Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Smoking and Peripheral Artery Disease
According to the Vascular Disease Association, smoking is not only a major cause of heart disease, cancer and lung disease, it is also the number one cause of peripheral artery disease,( PAD). Studies show that smoking even half a pack of cigarettes per day may increase the risk of having PAD by 30 to 50 percent.
With every puff, smoking harms your blood vessels. It speeds up the buildup of plaque in the artery walls and increases the formation of leg artery blockages. Smoking constricts blood vessels and causes the blood to clot.
As a result, smoking causes PAD to get worse faster. It increases the chance of having leg pain (or claudication) even while at rest, losing a foot or a leg due to amputation, or having a heart attack or stroke. As many as one out of two people with PAD who continue to smoke will have a heart attack or stroke or die within 5 years.
Quitting smoking may be the most important life saving step people with PAD can take. And, it is not too late.
Research shows that people with PAD can lower the risk of heart attack, stroke or death when they quit smoking. Plus, you will enjoy these other health rewards:
• Your blood pressure will be lower in just a few days.
• You will reduce your risk of foot ulcers, eye problems, nerve damage and kidney disease (if you have diabetes).
• You will lower your risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, lungs and bladder.
• In one year after quitting, your blood flow and breathing will be improved and your coughing and shortness of breath will be reduced.
• You will protect your children and grandchildren from second-hand smoke.
• Best of all, you will live longer and better.
If you smoke and suffer from leg pain or foot pain we are available to answer any of your questions or you are welcome to call our office to set up a consultation with one of our physicians.
Monday, July 9, 2012
Nonsurgical Treatment for Male Infertility Caused by Varicoceles
Highly Effective, Widely Available Treatment is Underutilized
Prevalence
• Approximately 10 percent of all men have varicoceles - among infertile couples, the incidence of varicoceles increases to 30 percent
• Highest occurrence in men aged 15-35
• As many as 70-80,000 men in America may undergo surgical correction of varicocele annually
Symptoms
Pain - aching pain when an individual has been standing or sitting for long periods of time and pressure builds up on the affected veins. Typically, painful varicoceles are prominent in size.
Fertility Problems - There is an association between varicoceles and infertility. The incidence of varicocele increases to 30 percent in infertile couples. Decreased sperm count, decreased motility of sperm, and an increase in the number of deformed sperm are related to varicoceles. Some experts believe that blocked and enlarged veins around the testes, called varicoceles, cause infertility by raising the temperature in the scrotum and decreasing sperm production.
Testicular Atrophy - Shrinking of the testicles is another sign of varicoceles. Often, once the testicle is repaired it will return to normal size.
Varicocele Diagnosis
Diagnosis is fairly simple through either physical or diagnostic examination.
• Typical on left side of scrotum
• Visual physical exam - scrotum looks like a "bag of worms"
• Testicle can shrink in size / atrophy
• When varicoceles are not clearly present, the abnormal blood flow can often be detected with a noninvasive imaging exam called color flow ultrasound or through a venogram - an X-ray in which a special dye is injected into the veins to "highlight" blood vessel abnormalities
Varicocele Treatments
Currently there are two treatment options for men with varicoceles: Catheter-directed embolization or surgical ligation
Catheter directed embolization is a non-surgical, outpatient treatment performed by an interventional radiologist using imaging to guide catheters or other instruments inside the body. Through mild IV sedation and local anesthesia, patients are relaxed and pain-free during the approximately two-hour procedure.
For the procedure, Dr. William Julien or Dr. Warren Swee makes a tiny nick in the skin at the groin using local anesthesia, through which a thin catheter (much like a piece of spaghetti) is passed into the femoral vein, directly to the testicular vein. The physician then injects contrast dye to provide direct visualization of the veins so s/he can map out exactly where the problem is and where to embolize, or block, the vein. By using coils, balloons, or particles, the interventional radiologist blocks the blood flow in the vein which reduces pressure on the varicocele. By embolizing the vein, blood flow is re-directed to other healthy pathways. Essentially, the incompetent vein is "shut off" internally by preventing blood flow, accomplishing what the urologist does, but without surgery.
Efficacy of Embolization for Varicoceles
Embolization is equally effective in improving male infertility and costs about the same as surgical ligation. Pregnancy rates and recurrence rates are comparable to those following surgical varicocelectomy. In one study, sixty percent conceived who were treated for infertility.
