“Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe infections such as pneumonia,” said Paul S. Schulz, M.D., infectious diseases physician with Norton Infectious Disease Specialists and system epidemiologist for Norton Healthcare. “Organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and CDC are working together to contain the virus while also keeping the public informed.”

Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) and SARS, or severe acute respiratory syndrome, are both viral respiratory illnesses caused by coronavirus.

“Treatment of the coronavirus is similar to that of a cold or pneumonia and is determined by the severity of the individual’s illness,” Dr. Schulz said.

Common signs of someone infected with coronavirus include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties.

More information you need to know:

• Person-to-person spread is occurring, although it’s unclear how easily the virus spreads between people.
• Preliminary information suggests that older adults and people with underlying health conditions may be at increased risk for severe disease from this virus.
• Travelers to Wuhan, China, should avoid contact with sick people, animals (alive or dead) and animal markets.
• Travelers from Wuhan and other countries may be asked questions about their health and travel history upon arrival to the United States.

For more information on the 2019 novel coronavirus, visit the CDC coronavirus page.

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The study, published in the International Journal of Cancer, found that women using permanent dye had a 9% higher risk of breast cancer. However, the risk went up 45% for black women who used dye in the past year, and 60% with dye use every five to eight weeks. Straightener was associated with an 18% higher risk for one-time use, and 31% higher risk when used every five to eight weeks.

It’s important to realize that these increases represent a relative risk. Women overall have a 12% risk of developing breast cancer. If you increase that 45% (increase in risk for black women using dye within the last year), the overall risk becomes 17.4%.

“While the study had some interesting findings, this does not show that using these products causes cancer — it simply increased the risk among women in the study,” said Laila S. Agrawal, M.D., hematologist and oncologist with Norton Cancer Institute. “There are risk factors every woman has based on personal history.

“We also know that there are lifestyle changes everyone can make to reduce the risk of breast cancer. This includes consistent exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, not smoking, and limiting alcohol.”

While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not have “reliable evidence” of a link between cancer and “coal-tar” hair dye, it continues to review data to watch for any issues.

If you are going to use hair dye or straighteners, the American Cancer Society offers some suggestions:

• Follow package directions and only leave dye on your head the amount of time listed in the directions — not longer.
• Wear gloves when using dye.
• Do a patch test every time before you dye your hair.
• Rinse well with water.
• Never mix different hair dyes together.

Hair dye is only for your scalp, not eyebrows or eyelashes.

The post Can coloring or straightening hair increase breast cancer risk? appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Lifestyle changes and medications such as statins for cholesterol, blood pressure medicine and aspirin can be just as effective at lowering the risk of heart attack or stroke as implanting a stent to address blockage or coronary bypass surgery, the study found.

Researchers at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and Stanford University School of Medicine studied more than 5,000 participants with blocked arteries whose condition was stable in the federally funded study.

“There is still strong evidence that in cases of a heart attack or when someone is experiencing symptoms, there are benefits to being stented or having bypass surgery,” said D. Sean Stewart, M.D., interventional cardiologist with Norton Heart & Vascular Institute.

Invasive Procedures Better at Relieving Angina Symptoms

Millions of Americans suffer from angina, a form of chest pain that is usually caused by a blocked coronary artery. Many go on to have a stress test that shows they have low blood flow to the heart.

In those cases, implanting a stent or bypass surgery was more effective at relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for patients with angina, according to the study.

“I would encourage patients to have a conversation with their provider prior to a catheterization procedure,” Dr. Stewart said. “If a patient and their physician decided to try medical therapy, the patient must follow the medication guidelines, manage lifestyle changes and continue to follow up with their physician routinely.”

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To all the talented and dedicated Norton Medical Group doctors who topped the list, congratulations from all your colleagues and friends at Norton Healthcare.

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A recent study shows that the devices have the same amount of leakage as other products — and often less. But what exactly are they?

“A menstrual cup is a bell-shaped device made of medical-grade silicone, rubber or latex that you insert into the vagina over the cervix,” said Tamara L. Callahan, M.D., gynecologist with Norton Women’s Care. “They create a light suction that holds them in and collects blood for up to 12 hours depending on your flow.”

Menstrual cups have a one-time cost starting around $40. Because they last up to 10 years, they’re more eco-friendly than other products.

