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Spring 2015
Featured
ARTICLES
FACIAL COSMETIC/OCULOPLASTIC SURGERY
Focus on REJUVENATION 2
6
PHOTO FROM ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
Physician offers a state-of-the-art facility within the charming
warmth of a historic South Tampa building.
I
Health Care Patron
Carrier-Route Pre Sort
PRSRT.STD.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
Tampa, FL
Permit No.2397
n October of 2011, William P. Mack,
MD, and his wife, Stephanie, officially opened a new, state-of-the-art
facility in South Tampa offering the
charm of a historic site, the beauty of classic design and the comfort of home.
“We knew we wanted to be able
to offer our patients an atmosphere
that emanated warmth and relaxation,”
remembers Dr. Mack, a board-certified
ophthalmologist who is fellowship trained
in eyelid and facial cosmetic and reconstructive surgery. “It took us almost a year
to find the perfect location: a 1923 colonial located on the corner of West Azeele
Street near MacDill Avenue.
“We didn’t want a traditional office
environment. Instead, our goal was
to find a location where cosmetic and
surgical patients would feel relaxed,
comfortable and welcome.”
It appears they accomplished their goal.
“We wanted to preserve the ambiance
of the building while converting it into
a leading-edge medical facility,” explains
the doctor, “and while we were mainly
concerned with the aesthetics of our new
center, we were also motivated by the
need for expanded office space.”
Aware that the practice was growing,
Dr. Mack was happy to learn that the
lovely vintage building offered enough
room for an innovative surgical/procedure room, three beautiful exam rooms,
a welcoming reception room, a large
check-in desk and plenty of employee
office space, along with a separate guesthouse that has been converted into a
multi-room skincare facility.
Dr. Mack admits that the renovation
and restoration appeared to be somewhat
of a challenge: “Part of preserving the
buildings’ character depended on restoring the floors to their original condition
and refinishing the solid wood stairs,
banister, handrail and trim.”
Then there was the business of
obtaining the permits and variances that
would allow a medical center to operate
in such a historic location. Fortunately,
thanks in part to the doctor’s wellrespected reputation, it was determined
the center would be an asset to the area.
With its opening, this new premier
center not only better enables Dr. Mack
to serve his patients in a more inviting,
accommodating environment, but it also
adds to the beauty and historic integrity
of his neighborhood.
Look good, feel good
Within the beautiful Mack Center, Dr.
Mack and his staff work to help patients
look and feel their best. Treatments such
as BOTOX® Cosmetic and dermal fillers,
administered by a facial cosmetic specialist, are an excellent way to look younger,
rejuvenated and refreshed.
For Abby McLaughlin, an ounce of
prevention is worth a pound of cure.
“What many people don’t realize
about BOTOX Cosmetic is that it’s an
effective preventive measure against the
signs of aging,” relates Abby. “What I
want to do is a little early intervention to keep the wrinkles from getting
deeper over time, like rewinding or
pausing the aging process.”
BOTOX Cosmetic is a nonsurgical
treatment that can temporarily smooth
moderate to severe frown lines between
the brows, wrinkles on the forehead and
wrinkles at the outside corners of the
eyes (crow’s feet). Treatments can last
up to four months.
Dr. Mack expounds: “One of the
most commonly treated areas is around
the forehead, the glabellar area between
the eyebrows, which is a muscle system
just like any other. If you work it consistently, frowning and lifting the eyebrows
repeatedly, those muscles get stronger over
time, and that contributes to deeper lines
and wrinkles.
“BOTOX Cosmetic treatments help
(see Focus on Revitalization, page 4)
11
Bay Area
Eye Institute
ReSTOR®
Your Vision
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Institute
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Smile
Out of This World Smile
Also In This
EDITION
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5
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8
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10
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Edward G. Mackay, MD,
FACS, RPVI, RVT
Where Medical
Pros Go
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Eye Clinic
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Center, Inc.
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Page 2 | Tampa Health Care News | Spring 2015 | South Tampa Edition
OPHTHALMOLOGY
ReSTOR® Your Vision
A
Specialized lenses help cataract patients see near, far and in between without glasses.
t age 54, Jeanine Martins couldn’t
believe that she had developed
cataracts. Though she had several telltale symptoms of the
common condition, such as cloudy vision
and difficulty seeing at night, she thought
that she was much too young for it.
CRAIG E. BERGER, MD
“It was as if I were looking through
gauze,” she recalls. “My right eye was very
bad, but in my left eye the cataract was
right in the center of my eye, so it was really
affecting my vision. I knew something was
wrong, but I [thought I] was just too young
[for cataracts]. I was kind of in denial.”
The condition also affected one
of her passions − golf. “Sometimes, I
would stand in the tee box, and I would
look down the fairway and put a hand
over one eye, and it was white,” she
confides. “I don’t even know how I was
doing anything. It was scary.”
Jeanine, who works as revenue
operations manager for a small company in Tampa and spends a lot of time
on the computer, finally decided to have
her eyes checked last summer. Her first
stop was a local optometrist. “She kept
asking me how old I was,” she remembers, “and she said, Oh my gosh, you’ve
got the biggest cataract.”
Jeanine went home, did some research
online and talked to a friend who had had
cataract surgery several years ago. Later, she
visited an eye surgeon who recommended
Craig E. Berger, MD, a board-certified,
fellowship-trained ophthalmic surgeon at
Bay Area Eye Institute in Tampa.
About cataracts
FHCN FILE PHOTOS
“Cataracts are the result of a protein
Jeanine
Martins
The Lenstec Softec HD is an
example of a specialty IOL
offered at Bay Area Eye Institute.
This particular lens comes in
quarter-diopter steps versus
the more commonly used halfdiopter step implants.
“You can think of it like a shoe
size. Shoe sizes come in one-half
increments – seven, seven and a
half, eight and so on. Instead of
just half sizes, this lens comes in
seven and a quarter, seven and
a half, seven and three quarters,
eight and so on. Smaller size
increments allow for a better fit
for your eye,” confirms Dr. Berger.
The Lenstec Softec HD provides
a greater level of precision,
with clinical outcomes up to
three hundred percent better
in some cases.
buildup in the lens of the eye, which
makes the vision look cloudy and prevents
light from passing through,” explains Dr.
Berger. Symptoms include cloudy or foggy
vision, glare, difficulty seeing at night, loss
of color intensity and double vision.
Cataracts are common, and most are
related to aging. By age 75, according to
the National Institutes of Health, most
people will have developed cataracts to the
point that it affects their vision. However,
other factors, such as diabetes, too much
exposure to the sun, smoking and a family history, can cause the condition to
develop at a younger age.
Surgery is typically done on an outpatient basis and involves removal of
the affected lens and replacement with
a new, artificial lens called an intraocular
lens. One eye is done at a time, usually
a few weeks apart.
While finding an excellent cataract
surgeon is essential, it’s also important
to find a doctor who, like Dr. Berger,
is experienced at determining the most
appropriate lens implant for his patients.
“Lenses come in many different sizes,
with a variety of features and benefits,”
he explains. “No one lens is ideal for
every patient. It’s important that I have
an appreciation of my patient’s lifestyle
before making any recommendation.”
ReSTOR lenses
Bay Area Eye Institute features stateof-the-art equipment for diagnosing
cataracts and calculating intraocular lens
implants, allowing Dr. Berger to make
the most accurate and appropriate lens
selections for his patients.
Moreover, the practice offers intraocular lens implant options not frequently
offered in every ophthalmology practice. These include Lenstec Softec HD™,
Crystalens®, toric lenses that correct astigmatism and ReSTOR multifocal lenses.
“I encourage patients to take time to
gain a clear understanding of the benefits
of each of the different intraocular lenses
before making a choice,” Dr. Berger notes.
“He did a great job,” recalls Jeanine.
“He was very explanatory about everything and didn’t try to rush me through
any appointments. He answered all my
questions, and there was no pressure.
He just gave me the information and
let me make the decision.”
After doing some research and
Jeanine says, “Cataract correction has helped my game!”
consulting with Dr. Berger, Jeanine, who
only needed glasses for reading, opted for
ReSTOR intraocular lenses.
ReSTOR lenses help cataract patients
see near, far and everything in between
without the need for reading glasses
or bifocals after surgery. The lenses are
unique in that they feature a “pupiladaptive design that precisely allocates light
to the retina more like the natural human
eye,” according to the manufacturer.
In fact, after having ReSTOR lenses
implanted in both eyes, 78 percent of
patients reported not needing glasses at
six months post-op, and 93 percent said
they would have the procedure again.
Commitment to care
Dr. Berger’s commitment to care does
not end the moment the patient’s cataract surgery is complete. It continues into
the post-operative healing process as well.
“Post-operative patients are given my
personal email and cell phone number
so they can ask questions and keep me
Craig E. Berger, MD, is a board-certified, fellowship-trained ophthalmic surgeon.
After receiving his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Florida,
he received his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of South Florida College
of Medicine in 1995. Dr. Berger served his internship at the Mayo Clinic in 1996 and his
ophthalmology residency at the Tulane School of Medicine.
Board certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology, Dr. Berger spent an additional year at Tulane
for sub-specialty training in cornea and refractive surgery. He is a member of numerous professional
organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Society of Cataract &
Refractive Surgery, Florida Society of Ophthalmology and the Florida Medical Association.
In 2000, Dr. Berger returned to Tampa to accept a position as assistant professor of ophthalmology at
the University of South Florida Eye Institute. In that role, he teaches doctors how to perform cataract,
pterygium, and cornea transplant surgery. In addition to his teaching responsibilities, Dr. Berger spends
time each week treating veterans at the James A. Haley Veterans’ Administration.
Dr. Berger opened Bay Area Eye Institute in 2007, specializing in the treatment of dry eye disease, cataract
surgery, and cornea transplant surgery. He has performed a wide variety of refractive surgeries, including
PRK, LASIK, INTACS, and no-injection, sutureless cataract surgery. Dr. Berger is one of the first surgeons
in the Tampa Bay area to offer the advanced cornea transplant surgery Decemet’s Stripping Automated
Endothelial Keratoplasty (DSAEK).
Visit Bay Area Eye Institute on the web at www.CraigBergerMD.com.
updated about their recovery,” he says.
