Health News & Information for Healthy Living

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Do you have a sleep disorder?

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P r o g r a m P l a n n e r : P u l l o u t c a l e n d a r i n s i d e

MakeovERA look at the new

Altoona regional

emergency

DePArtmentPages 4 & 5

Foundation funds lifesaving er technology

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A place of healing AnD learning

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Program alert! good nutrition: It’s for everyone! See calendar insert for details, date and time

Healthy LivingAltoona Regional’s Healthy Living Magazine is published four times a year by the Marketing and Communications department.

President/CEOJerry murray

Chief Operating Officerronald J. mcconnell

Director, Marketing and CommunicationsDave cuzzolina

Staff WritersPatt KeithAnne Stoltz

Designerchip mockmock creations LLc

For more information, please contact:

Altoona regional Health Systemmarketing and communications620 Howard Ave.Altoona, PA 16601-4899889.2271info@altoonaregional.org

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If you are not receiving Healthy Living Magazine in the mail and would like to,

you need to join the Healthy Living Club.

It’s free, and the magazine is just one of

the many benefits!

Join online at www.altoonaregional.org

or call 889.2630 or 1.888.313.4665.

If you are constantly tired even though you sleep the recommended eight or more hours every night, you may be among the 40 million Americans who suffer from sleep disorders.

Fortunately, Altoona Regional’s Institute for Sleep Medicine at Station Medical Center offers a comprehensive program that treats all types of sleep disorders, including snoring and sleep apnea. Our team of board-certified physicians and trained staff is ready to help you get a good night’s sleep.

“Many times, people are completely unaware they have a sleep disorder, and about 95 percent of those with sleep disorders haven’t been diagnosed,” said Dr. Mehrdad Ghaffari, medical director of the institute. “Once you realize

that your sleepiness is affecting your daily activities, or your bed partner alerts you to a problem, it’s important to get help quickly because some disorders can be dangerous to your health.”

assessed and evaluated

Patients are first assessed at the institute during a daytime appointment by a sleep clinic nurse, then evaluated by a physician to determine a plan of care.

“If the plan includes a sleep study, we have private rooms where patients can be monitored during sleep,” said Dr. Ghaffari. “The latest diagnostic equipment is used to monitor and record a person’s brain waves, eye movements, breathing, blood oxygen levels, heart rate and muscle movements in a natural sleeping environment.”

With its six-bedroom sleep center, the institute also offers patients flexible scheduling.

“We perform sleep studies six nights a week,” said manager Cathy Wilt, “and

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Corn and BlaCk Bean SalSa

Our teammehrdad ghaffari, m.d. Medical director, Institute for Sleep Medicine

Board certified in Sleep Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Disease

“About 95 percent of those with sleep

disorders haven’t been diagnosed.”

magazine wins national award

Healthy Living Magazine received a gold award in the 29th annual Healthcare Advertising Awards, sponsored by the Healthcare Marketing report.this is the magazine’s seventh award from Healthcare Advertising since its inception in 2004 and its first gold Award.nearly 4,000 entries were submitted. A national panel of judges reviewed all entries based on creativity, quality, message effectiveness, consumer appeal, graphic design and overall impact.the Healthcare Advertising Awards is the largest, oldest and most widely respected health care advertising competition.

Colorful, whole foods make a healthier diet

mandarin orange Salad

1/4 cup canola oil 2 tbsp. vinegar • 3 tbsp. sugar

Dash pepper • 1/2 tsp. salt (optional)1/4 cup sliced almonds

1 or 2 bunches romaine lettuce hearts, chopped1/4 cup dried cranberries

1 can mandarin oranges, drainedfor dressing, mix oil, vinegar, 2 tbsp. sugar,

pepper and salt until sugar dissolves. roast almonds in nonstick skillet with remaining

1 tbsp. sugar over medium-low heat. Toss lettuce, cranberries and oranges; top with glazed almonds.

Add dressing just before serving.

(low-cal alternative to buffalo chicken dip)1 can shoepeg corn, drained1 can black beans, drained and rinsed1-2 peppers any color1 small onionBanana peppers cut small, just enough to taste1/4 cup olive oil1 cup salsarefrigerate to allow flavors to blend.

we can accommodate shift workers, scheduling daytime sleep studies, too. In the morning, patients are treated to breakfast in our hospitality room, and each bedroom has a private shower.”

