Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 12

SPOTLIGHT:

After Robert Young

services, and Jay Menaker,

SMOKE & MIRRORS:
ARE E-CIGARETTES SAFE?

found the University of

MD, associate professor

It's easy to believe that electronic cigarettes,

Maryland, he connected

of surgery and medical

or e-cigarettes, are a safe alternative to smoking.

with Taliba Anderson, a

director of the lung resus-

Instead of tobacco, e-cigarettes use battery-

lung-transplant administrative

citation unit, where Lia was

powered cartridges filled with flavored liquid

assistant, who quickly took

successfully cared for and

that contains nicotine and other chemicals.

Lia's medical records into

listed for a lung transplant.

The e-cigarette's heating device turns the liquid

Robert and their 18-

a transplant meeting to start
the review process.
The very next day, a doctor

year-old daughter, Telia,
took a separate flight to

into vapor, which is why using e-cigarettes is
sometimes known as "vaping."
Some people use e-cigarettes to help them

at the Dallas hospital walked

Baltimore and were soon in

quit smoking. Although they deliver a less toxic

into Lia's room and handed

the Shock Trauma Center

dose of nicotine than traditional cigarettes, users

Robert a stack of papers.

with Lia. With about 10

are still inhaling a highly addictive substance and

UMMC was going to take

doctors and nurses treating

other potentially harmful chemicals.

Lia with the goal of giving

Lia, Dr. Iacono pulled Robert

her a lung transplant.

and Telia into his office

found that the vapor in e-cigarettes contains

for a chat.

carcinogens and toxic chemicals, such as

Lia was put on ECMO, the

"I bought into his confi-

machine that allows her lungs

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

formaldehyde and acetaldehyde; compounds

to rest, and three days later

dence. He was so confident

found in car exhaust; and metals that can be

a special medical jet was

in what he could do," Robert

inhaled into the lungs, such as nickel, tin and lead.

used to transport Lia from

says. "It boosted my morale,

Dallas to Baltimore.

because I was mentally gone."
The key for Lia was to find

"I remember cold air

KIDS AND VAPING
The belief that e-cigarettes are "safer" than

coming off the jet, siren

a donor with the same chest

traditional cigarettes has caused them to become

sounds getting in the

size and blood type, and to

popular among children and teens. Because their

ambulance, then the next

use plasmapheresis to work

brains are still growing, kids and young adults are

thing I remember is everyone

around her high antibodies.

uniquely at risk for long-term effects caused by

in pink scrubs around me,"

Within 24 hours of arriving

nicotine exposure. These risks include:

says Lia, who was uncon-

at UMMC, there was a match.
The day after her transplant,

scious much of the time after
being put on life support.
She was transported

■ Nicotine addiction
■ Mood disorders

Lia woke up with severe chest

■ Permanent lowering of impulse control

pain and didn't realize she had

■ Harm to the parts of the brain that control
attention and learning

to the Lung Rescue Unit

gotten new lungs. Lia used her

in the R Adams Cowley

finger to draw lungs on her

Shock Trauma Center, led by

chest and gave the thumbs-

tobacco-related disease and death, last year

Thomas Scalea, MD, FACS,

down sign. Robert shook his

the FDA banned the sale of e-cigarettes to anyone

MCCM, the Honorable

head, but Lia scrunched her

18 and younger and required adults under

Francis X. Kelly Distinguished

face in disbelief. After reassur-

age 26 to show photo ID to buy them.

Professor of Trauma

ance that she did, in fact, have

While researchers are aware that some of

Surgery, physician-in-chief

the surgery, tears rolled down

the effects of e-cigarettes are harmful to the

of the Shock Trauma Center

her face.

body, the long-term effects of e-cigarettes

"Oh, my goodness,"

at University of Maryland
Medical Center, and UMMS

Lia said. "That's why my

system chief for critical care

chest hurts." 

12  MARYLAND'S HEALTH MATTERS

In a further effort to end preventable

are still unknown. However, it is not safe to
assume that this habit is risk-free.

† 
To watch a video about Lia's story, visit umm.edu/TexasMom.


http://www.umm.edu/TexasMom

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017

In This Issue
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 1
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - In This Issue
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 3
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 4
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 5
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 6
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 7
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 8
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 9
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 10
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 11
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 12
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 13
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 14
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 15
Maryland’s Health Matters - Midtown - Spring 2017 - 16
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2019spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2019winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2018fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2018spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2018winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2017fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2017spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2017winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2016fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/manifest/mhm_midtown_2016spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2016winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2015fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2015summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2015spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2015winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2014fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2014summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2014spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2014winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2013winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2013fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_midtown_2013summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/mcmurry/mhm_mgh_2013spring
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com