“We put patient satisfaction at
the center of everything we do in
this practice,” continues the doctor,
who, in addition to his practice at
Bay Area Eye Institute, is an adjunct
assistant professor of ophthalmology
at the University of South Florida Eye
Institute. He also spends one morning
per week treating military veterans at the James A. Haley Veterans
Administration Hospital in Tampa.
“He’s very thorough,” relates
Jeanine, who had her procedures in
August. “His staff was very pleasant.”
Following her procedures, Jeanine
noticed improvement in her vision right
away − and her golf game has definitely
gotten better. “My friends tell me my putting is improved,” she says, “because I can
actually see the line of the putt now.
“I still reach for my glasses out of
habit and realize that I don’t have to have
them,” she adds. “My vision is good.”
FHCN–Melanie Casey
Two offices to serve you better
Dr. Berger is proud to offer his patients the
convenience of two Bay Area Eye Institute
office locations in Tampa: 4600 North
Habana Avenue, Suite 7, and 14462 Bruce
B. Downs Blvd., just north of St. Joseph’s
Children’s Hospital. Dr. Berger is currently
accepting new patients, consults and second
opinions, with available appointments within
two days, if not the same day. Emergency
patients can often be seen the same day. The
caring staff at Bay Area Eye Institute welcomes
your questions regarding ophthalmology
and ophthalmic surgery. To schedule an
appointment, please contact Bay Area Eye
Institute at (813) 265-6940.
South Tampa Edition | Spring 2015 | Tampa Health Care News | Page 3
VASCULAR SURGERY
Where Do Medical Pros Go for Problem Veins?
I
After an RN develops varicose veins in the leg, he consults a vein treatment specialist known
both for his expertise and his national reputation.
t’s not unusual for medical professionals to know something about
their own problems, and such was
the case for Gerry Connors, RN.
EDWARD G. MACKAY, MD, FACS, RPVI, RVT
PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. MACKAY
BEFORE
AFTER
DO YOU REALLY KNOW
WHO IS TREATING
YOUR VEINS?
Dr. Mackay is:
• Board certified in vascular surgery
• Voted one of the top 25 Most
Influential Venous Professionals
• A world-renowned speaker, author
and trainer for vein treatments
• Co-director of one of the largest
vein congresses in the world
• The developer and holder of
patents for new products related to
vein treatments
• The first in FL to perform innovative
radiofrequency (RF) vein treatments
• The first in the Tampa Bay area to
perform EVLT
• The first in FL to perform ClariVein
treatments
Gerry Connors
About varicose veins
Varicose veins occur when otherwise
healthy veins stretch and lose their elasticity, and arise from leaking veins that
have become increasingly pressurized.
Healthy leg veins have a series of valves
that open in one direction, which allows
blood to flow in a segmental fashion up
toward the heart; however, when these
valves no longer function properly in the
required one-way manner, blood refluxes
back down toward the feet, resulting in
increased pressure within the veins.
“Varicose veins are not strictly a cosmetic concern,” cautions Dr. Mackay.
“They are symptoms of an underlying
circulatory problem that can lead to
significant other complications such as
swollen ankles, leg ulcers, restless leg
syndrome, leg cramps, infection, blood
clots, a breakdown of the skin and/or
deep vein thrombosis.”
Dr. Mackay specializes in the most
innovative techniques available to
address varicose veins and other vascular problems.
“It is important to determine which
treatment or combination of treatments
will achieve the best result with the least
risk to each patient, and I always customize the treatment to fit the individual’s
specific condition,” adds the doctor.
Vein treatment options include
endovenous ablation with vascular
Venefit™ (formerly known as VNUS
Closure); endovenous laser therapy, or
EVLT; microphlebectomy and ultrasound-guided sclerotherapy. Medicare
and most health insurance policies cover
these treatments.
Dr. Mackay was reportedly the
first physician in the Tampa Bay area to
offer EVLT in 2001. He describes the
process as a straightforward, in-office
procedure during which a sterile laser
fiber is introduced into the incompetent
vein via a small puncture in the leg: “We
deliver laser energy through this fiber,
painlessly closing the vein in less than
an hour, using local anesthesia. Once
the diseased vein is closed, other healthy
veins take over.” Patients are encouraged
to walk immediately afterward.
“Radiofrequency [RF] ablation is
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
“I’ve been a registered nurse for
twenty years and, of course, through the
duration of that career, I’ve been on my
feet a lot,” he explains. “I developed varicose veins and bulging veins in my right
calf over the last fifteen years.
“They just became very swollen and
painful,” continues Gerry. “I basically had
to put my feet up whenever I could. It was
difficult to walk at times and, of course,
they weren’t very nice to look at either!”
Varicose veins are typically hereditary, but other factors can cause or
aggravate them. Pregnancy, a job requiring prolonged standing or sitting, or
injury to the legs may not be primary
causes, but can aggravate the condition,
leading to more noticeable problems.
In Gerry’s case, his varicose vein
problem became symptomatic in addition to visible.
“It was really this feeling of fullness
and tightness in the ankle and the calf,”
he describes. “That was more frustrating than anything.”
Fortunately, with his knowledge of
the medical community, Gerry had no
difficulty selecting a doctor. He called
board-certified vascular surgeon Edward
G. Mackay, MD.
“I sat down and went to work to look
for a medical professional to offer some
solutions, and Dr. Mackay came to my
mind, and through my research, as someone who is highly reputable in the area as
well as well-credentialed,” says Gerry.
“I sat down and went to work to look for a medical professional to
offer some solutions, and Dr. Mackay came to my mind, and through
my research, as someone who is highly reputable in the area as well
as well-credentialed,” says Gerry.
almost identical to the laser,” continues
Dr. Mackay, who is also revered as the
first in the state to bring VNUS Closure
to Florida. “However, it has some
post-operative advantages over the laser.
The VNUS Closure procedure significantly reduces post-treatment pain and
bruising. Furthermore, unlike with most
laser treatments, the catheters are used
only once and then discarded, reducing
the risk of infection with re-sterilization.
Patients typically resume normal activities within twenty-four hours.”
Microphlebectomy procedures,
which are also performed in the office
with a local anesthetic, involve removing
surface varicose veins and making tiny
punctures or incisions through which
the diseased veins are removed. “The
incisions are so small that no stitches are
required, and they heal to resemble small
freckles,” says Dr. Mackay. The doctor
uses his own patented device to provide
a safe, quick and easy procedure using
completely disposable components.
“These treatments are all minimally
invasive, in-office procedures using no
more than local anesthetic, and patients
usually return to their normal activities rapidly,” emphasizes the doctor. “In
Gerry’s case, we performed endovenous
radiofrequency ablation and microphlebectomy, where we removed some of the
Call to schedule your FREE leg vein screening
Edward G. Mackay, MD, FACS, RPVI, RVT, is board certified in general surgery and vascular surgery by the American Board of Surgery and certified in the specialized treatment
of veins and venous disease by the American Board of Venous and Lymphatic Medicine.
He completed his undergraduate work and his medical degree at the University of Florida,
Gainesville. Dr. Mackay served his internship at Georgia Baptist Hospital, Atlanta. He completed a residency in general surgery at University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville,
where he also completed a fellowship in vascular surgery. In 2010, Dr. Mackay joined two
other highly skilled and experienced vein specialists to form a distinguished group called Vascular Device
Partners. They currently hold patents to two new surgical products of their own design and this partnership continuously engages in clinical research to evaluate new technology, in addition to training
physicians all over the world. Dr. Mackay is a highly regarded physician and leader in treating venous
disease. He continuously offers the latest in office-based vein therapies that will best benefit his patients.
Please visit Dr. Mackay’s website at www.drmackay.com.
clusters of veins through tiny incisions in
the leg. He returned to normal activities
quickly and has done very well.”
No pain, no scarring
Gerry says his experience with Dr.
Mackay’s practice was a great one, from
start to finish.
“It was virtually pain free,” he assures. “I
have no pain, no swelling and it’s much easier to walk. As for the appearance, the veins
have all but disappeared, with no scars or
aftereffects whatsoever from the treatment.”
As a fellow medical professional,
he has long been aware of Dr. Mackay’s
reputation in the community, and he
was pleased to see that the respect is
warranted.
“He has some really impressive qualifications and it obviously shines through
with his technique, his abilities and his
knowledge of vein and vascular care,”
Gerry reminds. From a “patient research”
perspective, he adds with a smile, “It
helps when you’re in the profession.”
FHCN–Michael J. Sahno
Three Convenient
Locations
Largo
2051 W. Bay Dr.
(727) 581-8346
Palm Harbor
2863 Alt. 19 North
(727) 781-5652
St. Petersburg
7601 Dr. MLK, Jr. St. North,
Suite C-2
(727) 527-2888
Toll-free call
(800) 527-VEIN
Page 4 | Tampa Health Care News | Spring 2015 | South Tampa Edition
FACIAL COSMETIC/OCULOPLASTIC SURGERY
Focus on
215 Bullard Parkway
Temple Terrace, FL 33617
(813) 989-1330
REJUVENATION
Spring 2015
Barry P. Levine
(continued from page 1)
A treatment for everyone
In addition to BOTOX Cosmetic, Dr. Mack and Loralee offer other
simple, minimally invasive treatments to help people look their absolute best, including dermal fillers.
“As our skin ages, the dermis gradually loses its major constituents – collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid,” educates Dr. Mack,
“and this loss challenges the full, firm look of youthful skin. Dermal
fillers are excellent solutions for reducing or eliminating wrinkles,
scar depressions, and replacing volume loss.”
JUVÉDERM VOLUMA™ is a smooth consistency gel made of
hyaluronic acid, a naturally occurring substance in the skin, which
helps add volume and hydration. There is no downtime after the
treatment, and JUVÉDERM VOLUMA instantly restores the skin’s
volume and smoothes away facial wrinkles.
Dermal fillers are being used more frequently, Dr. Mack notes,
to help reverse the changes associated with aging, and Dr. Mack and
Loralee offer several treatment options that can last from one to two
years. And because treatments like BOTOX Cosmetic and dermal
fillers help restore the face to a more youthful appearance quickly,
they can provide patients with a healthy, refreshed look in time for
special events, vacations or holidays.
