- Men's Health, Orthopedics, Women's Health, PediatricsGeneral Page Tier 3BlogPeople of different age groups can protect their bones and joints in a variety of ways: Kids and teensDon’t go straight from zero to 100. Avoid fractures by stretching and strengthening well before returning to seasonal sports. TeensStrengthen muscles and increase muscle mass with weight training to protect bones and joints in contact and high-impact sports. Teen girlsReplace the calories burned during high-intensity cardiovascular sports to avoid excessive fat loss that can lead to reduced bone density. AdultsUse stretching and light resistance strength training to keep stiff joints limber and reduce arthritis symptoms. Maintain a healthy weight to take pressure off the joints. WomenGet enough vitamin D and calcium, and participate in load-bearing activities such as walking, running, dancing or resistance training to keep bones strong. Ask your doctor about a bone density scan after menopause. Learn more about The Joint Center at AAMC, which performs more joint replacements than any other hospital in Maryland. Read about one athlete who swapped running for biking to save his knees.
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWhat started in 1966 as the Pink Lady Ball culminated in a celebration unlike any other gala event in this region. The 2016 Heart of Gold Gala was held on April 9 at the Hilton Baltimore at the Inner Harbor. Nearly 1,000 guests came together to raise more than $1 million for Anne Arundel Medical Center and our growing cardiovascular program. Ringing in a new era, guests celebrated AAMC’s 50th anniversary gala with a new venue, new format, and a handful of surprises and gifts for gala guests. The Heart of Gold Gala was chaired by AAMC Foundation Board Vice-Chair Mark Powell, his wife Lynne, and Jerry Segal, MD, medical director of AAMC’s Heart Institute. A huge thank you to our Gold sponsors for their support: BB&T, Comcast, Creston G. & Betty Jane Tate Foundation, and Mark & Lynne Powell, The Powell Foundation. Please save the date! AAMC Foundation’s Denim & Diamonds Spring Bash is back next year—April 29, 2017, at AAMC’s South Campus. For more information about the AAMC Foundation’s 2017 Denim & Diamonds Spring Bash, please contact Kendra Smith Houghton at 443-481-4739 or email [email protected].
- Heart CareGeneral Page Tier 3BlogHeart failure occurs when the heart muscle can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Signs and symptoms of heart failure include: Shortness of breath. Swelling in the legs, ankles and/or belly. Sudden weight gain. Fatigue. Jennifer Brown, MD, cardiologist and heart failure expert with Anne Arundel Medical Center, focuses on helping patients learn how to manage this disease. “Heart failure is one of the top reasons patients are admitted to hospitals across the country, and the number-one reason patients are readmitted to the hospital within 30 days after discharge,” Dr. Brown stresses. While most of the time heart failure cannot be cured, it can be managed. Dr. Brown recommends a four-pronged approach. See Your Cardiologist “If diagnosed with heart failure while in the hospital, the most important thing you can do to keep from being readmitted is see your cardiologist within seven to 10 days post-discharge and as advised after that,” Dr. Brown says. Follow-up visits with a cardiologist are critical, since medications started in the hospital are often adjusted after discharge to optimize symptoms. Take Your Medications Not taking your medications as directed will likely lead to ER visits. Medications for heart failure — as well as other chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes — should be carefully managed. “The heart is negatively impacted when other disease states are not well controlled. For example, poorly controlled diabetes, uncontrolled hypertension and untreated sleep apnea can all worsen heart failure,” says Dr. Brown. “Many patients misunderstand how connected the body is.” Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle Lifestyle changes and self-management can go a long way toward improving your symptoms and overall quality of life. Dr. Brown recommends: If you smoke, quit. Manage fluids, drinking no more than 2 liters daily. Weigh yourself daily. Sudden weight gain can signal fluid retention. Contact your cardiologist if you gain 3 pounds in one day or 5 pounds in one week. Choose a heart-healthy diet. Limiting sodium is especially important for people with heart failure. In addition, staying active, getting enough sleep and avoiding heavy alcohol consumption and other drug use can reduce symptoms and prevent hospitalization. Manage Depression “It’s common for cardiac patients to experience depression, and when left untreated, patients may lose motivation to exercise, eat a heart-healthy diet, take their medications … and the list goes on,” Dr. Brown says. “If there’s any question of depression, making sure it’s treated appropriately is critical.” Heart Health 101 Your best defense against heart failure is prevention. Anne Arundel Medical Center offers Heart Health 101, a free class that delivers all the information you need to achieve a healthy heart for life. The class helps you understand: How the heart works. Causes of heart disease. How to manage heart disease risks. Symptoms that something is wrong. Diagnosis and treatment for heart disease. Early heart attack warning signs for men and women. Register for the next Heart Health 101 class on August 15 at 6 pm. Medical school taught Dr. Brown how to treat heart failure. But her mother-in-law’s experience with it taught Dr. Brown how to care for people with heart failure. Read Dr. Brown’s inspiring personal story. Find out how you can get involved in bringing cardiac surgery to AAMC. Author Jennifer Brown, MD, is a cardiologist and heart failure expert with Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- Orthopedics, Patient StoriesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAfter numerous setbacks, Hope Lomvardias thought she was out of options. In the spring of 2015, Hope was a 17-year-old Archbishop Spalding junior who was excitedly touring colleges around the Northeast in preparation for applying in the fall. However, during the long car trips, she started experiencing intense