UnityPoint Health’s Post

🎥Watch Nicola's story, a fantastic example of how a vital it is to SPEAK UP AND SAFETY NET... "I was around 5 months pregnant, attending my routine whooping cough and flu vaccination at my local GP surgery. The nurse noticed the large sticky-out mole on my upper left arm, just before my shoulder. She did not let me leave until I had a GP appointment the next day to get it checked. I attended the appointment and the doctor referred me to get the mole removed and tested. A few weeks later I was diagnosed with melanoma skin cancer. ⭐If I were to see that Practice Nurse again I would say: I don’t know what would have happened if you didn’t mention your concern and then make me act on it. You were firm but kind, and could see it may be serious and needed to be checked. Thank you for trusting your instinct, you potentially saved my life." 💙Read Nicola's whole story here: https://ow.ly/pAgS50QMJIq 🏷️Tag any Clinical Staff you know in the comments.(as above) 📨 Are you a HCP interested in knowing more? Send us your details here: https://lnkd.in/g6NZ_wGS #healthcareprofessional #generalpractice #clinicalteam #cancer #cancerandpregnancy #primarycare #NHS #practicenurse #melanoma #skincancer #cancercasestudy #cancerstory

If you feel a lump during a self-breast exam or get a call that something was spotted on your latest mammogram, your first thought may be, ‘It’s cancer.’ Yes, breast cancer is one of the leading cancer diagnoses in women. But there’s no need for immediate panic. You could have a benign breast condition that is not life-threatening and is not cancer. Generally speaking, benign breast disease is a group of conditions that involve breast changes that are not malignant. These changes can be found on imaging, felt during self-breast exams or discovered following breast discomfort. Benign breast disease is very common. In fact, the team at Telfair Breast Surgery at St. Joseph’s/Candler sees more benign breast conditions than cancer, says Candace Walton, nurse practitioner at Telfair Breast Surgery. “Normally, it starts with imaging, Sometimes it does start with generalized breast pain or they feel a mass,” Walton says. “A lot of patients may have their first mammogram that shows something in their breast that’s been there for a long time, and they just didn’t know it. It gets flagged, such as a cyst, but a large majority of them are benign cysts.” Walton lists some of the more common conditions of benign breast disease: https://lnkd.in/e5BS2MMV #benignbreastdisease #breasthealth #mammograms #mammogram #mammography #nurse #nursepractitioner #nursesoflinkedin #nurses #breastcancer #breastcancerawareness #breastselfexam

Acute Compartment Syndrome (ACS) in children on ECMO – urgent Need for Awareness! A recent study by Bridges et al. in the Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics (March 2024) highlights a critical challenge: #ACS in children on VA #ECMO. Out of 343 pediatric patients on VA ECMO support, 5.2% developed ACS. That's more than 1 in 20! Key Findings: ▪️ Femoral artery cannulation increased ACS risk by 6 times. ▪️ #Mortality rate was a staggering 56% (10 out of 18) ▪️ Only 29% had healthy muscles at initial #fasciotomy. ▪️ Diagnosis happened 29 hours after starting ECMO, but muscle #necrosis had already begun. Are we detecting ACS too late? Can early recognition save limbs and lives? Is there a better way to detect and manage ACS in these vulnerable patients? Read the full study: https://lnkd.in/euGkNU9p Callie Shawhan, Tristen Taylor, Thomas Bini, Andrea Ontaneda, Ryan Coleman MD, Jaclyn (Rosenblum) Hill, MD, Nicole Montgomery, Vinitha Shenava, Frank Gerow #PediatricSurgery #CompartmentSyndrome #ECMO #CriticalCare #Orthopaedics #Orthopedics #EarlyDetection #SentinelpH

Amblyopia, both refractive and strabismic, and retinal disease worsen vision and cause severe vision loss, respectively, in children with low vision, according to a study published in the Journal of the AAPOS- American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Income and insurance coverage, however, do not significantly affect best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) or the likelihood of surgery in these patients, according to the report. Read here: https://bit.ly/3ZKn237 #Refraction #Amblyopia #Strabismus #RetinalDisease #VisionLoss #LowVision #Optometry #EyeCare #EyeHealth #BestCorrectedVisualAcuity #EyeHealth

This should be celebrated, but it’s important to understand that Canada lags behind the rest of world in the adoption of robotic assisted surgery. As of 2023 11M robotic surgeries were completed worldwide, while Canada’s major hospitals barely totalled 3k per site. Some of the most common robotic surgeries, like gall bladder surgery, are nearly 30% more successful than conventional surgery. Yet, the Canadian Public Health system does not fund robotic surgery. You read that right. Canadian hospitals rely on charity and research funds to purchase and maintain surgical robots. Canada spends the most per capita out of all OECD counties and gets the worst outcomes. This shouldn’t be a headline👇, it should be a boring 🥱 everyday occurrence for the money we are spending on healthcare. Outcomes matter. #healthcare #spending