“People want to look their best,” offers Abby, “and when you
look good, you feel good.” FHCN
Executive Publisher
Gina L. d’Angelo
CFO/HR Manager
Judy Wade
Editorial Manager
Michael J. Sahno
Senior Writer
Patti DiPanfilo
Melanie Casey
Editorial Staff
Michelle Brooks
Creative Director
Nerissa Johnson
FHCN FILE PHOTO
decrease the excess movement of that area, keeping the face looking
more youthful and refreshed.”
BOTOX Cosmetic has become the most commonly performed
minimally invasive cosmetic procedure in North America, reports
Loralee Koontz, MPAS, PA-C, physician assistant in the Mack
Center. One reason for this growth is that this treatment is now
socially acceptable and mainstream.
“Years ago, women kept their BOTOX Cosmetic treatments
as their beauty secret,” describes Loralee. “Now, many women talk
about it at their children’s play dates and at their tennis outings.”
Loralee also notes that as BOTOX Cosmetic’s use has increased,
so has its application.
“Traditionally, women were treating localized areas,” she
observes. “Patients now see how smooth treated areas look and are
opting to treat the full face. Patients understand that the earlier you
treat, the better you are in the long run. BOTOX Cosmetic is one of
the best anti-aging preventions we have. If the skin is not wrinkling,
no wrinkles will ever develop.”
“What I like about BOTOX Cosmetic is that you can do it a
lot or you can do it minimally,” Abby confides. “I use it very minimally, and I appreciate the fact that Dr. Mack is conservative in
his approach to the treatment, and he ensures that patients have a
youthful, refreshed look. You want someone to see you and say, Did
you just come back from vacation? You look really refreshed! And that’s
Dr. Mack’s aesthetic goal in everything he does.”
Tampa Health
Care News
Abby says since beginning BOTOX Cosmetic treatments, she
often receives compliments on her skin. She adds that the fact
that Dr. Mack is an oculoplastic specialist was “paramount” in
her decision to have him administer her treatments.
DR. MACK PERFORMS THE FOLLOWING PROCEDURES FOR
THOSE SEEKING A NATURAL, REFRESHED APPEARANCE:
Upper Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty
Cosmetic Endoscopic Brow Lift
Minimal Incision Facelift Surgery
Aesthetic Reconstructive Surgery
Skin Rejuvenation:
BOTOX® Cosmetic
Cosmetic facial fillers
Laser skin resurfacing
Obagi® skin care
Graphic Designer
Marc Edwards
Nerissa Johnson
Photography
Brian Levine
Project Coordinator
Laura Engel
Production Assistant
Steve Turk
John Gnibus
Vincent Ortiz
Micah Zecca
Distribution
Contributing Editors
William P. Mack, MD
Facial Cosmetic Surgery/
Oculoplastic Surgery
Bay Area Eye Institute
Ophthalmology
Edward G. Mackay, MD,
FACS, RPVI, RVT
Vascular Surgery
Regenerative Orthopedic
Institute
Orthopedics
Infinity Medical Institute
Bio-Natural Hormone
Replacement Therapy
South Florida Eye Clinic
Ophthalmology
The Mack Center services include a full line of skin care products to
help maintain or restore skin health and support the healing process
following surgical rejuvenation procedures.
(813) 875-5437
www.mackmd.com
HemRelief
Hemorrhoid Treatment
Minimally Invasive Spine Care
West Florida Pain Management, P.A.
Minimally Invasive Spine Care
Urology Specialists
of West Florida
Urology
Your Desired Smile
Implant Dentistry
Physical Medicine Center, Inc.
Pain Management
TO
learn
more
about these and other facial
cosmetic procedures/surgeries,
please contact Dr. Mack’s offices
at (813) 875-5437 to schedule
your private consultation. Dr.
Mack’s Tampa office is located
at 3109 W. Azeele St., and his
St. Petersburg office is in the
Carillon Outpatient Center, 900
Carillon Parkway, Ste. #111.
William P. Mack, MD, is a board-certified ophthalmologist who received
American Society of Ophthalmic Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery fellowship
training in eyelid and facial plastic surgery at the Albany Medical College in New
York. Dr. Mack received his Bachelor’s degree from John Carroll University in
Cleveland where he graduated cum laude, and completed his medical degree
at the University of South Florida where he was elected to the Alpha Omega
Alpha Medical Honor Society. Following medical school, Dr. Mack completed his
internship and residency at the University of South Florida. He is a member of the
American Academy of Ophthalmology, Florida Society of Ophthalmology, Tampa
Bay Ophthalmological Society, and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery.
Loralee Koontz, MPAS, PA-C, earned her Bachelor of Science degree with honors
in microbiology/cell science at the University of Florida, Gainesville, before completing her Master of Physician Assistant Studies at the same university. She is a
member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA), the Society of
Dermatology Physician Assistants (SDPA), and the Florida Academy of Physician
Assistants (FAPA). Loralee volunteers her time to the Junior League of Tampa and
the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Please visit www.mackmd.com to learn more about the excellent results Dr.
Mack achieves in cosmetic oculoplastic and facial cosmetic surgery. Dr. Mack’s
patients are pleased that his cosmetic consultations are complimentary.
For all health care professionals having
articles in this publication that offer free or discounted services:
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RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO
REFUSE TO PAY, CANCEL PAYMENT OR BE
REIMBURSED FOR PAYMENT FOR ANY OTHER
SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT WHICH IS
PERFORMED AS A RESULT OF, AND WITHIN 72 HOURS OF
RESPONDING TO, THE ADVERTISEMENT FOR A FREE,
DISCOUNTED OR REDUCED FEE
SERVICE, EXAMINATION OR TREATMENT.
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ORTHOPEDICS
South Tampa Edition | Spring 2015 | Tampa Health Care News
| Page 5
ORTHOPEDICS
Connections Restored
Chronic joint and back pain can now be treated without
surgery, using the patient’s own stem cells and plasma.
A
s executive publisher of Florida
Health Care News, Barry Levine
has a far-ranging knowledge
of health care modalities.
Unfortunately, knowledge didn’t seem to
help much after a 2010 car crash left him
with debilitating neck pain and headaches.
ERICK A. GRANA, MD
FHCN PHOTOS BY NERISSA JOHNSON
“I was rear-ended on January 22,
2010,” he explains. “The impact was hard
enough that my head first went forward
and then backward and hit the headrest
pretty hard. I really felt it – I saw stars,
and I was dazed for a few minutes.”
An MRI shortly thereafter revealed
herniated and bulging discs in the
cervical area, so Barry used his medical background to investigate various
options to relieve his neck pain.
“I went through spinal decompression. I had steroid injections. I had physical
therapy. And I had massages galore,” he
continues. “I even tried acupuncture for
many months. Each one of those treatments helped a little, but nothing brought
me one hundred percent relief.”
Even medication did little to relieve
the ongoing neck pain and muscle
spasms from the accident.
“The muscle relaxants and ibuprofen were just like a little BAND-AID®,”
adds Barry. “Because the impingement
was in the cervical area, and the nerves
coming out of that area go into the right
shoulder and trapezius muscle, there
were times when I could actually feel
the muscle spasms. If I let those muscle
contractions keep going, I’d wind up
with a terrible headache and severe nausea. The only things that really helped
were ice packs and a TENS unit.”
Barry
Levine
Of course, the effect on activities was even more serious.
“I couldn’t really do any impact exercise,” recalls Barry. “I couldn’t play tennis
because of the little bit of running that’s
involved. If I did that kind of impact, I
could feel it go through my body and into
the cervical area. If I went on a treadmill,
it was the same type of thing.”
Barry finally found a solution
that provided signifi cant relief when
he visited Erick A. Grana, MD, of
Regenerative Orthopedic Institute.
“Dr. Grana looked at my MRIs
and saw where the problem area was.
He said he really believed I could get
some relief from regenerative medicine.”
Thanks to
Dr. Grana’s
treatment, Barry
is getting back to
activities again.
What is regenerative medicine?
Many patients with joint problems seek
to avoid the pain, blood loss and scarring
associated with invasive surgery. Today,
there is a revolutionary technology that
can help patients like Barry avoid taking
on the risks of a surgical procedure.
“There are other options now that
can be offered to osteoarthritis patients,
especially before they get to the stage
where they need surgery,” reflects Dr.
Grana. “Not only can we relieve the
symptoms, but we can also help reverse
some of the damage that happens to the
joint as a consequence of the osteoarthritis. This is accomplished by regenerating
the cartilage and connective tissues in
and around the joint area.
“Regenerative medicine treats disease and injuries by harnessing the body’s
healing powers,” Dr. Grana explains. “The
natural healing process is accelerated by a
combination of growth factors and bioactive cells, resulting in a safe, effective,
nonsurgical treatment.”
Dr. Grana has developed a protocol
for delivery of stem cells, platelet-rich
plasma (PRP) and growth factors into the
pain generators in and around joints, such
as shoulders and knees. This treatment is
called RegenaJoint.
He has also developed a way to
treat the spine in a similar manner using
fluoroscopic, or live x-ray, guidance, a
process called RegenaSpine.
These treatments restore function and
improve quality of life, enabling patients
to avoid surgery and reduce, or eliminate,
the need for narcotic medications.
RegenaJoint and RegenaSpine use
stem cells from the patient’s own body,
called autologous cells, to regenerate cartilage and connective tissue in joints, spinal
discs, tendons and ligaments. When combined with concentrated platelets and
growth factors, the stem cells become a
powerful repairing mechanism for aching
backs and painful joints.
“We extract stem cells from bone
marrow and/or fat plus platelet-rich
plasma from the patient’s blood to use in
the problem areas,” says Dr. Grana. “We
perform RegenaJoint by placing injections into the knee joint and ligaments
surrounding the knee, the ligaments
around the shoulder and inside the shoulder joint, or into the hip joint area. If the
problem is in the back or cervical area, the
RegenaSpine procedure can be performed
on the discs and facet joints of the spine.
“Patients usually have three goals:
first, to get their pain relieved; second, to
return to the activities that they were not
able to do because of their arthritis; and
third, to avoid surgery. These are the main
goals that most patients want to achieve,
and Barry has achieved all three of them.”
“Miraculous” result
Barry is happy to report that he made the
right decision in going to Regenerative
Orthopedic Institute. His pain has been
virtually eradicated since undergoing the
RegenaSpine procedure.