After a sleep study, patients are asked to return to discuss their results and a treatment plan. Periodic follow-up appointments allow for adjustments in the treatment plan, if needed.

Support and education

“We offer support and education to our patients before, during and after their sleep study,” said Cathy. “Even our patients who have been discharged know they can always reach out to us to answer questions in the future.”

Besides snoring and sleep apnea, the institute can help patients who have problems:

• Staying awake, such as with narcolepsy.

• With nighttime behaviors, such as sleepwalking, night terrors or bedwetting.

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What to bring?When going to an outdoor summer event, bring along:• A fresh fruit salad• Plain or fruited yogurt as a fruit dip• Whole-grain pasta salad minus the

processed pepperoni and salami, plus fresh vegetables; add a vinaigrette dressing instead of a cream-based one to cut calories

• three-bean salad• Hummus with veggie dippers

such as carrot sticks, snow peas or cucumber slices

mark lipitz, d.o. Board certified in Sleep Medicine and Neurology

timothy a. lucas, m.d. Board certified in Sleep Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine

alan kanouff, d.o. Board certified in Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine and Pulmonary Medicine

Sleep apnea can be deadly

Don’t snore yourself to

Death!

• Sleeping at night (insomnia). This may be caused by conditions such as periodic limb movement disorder, which is repetitive cramping or jerking of the legs during sleep, or restless legs syndrome, an intense urge to move the legs to relieve a strange sensation.

• With sleep deprivation and/or sleep due to shift work.

If you have daytime sleepiness even though you get enough sleep the night before, Dr. Ghaffari encourages you to speak with your family doctor about the potential for sleep disorders.

“We’re committed to responding to the sleep needs of this community,” he said. “The goal is to improve the quality of life for our patients during their sleeping and waking hours. If you have a sleep disorder, we’ll work together as a team until we come up with a solution.”

Sleep apnea can cause serious health problems, including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and weight gain.

Dr. ghaffari recommends that you talk with your family physician if you snore and have one or more of the following:

• excessive daytime sleepiness.

• Witnessed apneas (someone observes your pauses in breathing during sleep).

• Sleeping at work or while driving.

Other common signs and symptoms of sleep apnea include:

• Waking up with a dry mouth or sore throat.

• morning headaches.

• restless or fitful sleep.

• Insomnia or nighttime awakenings.

• going to the bathroom frequently during the night.

• Waking up feeling out of breath.

• Forgetfulness and difficulty concentrating.

• moodiness, irritability or depression.

take our free, 7-minute online test. Visit www.altoonaregional.org/checkmyhealth.

Answer a few simple questions and see if you are at risk for sleep apnea.

With treatment, you can control apnea symptoms and avoid complications. you will also get your sleep back on track and be refreshed and alert every day.

Altoona regional at Station medical center17th Street and 9th AvenueFor more information about sleep disorders or studies, call 889.4466.

Bernie Krug, r.N. helps fit a CPAP mask on patient Mary Masic of Altoona.

Sleep technicians Gina Cooper and Vicky Hanwell, L.P.N.s, prepare sleep studies for a physician’s review.

Sleeping sickness?Don’t take sleep problems lightly;

they can be dangerous

Dr. Ghaffari

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for about 320 calories and 7 grams of fiber. In contrast, a cheeseburger with mayo on a kaiser roll is 650 calories with no fiber.

Not a turkey burger fan? Replace with other lean sources of protein such as grilled shrimp (4 ounces equals 80 calories) or grilled chicken breast (4 ounces is about 200 calories). If a beef burger is what you are craving, Jody suggests mixing mashed black or cannellini beans or chopped mushrooms with the ground beef before it is grilled.

“When thinking lean protein, the fewer legs the better,” Jody said. “Grill marinated shrimp, salmon and chicken.”

grill fruit for dessert

And what about dessert?

Jody’s favorite summer dessert is a whole pineapple sliced into wedges and fresh peach halves on the grill. Just place flesh down for pineapple and skin side down for peaches, and set on low for about five minutes or until the meat of the fruit becomes glazed.

“In order to reap the rewards of the summer harvest, remember to include all the colors of the rainbow,” Jody said. “And choose lean protein sources and whole grains when planning your meals or picnics.”

You winced at those unflattering Facebook photos taken at the Labor Day picnic and headed into winter with motivation in high gear. You made it through the winter holiday temptations of eggnog, pumpkin pie and stuffing, and survived the candy blitz at Easter.

