Mark your calendar for these upcoming events!

Quit Smart – Begins Wednesday, February 29

Bridgeport Hospital’s smoking cessation program helps you break free from cigarettes. The four-session program includes steps to reduce nicotine consumption, discussion of alternative options and support. The spring session begins on Wednesday, Feb. 29, and continues on March 14, March 21 and March 28, 2012, at Bridgeport Hospital. Registration is required. To sign up, or for more information, please call toll free 1-800-794-5013.

Heart Beats, Inc. – Wednesday, May 9

Heart Beats, Inc. offers free lectures to all cardiac patients from any hospital, loved ones and anyone concerned about heart health. The talks are held in the Hollander Auditorium at Bridgeport Hospital. Upcoming 2012 lecture dates: Wednesday, May 9 and Wednesday, September 12, 2012, 6:30 p.m. Free refreshments are served from 6:00 until 6:30 p.m. in the Fresh Inspirations Café on the second floor. Free parking. Reservations not required.

The Bridgeport Hospital Home Run – Sunday, May 27

This popular annual event, taking place on Sunday, May 27, 2012, at the Ballpark at Harbor Yard, will include a 5K and a one-mile run, walk and wheelchair race and a children’s fun run. All proceeds benefit Bridgeport Hospital’s Joel E. Smilow Heart Institute. For more information, please call 203-384-3600.

Top picture via Flickr Creative Commons, CarbonNYC

Then, in 2010, Geoff’s energy abruptly plummeted. He thought it was due to his hectic work schedule and “getting older,” or possibly an undiagnosed sleep disorder. ”I was suddenly so tired—all the time. Everything took so much effort,” Geoff remembers. “On the mornings I drove my son to school, I would have to pull into a parking lot on the way home to take a 45—60 minute nap. It wasn’t ‘normal’ for me to feel this way.” He spoke to his primary care physician, Monica Jain, MD, who recommended a sleep study. The sleep study results surprised everyone. Geoff didn’t have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder. Geoff had atrial fibrillation.

What is Atrial Fibrillation?

Atrial fibrillation (a-fib) is the most common heart rhythm disorder among adults in the United States. “People with a-fib have abnormal electrical signals in their heart’s upper chambers that cause the heart to flutter, quiver or shake, rather than beat steadily,” says Chief of Cardiology Stuart Zarich, MD. “This irregular beating causes blood to pool in the heart’s chambers, which can lead to the formation of blood clots. These clots can travel to the brain and trigger a stroke.” Symptoms of a-fib also include chest palpitations, fatigue (feeling tired), dizziness and trouble breathing. What’s worse, about half the people who have a-fib experience no symptoms. “They are at risk and don’t even know it,” says Dr. Zarich. “Therefore, everyone needs to learn how to take their pulse, do it regularly and tell their doctor about any skipped beats.”

Primary care physician Paris Spanolios, MD, tested Ronnie’s heartbeat in the office. The painless electrocardiogram took just a few minutes. (An electrocardiogram— ECG or EKG—measures the patterns or rhythms of the heart. A doctor can interpret the patterns to diagnose various heart conditions.)

Getting Back into Rhythm

The sleep specialists recommended that Geoff make an appointment with an atrial fibrillation expert. Geoff met with Bridgeport Hospital cardiologist Linda Casale, MD, and cardiac electrophysiologist (a cardiologist who specializes in heart rhythm disorders) Murali Chiravuri, MD, PhD. They discussed the various options to restore his heart rhythm and opted for cardioversion (electric shock), which is done in the Electrophysiology Lab at Bridgeport Hospital. Dr. Chiravuri also prescribed a blood thinning medication to reduce Geoff’s risk of stroke.

The cardioversion worked—at first. But Geoff’s heart would not sustain a steady rhythm for more than a few weeks. He needed another cardioversion. And another one. And another one. After four cardioversions in six months, Dr. Chiravuri became concerned about the side effects of so many electric shock procedures in such a short amount of time. He sat down with Geoff to talk about a new breakthrough option: hybrid ablation.

Dr. Chiravuri told Geoff that he and fellow Connecticut Cardiac Arrhythmia Center electrophysiologists and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery M. Clive Robinson, MD, were about to bring hybrid ablation to New England, and that Bridgeport Hospital would be the first and only regional facility able to offer hybrid ablation to a-fib patients. Dr. Chiravuri was confident that Geoff would be the ideal candidate for the procedure.

Geoff was intrigued—and excited. “My family joked about me wanting to be the guinea pig,” he says, “but I felt completely relieved. I knew I was in the right place at the right time for this.”

