CTMC Hill Country Health - Winter 2013 - (Page 2)

HEALTHBEAT GET AN ASSIST Da Vinci-assisted surgeries advancing healthcare in Hays County CTMC is the ﬁrst and only operatCentral Texas Medical Center (CTMC) ing suite outﬁtted with the robotics continued its tradition of being ﬁrst equipment along the IH-35 Corridor in technology and patient safety between Austin and San Antonio. with the spring 2012 implementae da Vinci advanced level of techtion of a da Vinci® robotic-assisted nology provides surgeons with surgical suite. Since Teresa Irwin, unparalleled precision, dexterity MD, obstetrician/gynecologist, perand control, enabling a minimally formed the ﬁrst da Vinci surgery at CTMC in late May, several CTMC sur- invasive approach for many complex surgical procedures. geons, including general surgeons, By taking surgery beyond the gynecologists and urologists, have limits of the human hand, CTMC performed more than 70 of these places the focus on patient safety surgeries at the hospital. First in Technology For more information about da Vinci surgery at CTMC and the physicians who perform it, and to see if it’s right for you, visit ctmc.org. and recovery. is ﬁne-tuned eﬃciency in the operating room means smaller incisions, less stress on the body, reduced chance of infection and faster recovery times. ese are important factors for the more than 70 CTMC patients who have chosen the da Vinci system after discussing it with their doctor. Make It a Double (Check) Plaque buildup from excess cholesterol and fat in the blood aﬀects more than your heart. It also aﬀects the blood vessels in your arms and legs. e condition is called peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Like high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, PAD usually has no symptoms. But a recent U.K. study may have uncovered an easy way to screen for it: having your blood pressure checked in both arms rather than just one. Participants who had a 15 mm HG (millimeters of mercury) or more diﬀerence in blood pressure between their left and right arms were 2.5 times more likely to have PAD than those with more equitable blood pressure readings, the study found. Ask your doctor to check your blood pressure in both arms if you have any of the following PAD risk factors: D Are 50 or older D Are African American D Are a smoker or former smoker D Have diabetes D Have high blood pressure D Have high cholesterol levels D Have a personal history of heart attack or stroke ON OUR COVER: CTMC Volunteer coordinator Belinda Gardner and her husband, Bob, a retired pastor and current CTMC auxiliary volunteer, enjoy working outdoors together—regardless of the season or their allergies. Learn more about ways to eliminate your allergy symptoms and improve your quality of life on pages 4–5. Hill Country Health is a quarterly publication of Central Texas Medical Center, a member of the Adventist Health System. President and CEO: Sam Huenergardt. Central Texas Medical Center, 1301 Wonder World Drive, San Marcos, TX 78666, (512) 353-8979. The magazine is produced by CTMC’s PR & Marketing Department: Clay DeStefano: Administrative Director; Kale Bowen: Coordinator; Rachel Nelson: PR/New Media Specialist. Copyright © 2012 by McMurry. All rights reserved. Information in this publication is not intended for the purpose of diagnosing or prescribing. Consult your physician before undertaking any form of medical treatment and/or advice contained in this publication. 2 Central Texas Medical Center • www.ctmc.org Now printed on recycled paper! http://www.ctmc.org http://www.ctmc.org http://www.ctmc.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of CTMC Hill Country Health - Winter 2013

CTMC Hill Country Health - Winter 2013
Da Vinci-assisted surgery advancing healthcare
Cedar Fever Reliever
Healthy Holiday cooking

CTMC Hill Country Health - Winter 2013