“When I began with treatment, my
pain level was probably an eight,” he says.
“By the time I went to Dr. Grana, I was
at a five or six. So all those other therapies
helped some, but not to the extent where I
was a hundred percent. After talking with
Dr. Grana, I felt comfortable enough to
take the plunge and have this done. For my
Erick A. Grana, MD, is a diplomate of the American Board of Physical Medicine and
Rehabilitation and the American Board of Electrodiagnostic Medicine, with subspecialty certification in pain medicine. After he received his medical degree from the
University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, he completed his internship and residency at the university’s hospital and was subsequently awarded a fellowship from
the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Dr. Grana is a former assistant professor at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston
and a member the American Medical Association, the International Spinal Injection
Society and the Florida Academy of Pain Medicine.
treatment, he used stem cells from my bone
marrow, my blood, and from fat cells.”
Now several months removed from
getting a “booster” treatment, Barry
describes an excellent outcome.
“It’s been almost six months since
I had it done, and it was about two to
three weeks after the first treatment before
I really started to see results,” he clarifies. “The headaches and muscle spasms
became very infrequent. Then, since the
booster, which was just blood cells, I have
not had a single headache. To me, that is
miraculous. All of those years I had those
headaches, which really interfered with
my life. There were countless times when
I would go home and I was out by 5:00 or
5:30. That was it for the day.”
He is even more pleased to be able to
get back to activities that had been put on
the back burner during the past four years.
“When you can’t exercise, you’re going
to put on some weight, but I have been
able to do more since the treatment. As of
today, I have lost almost thirteen pounds.
It just keeps helping and helping.”
Barry thanks Dr. Grana and the
staff for their caring attitude, as well as
their skills.
“They have a very nice staff there, and
everyone has been very, very helpful,” he
concludes. “And I thoroughly respect Dr.
Grana. If I had to, I would definitely do
it again.” FHCN–Michael J. Sahno
Don’t Operate,
Regenerate
For more information, or to schedule
a consultation, please call (813)
868-1659. Regenerative Orthopedic
Institute is located at 8011 North
Himes Avenue, Ste. 3, in Tampa.
Visit Regenerative Orthopedic Institute on the web at www.dontoperate.com.
Page 6 | Tampa Health Care News | Spring 2015 | South Tampa Edition
BIO-NATURAL HORMONE
Lost Energy
Bio-natural hormone replacement therapy offers man
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
D
Camille has the
pep back in
her step once
again, thanks to
Infinity Medical
Institute.
Look good, feel great
The experienced staff at Infinity Medical
Institute looks forward to working with
you. For more information or to schedule an
appointment, please call (813) 280-0833 for
their location at 1715 N. Westshore Blvd.,
Suite 100, in Tampa.
Symptoms Treated with
Bio-Natural Hormones*
The most common symptoms men and women face
without sufficient hormones are:
• Poor sleep
• Fatigue
• Loss of sex
drive
• Weight gain
• Anxiety
• ADHD
• Hot flashes
• Erectile
dysfunction
• Dry skin
• Fibromyalgia
• Palpitations
• Memory lapse
• Painful
intercourse
• High
cholesterol
• Irritability
• Loss of muscle
tone
• Decreased
exercise
• Vaginal
dryness
• Depression
• Stress
• Night sweats
• Migraine
headaches
• Osteoporosis
• Diabetes
mellitus
• Restless leg
syndrome
• Body-joint
pains
• Hair loss
• Mood swings
• Lack of selfconfidence
* Provided by Infinity Medical Institute
epleted of energy, Camille
DeAngelis felt like she had
hit a wall, having no stamina
to complete the simplest of
everyday tasks.
“I just wanted to sleep all the time,”
Camille recalls. “I was at the point where
I just felt like I was at the end of my rope.
I could not handle anything beyond an
eight-hour workday. As women, we always
deal with so many things on our plates,
and I felt like I couldn’t do any of it, physically or emotionally. I would tell myself,
I didn’t sign up for this. I felt like life just
really sucked for me. And I was exhausted
all the time. If I stopped moving, I felt like
I would fall asleep.”
Camille was certain that menopause was
not the culprit.
“I did not have any of the other typical
symptoms people talk about, like hot flashes
or night sweats,” she recalls. “I was at the
right age at the time; I was fifty. But all I
knew was that I was just tired all the time. I
just could not function.”
After hearing about Infinity Medical
Institute and their bio-natural L3 pellet
hormone replacement therapy program,
Camille made an appointment right away.
“Other doctors take a blood test and
give you medication and send you on your
way,” she says. “I wanted more than that.
In fact, I had my hormones checked, and
doctors would tell me I was low normal and
that made no sense to me at all.
“At Infinity, they also did blood work
and determined my hormones were low,”
she continues, “but their program is beyond
anything any typical doctor’s office will do.
It is amazing. Too many people focus on the
sexual aspect of it, and it is about so much
more. Personally, I was much more interested in feeling better overall.”
Bio-natural therapy
Bio-natural L 3 pellet hormone replacement is the most natural and effective
solution for hormone-related issues, says
Moriah R. Moffitt, MD, Infinity Medical
Institute’s staff physician.
“Hormones act as the body’s messengers,” she says. “They tell our body what
to do and when so it can run smoothly
and efficiently. Hormones are as much a
part of our reproductive system as they
are a part of our urinary, respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, muscular, skeletal,
immune and digestive systems.
“Hormones affect everything, including our growth through childhood, our
sexual development, our moods, how
we break down our food, sleep patterns,
stress, how much weight we gain – just
about every function in the body, big and
small,” she adds. “They also play a role in
many health conditions such as diabetes,
an over- or underactive thyroid, osteoporosis, obesity, anxiety and depression. This
therapy is felt to be extremely safe because
it is replacing natural, normal hormones
with biologically identical hormones that
the body is used to seeing, rather than synthetic versions of the hormones.”
Dr. Moffitt also says that most men
and women start to notice subtle changes
that point to hormone depletion in their
mid 30s. Hormone replacement can serve
as a long-term solution for men and
women interested
in alleviating health
symptoms brought
on by age’s ability to
decrease their hormone levels.
“Our typical
patients are middle to
later-aged individuals and couples looking
to improve their quality of life,” Dr. Moffitt
says. “They are typically health-conscious
people who want to maintain an active lifestyle. They are seeking that increased energy
level. It depends on the individual, of course,
but we find that the mid thirties is when
people recognize the changes, such as weight
gain, loss of muscle tone, loss of sexual function. These are all things that typically begin
to expose themselves during midlife.”
Through Infinity Medical Institute’s
bio-natural L3 pellet hormone replacement
therapy, patients can achieve consistent
absorption of the proper, predictable levels
of hormones their bodies require for optimum health through the simple insertion
of a pellet approximately every three to
five months. These bio-natural hormone
pellets are made from wild yam plants, a
natural plant material that is then molecularly changed in structure and function
for a 98-percent, bio-identical match to
the body’s own composition, whereas synthetic hormones can be as little as six to
eight percent bio-identical.
Michael Montemurro, president and
owner of Infinity Medical Institute, says
patients appreciate the all-natural products
used at Infinity Medical Institute.
Roy Baker
“More and more people are concerned
about the products they are putting into
their bodies today,” he explains. “We see
a predominant number of people walk
For more information, p
E
South Tampa Edition | Spring 2015 | Tampa Health Care News | Page 7
REPLACEMENT THERAPY
y Restored
ny advantages in restoring energy and youthful feel.
in looking for alternatives to mainstream
medicine. People do not want synthetic
products or medications.
“Our pellet hormone therapy really
helps to give us an edge as we provide
patients with a product that is all-natural,
and we stand behind it,” he continues.
“It changes how
people feel about
themselves, and it
changes their outlook on life. It’s the
most effective hormone treatment on
the market. The body
can never restore lost hormones again unless
it is done endogenously, like we do here with
the bio-natural L3 pellet therapy. And it is for
both women and men.”
Fit for life
Roy Baker likes to stay physically fit and
leads an active lifestyle.
A retired corrections officer, Roy says
he works out five days a week to keep his
body in good physical condition. But
when he noticed that those workouts were
not increasing his muscle tone, he knew
there was a problem.
“I was going to the gym almost daily,
and I had very little muscle tone,” Roy
shares. “I would go to my doctor and they
would tell me, Oh, it’s just a part of aging,
and I just refused to accept that answer. I felt
brushed off. I felt there should be more to
life than just getting old and that’s it.”
Roy read an article in Tampa Health
Care News about Infinity Medical Institute
and gave them a call.
“Within a couple of months of starting the pellet therapy, I felt completely
reborn again,” Roy says. “Everything
changed. I had more energy and a better
outlook on life. I felt better than I ever had
before in my entire life.”
However, when life tragedies took
their toll on Roy, he took a hiatus from
his treatment.
“Two of my daughters were diagnosed
with cancer, and my sister had a health issue
as well, and they were all diagnosed within
two months of each other,” he recalls. “I just
was going through so much emotionally
that I stopped taking care of myself. I was
depressed, and I went from about two hundred and twenty pounds of muscle to about
one hundred eighty pounds of skin just
hanging off of me. It was pretty extreme.”
After his family members recovered,
Roy says he decided to go back to Infinity
Medical Institute and resume bio-natural L3
pellet hormone therapy.
“Best decision I ever made,” Roy conveys. “I look better than ever; I have muscle
tone back and my workouts are back on
track. It really amazes me how quickly the
pellets work, and Dr. Moffitt and the staff
are so great to work with. I am really thankful to have found them.”
In addition to her regained energy, Camille
also lost nearly 80 pounds along the way.
“I did not use the weight loss program
that they offer; I just learned proper nutrition and how to take care of myself overall,
and lost weight from there,” Camille says.
For those patients who do seek a weight
loss program, Infinity Medical Institute
offers such an option.
“Our all-natural weight loss program is
called Phentabz,” Michael says. “It is very safe
and contains no amphetamines, so patients
can stay on it longer and lose just as much,
if not more, weight. Patients also receive
weekly Vitamin B12 injections to help them
maintain a high metabolism. Along with
that, we also have an entire nutrition package that we use to educate patients on proper
food preparation and consumption.
“We do teach patients how to change
their diets and focus on nutrition. It helps
to increase metabolism and lean muscle.