In another study, sperm concentration improved in 83 percent of patients undergoing embolization compared to 63 percent of those surgically ligated. Patients who underwent both procedures expressed a strong preference for embolization.
Recovery Time
• Average of one to two days for complete recovery for embolization, compared to two to three weeks for surgery
• 24 percent of surgical ligation patients required overnight hospital stay, compared to none for embolization
Benefits of Interventional Radiology Procedure
• No surgical incision in the scrotal area
• Effective as surgery, as measured by improvement in semen analysis and pregnancy rates
• Less recovery time-patients are able to return to normal daily activities immediately and without hospital admittance
• A patient with varicoceles on both sides can have them fixed simultaneously through one vein puncture site, compared to surgery, which requires two separate open incisions
• No general anesthesia
• No sutures
• No infections
• Cost-effective
Surgical Treatment of Varicocele
After the patient receives anesthesia, an incision is made in the skin above the scrotum, cutting down to the testicular veins, and tying them off with sutures. Although patients leave the hospital the same day, there is a two- to three-week recovery period.
Clot-busting technology saves man from 2 1/2-foot blood clot
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/06/18/new-clot-busting-technology-used-to-treat-2-and-half-foot-blood-clot/#ixzz208orDaK7
When 59-year-old Gerald Cunha was diagnosed with a 2 1/2-foot blood clot that stretched from his knee to his abdomen, doctors prepared him for the worst.
But thanks to a new clot-busting technology, Cunha survived and was able to tell his story to FoxNewsHealth.com.
Cunha’s ordeal began with what he thought was just sciatica causing pain in his legs.
“I started getting some swelling,” Cunha said. “[I] made an appointment with my primary, and the swelling got worse. So [I] went to the emergency room.”
“My leg had swollen up to about twice the size,” he added.”
Doctors found Cunha was suffering from deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein deep inside the body.
Dr. Warren Swee, an interventional radiologist at South Florida Vascular Associates, discovered Cunha's DVT stretched all the way up his leg to his pelvis.
“When people develop a DVT and experience pain and swelling of the knee or leg, they often think they might have a pulled muscle from exercising too much or from wearing the wrong shoes,” said Swee. “This misconception prevents people from seeking medical attention immediately, which is key.”
In Cunha's case, he had been suffering from pain and swelling for about 10 days before going to the emergency room.
Cunha also had many classic risk factors for DVT; he was overweight, lead a sedentary lifestyle and was a smoker.
“He was referred to our office because he had a poor response to the primary therapy for a DVT – blood thinner,” Swee said. “Blood thinners alone will allow you to prevent the clot from breaking off and going to the lungs – which can be life-threatening and is called a pulmonary embolism.”
But for Cunha, blood thinners didn't cut it, and Swee soon found he would need to be creative in his approach to treatment.
“We decided to use a secondary form of therapy which incorporated clot busters and not just blood thinners,” Swee said. “We put him on his stomach and prepped his leg. Through a small hole we inserted a catheter directly into the clot, which drips clot busting medication right into the clot and melts it away.”
Using a new device called the EKOS Ultrasound Catheter, Cuhna’s health improved quickly.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Attacking a Monster Clot! -- In Depth Interview with Dr. Warren Swee
Warren Swee, MD, MPH, a Vascular and Interventional Radiologist at South Florida Vascular Associates, in Coconut Creek, FL, talks about a state-of-the-art device that melted away a potential killer.
What is DVT?
Dr. Swee: DVT or a deep vein thrombosis is essentially a clot that forms in the deep veins of the leg. Initially it will present as pain and swelling in the leg, which can increase over several days. It’s usually identified with a simple test in which an ultrasound probe is placed over the veins of the leg. DVT is a tremendous public health problem in the United States with almost six thousand cases diagnosed every year. Although the initial problem with the pain and swelling can resolve it, it also places patients at significant risk of a pulmonary embolism, which is when a part of that clot breaks off and travels to the lungs and that can be life threatening. It’s estimated that up to a hundred thousand patients every year will die of pulmonary embolism.
What does a pulmonary embolism do?
Dr. Swee: It breaks off from the legs and travels up the pelvis through the abdomen, through the heart and into the pulmonary artery, which is the main vessel that supplies oxygen to the lungs for transport. Without blood going to your lungs it can be fatal.
How often do you see DVT patients coming in here?
