Could this condition cause your leg pain?

SILS™ hysterectomy: Surgery without scarring

Telling kids you have cancer

yourhealthtodayVolume I, Issue 1 • Your Guide to Healthy Living from Georgia Health Sciences Health System • georgiahealth.org

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The material in Your Health Today is not intended for diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment.

For more information, please call 800-736-CARE (2273) or visit our website at georgiahealth.org.

Copyright © 2011 Georgia Health Sciences Health System

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Inside this issue

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Page 3Tips for a safe and healthy summer

Pages 4–5

Focus on Women• SILS hysterectomy

• Digital mammography

Pages 6–7

Cancer Prevention• Advanced gamma knife technology

• Telling kids you have cancer

Pages 8–9

Heart-Healthy Living• Aching legs?

Pages 10–11Family Health • Taking care of the home team

• More care, close to home

Page 12In the News• Dental faculty practice group

delivers complete, one-stop dental care

ALS Support Group Lunch and LearnWHEN: Second Thursday of each month, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. Lunch is served. WHERE: Medical Office Building, 4th floor, Room 4306 CALL: 706-721-2681 for more information.

Autism Support Group WHEN: First Tuesday of each month, 6–7 p.m.WHERE: Children’s Medical Center, 1446 Harper St., 1st floor, Family Resource LibraryCALL: 706-721-5160 for more information.

A.W.A.K.E. Support Group Support for sleep apnea patients WHEN: Fourth Thursday of each month, 7–9 p.m.WHERE: Children’s Medical Center, 1446 Harper St., 1st floor, Family Resource Library, Room 1801CALL: 706-721-0793 for more information.

Blood Cancer/Stem Cell Support GroupWHEN: Third Thursday of each month, 5:30–7 p.m. WHERE: Cancer Center, 1411 Laney Walker Blvd., 1st floor, Community RoomCALL: 706-721-9134 for more information.

Breast Cancer Support Group WHEN: Second Thursday of each month, 5:30–7:30 p.m.WHERE: Cancer Center, 1411 Laney Walker Blvd., 1st floor, Community RoomCALL: 706-721-4109 for more information.

Breastfeeding ClassWHEN: Third Tuesday of each month, 7–9 p.m.WHERE: Medical Center, 1120 15th St., West Entrance, 1st floor, Patient and Family Resource LibraryCALL: 706-721-9351 for more information.

Let’s Talk Cancer Support GroupWHEN: Second Tuesday of each month, 5:30–7 p.m.WHERE: Cancer Center, 1411 Laney Walker Blvd., 1st floor, Community Room CALL: 706-721-0550 for more information.

Multiple Sclerosis Support Group WHEN: Last Monday of each month, 6–7:30 p.m.WHERE: Medical Center, Augusta MS Center, 6th floorCALL: 706-721-1411 for reservations or information.

Trauma Support Group WHEN: Third Wednesday of each month, noon–1 p.m.WHERE: 4th floor, Conference Room 4069CALL: 706-721-0278 for more information.

A shoulder to lean onSupport groups at Georgia Health Sciences Health System

Preventing swimmer’s ear

Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer

ear canal that may develop when water is left in the ear after swimming, allowing bacteria to grow. The best way to prevent it is to dry your child’s ears thoroughly after he or she swims. Dry only the outer ear, then tip the head to the side to help water drain from the ear canal. You can also dry the ears with a blow dryer on the lowest setting, held at least a foot from the ear. Do not insert cotton swabs or other objects into the ears.

Summer food safety

Food-borne illnesses increase in the summer,

especially during outdoor eating. Don’t leave food out of refrigeration for more than two hours, or more than one hour when the temperature is 90 F or higher. Be especially careful with products that contain eggs or mayonnaise. To avoid cross-contamination, keep raw meat and poultry away from other foods. Wash plates, utensils and cutting boards that held raw meat or poultry before using them again. Cook meat and poultry thoroughly and at a high temperature.

Concussions: When to seek emergency care

A concussion is a traumatic brain injury

that is often caused by a blow to the head. Call your child’s doctor if he or she receives anything more than a light bump on the head. Seek emergency care for a child who experiences a head bump accompanied by:

• vomiting • a headache that worsens • behavioral changes,

slurred speech, changes in coordination, confusion or dizziness

• vision or eye disturbances

• a blood or fluid discharge • a large head bump • loss of consciousness

Teens and texting

Worried about your teen texting while

behind the wheel? Here are some steps you can take:

• Talk to your teen about the dangers of this behavior.

• Be a good role model, and don’t send your teen messages while he or she is driving.