low back pain, as well as leg pain and numbness. Her mother, Karyn, an infusion nurse at Anne Arundel Medical Center, became increasingly concerned. “When we would stop the car, Hope could hardly stand up because she was in terrible pain,” explains Karyn. “And, it just worsened. I knew something was wrong, because I’ve had my own cervical spine issues, and I recognized nerve pain.” Because of Hope’s young age, her healthcare providers were reluctant to diagnose a spinal disc problem. Eventually, Hope had an MRI that confirmed a large herniation in the disc in the lowest part of her spine, between L5 and S1 — an unusual diagnosis at her age. She began conservative treatment options that included medication and physical therapy. “During all of this, Hope started her senior year of high school,” recalls Karyn. “It really created problems because she was in excruciating pain.” Hope was able to make arrangements with the school to use the elevator and a rolling backpack, although she hated having to do things differently than her classmates. When Hope was younger, she wore a brace to treat her scoliosis, and she didn’t like feeling different again. However, she had little choice. Next Steps The medication and physical therapy did not offer Hope the relief she needed, and school was getting more difficult. Her parents gave her the option of taking placement tests and going straight into college. But Hope did not want to give up her high school experience, including graduating with her class and going to prom. She continued on with physical therapy, while searching for other treatment options. Hope then met with Roy Bands, MD, an orthopedic surgeon at The Spine Center at AAMC. Dr. Bands had treated both Karyn and Karyn’s father for spine issues, and now Hope would be the third generation to see him. “Hope had a degenerative herniated lumbar disc, which in someone her age, we believe is primarily genetic,” says Dr. Bands. “She has a strong family history of this, including her mother and grandfather.” At first, Dr. Bands recommended Hope continue physical therapy so he could monitor for any improvement. “Unfortunately physical therapy did not improve her condition, so we then discussed her surgical options.” According to Chad Patton, MD, medical director of The Spine Center at AAMC, “Our philosophy of care is patient-centric from beginning to end. It’s important to exhaust conservative treatment options before surgery is considered.” Better Images, Better Outcomes The Spine Center at AAMC recently added the O-arm 3-D imaging system, which can improve patient safety and outcomes during complex spinal procedures. Chad Patton, MD, medical director of The Spine Center at AAMC, is shown in front of the new O-arm 3-D imaging system. “The O-arm captures full 360-degree 3-D images of a patient’s spine, giving us precise anatomical views,” explains Chad Patton, MD, orthopedic surgeon and medical director of The Spine Center at AAMC. “In real time, navigational software can show us where our instruments and implants are in relation to the patient’s anatomy without having to take additional x-rays during the surgery. Not only does this dramatically decrease the radiation exposure to the surgical team, but it also improves patient safety and ultimately allows us to tackle more complex surgery here at AAMC.” According to Dr. Patton, AAMC’s investment in O-arm technology is one additional way the hospital provides the highest quality care possible. A Surgical Solution Although Hope was hesitant to have back surgery, she also recalls how badly she was hurting. “One time it got so bad right before surgery that I even thought ‘if only I can have my leg amputated’ because I couldn’t stand the pain,” she remembers. “The pain was that bad.” By that point, Hope was ready for surgery. “The surgery to repair a herniated disc involves opening the spinal canal and shaving off the herniated portions of the disc. It’s called a laminectomy and discectomy,” explains Dr. Bands. Hope had surgery over the Christmas break to minimize her time away from school, and she emerged in a much better place both physically and mentally. “Immediately after the surgery, I felt so much better,” says Hope. “It was amazing. I felt like I had my old leg back. I was basically pain free. I’m so glad I decided to have surgery.” Now, Hope has returned to her life as an active teenager. Dr. Bands cleared her to play sports again if she’d like. Plus, Hope was accepted to Johns Hopkins, where she plans to study history in the fall. “Hope is a perfect example of how back surgery can make significant improvement in your life,” says Dr. Bands. Author Roy Bands, MD, is an orthopedic surgeon at The Spine Center at AAMC.
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWouldn’t you want your surgeon to have greater stamina and focus and less pain? Research by Adrian Park, MD, chair of AAMC’s Department of Surgery, may prevent surgeons from suffering work-related pain, potentially making surgery safer for patients. As the surgeon’s tools and incisions become smaller, surgeries are easier on the patient but oftentimes harder on the doctor. Minimally invasive surgeries require surgeons to remain still for long periods of time. This has led surgeons to experience more frequent pain in the neck, shoulder and back areas during and after performing an operation. In Dr. Park’s study, surgeons performed a 90-second series of targeted exercises every 20–40 minutes during surgery. Surgeons who took the breaks reported less discomfort and an improvement in physical performance and mental focus. Most of the surgeons who took part in the study said they wanted to incorporate targeted stretching micro breaks into their operating rooms in the future. “It seems obvious that stretching would help relieve any discomfort while performing surgery. But the act of pausing during surgery is not a widely accepted practice — we are trained to work until we finish the job,” says Dr. Park. Dr. Park, an expert in the ergonomics of the surgical suite, says a cultural shift is needed in the way surgeons are trained. Otherwise, he warns, we could face an epidemic of occupational injuries to surgeons. Contributor Adrian Park, MD, is chair of AAMC’s Department of Surgery.
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