Winter 2020
CEDAR RAPIDS
DETERMINED TO SERVE & PROTECT
Police officer recovers thanks to therapy team
A YOUNG STROKE SURVIVOR’S STORY When a migraine is more than it seems
DON’T IGNORE HEART ATTACK WARNING SIGNS A bike rider’s ‘widowmaker’ heart attack
ASK THE EXPERT What are the surgical advances for esophageal cancer treatment?
unitypoint.org
WHAT’S INSIDE 1
Health Clips Health news you can use.
2 Non-Surgical Heart Valve Replacement Complex TAVR procedure is now available for low risk patients at St. Luke’s in Cedar Rapids. 4 Don’t ignore heart attack warning signs A Marion man suffers a ‘widowmaker’ heart attack during a bike ride and is grateful for the team that saved his life. 6 A Young Stroke Survivor’s Story A Cedar Rapids woman has a serious stroke at the age of 43. 8 Determined to Serve & Protect A police officer credits the team at St. Luke’s for helping her return to work after spine surgery. 10 Striking Out Cancer A young softball player is ready to play ball once again after thyroid cancer. 12 Ask the Expert What are the surgical advances for esophageal cancer treatment? 13 For Your Health Timely health and medical news.
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Heart Health
Numbers You Should Know Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Each year over 800,000 people lose their lives from some form of heart disease. UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids is a leader in heart care. People choose us when they want the best possible heart care team helping them prevent, manage — and overcome — heart or vascular disease. To keep your heart health in check — it’s a good idea to know what numbers have an impact on your health. Then use your numbers to connect with your health care provider to improve your heart health.
1. Resting Heart Rate A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute with the ideal between 50 to 70 beats per minute. Persistent heart rates greater than 100 or less than 50 may require further discussion with your health care provider. Talk to your doctor, if you’re wondering how to lower your resting heart rate.
2. LDL or “Bad Cholesterol" Normal LDL cholesterol is less than 130, with less than 100 optimal and less than 70 ideal. Genetics may play a role in cholesterol — so knowing your family history can help your health care provider assess your risk of developing future conditions.
3. Body Mass Index (BMI) A normal BMI is 18-25, while 25-30 is considered overweight and greater than 30 is considered obese. You can use your height and weight to determine body mass index.
4. Systolic Blood Pressure Systolic pressure is the top number of the blood pressure reading; if your blood pressure is 120 over 80, 120 is systolic. Normal systolic blood pressure is less than 130.
5. Hemoglobin A1c Winter 2020 LiveWell magazine is produced by UnityPoint Health®. P.O. Box 3026 | Cedar Rapids, IA 52406 (319) 369-7395 | unitypoint.org Copyright ® 2020 UnityPoint Health. All Rights Reserved. ® SM trademarks of UnityPoint Health.
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Hemoglobin A1c is a marker of how much sugar is in the blood; it helps to diagnose diabetes. Normal is considered less than six percent. Your A1c levels can be checked by your primary care provider.
6. Waist Circumference A normal waist circumference is less than 35 inches for women and less than 40 inches for men.
Health Clips Lifesaving ECMO now at St. Luke’s Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) is a specialized life support machine that is now available at St. Luke’s. It’s one of a limited number of ECMO machines in the state. According to the American Thoracic Society individuals in need of ECMO have severe and life-threatening illnesses that stops the heart or lungs from working properly.
UnityPoint Clinic – Express Opening in Hiawatha A new type of walk-in clinic is opening in Hiawatha, which will focus on convenience and personalized care. UnityPoint Clinic – Express, opening in March, will feature a time-saving process that aims to get patients in and out in less than 30 minutes. Clinical care attendants will greet individuals entering the clinic and will remain with the patient throughout the visit. These medical professionals are trained to help every step of the way with registration, vitals, symptom assessment and laboratory or X-ray services while working with a nurse practitioner or physician for diagnosis and treatment. On-site prescription medications will also be available for added convenience. The Express experience will include thoughtful amenities like complimentary ice packs, warm blankets, hot tea and complimentary WiFi. The new UnityPoint Clinic – Express will open in March at Pecks Landing Plaza located at 1940 Blairs Ferry Rd., Suite 104, in Hiawatha. You can walk-in to UnityPoint Clinic – Express or go online and make an appointment at bit.ly/upcexpress.