Now it’s summer, your waist is two sizes slimmer, but picnics and barbecues beckon, with fat-laden potato salad, hamburgers, fried chicken and fire pit sweet s’mores and mountain pies.

Is there enough willpower left?

The key to staying on a healthy track and not feeling deprived is to bring a dish or two that tastes great and is nutritionally sound, said clinical dietitian Jody E. Petrunak.

Two dishes friends ask her to bring to parties are Corn and Black Bean Salsa and Mandarin Orange Salad (see recipes).

‘eat a rainbow’

“Both dishes are easy to make, very tasty and full of colorful ingredients,” Jody said. “They illustrate my basic tips for anyone who is trying to eat a healthier diet.

“Try and eat a rainbow as often as you can. When thinking about what to serve or what to bring to a picnic, think color and choose whole foods. Whole foods are the least processed — the ones found as close to their natural state as possible.”

Summer is the best time to adjust to this healthier style of eating, she said.

“If you choose whole foods more often and choose processed foods less often, you’ve already won half the battle of healthy eating,” she said, “and what better and easier time than in the summer to start choosing foods that grow from the ground or grow on trees.”

The summer grilling season naturally lends itself to trying new vegetables in a variety of ways.

Stick with veggies

Kabobs of lean protein and colorful vegetables are delicious on the grill. Place lean protein and vegetables in a grill basket on the barbecue to fill whole-grain fajita or taco shells, and add salsa. Examples of good grilling veggies are eggplant, zucchini, squash, portabella mushrooms and many more. Veggies have about 25 calories per serving, so snack on vibrant veggies instead of chips or pretzels.

Another slimming alternative is a turkey burger whole-grain sandwich with mustard, tomato, lettuce and pickles

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Space, processes upgraded and enhanced

• more ed bays

• reduced waiting times

• Fewer holds (patients waiting to be transported from ed to inpatient bed)

• reduced turnaround times for radiology and laboratory results

• Bedside registration and triage (first assessment)

In a nutshell: enhancements and benefits

“We modeled our approach after the best eDs in the

country for patient satisfaction...”

Valet parkingAltoona regional offers free valet parking for eD patients

from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. monday through Friday.

— Dr. Bouchard

convenient orthopedic clinic addedA new addition to the eD is an Orthopedic clinic staffed by Southern Alleghenies elite Orthopedics doctors and physician assistants.

this is an added service for eD patients who require follow-up for orthopedic problems. no appointment is needed. Patients only need to show up at 8 a.m. monday through Friday.

the Orthopedic clinic is located near the eD, and parking is available nearby.

For more information, call 889.3600.

After an 18-month, $11 million enhancement

project, Altoona Regional unveiled its new

Emergency department this spring.

The department features modernized space

and streamlined processes — all with a

focus on high quality care and total

patient satisfaction.

“The redesign makes visits more pleasant for

those who need emergency care,” said Matthew

Bouchard, M.D., chairman of Emergency

Medicine. “The reception area was revamped,

and changes to the department’s design along

with technology upgrades have made the

whole department more efficient.”

Today when patients enter the ED,

they’ll see a more expedient

check-in process. Patients

are assessed by a medical

professional at a greet desk

and prioritized according

to their medical

need-to-be-seen.

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Program alert! ‘When should I go to the er?’ See calendar insert for details, date and time

“Patients will find this team approach to care less chaotic and confusing because they will be interacting with the same people during their course of treatment,” Dr. Bouchard said.

Patient reviews are good

Since July 1, 2011, the ED’s average patient satisfaction score for quality of care has increased by six points. In fact, upward trends were consistently observed during the renovation process, with significant increases seen in the areas of nursing, physicians, teamwork and privacy.

“We use these scores to address our patients’ needs,” said Kim. “We’ll always listen to our patients and remain committed to providing each patient with the best possible experience.”

Whether you or someone you love suffers a broken bone or a heart attack, Altoona Regional’s ED is equipped to treat an array of illnesses and injuries. The department is staffed 24 hours a day with board-certified emergency medicine physicians and specially trained nurses.

In addition to round-the-clock clinicians, the Pastoral Care staff is available 24 hours a day to meet with family and friends and address their spiritual needs.

“I hope the community has recognized our dedication to building a better experience when an emergency visit is required,” said Dr. Bouchard. “We’re very proud of our staff, and feel our patient satisfaction levels will continue to reflect this commitment.”