• Set clear rules and consequences, such as revoking driving or cell phone privileges if your teen texts while driving.

• Ask your cell phone provider about technological options that allow you to manage your teen’s texting activities.

• Finally, remind your child that friends don’t let friends drive and text.

Tips for a safe and healthy summer

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An emergency department just for kids When childhood emergencies strike, depend on the

Georgia Health Sciences Pediatric Emergency Department. You’ll find a team of double-board-certified pediatric emergency physicians, a child-friendly environment and easy access to a full range of pediatric specialists. For more information, please call 706-721-7337.

The SILS hysterectomy enables specially trained

surgeons such as Dr. Holsten to remove the uterus

using a single incision in the belly button. The surgery

is performed through a SILS port, a soft, flexible

instrument inserted through the incision and into the

abdomen. The port has three distinct openings, enabling

surgeons to use three surgical instruments at the same

time. After the procedure, the port is removed, leaving

just one small incision that may not be visible after

healing.

Benefits of SILS hysterectomy This advanced procedure:

• generally results in no visible scaring

• helps avoid the trauma and additional healing time

associated with traditional open hysterectomies

• may reduce wound pain

• may shorten recovery and speed up the return to

normal activities

“SILS hysterectomy is a safe alternative for women

who are concerned with scarring or who can’t afford to

have a long downtime for recovery,” says Dr. Holsten.

Every year, thousands of American women

undergo hysterectomies, the second most common

surgery among reproductive-age women. Many of

these women still have traditional open hysterectomies,

which require hospitalization and a long recovery and

leave visible scars. Others have less invasive laparoscopic

hysterectomies. “Even most laparoscopic procedures

require three to four incisions through which various

instruments are inserted, leaving scars at the incision

sites,” says Erin Holsten, MD, an Ob/Gyn with the

Georgia Health Sciences Women’s Center.

A new and improved laparoscopic optionA new surgery known as SILS™ hysterectomy can

alleviate scarring and other concerns. Our Women’s

Center is the first facility in the area to offer this

procedure and is home to the first doctors in the CSRA

skilled in this technique.

Focus on Women

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SILS™ hysterectomySurgery without scarring

Women’s care through the ages

The Georgia Health Sciences Women’s Center delivers state-of-the-art care for women of all ages, from

adolescent GYN exams to menopause management … from high risk pregnancy to urogynecology to lifestyle management … from the latest birth control options to in-office solutions for heavy menstrual bleeding and more.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 706-721-CARE (2273) or visit

georgiahealth.org and click “Request Appointment.”

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One in eight women will develop breast cancer sometime in her

lifetime. What’s more, breast

cancer is the second leading cause of

cancer death among women. But the five-

year survival rate is 97 percent if the cancer

is detected early. That makes regular, effective

screening the best defense.

With that in mind, Georgia Health Sciences

Medical Center recently became the first health system

in Georgia—and one of only a few in the nation—to

implement 3D breast tomosynthesis as a screening

method. Also known as 3D mammography, this

technology promises to improve breast cancer detection

and reduce false-positive results.

Clearer images, more accurate diagnosesApproved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

in February, breast tomosynthesis produces a 3D image

of the breast. By digitally combining multiple X-rays, it

reduces distortions created by tissue overlap or density

and creates clearer, more detailed images.

“We can pinpoint the size, shape and exact location

of a lump or tumor, because the image is not flattened

like a standard mammogram. The technology provides

better visualization, easier and earlier detection and

fewer callbacks, which translates into less anxiety for

Improving mammography with 3D breast imaging

Schedule your screeningFor more information or to schedule a quick, convenient

appointment for a mammogram, call 706-721-9729.

patients,” says James H. Craft,

MD, a radiologist at Georgia

Health Sciences Breast Health

Center.

2D versus 3D mammography Conventional 2D mammography

captures the breast in one exposure, creating a flat

picture in which features can be hidden. Tomosynthesis

takes images from multiple angles and builds them into

a 3D image that radiologists can manipulate. It’s like

looking into a ball versus looking at a circle.

Tomosynthesis also screens the entire breast, not just

the problem area. This is significant because 15 percent

of women with a cancer in their breast also have another

cancer in the same or other breast. Women also report

greater comfort with 3D screening.

“The quality of images with 2D digital systems

is excellent, but the ability to peel away layers with

tomosynthesis is a tremendous advance. The 3D imaging

is likely to become the gold standard in mammography,”

Dr. Craft says.

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Georgia Health Sciences Breast Image Center is

newly accredited as a Center of

Excellence.

