SUMMER 2015
PAGE 1
Robotic Knee Surgery Relieves Pain, Speeds Recovery PAGE 3
How to Prevent the Most Common Running Injuries PAGE 7
Q&A with Children’s Asthma Experts PAGE 4
Triathlete regains her stride with minimally invasive hip procedure
PAGE 8
High-Tech Care Restores Young Father to Health
The University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences has been at the forefront of medical care, research and teaching for more than 90 years. Located in historic Hyde Park on the South Side
GREETINGS FROM THE FOREFRONT OF MEDICINE
of Chicago, the University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences includes: Patient Care » Center for Care and Discovery » Comer Children’s Hospital » Bernard A. Mitchell Hospital » Duchossois Center for Advanced Medicine » Numerous outpatient locations throughout the Chicago area Teaching Programs » Pritzker School of Medicine » Master’s and doctoral degree programs » Postdoctoral programs Research » Medical and basic science units Among our many honors and acknowledgments: 12 Nobel laureates; ranked 10th of all U.S. medical schools; one of only 41 National Cancer Institute–designated comprehensive
We are committed to providing advanced care to patients from the greater Chicago area and beyond.
cancer centers; ranked third in nation for National Institutes of Health grant support per researcher. University of Chicago Medicine & Biological Sciences Executive Leadership
The orthopaedic
Thanks to other state-of-the-art treatments
Kenneth S. Polonsky, MD, Dean of the
specialists at the
at UChicago Medicine, Kenny Beyer and
University of Chicago
Andy Summers are also able to spend lots
Medicine offer the
of time outdoors this summer.
University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and executive vice president for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago Sharon O’Keefe, president of the University of Chicago Medical Center Jeffrey Glassroth, MD, dean for clinical affairs, University of Chicago Medicine T. Conrad Gilliam, PhD, dean for
full range of solutions for patients with musculoskeletal conditions — from nonsurgical care to hip and knee replace-
basic science, Biological Sciences Division
ments and surgery for complex conditions
Holly J. Humphrey, MD, dean for medical
of the muscles, tendons and bones.
education, Pritzker School of Medicine IMAGINE IS PUBLISHED THREE TIMES A YEAR BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE & BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES. Editor: Anna Madrzyk
When Sara Llibre was told she would never run again as a result of damage to her hip joint, the triathlete contacted our hip
Assistant Editor: Gretchen Rubin
preservation team for a second opinion.
Email us at: imagineeditor@uchospitals.edu
Less than a year after minimally invasive
Design: TOKY Branding + Design Contributing writers Thea Grendahl Christou, Tanya Cochran, John Easton, Sarah Fell, Kevin Jiang, Patricia Nedeau, Lisa Spengler, Anne Stein, Tiffani Washington and Matt Wood Contributing photographers David Christopher, Bob Coscarelli, Robert Kozloff, Jean Lachat, Victor Powell and Nancy Wong ADDRESS The University of Chicago Medicine
surgery, Llibre, of La Grange, Ill., competed pain-free in an Ironman competition. This summer, you’ll find her training six days a week for upcoming races. You can read more about Llibre on page 4 and learn about our orthopaedic programs throughout this issue of Imagine.
Beyer came to us for bronchial thermoplasty, a new therapy — tested here before it received FDA approval — for patients with severe asthma. The Gurnee, Ill., resident can now walk outside without fear of having a severe asthma attack. Summers was gravely ill from complications of gallbladder disease when he was transferred to our medical center. After six months of highly specialized treatment, Summers is now able to enjoy time with his wife and their four children at the family’s favorite spot along the Kankakee River. We bring you these and other stories to demonstrate our commitment to taking on the most challenging cases and to providing advanced care to our patients. Please let us know if we can help you.
5841 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637 The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital 5721 S. Maryland Ave., Chicago, IL 60637 Telephone 1-773-702-1000 Appointments 1-888-824-0200 Follow the University of Chicago Medicine
SHARON O’KEEFE President of the University of Chicago Medical Center
on Twitter at twitter.com/UChicagoMed or visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/ UChicagoMed. You can read more about our news and research at uchospitals.edu/news and at sciencelife.uchospitals.edu. This publication does not provide medical advice or treatment suggestions. If you have medical problems or concerns, contact a physician, who will determine your treatment. Do not delay seeking medical advice because of something you read here. For urgent needs, call 911 right away. Read Imagine online at uchospitals.edu/imagine.