Dr. Swee: We see DVT patients quite frequently. Typically they’re relatively simple DVT’s with an isolated clot behind the knee or in a portion of the vessel along the thigh. In rarer cases the clot can travel up across the thigh in to the pelvis and even in to the abdomen. Those are much more severe cases.
What is the size of a normal clot?
Dr. Swee: Typically anywhere from an inch to six inches or so is-- would be a typical clot size.
The clot basically cuts off the circulation to the rest of the vein?
Dr. Swee: Correct. It prevents drainage of the blood from the leg from going up through that vessel. Usually that’s what causes the swelling because you’re unable to drain blood from the leg, but over time if a patient is placed on the proper anticoagulation, some of the clot will melt away on its own. The body will form collateral or side channels around the blocked segments.
How do you take care of the clot?
Dr. Swee: Most cases of deep vein thrombosis are treated with just blood thinners. The pain and swelling usually will resolve within a week or so.
As long as you catch it early enough the danger might be minimized?
Dr. Swee: The blood thinners is twofold. One is to prevent the clot from becoming bigger and second to help stabilize the clot so that pieces don’t break off and go to the lungs.
What is the biggest one you’ve seen?
Dr. Swee: Mr. Cunha has a very large clot. His is about a two and a half foot clot that starts below the level of the knee and extends all the way up his thigh into his pelvis and into the lower abdomen. Those clots don’t respond as well to blood thinners because they’re so massive.
How often do you see that?
Dr. Swee: We probably see that maybe once every few months, if that.
How do you survive when you have a clot that big?
Dr. Swee: The blood is no longer liquid. It’s solidified into almost a jelly like substance, and plugs up the vessels instead of allowing flow. It causes immediate swelling but the body does have a lot of capacity to somehow move blood around the actual blockage through their side channels.
So when you get to a point where it’s two and a half feet long what’s the next attack?
Dr Swee: Those patients are in particular at risk of throwing clots to their lungs. If they are treated only with conservative measures, they tend to have debilitating pain and swelling in their legs often for the rest of their lives. They can develop something called post thrombotic syndrome, in which the clot damages valves within the veins. With damage to the valves, it causes you to have this horrendous pain and swelling. What we can do now is use a catheter called the EKOS catheter, which has really revolutionized the way we as interventional treat large blood clots. A small catheter is essentially inserted through the skin into the clotted vessel and positioned there. Within a coaxial system, there is a wire, which is an ultrasound wire, and together this allows simultaneous deliver of ultrasound energy and clot busting medications to allow breaking up the clot much more quickly and safely compared to standard techniques.
How does the EKOS work?
Dr. Swee: The catheter itself has hundreds of holes in it which allow the clot buster to be delivered directly in to the clot. At the same time the ultrasound core wire delivers ultrasound energy, which causes a vibration, which allows the clot busting medication to better penetrate the clot.
In Mr. Cunha's case, if this wasn’t around what would be the other option?
Dr. Swee: The standard technique is to put a catheter in with a lot of side holes, which is can also deliver clot busting medication but without the ultrasound energy. That can work also, but it can take almost double the time. Time counts when we’re treating clot because we’re delivering a very powerful clot busting medication that has a lot of side effects. There could be bleeding from other parts of your body and the worse scenario would be bleeding into your brain, which can be fatal.
How often have you been able to use this now?
Dr. Swee: I’ve used this catheter in about a half a dozen cases, including clot in the leg vessels, and also clot up in the pulmonary arteries. When a clot breaks off and becomes a pulmonary embolism, the catheter can actually be advanced all the way up through the heart from the groin and positioned inside the pulmonary artery.
What is the clot busting drug that you use?
Dr. Swee: There are several different ones that can be used. The one that we typically use is called TPA or tissue plasma activator.
Once Mr. Cunha was diagnosed with his huge blood clot, what was the step after that?
Dr. Swee: Once we reviewed some more imaging we found out that the clot was not just in his leg but it actually went up in to his pelvis and abdomen. We performed the procedure in a hospital endovascular suite under an x-ray machine. He essentially was positioned on his stomach to allow access to his vein right behind his knee. Using ultrasound guidance we advanced the needle into that vein and then through that hole threaded the catheter into the clot. We positioned it under x-ray guidance and then started dripping the clot busting medication into the clot to dissolve it. In Mr.Cunha’s case because this clot was almost five weeks old, it took longer than most cases. It took two days to finally melt the clot away. But he had a fantastic result and dramatic improvement in his leg swelling and pain.