Understanding gamma knife surgery Gamma Knife surgery involves no knife and no

incision. It is actually a type of sophisticated radiation

therapy. “The procedure uses hundreds of beams of

radiation focused on the exact location of the abnormality

in the brain, making the Gamma Knife much more

effective than conventional radiation therapy,” says John

Vender, MD, a neurosurgeon and director of the Gamma

Knife Center. “The old technology was limited in the size

of lesions it could treat and areas it could reach. It could

not be used to treat larger tumors or lesions in multiple

sessions.”

Advancing care through technologyGeorgia Health Sciences Neuroscience Center has

implemented a new generation of Gamma Knife. Known

as Leksell Gamma Knife® Perfexion™ with the Extend™

program, it overcomes these limitations. “With Perfexion,

we can more quickly treat a wider array of targets in a

single session, allowing us to better treat multiple brain

metastases,” Dr. Vender says. “Perfexion can also treat

areas of the brain, skull base and regions of the head and

neck that were unreachable with the older technology.

And, with the addition of the Extend technology, we can

treat large tumors in two to five sessions.”

By implementing this advanced technology,

Georgia Health Sciences Health System is making

lifesaving therapy available to more people in our

community and throughout the region.

Cancer Prevention

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Learning that you or someone you love needs brain surgery is a frightening experience. What’s

more, some patients—often children and the

elderly—then learn that traditional brain surgery is too

risky for them.

Georgia Health Sciences Gamma Knife Center,

which is the only center of its kind in eastern Georgia

and the only center in Georgia attached to a children’s

hospital, offers hope to these patients.

Advanced Gamma Knife technology New hope for patients with brain tumors

The area’s most comprehensive neuroscience care

The Georgia Health Sciences Neuroscience Center offers the largest team of adult and pediatric

neurologists and neurosurgeons in the area. To learn more, visit georgiahealth.org/neuroscience-center.

Do you need a neurologist?To schedule an appointment with a skilled

neurologist, call 706-721-CARE (2273) or visit georgiahealth.org and click “Request Appointment.”

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I’ve just been diagnosed with cancer. Should I tell my children?

A: Many people are unsure about telling their children they have cancer. But strong evidence supports the fact that being honest with kids helps them through the ordeal. Children quickly sense when something is wrong even if they’re not told, so it’s often impossible to hide that someone in the family is ill. Honesty is usually the best policy.

What and how should I tell them?

A: This depends on how old your children are. Don’t give young children too many details, as they can cope better with small amounts of information. Simply say that you are sick with a disease called cancer and will need treatment. Make sure they understand that they can’t catch cancer from you. Then explain how cancer and your treatment may affect their daily lives. If you’re unable to have this conversation, ask a trusted adult to do it for you.

What are the dangers of not telling kids?

A: Secrecy generally makes things worse. If you don’t tell your children, they may hear you or other adults discussing the illness. Young children often feel that they are to blame for problems in a family. Discussing the issue lets you reassure them that it’s not their fault.

What about follow-up conversations?

A: Let your children know that you’re there if they have questions about your disease. Give them general updates on your health status as your treatment progresses. Depending on your children’s ages, journaling, drawing and playing out feelings also can help them cope.

Telling kids you have cancerA Q & A session with Kimberly Allen, MS, CCLS, child life specialist

Experience a new era in cancer care

The Georgia Health Sciences Cancer Center—the CSRA’s only dedicated outpatient adult oncology unit—offers

the area’s largest team of cancer specialists. The center features glass walls for plenty of sunlight, original art and soothing colors and music. The center offers:

• 30 chemotherapy infusion stations overlooking a garden

• easy access to multidisciplinary treatment teams • patient navigators to coordinate care • an attached 158-space multistory parking garage • access to clinical trials

Heart-Healthy Living

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I f you have pain in your legs after walking that goes away with rest, you could have peripheral vascular

disease (PVD). The same process that allows plaque

to build up in the coronary arteries can occur in the legs,

kidneys, neck and arms, causing PVD. Left untreated, PVD

can lead to serious, even life-threatening, complications.

“Tens of thousands of Americans suffer from PVD,

and many don’t even know they have it,” says Gautam

Agarwal, MD, a vascular and endovascular surgeon with

Georgia Health Sciences Heart and Cardiovascular Health

Services. The center has all the resources and expertise

needed to diagnose and treat all forms of PVD.

Are you at risk? According to Dr. Agarwal, PVD occurs when fatty

deposits and scar tissue from cholesterol build up on artery

walls, blocking blood flow to the legs, kidneys, neck or arms.

