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February 3, 2006     Barnstable Patriot
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February 3, 2006
 
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UNIQUE HOME DETOX™ for drugs and alcohol. Private & confidential. Physician Directed. Covered by most insurance plans. F^POOLS THE EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE SAVINGS Call now for FREE info and Pre-Season Prices! OASIS1.800-950-1109 1 °115718 Minimally invasive procedure relieves severe leg pain How Plaque Excision Works By David Reilly www.capecodhealthcare.org STEP 1:The SilverHawk catheter is inserted into the body through a small puncture site and is advanced through the artery to the site of the blockage. STEP 2: Once the SilverHawk catheter is at the site of the blockage , a tiny rotating blade is activated.Thephysicianadvances the catheter through the lesion, shaving plaque off of the artery walls. STEP 3: The plaque collects in the tip of the catheter and then is completely removed from the body. The physician may need to repeat these steps until enough plaque is removed to restore normal blood flow to the legs. Anew treatment option availableat Cape Cod and Falmouth hos- pitals is helping to relieve the pain associated with blocked blood vessels for many patients. With the revolutionary SilverHawk Plaque Exci- sion System physicians on the Cape can use a tiny, grain-of-rice-sized rotat- ing blade to shave away harmful plaque blocking a patient's arteries. Unlike other solutions for plaque build-up - such as angio- plasty and stenting -the plaque is not just pushed to the side. Rather, the SilverHawk tool collects the plaque within the tip of the blade and removes it permanently. The SilverHawk is a new FDA-cleared device for the safe removal of harm- ful plaque from blocked arteries in the legs and gives patients an alterna- tive in the treatment of a painful condition known as peripheral vascular disease (PVD). Before the arrival of plaque excision, treat- ments for PVD included angioplasty, stenting and open bypass surgery, an invasive procedure , re- quiring a large incision and a hospital stay. While angioplasty and stenting do clear a channel in the artery for blood flow by pushing plaque up against the artery walls, patients sometimes have to return to have the procedure re- peated because plaque has crept back into the artery and blocked it again. "Angioplasty and stent- ing are still good options for plaque in the pelvis and kidneys ," said Philip Dom- browski, interventional radiologist at Cape Cod Hospital and Falmouth Hospital, "but SilverHawk is almost miraculous for areas below the pelvis." Minimally invasive procedure Like angioplasty, a Sil- verHawk plaque excision is a minimally invasive proce- dure performed through a tiny puncture site. Prior to the procedure , the pa- tient is sedated and a tiny arterial puncture is made, usually in the groin area. The SilverHawk catheter is inserted into the incision through a short tube called a sheath and is directed through the artery, to the blockage. The blade then shaves the plaque, collects it in the catheter and the catheter is removed from the patient's body. PVD affects nearly 12 million people in the Unit- ed States; Cape resident Eileen Penn is one. After experiencing tightening in her left leg while walking, she went to see her doctor, who diagnosed her with the disease. "Once I was referred to a vascular surgeon, he of- fered me several options," she said, "but I liked that the SilverHawk would only take a few minutes to fix the problem. I had the procedure , stayed in the hospital overnight, and went home the next day with no problems. " Similar to cardiovascular disease , PVD is caused by the buildup of plaque -fat and cholesterol -which disrupts normal blood flow to arteries in the vascu- lar system. Symptoms of the disease often include severe pain, numbness, tingling or weakness in the leg. Leg pain can be so extreme that patients may have difficulty in walking short distances. If left untreated , PVD can lead to amputa- tions. Last year alone, over 150,000 amputations were performed in the U.S. In a number of hospitals across the country, plaque excision has been used to save the patient' s leg from amputation after other pe- ripheral interventions have failed. Cleaning out the arteries can effectively give a patient' s legs a second chance. Those at risk of develop- ing PVD include patients with high blood pressure , diabetes and high choles- terol. Other contributing factors include obesity, smoking and an inactive lifestyle. Screening for peripheral vascular disease is simple and painless so consult with your physi- cian to find out if you are at risk. For more informa- tion about this procedure , please visit www.f oxh ollow- tech.com Relief for pain sufferers By Kathy Manwaring news@barnstablepatriot.com E very day millions of Americans are in pain. For some it is acute pain , the kind that comes with the break of abone or the tearingof amuscle. For others, however, the pain is chronic; the type that interferes with a person's ability to hold a job, care for afamily, and even perform the basic tasks that are a part of every day life. Although there are medica- tions available to help those who suffer from chronic pain, many people are wary of in- fusing their bodies with too many toxins, realizing that a capsule may be nothing more than a quick fix. That is when pain management becomes an import ant means of diminish- ing the pain and getting back into life. While pain is