What was his recovery like?
Dr. Swee: The patient is transported to the ICU where they’re monitored carefully for any complications from the clot busting medication. If they do well then they’re brought down the next morning and then we do a check by injecting x-ray dye in to the vessel to see how much clot is still there. If there’s still clot then we’ll send the patient back up to ICU and continue the drip and the ultrasound energy and then bring them back the next day.
Between the ICU and the actual procedure how long are you busting the clot?
Dr. Swee: The actual procedure to get the catheter in is actually pretty quick. It takes about twenty minutes or so to get the catheter where it needs to be. The catheter stays inside the body until the clot is dissolved totally.
What added benefit does the ultrasound give you?
De. Swee: The ultrasound allows the clot busting medication that’s being dripped through the catheter to better penetrate the clot and allows for more surface area between the clot busting medication and the clot. That essentially allows for much quicker dissolving of the clot and decreases the overall amount of clot busting medication that we need to use.
What are the risks?
Dr. Swee: This actually allows us to use this sort of treatment on patients that previously were not candidates, because they couldn’t tolerate several days of clot busting medication. By using this device we can decrease the time it takes to do the procedure and also the amount of clot busting medication.
It’s pretty amazing that Mr. Cunha was left with no disability.
Dr. Swee: Over five weeks he was basically hobbling around and just in constant pain. But about a day or two after the clot was dissolved he was almost back to normal.
What was his recovery time?
Dr. Swee: Following the procedure he stayed in the hospital for an additional week in order to thin his blood to an appropriate level and then after that he was sent home and walking quite comfortably.
Has he had to take anything since?
Dr. Swee: He’s going to be on lifelong blood thinners.
Once you’ve had a clot that big, are you at risk for another?
Dr. Swee: The biggest risk for him is re-developing a clot in the same place.
What has it done to the vein now? Having such a massive clot how stable is it?
Dr. Swee: The vein now that the clot has been melted away is very resilient. In his case his veins should essentially come back to their normal configuration. He may have some mild damage to the valves, but certainly not anywhere near the damage that would have been caused if the clot was not removed.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Carotid Artery Stenting
The Boynton Times
Local Surgeon Implants New Minimally Invasive Carotid Stent Device and Saves One Man's Life
Boynton Beach, FL. By the time Joseph Camiso was 73, he already had a six-vessel coronary bypass surgery. He had also undergone carotid artery surgery, called endartectomy, which is performed for patients whose carotid arteries have narrowed because of cholesterol buildup. The threat of stroke caused by clogged carotid arteries is not uncommon.
The endartectomy created a large scar on the left side of his neck, but more concerning was that the nerve supplying the left vocal cord was damaged leaving that side of his throat paralyzed.
“I sounded like a character from ‘The Godfather,’” said Mr. Comiso.
Unfortunately, his carotid artery on the right side was also dangerously narrowed and needed to be opened to prevent a stroke. Mr. Comiso and his wife, Marie, then visited an ear, nose, and throat specialist to discuss having an endartectomy for the right carotid artery, but the specialist told them that it was too dangerous. If the nerve supplying the right vocal cord was damaged from the incision, he would be unable to speak or breathe and an emergency tracheotomy tube would be needed.
“My doctor thought that I was too high risk to have another surgery because of the vocal cord paralysis,” he said.
Traditional carotid artery surgery can pose complications in healthier patients as well, including strokes and heart attacks. For Mr. Comiso, the traditional surgery would have been dangerous and likely impossible.
The Comisos then visited their neurologist who referred them to Dr. William Julien, a Board Certified Interventional Radiologist who practices full time endovascular surgery in Margate, FL.
“We were buying against time,” said Mrs. Comiso.
Dr. Julien enrolled Mr. Comiso into an FDA-approved carotid stent research trial for patients who are considered high risk for traditional carotid endartectomy surgery. The procedure offers a life-saving alternative for these patients and was sponsored by Boston Scientific Corporation. Only 780 people were enrolled, and Mr. Comiso was one of them. Since his left vocal cord was already paralyzed, his physicians determined that traditional surgery was too high a risk. Losing control of both sides of his vocal cords could have led to an emergency tracheotomy.