During ECMO treatment blood is withdrawn from a large vein in the body, then passed through a pumping mechanism and a device that adds oxygen and removes carbon dioxide. Blood is then returned to the individual’s circulatory system. ECMO is a potential short-term treatment for cardiac and respiratory failure patients and is an option for patients who may have had a heart attack, infection, pneumonia, influenza, trauma or smoke inhalation, among others. Cardiothoracic Surgeon Garry Weide, DO, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa and St. Luke’s co-medical director of the ECMO program says the program started in January. “This important supportive treatment at St. Luke’s is backed by a highly-skilled multidisciplinary team,” explains Dr. Weide. “ECMO provides an option for our sickest patients to give their hearts and lungs a chance to heal and to sustain life as their body recovers from an illness. It will be an option for more patients earlier in the course of treatment to allow the body to heal over the course of a few days to a few weeks.” ECMO is one more example of the advanced cardiovascular treatment available close to home at the UnityPoint Health Heart and Vascular Institute. Learn more at bit.ly/crhearthospital.
Tune in to LiveWell Talk On Podcasts From heart health to children’s wellness tips, medical breakthroughs and everything in-between UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids medical and health experts are lending their voice and knowledge to our locally produced podcasts. LiveWell Talk On… podcasts are hosted by St. Luke’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Dustin Arnold with new episodes posted weekly. To listen, search LiveWell Talk On in Apple and Google podcast platforms and other major podcast apps. If you’d like to suggest a topic, email it to StLukesCR@unitypoint.org. LiveWell Winter 2020 | 1
HEART
Complex TAVR now for low risk patients Les Warner in his Cedar Rapids home after undergoing a TAVR procedure last fall at St. Luke’s.
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It used to take Les Warner eight hours to mow his lawn. Now the 65-year-old Cedar Rapids man is looking forward to it only taking the hour that is really needed to get the job done when spring rolls around. “I would mow a row or two last summer and had to stop for several minutes to catch my breath,” shares Warner. “My aortic valve was getting so bad that I was struggling at times to breathe. I was also fatigued.” Warner had a condition called, aortic stenosis, which is a common heart problem caused by a narrowing of the heart’s aortic valve. Age is one factor that can lead to aortic stenosis. Additionally, certain heart conditions present at birth may contribute to aortic stenosis. “Les had a congenital heart condition, which caused his aortic valve to narrow,” shares Georges Hajj, MD, UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s cardiologist. “We watched it for a time, but his condition deteriorated, and we had to do something about it. Fortunately for Les the U.S. Georges Hajj, MD Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) to include patients like him, who have severe aortic valve stenosis but are at low risk for death or major complications associated with open-heart surgery to replace the damaged valves.”
SHORTER RECOVERY Before the FDA’s approval last summer TAVR was only for patients at intermediate or higher risk for death or major complications during open-heart surgery. In low-risk patients, open-heart surgery had been the standard-of-care for aortic valve replacement. In late 2016, St. Luke’s became the first and only Cedar Rapids hospital to perform TAVR. During the procedure a new aortic valve is put into place using a catheter, which is inserted through a small incision in the femoral artery. TAVR patients have a much
“ No one should have to travel to have this procedure because we are able to care for even the most complex patients.” – Garry Weide, DO, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa cardiothoracic surgeon
shorter recovery than they would if they had open-heart surgery — recovering in days rather than weeks or months. Warner had his TAVR procedure on September 24, 2019 and was sent home after a two-day stay in the hospital. “Within a couple of hours after the procedure I was alert and walking,” says Warner. “My only restriction was I couldn’t lift anything over 10 pounds, I could drive, walk and eat whatever I wanted. My heart function has improved and I am feeling much better. I am impressed with the procedure and am so glad I did it.”