PVD is particularly common in people with diabetes, who

tend to have more fat and cholesterol in their arteries. Men

suffer from PVD more often than women, and it usually

affects people ages 50 and older. Other risk factors include:

• high blood pressure

• having had a previous heart attack or stroke

Aching legs? Could it be peripheral vascular disease?

• having a family

history of diabetes

or PVD

• smoking

• being overweight

• leading a sedentary

lifestyle

Watch for these signs“PVD most commonly

affects the legs, with early

signs being cramping in

the hips, thighs or calves

after walking,” Dr. Agarwal says. “With three to five

minutes of rest, the pain goes away, but it returns when the

person begins to walk again.”

Unfortunately, many people attribute this pain to

aging or the after effects of exercise and do not consult a

physician. But PVD can indicate serious, systemic vascular

disease. Without treatment, it can lead to amputations,

heart attacks and stroke.

Other symptoms of PVD include:

• cold legs and feet

• paleness

• bluish-red discoloration

• dry or shiny skin

• numbness, tingling or sores that don’t heal

Diagnosing PVD“See your physician if you have the symptoms of

PVD. He or she may recommend tests to determine if

your arteries are blocked and how far the disease has

progressed,” Dr. Agarwal says.

Georgia Health Sciences Heart and Cardiovascular

Health Services is equipped with all the technology needed

to diagnose PVD, including:

Tens of thousands of Americans suffer from PVD, and many don’t even know they have it.”

—Gautam Agarwal, MD

To prevent or control PVD• Monitor your blood cholesterol and

triglyceride levels and keep them under control

• Stop smoking• Maintain a healthy weight• Exercise regularly• Keep your blood sugar under

control if you have diabetes

Ankle Brachial Index (ABI) test using a 64-slice

CT scanner, which pinpoints the blockage.

Microvascular Circulation test to determine how much

oxygen is reaching tissue and help doctors craft the best

treatment plan.

Advanced therapies for PVD Treatments for PVD vary and depend on the severity

of the disease. Early cases may respond to medications

and lifestyle changes. In more serious cases, however,

the traditional treatments are angioplasty and stents

or bypass surgery.

Unfortunately, many patients with PVD are at

high risk for surgery. The Heart and Cardiovascular

Health Services offers advanced alternative therapies to

remove plaque from the arteries and veins in the legs,

without surgery or stenting. Vascular surgeons will also

work with your cardiologists to ensure expert follow-up

care, treatment of any related diseases and lifestyle

changes after diagnosis and treatment for PVD.

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Aching legs? Could it be peripheral vascular disease?

Cardiac rehabilitationExercise and education for a healthier

cardiovascular system

If you have heart or vascular problems or have experienced a heart event, Georgia Health Sciences Cardiac Rehabilitation Center offers

the safety, security and equipment you’ll need to speed your recovery. We will design an individual exercise plan for you, monitor your heart as you exercise and teach you how to live a healthy lifestyle.

Medicare and many insurance companies cover most of the cost of cardiac rehabilitation, but a physician’s referral is required. If you

would like more information, like to tour the facility or like a staff member to contact your physician about a referral, call 706-721-9055.

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Family Health

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Two Augusta institutions have just teamed up

to form a winning partnership. Georgia Health

Sciences Sports Medicine Center has partnered

with the Augusta GreenJackets to provide sports

medicine and general medical care to the 28 members of

the team. The health system will also be a title sponsor of

the GreenJackets, which is owned by Ripkin Baseball and

an affiliate of the San Francisco Giants.

“We’re so proud to be working with these elite athletes

who come from all over the country and around the world.

They bring so much to our community in the form of

family entertainment activities. We’re very pleased to be

their health care provider,” says Steven Greer, MD, CAQ,

a family and sports medicine physician at Georgia Health

Sciences Sports Medicine Center.

Front-line sports medicine care The Sports Medicine Center will provide all local

sports-related medical services to both GreenJackets

players and opposing team players at home games,

diagnosing and treating sports injuries. In addition,

they will deliver rehabilitation services for GreenJackets

players at the Georgia Health Sciences Sports

Rehabilitation Center. This 8,500-square-foot center

offers state-of-the-art equipment and a staff of five

licensed physical therapists with subspecialty training in

various areas. Sports medicine physicians will coordinate

care with the medical leadership of Major League

Baseball’s San Francisco Giants.

