January 2017 - Page 2 of 2 - Health BeatHealth Beat

History of the Hip Replacement

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

One of the most common orthopedic procedures performed today is a total hip replacement (THA) . This procedure is often suggested for patients who have extensive deterioration of the hip joint and whose quality of life is suffering. It was first developed in 1891 by a German physician, Themistocles Gluck, who described using ivory to replace the femoral heads. Early in the 20th century surgeons experimented with different types of tissues as a way of smoothing out deteriorating articular hip surfaces. Some of these tissues that were used were skin, and pig bladder submucosa.
In 1925 an American surgeon, Marius Smith-Petersen, first used hollowed out glass placed over the femoral head. Later on this same surgeon started to experiment with stainless steel. In the early 1960’s, Sir John Charmley, an orthopedic surgeon in England, developed a hip replacement that uses three components: a stainless steel femoral head, a polyethylene acetabular socket and acrylic bone cement. This is considered to be a low friction arthroplasty and is the one most commonly used today.
Today hip replacement surgery is done routinely on tens of thousands of patients a year. It is one of the most commonly performed orthopedic procedures and has greatly improved the quality of life for the patients.
If you would like to schedule an appointment with an orthopedic surgeon at Jamaica Hospital to discuss whether a hip replacement would benefit you, please call 718-206-7001.

All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month

Posted on January 11, 2017 by Andrew Rubin

Glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that mainly affects people who are middle aged or older, but it can affect anyone at any age. There are more than three million people in the United States and 60 million people worldwide who suffer from glaucoma.
Glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness. Typically the disease starts to develop suddenly, often without symptoms, and once vision is lost, it is permanent. As much as 40 percent of vision can be lost before some people even notice a problem. It usually starts with loss of peripheral vision. Glaucoma is caused by damage to the optic nerve so that the brain isn’t able to receive images from the eyes. There are two types of Glaucoma, Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma where pressure inside the eye increases on its own and damages the optic nerve and Secondary Glaucoma where another disease causes the pressure in the eye to increase and that results in optic nerve damage. Both types will eventually lead to blindness.
Early detection of Glaucoma can help to slow down the progression of the disease. Regular eye exams are very important. To schedule an appointment with an eye doctor at Jamaica Hospital, please call 718- 206-5900.

ECZEMA

Posted on January 10, 2017 by Joann Ariola

Eczema is a condition that causes patches of skin to become red, inflamed, rough and itchy. Eczema is not a specific health condition; it is a reaction pattern that the skin produces as a result of a number of different diseases.

The specific causes of eczema currently remain unknown, but it is believed to develop due to a combination of hereditary (genetic) and environmental factors.

Environmental symptoms of eczema include:

Irritants – soaps, detergents, shampoos, disinfectants, juices from fresh fruits, meats, or vegetables
Allergens – dust mites, pets, pollens, mold, dandruff
Microbes – bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, viruses, certain fungi
Hot and cold temperatures – hot weather, high and low humidity, perspiration from exercise
Foods – dairy products, eggs, nuts and seeds, soy products, wheat
Stress – it is not a cause of eczema but can make symptoms worse
Hormones – women can experience worsening of eczema symptoms at times when their hormone levels are changing, for example during pregnancy and at certain points in their menstrual cycle

Since there is no cure for eczema, treatment for the condition is aimed toward healing the affected skin in an effort to prevent a flare up of symptoms. For some people, eczema goes away over time, and for others, it remains a lifelong condition.

There are a number of things that people with eczema can do to support skin health and alleviate symptoms, such as:

Taking regular warm baths
Applying moisturizer within 3 minutes of bathing to “lock in” moisture
Moisturizing every day
Wearing cotton and soft fabrics, avoiding rough, scratchy fibers, and tight-fitting clothing
Using mild soap or a non-soap cleanser when washing
Air drying or gently patting skin dry with a towel, rather than rubbing skin dry after bathing
Avoiding rapid changes of temperature and activities that make you sweat (where possible)
Learning individual eczema triggers and avoiding them
Using a humidifier in dry or cold weather
Keeping fingernails short to prevent scratching from breaking skin

Medication can also be helpful in treating or preventing symptoms. These treatments are prescribed by a physician. If you are experiencing symptoms of eczema and would like to speak with a physician, call Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Ambulatory Care Center at 718-206-7001, to schedule an appointment.

National Birth Defect Prevention Month

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Zakiya Hazel-Jemmott

January is Birth Defects Prevention Month. Among the most common birth defects is cleft lip. Cleft lip is a birth defect that occurs when a baby’s lip or mouth does not form properly in the womb. Collectively, these birth defects commonly are called “orofacial clefts”.