“They’re not as popular as other products because you have to be very comfortable with touching your vagina,” Dr. Callahan said. “You also have to come in contact with blood. People who have learned to use them generally love them and the convenience that comes with them.”

They also need to be the correct size, as a woman’s body may change over time, especially after having children.

To insert the menstrual cup, it is folded according to directions and then inserted high into the vagina so it is over the cervix. It is then rotated so that it opens and seals over the cervix with light suction. Removal involves pinching it to release the suction and pulling it out to empty it into the toilet. It only needs to be washed with unscented, oil-free soap, rinsed and reinserted. At the end of the menstrual cycle, it simply needs to be washed, dried and stored in a breathable container. You also may put it in boiling water for five to 10 minutes to sterilize it before storing.

“There is a learning curve that comes with using a menstrual cup, but it can be a great option.” Dr. Callahan said.

The post What is a menstrual cup? appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Those on the list play an integral role in their organization’s strategic planning, growth and transactions, have been recognized by their peers and serve on the board of directors for community organizations. Kempf was recognized for his leadership in financial services for large health systems.

Kempf joined Norton Healthcare in 2001 as a senior internal auditor and was promoted to his current role in 2017. He is active in the Kentucky chapter of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, the board of directors for Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, Indiana, and Rauch Foundation, New Albany, Indiana.

The post Norton Healthcare’s Kempf named to national CFOs to know list appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Tiger had three previous surgeries to relieve pain in the very bottom of his lumbar spine. The disc was severely narrowed, leading to pain in his back and leg. Conservative treatments with physical therapy and medications were not working.

Tiger announced in April 2017 on his website that he chose to have an ALIF performed — allowing removal of the degenerated disc from between the last lumbar vertebra (L5) to the top of the sacrum (S1) — the triangular formation of bones in the pelvis. Surgeons restored the appropriate alignment between the vertebra and the sacrum, then fused the bones together.

Because surgeons approach the joint from the abdomen, muscles and nerves in the lower back are spared. The preservation of normal lower back muscle and ligaments has many benefits — particularly in patients with an active lifestyle.

The approach also allows surgeons to restore normal alignment and place bone graft between the affected vertebrae. The graft material and restored alignment is held in place with a mesh cage or interbody device. Over time, the graft material incorporates, allowing for the lumbar vertebra and the sacrum to grow into a single bone.

Posterior approaches usually allow the graft to be placed across the back of the vertebrae.

Patient Story: Life after spinal fusion

Innovative ALIF approaches

ALIF is one of the more common procedures for Norton Leatherman Spine surgeons, who choose an innovative route to the hard-to-reach L5/S1 disc space. They’ve determined that going through the peritoneum — the membrane covering the abdominal organs — rather than behind it provides a more direct route to the disc space with improved efficiency in the operating room and less risk of post-operative complications.

Extreme lateral interbody fusion (XLIF) is a procedure that does not involve any cutting of muscle. Instead, tissue planes are dilated with small tubes — allowing for fusion with smaller incisions and quicker recovery. More than 90 percent of patients go home the day after surgery.

Anterior lumbar interbody fusion recovery time

Patients routinely are up and around hours after ALIF surgery. Because it takes about three to six months for the graft material to fuse the vertebrae, patients will need to avoid strenuous activity, but must rehabilitate the muscles with supervised exercise.

Patients can resume work as early as a week or two after surgery or months later, depending on their occupation and symptom severity.

The post Tiger Woods’ back surgery explained appeared first on Norton Healthcare.

Interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons at Norton Heart & Vascular Institute team up to conduct a TAVR procedure. Performed though a catheter, it requires only a short hospital stay – often just one night. Many patients report improvement in symptoms including shortness of breath and improvement in leg swelling.

At Norton Heart & Vascular Institute, our board-certified and fellowship-trained specialists sometimes use TAVR as an alternative to open-heart surgery. The procedure treats aortic stenosis – a narrowing of the aortic valve – that prevents the valve from opening fully. One in two patients with untreated symptoms of severe aortic stenosis will die within an average of two years.

The TAVR procedure does not remove the damaged valve, but rather implants a replacement in the valve’s place. Once the new valve is in place, it pushes the old valve tissue out of the way and takes over.

Reviewed by Arpit Agrawal, M.D., cardiologist with Norton Heart Specialists.

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