March is National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

Among cancers that affect both men and women, colorectal cancer (cancer of the colon or rectum) is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Every year, more than 140,000 Americans are diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and more than 50,000 people die from it.

How Can You Reduce Your Risk?
The risk of getting colorectal cancer increases with age. More than 90% of cases occur in people who are 50 years old or older. Colorectal cancer screening saves lives, but many people are not being screened according to national guidelines.

If you're 50 years old or older, getting a screening test for colorectal cancer could save your life. Here's how—

•Colorectal cancer screening tests can find precancerous polyps so they can be removed before they turn into cancer. In this way, colorectal cancer is prevented.
•Screening tests also can find colorectal cancer early, when treatment often leads to a cure. (SOURCE:http://www.cdc.gov/features/colorectalawareness/)

Foot & Ankle Arthritis: Treating the Pain

Living with foot or ankle arthritis can be painful, and although it is uncommon, it can affect one’s quality of life. At Good Samaritan Hospital, orthopedic surgeon specializing in foot and ankle disorders Jonathan Saluta, M.D. offers insight into foot and ankle arthritis diagnosis and treatment.
According to Dr. Saluta, arthritis in the foot or ankle is commonly due to a previous injury that a patient suffered. Sometimes patients do not realize the severity of a past injury, and arthritis can occur as the result of a simple sports injury such as an ankle sprain. “An injury like this can cause trauma to cartilage inside the joint, and over the course of many years, the joint may undergo degenerative changes,” stated Dr. Saluta. “The cartilage inside the joint starts wearing away.”
Foot and ankle arthritis can vary in severity. Signs and symptoms of arthritis may include an achy pain in the joint, swelling around the joint, or feeling warmth in the joint. More severe arthritis may manifest as a grinding sensation in the joint in which bone is rubbing on another bone due to cartilage deterioration. This action can cause a loss of joint congruity and deformity.
According to Dr. Saluta, the best way to diagnose arthritis is to get an exam by a foot and ankle specialist. X-rays are most helpful for the physician; however, milder cases may require a Computed Axial Tomography (CAT) scan or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan for diagnosis. Once arthritis has been diagnosed, several steps can be taken to alleviate pain in the joint.
“My initial treatment for midfoot or forefoot arthritis is to reduce motion in the joint by use of a stiff orthotic or shoe modifications,” said Dr. Saluta. “If the arthritis is located in the hindfoot or ankle, then a brace can be applied to ease the symptoms. Another treatment is to inject the ankle joint with cortisone to temporarily reduce inflammation inside the joint.
In severe cases of arthritis which have failed conservative treatment, surgery may be recommended. One option is to perform an arthroscopic procedure to clean out scar tissue, drill lesions to stimulate cartilage regrowth, and remove loose pieces or cartilage floating inside the joint. “Arthroscopy is an outpatient procedure which requires two small incisions in the front of the ankle, each approximately half a centimeter in length,” said Dr. Saluta. “The arthroscope is like a telescope the size of a pencil which is used in conjunction with another device which smoothes out the cartilage or removes loose bodies from the joint.”
Another surgical option is to fuse the joint. “In this procedure, degenerative cartilage is removed from the joint and the bones heal together to form one bone,” said Dr. Saluta. Although this surgery usually results in restricted mobility, patients with arthritis already have a limited range of motion in the joint.
A final option for severe arthritis is joint replacement. This procedure should be performed by a specialist who will use a metal and plastic prosthesis to replace the joint. The operation usually provides good pain relief, and some joint motion is preserved. Technically, the ankle is a difficult joint to replace, and only a small number of patients qualify. “There is a list of criteria that you have to pass before total ankle replacement is recommended,” said Dr. Saluta.
The onset of arthritis is hard to predict, and Dr. Saluta does not recommend drastic preventive measures for those looking to avoid arthritis. “Most of the time you don’t even realize you have damaged your cartilage,” he said. “My advice is to stay active rather than be sedentary in fear of developing arthritis.”
For a referral to a Good Samaritan Hospital board-certified specialist, please call(213) 482-2744

Colon Cancer Awareness Event March 17, 2012

Good Samaritan Hospital and The WunderGlo Foundation team up to raise awareness about colon cancer. This seminar will include presentations by physicians on topics such as early detection, nutrition and treatment, including testimonials from Colon Cancer Warriors!
Join us for this very informative and memorable event! Reserve your seat by calling 800.472.2737.

“I was diagnosed with Uterine Fibroids” – Now I am pain free!

A few years ago, I was diagnosed with uterine fibroids, after consulting with my gynecologist, Dr. Mark Dwight of the Spectrum Women’s Health Group at Good Samaritan Hospital, we decided to try the “wait-and-see” approach. I changed my eating habits and incorporated a high-fiber diet with vitamin supplements on a daily basis, however, the fibroids grew and within 6 months from diagnosis I was faced with the dilemma of surgery.

The largest fibroid (the size of a grapefruit) was sitting on top of my bladder inhibiting proper bladder function. There were many other painful annoyances. Dr. Dwight assured me that whichever procedure I choose (i.e. myomectomy, partial hysterectomy, etc.), he would respect my decision and would also respect my wishes not to have blood used in my care. The staff in the Transfusion-Free Medicine & Surgery Center assured me of this also.

Within 18 hours of surgery, I was able to, with some assistance, shower, get into my own pajamas and walk around the nurses’ station. I was amazed to learn that I lost less than a half of cup of blood during surgery! One week after my procedure I was completely off my pain medication (motrin), and within two weeks I was able to walk about my home with ease. The discomfort I now feel can be likened to the tightness felt after doing sit- ups. my stomach feels tight and strong. This is very different from many women I’ve spoken with about their recovery after having the same procedure at other hospitals. Some of them stayed on heavy pain medication (i.e. Vicodin) for many weeks after surgery, bed-ridden for more than a month, even needing assistance to bathe, infections and re-opened incisions were not uncommon. None of this was my experience with Dr. Dwight and his staff.