The lip forms between the fourth and seventh weeks of pregnancy. A cleft lip develops if the lip tissue does not join completely before birth, resulting in an opening of the upper lip. The opening in the lip varies in size from a small slit or a large opening that goes through the lip into the nose.

The causes of orofacial clefts among most infants are unknown. However, they are thought to be caused by a combination of genetics or other factors, such as things the mother comes in contact with in her environment, or what the mother eats or drinks, or certain medications she uses during pregnancy. Recently the Center for Disease Control reported findings from research studies about risk factors that increase the chance of infant orofacial cleft:

Smoking―Women who smoke during pregnancy are more likely to have a baby with an orofacial cleft than women who do not smoke
Diabetes―Women with diabetes diagnosed before pregnancy have an increased risk of having a child with a cleft lip with or without cleft palate, compared to women who did not have diabetes
Use of certain medicines―Women who used certain medicines to treat epilepsy during the first trimester (the first 3 months) of pregnancy are at greater risk

Orofacial clefts, especially cleft lip with or without cleft palate, can be diagnosed during pregnancy during a routine ultrasound. Services and treatment for children with orofacial clefts can vary depending on:

The severity of the cleft
The child’s age and needs
The presence of associated syndromes
Other birth defects

Surgery to repair a cleft lip usually occurs in the first few months of life and is recommended within the first 12 months of life. Children born with orofacial clefts might need other types of treatments and services, such as special dental or orthodontic care or speech therapy.

If you are an expecting mother in need of a doctor, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center’s Obstetrical Division practices family-centered care. The obstetrical unit is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment, including high tech monitors and sonographic equipment. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call 718-206-6808.

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Are We Over-Using Antibiotics?

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Michael Hinck

You have all the symptoms: fever, cough, headache, and fatigue and body pain. You’re sick! You visit your doctor looking for antibiotics to get you better quickly, but is this always the best course of treatment?

Doctors at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center are taking a long, hard look at how patients are being treated and what they are finding is that prescribing antibiotics is sometimes not the best course of action. “For a number of reasons, physicians throughout the healthcare industry prescribe antibiotics when they are not necessary” states Dr. Luigi Tullo, Family Medicine Physician at Jamaica Hospital. Dr. Tullo added “Some of the factors are physician driven and some are patient driven, but regardless of the reason, inappropriately prescribing antibiotics can have long-term health effects on our community”.

Over-prescribing antibiotics can eventually lead to the drugs becoming less effective when they are really needed. Another cause for concern is the evolution of bacteria. When exposed to the same antibiotic repeatedly, the bacteria will change its composition and become resistant to the very medications that are intended to kill. MRSA and C. difficle are two examples of drug-resistant bugs, but they are not the only ones. This growing problem in the medical community has prompted Dr. Tullo and his colleagues to develop an Antibiotic Stewardship Program to educate both the practitioner and the patient about when antibiotics are necessary and when they are not.

To help the doctor, Jamaica Hospital has implemented multiple tools into its electronic medical records system. These tools require the doctor to extensive documentation before prescribing antibiotics to their patients. Sometimes however, even against the doctor’s best judgment, a patient may insist on receiving a prescription of antibiotics. Dr. Tullo explains, “A culture has been created that implies if a doctor doesn’t provide a prescription after examining you, then he or she isn’t taking care of you. Patients think that antibiotics are some sort of magic wand, when in fact they are not.”

To change this perception, Jamaica Hospital, working together with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is embarking on an educational campaign to help explain that antibiotics are appropriate for bacterial infections, but not for a virus. These colorful, multi-lingual posters created by the CDC will hang in all Jamaica Hospital out-patient clinics and offer guidance and education to patients.

In addition to the posters and other educational handouts, Dr. Tullo believes an emphasis must be placed on how doctors explain the patient’s condition to them. According to Dr. Tullo, “if it is explained that not needing antibiotics may be a good thing, when they have a virus, the message will be better received.”

Jamaica Hospital continues to strive to do the best for their patients and hopes that through this effort, they can improve the long-term health of the community.

Electric Hand Dryers vs. Paper Towels

Posted on January 4, 2017 by Joann Ariola

TRUTH OR MYTH – ARE ELECTRIC HAND DRYERS MORE SANITARY THAN PAPER TOWELS?

MYTH!!! After washing your hands in a public restroom, you are likely to find 2 options for drying: a paper towel dispenser or an automatic air or jet hand dryer.Jet dryers are also advertised as a more sanitary alternative to paper towels. In truth is, jet hand dryers can spew germs 6 feet for more!! An old-fashioned paper towel (used sparingly!) may be the better health option despite environmental concerns.