KENNETH S. POLONSKY, MD Dean of the University of Chicago Biological Sciences Division and the Pritzker School of Medicine, and executive vice president for Medical Affairs for the University of Chicago
AT THE FOREFRONT OF ORTHOPAEDIC CARE KNEE REPLACEMENT ALTERNATIVE
Robotic Technique Relieves Knee Pain Patients who have painful earlyto mid-stage osteoarthritis may be able to avoid or delay total knee replacement thanks to a new robotic surgical technique. Using 3D imaging for guidance, University of Chicago Medicine orthopaedic surgeons can resurface areas of the knee damaged by degenerative joint disease while sparing as much healthy bone and surrounding tissue as possible. The minimally invasive approach, called MAKOplasty® partial knee resurfacing, offers several benefits for patients: » PRECISE KNEE RESURFACING, targeting only the arthritic portion of the knee.
MAKOplasty robotic arm assisted partial knee resurfacing Precision cutter enables bone-sparing resurfacing Surgeoncontrolled robotic arm
Minimally invasive incision reduces damage to healthy soft tissue
» BETTER KNEE IMPLANT POSITIONING AND PLACEMENT, resulting in a more natural feeling knee than with total knee replacement.
» A QUICKER RECOVERY AND A SHORTER
compared to total knee replacement surgery. Many patients are allowed to walk soon after surgery, drive within two weeks and return to daily activities soon after. HOSPITAL STAY
Because healthy bone is preserved, patients who undergo this procedure may still be candidates for total knee replacement later, if needed. uchospitals.edu/ knee-makoplasty
Before surgery, a CT scan is taken of the knee and is used to create a 3D anatomical model of the knee. This model allows the surgeon to more accurately plan the surgery, knee resurfacing and implant placement. During surgery, the orthopaedic surgeon guides the robotic arm to prepare bone for a knee implant. The robotic system aids the surgeon by ensuring that bone removal is confined to affected areas, stopping the robotic arm if necessary. Illustration courtesy of Stryker Orthopaedics
OSTEOPOROSIS EDUCATION
Reducing the Risk of Fragility Fractures As many as 80 percent of all people who have had a fracture related to osteoporosis are likely to break another bone. However, steps can be taken to prevent, or lower the risk of, a second fracture. “The perfect time to intervene is after a patient has had a first fracture,” said orthopaedic surgeon Douglas Dirschl, MD, an expert on osteoporosis and fragility fractures.
The perfect time to intervene is after a patient has had a first fracture. The new Bone Health Clinic at the University of Chicago Medicine identifies, evaluates and treats patients who have osteoporosis or who have had fractures related to low bone density. The clinic’s bone health specialists provide education and innovative treatment options for reducing the risk of additional breaks.
SERVICES AT THE BONE HEALTH CLINIC INCLUDE:
» Bone health evaluation » Bone density assessment with
DEXA scans (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) » Education to prevent or lower
the risk of a second fracture » Treatment for low bone mass
and osteoporosis » Surgical and nonsurgical care
for fragility fractures Bone health and fragility care at the University of Chicago Medicine follows guidelines developed by the National Osteoporosis Foundation and incorporated into the American Orthopaedic Association’s Own the Bone® campaign.
The Bone Health Clinic is available at two locations: DUCHOSSOIS CENTER FOR ADVANCED MEDICINE
Hyde Park campus UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE PHYSICIANS AT MATTESON
Matteson, Ill.
uchospitals.edu/ bone-health
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ASPIRIN EN ROUTE
Half of all heart attack patients may not be receiving a recommended, potentially life-saving dose of aspirin on their way to the hospital. Using emergency medical services (EMS) information collected nationwide, University of Chicago Medicine researchers focused on ambulance runs involving people age 40 or older who were being monitored for suspected heart attacks. Paramedics had recorded giving aspirin to only 45.4 percent of these patients. Early use of aspirin by patients suspected of having a heart attack is known to lower the risk of death and is widely recommended. “It is important that aspirin be administered quickly by EMS if the patient has not already taken it,” said emergency medicine physician Katie Tataris, MD, University of Chicago Medicine EMS medical director and lead author of the study published in Emergency Medicine Journal.
Imagine that! PARKINSON’S RELIEF
A successful treatment for two life-threatening and difficult-to-treat symptoms of Parkinson’s disease has been achieved by physicians at the University of Chicago Medicine. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) — sending electrical impulses to specific parts of the brain through an implanted “brain pacemaker” — treats many symptoms of Parkinson’s disease that cannot be controlled by medications, such as tremors. But the high-frequency impulses that are typically used usually do not improve swallowing problems that may cause choking or freezing of gait, which can lead to falls. UChicago Medicine researchers found that low-frequency DBS relieved problems with swallowing and walking in selected patients. “Our findings can significantly and directly improve the quality of care for patients with Parkinson’s disease,” said neurologist Tao Xie, MD, PhD, lead author of the study published in Neurology.
