Health

Olympus lighting it up

Tim Darragh — 2013-05-17T17:18:05-04:00

You didn't think those awesome HD billboards in Times Square were just for underwear models and movie blurbs, did you?

If you did, you might have been surprised recently to look up and see not a hard body model but an endoscope made by Olympus lighting up mid-town.

Voila, there is, to the right, an image taken earlier this week and contributed by Olympus, which has its U.S. operations based in Center Valley.

We wrote about the new 3-D system earlier this year, which will help surgeons doing small incision procedures see on a video monitor as if they were viewing the internal surgery with their own eyes.

"Olympus says the new laparoscopic system also combines 3-D vision with a flexible or articulating tip at the end of the device, which allows it to bend up to 100 degrees. That gives the user better sight lines to peer around tumors or perform more precise suturing," the story said.

Those video monitors, however, will not be as big as the one pictured above.

Easton Hospital readies its new clinic

Tim Darragh — 2013-05-17T10:29:39-04:00

Downtown Easton will soon have a brand new health care center.

The hospital's new "Community Care Center," located at 325 Pine St. in the rear of the Pomeroy’s Building, will be unveiled at a ribbon-cutting ceremony May 28.

The new health center combines the services of the former clinics at 22^nd Street and 4^th Street, the hospital said in a news release. In addition to primary care physicians, specialists in ob/gyn, pediatrics, ear/nose and throat, podiatry, general surgery and rheumatology also will be located there. The center will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m..

The ribbon cutting and open house for the new health center will be held at 4 p.m, it said. Light refreshments will be served and tours of the new facility will be available until 6 p.m.

Why 'broad spectrum' is important for you

Tim Darragh — 2013-05-15T15:15:17-04:00

The words "broad spectrum" will take on new meaning for the public this summer.

Those are the magic words the feds have desginated for the most effective sunblock products.

Under new rules that took effect in December, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration ruled that only products that protect against UV-A and UV-B rays could be labled "broad spectrum."

According to the FDA, all sunscreen products offer protection against UVB rays, which are the primary cause of sunburn. But both UVB and UVA rays contribute to sun-induced skin cancer and premature skin aging.

"Based on scientific studies, we have determined that broad spectrum sunscreens with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 can help reduce the risk of sun-induced skin cancer and premature skin aging when used with sun protective measures, as directed," Reynold Tan, a scientist in FDA's Division of Nonprescription Regulation Development said in a news release. "We hope consumers use the information to make good choices."

Under final FDA regulations, products that pass a broad spectrum test can be labeled "broad spectrum" on the front of the product.

Sunscreens that are not broad spectrum or that lack an SPF of at least 15, it said, must now carry a warning: "Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert: Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging."

Valley well represented on Alzheimer's panel

Tim Darragh — 2013-05-15T10:57:02-04:00

Two Lehigh Valley residents will represent the region on a state panel ordered to develop a state plan in response to the growing incidence of Alzheimer's Disease.

Cynthia A. Lambert, vice president for government and community relations at Good Shepherd Rehabilitation Network, and Kelly O'Shea Carney, executive director of the Phoebe Ministries Center of Excellence in Dementia Care, were recently named to the panel by Gov. Tom Corbett. Corbett named 17 people from across the state to the committee.

The committee's job is to create a state plan to address Alzheimer's Disease and other dementia-related issues.

“With the growing incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and the increase in older adult population, it is critical that Pennsylvania develops a plan of action,” said Secretary of Aging Brian Duke, chairman of the committee. “The plan is intended to strengthen existing resources, information and expertise that will provide support for individuals over the age of 60 living with Alzheimer’s disease, their families and caregivers.”

More than 400,000 Pennsylvanians are living with Alzheimer's Disease or related dementias, according to Corbett's office.

"The establishment of the state Alzheimer's Disease Planning Committee is a timely and important initiative, and it comes when there is real hope in the Alzheimer's research community,” John Q. Trojanowski, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Alzheimer's Disease Core Center, said in a news release. “We are within striking distance of finding ways to slow or delay the progression of
Alzheimer's disease and related disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal degeneration. This initiative will accelerate these efforts."

The Unappetizing Truth About Fast Food

Alisa Bowman — 2013-05-13T10:39:27-04:00

McDonald’s got lucky this month.

First, Charles Ramsey did interview after interview, telling the world over and over again that he was eating his McDonald’s when he heard Amanda Berry’s screams.

Then a pair of recent studies shifted the negative health spot light away from McDonald’s and onto a chain that, until now, had a much more stellar reputation.

When an international team of researchers looked at the number of Subway restaurants per 100,000 people in 26 different countries, they came to an unappetizing conclusion: the more densely packed an area is with Subway restaurants, the more obese people there are living in that area.