FUTURE ROUTINE PROCEDURE “The average life of a TAVR valve is about 10 to 15 years,” explains Dr. Hajj. “We can perform more than one TAVR on an individual but for some patients who are young and healthy open-heart surgery may be the best route. It is something we discuss with each person and in many cases like it was for Les, TAVR is the best approach. I suspect in the future more patients will choose to have TAVR rather than open-heart surgery and it’s likely to become a routine procedure similar to what stents have become.” St. Luke’s Heart Care TAVR Team has performed over 200 procedures and is proud to offer the complex procedure in Cedar Rapids. “We are pleased to offer this program to the community and keep patients local,” says Garry Weide, DO, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa cardiothoracic surgeon. “We have a great team that works well together. No one should have to travel to have this procedure because we are able to care for even the most complex patients.”
Garry Weide, DO
Warner has a lot to look forward to now that he’s feeling better and breathing easier since having his TAVR procedure. “I am going to do some traveling, spend time with my three grandchildren and may even look at getting a part-time job,” shares Warner. To learn more about TAVR, call St. Luke’s Cardiology at (319) 364-7101 or email StLukesCR@unitypoint.org.
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HEART Dion Hake is already riding his bike once again after his heart attack last year.
Don’t ignore heart attack warning signs CARDIAC ARREST
“Then I started to feel a dull ache in my left arm, which started
At 61, Dion Hake wanted to devote more time to his health. For
radiating upward,” remembers Dion. “Gradually I started to
nearly 20 years, the Marion man was a regional sales manager
feel pain in my chest and back, then I had shortness of breath.
and was driving about 70,000 miles a year. He retired in April
All of these symptoms began to intensify, and I started to
2019 with a renewed focus on his health and wellness.
worry because I didn’t have my cell phone with me.”
“On one of our first nice days, June 2, I decided to go for a
Dion eventually had to get off his bike and walk until the
jog that morning,” recalls Dion. “I ran about two miles and felt
symptoms got so bad, he couldn’t continue.
good. I took a brief break and decided I would hit the bike
“I had to stop,” explains Dion. “I was really having trouble
trail and go for a ride.”
breathing. I waited for someone to come by. I flagged a guy
Dion traveled a couple of miles and was making the return
down and told him I thought I was having a heart attack.
trip home when he started experiencing numbness in
He called 9-1-1. I was thankful he was there. An ambulance
his hands, which he initially attributed to the prolonged
came and the paramedics quickly determined I was having a
placement on the bike handlebars.
heart attack.”
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HEART ATTACK
haven’t been regularly exercising. That physical activity can
It’s a nationwide goal for ERs to open blocked heart arteries
put you at risk for what we call potential unstable coronary
in 90 minutes or less. It’s called door-to-balloon time. Last
plaque. That’s what happened to Dion. There was some
year St. Luke’s average was 57 minutes and its fastest time
underlying blockage from plaque that manifested when he
was 15 minutes.
was exercising, preventing his heart from working properly. If someone hasn’t exercised in a while – it’s a good idea to
Cardiologist Richard Kettelkamp, DO, from
check in with their family health provider first.”
UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s Cardiology was working at St. Luke’s that day. Dion
“Looking back, I admit I had some heart attack signs a couple
went quickly from St. Luke’s ER to the heart
of weeks prior to my heart attack, which I ignored,” shares
catheterization lab where Dr. Kettelkamp
Dion. “Don’t ignore those symptoms. Be aware of anything
removed a clot from Dion’s artery and placed
Richard Kettelkamp, DO
a stent in 46 minutes. “Dion had an occluded proximal left anterior descending
you feel isn’t normal. I am now trying to get my lifestyle more conducive to better health, eating better and exercising. I want to see my grandkids grow up.”
