Material From Kitchen Sponges Stop Nosebleeds In New Procedure

2012/01/27

Nosebleeds are common. In fact, 60 percent of us have them at some point, but for some it can be very serious. Primarily for those with high blood pressure or on blood thinners, nosebleeds may require medical treatment.

Our Colin Derdeyn, MD, director of the Stroke and Cerebrovascular Center at Washington University School of Medicine and Barnes Jewish Hospital, recently presented data at the International Symposium on Endovascular Therapy finding that a treatment involving the same material in kitchen sponges can make these nosebleeds a thing of the past.

In the procedure, Dr. Derdeyn, an interventional radiologist, performs a minimally invasive embolization, in which polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) particles (the material in kitchen sponges) are injected into the blood vessels to the nose. To do this, he threads a tiny tube called a catheter into a groin artery and advances it through the body to one or more of the four arteries that supply the nose, injecting the PVA particles.  The particles temporarily stop the blood flow, halting the nosebleed and allowing the area to heal. PVA has been used safely in the body medically for about 50 years.

You can read more here in USA Today or watch this interview with KSDK’s Kay Quinn:

For more about Dr. Derdeyn, watch this video here:

-Jason Merrill

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Posted by Kristin Hall

Celebrate Fitness scheduled for March 10

2012/01/26

It’s that time of year again, and we couldn’t be more excited!

Celebrate Fitness, an annual 90-minute fitness workshop for men and women, will be held Saturday, March 10 at the Washington University Athletic Complex. Participants will choose one of nine exercise activities, including, for the first time, a competitive 10K run managed by the Missouri Running Co.

“We added a 10K run this year because we wanted to provide a training opportunity for runners competing in longer spring and summer running events,” says Cathy Cooksey, co-chair of Celebrate Fitness. “Also, we have limited capacity with our indoor workouts, and outdoor events offer the best way to open Celebrate Fitness to more participants.”

This year’s event benefits two initiatives at the Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine: the Young Women’s Breast Cancer Program, a support and research program focused on breast cancer patients under the age of 44, and the Director’s Discovery Fund, which provides funding for promising, cutting-edge research at Siteman.

“The Siteman Cancer Center is extremely grateful to Celebrate Fitness for having raised over $1 million that support Siteman’s innovative clinical and research programs” says Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, Siteman director. “Through their support, the volunteers of Celebrate Fitness help us give lasting hope to thousands of people battling cancer in our region.”

In addition to the 10K run, Celebrate Fitness workout options include:

  • Boot camp
  • Yoga
  • Deep water aerobics
  • Shallow water aerobics
  • Zumba/hip hop
  • 5K run managed by Missouri Running Co.
  • 5K walk
  • 1-mile fun walk

Event Details

7 a.m.: Check in and registration

8 a.m.: Welcome ceremony

8:30 a.m.: Workouts begin

Location: Washington University Athletic Complex, Clayton, Mo.

Cost: $30 for those who preregister or $35 the day of the event

For more information or to register, visit www.celebrate-fitness.org.

To learn more about Celebrate Fitness, watch Missy Fish, one of the founders, discuss how the event came to be and what it all entails.

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Posted by Kristin Hall

Computers on the cheap…are pacemakers next?

2012/01/25

In third-world countries, lower-cost products that are similar to pricier, popular ones are sold to consumers – an example would be the $35 computer tablets, much like the iPad, made by DataWind, which is mainly sold in India.

It looks like the worlds largest medical device manufacturer is looking to do the same with one very prominent item  – mainly, the pacemaker.

U.S. based company Medtronic is seeking to create new and cost-effective products that can be affordable to the poor, while continuing to sell its existing products to middle-class markets.

A pacemaker is a small device that’s implanted just under the skin, and is connected to the heart by wires that pass through a vein directly into the heart. It helps the heart to generate a normal, healthy heartbeat. For a detailed overview of the procedure including recovery time, precautions and informational links, go here.

The creation of lower-cost pacemakers would certainly help to “spread the health” to patients who might not be able to afford the current brands of pacemakers that exist on the market. It could also help to bring a great change in healthcare worldwide, allowing for people to live longer.

To read the full article, go here.

Dr. Jane Chen, a cardiac electrophysiologist at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center, discusses symptoms of an irregular heartbeat and how a pacemaker can help patients get back on the road to good health.

-Kristin Hall

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Posted by Kristin Hall

New Cookbook from Barnes-Jewish Offers Heart Healthy Recipes

2012/01/25

For those looking for heart healthy recipes, we have something that may interest you.

The Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center and the American Heart Association have partnered on a new cookbook called “Cook Your Way to a Healthy Heart.” It features 24 recipes ranging from snacks and salads to poultry, meats and seafood. It’s part of our “My Heart. My Life.” program.

Here’s a sample recipe for Grilled Chicken with Strawberry & Pineapple Salsa. This serves 4 people with a 3 oz. chicken and ½ cup per serving. From the book:

Grilled pineapple and fresh mint and strawberries combine with tangy lemon and a bit of hot pepper flakes to make an interesting salsa for grilled chicken.

1 teaspoon canola or corn oil

Salsa

2 slices fresh pineapple, each ½ inch thick, patted dry

1 cup whole strawberries (about 5 ounces), diced

¼ cup finely chopped red onion

3 to 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

1 to 2 teaspoons sugar

⅛ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 medium lemon

Chicken

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 4 ounces each), all visible fat discarded

2 teaspoons salt-free steak seasoning blend

¼ teaspoon salt

Preheat the grill on medium high. Brush a grill pan or grill rack with the oil. Heat the grill pan or rack on the grill for about 2 minutes, or until hot. Grill the pineapple for 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool slightly, about 2 minutes, before chopping.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the remaining salsa ingredients except the lemon. Grate 1 teaspoon lemon zest, reserving the lemon. Stir the zest and chopped pineap-ple into the strawberry mixture. Set aside.

Sprinkle both sides of the chicken with the seasoning blend and salt. Grill for 5 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center. Transfer to plates. Squeeze the reserved lemon over the chicken. Serve with the salsa on the side.

Nutrition Analysis (Per Serving): Calories 191, Total Fat 3g, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Polyunsaturated Fat 0.5g, Monounsaturated Fat 1g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 66mg, Sodium 223mg, Carbohydrates 14g, Sugar 10g, Fiber 2g, Protein 27g.

Interested in more? If you’d like a copy, call 866-TOP-DOCS (867-3627) or request a copy through our website here.

-Jason Merrill

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Posted by Kristin Hall

Fast treatment can aid in recovery from an ischemic stroke

2012/01/24

Senator Mark Kirk

Illinois Senator Mark Kirk recently underwent surgery for an ischemic stroke, and his physicians report that a complete recovery isn’t likely.

A stroke can happen anytime, anywhere. The warning signs come on quickly:

  • Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm, or leg, usually on one side of the body
  • Sudden dimness or loss of vision, particularly in one eye
  • Loss of speech, or trouble talking or understanding speech
  • Sudden severe headache with no apparent cause
  • Sudden episodes of unexplained dizziness or unsteadiness

Time is critical when it comes to stroke treatment. Rapid treatment can help reduce the symptoms and aid in a full recovery. If the FDA-approved drug tPA (tissue plasminogen activator) is provided within three hours of the onset of symptoms, the patient has a better chance at recovery.

According to Dr. Colin Derdeyn, Director of the Stroke, Cerebral and Vascular Center at the Washington University Medical Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital, described the procedure used on Kirk, a hemi-craniectomy, as a last-ditch procedure. To watch his interview on KSDK yesterday, go here.

Barnes-Jewish Hospital is a comprehensive primary stroke center which has treated many types of stroke using tPA and surgical procedures. To get a look at how we’ve streamlined our process of treating stroke patients, watch the video below:

-Kristin Hall

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Posted by Kristin Hall

Edward’s arrhythmia is a common heart ailment

2012/01/24

You may have seen the recent news story that former U.S. presidential candidate John Edwards was diagnosed with a serious heart condition called arrhythmia. While this condition is serious, it’s very common – almost 2.8 million Americans have atrial fibrillation, which is a type of irregular heart beat.

If left untreated, however, arrhythmia may cause symptoms such as dizziness, fatigue, fainting and shortness of breath. More serious symptoms include severe chest pains and sudden cardiac arrest. In Edwards case, the stress of a trial prior to treatment could have serious consequences.

This is a condition that has many treatments which have been shown to work well. The treatments range from blood thinners to electrical shock using a defibrillator to a procedure called cardiac ablation, where a catheter or small tube is inserted into a blood vessel (usually in the groin area) and moved up to where the arrhythmia is occurring in the heart. The site of the arrhythmia is destroyed by using either high frequency radio waves or freezing the tissue (cryoablation).

To learn more about how this common ailment is diagnosed and treated, check out our webinar featuring Dr. Mitch Faddis, section head of electrophysiology at the Washington University and Barnes-Jewish Heart & Vascular Center.

-Kristin Hall

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Posted by Kristin Hall

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