“Ablation” refers to creating scar tissue to block faulty electrical pathways in the heart. When these wrong-turn pathways are blocked, the heart’s electrical impulses are forced to take the right paths, and the heart is able to beat rhythmically. These ablation scars can be created using three different methods: threading a very thin tube into the heart (catheter ablation), minimally invasive surgery (Mini-Maze) or open-heart surgery (Maze). “In each case, a scar is created to block abnormal electrical signals from spreading through the heart chambers,” says Dr. Robinson, a pioneer of minmally invasive heart surgery who also has extensive experience with heart rhythm procedures, including the Mini-Maze.

Hybrid ablation is a combination of the catheter and surgical approaches, designed to maximize the advantages of each and minimize their risks. The two are performed together in a single, significantly less invasive procedure that results in a more comprehensive ablation. The electrophysiologist and heart surgeon work side by side–the surgeon first from outside the heart inward and then the electrophysiologist from inside the heart out. “This combined approach is entirely new and truly minimally invasive,” says Dr. Robinson. (See sidebar: Hybrid Ablation Likely to Make Mini-Maze Obsolete.)

Dr. Robinson went over the procedure with Geoff, step-bystep. “Using a model kit, he showed me the tools and exactly what he was going to do,” remembers Geoff. “I liked that he took the time to demystify the procedure for me.” On Friday, June 3, the day of the hybrid ablation, Dr. Chiravuri and Dr. Robinson again met with Geoff to discuss the procedure and introduce him to his operating team, which included the dedicated cardiac anesthesia team. The physician anesthesiologist and certified registered nurse anesthetist were responsible for Geoff’s sedation during surgery and also controlled the lung machines (ventilators) and breathing tubes. The anesthesia team would also manage Geoff’s pain after surgery and determine when he was ready to leave the recovery room. “Everyone in the operating room was handpicked just for me. I knew I was in good hands with a top-notch group,” says Geoff. Then he kissed his wife, JJ, and became the first patient in New England to undergo hybrid ablation for a-fib.

Picking Up the Pace

The next morning in the hospital, Geoff was up and walking. On the fourth day after the procedure, he was feeling strong and well enough to go home. He looked forward to walking his dog, Finnie. And that afternoon, he did.

Since having hybrid ablation, Geoff has felt like a new person. His energy is back and he has a new outlook on life. Even better, his heart has stayed in sync. Geoff still takes his pulse every day. “I never did that before, but now I can’t imagine going through a day without checking,” he says. “It takes less than a minute and it’s so important to my heart health.” He is back to commuting into New York City every morning and doesn’t feel like he’s dragging at the end of the day. “A year ago, I never would have had the energy to do this,” he says. “I’m so grateful to Dr. Chiravuri and Dr. Robinson and the entire team that solved my problem—and gave me my life back!”

When choosing a cardiologist or cardiothoracic surgeon, be sure to select an expert physician affiliated with Bridgeport Hospital’s Joel E. Smilow Heart Institute.

If you would like more information about, or a referral to, any of these expert physicians, please visit www.bridgeporthospital.org/FindPhysician or call 1-800-794-5013, toll free, 24/7.

Our multidisciplinary team of breast cancer specialists provides one-on-one care, with dignity, privacy, and warmth, in a serene, comfortable, thoroughly professional setting.

The Breast Care Center is fully accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), one of only 200 sites in the country. The accreditation covers the Breast Care Center’s hospital location and its Beach Road site in Fairfield. Accreditation by the NAPBC means the Breast Care Center meets high standards in patient care quality and other important areas. The Breast Care Center was recognized for its extensive range of support services and the “enthusiastic team providing quality care for all patients, including a large underserved population.”

The Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center is taking a new, holistic approach to health. You’ll find our new wellness services at our center at 111 Beach Road in Fairfield. Offerings include yoga, massage, mental health counseling, naturopathic medicine, nutrition counseling and Pilates, in addition to plastic surgery, breast surgery and general surgery. The Breast Care Center’s expanded wellness services are part of a new effort to promote overall health.

The Center has added more office space and exam rooms, and new classroom space for workshops and movement classes. The staff has grown with the addition of ten new healthcare professionals offering a full spectrum of health and wellness services.

We feel it’s part of our mission to support overall health to protect women and men from breast and other cancers, and to help patients heal and return to their lives before cancer.

Support groups also meet at numerous other community locations throughout Fairfield County.