With these two patients in particular,
Camille lost the weight and Roy gained
back the lean muscle he had lost. They both
got the results they wanted.”
From the inside, out
“We offer a very upbeat and fun environment because we are a totally health-oriented
center, and our bio-natural L3 is absolutely
life-changing,” Michael says.
Improved quality of life, Michael
adds, is a key factor for patients seeking
hormone replacement therapy.
“We see a transformation of our
patients as they come through the door,”
Dr. Moffitt relates. “Women come in and
all of a sudden they’re not feeling vibrant,
energetic; they have other various symptoms. After treatment, they come in and
they’re smiling. They get that confidence
back. We want our patients to look and
feel good from the inside out.
“Same thing for the men we treat,” she
continues. “Men tend to deny the need for
hormone replacements. We want men and
women alike to know that hormone levels
affect all of us in different ways.”
For instance, while some men may
desire hormone replacement to deal with
their declining physical ability, women may
seek it out as a remedy to complications
that can arise from menopause.
Michael says Infinity Medical Institute
also offers cosmetic injectables and now
accepts CareCreditsm.
“We do not only treat the inside of the
patient; we treat the outside as well,” he says.
“We want patients to look and feel younger,
and we can help with both of those areas.
And we have financing options.”
Changes for life
Michael says the commitment patients
make to the practice is returned in the
services they receive.
“We focus on patient satisfaction and
stellar service, and I think that is what sets
us apart from the others,” he emphasizes.
“We strive to provide the best possible
treatment for the symptoms the patient is
experiencing, and we go above and beyond
At 68, Roy works out daily at the gym
and has his energy back.
to connect with that patient. In order to
provide proper treatment, we have to
understand how they feel on the inside and
the outside. These treatments are also ideal
for helping to reduce a person’s stress. So,
yes, we treat from the inside, out.”
Dr. Moffi tt understands that everyone’s body is diff erent, and that is why
they customize a therapy plan exclusive
to patients’ needs, depending upon what
hormones they are lacking and what their
individual counts are.
“Every woman, every man is different
as far as their levels are concerned; this is
why our treatment plans are customized,”
Dr. Moffitt shares. “We know each and every
one of our patients on a personal level, so we
take the time to understand how they feel
and what their needs are, and we strive to
make them whole again.”
Camille and Roy agree that the staff
and personable care at Infinity Medical
Institute are stellar.
“They make you feel as if you are the
only person they are caring for because
you never feel like just a number to them,”
Camille shares. “They talk to you and they
listen to all of your concerns, and they
explain everything they do, the products
they use, everything. They are absolutely
amazing there, and I cannot believe how it
has changed my life. I have more energy now
than I have ever had in the past, and I no
longer feel like I am sleepwalking half the
time. It’s a wonderful feeling.”
Now 68, Roy says he feels better than
ever and even remarks how his youthful
appearance has been deceiving to others.
“I was walking on the beach one day
please visit www.infinitymedicalinstitute.com.
a while back, and a younger couple came
up to me and they were guessing my age,
and when I told them I was sixty-eight,
they almost fell over,” he recalls with a
laugh. “They said I look more like someone in his fifties. I told them they were
being much too generous, but I will say
that I feel like a man in his fifties. I may
not be, but I feel like I am, and that is
important. Mind over matter.”
Roy says he feels that Dr. Moffitt and
the entire staff at Infinity Medical Institute
are tuned in to the health and well-being of
all their patients.
“They don’t do anything just to do it,”
he shares. “They do it because they want
to, because they truly care about a person’s
overall health, mentally and physically.”
FHCN–Judy Wade
Camille DeAngelis
Page 8 | Tampa Health Care News | Spring 2015 | South Tampa Edition
Eye Floaters?
OPHTHALMOLOGY
Laser treatment for
eye floaters is safe
and effective.
E
sign. By the statutory definition of legal word to more ophthalmologists that this
blindness, that would qualify, if only for is a safe technique,” he explains. “And
the short period of time the floater was even more than that, we need to educate
in your field of vision.”
ophthalmologists that in many instances,
Patients with eye floaters of this size − eye floaters can disable.
even if their vision is perfect − are actually
“The current ophthalmic dogma is
quite disabled, stresses Dr. Geller. “Most that an ophthalmologist will say, Well, I
ophthalmologists don’t seem to under- have floaters; what are you complaining
stand that when a patient is complaining about? So they write off the patient and
of serious eye floaters, but their vision is tell them it will go away. In most cases,
20/20, they are actually having a real prob- this is true, but the patients that come to
lem,” he says. “It’s not something that’s me have serious problems.”
SOUTH FLORIDA EYE CLINIC
only in their mind.”
When eye floaters are severe, some
SCOTT L. GELLER, MD
Dr. Geller should know: he is ophthalmologists may offer a vitrecone of the most recognized eye floater tomy, the surgical removal of the gel
“By our usual definition, of course laser specialists in the
where the floaters
not,” says Scott Geller, MD, a board- United States and “ONE OF THE LEADING reside. However, this
is rare because the
certified ophthalmologist at South around the world.
Florida Eye Clinic in Fort Myers who has
“ We h a v e h a d EYE FLOATER FACILITIES operation has some
a special interest in the treatment of eye patients come from all
serious drawbacks
IN THE US”
floaters. “But imagine if you only had over the world to our www.vitreousfloaters.com and complications,
one good eye. Imagine that the floater in facility in Fort Myers
and it is an expensive,
it was so large that when it came across for treatment,” says Dr. Geller. “Many invasive procedure.
your field of vision, you could not even patients come from countries where
However, the complication rate for
see the big E on the eye chart. Imagine medicine is socialized, and there is a laser treatment of eye floaters is very low.
if it were a car on the highway or a road lack of training and proper equipment. Furthermore, there is no risk of infecDuring the past twenty years, we have tion with laser since there is no cutting
treated thousands of patients and have with a scalpel.
performed nearly twenty thousand laser
Dr. Geller has treated many medisessions.”
cal doctors for their eye floaters as well.
“When other doctors and ophthalMaster of floater treatment
mologists come to you for their own
Dr. Geller is a master of this treatment problems, I would say that speaks for
modality. He has trained doctors from itself. We love doing laser surgery on
Holland, Italy, the United States and eye floaters, and love dealing with our
Central America. “We need to spread the patients on a personal basis.” FHCN
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
ye floaters − those tiny specks or
strings that float into your field
of vision periodically − can be
concerning. Typically caused by
age-related changes to the vitreous humor,
the thick fluid inside the eye, eye floaters
become more common with age. But can
they cause blindness?
Scott L. Geller, MD, is board certified by the
American Board of Ophthalmology. He is a
graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University and
Rush Medical College. While in medical school,
he was awarded a student fellowship to study
tropical medicine at a missionary hospital in
India, and pursued additional studies at the
famous Brompton Hospital in London, England.
He interned at Presbyterian Hospital, Pacific
Medical Center, San Francisco, CA, and completed his residency in ophthalmology at Sinai
Hospital of Detroit, which was affiliated with
Wayne State Medical School and Kresge Eye
Institute. Dr. Geller was fellowship-trained in
anterior segment and refractive surgery with
Dr. William Myers of the Michigan Eye Institute.
Dr. Geller is a fellow of the American Academy
of Ophthalmology, and has presented papers on
eye floater laser treatment at the International
Congress of Ophthalmology, European Congress
of Cataract & Refractive Surgery, European
Congress of Ophthalmology and the Florida
Society of Ophthalmology.
For eye floater solutions...
Call Dr. Geller at (239) 275-8222 or
toll-free at (877) 371-3937. South
Florida Eye Clinic is located at 4755
Summerlin Rd. in Fort Myers.
www.vitreousfloaters.com
HEMORRHOID TREATMENT
PHOTO FROM ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
Stop Hemorrhoids Now
The road to relief for many sufferers lies in a nonsurgical treatment
covered by most insurance plans, including Medicare.
I
“
had hemorrhoids but they didn’t success. I thought, If I got half the rate
bother me too much until recently,” of success that some of these people have
says Marilyn.* “I went from occa- gotten, I would be happy.”
Marilyn decided to give the treatsional flare-ups to daily pain.”
ment a try.
Nguyen. “A low current is applied to
the base of the hemorrhoid, causing
The Ultroid treatment
a chemical reaction that induces the
“Hemorrhoids, which are swollen veins in hemorrhoid to shrink. The procedure
LINH B. NGUYEN, MD
the rectum or anal canal, are extremely is well-tolerated by patients and does
common,” explains Dr. Nguyen. “In fact, not require anesthesia.
Although Marilyn’s problem was seri- more than fifty percent of people age
“The Ultroid system is considered
fifty or older have them to some degree.” revolutionary because it is highly effecous, she was unable to find a solution.
Most sufferers are understandably tive, safe, and convenient. Up to ninety
“It wasn’t from lack of trying,” she
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no one could really do anything for me. I options, some of which have tradition- get relief from their hemorrhoids. It
ally been both painful and inconvenient. doesn’t cause the agonizing pain often
got a prescription, but I got worse.”
Then Marilyn found out about Linh Studies estimate that hemorrhoid associated with traditional hemorrhoid
B. Nguyen, MD, of HemRelief, and suff erers spend over $1 billion a year surgery and is also covered by most
a nonsurgical treatment Dr. Nguyen on medications and treatments for insurances and Medicare.”
symptomatic hemorrhoids.
offers called Ultroid.
The treatment is convenient and can
“For prevention, it’s good to have be safely repeated as needed.
“I was a little skeptical,” she confides,
“but when I went in there, they gave me a high-fiber diet, including fresh
“There’s no need to take any special
a booklet that talks about everyone’s fruits and vegetables,” acknowledges preparation to clear the bowels,” adds Dr.
Dr. Nguyen. “Other helpful measures Nguyen. “Patients can have the procedure
include drinking adequate fluid daily done and go back to work immediately,
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and avoiding heavy lifting. However, so there is no downtime. The entire proceHemorrhoid Treatment
change
in habits alone may not eff ec- dure takes approximately twenty minutes.
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tively
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• Well-tolerated –
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Dr. Nguyen offers a
no anesthesia required
Don’t suffer in silence.
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“Some of my patients suffered miserably with hemorrhoids for twenty or
thirty years, and the Ultroid treatment
changed their lives.”