Seven
As in a row
THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE WAS NAMED
ONE OF THE SAFEST HOSPITALS IN THE COUNTRY for the seventh consecutive time by the independent Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit organization dedicated to measuring and driving improvements in hospital safety. Since the semi-annual survey began in June 2012, UChicago Medicine is one of only 182 U.S. hospitals, out of about 5,000, to receive an A in all seven survey periods.
NOT A HARMLESS HABIT
Repetitive, compulsive picking and scratching at the skin, to the point that it causes serious tissue damage, is known as excoriation disorder. A team of University of Chicago Medicine researchers studied 73 adults known to have excoriation disorder and found that those identified as highly impulsive showed higher levels of anxiety, depression and uncontrolled urges. Skin picking may begin as a response to genuine itchiness caused by allergies or other physical conditions but is categorized as a mental disorder. At its extreme it can lead to infections and severe bleeding, requiring skin grafts and surgery. The researchers, whose work is published in the Journal of Anxiety Disorders, continue working to better understand patients’ compulsions and to identify root causes of skin picking in order to develop effective treatments.
SHARING BUGS
“Home Sweet Home” may be harboring some nasty bacteria. Researchers in Chicago and Los Angeles studied patients who had received emergency department treatment for Staphylococcus aureus skin infections. Scientists used whole-genome sequencing, a leadingedge technology, on bacterial samples collected from members of each patient’s household. The results showed that once bacteria gained admission to a household, they could spread from one person to another for several years. The bacteria studied, methicillinresistant Staphylococcus aureas (MRSA), are strains of staph that have
READ MORE AT
grown resistant to commonly used antibiotics related to penicillin. This makes treatment difficult, allowing infections to spread and sometimes become life-threatening. “These bacteria ping-pong around from person to person,” said study director Michael David, MD, PhD, an infectious disease expert at the University of Chicago Medicine. “We want to find ways to disrupt this pattern and control the spread of MRSA.”
sciencelife.uchospitals.edu.
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PREVENTING COMMON RUNNING INJURIES 1
2
3
FOLLOW A TRAINING SCHEDULE
RECOGNIZE PAIN YOU SHOULD NOT “RUN
LEARN THE RIGHT STRETCHES AND
» Include rest days to
THROUGH” THAT MAY NEED MEDICAL CARE
CONDITIONING EXERCISES
» Has a severity greater
» These exercises can
than 3 out of 10
help your biomechanics and reduce stress on tissues during running
allow for tissue recovery » Integrate shorter conditioning runs so muscles and tendons can handle the stress of longer distances
» Present at rest or disturbs your sleep » Changes the way
» Don’t increase mileage
Ryan Hudson, MD Sports medicine physician
COMMON OVERUSE INJURIES
1 2
3 4 5
you walk or run
more than 10 percent over the prior week
Although running is a great form of exercise and a great way to stay healthy and fit, it has a high incidence of injuries.
3 important overuse prevention exercises
1. Runner’s knee 2. Stress fractures 3. Shin splints 4. Achilles tendonitis 5. Plantar fasciitis
Where to find our sports medicine specialists DUCHOSSOIS CENTER FOR ADVANCED MEDICINE (DCAM)
5758 S. Maryland Ave. Chicago UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PHYSICIANS AT MATTESON
DYNAMIC HAMSTRING STRETCH
SINGLE LEG SQUAT strengthening
before-you-run exercise to loosen the hamstrings
exercise targeting quadriceps and buttocks muscles
One Prairie Center 4749 Lincoln Mall Drive, Suite 500 Matteson, IL UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO REHABILITATION AND SPORTS MEDICINE
7411 W. Lake St., Suite 2110 River Forest, IL UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PEDIATRIC SPECIALISTS
1020 E. Ogden Ave., Suite 207 Naperville, IL SIDE PLANK WITH LEG LIFT more advanced strengthening exercise for the hip abductors (muscles in the buttocks and outside of the hip) as well as the core muscles
University of Chicago Medicine physical therapist Steven Jackson, PT, PhD, OCS, demonstrates exercises for runners that can be done at home without equipment.
Watch the video at uchospitals.edu/ preventing-running-injuries.
The University of Chicago Medicine is proud to be the official hospital of the Chicago Area Runners Association (CARA).
