- UncategorizedGeneral Page Tier 3BlogIf you have a hernia, you may be dealing with an array of possible symptoms, including: A bulging lump in your abdomen Pain or discomfort A “heavy” feeling Heartburn or nausea Difficulty swallowing According to the National Institutes of Health, about 4.5 million Americans have a hernia. It’s a weakened spot in the tissues of the abdomen or groin area that allows organs to push through. While there are several types of hernias, they rarely disappear on their own, says AAMC hernia specialist Igor Belyansky, MD, who specializes in hernia and abdominal wall reconstruction. “A hernia can develop at any time in someone’s life,” Dr. Belyansky explains. “Once one develops, often it slowly gets bigger over time.” Although surgery is the only way to fix a hernia, not all hernias require surgical treatment. Some hernias don’t ever cause symptoms. Most hernias only need treatment if it’s causing significant discomfort or cutting into your enjoyment of daily living. Besides surgery, other treatment options include: Lifestyle changes such as weight control Medications such as heartburn relievers Abdominal support belts known as “binders” that help contain protruding tissue “Anyone with a bulge in their abdominal wall should visit a doctor for evaluation,” says Dr. Belyansky. Learn how James Savoy, Jr., underwent surgery to remove his hernia and cancerous prostate gland at the same time. Contributor Igor Belyansky, MD, is a hernia specialist at Anne Arundel Medical Center.
- Cancer Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogRecently, a friend told me about his mother’s experience with breast cancer. She was treated several years ago and underwent a mastectomy (removal of the entire breast). She considered having reconstruction to rebuild the breast, but decided not to when she learned that it would remove one of the muscles from her abdomen. Removing the muscle to rebuild her breast would lead to some weakness and a risk of hernia. The good news for a woman facing breast cancer today is that many new reconstruction methods are available. The results from rebuilding the breast are usually very good or excellent, and often muscle does not need to be removed. For women with breast cancer who do not need a mastectomy, reconstruction is also an option to make the breast look better after lumpectomy (surgery to remove the cancer but leave healthy breast tissue in place). Here are a few of the newest approaches to breast surgery that have improved lives for women after breast cancer: Free flaps – A free flap is a breast reconstruction technique that uses a woman’s own body tissue (not an implant), and often does not remove any muscle. One common approach is to perform a “tummy tuck,” taking extra skin and fat from a woman’s belly, and then transplanting that belly tissue up to the chest to recreate her breast. Nipple-sparing mastectomy – A nipple-sparing mastectomy is an operation in which a woman’s breast tissue is removed, but none of the skin on top of the breast (including the nipple) is removed. Breast reconstruction is done at the same time. Keeping a woman’s own skin gives a natural-appearing result and means that an additional surgery to reconstruct the nipple is not needed. Lumpectomy with breast reduction – For a woman with a large tumor, mastectomy used to be the only option. Today, lumpectomy is sometimes possible if a breast reduction operation is done at the same time. A breast reduction operation is also performed on the other breast so the two sides match. Sometimes a woman with breast cancer chooses this operation even if her tumor is small, if she was already interested in having a breast reduction. Survival after breast cancer has improved dramatically in recent decades. Because of this, specialists have placed greater emphasis on making sure women with breast cancer have the opportunity not only to survive, but to thrive after treatment. Newer reconstruction methods in breast surgery help women to thrive after breast cancer treatment by: Contributing to a positive self-image. Decreasing psychological stress from “re-living” the cancer experience when a woman looks at her scars. Promoting a healthy sex life. Preventing hernias and muscle weakness that can be caused by some types of reconstruction. Remember, a woman who survives breast cancer today should not have to deal with self-consciousness about her body. If someone close to you is diagnosed with breast cancer, you can help her by making sure she is treated at a breast center that offers all of the modern approaches to breast reconstruction. Author Rubie Sue Jackson, MD, is a breast surgeon at the Fortney Breast Center.
- News & Press Releases, Plastic Surgery & Skin Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Group (AAMG) Plastic Surgery, a full-service plastic surgery practice affiliated with Anne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC), announced the launch of its cosmetic services. The practice opened last fall offering reconstructive and microvascular services in support of AAMC’s Rebecca Fortney Breast Center and other hospital units. AAMG Plastic Surgery is led by surgeons Tripp Holton, MD, and Devinder Singh, MD, board-certified plastic surgeons who offer expertise in aesthetic surgery and non-surgical procedures for the face and body. AAMG Plastic Surgery offers the full-range of cosmetic services, from surgical procedures like tummy tucks, body contouring and breast augmentation to popular non-surgical treatments like Botox and Kybella. “We’re proud of the work we do every day helping patients with advanced, complex trauma through microvascular and reconstructive surgery at Anne Arundel Medical Center,” says Dr. Singh, who also is chief and medical director of plastic surgery at AAMC. “And we’re now pleased to extend these services to cosmetic surgery.” “We’re giving patients a full-range of options to look their best – including the latest in face, breast and body procedures – and doing so at the hospital they already know and trust makes all the difference,” adds Dr. Holton, who also is director of microvascular surgery at AAMC.
