emergency room or urgent care facility may provide excellent resources, many do not have an experienced specialist on hand. “To get the best cosmetic and functional outcome possible, I would recommend you seek out a facial trauma specialist in your area.”
If you have recently undergone facial trauma, consider scheduling a consultation with Dr. Hirsch at the New York Eye and Ear Institute of Mount Sinai.
For the right candidates, weight-loss surgery—also known as bariatric surgery—can yield remarkable health benefits, and even be lifesaving. Subhash Kini, MD, Bariatric Surgeon, Mount Sinai Program for Surgical Weight Loss, Associate Professor of Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, explains why.
For the right candidates, weight-loss surgery—also known as bariatric surgery—can yield remarkable health benefits, and even be lifesaving. Subhash Kini, MD, Bariatric Surgeon,