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Sara Llibre rides the 56-mile bike portion of Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico in March 2015. 4 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE IMAGINE MAGAZINE | S U M M E R 2 0 1 5
Photo courtesy of FinisherPix.com
GOING THE DISTANCE AGAIN
The pain in Sara Llibre’s right hip was so severe, the triathlete could barely walk, much less train for a race. Hip preservation surgery at the University of Chicago Medicine returned her to Ironman form.
After running her first marathon in 2009, Llibre joined Endure It, a triathlon team in the western suburbs. The middle school teacher and mother of two from La Grange, Ill., competed in her first Ironman (2.4 mile swim/112 mile bike/26.2 mile run) in 2012. Over time, though, heavy training took a toll on Llibre’s right hip. An MRI showed joint damage caused by femoroacetabular impingement, or FAI — a condition in which the hip bones rub together abnormally. After one orthopaedic surgeon told Llibre she’d never run again, a fellow athlete encouraged her to get a second opinion. Members of Llibre’s triathlon team recommended University of Chicago Medicine orthopaedic surgeon Sherwin S.W. Ho, MD, a sports HO medicine expert. Ho specializes in minimally invasive arthroscopic procedures for conditions of the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee and ankle. “I could tell that Dr. Ho knew from my description of the pain exactly what I was dealing with,” Llibre said. FAI occurs in individuals whose hip bones did not form normally during childhood growth and development. Structural defects result in the hip ball and socket hitting against each other. Because athletes work the hip joint frequently and vigorously, they may have damage and experience pain earlier in life than less active people.
Our orthopaedic surgeons are experts in hip preservation and joint replacement surgery, including hip, knee and shoulder replacement.
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE HIP PRESERVATION / HIP REPLACEMENT TEAM:
Muyibat Adelani, MD Sherwin S.W. Ho, MD Richard W. Kang, MD, MS Hue Luu, MD
“Today, with better imaging tests and more sophisticated minimally invasive tools, we can diagnose patients who have impingement and tears related to FAI and treat them before they get arthritis,” Ho said. “If we treat these patients early enough, we can save the hip and allow them to continue an active, healthy lifestyle. “For athletes like Sara who want to do triathlons later in life,” he added, “the surgery can give them additional miles and years on their hips.” Llibre said Ho didn’t promise her anything but told her the chances were good that she would be able to run again. “And he was right.” Ho performed Llibre’s 90-minute hip preservation procedure in January 2014. She started swimming three weeks after the surgery and biking at two months. By April, she was running again. “I got such good advice from Dr. Ho about how much I could do and when to back off,” she recalled, adding, “and I didn’t have to back off a lot.” Eight months later, Llibre participated, pain-free, in Ironman Wisconsin, where she set a personal record and placed fourth in her age group. Today, the 55-year-old trains six days a week, often twice a day. So far in 2015, she has completed the Ironman 70.3 Puerto Rico (second in her age group)
Our job as hip preservation specialists is to maintain our patient’s natural hip and delay or prevent the need for hip replacement later in life. SHERWIN S.W. HO, MD
and plans to compete in at least three more races, including Ironman Steelhead 70.3 in Michigan this summer and Ironman Louisville in the fall.
Just a decade ago, Ho said, patients with FAI were diagnosed with tendonitis or arthritis and lived with pain until the condition was advanced enough to warrant hip replacement surgery. uchospitals.edu/ortho
“To me, Dr. Ho is a miracle worker,” she said.
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BREATHE EASY
79%
OF PATIENTS TREATED with bronchial thermoplasty reported a significant improvement in their asthmarelated quality of life.
THE LARGEST INSURER IN ILLINOIS recently announced it will cover bronchial thermoplasty.
Clearing the Airways NON-DRUG TREATMENT HELPS ADULTS WITH SEVERE ASTHMA
Most asthma symptoms can be controlled with medications and inhalers. But for people with severe asthma, attacks can be frequent — and life-threatening. Despite daily breathing treatments and steroids, Kenny Beyer, 34, of Gurnee, Ill., made more than a dozen trips to the hospital for asthma-related treatments in 2010 and 2011. He spent 45 days as an inpatient, some in an intensive care unit. He barely made it out of the hospital in time for his wedding day. “My allergist told me, ‘We need to do something else for you,’” Beyer recalled. The physician suggested he contact University of Chicago Medicine pulmonologist Kyle Hogarth, MD, about bronchial thermoplasty (BT), a new treatment for adults with severe asthma. The FDA had just approved BT after an international clinical trial showed promising results.