Carotid stenting is a minimally invasive procedure performed by inserting a catheter in the femoral artery passing it through the blood system and up into the carotid artery using X-ray guidance to navigate through the bloodstream. A novel filter device which looks like a tiny butterfly net is first inserted and positioned in the carotid artery downstream from the narrowing. The filter captures any particles that are inadvertently dislodged during the procedure while maintaing blood flow to the brain. An angioplasty balloon then expands the carotid narrowing followed by placement a tubular metal mesh called a stent. This stent acts as a scaffolding to hold the artery open. The final step is removing the filter along with any debris that was trapped during the procedure.
"I feel great. My voice is much better," said Mr. Comiso. "Dr. Julien was wonderful. This procedure not only saved my life but gave me my voice back. I am happy to share my story with others because it may save more lives. Patients and doctors need to know that this is available."
"Mr. Comiso was a delight to work with, and it was gratifying to use this new technology for his serious situation. Since the carotid stent procedure avoids any neck incisions, there is zero risk of vocal cord paralysis," said Dr. Julien. "My practice philosophy is to offer each patient the latest and best technologies, procedures, and medications currently available. Clearly, we were able to accomplish that here."
Dr. Julien emphasizes the importance of patient education and clear explanations on the details of a diagnosis, including short and long-term treatment plans, alternative treatment, and precisely what each patient should expect to experience. His practice has been highlighted as a model for the next generation of Interventional Radiology Practices.
The Guidant Corporation received the first FDA approval for a carotid stent platform on August 31, 2004 and Dr. Julien was the first South Florida physician to implant the newly approved device. The Boston Scientific device that Mr. Comiso had implanted as part of the research trial is expected to be FDA approved third quarter 2005. Dr. Julien's practice will serve as one of a few physician training sites. One of the innovative techniques used during the training will be the use of a sophisticated simulator that allows surgeons to practice on a dummy rather than a real patient.
“We think simulator training will become an important tool in training surgeons performing technically demanding and risky procedures such as carotid stenting,” said Dr. Julien.
For more information, visit www.southfloridavascular.com.
Local Surgeon Implants New Minimally Invasive Carotid Stent Device and Saves One Man's Life
Boynton Beach, FL. By the time Joseph Camiso was 73, he already had a six-vessel coronary bypass surgery. He had also undergone carotid artery surgery, called endartectomy, which is performed for patients whose carotid arteries have narrowed because of cholesterol buildup. The threat of stroke caused by clogged carotid arteries is not uncommon.
The endartectomy created a large scar on the left side of his neck, but more concerning was that the nerve supplying the left vocal cord was damaged leaving that side of his throat paralyzed.
“I sounded like a character from ‘The Godfather,’” said Mr. Comiso.
Unfortunately, his carotid artery on the right side was also dangerously narrowed and needed to be opened to prevent a stroke. Mr. Comiso and his wife, Marie, then visited an ear, nose, and throat specialist to discuss having an endartectomy for the right carotid artery, but the specialist told them that it was too dangerous. If the nerve supplying the right vocal cord was damaged from the incision, he would be unable to speak or breathe and an emergency tracheotomy tube would be needed.
“My doctor thought that I was too high risk to have another surgery because of the vocal cord paralysis,” he said.
Traditional carotid artery surgery can pose complications in healthier patients as well, including strokes and heart attacks. For Mr. Comiso, the traditional surgery would have been dangerous and likely impossible.
The Comisos then visited their neurologist who referred them to Dr. William Julien, a Board Certified Interventional Radiologist who practices full time endovascular surgery in Margate, FL.
“We were buying against time,” said Mrs. Comiso.
Dr. Julien enrolled Mr. Comiso into an FDA-approved carotid stent research trial for patients who are considered high risk for traditional carotid endartectomy surgery. The procedure offers a life-saving alternative for these patients and was sponsored by Boston Scientific Corporation. Only 780 people were enrolled, and Mr. Comiso was one of them. Since his left vocal cord was already paralyzed, his physicians determined that traditional surgery was too high a risk. Losing control of both sides of his vocal cords could have led to an emergency tracheotomy.
Carotid stenting is a minimally invasive procedure performed by inserting a catheter in the femoral artery passing it through the blood system and up into the carotid artery using X-ray guidance to navigate through the bloodstream. A novel filter device which looks like a tiny butterfly net is first inserted and positioned in the carotid artery downstream from the narrowing. The filter captures any particles that are inadvertently dislodged during the procedure while maintaing blood flow to the brain. An angioplasty balloon then expands the carotid narrowing followed by placement a tubular metal mesh called a stent. This stent acts as a scaffolding to hold the artery open. The final step is removing the filter along with any debris that was trapped during the procedure.
