OrganizedWisdom Health - Surgeries and Procedures

Rachael Ray Vocal Cord Surgery

Crdelucas — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 01:29:37 GMT

Rachel Ray underwent minor, non-invasive surgery on July 7, 2009, for a small vocal cord cyst. Ray is known for her upbeat and outspoken personality. She is the host of 30 Minute Meals on the Food Network channel. Ray scheduled the procedure sooner but decided to try vocal therapy prior to having the surgery . The surgery was a success and she is currently resting at home and attempting to give her voice a rest, the hardest part of recovery.

Fast Facts:

Rachel Ray is well known for her raspy voice.
Dr. Gwen S. Korovin was the surgeon who removed the benign cyst from Rachel Ray's vocal cords.
The procedure took less than an hour and required no stitches.
The cause of vocal cord cysts is unknown. It is a firm tissue mass contained within a membrane.

Visit http://organizedwisdom.com/Rachael_Ray_Vocal_Cord_Surgery

Carotid Angioplasty

Crdelucas — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 05:58:01 GMT

Carotid angioplasty is a non-surgical procedure performed to help open blocked arteries. The advantages of carotid angioplasty over carotid endarterectomy is a shorter recovery time, less discomfort, shorter procedure time, less surgical complications, use of local anesthesia, and ability to reach more difficult narrowing arteries. This procedure is performed in a cardiac catheterization laboratory and lasts approximately one and one-half to two and one-half hours.

Fast Facts:

An overnight stay at the hospital may be required after the procedure for monitoring.
Balloon angioplasty, stent, rotoblation, atherectomy, and cutting balloon are procedures that may be performed in conjunction with carotid angioplasty.
Risks associated with carotid angioplasty include allergic reaction to x-ray dye, bleeding or clotting in incision area, damage to heart valve or blood vessel, heart attack, arrhythmia, stroke, blood clot, and allergic reaction to materials.

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Bowel Resection

Sgs71 — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:08:03 GMT

A bowel resection is a surgery that is performed to remove a diseased or cancerous section of the intestine. An incision is made in the abdomen over the part of the bowel to be removed. The entire procedure usually takes one to four hours, however in some cases it may take longer. After the removal, there may be an opening to the intestine, through the wall of the abdomen allowing intestinal contents to drain into a sealed pouch.

Fast Facts:

The intestine is a 20-foot-long tube coiled in the abdomen from the stomach to the rectum.
The procedure is also known as a colectomy, colon removal, or resection of part of the large intestine.
Bowel resection may be used to treat conditions such as colon cancer, diverticular disease, intestinal blockage, ulcerative colitis, and pre-cancerous polyps.

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Bariatric Surgery Thins Bones

AmyS — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 09:00:41 GMT

New research has found that people who have undergone weight loss surgery have almost twice the risk of breaking a bone as those who have not had this surgery. The risk of a foot or hand fracture is also elevated. Past studies have shown bariatric surgery to increase the rate of bone breakdown.

Fast Facts:

This is an ongoing study that currently involves almost 300 people.
Gastric bypass and gastric band surgery is used to limit the intake of food and nutrients into the body.
These findings were presented at the Endocrinology Society's annual meeting.

Visit http://organizedwisdom.com/Bariatric_Surgery_Thins_Bones

Weight Loss Surgery Cuts Women's Cancer Risk

AmyS — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 08:40:23 GMT

New research suggests weight loss surgery may lower a woman's risk of developing cancer. The surgery does not have the same effect on men. Losing weight through other, slower means did not appear to have any cancer fighting effects.

Fast Facts:

This study shows that weight loss surgery is associated with a 42% drop in cancer levels for women.
Scientists believe the key to surgery's impact is through hormone levels.
The study is published in Lancet Oncology.

Visit http://organizedwisdom.com/Weight_Loss_Surgery_Cuts_Women's_Cancer_Risk

Diabetes and Surgery

Amymarlatt — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 21:23:50 GMT

There are different risks associated with surgery and diabetes. Before surgery, you need to make sure there will be a doctor there during surgery who will monitor your blood glucose level. Blood sugar should be stable before surgery, if it is not you have a more than six times the likelihood of developing fatal blood clots in your lungs. After surgery there is a risk of infection. Having diabetes also can prevent proper wound healing. If you have diabetes you should make sure you are aware of all of the risks and complications involved.

Fast Facts:

There is a risk of dehydration in diabetes patients pre-op.
Having amputation surgery puts you at even greater risk for complications.
Obesity surgeries, such as gastric bypass surgery, are now believed to help cure diabetes.

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Spine Surgery for Arthrosis

ShanaMScott — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 17:11:28 GMT

Spine surgery can improve the quality of life of a patient with arthrosis by creating a permanent bond between the affected vertebrae. As with any joint in the body, the small joints of the spine can be destroyed by rheumatoid arthritis or osteoarthritis. Advancements in surgical treatment are giving people living with arthritis more chances to maintain function and keep moving.

Fast Facts:

Arthrosis -- the chronic wear of cartilage in the joint -- can affect all the joints in the body but is most often seen in the knees, hands, spinal column, and hips.
When there is structural damage to a joint or the tissues around it, medicines can't fix it, and surgery may help.
If there are compressed nerves in the spine, surgery will be used to decompress the nerves in an attempt to relieve the pain and pressure.
The term arthrosis can also simply refer to a joint where two bones are connected for motion by fibrous connective tissue and cartilage.

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Migraines and Surgical Treatments

KenyottaE — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 20:44:31 GMT

Surgical treatments may help to reduce or eliminate migraines for some people. Implanting neurostimulators has shown success in eliminating migraines. Your doctor may also opt to remove muscles in the forehead or the back of your head that may be triggering the migraines. The doctor uses Botox to identify the muscles that may be triggering the migraines.

Fast Facts:

More than 29 million people suffer from migraines in the United States.
Common side effects of having surgery for migraine include discomfort, neck weakness, and eyelid sagging.
Surgery is being considered more because migraine medications such as triptans still allow for symptoms until they take effect.

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Weight Loss Surgery May Cure Type 2 Diabetes

AmyS — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 19:59:45 GMT

Recent studies have found that bariatric surgery may cure type 2 diabetes. One study even found weight loss surgery to be as safe as other routine surgeries. Almost 90% of patients involved in this study experienced a return to normal blood sugar levels.

Fast Facts:

In one of the studies involving 177 patients, 60% were diabetes free 5-16 years after their operations.
Those who control their diabetes with diet had a greater chance of long-term remission than those who were on insulin.
These studies were presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery's annual meeting.

Visit http://organizedwisdom.com/Weight_Loss_Surgery_May_Cure_Type_2_Diabetes

Ankylosing Spondylitis Surgery

Crdelucas — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:44:11 GMT

Joint replacement and osteotomy are two types of surgeries performed for ankylosing spondylitis. Medications and physical therapy are the first line of treatment. Surgery is only recommended in severe cases. Spinal deformity, spine instability, and neuropathy are the common causes leading to ankylosing spondylitis surgery.

Fast Facts:

An osteotomy is performed by cutting through the spinal column for realignment and is rarely used.
After surgery, a brace and physical therapy regime may be prescribed.
Alternative therapies to surgery include yoga and acupuncture.

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