I no longer need to hibernate inside my house. I can walk outside, even on a humid day. KENNY BEYER
Bronchial thermoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure that uses heat to reduce the excess smooth muscle in the airways of people with severe asthma. Less muscle means decreased constriction during an attack, resulting in greater airflow. The most common side effect of treatment — temporary worsening of respiratory-related symptoms — usually resolves within a week. No new or long-term symptoms as a result of BT have been reported. Patients who undergo BT continue to take prescribed asthma medications. “Bronchial thermoplasty is not a cure for asthma,” said Hogarth. “It’s an added therapy that helps bring asthma under better control.”
Today, Beyer is no longer dependent on oral steroids, but takes daily maintenance medications for his asthma. He occasionally takes additional medications during an exacerbation. “I still have asthma, but the difference in my life is miraculous,” he said. “I no longer need to hibernate inside my house. I can walk outside, even on a humid day. I feel like I can do normal things.”
HOW BRONCHIAL THERMOPLASTY WORKS During bronchial thermoplasty, physicians insert a thin flexible tube through the mouth, down the throat and into the major airways of the lungs. Then they pass a narrow catheter (Alair™ Bronchial Thermoplasty System) with a small expandable heat source at the tip, through that tube. The catheter delivers targeted heat to reduce excess airway smooth muscle tissue.
Airway of Person without Asthma Normal band of airway muscle Open airway where air travels
Airway of Person with Severe Asthma More airway muscle causes airway to narrow This is the area where Alair applies heat to the airway wall during BT treatment
Airway of Person with Severe Asthma after Treatment Reduced airway muscle after BT treatment After BT, the inside airway wall and other tissue heals, but airway muscle is reduced
Images courtesy of Boston Scientific Corporation
Learn more at uchospitals.edu/bt.
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Nylah Washington, 4, sees an allergist at the University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital for her peanut allergy.
Food allergies affect up to 15 million Americans, including one in 13 children. Our program at the University of Chicago Medicine combines leadingedge clinical care with high-powered research on causes and treatments. UChicago Medicine recently was named as a member of the new FARE Clinical Network, an initiative by Food Allergy Research & Education, the nation’s leading organization dedicated to the 15 million Americans with food allergies. The FARE Clinical Network Centers of Excellence will be major sites for clinical research and will help build a food allergy patient registry.
Our Experts Answer Questions About Childhood Asthma and Allergies Asthma and allergies are among the most common disorders in children, and their prevalence is rising. The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital offers comprehensive programs to treat these chronic conditions, led by B. Louise Giles, MD, a specialist in pediatric pulmonary medicine, and Raoul L. Wolf, MD, a nationally recognized authority in asthma and allergy management. IS MY CHILD AT RISK OF DEVELOPING ASTHMA?
Your child is at greater risk if your family has a history of asthma and/or allergies, and if he or she has been exposed to tobacco smoke. WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CHILDHOOD ASTHMA?
Symptoms include wheezing, difficulty catching a breath and a cough that’s unusual or comes at specific times, such as during exercise. WHAT CAN TRIGGER AN ASTHMA ATTACK?
Three-quarters of children with asthma have an allergic component. For these kids,
attacks may be triggered by hay fever or other allergens, such as pets. Other triggers include viral infections, cold weather and/or poor air quality. WHAT TREATMENTS ARE CURRENTLY AVAILABLE?
Physicians at Comer Children’s create custom treatment plans, which may include medications and devices to help reduce inflammation and relax muscle cells in the airway. WHAT LIFESTYLE CHANGES SHOULD WE MAKE IF OUR CHILD IS DIAGNOSED WITH ALLERGIES OR ASTHMA?
Remove carpets, stuffed animals or anything that harbors allergens, and vacuum frequently. If your child is allergic to the family dog or cat, find another home for the pet or bathe it more often. WHEN SHOULD WE GO TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM?
Go to the emergency room if you’re worried about your child’s breathing. Warning signs of asthma may include off-color skin tone, a cough that prevents eating or drinking and the need to take medications more often than prescribed. In addition, difficulty talking or swallowing and/or rapid swelling may be symptoms of a severe allergic reaction.
The University of Chicago Medicine Comer Children’s Hospital is nationally ranked in three pediatric specialties — cancer, diabetes & endocrinology and neurology & neurosurgery. Only 83 of the nation’s children’s hospitals rank nationally in at least one pediatric specialty.
AT THE FOREFRONT
Christina E. Ciaccio, MD, MSc, treats children and adults with allergic conditions and asthma at our main campus in Hyde Park and at University of Chicago Pediatric Specialists in Merrillville, Ind.