Prompt assessments

“Patients also have prompt access to triage (assessment of urgency),” said administrative director Kim Corle, R.N., “and are often taken directly to one of our 51 private bays, where they may be triaged in the same room where the physician will complete the examination.

“With bedside registration and a computerized system, patients no longer have to completely register in the lobby before seeing a physician. We have upgraded every process to reduce patient delays, which in turn assists with more timely treatment.”

The ED sees about 70,000 patients a year. With the March closing of the 7th Avenue Campus, it was necessaryto increase capacity within the department by 13 beds.

“The increase in bays and our changes in process have reduced wait times and improved the speed with which we can assess patients and give them the care they deserve,” said Dr. Bouchard.

Culture shift among staff

In addition to physical changes, patients will also see a culture shift among the staff that has resulted in more efficient care in a quieter and less chaotic atmosphere.

“We modeled our approach after the best EDs in the country for patient satisfaction and combined their best practices with our own for an upgraded, patient-friendly system of emergency care,” Dr. Bouchard said.

The result is private and more spacious rooms where family members can visit with patients. The rooms are divided by walls rather than curtains to increase patient privacy.

Also, a “small ED feel” is created by separating both the physical space and the caregivers into five teams. Each team consists of a physician, PAs, nurses, technicians and secretaries who are assigned to a select number of patients.

New EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT designed for patient satisfaction

Altoona Regional has a widening reputation not only as a health care institution but also as a preferred teaching hospital.

The health system is the home of Altoona Family Physicians (AFP) and its Residency Program, which currently has 18 family medicine residents and three osteopathic rotating interns.

“For the past three years, resident applicants have steadily increased in number and quality,” said Donald Beckstead, M.D., program director since 2006 and a program graduate. “This is great for the community because 50 percent of the physicians-in-training stay locally or regionally after

graduation. We supply excellent physicians to our region.”

doctors do double-duty

AFP is a family medicine practice whose 11 doctors serve double-duty — as the faculty for the residency program and as primary care providers for 6,000 Blair County residents, about half of whom receive state Medical Assistance.

This real medical practice provides excellent patient care experiences for the residents. In addition, they learn from their many interactions with the 300-

Altoona regional Health System’s emergency department has begun using technology that increases the odds for a better outcome for heart attack patients being brought to the hospital by ambulance.

Reputation as a teaching hospital grows

501 Howard Ave. Suite F-2, Altoona889.2701www.altoonafp.org

to donate, contact:Foundation for life at 889.6406 or visit www.altoonaregional.org/gift_giving

plus physicians on staff at Altoona Regional.

“In order to be excellent teachers, our medical staff members take their game up a notch, so to speak, compared to many physicians in non-teaching institutions,” Dr. Beckstead said. “Here, residents are fortunate to be trained by top-level subspecialists in all areas, and patients ultimately reap the benefits.”

Potential residents must be seeing the benefits also, as applicants for the six first-year openings grew from 62 three years ago to 76 for the

Six of the 11 AFP teaching-practicing physicians were trained at AFP; several went into private practice then returned to teach and “give back,” according to Dr. Beckstead.

Upon his graduation in 1987, Dr. Beckstead established AFP’s Williamsburg Family Practice (WFP). This is where residents get an area of concentration in rural family medicine — another draw for applicants.

Dr. Beckstead said the focus lately has been to use both AFP and WFP to train residents under the “patient-centered medical home” model, which will permit them to practice state-of-the-art, comprehensive family medicine, preferably in this area.

Shaping Future physicians

every delivery. the residents will probably deliver around 275 patients through the Pregnancy care center in 2012, up from 252 last year. “It’s a great partnership between family physicians and obstetricians,” Dr. ruhl said, “because the resident physicians gain experience in average-risk obstetrics. If we have a problem, we can immediately involve our obstetric colleagues, while the residents can still participate in caring for the patient.”a team of oB physiciansAltoona OB/gyn Associates physicians are Drs. Patricia Hoyne, Liang Bartkowiak, David Lee, John P. Kennedy and ryan Zlupko. AFP physicians who provide obstetric care are Drs. ruhl, Patrick rice, Arthur morrow, Laura Siems, Fiona mcLellan and Debra Pike, who has been an obstetrician in the community for many years. Difficult cases are referred to her. Dr. John D. Littlejohn from Healthy Beginnings Plus, Altoona, provides some weekend and evening coverage for AFP obstetrics faculty.“every one of our residents is trained in prenatal care for the mothers and the delivery of babies — even assisting in c-section deliveries,” Dr. ruhl said. “It is a great community service that not a lot of people are aware of. About 25 percent of family physicians nationwide deliver babies in their practices, but all need to have this training. Family physicians traditionally take care of all comers — from pre-cradle to grave.”