Donations

Help us to help others. Make a donation to The Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center. You will be redirected to the Bridgeport Hospital Foundation webpage. Once there, please click on Donate Now, then use the “Designation” drop-down menu to select Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center. The Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center is a 501(c)3 organization.

Breast Cancer at a Glance

Each month, as a woman’s breasts go through temporary changes associated with menstruation, a lump may form. The majority of these growths are benign (not cancerous), however any lump should be examined immediately. Some lumps are malignant (cancerous) tumors. Fortunately, breast cancer is very treatable if detected early.

Breast cancer in men is equally serious. Any changes in breast tissue – a lump, swelling, shape or any other concerns – should be examined immediately. 

Explore our site to learn more about breast cancer prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

The Norma F. Pfriem Breast Care Center Location

Bridgeport Hospital, 267 Grant Street, Bridgeport

111 Beach Road, Fairfield

Picture Via Flickr Creative Commons, audreyjm529

Family Medicine physician Steven Benaderet, MD, responds:

A: Supplements are gaining in popularity, and more and more adults are taking fish oil, calcium, and/or vitamins D, CoQ10 and B.

These over-the-counter supplements can be very beneficial for your health, but before you add one or more to your routine, it is important to talk to your doctor. He or she can advise you about the right dosage for your health, weight, age and/or other factors. More importantly, your doctor can tell you about any possible side effects and check to see if a supplement could interact with a medication or prescription that you currently take.

Of course, the best way to get these nutrients is by eating real foods: fruits, vegetables, lean meats, fish, low-fat dairy products, etc. Supplements are a great way for people with certain health conditions to get the boost they need.

Q: Could I get the flu from the flu vaccine?

Family Medicine physician Kyle Custis, MD, responds:

A: The seasonal flu vaccine is approved for use in people older than six months, including healthy people and those with chronic medical conditions. An annual shot remains the single best way to protect yourself from getting the flu.

There is a widely circulating myth that people can develop the flu from the vaccine which, unfortunately, frightens some from getting this important shot. The truth is, no, you will not get the flu from the vaccine. The viruses contained in a flu shot are dead (the viruses in the nasal spray are weakened), and therefore cannot cause infection.

A few days after receiving the flu vaccine, some people experience flu-like symptoms, such as fatigue or a runny nose. Usually these symptoms last a day or two and are not the flu. However, if the symptoms last longer than a few days, or if you develop a fever, please notify your physician.

In addition to the flu vaccine, talk to your doctor about other vaccines you may need, or may be due to receive, specifically, vaccines for pneumonia and/or shingles. These can offer very effective protection against these common yet uncomfortable conditions.

The offices of Dr. Benaderet and Dr. Custis are located at Westport Family Medicine, 129 Kings Highway North, Westport, CT 06880. Phone: 203-221-3030. Members of Northeast Medical Group.

Vitamin picture via Flickr Creative Commons, colindunn.

Vascular Surgeon Brian King, MD, responds:

A: As we get older, we tend to develop new aches and pains. But sometimes leg pain has nothing to do with muscle strain. It could be peripheral arterial disease (PAD).

PAD can develop when plaque (cholesterol and other fats) builds up in the arteries that carry blood to the legs and arms. Too much plaque can clog the arteries and block blood flow, causing pain in the legs while walking or climbing stairs. The pain is often described as a heaviness, tightness or cramping in the buttocks, thigh or calf.

Other than pain, symptoms of PAD include sores or wounds on the feet or legs that don’t heal, color changes in the skin of the feet and poor or decreased nail and hair growth on the toes and legs. As PAD advances, it can cause foot pain at night. Sometimes it is so bad, it can wake you up.

Treatment for PAD begins with making lifestyle changes, such as quitting smoking, exercising, lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels and managing diabetes. There are also medications that can help. If the condition persists, PAD can be treated using minimally invasive procedures, such as angioplasty (a procedure in which a tiny balloon is used to open a blocked artery to improve blood flow), stenting (insertion of a tiny metal tube used to keep the artery open), atherectomy (cutting the blockage out) or with a laser. Traditional (bypass) surgery may be an option for patients who are not candidates for the minimally invasive techniques or with more advanced disease.

Most of us wouldn’t ignore a new pain in our chest, right? It’s just as important to tell your doctor about any new leg pain, because just like clogged arteries in the heart, clogged arteries in the legs could mean you are at increased risk for having a heart attack or stroke.

Need a doctor? Find a Doctor online or call us toll free, 24/7, at 1-888-357-2396.

Photo via Flickr Creative Commons, SuperFantastic.