(LAD) artery,” states Dr. Kettelkamp. “The artery in the front part
The faster your heart attack is treated, the less damage your
of the heart that some people refer to as the ‘widowmaker.’
heart experiences and the better outcome you can expect
Immediate treatment for this blockage saves lives.”
from treatment. When it matters most — choose the area’s
“By the time I received a call about Dion and arrived at St. Luke’s ER he was done with his procedure,” recalls Lana
heart hospital for emergency care.
Hake, Dion’s wife. “It was that quick. I was amazed at how fast
KNOW the signs of a heart attack
it all happened.”
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
“I immediately started to feel better after Dr. Kettelkamp removed the clot and placed the stent,” says Dion. “I don’t know how much time you have when you have a blockage like that. I don’t think I had a whole lot longer. I owe my life to the actions of a kind stranger who helped me, the paramedics, Dr. Kettelkamp and the St. Luke’s team that took such good care of me.”
RECOVERY Dion stayed one night at St. Luke’s and followed up with
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. This can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach. • Shortness of breath. This often comes along with chest discomfort, but it can also occur before chest discomfort. • Other symptoms may include breaking out in a cold sweat, feeling weak, nauseous or lightheaded.
several weeks of cardiac rehab.
Cedar Rapids’ Heart Hospital
“I was back to jogging on the treadmill towards the
• St. Luke’s has earned the Chest Pain Center Accreditation with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and Resuscitation from the American College of Cardiology based on rigorous onsite evaluation of the staff’s ability to evaluate, diagnose and treat patients who may be experiencing a heart attack. St. Luke’s is the first hospital in Iowa to achieve this accreditation.
end of cardiac rehab,” shares Dion. “That was a huge accomplishment in my mind, to be able to do that again. That was a big day for me.” “It’s not uncommon for something like this to happen,” explains Dr. Kettelkamp. “It really comes up when patients
LiveWell Winter 2020 | 5
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT
Monica enjoying some special “pet therapy” with Cooper in her Cedar Rapids home.
A young stroke survivor’s story Monica Link was used to severe headaches. The 43-year-old Cedar Rapids woman experienced migraines for much of her life so when she developed one on Dec. 1, 2019, she rested and waited for it to subside. Her husband Jeff noted this one was different. “This migraine seemed a lot worse than others Monica had previously,” Jeff recalls. “Usually by midday she’s starting to
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feel a little better but this one went into the evening. It was around dinner time before she even felt like eating.” “That evening I was opening a box of candy canes and my daughter noted I was having trouble with my left hand and said something about my face,” shares Monica. “I kept trying to open the box.”
“I was carrying something down to the basement when I heard that exchange and stopped right away and went over and asked Monica to look at me,” remembers Jeff. “Her face didn’t look quite normal to me.” “I think I was leaning on the counter at that point and still struggling to open the box,” Monica says. “I tried to continue with the project as if nothing was wrong.” “I gave her maybe another minute or so and she just seemed to be a little more disoriented and confused,” recalls Jeff. “I was pretty sure it was a stroke or something serious happening with Monica. I scooped her up, put her in the car and drove to the ER.”
MEDICAL EMERGENCY “I really don’t remember a whole lot after I got to St. Luke’s,” shares Monica. “I remember people talking to me and explaining what was happening, but none of it really registered with me. I was never really scared. I was just there. I wasn’t able to put it all together at the time.” “When Monica arrived at St. Luke’s ER most of her left side was paralyzed,” shares Tony Carter, DO, St. Luke’s ER. “I could clearly see her left side was not working and she was neglecting it like she had forgotten she had a left side. That is one of the signs of a stroke.”
A carotid dissection tends to occur more often in younger adults and can happen as the result of a traumatic injury to the neck or spontaneously with no known cause.