“Nothing short of remarkable”
For Marilyn, the Ultroid treatment
proved both fast and effective.
“I felt some relief almost immediately,” she marvels. “After my second
treatment, I noticed quite a difference,
and after the third treatment, I had
complete relief: no pain or bleeding.”
Today, Marilyn thanks Dr. Nguyen
for offering Ultroid to his patients.
“Dr. Nguyen had his nurse come in
and sit with me during the procedure,”
she adds, “so I felt very comfortable.
He knows what he’s doing, he’s very
professional and very thorough. And
the treatment is nothing short of
remarkable.” FHCN
*The patient’s name has been withheld at her request.
Linh B. Nguyen, MD, is board
certified and is a diplomate of the
American Board of Family Practice.
He is a graduate of the University
of Florida and received his medical degree from Hahnemann
University, Philadelphia, PA. He is
certified in the Ultroid Management System for
the treatment of hemorrhoids.
South Tampa Edition | Spring 2015 | Tampa Health Care News | Page 9
MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE CARE
Avoid Spine Surgery
A skilled pain management physician offers epidural steroid injections to
help this patient avoid an invasive procedure.
R
etired Army Col. Charles
Glenn has led a colorful
life. He graduated from
the US Military Academy
at West Point in 1956, and among his
classmates was an engineering student
who would go on to become known as
Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf.
After serving at various posts
around the world, his last assignment
was at MacDill Air Force Base as deputy chief of staff . Th e colonel retired
in 1986. Unfortunately, it was not all
smooth sailing from there, as he was
suffering with severe back pain.
“My back had taken a beating over
all those years,” says Charles, “and that
left it in a state of chronic disorder and
continual pain. It had been bothering
me for about forty years.”
In 2006, he consulted an orthopaedic surgeon, who recommended
multiple surgical procedures. That
didn’t sound too good to Charles.
“The surgeon said my lower back
looked like a train wreck that would
require two consecutive major surgeries,”
he recalls, “with rehabilitation of up to
a year’s duration. I didn’t want the risks
involved and the time and the questionable outcome of it. I decided the risks
associated with those surgical procedures
were too great if there were another way
to remain mobile with the least pain possible. So I searched for another approach.”
On a recommendation, he made an
appointment later that year with Gerald
E. Trimble, MD, a board-certified pain
management practitioner at Minimally
Invasive Spine Care, with offices in St.
Petersburg and Clearwater.
“Dr. Trimble is the premier pain
management specialist in Central
Florida,” declares Charles. “Th e personal, professional manner of Dr.
Trimble, his office manager Cynthia
and his medical assistant Joanne gave
me great confidence that the cavalry had
arrived. And indeed it had!”
MI
SC
MINIMALLY INVASIVE SPINE CARE
OFFERED BY THE DOCTORS AT
WEST FLORIDA PAIN MANAGEMENT, P.A.
GERALD E. TRIMBLE, MD
SUSAN K. SAMLASKA, MD
Pain that “serves no purpose”
Dr. Trimble observes that acute pain can
be beneficial for a patient to some degree –
it serves as a warning signal that a medical
condition needs to be addressed. “Chronic
pain, however, serves no purpose except
to make a patient uncomfortable – even
miserable,” he explains.
“At Minimally Invasive Spine Care,
we view chronic pain as a disease process,
not merely a symptom that has to be tolerated as part of an underlying condition.
The first objective is always to determine
where the pain originates and then apply
specific techniques to treat it.
“We believe that the source of pain,
the pain generator, should be identifi ed, the underlying pain mechanism
addressed and treatment scheduled
accordingly. In each case,” he adds, “we
approach pain relief with the least invasive methods available, with the goal of
postponing – or even eliminating – the
need for invasive surgery.”
He notes that a number of modalities
Find help for your pain
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
Drs. Trimble and Samlaska welcome questions
regarding the management of chronic pain. For
information or a consultation, please call (727) 5537313. Offices are located at Bayfront Plaza, 603 7th St.
South, Suite 340, in St. Petersburg and 1831 N. Belcher
Rd., Suite A2, in Clearwater.
Col. Charles Glenn
for pain relief are available to the specialist
trained in pain management.
“Physical therapy, massage and
oral medicines are the most conservative methods of relieving pain. They
work best if a patient consults us early
in the pain process. If the pain is well
established or fails to respond to these
conservative measures, we have many
more techniques at our disposal.”
About ESI
In the case of severe, intractable pain,
some of these techniques can enable a
patient to delay or even avoid surgery
… sometimes for years. Options may
include trigeminal nerve blocks and epidural steroid injections.
“Epidural steroid injections are
typically used where there is acute
inflammation, especially involving the
nerve roots, ligaments and muscles,”
continues Dr. Trimble.
An ESI is the injection of powerful
anti-inflammatory agents called corticosteroids into the epidural space outside the
spinal cord. The epidural space is the area
where all the nerves pass through on the
way out of the spinal cord to the rest of
the body. The main goal of the treatment
is to deposit the steroids directly into the
area sending pain signals.
When performed by a physician with
pain management expertise, an epidural
steroid injection is relatively painless. If an
anesthetic is being used, the anesthesiologist cleanses the patient’s back or neck
with a sterile solution, and the anesthetic
is injected into the appropriate area. Once
the area has been numbed, a needle is
inserted through the skin into the epidural space, and the steroid is injected.
“It’s amazing”
For Charles, epidural steroid injections
have been extremely effective, enabling
him not only to avoid surgery but also
to steer clear of any other types of
procedures.
“I have been returning on average once a year for the past eight
years,” he assures, “and Dr. Trimble’s
treatments have negated my need
for surgery and have immeasurably
improved my quality of life.”
Having gone back for eight years,
Charles is thoroughly at ease with
the doctor and the staff of Minimally
Invasive Spine Care.
“For me, it’s a routine thing,” he
remarks. “Dr. Trimble’s office staff makes
you feel comfortable and they are a cheery
bunch, so that gets things started off right.
If you need any additional anesthesia
outside of what is in the medication that
he’s giving you, that’s administered. The
doctor comes in and discusses how things
are going and where the pain is and, of
course, refers to the MRI. I get three epidural injections, two weeks apart. The
injections are without pain, so that’s a
wonderful thing, too. Almost immediately, all the [back] pain is gone.
Charles appreciates the
effectiveness of his
annual epidural steroid
injections, which have
enabled him to avoid
invasive spine surgery.
“The fact that Dr. Trimble is able
to professionally and accurately remove
pain that’s affecting the quality of your
life, and in a short period of time return
you to what you’ve been doing, that’s
pretty amazing,” concludes Charles.
FHCN–Michael J. Sahno
Tried Physical Therapy or
Chiropractic, but Still Hurting?
“If conser vative treatment or even
surgery has failed to relieve your pain, our
procedures may be able to help you,” says
Dr. Trimble. “We encourage patients who
have tried these other measures to give us
a call to schedule a consultation.”
Gerald E. Trimble, MD, is board
certified by the American Board
of Anesthesiology, specializing in pain management. After
receiving his medical degree
from the University of South
Florida College of Medicine, he
completed a transitional internship at Michigan State University and Edward W.
Sparrow Hospital and a residency in anesthesiology
at the University of South Florida, where he served
as chief resident and was awarded a fellowship
in pain management. Dr. Trimble was awarded a
certificate of additional qualification in pain management by the American Board of Anesthesiology,
the only pain management certification recognized
by the American Board of Medical Specialties.
He is a diplomate of the American Board of
Anesthesiologists, and a member of the American
Society of Anesthesiologists, Florida Society of
Anesthesiologists and American Society of Regional
Anesthesia, and has published and lectured on
numerous pain management topics.
Susan K. Samlaska, MD, is
board certified by the American
Board of Anesthesiology, specializing in pain management.
After receiving her medical
degree from the Medical College
of Wisconsin in Milwaukee,
she completed a transitional
internship at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Milwaukee
and a residency in anesthesiology at Thomas
Jefferson University in Philadelphia. Dr. Samlaska
was awarded a pain management fellowship
from the Chronic Pain Center, Department of
Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
For more information, please visit www.westflpainmanagement.com.
Page 10 | Tampa Health Care News | Spring 2015 | South Tampa Edition
UROLOGY
Life after Prostate Cancer
For those who survive this devastating disease, there
may still be challenges ahead, such as incontinence and
erectile dysfunction. Fortunately, low-risk treatments
offer a high rate of satisfaction.
P
“
rostate cancer is the second
most common cancer in men
and the second most deadly
cancer in men,” reports
Ramon Perez, MD, of Urology Specialists
of West Florida. “More than two hundred
thousand men in the United States will
be diagnosed with prostate cancer in
2014 alone. According to the National
Institutes of Health, nearly thirty thousand of these cases will be fatal.”1
PHOTO COURTESY OF UROLOGY SPECIALISTS
“Erection problems and incontinence are both underreported by
patients,” adds David DiPiazza, MD.
“If you ask prostate cancer patients how
they are doing, most will say, Fine. You
have to actually dig further: Have you had
to wear a diaper? Have you stopped having
sex because of erection problems?”
Interestingly, the problem is often
complicated by patients’ gratitude for,
and loyalty to, their surgeon.
“Some patients are very loyal to their
surgeons,” observes Yaser Bassel, MD.
“They feel their surgeons saved their lives
and they don’t want to stain their reputation by saying, I’m leaking a little bit. We
need to better educate patients and their
physicians. It’s okay to say that you have
Potential treatments
Historically, treatments for ED and
incontinence have been difficult, reflects
Leon Espiritu, MD.
“There are various options for treating ED, and many are known to the
general public. ViagraTM †7, CialisTM †8
and LevitraTM †9 are widely advertised, and
some men have success with them.”
These types of medications may
not interact well with other medications, such as blood thinners, he adds.
“They cannot be taken with some heart
medications, such as nitroglycerine, and
they aren’t covered by many insurance
companies, including some of the newer
plans that are coming onto the market,”
explains Dr. Perez. “They may also produce unpleasant side effects, such as
headache or upset stomach.” 7,8,9
Another option is drug therapy by
way of injection. Men may gain potency
by injecting medications directly into
the penis, causing it to become engorged
with blood and thereby erect.