The doctors of AfP are (from left): Jennifer Good, M.D., associate director; Terry ruhl, M.D., associate program director; Sabesan Karuppiah, M.D., assistant director; Kathleen Sweeney, D.O.,

associate director/director of Osteopathic Medical education; Amy Swindell, D.O., assistant director; Donald Beckstead, M.D., program director; Debra Pike, M.D., clinical faculty; Laura Siems, M.D.,

assistant director, Williamsburg family Practice; Patrick rice, M.D., associate director; fiona McLellan, M.D., assistant director, Williamsburg family Practice,

and Arthur Morrow, D.O., associate director.

Last year, the Center for Cancer Care purchased a new patient transport van with proceeds from the foundation’s annual golf outing. With van driver Branden Davis (behind the wheel) are (from left) Shirley Hoyne, who coordinated the fundraiser; Dr. Jack Schocker of the Center for Cancer Care, and fred Thursfield, foundation president.

Donations buy lifesaving eKg system

Chris Holland, physician assistant, reads aneKG on the LIfeNeT® System.

Funding for the equipment was provided by the Foundation for Life. the money was raised at the foundation’s 2010 Holiday Splendor, an annual fundraiser held in november.

called the LIFenet® System, it uses wireless data transmission and allows an ambulance crew to transmit the eKg to the emergency room physician on a patient experiencing signs and symptoms of a heart attack.

this allows the physician to diagnose acute eKg changes that determine if the patient is an immediate candidate for the heart catheterization lab.

For example, an ambulance coming to Altoona regional from the cresson or gallitzin area could benefit greatly in these situations. the paramedics can perform an eKg in the patient’s home and immediately transmit that eKg to the emergency department.

the advance notice to the emergency room and the catheterization lab would save valuable time in preparation and reduce the amount of time it takes to open up a blocked vessel.

“community donations make it possible for the foundation to invest in potentially lifesaving equipment,” said Fred thursfield, foundation president. “charitable gifts are an increasingly important source of revenue as Altoona regional strives to bring new technology such as the LIFenet® System to our community.”

As the political debate about the future of health care in our nation heats up in the coming months, we can all agree on one thing — we all want access to quality health care for ourselves and our families.

But we need to answer several questions:

• How do we ensure access to quality health care in a time of limited resources and increased public expectation?

• What value do we place on health care for ourselves and our community?

• Do we want to maintain responsibility for ensuring exceptional care locally, or do we want to hand over responsibility to people who may not necessarily understand our community and its health care needs?

“Charitable giving provides a way for each of us to invest in the kind of health care we want today and for future generations,” said Fred Thursfield, president of Altoona Regional’s Foundation for Life, which raises funds to support exceptional nonprofit health care for everyone in this region.

“Charitable gifts to the Foundation for Life are invested prudently. In an era of declining government and insurance company reimbursements and steadily increasing costs, donations make a difference. In fact, they can make THE difference.”

Regardless of the amount — $10 or $10,000 — gifts are directed as the donor requests to assist Altoona Regional in its ongoing mission to provide exceptional health care.

Several examples of how gifts to the Foundation for Life have been used include:

• Purchasing digital mammography equipment for improved diagnosis and earlier treatment of breast cancer.

• Buying a new van for transporting patients to the center for cancer care.

• Supporting the operation of the Donna Jean Hospitality House, which provides lodging close to the hospital for families of critically ill or injured patients.

• Providing support for diabetes patient education and support programs.

• Investing in telemetry equipment for local ambulance rescue teams to transmit vital and potentially lifesaving information on the condition of heart attack patients to our emergency/trauma department (see accompanying story).

Every year, Altoona Regional must decide the best place to invest money for the benefit of our community. These decisions are difficult because of the insufficiency of funds, and sometimes the launch of new programs or the purchase of new equipment is put off.