TIME IS CRITICAL “Identifying someone having a stroke is critical,” stresses Dr. Carter. “Time is a major factor in treatment and outcome. Even if they had waited a little bit longer before coming to St. Luke’s it would have made a huge difference in Monica’s outcome. And if we hadn’t been able to address it as rapidly as we did – she may not have been able to move her left side again. It would have been horrible. Someone who is having a stroke may not be able to identify what is happening to them and that’s why it’s critical loved ones or friends get you to the ER or call 911 as soon as possible.” “It’s so important to trust your family members because they know what you normally look like and can tell you when you’re not looking or acting normal,” Monica shares. “At my age, you would never think these kinds of things can happen to you but clearly they can and it’s out of your control.” “Everyone at St. Luke’s was really on their game that day,” states Jeff. “Everyone we worked with – they are amazing people and they’re really good at their jobs and we are thankful.”
Tony Carter, DO
“Monica had a large stroke,” states Andrew Peterson, MD, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa (PCI) neurologist. “The main artery on her right side was blocked. On her initial CT scan, we could see the clot sitting in the artery. Her stroke was very high on the stroke scale. There was no doubt what was going on with her and we were able to start treatment within 40 minutes of the onset of her symptoms, which is phenomenal for an out of hospital stroke. She received tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which is a medicine that helps break down the clot.” “Monica had a carotid dissection,” explains Dr. Carter. “It’s a tear in her carotid artery and that small irregularity starts the blood clotting cascade that blocked the blood flow in smaller branches of the artery. Blocked or decreased blood flow can lead to the stoppage of oxygen downstream causing stroke — like it did for Monica.”
Monica continues her recovery with outpatient physical therapy and says, “Looking back at everything, I am beyond blessed and just so grateful that I was able to come home to my family. An experience like this has a way of putting what’s truly important in perspective.”
Act FAST to spot a stroke. Know the signs. Face. Does one side of the face droop? Arm. Is one arm weak or numb? Speech. Is speech slurred? Time. If an individual has any of these symptoms, time is critical, call 911 and go to St. Luke’s ER immediately.
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PHYSICAL MEDICINE & REHABILITATION Officer Shannon Sampson at the Cedar Rapids Police Department.
Determined to serve & protect
ST. LUKE’S, A REGIONAL LEADER IN REHABILITATION To many of area school children, Shannon Sampson is
spine surgery a year ago some questioned if she’d be able to
known as “Police PAL (Protect, Assist & Listen) Shannon.”
return to work.
Sampson is a Cedar Rapids police officer assigned to the
“I woke up one morning and the toes on my right foot were
Crime Prevention/Community Outreach division. Part of her job is making the rounds at local schools and teaching children about safety. It’s a job she loves but after having
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numb,” says Sampson. “I got up and walked around thinking that they would wake up but it didn’t help. Eventually the toes on my left foot also went numb. Then the numbness
and tingling started working its way up my body. I was also
“From the very beginning I just kept telling myself I am going
having severe back pain every night. I saw several specialists
to get better,” recalls Sampson. “I am going to get stronger, I
and eventually it was determined I had a large tumor on my
am going to get back to work. I walked out of the hospital to
thoracic spine. I had it removed in February 2019.”
go home and the team at St. Luke’s helped me accomplish that goal.”
RECOVERY After surgery, Sampson was discharged to St. Luke’s Physical
REGIONAL LEADER
Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR) inpatient unit to begin her
“Shannon did well,” says Dr. Mathew. “She regenerated a
recovery.
lot in recovery. Her determination to get better helped her
“On the day I arrived at St. Luke’s, my husband pushed
tremendously as did coming to the right place for rehab.
me in a wheelchair,” recalls Sampson. “At that time, I told myself when it was time to go home — I would walk out of
Not all rehab is the same. St. Luke’s is a regional leader in rehabilitation. We have the experts, tools and medications to
the hospital on my own. I was determined to work hard, get
help patients improve and get back to their lives.”
stronger and return to my job as quickly as possible.”