Now any reasonable person might argue that Subway is just an innocent statistical victim here. Where there are more Subways, there are probably also more McDonald’s and other fast food restaurants. Could the other surrounding restaurants really be at fault here? After all, didn’t that dude named Jared drop more than 200 pounds and keep it off for more than 15 years by consuming Subway’s Fresh Fit meals? Aren’t these Subway meals certified as “heart healthy” by the American Heart Association? Don’t most of them contain fewer than 400 calories?

Surely Subway meals aren’t making people fat, right?

I wouldn’t be so sure about that.

When UCLA researchers studied what teens ordered at McDonald’s and Subway, they determined that the teens were not eating from the Fresh Fit menu that Jared says is responsible for his dramatic weight loss. The teens purchased Subway meals containing an average 955 calories. That’s way more calories than the average teen needs, and it’s also comparable to the number of calories teens consume at McDonald’s.

"We found that there was no statistically significant difference between the two restaurants, and that participants ate too many calories at both,” says Lenard Lesser, who led the research.

Bummer, right?

Well, I wouldn’t go that far. I will admit that I frequent Subway from time to time. You might say that I am intimately familiar with their menu and their choices. Here are some ordering tips:

Stick with the Fresh Fit options. Most of these subs contain around 400 calories. For instance a Subway Black Forest Ham 6 inch sub weighs in at only 290 calories. My favorite—the Veggie Delight—is only 230.

Don’t supersize your sub. Stick with the 6-inch option.
Don’t add fattening ingredients such as cheese, oil, or mayo. Such ingredients are not included in the calorie count for these subs. If you pile them on, mentally calculate another 100-200 calories for each high fat addition.
Use vinegar for flavor. It contains no calories, but livens up the taste of any sub. Oregano, salt and pepper are great, too.
Skip the chips, cookies and other calorie-packed sides. If you must have a side, try the apple slices.
Skip soda and other calorie-laden drinks. Instead go for the water or unsweetened FUZE tea.

Feds want tanning bed risks known

Tim Darragh — 2013-05-09T14:50:19-04:00

The government of the United States does some good things -- really -- and this week the Food & Drug Administration finally took the right steps regarding tanning beds.

The FDA earlier this week issued a proposed order that, if finalized, will reclassify sunlamp products such as tanning beds and require a label warning young people not to use them.

According to the FDA's announcement, the American Academy of Dermatology says there is a 75 percent increase in the risk of melanoma, the deadliest type of skin cancer, for those who use indoor tanning, and the risk increases with each use. The proposed order does not prohibit their use for people under age 18, but it provides a warning on the consequences.

If the order is finalized, manufacturers will have to show that their products have met certain performance testing requirements, address certain product design characteristics and provide comprehensive labeling that gives consumers clear information on the risks of use. According to the FDA, the order proposes to include a contraindication against use on people under 18 years old, and the labeling would have to include a warning that frequent users of sunlamp products should be regularly screened for skin cancer.

The FDA will take comments on the proposed order for 90 days.

Gov. Chris Christie's lap-band, a health need or political ploy

Milton Carrero — 2013-05-09T13:49:59-04:00

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is making headlines for his recent lap-band stomach surgery, which could help the overweight politician lose up to 100 pounds—if he changes his ways.

The fact that his name features prominently on the news is good news for any politician, particularly for Christie whose name is already being mentioned as a Republican presidential candidate for 2016.

But perhaps the headlines reveal more about him than he was intending to share.

The lap-band surgery has made it easier for Christie to reduce his portion sizes during his customary restaurant visits. While some say the move could help his political aspirations, others have criticized him for resorting to a quick surgery instead of putting the time in at the gym and health food stores.

The governor underwent the surgery secretly under a false name in February during President's Day Weekend.

"I've struggled with this issue for 20 years," Christie told the New York Post. "For me, this is about turning 50 and looking at my children and wanting to be there for them."

Close to 160,000 people had similar surgeries in 2010, according to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. The operation could be life-saving for many who are morbidly obese and at risk of serious conditions such as diabetes and heart disease. For some people, who have struggled their whole lives to lose weight, bariatric surgery is the recommended route to better health.

There is no shame in trying to stay healthy, particularly when you consider that close to 80 million men and almost 75 million women in the United States are considered obese, according to the American Heart Association. Keeping these figures in mind, few people have the moral authority to criticize the governor for his eating habits.

But what troubles me about Christie's decision is that he tried to hide the procedure from his constituents. He hired Dr. George Fielding, head of NYU Medical Center’s Weight Management Program and never stepped foot in his office for medical visits. Instead, the doctor came to the governor’s house, according to the Post's original story. Christie kept his secret for three months.