Tissue banking and Heart valves, what are Heart Valves? The heart consists of four chambers. Blood passes through a valve as it leaves each chamber. Of the four heart valves, the aortic and pulmonary valves can be donated after death and used for transplant. How are Donated Heart Valves Used? Donated heart valves are used in two main procedures, heart valve replacement surgery and reconstructive cardiac surgery. In heart valve replacement surgery, donated heart valves replace absent, damaged, diseased, or malfunctioning heart valves in infants, children, and adults. In reconstructive cardiac surgery, donor valves are made into patches used to repair and reconstruct heart defects in infants, children, and adults with congenital or acquired heart disease. There are many benefits to using donated heart valves, including a decreased risk of infection and blood clots, no need for blood thinners, and improved blood flow. source: www.AATB.org #donatelife#tissuebank

Excited to share my work on opioid prescribing for children after cardiac surgery! Our research highlights a critical issue: prescribers are inconsistent in their approach to opioid prescriptions for these vulnerable kids, leading to significant variations in care. In our recent paper, we advocate for the development of consistent guidelines to ensure that all children receive safe and appropriate pain management after surgery. It’s essential that we support this fragile group with the best practices possible. Looking forward to discussions on improving standards in pediatric care! #OpioidPrescribing #PediatricCare #CardiacSurgery #HealthGuidelines

Addressing Radiation Risks in the OR: A Critical Innovation in Surgeon Safety The link between occupational radiation exposure and breast cancer among female orthopedic surgeons is gaining attention. Recent data show that women in this field are nearly three times more likely to develop breast cancer than the general population. Dr. Lauren Ramsey, a breast surgical oncologist, is on the front lines of this issue. After losing a colleague to breast cancer, she began exploring ways to better protect clinicians from radiation, especially women, whose current protective garments don’t offer sufficient coverage for the breast’s outer quadrant—where cancer most often develops. Her response? The BAT, a new garment designed to reduce radiation exposure by up to 97% in the breast area and 60% in the spine. At $500 per unit, it’s a cost-effective solution compared to traditional aprons, and it’s already gaining traction in hospitals across Texas. This innovation not only highlights the importance of occupational safety for clinicians but also serves as a reminder of the gender gap in protective equipment. With rising breast cancer rates, particularly among younger women, it’s clear that targeted solutions like the BAT are crucial for safeguarding healthcare workers. Article: https://lnkd.in/g2TVXQct #ClinicalResearch #RadiationSafety #WomensHealth #Oncology #InnovationInHealthcare #BreastCancerAwareness #SurgicalSafety #HealthcareInnovation #OccupationalHealth

Myomectomy is a surgical procedure to remove uterine fibroids .These common noncancerous growths appear in the uterus. Uterine fibroids usually develop during childbearing years, but they can occur at any age. Some of the symptoms of fibroid includes: *Prolonged period that last more than a week, *Heavy bleeding during periods. *Lower back pain/pelvic pain. All these points towards the possibility of uterine fibroids. At Ark Mission Hospital We aim to practice safe and effective fibroid care with successful patient outcomes and minimal life interruptions. Beginning 25th May 2024 to 25th August 2024 we are running a discounted price for all fibroid surgeries at a subsidized fee of N250,000. #fibroidsawareness #fibroids #fibroidsurgery #subsidisedsurgery #gynecology #portharcourtsurgery #hospitalsinportharcourt #hospitalsinadageorge

Brain Noise #9 Ink on paper 11” x 12” Admittedly, with reluctance I post the ninth image of this series. The reason is I am now very close to transplant surgery, but I have been close to it before and sudden detours and roadblocks changed the planned course. Twenty-two years of chronic kidney disease, five years on a transplant list and two years on dialysis have seemed to be an endless guessing game as though caught in a labyrinth of open and closed pathways, hope rekindled and then snuffed out. This period of waiting and working to stay healthy enough eventually to have transplant surgery has been exhausting not only for me, but also for my wife. Often I hoped for a clearer and more certain timetable for the conclusion of this maze-existence to cut short all of the anxious, prolonged anticipation. What could carry me over and out of this seemingly interminable state? That is how I often reacted to my condition, but I always returned to the realization that all of this is out of my control and, ultimately, I must rely on something greater than my own will: excellent medical professionals, caring and prayerful family and friends, my devoted and loving wife, my donor, and faith in God’s provision.  At this point as I prepare for surgery, I ask that if you have not seen my microsite with the National Kidney Registry that you now take the time to do it: www.nkr.org/TTB748 I appeal to you to consider donating a kidney because there are many, many individuals in the same situation I have experienced. I understand their needs intimately.