- Cancer Care, Women's HealthGeneral Page Tier 3BlogWomen diagnosed with breast cancer can face many different choices for treatment. With new advancements in technology and breast cancer therapies, it can be difficult to know what choices give the best chance for a cure and high quality of life. A lumpectomy or mastectomy? Chemo before surgery or after surgery? How will these decisions affect personal, family and career priorities? Oftentimes, there is no right or wrong answer. Each woman is at a different stage in life and every woman’s breasts mean something different to her. Although breast surgeons aim to educate and guide patients, patients must ultimately make the decisions about treatment. This model is known as “shared decision making.” For some women, identifying a personal “best” treatment may involve the support of a friend or mentor — such as volunteer with a peer-to-peer mentorship program, like Survivors Offering Support (SOS). Hospitals across the nation offer programs like SOS, which pair a newly diagnosed breast cancer patient with a breast cancer survivor to offer educated support and encouragement. SOS peer mentors don’t offer medical advice, but as breast cancer survivors themselves, they can relate to the worries and fears that women with breast cancer often experience. Here are just a few of the benefits that women with breast cancer can find from peer-to-peer mentorship programs: Support from friends or family members who survived breast cancer can be comforting, but unlike peer mentors, these people aren’t trained to remain objective. They mean well, but they don’t understand that their story is just that – their story. A woman needs to focus on her story, which peer mentors understand. Peer mentors can also help women who have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer cut through information overload, which can result from researching online for hours. Mentors can help other women turn their concerns into questions for their surgeon. These conversations empower women to make informed decisions. Knowing that she has made her decision with the support of a trusted SOS mentor can help a woman minimize second-guessing herself, which means one less thing to worry about. Connecting with a mentor makes the cancer journey less lonely. Even if women have a strong social support system, it makes a huge difference to have someone who has been through the breast cancer journey themselves. Confiding in a mentor helps cut through the loneliness that can occur during the breast cancer journey. In fact, many women form lifelong friendships through these types of programs. Going through breast cancer can be both physically and emotionally taxing. To get through rough times, women can lean on the support of their mentor. Getting to know someone who has come through a breast cancer battle on the other side can give inspiration and motivation for women in their fight against cancer. No one has to go through something like this alone. Read more about Survivors Offering Support (SOS), including the personal story of a volunteer who discovered storm chasing in her recovery from a rare form of breast cancer. Author Lorraine Tafra, MD, is a breast surgeon and the medical director of AAMC’s Rebecca Fortney Breast Center.
- News & Press ReleasesGeneral Page Tier 3BlogAnne Arundel Medical Center (AAMC) announces Jeanette Abell, MD, as its new associate chair of medicine. Dr. Abell comes to AAMC from the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore, where she served as medical director and section head of palliative medicine. Prior to that, Dr. Abell was chief of hospital medicine at Sentara Medical Group in Virginia, providing leadership oversight of more than 80 medical hospitalist and palliative medicine providers. She has held several other leadership roles throughout her 26-year medical career. Dr. Abell assumed the role of associate chair of medicine in August 2016. In this position, she serves as the physician leader for the medical hospitalist program, palliative medicine program and conducts associated efforts in quality and patient satisfaction initiatives. Dr. Abell is one of two associate chairs of medicine at AAMC. “Dr. Abell is known for being an innovative, results-oriented and collaborative physician,” said Mitchell Schwartz, MD, chief medical officer and president of Physician Enterprise at Anne Arundel Medical Center. “She brings demonstrated ability in driving transformation in large healthcare organizations and shares our strong focus on quality outcomes. We are pleased to welcome her to AAMC.” Board certified in Internal Medicine, Dr. Abell is a specialist in hospice and palliative medicine. She was fellowship-trained in hospice and palliative medicine at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where she was chief fellow. Abell completed her medical training at Wright State University’s Boonshoft School of Medicine and Riverside Methodist Hospital. She holds a physician executive master of business administration degree from the University of Tennessee.
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