Livingwell AZ July 2014

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Livingwell A SPECIAL PUBLICATION CREATED BY REPUBLIC MEDIA CUSTOM PUBLISHING

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HEALTHCARE NEWS YOU CAN USE FOR YOUR WHOLE FAMILY

JULY 2014

IN THIS ISSUE | 2 Sleep disorders | 3 Medicine cabinet musts | 4-5 Events & support groups | 6 Dangers of sitting | 7 Sunscreen & SPF

‘Delivering compassion’ on The Joy Bus Helping homebound cancer patients, one meal at a time

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By Nick Kostenko

fter Joy Seitz-Butts was diagnosed with cancer a few years ago, her friend Jennifer Caraway saw that the side effects of the disease and its treatment were beginning to take a toll on Seitz-Butts. As just one member of a strong and loving support system, Caraway wanted to help in any way she could. “Joy did not need my help but I enjoyed dropping by with little treats to lift her spirits,” Caraway said. “While doing this, I realized that there were people out there that did not have the support system that Joy had and that had no one to drop by with a healthy meal and a little conversation.”

A JOINT EFFORT

Fresh meals and friendly conversation

Orthopedic medicine can help most patients with musculoskeletal conditions

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By Debra Gelbart

he most frequent causes of joint pain in older adults include arthritis, age-related loss of cartilage and injury,” said Bertrand Kaper, M.D., an orthopedic specialist with the Scottsdale Orthopedic Institute at Scottsdale Healthcare. In younger adults, congenital problems, injury and mechanical or structural hip disorders are often-seen factors in joint pain.

Multiple treatment approaches

If you’re experiencing pain or a reduction in function in your shoulder, wrist, elbow, hip, knee or ankle, an orthopedic specialist can decide whether you’re a candidate for physical therapy with or without surgery; pharmaceuticals, including pain management injections; cartilage transplantation; a technique called arthroscopy; or total joint replacement. Kaper said that not all treatments are available for all joints.

Pain management injections

Pain management injections include joint lubricants called hyaluronic acid medications, known by brand names such as Supartz®, Synvisc® or Euflexxa®, Kaper said. “We place this lubricant directly into an arthritic knee,” he said. “It’s one of the most effective ways to postpone the need for joint replacement.” The joint lubricants are indicated for the knee only, and other injections — such as cortisone — may be appropriate for the shoulder, hip or other joint, said Tony Nguyen, M.D., a sports medicine surgeon who practices for The CORE Institute, a private practice group of orthopedic surgeons. Nguyen is among the physicians who make up the Banner CORE Center for Orthopedics, a partnership between Banner Health and The CORE Institute. The Banner CORE Center is a destination for orthopedic care with locations in five Banner Health hospitals, primarily using surgeons from The CORE Institute.

Cartilage transplantation

Cartilage transplantation is intended for younger patients for whom an actual joint replacement isn’t recommended since the replacement parts wear out after 15 years or so, Nguyen said. Cartilage harvested from the patient’s body or from a donor cadaver is grown in a lab and reimplanted into the ‘pothole’ created by the loss of original cartilage, he explained. The technique can work for knees and shoulders, he said.

Struck by that realization, Caraway started The Joy Bus in October of 2011. Named after her friend, The Joy Bus is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides fresh, free meals to cancer patients who are homebound and helps alleviate some of the stress they would otherwise face. The chef-inspired meals are prepared with produce donated by Crooked Sky Farms, chicken from Red Bird Farms and treats from Gluten Free Creations Bakery. “We can step in and help when no one else can,” Caraway said. “We have several patients Clients of who are on waiting lists for other The Joy Bus currently range programs — such as Meals on Wheels in age from — that are taking 8 to 84. advantage of our program in the interim. The Joy Bus will help regardless of household size and income and we try and help as many as our funding allows.”

The Joy Bus: “Delivering Compassion Through the Joy in Food.”

Arthroscopy

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), arthroscopy is “a common surgical procedure in which a joint (arthro-) is viewed (-scopy) using a small camera.” More inside | Pg 6 Arthroscopy is used to feel, Total joint replacement repair or remove damaged Sports medicine tissue. Small surgical instru Pediatric orthopedics ments are inserted through incisions around the shoulder, hip or knee to view the interior structures of the joints. Kaper said arthroscopy is often used to treat hip impingement, a mechanical or structural disorder of the hip that can be diagnosed in all age ranges. Hip impingement occurs when the unimpeded and painless movement of the ball-and-socket joint of the hip is prevented. ORTHOPEDIC MEDICINE , continued on page 6

Limited funding and delivery area

Due to a lack of funding, The Joy Bus currently has openings for delivery only within 10 miles of the intersection of 32nd Street and Shea Boulevard in Phoenix. The organization is always in need of additional funding and volunteers to keep the program up and running. They also offer an internship that is registered with a number of college programs.

Info

Website: TheJoyBus.org Email: ContactTheJoyBus@gmail.com

a-z H E A LT H C A R E N E W S B R I E F S

Heart device clinical trial at Banner Heart Hospital

Located in Mesa, Banner Heart Hospital is involved in a research study for a new device that may reduce the risk of hospitalization and death among patients with heart failure. The clinical trial tests the safety and effectiveness of CardioFit, an investigational medical device manufactured by BioControl Medical. Using low-current electrical impulses, CardioFit is designed to stimulate the vagal nerve, a specialized nerve that plays a major role in controlling heart rate and blood pressure. Previous studies have suggested that this type of stimulation may provide added therapeutic benefit to traditional therapies for heart failure. The Inovate-HF study is designed to confirm these early findings in a larger patient population, and ultimately to convert

Scottsdale Healthcare, TGen study drug to combat solid tumors

The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare and the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) have begun a study into the Banner Heart Hospital safety and effectiveness of a new drug, AG-120, for treatment of patients them into clinical practice. For information about participating in the with solid tumors, especially those with brain tumors and gallbladder bile duct cancer. The research study, call 480-854-5178. study will enroll as many as 50 patients. Patients at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer More info Center will be the first to receive AG-120, • BannerHealth.com/BannerHeart which is designed specifically for patients • biocontrol-medical.com who carry the IDH1 gene mutation. (click on ‘Patients & Families’ tab)

Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center, by Jim Christy Studios

The IDH1 gene mutation is most commonly found in gliomas, which make up the largest group of primary brain tumors.

More info

Joyce Schaffer, RN, MSN, AOCNS Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials 480-323-1339 or joschaffer@shc.org


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