WOMEN'S HEALTH
Specialized services, top-quality care
LE S S IS MORE WHEN IT COMES
TO GYNECOLOGIC SURGERY
Many women are finding that less
Dr. Corsi says the gyneco-
is more—at least when it comes
logical team has created a
to gynecologic surgery and the
center of excellence to treat
size of the incisions used to per-
some of the most common
form operations.
gynecological conditions.
Among the minimally inva-
Women who need gynecologic
PAUL CORSI, MD
surgery can turn with confidence
sive gynecologic procedures
performed at St. Joe are:
to St. Joseph Mercy Oakland
(SJMO). St Joe is a recognized leader in women's health
• Hysterectomies (removal
care and one of the area's leaders in performing minimally
• Myomectomies (removal
of fibroids)
invasive gynecologic surgery, including robotic-assisted
surgery. St. Joe's Minimally Invasive Gynecologic Surgery
program was designed by board-certified gynecologists,
who are experts in minimally invasive surgery, says SJMO
obstetrician-gynecologist Paul Corsi, MD.
Open hysterectom
daVinci hysterectorn incisio
of the uterus)
Minimally invasive surgery offers many benefits over traditional open surgery.
• Oncologic (cancer)
procedures
• Less blood loss because of precise surgical dissection
• Less scarring
• Pelvic floor (incontinence)
• Sacrocolpopexy for vaginal vault prolapse
• Resection of endometriosis
• Shorter hospital stay
• Faster recovery time and return to regular activities
The expert team of surgeons, nurses and clinicians at St. Joe
operates with the smallest possible incision.The hospital of-
Many women prefer minimally invasive surgery because
fers a number of minimally invasive gynecologic procedures
Many times, women who undergo minimally invasive gy-
it offers numerous benefits to the patient over traditional
that use laparoscopes, hysteroscopes or the do VinciTM Sur-
gical System. All minimally invasive surgeries use tiny video
open surgery, says Dr. Corsi. Benefits of minimally invasive
necologic surgeries are able to return home the same day
as their procedure.
surgery include:
cameras and surgical tools placed in the body through small
• Smaller incisions with less pain
incisions that are often less than I centimeter in size.
For more information or referral to a gynecologist who
• Decreased risk of infection
performs minimally invasive surgery, call 800-372-6094.
WHAT WOMEN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT STROKE
A stroke is a brain attack, which
time is brain. A patient with a stroke has a window of up to
occurs when the blood supply
TREATMENT When women are brought to the hospital
4Y2 hours before brain cells begin to die.The sooner a patient
for treatment of stroke, the physician will administer a
to the brain is cut off. Usually, a
reaches the emergency room, the sooner treatment can begin
stroke is caused by a blocked ar-
clot-busting drug to dissolve the clot. However, if the
and the sooner the patient can be on her way to recovery.
woman is admitted outside of the time window for
tery, preventing the flow of blood
treating the stroke with IV medications, the physician
and oxygen to the brain. When
RISK FACTORS Common risk factors for stroke are
this happens, brain cells die, lead-
advanced age, excess weight, smoking, family history of
ing to brain damage or death.
stroke, lack of exercise, high blood pressure, diabetes or
SYMPTOMS Generally, men and
women have common symptoms when it comes to stroke:
high cholesterol. Women have added risk factors, including:
• Having migraines with auras
• Having an autoimmune disease, such as lupus, or a
Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg,
especially on one side of the body
• Sudden confusion or trouble speaking or understanding
blood-clotting disorder
stroke isn't caught in time, it may take weeks or months
• Using birth control pills or menopausal hormone
therapy
to recover, if at all. The younger you are, the better your
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance
or coordination
• Being pregnant
• Being postmenopausal and having a waist larger than
25 inches
• Sudden severe headache with no known cause
• Having a triglyceride level higher than 128 mg/dL of
blood
GREGORY
NORRIS, MD
However, women may have symptoms unique to them:
• Sudden face and limb pain • Sudden hiccups • Sudden
nausea • Sudden general weakness • Sudden chest pain
• Sudden shortness of breath • Sudden palpitations
If you experience any of these symptoms, have a family
member call 91 I immediately. Stroke is an emergency, and
will use a specially designed suction device to pull out
the clot.
Because each individual is different, people recover at
different rates, notes Dr. Norris. "Either people recover
quickly, in a matter of hours or days," he says. "But if the
chances of recovery.The goal is to get back to [the activi-
ties of] daily living."
PREVENTION You can reduce your risk for stroke
by controlling your blood pressure and cholesterol
levels, maintaining a healthy weight, exercising and not
smoking.
According to Gregory Norris, MD, a St. Joseph Mercy
Oakland neurointensivist/neurologist, "stroke in women
St. Joseph Mercy Oakland is Michigan's first certified pri-
is related to birth control pills and smoking. Additionally,
mary stroke center. It is the home of the Michigan Stroke
pregnancy is a risk for stroke because of hormone changes."
Network (MSN), which provides expert, state-of-the-art
African American and Hispanic women are at higher risk
for stroke than Caucasian women.
telemedicine 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
FA LL 2012
4
stroke care to 30 partner hospitals in Michigan through
MICHIGAN MEDICAL
REPORT