This speaks volumes about his political vision and style. First, it says that after a career in politics, Christie is still naive enough to believe he can keep a secret like this from the public. He should have been up front about it and remind people about the dangers of overeating, which costs the nation hundreds of billions in healthcare every year.

If the trend continues the cost of obesity could reach $861 billion by 2030, accounting for more than 16 percent of the country's health expenditures, according to the American Heart Association estimates.

Christie had valid reasons to undergo the lap-band stomach surgery, but he did not have enough political will to tell the truth.

He doesn't sound like the kind of guy I want to have crafting a State of the Union address. It doesn't matter how little he is eating or how many pounds he has lost, something about his words will likely smell fishy.

Northwestern football standout needs a way to pay for nursing

Milton Carrero — 2013-05-06T08:04:08-04:00

Former Northwestern football standout Brett Snyder has been fighting Lou Gehrig's disease for the past decade, but that's not his only challenge.

He recently underwent a tracheotomy and needs a ventilator, which means that speech as he once knew it is now another one of his memories. He communicates through a machine that detects his eye movements. He blinks to type his thoughts into a keyboard. That is still not his greatest challenge.

His greatest challenge is that he needs 24 hour nurse care and his main obstacle seems to be government bureaucracy and the laws that make it harder on the middle class.

"The biggest problem is care," says Brett. "The care we qualify for we can't get and the care we need we don't qualify until we go bankrupt."

They're not wealthy enough to to afford a full time nurse to help Snyder with his daily physical and medical needs and the program that provides assistance to pay for these services says they earn too much to qualify.

Sound familiar? Welcome to what his wife Carissa calls the American health care black hole, which increases an already immense burden.

"I love my family," says Brett, every morning when I wake up I can't wait to see my wife and son. But at the same time I see the burden that I am putting on them. Not having enough care takers is awful."

It puts an additional stress on everyone in the family.

"When a family goes through something like this," she says, "it's so overwhelming, all-encompassing, that takes every ounce that you have just to cope."

She laments not having more time to advocate to correct the criteria currently used to qualify for government health assistance programs.

Time is a valuable asset for this couple and enduring the impact of a debilitating disease is burden enough.

"I won't give up," says Brett. "I am also very grateful for the love and support of my friends and family, and my wife has been my angel."

This couple needs a few angels in Congress to change the laws. In the meantime, if you think you can help this family contact me at mcarrero@mcall.com.

LVH honors 34 at its Friends of Nursing celebration

Tim Darragh — 2013-05-03T17:10:10-04:00

Thirty four clinicians and seven care teams recently received awards at Lehigh Valley Health Network's Friends of Nursing Celebration. The program was attended by more than 725 colleagues and community members at SteelStacks in Bethlehem.

The awards are part of the Friends of Nursing Program, which helps fund continuing education, professional development and research opportunities for nurses to enhance patient care.

The honorees:

Dialysis Unit, the Betty E. Andersen, RN, Award for Professional Nursing Certification.

Michael Pechulis – Physical Therapy, The Bill and Nancy Mason Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Rehabilitation Services.

Andrea Tewari – Cardiac ICU, Pulmonary Associates Award for Excellence in Critical Care Nursing.

Borna Oriko – Regional Heart Center–Medical, Josephine Ritz, RN, Nursing Award for Excellence in Patient and Family Teaching.

Jasmine Rodriguez – Cedar Crest College, John M. Eisenberg, MD, Award for Excellence as a Student Nurse.

5C Skin Integrity Team, Commitment to Patient Safety Award.

Darryn Shaff – Interventional Radiology, Professional Excellence Council Physician Friends of Nursing Award.

Vivian Izquierdo – 7A, Medical Staff Technical Partner Award.

Brian Spadt – 6T, Medical Staff Technical Partner Award.

Ruth Ocasio – Radiation Oncology, Medical Staff Licensed Practical Nurse Award.

Maria del Pilar London – Adult Psychiatry, Medical Staff Administrative Partner Award.

Debra Rice – Regional Heart Center–Medical, Medical Staff Administrative Partner Award.

Pamela Stauffer – Operating Room, LVH–Cedar Crest, Medical Staff Award for Excellence in a Care Delivery “Technician” Role.

Patricia Evans – Health Network Laboratories, Kathy Mundt-Bulla Memorial Award for Excellence as a Laboratorian.

Tiffany Epting – Clinical Staff Development, The Florence Nightingale Exemplary Professional Practice Award.

Neuroscience ICU, Fleming Award to Recognize a Department Which Demonstrates a Commitment to Structural Empowerment.