"I feel great. My voice is much better," said Mr. Comiso. "Dr. Julien was wonderful. This procedure not only saved my life but gave me my voice back. I am happy to share my story with others because it may save more lives. Patients and doctors need to know that this is available."
"Mr. Comiso was a delight to work with, and it was gratifying to use this new technology for his serious situation. Since the carotid stent procedure avoids any neck incisions, there is zero risk of vocal cord paralysis," said Dr. Julien. "My practice philosophy is to offer each patient the latest and best technologies, procedures, and medications currently available. Clearly, we were able to accomplish that here."
Dr. Julien emphasizes the importance of patient education and clear explanations on the details of a diagnosis, including short and long-term treatment plans, alternative treatment, and precisely what each patient should expect to experience. His practice has been highlighted as a model for the next generation of Interventional Radiology Practices.
The Guidant Corporation received the first FDA approval for a carotid stent platform on August 31, 2004 and Dr. Julien was the first South Florida physician to implant the newly approved device. The Boston Scientific device that Mr. Comiso had implanted as part of the research trial is expected to be FDA approved third quarter 2005. Dr. Julien's practice will serve as one of a few physician training sites. One of the innovative techniques used during the training will be the use of a sophisticated simulator that allows surgeons to practice on a dummy rather than a real patient.
“We think simulator training will become an important tool in training surgeons performing technically demanding and risky procedures such as carotid stenting,” said Dr. Julien.
For more information, visit www.southfloridavascular.com.
Arteriosclerosis
The Boynton Times
There is a light
I always talk about modern technology and the miracles performed daily. I recently received a story telling about a miracle and a light at the end of the tunnel.
This is a story about a medical breakthrough procedure called CryoPlasty, a frozen balloon angioplasty, which is benefiting many people with bad circulation and immobility.
The living proof of this story is about an 87-year old woman who is now living a normal life because of this procedure.
Jeanette Shorr was an extremely active 87-year old woman. One of her favorite activities as to walk the malls and shop as part of her daily routine. She walked for hours on end with a group of friends while they socialized; they also exercised at the same time.
Two months ago while engaging in her activity, Jeanette noticed she was unable to walk for any length without having to stop to catch her breath. She also experienced extreme pain in her left leg when this happened. After resting for a few minutes, she resumed walking. This was coming a very common occurrence and was getting worse. She noticed her quality of life was diminishing.
One day while engaging in her routine, her knee buckled and gave out completely. She knew that this was a problem needing medical advice immediately.
She asked around and was told there was a new procedure being done by Dr. William Julien, an Interventional Radiologist in Margate, Florida. He is the first physician in Broward County to perform the procedure. She sought him out and became his patient.
She was diagnosed with arteriosclerosis, namely a build-up of plaque in the arteries. With the new medical breakthrough, CryoPlasty, (a frozen balloon angioplasty,) her life was given back.
It is the only procedure to treat this type of problem. The build-up of plaque in the arteries is extremely treacherous, especially in the knee. Conventional angioplasty would not have worked in this part of the body.
The result of not using this procedure could have been the cause of a life threatening complication. Without it this lady would have to alter her lifestyle dramatically and would have been debilitated in movement and quality of life. She had to have the surgery.
Shortly after being operated, she returned to her busy, active lifestyle with her friends once more. She no longer had worries of falling or becoming incapacitated. She is very grateful to her doctor and for being about to live a much more complete life.
"Mr. Comiso was a delight to work with, and it was gratifying to use this new technology for his serious situation. Since the carotid stent procedure avoids any neck incisions, there is zero risk of vocal cord paralysis," said Dr. Julien. "My practice philosophy is to offer each patient the latest and best technologies, procedures, and medications currently available. Clearly, we were able to accomplish that here."
We never stop to think what our lives would be like if we were not able to be mobile. Jeanette was helped because of this breakthrough and procedure.
Her mind is now at ease and she is living a pain free, happy life enjoying what she likes doing best.
Stories like this are very enlightening and when I am sent something I feel can give my readers hope; I enjoy putting it in to the paper. Thank you for sharing your story with us and I hope it is an inspiration to others suffering from the same problem.
