New Marfan Syndrome Clinic in Omaha Raising Awareness and Saving Lives ASK ANJI YETMAN, MD, director of
such as scoliosis, chest bone deformities, and/
After Marfan syndrome is diagnosed, a
Vascular Medicine, Cardiology at Children’s
or long fingers and toes. More critically, they
baseline echocardiogram helps evaluate the
Hospital & Medical Center, about the rewards
are predisposed to developing aortic enlarge-
size of the aorta and whether it is proportional
of treating patients with Marfan syndrome,
ments, aneurysms and dissections.
to the size of the patient. “After that initial
and she seeks out the pictures pinned around
“Marfan syndrome is just one cause of
visit, we like to see them in six months’ time
her office: an adult patient surrounded by
a dilated aorta, but it is the prototype of all
to make sure their aorta is stable. If it is stable,
her three beaming daughters, a dapper-
diseases of the aorta. It’s the one we know
they typically come in for a yearly checkup
looking teenager who, as a baby, was diag-
most about,” Dr. Yetman says.
with a visit and an echocardiogram.”
nosed with a severe form of the disease. “With the right care, he’s been able to lead a very normal life,” she shares. Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder affecting approximately one in 5,000 men
Most patients—75 percent—inherit
The new Marfan Syndrome Clinic at
Marfan syndrome from a parent. The remain-
Children’s is working to make an impact on
der of the cases arise de novo as a result of
the front — and a very real difference in
a spontaneous mutation. Diagnosis begins
people’s lives. “Twenty years ago, Marfan
with a scoring system.
syndrome was somewhat of a death sentence
and women of all ages and ethnic groups,
“We look at the patient; we take a
impacts the body’s connective tissue, an
number of measurements and then we add
anomaly linked to the abnormal production
up points for each feature they have. If they
of fibrillin-1 protein. Patients are typically (but
have a certain score that determines that
not always) tall and thin, with long limbs.
‘yes’ they have Marfan syndrome or ‘no’ they
They tend to have eye issues, including lens
don’t. The diagnosis, most often, is a clinical
dislocation, and certain bony abnormalities
diagnosis,” Dr. Yetman explains.
An open letter
Surgery ment Pa i n m a n a g e imaging i ly C a r e m i d w e S t Fa m a lt h digeStive he
sfsh.com sician Proud to be Phy erated Owned and Op
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and that’s not the case now,” Dr. Yetman says. ■
MED QUOTES
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The Lord hath created medicines out of the earth; and he that is wise will not abhor them — Ecclesiastes 38:4
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from the Ceo
tude and to express our grati to our patients, ty hospital, I wish not take the ial do ec e Sp W lls ar. fa ye st ux Sio care over the pa eir th As the new Ceo of th wi us d ste o have tru respect to those wh health and happiness lightly. ur yo of lity ibi ns po res ation through lized care and innov efforts have na rso pe ff, of sta r re ou ltu cu to r ur t commitment to ou rd work. We are proud to say that yo n. You’ve shown grea and ha in patient satisfactio ion r de ass lea mp al co , ion on reg ati a as ed niz og rec your time, dedic ing us the honor of be tient once again earned ten out of eleven pa only a five-star rating in ed us the eiv g rec kin l ita ma , sp S* ho Cm ty Sioux falls Special survey awarded by ies in the hCAhpS satisfaction categor with this high of a ranking. our ion an the approval of hospital in the reg a greater reward th for ask n’t uld co Yes. But we Do we like awards? u. yo k an Th s. nt patie Sincerely, D. l R. Blake Curd, M. Specialty Hospita ficer, Sioux Falls Chief Executive Of
r Assessment of * Hospital Consume s tem Sys nd s a der Healthcare Provi enters y administered by C (HCAHPS) surve Services (CMS). aid dic Me & are for Medic
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