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ENJOYING A SUMMERS DAY Ashley Summers calls her husband, Andy, “the luckiest unlucky guy I know.” Considering how gravely ill he was, most people would agree. What started as a simple gallstone attack last fall progressed to a cascade of lifethreatening problems, including an inflamed pancreas and a necrotic gallbladder. Fortunately, the 32-year-old construction worker had more than luck on his side. Ashley, pregnant with their fourth child, was his advocate and emotional support. Uzma D. Siddiqui, MD, led Andy’s team of physicians at the University of Chicago Medicine Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics (CERT). The physicians are all experts in interventional endoscopy for the treatment of complex gastrointestinal disorders.
AT THE FOREFRONT
Last year, patients from 23 states and the District of Columbia came to the University of Chicago Medicine to be treated by CERT physicians.
95% CERT’s patient satisfaction rating in 2014 SOURCE: PRESS GANEY PATIENT SATISFACTION SURVEY
“Every doctor on the team knew my case every bit as well as Dr. Siddiqui did,” Andy said.
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Uzma D. Siddiqui, MD
Andy and Ashley Summers and their four children, ages 7 months to 8 years old, spend family time near the Kankakee River.
“We’re used to seeing these conditions,” Siddiqui explained. “We’re used to working together and we can count on each other’s expertise.” The first step was to stabilize Andy, who had been transferred to the University of Chicago Medicine at Ashley’s request when her husband’s condition deteriorated. Siddiqui controlled Andy’s pain, got his electrolyte levels back to normal and inserted a feeding tube. She cautioned Ashley that it could take many months before her husband would be well again. In subsequent procedures, Siddiqui used interventional endoscopic techniques to remove diseased tissue and drain infected fluid. A few months later surgeons removed his gallbladder. “It’s been a long road, but we have been so blessed,” Ashley said. “Through everything, Dr. Siddiqui went way, way beyond what I ever anticipated. She got Andy home for all the important stuff — for the baby, for Christmas. She got him home, and she got him well.”
INNOVATIVE CARE FOR COMPLEX GI DISORDERS The Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics (CERT) uses minimally invasive techniques to diagnose and treat patients with complex gastrointestinal disorders. Our specialists in diagnostic and interventional endoscopy look and work inside the upper and lower digestive tracts using long, thin, lighted scopes equipped with tiny cameras, microscopes and other surgical tools. With these high-tech tools, we often are able to identify precancerous conditions before they can be found with standard tests, as well as treat early cancers and other complicated conditions without surgery.
Some of the procedures performed are available at only a few centers in the U.S. Conditions we diagnose and treat include pancreatitis, Barrett’s esophagus, gastroesophageal reflux disease, large colon polyps, and esophageal, bile duct and pancreatic cancers. Our multidisciplinary team includes nurse coordinators who are dedicated to helping you navigate your treatment at the University of Chicago Medicine, whether you are here for a one-time procedure or for ongoing care.
Women Ages 18-75 Needed for Breast Imaging Research Studies The University of Chicago Medicine is committed to developing new methods that detect breast cancer early HIGH-RISK LESION STUDY
To participate, you must have been diagnosed with a high-risk breast lesion, including atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH), atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). The study requires a one-time MRI. Compensation is $100, paid parking and a $10 food coupon upon completion.
RESEARCH STUDY OF BREAST DENSITY
To participate, you must be scheduled to start hormonal therapy for prevention of breast cancer or to undergo surgical removal of the ovaries, and have a recent mammogram. The study will require MRI images of your breasts at two time points, six months apart. Compensation for each MRI is $125, paid parking and a $10 food coupon. Greg Karczmar, PhD, director of MRI research, is leading both studies. If you are interested in participating, please contact Sharon Harris in the Department of Radiology at 773-702-2777.
AT THE FOREFRONT
The University of Chicago Medicine has more than
2,500
ADVANCED ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES
350 OPEN CANCER CLINICAL TRIALS and more than 200 specialists in adult and pediatric cancer.
performed each year
Tiny Incisions, Big Benefits Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics IRVING WAXMAN, MD
ANDRES GELRUD, MD, MMSc
Director, Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics (CERT)
Director, Pancreatic Disease Center and Advanced Endoscopy
UZMA D. SIDDIQUI, MD
VANI J. KONDA, MD
Associate Director, Center for Endoscopic Research and Therapeutics (CERT)
Director, Endoscopic Research and Education Programs
To learn more, please visit uchospitals.edu/cert.
