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Meet Our Doctor
Operative Management of Peripheral Arterial Disease
Dr. Aparajita is a fellowship-trained vascular surgeon and has been serving the Polk County community for the past 1 year. She earned her Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree at University of Delhi, India. She then completed a research fellowship in vascular surgery at Columbia University Medical Center in New York and a residency in General Surgery at Staten Island University Hospital in New York, she completed her fellowship training in Vascular Surgery at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Barnabas Medical in New Jersey. e’veCenter talked about what Peripheral Arterial DisDr. ease Aparajita is also a Membercolumns. of the RoyalNow, Collegelet’s of Surgeons is in previous look atof Edinburgh, UK (MRCS Ed) and completed her Basic Surgical Training in RITU APARAJITA, MD, RPVI some operative England soonpossible after her medical school. treatment options for KSC Cardiology Dr. Aparajita is the co-author of more than alone two dozen journal articles, PAD. When medical management has failed to publications and oral presentations, including topics such as improve symptoms, thethrombosis, possibleaortic treatment options include the following: endovascular treatment for aneurysm repair, stroke, peripheral artery disease and other vascular conditions. Additional posts and volunteer work include a teaching position at Hofstra Northwell School of Medicine and as a Member of the Public and In this procedure, a catheter is International threadedRelations through a blood vessel to the Professional Outreach Committee as well as the Committee at the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS). on the tip of the catheter is inflated to affected artery. There, a small balloon Dr. Aparajita was recently nominated for the American Medical flatten the plaque into the artery wall and reopen the narrowing (stenosis) or Association (AMA) Inspiration Award that recognizes physicians who have contributed to the women in the medical blockage (occlusion) in achievements the artery ofwhile stretching the artery. A wire is used to profession.
Let Food Be Thy Medicine
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1. Endovascular treatment with balloon angioplasty:
cross the blockage, and various modalities may be employed (either alone or in combination) like atherectomy (a procedure that utilizes a catheter with a sharp RITUremove APARAJITA, MD, MRCS (Ed), MBBS blade on the end toSpecialty: plaque from a blood vessel) suction thrombectomy Vascular & Endovascular Surgery (using a catheter to suck out fresh clot), thrombolytic infusion (clot-busting Joining KSC Cardiology November 9, 2020 medication given at the site of the clot). No cuts are made during this procedure, and it’s typically done in a cardiac catheterization lab. Your doctor may also insert a mesh tube (stent) in the artery to help keep it open. This is the same procedure doctors use to open heart arteries.
2. Surgical procedures (for example femoral popliteal bypass, femoral endarterectomy/patch angioplasty): Your doctor may create a path around the blocked artery using either a blood vessel from another part of your body or a synthetic vessel. This technique allows blood to bypass the blocked artery. This is typically performed in an operating room in the hospital.
3. Hybrid procedures (combination of endovascular and surgical procedures)
by PAMELA PALONGUE
A Dietician’s Guidance Can Help You Make the Best of Your Health
4. S upervised exercise program:
Your doctor likely will prescribe a supervised exercise training program to increase the distance you can walk pain-free. Regular exercise improves symptoms of PAD in a number of ways, including helping your body use oxygen more efficiently. This is useful in combination with the above procedures and only if you suffer from claudication alone.
This column is sponsored by KSC Cardiology, and the opinions expressed herein may not reflect those of CFHN or of its advertisers. BIO: Dr. Aparajita is a fellowship-trained vascular and endovascular surgeon. She is a co-author of 20+ journal articles and publications and was recently nominated for an Inspiration Award by the American Medical Association (AMA).
10 | CFHN
“Let food be thy medicine…”
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t’s funny how the wise words of the ancient physician Hippocrates still ring true today, some 2,500 years later. Beyond the DNA we’re born with, the three great influencers of overall health are sleep, exercise and the nourishment we choose for ourselves. There are many individual challenges when it comes to diet, including weight concerns, food allergies and medical conditions. With food playing such an important role in our health, it makes sense to consult an expert for the very best dietary advice for our individual needs. Many people, particularly as they age, find themselves in the category of prediabetes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 1 in 3 people have prediabetes. Their doctors deliver the news, but what next? Who can help each individual identify the best foods for their specific medical circumstances? That’s where professionals like Nancy Ulm come in. Ulm is a Registered Dietician and a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist at Watson Clinic.
Nancy Ulm
Ulm explains that individuals who are prediabetic have developed resistance to insulin, meaning the cells of the muscles, fat and liver are unable to use the glucose supplied by the bloodstream. This prompts the pancreas to make more insulin in order continued on page 22
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