General medical services But that’s not all they will offer the team. They will also

provide general medical services for GreenJackets team

members, from primary care to diagnosing and treating

serious illnesses. “We’re so excited to have a world-class

player like Georgia Health Sciences Sports Medicine Center

on our team,” says Nick Brown, general manager of the

GreenJackets. “Georgia Health Sciences Health System is

known and respected for its medical expertise, advanced

technology and personal touch. It’s comforting to know that

our players will be in such skilled hands.”

Taking care of the home

team

Georgia Health Sciences Sports Medicine Center

The center’s board-certified sports medicine physicians, orthopaedic surgeons and family-practice

physicians diagnose and care for all sports-related injuries. The center also offers rehabilitative services and certified athletic trainers. For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 706-721-PLAY (7529) or visit georgiahealth.org/sports.

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Imagine that your child is sick and has no access to pediatric specialists.

Unfortunately, that’s not uncommon,

especially in rural areas. Georgia Health

Sciences Children’s Medical Center

is addressing that issue in Southwest

Georgia. For some time now, Bernard L.

Maria, MD, a pediatric neurologist and

brain tumor specialist and chairman

of the Department of Pediatrics at

Georgia Health Sciences Univeristy, has

held monthly clinics at Phoebe Putney

Memorial Hospital for children in that

region, as has Charles Howell, MD, a

pediatric surgeon and chief of surgery at

Georgia Health Sciences Health System.

Expanding the outreach In addition, the Children’s Medical Center has recently

partnered with Phoebe Putney and local pediatricians to

place pediatric specialists and nurse practitioners on site at

Phoebe Putney. Under the new agreement, the Children’s

Medical Center will provide pediatric nurse practitioners

and pediatric hospitalists to Phoebe Putney. Hospitalists

specialize in the care of hospitalized patients and are

readily available to address the concerns of families,

improving the quality of care and patient satisfaction.

“We are very pleased to enter into this agreement

with Phoebe Putney and help provide services to critically

ill patients and children requiring specialty care in the

southwestern part of the state,” says Dr. Maria.

More care, close to homeGeorgia Health Sciences Children’s Medical Center expands outreach partners with Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital

Looking ahead In the future, other board-

certified physicians and pediatric nurse

practitioners will be placed

at Phoebe Putney, providing services

such as conscious sedation, urgent

care and consultative services

for community pediatricians and

emergency room physicians.

For patients who need a higher

level of care, there also will be a

rapid-response team for resuscitation,

stabilization and transfer to the

Children’s Medical Center. The

program will also include on-site and

telemedicine subspecialty pediatric

care and make consultation services

with pediatric specialists in Augusta available 24/7.

Enhancing medical education The Children’s Medical Center will also deliver

continuing medical education for pediatricians and

emergency physicians in Southwest Georgia. Phoebe

Putney serves as the headquarters for Georgia Health

Sciences University’s Southwest Georgia Clinical

Campus, which provides resident training for third-

and fourth-year medical students. “This partnership

will offer medical students and family practice

residents more robust pediatric training and enhance

the undergraduate and graduate medical education

program,” Dr. Maria says.

In the News

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People throughout the CSRA are fortunate to have easy access to one of the largest, most

comprehensive dental practices in the state.

The practice is operated by Georgia Health Sciences

University College of Dental Medicine, the only dental

school in Georgia.

Known as the Dental Faculty Practice Group, it is

comprised of dentists who specialize in general dentistry,

orthodontics, endodontics, oral surgery, children’s dental

care, aesthetic dentistry and much more, including full

mouth rehabilitation and facial reconstruction.

“The 68 dentists in our practice represent all dental

specialties under one roof,” says Gail Lemon, manager of

the Dental Faculty Practice. “Together, they can address

every possible aspect of dental health in everyone from

infants to the elderly.” The dentists work closely with

otolaryngologists, surgeons and other physicians to treat

patients with cleft palate, temporomandibular joint

disorder (TMJ), oral cancers and other conditions.

The staff includes one of the few oral pathologists in

the state, a radiologist who takes a specialized CT scan

to outline the anatomy of the jaw and prosthodontists

who make orthotic devices that free some throat cancer

patients from feeding tubes. “These dentists not only

educate tomorrow’s dental specialists, they practice what

they teach,” Lemon says.

Dental faculty practice group delivers complete, one-stop dental care

The new five-story College of Dental Medicine building is more than 100,000 square feet larger than the previous building.

Connect to Georgia Health Sciences

georgiahealth.org

For your family’s dental careThe Dental Faculty Practice Group is located inside the beautiful new

Georgia Health Sciences University College of Dental Medicine at 1430 John Wesley Gilbert Drive. For more information about the faculty practice, visit georgiahealth.edu/sod. To schedule an appointment, call 706-721-2696.