“While the obvious advantage of
injection therapy is that it can be easily
self-administered,” adds Dr. Perez, “there
are aspects that make it unappealing to
some patients. These include penile
pain, fear of needles, fear of complications and lack of spontaneity.”14
For male urinary incontinence
there are non-surgical treatments
such as absorbent pads or diapers,
external penile clamps, or catheters. 13
“Non-surgical treatments just treat the
incident, not the underlying problem,”
states Dr. Perez. “In my experience,
patients are usually unhappy, complain
of discomfort and even infections.”
High-tech solution
State-of-the-art urology
in a caring environment
Urology Specialists of West Florida offers
the latest technology in an environment
conducive to patient comfort.
2 Convenient
Locations
TRINITY
2148 Duck Slough Blvd., Suite 102
(727) 375-1975
NEW PORT RICHEY
5305 Gulf Drive, Suite 4
(727) 847-0848
When it comes to medical approaches to
erectile dysfunction and incontinence,
American Medical Systems (AMS) has been
at the forefront of effective, leading-edge
PHOTO FROM ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
BOARD-CERTIFIED UROLOGISTS
PAUL ARNOLD, MD
YASER BASSEL, MD
DAVID DIPIAZZA, MD
LEON ESPIRITU, MD
BRIAN HALE, MD
DAVID JACOB, MD
RAMON PEREZ, MD
these complications, and it doesn’t mean
that anything was done wrong.”
“We need to encourage primary
caregivers, nurse practitioners, and PAs
to be diligent in asking about sexual
function and incontinence in patients,
particularly men after prostate surgeries,”
agrees David Jacob, MD.
technology, observes Ramon Perez, MD.
“The Urinary Control System and
the Male Sling System are both designed
to treat male urinary incontinence,”2,3,4 he
explains. “If the incontinence is moderate
to severe, the urinary control system is an
option.10 It is designed to restore the natural process of urinary control and mimic
a healthy sphincter, allowing the patient
to urinate when desired.11 The sling works
better in patients who are less incontinent2
but where the incontinence still significantly affects quality of life.”
Dr. Perez adds, “The sling is a
straightforward procedure with a low
rate of complications. 2 Most of the
incontinence we find after treatment for
prostate cancer is of low severity, so the
sling fills a very good niche. The male
sling has been around since 2008, and we
have the most experience with it.”
To restore sexual function, AMS
offers state of the art inflatable penile
prostheses.5 These prostheses are inflated
to provide rigidity, and once activated,
they enable the patient to maintain an
erection for as long as desired. When
deflated, the cylinders are designed to
deflate and become flaccid.12,5,6
“The implant provides the ability
to have an erection any time you choose
– whenever the mood strikes,” reports
Paul Arnold, MD. “Couples love this
option because they can be spontaneous,
and it typically does not interfere with
1. “What Are the Key Statistics about Prostate Cancer?” American Cancer Society.
Web. 21 Nov. 2014. <http://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostatecancer/detailedguide/
prostate-cancer-key-statistics>.
2. DeRidder, D., Webster, G. Clinical overview of the AdVance Male Sling in
post-prostatectomy incontinence. European Urology Supplements 10. 2011:401-406.
3. Montague D.K., Artificial urinary sphincter: long-term results and patient
satisfaction. Adv Urol. 2012:1.
4. AMS 800™ Urinary Control System Operating Room Manual. American
Medical Systems, Inc. 2014.
5. Levine LA, Estrada CR, Morgentaler A. Mechanical reliability and safety of,
and patient satisfaction with the Ambicor inflatable penile prosthesis: results of a
2 center study. J Urol. 2001 Sep;166(3): 932-7.
6. F. Montorsi, et al. AMS Three-Piece Inflatable Implants for Erectile Dysfunction: A
Long-Term Multi-Institution Study in 200 Consecutive Patients: Eur Urol. 2000; 37: 50-55.
ejaculation, or orgasm. In a study of
200 patients and 120 partners, both men
and their partners found the AMS 700TM
inflatable implant to be satisfying.”6
“It’s been my experience that both
partners and patients have the highest satisfaction rates with the penile
implant compared to other treatment
options,” says Dr. Perez. “I feel the
penile implant is the closest thing to a
natural erection. It looks flaccid when
it should be flaccid and looks full and
erect when it should be full and erect.
I feel that it is the gold standard in
ED treatment, far surpassing any other
modes of treatment.”5,6
“The penile implant was considered
a major surgery for many years; however, recently it has been performed as
an outpatient procedure. In my opinion it’s become a much more tolerable
surgery and my patients have less pain
and recovery time.
“There are many options for treatment of erectile dysfunction and
incontinence, and we encourage all
patients with these issues to seek out a
board-certified urologist,” concludes
Dr. Perez. “We have developed a Men’s
Health Clinic where patients can come
in and get information in one visit for
multiple modalities, including implants,
slings and sphincters. Call our office and
ask about our Men’s Health Clinic for
more information.” FHCN
7. Viagra® Prescribing Information, Revised January 2010.
8. Cialis® Prescribing Information, Revised October 2011.
9. Levitra® Prescribing Information, Revised November 2011.
10. Bauer R Gratzke C. Urinary incontinence following radical prostatectomy .
Eur Urol Rev. 2009: 48-51.
11. AMS 800™ Urinary Control System Instructions for Use. American Medical
Systems, Inc. 2011.
12. AMS 700™ Penile Prosthesis Product Line Instructions for Use. American
Medical Systems. 2012.
13. Moore K, Lucas M. Management of male urinary incontinence. Indian J.
Urol. 2010; 26(2):8-9.
14. Hatzimouratidis K, Hatzichristou D. How to treat erectile dysfunction in
men with diabetes: from pathophysiology to treatment. Curr Diab Rep. 2014
Nov;14(11):545.
™ † The denoted marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
The Ambicor and AMS 700 products are intended for use in the treatment of chronic, organic, male erectile dysfunction. Implantation will make latent natural or spontaneous erections as well as
other interventional treatment options impossible.
The AMS 800 Urinary Control System and AdVance Male Sling System are intended to treat male stress urinary incontinence. Potential adverse events include compromised device function, migration and recurrent incontinence.
See the product Instructions for Use for a complete listing of indication, contraindications, warnings, precautions and potential adverse events.
For more information about the risks and benefits of AMS products, visit www.professional.americanmedicalsystems.com.
South Tampa Edition | Spring 2015 | Tampa Health Care News | Page 11
IMPLANT DENTISTRY
Out of This World Smile
Pedro
Hernandez
Dental implants, the “gold standard” for replacing missing teeth,
can be an essential component of a complete oral rehabilitation.
P
edro Hernandez was suffering
with severe, long-term dental
challenges.
“I had a condition called
bruxism,” says Pedro.
Bruxism is a condition characterized by excessive grinding, clenching or
gnashing of the teeth. It often occurs
when the person is asleep and has no
awareness of the action. Stress can play
a factor, causing the patient to clench
during waking hours as well.
LUIS A. ALICEA, DMD, MSD
Comprehensive care
PHOTOS COURTESY OF YOUR DESIRED SMILE
Your Desired Smile offers a wide range
of cosmetic and restorative dental services
in a comfortable, reassuring environment.
The staff of Your Desired Smile has the
expertise and empathy to deal with
patients whose “dentalphobia” may have
BEFORE
AFTER
Dedicated to
your oral health
Dr. Alicea is accepting new
patients and welcomes the
opportunity to help you
improve your smile and
bite function. He invites the
readers of Tampa Health Care
News to call Your Desired
Smile at (813) 288-9700. The
office is located at 4129 W.
Kennedy Blvd., Suite 1, in
Tampa. Se habla Español.
About implants
When a person loses an entire tooth, the
surrounding bone begins to shrink. This
unhealthy bone loss can make the jaw
recede, leading to additional tooth loss.
Dental implants help prevent the deterioration of jaw bone, so the patient’s face
retains its natural shape. Traditional dentures, partials and bridges will not halt
bone recession, but dental implants can.
A dental implant is actually an artificial replacement for the root of a tooth.
The implant provides a foundation on
which permanent teeth or removable
teeth can be securely attached. Implants
can prevent deterioration of the bone
beneath the gums, help maintain the
fullness of the face and provide a balanced bite. They are an excellent option
for patients who want to improve their
dental health. Dental implants are now
considered the gold standard for replacement of missing teeth, whether a patient
is replacing a single tooth or a complete
upper or lower arch.
“The first stage is to place the
implants,” explains Dr. Alicea. “Dental
implants are made of titanium, which is
an extremely biocompatible material. It
is a strong substance that has the ability
FHCN PHOTO BY MARC EDWARDS
In Pedro’s case, the problem led to
multiple tooth loss, a disorder known
as partial edentulism.
“I was losing the teeth from my
gums,” he confides. “This went on for a
period of about three years.”
As a result of his dental situation,
Pedro endured stress, pain and embarrassment about his smile.
“It was painful,” he acknowledges.
“I couldn’t chew right and my gums
were very sensitive.”
After searching for a dental professional to help him, Pedro received a
life-changing referral: a friend recommended that he consult Luis A. Alicea,
DMD, MSD, of Your Desired Smile.
“My friend told me that Dr. Alicea
is a prosthodontist who specializes in full
mouth reconstruction, and that’s what
led me to him,” he says.
prevented them from having dental problems treated over the years.
“We address everything from minor
dental work with whitening or bonding
to veneers, crowns, inlays and onlays,
dentures, Invisalign and full-mouth restorations, including dental implants for
missing teeth,” explains Dr. Alicea.
For diagnostic and planning purposes, the dentist emphasizes the
importance of obtaining a 3D image of
the patient’s mouth; to that end, his office
has invested in high-tech equipment for
this purpose in the form of cone beam
computed tomography (CBCT).
“Cone beam technology for patient
imaging, diagnostics and treatment is
rapidly becoming a vital element in
dental practices,” Dr. Alicea observes.
“We now have the technology in our
practice to capture a three-dimensional
image of the entire mouth and all of its
surrounding structures.”
The data gathered from the CBCT
scanner allows 3D examination of the
teeth, jawbones, TMJs, the airway
and sinuses. In the dental area, threedimensional images allow precise planning
for many procedures, including prosthodontics, orthodontics, endodontics,
surgical implants, simple and complicated
extractions, periodontics, bone grafting,
apnea and TMJ (TMD). These images
can reveal decay, tooth abscesses and small
fractures that are not always visible in traditional, two-dimensional x-rays.