Our robotic colorectal surgery program is among the busiest and most experienced in Chicago.
Colorectal surgeons at the University of Chicago Medicine recognize the importance of preserving a patient’s quality of life, including bowel and sexual function, after surgery. Our comprehensive robotic colorectal surgery program provides advanced treatment options for patients with colon cancer, rectal cancer, diverticulitis, inflammatory
bowel disease (Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis) and other colorectal conditions. Robotic surgery is an innovative, minimally invasive procedure. The robot-assisted technique gives the surgeon 3D visualization, precise control over surgical instruments and improved range of motion. Smaller incisions mean less scarring. Other benefits may include reduced pain, fewer complications, shorter hospital stays and faster return to daily activities.
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His gift for ingenuity gave her the gift of health. When Andrea Rosengarden’s multiple myeloma, a blood cancer, returned with a vengeance, she turned to Andrzej Jakubowiak, MD, PhD. With Andrea’s kidneys failing and all treatment options exhausted, Jakubowiak proposed a treatment not yet tried in the U.S. combined with new drug therapy for her underlying cancer. Now long in remission with fully functioning kidneys, Andrea, with her husband Michael, has made a generous donation to advance Jakubowiak’s research into promising new treatments for multiple myeloma. This is the kind of discovery that led to an Accelerator Award from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation for the University of Chicago Medicine. When you make a gift to the University of Chicago Campaign: Inquiry and Impact, you support groundbreaking research and patient care that leads to innovative treatments and improved results for patients.
Everybody has a gift. Imagine the impact yours could make. 10 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE IMAGINE MAGAZINE | S U M M E R 2 0 1 5 Learn more at givetomedicine.uchicago.edu or call (773) 702-6565.
MATTERS OF THE HEART
Keep Your Heart Beating in a Regular Rhythm Our physicians, surgeons and nurses have expertise in the diagnosis, management and treatment of a wide range of heart rhythm disorders, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. For more than 30 years, our team has
been a leader in catheter ablation, device therapy for heart failure, and lead management. In addition to having access to the latest technology, University of Chicago heart rhythm specialists frequently are able to treat heart conditions using minimally invasive techniques.
To make an appointment for an irregular heartbeat, Afib, skipped beats or any other heart rhythm problem, call 773-702-5988 or visit uchospitals.edu.
When it comes to cardiovascular care, the University of Chicago Medicine doesn’t miss a beat.
Coordinated Care in One Place The new Heart and Vascular Center at the University of Chicago Medicine combines specialists in cardiology, cardiac surgery and vascular surgery to offer patients coordinated cardiovascular care in one setting. » Heart transplant and ventricular
assist devices » Robotic heart surgery » Bloodless cardiac surgery » Complex valve repair
FREE VASCULAR DISEASE SCREENING Offered through a partnership with the Heart Health Foundation’s Dare to C.A.R.E. program, the screenings test for four common vascular diseases: Carotid artery disease, Abdominal aortic aneurysms, Renal artery stenosis and Extremity artery disease.
The screening is painless and noninvasive.
Screenings are held on Saturdays at our Hyde Park campus.
» Age 40 or older with diabetes
DUCHOSSOIS CENTER FOR ADVANCED MEDICINE
your physician.
5758 S. Maryland Ave., Suite 5B Chicago
YOU ARE ELIGIBLE IF YOU ARE:
» Age 60 or older » Age 50 or older with certain risk factors, such as smoking, diabetes or family history
Results will be shared with
and replacement » Cardiovascular genetic diseases
More than 40 physicians and surgeons are in the integrated center serving both adults and children. » Coronary artery diseases
and chest pain » Heart and vascular imaging » Heart failure » Hypertension and
heart disease prevention To make an appointment, call 773-834-5599. To learn more, visit uchospitals.edu/dare-to-care.
» Peripheral vascular disease » Medical and surgical treatment
of complex arrhythmias » Pulmonary hypertension » Carotid and vertebral
artery disease
Heart and Vascular Center
» Median arcuate
ligament syndrome
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New Parking Garage Open Our spacious eight-floor parking garage (Parking B) for patients, visitors and staff is located just north of the University of Chicago Medicine Center for Care and Discovery.
Helping Hands More than 300 volunteers provided hands-on help in communities throughout the South Side of Chicago at the 13th annual Day of Service and Reflection (DOSAR) in May. DOSAR is the University of Chicago Medicine’s signature community event. Nurses and Pritzker School of Medicine students led an asthma prevention course
at a magnet school, while 45 volunteers from the radiology department spruced up the Olive Branch Mission. A crew from support services cleared and mulched a community garden. Volunteers worked with 25 community nonprofits during the event, organized by the Urban Health Initiative. | A B O V E | University of Chicago Medicine
volunteers transform a weed-choked lot into a tilled field. Plans are to turn the Englewood site into an urban farm.