Sampson has returned to working as a Cedar Rapids police
“Shannon had a very serious diagnosis
officer. She has not been cleared to get back in uniform, so she isn’t working in schools with students just yet as her body
and surgery,” shares Stanley Mathew,
continues to heal but when she does, she’ll be a walking role
MD, St. Luke’s PMR medical director and physiatrist. “The spinal cord is the power
model in determination.
cord of the body. Shannon had a large mass
“The team at St. Luke’s got me walking again and I am
sitting on her power cord. When the tumor
Stanley Mathew, MD
extremely thankful for that,” shares Sampson. “The PMR staff
was removed, a significant bruise remained
and therapists were so knowledgeable, compassionate, and
and initially caused significant weakness in her legs and
understanding. I don’t think they will ever know how much
coordination issues. If the tumor hadn’t been removed
I truly appreciate them and all they did to help get me to
Shannon would have eventually lost function permanently.”
where I am today!”
“When I came to St. Luke’s I wondered if I would be able to
We invite you to take a virtual tour of St. Luke’s Physical
walk a distance or even go back to being a police officer
Medicine & Rehabilitation. Go to bit.ly/PMRTour to watch
again,” recalls Sampson. “It was my focus when I talked to
a video about the area’s leader in physical medicine and
doctors. I told myself that I would not let this tumor end my
rehabilitation or call (319) 369-7331 to speak with someone
20-plus year career. I was willing to do whatever I had to do
about the program.
to build strength and regain my balance.” “It was a big surgery, so pain was a limiting factor,” recalls Kevin Komenda, St. Luke’s physical therapist. “She was using a walker and was not able to walk far when we first started working together. To remove her tumor, surgeons had to cut through a lot of muscle, so we worked on abdomen strengthening, walking and balance. Shannon was very goal-oriented and worked hard to recover.” St. Luke’s PMR offers an intense, comprehensive program that
VIDEO Watch Police PAL Shannon’s story on our YouTube Channel. To see her story, visit bit.ly/ PolicePalShannon.
is individualized to meet each patient’s goals. LiveWell Winter 2020 | 9
SURGERY
Striking Out Cancer
Above: Brenda and Sydney Olson play with the family’s guinea pig in their Solon home. Right: Sydney Olson is looking forward to returning to the softball field this spring after recovering from thyroid cancer.
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Sydney Olson came out swinging when she received a cancer diagnosis last summer. And thankfully the 10-year-old softball player had a lot of heavy hitters supporting her. “Initially we thought Sydney had a swollen lymph node on the left side of her neck,” recalls Brenda Olson, Sydney’s mom. “It was just like when you have a really sore throat. I remember mentioning it at an appointment when we saw her nurse practitioner.” “Kids come in with enlarged lymph nodes all the time,” says Kim Stromert, DNP, UnityPoint Clinic Pediatrics Hiawatha. “It’s a typical body response. They can take some time to go down and all of Sydney’s laboratory tests came back normal.”
found that many. The surgery was on a Friday and by Monday we were called in to meet with Dr. Carpenter.” “A biopsy of the nodes diagnosed Sydney with thyroid cancer,” says Dr. Carpenter. “Once we had the official diagnosis it was determined she would need a total thyroidectomy along with all of the nodes on the left side of her neck as well as the nodes in the midline of her neck. I operated on Sydney a second time in October and removed her thyroid and the concerning lymph nodes.”
COORDINATED CARE CLOSE TO HOME
Kim Stromert, DNP
After Sydney’s enlarged lymph node persisted Stromert recommended Brenda take Sydney to see Kevin Carpenter, MD, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa (PCI) Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialist. “He did an ultrasound on Sydney’s neck and didn’t see anything that seemed suspicious,” recalls Brenda. “He prescribed antibiotics but it didn’t reduce the swollen lymph node and it started to hurt her when it was touched. We decided to move ahead and have Dr. Carpenter remove it surgically.”