“We were the first practice in the
entire state of Florida to obtain the large
Scanora cone beam scanner that has the
capacity to take an image of the entire
head and neck area,” reports Dr. Alicea.
“Most practices have CT scanners that
take only a small view. We use this not
only for planning implant placement but
also for diagnosing TMJ (TMD), sleep
apnea and malignant lesions in the head.”
Pedro is able to smile, laugh and chew again with
confidence, thanks to Dr. Alicea and Your Desired Smile.
to actually bond to the bone, a process
called osseointegration.”
Implants can be used to replace
a single tooth, as well as to support
fixed bridges, improve the retention
of loose dentures and permanently
secure dentures.
During the placement of an
implant, the tissue over the implant site
is opened to expose the bone. A recipient space is created in the bone to the
precise shape of the implant, which is
then placed into the bone. The tissue is
repositioned and secured with sutures.
Once the implant and bone have
fused, over a period of two to four
months (depending on the patient’s
bone quality), the top of the implant is
uncovered and a replacement tooth is
attached to the implant.
Dr. Alicea determines the number,
position and direction in which to lay the
foundation with dental implants to maximize success. He also works carefully with
each patient to achieve the desired design
and aesthetics of the replacement teeth.
Excellent outcome
In Pedro’s case, his smile is dramatically
improved as a result of a comprehensive
oral rehabilitation.
“By the time Pedro saw us, he had
several teeth that had been destroyed
completely,” recalls Dr. Alicea. “He was
ultimately going to lose a large number of
teeth without intervention. He’d started
to develop TMD [temporomandibular joint disorder] and pain in his teeth
because there was some nerve exposure.
We had to perform a biological enhancement of wound healing and onlay a bone
graft and a bilateral sinus bone graft in
order to place a total of eight dental
implants, and he also required an extensive number of additional crowns. It’s
definitely like night and day.”
Pedro agrees, adding that Dr.
Alicea and his staff were very encouraging about his entire treatment plan
from the beginning.
“I began getting the work done in
the fall of 2012,” he says, “and the dentist was very up-front, letting me know
that this was going to be a process. It
wasn’t something that was going to be
completed overnight.”
Today, he feels great about his sparkling, new smile.
“I love my results. It’s not only the
aesthetic part, it’s the functional part,”
Pedro clarifies. “I feel good smiling,
laughing, eating – everything.”
He continues, “It’s a rejuvenation
of my youth: I feel like I’m fifteen years
younger just from having my mouth
restored. That comes from Dr. Alicea
doing such a great job.” FHCN–Michael J. Sahno
Luis A. Alicea, DMD,
MSD, received his
Doctor of Dental
Medicine and
Master of Science in
Dentistry degrees
from the University
of Puerto Rico, San
Juan. Dr. Alicea then
continued with extensive postgraduate
education in implant surgery, prosthodontics and conscious sedation. Dr.
Alicea is a past associate professor at
the University of Puerto Rico, San Juan.
He is a member of the International
Congress of Oral Implantologists,
the American Academy of Implant
Dentistry, the American Dental Society
of Anesthesiology, the American Dental
Association and numerous other professional organizations.
Visit Your Desired Smile on the web at www.yourdesiredsmile.com
Page 12 | Tampa Health Care News | Spring 2015 | South Tampa Edition
PAIN MANAGEMENT
PRP for
Knee Pain
Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy is a groundbreaking treatment in pain management that promotes
long-lasting healing of musculoskeletal conditions.
T
here’s no question that Phil
Meerovitz is a hard worker.
“I’ve been with my company for twenty-four years,
going on twenty-five,” he reports. “I’m
an account manager, and I usually start
my day at four forty-five in the morning and finish about five or six at night.
When I’m not driving, I’m on my feet all
day, setting up displays, taking orders or
doing sales presentations.”
ROBERT C. LUPO, DC
With so much time on his feet, Phil
could not afford to have pain in his joints
slowing him down. Unfortunately, such
pain was inevitable.
“I’m a pretty big guy,” he explains.
“I’m six feet three inches and three hundred pounds. I’m forty-nine now, but I’ve
already had my right knee replaced. That
was back in August of 2010.”
Phil did not want to have two artificial knees, so as his left knee also began to
show signs of wear from osteoarthritis, he
underwent pain-relieving injections.
“I’ve been getting cortisone in my
knee for the last ten years,” says Phil. Still,
“When I got home from work, the first
thing I would do is lie down and watch
TV,” he says, “and my knee would swell
and snap, crackle and pop from the arthritis. I had to ice it down as well.”
Rather than undergoing another knee
replacement surgery, Phil decided to try
a treatment offered by Physical Medicine
Center, a multidisciplinary care center in
Tampa offering chiropractic care, physical and massage therapy, medical care and
low-level laser therapy (LLLT).
“I’ve been going there for about seven
years,” he notes, “because once in a while
my back and my neck get out of whack.
I would be hobbling around because the
left knee was so destroyed that it started
to go up my back. I didn’t want to go
through another knee replacement, so
when they told me about this PRP treatment for my knee, I said, Let’s go for it. I’ve
got nothing to lose.”
About platelet-rich plasma
“Platelet activation plays a key role in the
process of wound and soft tissue healing,”
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
Phil Meerovitz
explains Dr. Robert C. Lupo, director of
Physical Medicine Center. “Over the past
twenty years, autologous platelet-rich
plasma, also known as PRP, has been
used safely and effectively throughout
the medical field – including in orthopedics, sports medicine, wound healing
and cosmetic procedures.”
Now, Physical Medicine Center is
offering platelet-rich plasma therapy for
some of these same disciplines.
“We offer PRP both for musculoskeletal and cosmetic purposes,” reports
Dr. Lupo. “We now have a joint program
for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the
joints of the knees, hips, shoulders and
spine. We also are using it to help re-grow
hair, for acne scars, for rejuvenation of the
skin and for anti-aging.”
PRP is showing exciting potential
with injured tendons, ligaments, muscles
and joints. The therapy has been used by
a wide variety of baseball and football
professionals for the purpose of aiding
in the healing of sports injuries.
“There are several treatments
for osteoarthritis out there,” adds
Manny Bashir, PA-C, “including nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medication,
cortisone injections and viscosupplementation. However, the only natural
healing of the body is through PRP
injections. When you have an injury
to a certain part of your body, such as
tendonitis or a sprain, the body’s natural
healing process delivers a high concentration of platelets directly to the area.
This is basically what PRP does.”
“PRP therapy is performed in much
the same way as when a patient has
routine blood work through his or her
primary care physician,” explains Dr.
Lupo. “My staff will draw blood in our
office. PRP is taken from the blood and
specially prepared by spinning down the
blood cells to a high concentration. The
blood is spun in a centrifuge and then
the PRP is separated and removed from
the rest of the blood.”
“After we extract the blood from
your body and centrifuge it, we inject
the plasma into the area where you have
the injury,” adds Manny. “Sometimes in
osteoarthritis, the body does not recognize
the pain as an injury because it’s a chronic,
progressive injury. It does not perform the
natural healing process. So we actually
have to do this for the body itself.”
PRP contains many growth factors
Phil is
“feeling great”
thanks to PRP
therapy.
that can stimulate healing, including vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF),
transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β),
platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF),
fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and
epidermal growth factor (EGF). “We are
actually concentrating these growth factors to about five times what they would
normally be,” explains Manny, “so we’re
getting this supersaturated liquid injected
back into a joint that already has about
ten different growth factors within it,
which is pretty amazing.”
Thanks to the PRP treatment,
patients like Phil can obtain pain relief
without undergoing invasive joint
replacement surgery.
“Surgery really should be a last
resort,” Dr. Lupo cautions, “because of
the scarring and the problems that can
come afterward, such as infection. We
hear of people all the time dying of blood
clots and things secondary to some simple, elective surgery that could have been
prevented altogether. This is a way to
avoid surgery and still relieve the pain.”
“Like a miracle”
After his very first PRP treatment, Phil
began to see major results.
“First, I noticed that my knee stopped
cracking and popping every time I got up
off the bed,” he recalls. “Then I noticed
the soreness was no longer there – the
pain was gone.
Robert C. Lupo, DC, is the
clinic director and chiropractic
physician of Physical Medicine
Center, which offers chiropractic
care, medical care, and physical
therapy, including spinal decompression, massage therapy,
addiction management, bio-identical hormone
replacement, HCG weight loss, and the ZERONA
laser for body contouring. Dr. Lupo received his
Doctor of Chiropractic degree from Life University
in Marietta, GA, and has done postgraduate work
in nutrition, chiropractic orthopedics, neurology,
spinal disc injury care, and auto accident injury
care. He is a member of the American Academy
of Anti-Aging Physicians.
“The following weekend, my girlfriend Sherry and I went out Friday
night, Saturday night and Sunday. It
was the first time I’ve danced in probably seven years.”
“Phil actually called us up with a
glowing report,” confi rms Dr. Lupo.
“He said, I haven’t been out of pain in
my knee in years, and I went dancing this
weekend. I’m going out and doing things
I haven’t done in a long time, all because
my knee feels better.”
Just six weeks out from his treatment,
Phil is as excited today as he was initially.
“This past Friday, I was off work and
I worked in the yard the whole day. I did
the yard, I hedged, I trimmed…something I had not done in five years. To be
able to do all the yard work in one day,
and still have energy to go out the same
night without the pain I used to have, I
couldn’t believe it.”
Phil’s friends and colleagues are similarly amazed.
“They see me now, and they can’t
believe it either,” he says. “It’s like, He’s
a new bionic man with no surgeries. Even
Dr. Lupo could not believe the difference
when he saw me. I had a smile on my face,
because I had no pain.
“This stuff is like a miracle,” marvels
Phil. “I wish I had it done ten years ago.
I’m turning fifty next April, but I almost
feel like I’m forty again. I feel great.”
FHCN–Michael J. Sahno
For radiant
health
Physical Medicine Center
is a multidisciplinary
treatment and care center
in New Tampa. The office is
located at 14522 University
Point Place. To schedule
a consultation, please call
(813) 978-0020.