the body 's mechanism of self-preserva- tion, letting us know when there is a problem with our bodies, living with constant pain can wear on one's body and one's psyche. Pain man- agement offers a wide variety of methods for not only cop- ing with pain but reducing and possibly eliminating it all together. In pursuing pain manage- ment it is recommended that a person undergo a complete pain physical,which takes into consideration the duration of the pain,its source, and how it has impacted daily life. When did the pain begin? Have sleep patterns been disrupted? Do certain activities make the pain worse or better? A complete pain physical, available at a pain manage- ment center or through a person's primary care physi- cian, provides medical profes- sionals with the information necessary to determine the proper course of action. Often more than one type of treat- ment may be used in pain management. At Cape Cod Hospital Pain Management in Hyannis a number of techniques areused to help patients ease chronic pain so they can return to a healthier quality of life. "We don't believe that one single treatment alone is best ," ex- plained Louise Orpin, Nurse Manager at the center. "We look at a number of modali- ties." A popular method of pain management , particularly for those living with back prob- lems, Fibromyalgia, and mus- cle pain is massage therapy. Not only can massage therapy alleviate tension in muscles,it can also improve circulation and a person's breathing as well as ease stress by promot- ing a state of relaxation. Orpin noted that another important method of pain management is regular exer- cise. "I don't mean going out and running amarathon ,"she said. Instead, a program of stretching and strength-build- ingexercises isrecommended. "Alot of our arthritis patients are helped by exercise and pool therapy," Orpin noted. Maintaininga sense of spiri- tuality can also be beneficial in managing chronic pain. Activities such as yoga, Reiki and meditation that combine physicalmovement and aware- ness with a spiritual connec- tion can be very helpful. "It is important to find things that would produce some relax- ation," said Orpin. Living in constant pain of- ten takes its toll on a person 's mental well-being, as well as the body. "We find a lot of our patients in chronic pain are also depressed ," Orpin said. To help with the psychologi- cal hardship of chronic pain, a visit with a mental health specialist may be necessary. Psychologists , parti cularly those with a background in pain management , can work with the patient and their pain management team to ensure a whole-person approach in choosing the most effective strategies to use. Finally,in making the choice to seek pain management treatments , Orpin is careful to point out that a patient's comfort level is of the utmost importance. "Go where you're comfortable ,"she encourages. Feeling comfortable with a treatment center, as well as the professionals responsible for a patient's care, is a vital aspect of pain management . When patients are at ease, stress isreduced which makes treatments that much more effective in the long run. "The goal is to get people back to their optimal quality of life." said Orpin. With time, pa- tience , skilled help and the proper techniques , hopefully that life will be much less painful. I ml OS 1 ^L^ K mm ^^r*i t.^ K * ^ W ^A • I '^L. ™^ ' <^l Hh>. H W&. ^H ^i^i^i^ Hb WH. m*j^yi il*! 1 MI«D a ^^I^^Bi^V^^^^^Ei^r ^^H^^^^^I I t l-i i i BBfflJi Sf vt^m LTJM*^ C^^ ^^^ M vnppp Wk r- p- r\ l i I ' O J r\ • ¦ ANN M.BAJART, M D. Eye Exams • Consultations • Second Opinions A.ROBERTBEUOWS,M.D. Eye Care For: Cataracts • Glaucoma • Retina • Cornea LAURACHME.HO. Macular Degeneration • Lid Plastic Surgery ™ Z 3 ,L Diabetic Disease • Laser Surgery • LASIK Surgery nwnwramui JEFFREY S. HEIER,M.D. JR" I ^^I J^ ^B ^ ^ ^ *^ ^ l i b ' MARK S HUGHES. M.D. f^ ifeft- Ir n L .L i JAMES W. HUNG, M.D ImaMmm £ For over 15 years Ophthalmic - P H R H &"- r, , , B.THOMAS HUTCHINSON. M.D. mmwammtiml\Ic°nsu|tants °fBoston has been MAM,*.«*>. IKi jlSMIili mmM! Ibnngin9 Boston'stopBoard MOAEL*miE1 ' MD - I MM MM ¦ Certified Ophthalmologists to MICHAELF OATS .MO . j ^^^^^^RlUHWI^B^ ICaPe Cod. They come to the WILLJ.PRICE M.D. ICape to see you so you do not MICHAELB.RAIZMAN,M.D B ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^^ll need to make the trip to Boston , CLAUDIAU. RICHTER, M.D. LOCATIONS ALSO IN BEVERLY, J We welcome new patients, DELIAN.SANG,M.D. BOSTON, BROOKLINE, Iplease call for an appointment. BRADF0RDJ SH1NeLET0N., *D- ST0NEHAM AND WALTHAM J0H "V ™0MAS ' MD TREXLER M. TOPPING,M.D. It <**WUBmmWr\nj > 800.635.Q|89 508.771.4848 W VvJJ _ .. .^.a&it,^—_ .'_ Cape advocates seeing red A day to consider the hearts of women By Heather Wysocki hwysocki@barnstablepatnot.com It' s the color of store decorations , Valen- tine's roses and heart-shaped boxes of chocolate. But for many women on Cape Cod suffering from heart disease , red is also the color of hope. For the third year, the American Heart As- sociation (AHA) designated Feb. 3 as Go Red for Women day, and encourages people to wear red in honor of women's heart disease. Rather than aprecursor to February's other heart-filled day, of Valentine 'sDay, advocates across the Cape are hoping that both women and men will use the day to spread aware - ness not only into February but throughout the year. According to the AHA , heart disease is the top cause of death in America, outnumbering the next six causes combined. "It isn't just a man's disease," said Phil Mor- CONTINUED ON PAGE B:4