THYROID CANCER DIAGNOSIS “The biggest surprise was the original lymph node just below her left ear lobe contained papillary thyroid cancer,” explains Dr. Carpenter. “That’s a long way from her thyroid, which is low on her neck for it to spread that far. I wasn’t thinking it would be thyroid cancer with a Kevin Carpenter, MD 10-year-old. When I got in there and removed the enlarged lymph nodes, I saw that there were more than one and they were unusual appearing nodes, I thought there are a lot of benign things that this could be, however I was wrong.” Thyroid cancer is more commonly diagnosed in females but is rare in children. According to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) about two percent of thyroid cases are diagnosed in children and teens. “He removed seven glands during the first surgery last August,” shares Brenda. “We all were concerned that he
“Sydney is such a trooper and she did really well,” says Brenda. “Between the two surgeries Dr. Carpenter removed 22 nodes. She stayed at St. Luke’s pediatrics unit for three nights and four days. She wasn’t expected to stay that long but her calcium levels were low and they worked to get them where they needed to be. The nurses at St. Luke’s took good care of her. We were happy to stay in Cedar Rapids, especially since we had to stay longer than we anticipated. We also used the Ronald McDonald Family Room at St. Luke’s, which was wonderful to have. It was great care.” After surgery Sydney had radioactive iodine treatment. Dr. Carpenter and Nurse Practitioner Kim Stromert continue to work with other specialists to coordinate any follow-up care Sydney will need in the future. “With no other physical symptoms aside from the enlarged lymph node — it was a tricky diagnosis,” shares Stromert. “It would have eventually declared itself as time passed but the good news is — it was caught early. Sydney has made good progress and for dealing with something so rare — she has done amazing.” “I am looking forward to putting this all behind us,” says Brenda. “My advice for others? Trust your gut. If something doesn’t seem right, get it checked out.” “I feel like myself again,” shares Sydney. “I look forward to getting back to playing softball with my new team in Solon. I feel great. There’s not a lot I can’t do right now.” And once spring rolls around Sydney will prove that by swinging for the fences once more when she starts softball season. Find a UnityPoint Clinic provider to be part of your health care team today, go to unitypoint.org/findadoctor. LiveWell Winter 2020 | 11
Ask the Expert
What are the surgical advances for esophageal cancer treatment? benefits of minimally invasive surgery are faster recovery and reduced pain and scarring.
Tyrone Galbreath, DO, MHA Nearly 18,000 new esophageal cancers are diagnosed in the U.S. each year according to the American Cancer Society. St. Luke’s Hospital recently became one of the first in Iowa to offer minimally invasive surgery for esophageal cancer. Tyrone Galbreath, DO, MHA, Physicians’ Clinic of Iowa (PCI) cardiothoracic surgeon performed the first minimally invasive esophagectomy at St. Luke’s in October 2019. This minimally invasive surgery allows the patient to receive the same procedure as a traditional open operation but with smaller incisions. The other
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“A traditionally performed esophagectomy would require a large midline incision in the belly and another large incision in the chest, which includes rib spreading in order to get acceptable exposure to perform the operation,” says Dr. Galbreath. “For the minimally invasive surgery, I perform the surgery with smaller, laparoscopic surgical instruments with four or five poke hole incisions in the abdominal wall and chest to accomplish the same oncologically sound operation we are able to perform with traditional open surgery.” The minimally invasive esophagectomy takes about six hours to perform. During the procedure, the surgeon removes the tumor with a margin of the stomach and esophagus. “There is some adjustment after an esophagectomy in which the patient relearns how to eat with their new esophagus, says Dr. Galbreath. “The goal of caring for cancer patients is to treat the cancer but also get
the patient back to a good quality of life as quickly as possible and the minimally invasive approach accomplishes both of those things.” Dr. Galbreath estimates about 60 to 70 percent of esophagectomies are still performed as an open surgery and about 20 to 30 percent offer the minimally invasive approach. “I am not aware of any other community hospitals in Iowa offering minimally invasive esophagectomies,” says Dr. Galbreath. “It’s nice to be able to provide cancer patients locally with a fairly cutting-edge procedure that is typically found only at large academic medical centers. It’s the beginning of providing minimally invasive surgical care locally for esophagectomy patients.” As a cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Galbreath is also part of the openheart surgery team at St. Luke’s and the UnityPoint Health – Cedar Rapids Heart and Vascular Institute. Whenever possible, surgeons at St. Luke’s use minimally invasive procedures. For more information on how we can help you, contact us at StLukesCR@unitypoint.org.