“Your generosity will help make these decisions easier,” Fred said. “You can help shape the future of health care for your community.”

you can help ensure quality community health care

In 2011, 43 babies were delivered by family medicine residents in the Altoona Family Physicians residency Program through their private practices at AFP, according to the program’s associate director.terry S. ruhl, m.D., also said the program expects to deliver 80 babies this year. One possible reason for the “baby boomlet” at AFP is a decline in available obstetrical providers.“the hospital typically delivers just over 1,100 babies a year, and that number has been stable over the past several years,” according to ryan Zlupko, m.D., current chairman of the OB/gyn department at Altoona regional. “Over the past year, three OB/gyns have left the area, which means the steady volume of deliveries will fall to the remaining providers.”Dr. Zlupko is also medical director of the Pregnancy care center, the clinic where AFP residents get a significant portion of their obstetrics experience. Fills a twofold need“the Pregnancy care center fills a twofold need,” he said. “those patients who are on medical Assistance receive high-quality pregnancy care, and the residents receive valuable experience as they care for patients under the supervision of area physicians.”the Pregnancy care center provides care to pregnant women with state insurance at the clinic adjacent to AFP. Faculty from AFP or obstetricians from Altoona OB/gyn supervise the residents, ensuring there will be an experienced clinician at

residents delivering more babies

class of 2015. Competition for openings is becoming more intense, Dr. Beckstead noted.

Better applicants

“We emphasize to prospective residents how much they will get to see and do during their three years here,” he said. “In large, university-based programs or in urban settings, residents may not get such diverse experiences. Offering these advantages attracts more and better applicants, which increases the quality of the residents we choose.”

7

Charles Harvey, D.O., is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon whose specialties are spinal disorders and total hip replacement.

Dr. Harvey received his medical degree from Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, where he also did his internship and his residency in orthopedic surgery. He did fellowship training in pediatric orthopedics and spine surgery at Shriners Hospital, Philadelphia.

He is board certified by the American Osteopathic Board of Orthopedic Surgery and has been in practice since 1992.

What is in the future for minimally invasive spinal surgery?

With improved imaging capabilities available in our operating rooms, even smaller incisions and more complex surgeries can be performed with these techniques. As technology advances, our ability to perform these surgeries improves.

can a patient have cervical spine surgery through a minimally invasive approach?

Yes. Posterior cervical spine surgery (which is surgery performed on the back of the neck) is ideal for minimally invasive spinal surgery. The doctor can identify the exact location with intraoperative X-rays and release the pinched nerve with minimal surgical trauma and scarring.

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PaidAltoona Regional Health System

Altoona Hospital campus620 Howard AvenueAltoona, PA 16601-4899

A nonprofit community health care system Change Service Requested

charles Harvey, D.O., is an orthopedic surgeon with Southern Alleghenies elite Orthopedics, 601 Hawthorne Drive, Hollidaysburg. elite is a full-service orthopedic practice affiliated with Altoona regional. Phone 889.3600.

a S k t H e S P e C i a l i S t

What is minimally invasive spinal surgery?

Minimally invasive spinal surgery is an attempt to relieve back and leg pain with smaller incisions and less tissue damage than traditional surgery.

P r o F i l e

Why was minimally invasive spinal surgery developed?

With traditional spinal surgery, a large incision was necessary. Over the years, due to the advancement of halogen illumination and microscopic techniques, smaller incisions have been possible and the degree of soft tissue damage has been reduced.

Now, with minimally invasive spinal surgery, the surgeon can access the lumbar spine by not cutting any muscle but only gently separating it. This has led to much less postoperative pain and quicker recoveries.

Who is a candidate for minimally invasive spinal surgery?

Most patients with a pinched nerve in the back

are excellent candidates. Patients with more than one pinched nerve can be considered but may need traditional surgery.

can lumbar spine fusions be performed with minimally invasive spinal surgery?

Yes. A select group of patients can be successfully treated with two small incisions vs. the traditional longer incision. Once again, there is minimal tissue damage; muscle is gently spread apart as opposed to being cut, and the muscle functions normally after surgery. In traditional lumbar spine fusions, much larger incisions are necessary for the physician to adequately see the neurologic structures.

my doctor told me I may need screws and rods in my back. can this be performed through a minimally invasive technique?

Yes. Screws and rods are used to perform lumbar spinal fusions, and various special techniques are available to place the screws through very tiny incisions, thus minimizing the postoperative pain usually associated with traditional open techniques.