» 1,721 parking spaces » Second-floor sky bridge connecting
the garage and hospital » Approximately 70 percent of spaces
earmarked for patients and visitors, who may park on the first six floors » Visitors may still use the parking
garage across from Mitchell Hospital (Parking A). Valet parking also is available at the medical center.
The University of Chicago Medicine is on Becker’s Hospital Review’s 2015 list of “100 Great Hospitals in America,” a compilation of some of the most prominent, forward-thinking and focused health care facilities in the nation.
UChicago Medicine to Lead March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center
Feinberg School of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine and the March of Dimes Foundation to establish a collaborative aimed at unraveling the mysteries of premature birth and helping more women have healthy, full-term babies.
Nearly half a million babies are born too soon each year, including 18,000 in Illinois. The University of Chicago Medicine has joined forces with Northwestern University
The new March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center will focus on identifying the regulatory genes responsible for ensuring a pregnancy continues to full term and how stress —
12 » THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO MEDICINE IMAGINE MAGAZINE | S U M M E R 2 0 1 5
including a woman’s lifelong exposure to discrimination or poverty — can influence those genes. The March of Dimes will commit $10 million over the next five years toward the effort. The center is the fifth nationwide devoted to prematurity research.
To learn more about the new March of Dimes Prematurity Research Center, visit prematurityresearch.org/ uchicago-northwestern-duke.
LEGENDARY CANCER RESEARCHER INSPIRES COUPLE’S GIFT Cynthia Chereskin is no stranger to the ills of cancer. Several years ago, her husband, Benjamin Chereskin, was diagnosed with tongue cancer, and 11 years ago, her father, Glen Johnson, had bladder cancer. Both cases required innovative treatment, which they found at the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Other hospitals treat oral cancers by removing portions of the tongue and surrounding tissues, but the University of Chicago Medicine’s approach involves a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy that is used to shrink the tumor. Fortunately, Benjamin’s cancer responded to therapy, and he did not need surgery.
The Janet D. Rowley Discovery Fund supports the most compelling ideas in cancer research. Cynthia’s father had been told by a physician at another hospital there was nothing their team could do for his bladder cancer. However, he found hope through surgeon Gary D. Steinberg, MD, director of urologic oncology, who removed Glen’s bladder and reconstructed a new one using intestinal tissue. “I feel incredibly lucky to live in Chicago and to have the University of Chicago in our backyard with these amazing doctors who have done so much in the name of research and medical science,” said Cynthia. | L E F T | Cynthia and
Benjamin Chereskin
The late Janet D. Rowley, MD, established that cancer is a genetic disease. Her discoveries opened the door to today’s targeted treatments.
In honor of her father, the Chereskins donated $1 million to the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. Their founding gift established the Janet D. Rowley Discovery Fund, which supports the most compelling ideas in cancer research. “Our work is devoted to finding better ways to prevent, detect and treat cancer,” said Michelle M. Le Beau, PhD, director of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center. “We are so grateful for this generous gift, which will facilitate the translation of new discoveries from the laboratory to the clinic that extend and improve lives affected by cancer.” The fund honors the late Janet D. Rowley, MD, whose pioneering discoveries in cancer genetics at the University of Chicago ushered in the current era of genome-guided research and treatment. It will support research that emulates her own legendary path: novel ideas and collaborative work that can lead to world-changing discoveries. This new fund gives the leadership of the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center the flexibility to invest in the most promising research. Cynthia, who serves as president of the University of Chicago Cancer Research Foundation Women’s Board, believes more comprehensive research is needed. “It is our hope that others will join us in supporting the University of Chicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center to accelerate the pace of innovation and discovery in the fight against cancer.”
To make a gift to the Janet D. Rowley Discovery Fund, please visit givetomedicine.uchicago.edu/give.
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Varicose Veins are so Last Summer. Don’t let another season pass you by. Our physicians, nurse specialists and ultrasound technologists work closely to provide innovative vein treatment options for medical or aesthetic reasons. Many of our treatments are nonsurgical or minimally invasive, which means little or no pain and a quicker recovery.
Find out more about our innovative varicose and spider vein treatments. To make an appointment for a vein evaluation, call 773-702-6128 or visit uchospitals.edu/vein-clinic.
Heart and Vascular Center