Lori Ann Dietz Fontaine – Inpatient Hospice, Fleming Nursing Caring Award.

Stacey Michalik – Trauma Neuro Intensive Care Unit, Fleming Nursing Caring Award.

Emergency Department Staff of the Rapid Assessment Unit, LVH–Muhlenberg, Fleming Award to Recognize New Knowledge, Innovations and Improvements.

Jennifer Trubilla – Dialysis, Jeffrey J. Hitchings Award for Excellence in Education.

Inpatient Hospice, Fleming Award to Recognize a Department Which Promotes Family Presence.

Timothy Kelly – Float Pool, Joseph and Judith Kaminski Award for Excellence as a Float Nurse.

Katrina Schafer – Regional Burn Center, The Robert Lurig Memorial Award for Excellence in Burn Care.

Jane Nemeth – Neonatal ICU, M.G. Asnani, MD, Award for Excellence in Pediatric Nursing.

Jonelle Pionegro – Case Management, Award for Excellence as a Case Manager.

Tracy Gemberling – 6T, Dr. and Mrs. Donald H. Gaylor Medical-Surgical Nursing Award.

Jacaline Wolf – OACIS (Optimizing Advanced Complex Illness Support) Services, Allentown Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association Award for Excellence in Palliative Care.

Andrea Jones – Operating Room, LVH–17^th Street, Joseph J. Prorok, MD, Award for Excellence in Perioperative Nursing.

Emily Sorrentino – 5C, Dr. Peter and Ruth Keblish Award for Excellence in Orthopaedic Surgical Nursing.

Maria Elsa Plamenco – Post-Anesthesia Care Unit, LVH–Cedar Crest, Allentown Anesthesia Associates, Inc. Post Anesthesia Care Nursing Award.

Donna Hill – Interventional Progressive Coronary Unit, Award for Excellence as a Nurse Preceptor.

Tara Mertens – Lehigh Valley Home Care, Alma W. Holland Award for Excellence in Home Care Nursing.

Joan Collette – GI Lab, William F. Ihrie Jr. and Elizabeth A. Ihrie Digestive Sciences Award.

Christine Heffernan – Radiation Oncology, LVH–Muhlenberg, Keri Fegley Suchy Award for Excellence in the Delivery of Ambulatory Care.

Jessica Rush – Hospital Medicine, LVH–Muhlenberg, LVHN Department of Legal Services Award for Excellence in the Promotion of Patient Care.

Sarah Lichtenwalner – Multipurpose Area, Cancer Center, LVH–Muhlenberg, Cancer Services Leadership Council Excellence in Cancer Care Award.

Leroy Kromis – Pharmacy, Award for Excellence as a Pharmacist.

Christina Merrell – Neuroscience ICU, Award for Excellence in Neuroscience Nursing.

Gynecology Oncology Specialists, Lehigh Valley Health Network Board of Trustees Patient Satisfaction Award for Ambulatory Services.

Regional Burn Center, Senior Management Council Patient Satisfaction Award for Inpatient Care.

Olympus introduces a new tool

Tim Darragh — 2013-05-03T16:05:18-04:00

With more than 220,000 people diagnosed each year with lung cancer, it's critical for physicians to have the tools needed to detect the disease at the earliest stages.

This week Olympus, based in Center Valley, introduced a new device to help doctors see deep into patients' lungs.

The company this week introduced its new BF-190 bronchoscopes, which it says offer "unparalleled maneuverability and flexibility" that will allow physicians to access areas of the lung that may not be easily reached with the existing technology.

According to a news release, the BF-190's rotary function is estimated to reduce hand torque by up to 82 percent, which may translate to a significant reduction in hand fatigue and injury.

“Increased maneuverability is perceived to be the most notable improvement in functionality compared to existing bronchoscopes,” Dr. Ali Musani, director of Interventional Pulmonology at the National Jewish Hospital. “Translating this feature to bronchoscopes will allow for easier access to traditionally difficult-to-reach locations and in some cases may permit navigation into areas impossible to reach with current generation bronchoscopes.”

The BF-190 bronchoscopes are powered by Olympus’ new HDTV Imaging system, it said. The HDTV image, along with other enhanced features, will provide a clear and detailed endoscopic image that allows for more precise observation, the company said.

“The BF-190s represent one of the most significant advancements in bronchoscopes in over eight years,” said Luke Calcraft, president of the Medical Systems Group at Olympus America Inc. “We believe that the technology provides unique functionality which, when combined with the brightest, clearest image on the market, has the potential to transform the way bronchoscopies are performed throughout the world.”

According to Thomson Reuters, there were approximately 850,000 bronchoscopies performed in the U.S. in 2010.