Modern medicine never stops finding new possibilities in so many areas thus creating a success story, as the one above.
A short while ago, I wrote on Hope, and the above is exactly what I was talking about. We must never feel that anything is so fatal that the result seems hopeless, you never know!
There is a light
I always talk about modern technology and the miracles performed daily. I recently received a story telling about a miracle and a light at the end of the tunnel.
This is a story about a medical breakthrough procedure called CryoPlasty, a frozen balloon angioplasty, which is benefiting many people with bad circulation and immobility.
The living proof of this story is about an 87-year old woman who is now living a normal life because of this procedure.
Jeanette Shorr was an extremely active 87-year old woman. One of her favorite activities as to walk the malls and shop as part of her daily routine. She walked for hours on end with a group of friends while they socialized; they also exercised at the same time.
Two months ago while engaging in her activity, Jeanette noticed she was unable to walk for any length without having to stop to catch her breath. She also experienced extreme pain in her left leg when this happened. After resting for a few minutes, she resumed walking. This was coming a very common occurrence and was getting worse. She noticed her quality of life was diminishing.
One day while engaging in her routine, her knee buckled and gave out completely. She knew that this was a problem needing medical advice immediately.
She asked around and was told there was a new procedure being done by Dr. William Julien, an Interventional Radiologist in Margate, Florida. He is the first physician in Broward County to perform the procedure. She sought him out and became his patient.
She was diagnosed with arteriosclerosis, namely a build-up of plaque in the arteries. With the new medical breakthrough, CryoPlasty, (a frozen balloon angioplasty,) her life was given back.
It is the only procedure to treat this type of problem. The build-up of plaque in the arteries is extremely treacherous, especially in the knee. Conventional angioplasty would not have worked in this part of the body.
The result of not using this procedure could have been the cause of a life threatening complication. Without it this lady would have to alter her lifestyle dramatically and would have been debilitated in movement and quality of life. She had to have the surgery.
Shortly after being operated, she returned to her busy, active lifestyle with her friends once more. She no longer had worries of falling or becoming incapacitated. She is very grateful to her doctor and for being about to live a much more complete life.
"Mr. Comiso was a delight to work with, and it was gratifying to use this new technology for his serious situation. Since the carotid stent procedure avoids any neck incisions, there is zero risk of vocal cord paralysis," said Dr. Julien. "My practice philosophy is to offer each patient the latest and best technologies, procedures, and medications currently available. Clearly, we were able to accomplish that here."
We never stop to think what our lives would be like if we were not able to be mobile. Jeanette was helped because of this breakthrough and procedure.
Her mind is now at ease and she is living a pain free, happy life enjoying what she likes doing best.
Stories like this are very enlightening and when I am sent something I feel can give my readers hope; I enjoy putting it in to the paper. Thank you for sharing your story with us and I hope it is an inspiration to others suffering from the same problem.
Modern medicine never stops finding new possibilities in so many areas thus creating a success story, as the one above.
A short while ago, I wrote on Hope, and the above is exactly what I was talking about. We must never feel that anything is so fatal that the result seems hopeless, you never know!
Uterine Fibroid Embolization
The South Florida Sun Sentinel
Non-invasive Treatment Helps New Mom In Trouble. Doctor Uses Rare Procedure to stop Bleeding, Save Uterus
Venus Tenerife couldn't wait to thank Dr. William Julien for her first Mother's Day with her husband and new baby. She almost didn't make it.
"I really didn't get a chance to talk to him the first time I saw him and thank him for all he did for me," said Tenerife, 34. "I definitely owe him a lot."
After 11 hours in labor on Easter Sunday, the Coconut Creek woman delivered a healthy 71/2-pound son, Justin Thomas, at Northwest Regional Medical Center in Margate.
But then she had complications -- life-threatening bleeding from her uterus.
"I was really scared when they told me what was happening," she said. "I could see all the commotion that was happening around me. I realized it could be serious and I could lose my uterus."
As time passed and the bleeding didn't stop, her obstetrician Dr. Tara Solomon was faced with two choices, begin a hysterectomy to remove the damaged uterus or call for a rare procedure that could stop the bleeding and save the uterus without Tenerife having to go through surgery.
The minimally invasive procedure, called uterine artery embolization, seals off the blood flow with a jellylike substance thinned to a slurry that's delivered into the bleeding artery inside the uterus by a tiny catheter. The substance eventually disappears.