For Your Health
RESERVE YOUR SPOT UnityPoint Clinic Urgent Cares provide convenient, walk-in medical care for minor illnesses and injuries. Whether it’s the sniffles, sore throat, strain or sprain – our healthcare professionals are ready and waiting to care for you and your family. We have several locations in the Cedar Rapids metro area, including a specialized pediatric urgent care for our youngest patients. And for those times after hours when our urgent care clinics are closed try St. Luke’s ER Check-in, which allows you to choose a time that works for you for your non-life-threatening conditions. Wait in the comfort of your own home and when it gets close to your chosen time, come in and get treated. To learn more or to make a reservation to any of our Urgent Care Clinics or to use ER Check-in, go to bit.ly/UPHCheckIn.
Heart Health Check Every 37 seconds someone dies from cardiovascular disease in the U.S. according to Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men and women. Not smoking or quitting smoking, healthy eating, regular exercise and scheduling yearly check-ups with your doctor are just a few ways to keep your heart health in check. You can also schedule a heart screening at St. Luke’s to help assess your overall heart health. St. Luke’s offers two screenings. Heart Check is a series of five tests to assess heart, vascular and stroke health. It also includes a consultation with one of our heart care experts. The other heart screening is a Heart Scan. The scan takes X-ray pictures of your heart and detects plaque in the arteries. The results of both screenings may help your doctor assess your risk of heart disease and which steps to take to avoid heart complications. To learn more about each of these screenings or to schedule, call (319) 369-8129.
Learn About Open Heart Surgery Surgeons have been performing open-heart surgery at St. Luke’s for over 40 years. The open-heart surgery team has many tenured nurses and surgeons. Cardiothoracic surgeon James Levett, MD, sat down with ER Medical Director Ryan Sundermann, MD, to talk about the success and longevity of St. Luke’s program, in addition to discussion on how the diagnosis is made when someone needs open heart bypass surgery and learn more about the procedure and recovery. St. Luke’s is home to Cedar Rapids only Heart and Vascular Institute and the ER is an Accredited Chest Pain Center. Nationally St. Luke’s heart program has been honored six times as a top heart hospital.
VIDEO Watch the video at bit.ly/Heart-ERBypassSurgery.
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1026 A Avenue NE | P.O. Box 3026 | Cedar Rapids, IA 52406-3026
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WHEN MOMENTS OF THE HEART MATTER, TRUST ST. LUKE’S, CEDAR RAPIDS’ HEART HOSPITAL As the area’s Heart Hospital for over 40 years, individuals with heart problems have turned to us for help. The only nationally recognized heart center in Cedar Rapids ensures patients receive the most advanced cardiac treatments.
Why choose St. Luke’s Hospital? • Only nationally recognized Top 50 Heart Hospital in Cedar Rapids • Accredited Chest Pain Center • Fast heart attack care — 15 minutes — St. Luke’s fastest time in 2019 to clear blocked arteries • Home of Cedar Rapids Heart and Vascular Institute, leading the way in heart care advances, technology and research studies • The most experienced and largest team of cardiologists practicing only at St. Luke’s Find out more about Cedar Rapids’ Heart Hospital, visit unitypoint.org/heart
It takes an experienced team to surround you with exceptional cardiac care. Some members of the UnityPoint Health – St. Luke’s ER and heart team.