Before my surgery, I was constantly drained of energy, since each of my four large to medium-sized fibroids had its own blood supply. I actually have more energy now than before, since the blood my fibroids were using is now aiding in the healing process. As I mentioned earlier, a healthy diet, both before and after your surgery can do wonders for your recovery time. Combine this with the state-of-the-art, transfusion-free techniques Dr. Dwight used for my procedure and you have a very happy ending to what is otherwise a scary beginning. I would like to again thank Dr. Mark Dwight, everyone at Good Samaritan Hospital and a special thanks to the admitting staff.

- Personal testimony from a Transfusion-Free Medicine & Surgery Center patient

For a referral to a Transfusion-Free Medicine & Surgery Center physician or surgeon please contact our office at (213) 482-2744 or via email adillard@goodsam.org

Good Samaritan Hospital New Medical Pavillon Coming Soon!

The upcoming Medical Plaza & Outpatient Pavilion at Good Samaritan Hospital is anticipated to began construction June 2011 and projected completion by December 2012. The $77 million building will house seven floors of first class medical care located on the corner of Wilshire Boulevard and Witmer.

Construction of the new building has been divided into three phases. The focus in the design of the Medical Plaza & Outpatient Pavilion is to enhance efficiency, quality, and productivity with an environment of first class health care services. It will house seven floors that includes outpatient specialty clinics and an ambulatory surgery center. Features include:

Outpatient Services Specialty Clinics:

An entire “Heart Floor” offering cardiac screening, arrhythmia monitoring, women’s heart services, heart wellness services and cardiovascular rehabilitation

Endoscopy Center

Diagnostic services for a variety of conditions and diseases, including and women’s health

A Blood Donor Center to help meet the continuous need for life-saving blood, plasma, and platelets

A new radiation oncology linear accelerator

Expanded Ambulatory Surgery Center
An expansion the Ambulatory Surgery Center is our response to the growing need for outpatient treatments in cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, women’s care, ophthalmology, and other medical specialties. Good Samaritan Hospital currently handles seven percent of the ambulatory surgeries in metropolitan Los Angeles, a percentage that will grow with the new wave of downtown residents.

The new facility will provide better access to the community for the following medical and preventive services:

Arrhythmia monitoring
Blood donation
Breast care
Cancer Services
Cardiac screening
Cardiovascular rehabilitation
Colonoscopy
Ear, nose, and throat care
Endoscopy
Foot and ankle surgery
Gastrointestinal and gastric reflux diagnosis
Hand and wrist surgery
Heart wellness exams
Hemorrhoid surgery
Imaging services including multi-slice CT scanners, MRI, PET/CT
Knee arthroscopy
Mammography
Radiation oncology
Retinal surgery including cataract, corneal, and sclera
Orthopedic surgery
Pelvic ultrasound
Physical therapy
Plastic and cosmetic surgeries
Pre-operative testing and consultation
Prostate screening, and surgery
Shoulder surgery
Sleep center
Sports medicine
Urologic care
Women’s health screenings

Laser Procedure to Relieve Chest Pain Helps the Heart Grow New Blood Vessels

Coronary artery bypass surgery has relieved chest pain and added years to the lives of countless patients. However, the surgery does not put an end to the processes that cause coronary artery disease in the first place. Even after a successful bypass operation, new artery obstructions may form over time.

This was the case for Richard Lechner, who initially underwent quadruple bypass surgery in 1993 and had a re-operation bypass surgery via an alternative approach called thoracotomy in 2009. By then, his artery disease had progressed to the point that he could no longer undergo any more angioplasty procedures.

Fortunately, when Richard’s cardiac surgeon, Ali Gheissari, M.D., performed the 2009 surgery at Good Samaritan Hospital, Dr. Gheissari also performed a second procedure designed to enhance the growth of Richard’s own arteries in the heart and spare him from future incidences of chest pain.

The procedure, called transmyocardial revascularization (TMR), uses laser technology to create small channels in the heart muscle. TMR involves making between 20 and 40 tiny holes – or channels – from the outside of the heart into its pumping chamber. The outer areas of the channels close, but the scar tissue that forms stimulates creation of new blood vessels inside the heart muscle.

When Richard was at Good Samaritan this spring for a hip replacement, he awoke with severe chest pain and thought he was having a heart attack. An angiogram – an image of the heart’s blood vessels – showed that he did not have a heart attack, but that his artery disease had caused the bypassed artery to close.

Most significantly, the angiogram showed that Richard’s heart had also formed tiny new blood vessels around the areas which had previously been lasered. This phenomenon is referred to as angiogenesis because it involves the formation of new avenues that bring blood to the heart.

“These channels will continue to develop and increase blood flow to the heart via collateral arteries,” says Dr. Gheissari. “This means Richard’s chest discomfort will continue to decrease.”

Dr. Gheissari notes that TMR is not appropriate for every patient. In most cases, bypass surgery is still the best option. However, some patients who could benefit from TMR don’t receive the procedure because the majority of hospitals do not have the necessary laser equipment.

“This is a valuable alternative for those patients who are not candidates for bypass surgery or those who have exhausted all other means of treatment of their coronary disease,” says Dr. Gheissari. “We will soon initiate a clinical trial to see whether injection of stem cells in the laser channels at the time of surgery will enhance and speed up the formation of collateral blood vessels. I suspect TMR is going to become more commonplace over time.”

For a referral to a Good Samaritan Hospital specialist call (213)482-2744.