Solomon called in Dr. Julien, an interventional radiologist, who alerted his team and rushed to the hospital. He has an endovascular surgery practice, the South Florida Vascular Associates, with offices adjacent to Northwest Medical Center.
"The procedure is rare. We probably only get one or two calls like this a year," Julien said. "When the call comes, you have to arrive with your game face on and ready to go. It's an emergency situation, like a fire drill, where the patient is in danger of dying.
"This is a case where you have got to get moving faster than almost any other situation. You are worried about the patient, the mother of a brand-new baby who potentially may not be around. It's pretty scary for a baby not having its mother."
By the time Julien arrived, Tenerife was in trouble.
"Her blood pressure had dropped, they were giving her transfusions, and they were thinking they might have to start the hysterectomy."
In a specially equipped operating room in the hospital, Julien used imaging equipment to steer the catheter through a tiny incision where the material was injected, and the bleeding was stopped.
For Tenerife, a physical therapist at Woodlake Nursing Rehabilitation Home in West Palm Beach, all Mother's Days from now on will be special.
"I feel very grateful. I am so lucky to have another chance to have a baby," Tenerife said. "I feel so great and thankful for everything they did to save me."
The next day, when Julien made his rounds and saw Tenerife and baby Justin, he said he was nervous until he saw for himself that the procedure was effective.
"It's always a scary period until you see the results. It's most gratifying to see a mom caressing her baby as she was, " he said."I can't express the words right now," Tenerife said, "but telling the doctor is really something that is easy and I have to do."
Non-invasive Treatment Helps New Mom In Trouble. Doctor Uses Rare Procedure to stop Bleeding, Save Uterus
Venus Tenerife couldn't wait to thank Dr. William Julien for her first Mother's Day with her husband and new baby. She almost didn't make it.
"I really didn't get a chance to talk to him the first time I saw him and thank him for all he did for me," said Tenerife, 34. "I definitely owe him a lot."
After 11 hours in labor on Easter Sunday, the Coconut Creek woman delivered a healthy 71/2-pound son, Justin Thomas, at Northwest Regional Medical Center in Margate.
But then she had complications -- life-threatening bleeding from her uterus.
"I was really scared when they told me what was happening," she said. "I could see all the commotion that was happening around me. I realized it could be serious and I could lose my uterus."
As time passed and the bleeding didn't stop, her obstetrician Dr. Tara Solomon was faced with two choices, begin a hysterectomy to remove the damaged uterus or call for a rare procedure that could stop the bleeding and save the uterus without Tenerife having to go through surgery.
The minimally invasive procedure, called uterine artery embolization, seals off the blood flow with a jellylike substance thinned to a slurry that's delivered into the bleeding artery inside the uterus by a tiny catheter. The substance eventually disappears.
Solomon called in Dr. Julien, an interventional radiologist, who alerted his team and rushed to the hospital. He has an endovascular surgery practice, the South Florida Vascular Associates, with offices adjacent to Northwest Medical Center.
"The procedure is rare. We probably only get one or two calls like this a year," Julien said. "When the call comes, you have to arrive with your game face on and ready to go. It's an emergency situation, like a fire drill, where the patient is in danger of dying.
"This is a case where you have got to get moving faster than almost any other situation. You are worried about the patient, the mother of a brand-new baby who potentially may not be around. It's pretty scary for a baby not having its mother."
By the time Julien arrived, Tenerife was in trouble.
"Her blood pressure had dropped, they were giving her transfusions, and they were thinking they might have to start the hysterectomy."
In a specially equipped operating room in the hospital, Julien used imaging equipment to steer the catheter through a tiny incision where the material was injected, and the bleeding was stopped.
For Tenerife, a physical therapist at Woodlake Nursing Rehabilitation Home in West Palm Beach, all Mother's Days from now on will be special.
"I feel very grateful. I am so lucky to have another chance to have a baby," Tenerife said. "I feel so great and thankful for everything they did to save me."
The next day, when Julien made his rounds and saw Tenerife and baby Justin, he said he was nervous until he saw for himself that the procedure was effective.
"It's always a scary period until you see the results. It's most gratifying to see a mom caressing her baby as she was, " he said."I can't express the words right now," Tenerife said, "but telling the doctor is really something that is easy and I have to do."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
