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Winter 2015
Featured
ARTICLES
BIO-NATURAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
Write to Live in
6
Harmony
Brandon Cataract
Center and Eye Clinic
New Tests
Tell a Story
A Tampa author is back to creating
works of fiction, thanks to bio-natural
hormone replacement therapy.
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FHCN PHOTO BY MARC EDWARDS
A
published author, Jacquie
Galvin is used to burning
the midnight oil when it
comes to getting the next
chapter completed in her series of novels, Tease of Murder.
“I stay up late when I am in the
middle of writing one of my books, but
when all I wanted to do was sleep and
not write, I knew something was just off,”
Jacquie explains. “My novels are my inspiration and when I had such a depletion
of energy, where I had no focus and an
inability to write effectively, I had to figure out what to do to get back on track.”
At 42, Jacquie had a full hysterectomy, but menopausal symptoms stayed
at bay for many years afterward.
“Doctors, at that time, told me the
hysterectomy was medically necessary
because of a family history of ovarian cancer, so I did it,” Jacquie says. “Most women
say menopausal symptoms start to show
pretty quickly after a hysterectomy, but not
for me. I was fine for several years.”
Then, when she turned 50, Jacquie
developed shingles, a painful skin rash
caused by the chickenpox virus, in her eye.
“Worst pain I ever felt in my life,”
Jacquie shares. “It was debilitating. I
couldn’t write with that, either. I was put
on medication for the shingles and it got
better, but shortly thereafter the menopausal symptoms began to kick in.
“The hot flashes were unbearable
and they came almost overnight,” she
continues. “I had night sweats and my
focus was completely off. I could never
gather my thoughts together properly.
I muddled through the days. I was
extremely fatigued, to the point where I
was no longer writing at all. Just going to
the grocery store was an ordeal. It took
all the energy I had. All I did was work
Jacquie Galvin is back to writing her novels, thanks to
the bio-natural L3 pellet hormone replacement therapy
at Infinity Medical Institute.
and go home and collapse in bed because
sleeping is all I wanted to do.”
Jacquie holds several book signings a
year, and even embarks on a few tours, to
promote her book series.
“I need to be alert and awake for
book signings, so I needed my energy
back,” she says. “I decided I was going
to take care of myself once and for all. I
assumed it was my hormones, but was not
convinced, until I had my hormone levels
checked at Infinity Medical Institute. It
was definitely the hormones. My levels
were all over the place.”
Bio-natural therapy
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 bionatural 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 bioidentical match to the body’s own composition, whereas synthetic hormones
can be as little as six to eight percent
bio-identical.
The bio-natural L3 pellet hormone
replacement therapy is the most natural and
effective solution for hormone-related issues.
A traditional hysterectomy only
involves the removal of the uterus, whereas
a complete hysterectomy, which was the case
with Jacquie, removes the ovaries, which are
responsible for producing the hormones.
“The minute a woman comes out of
surgery following a complete hysterectomy,
she’s postmenopausal,” explains Michael
Montemurro, president and owner of
Infinity Medical Institute. “The body can
never restore lost hormones again unless it
is done endogenously, like we do here with
the bio-natural L3 pellet therapy.”
Michael emphasizes that patients
appreciate the all-natural products used
at Infinity Medical Institute.
“Our pellet hormone therapy really
helps to give us an edge as we provide
patients with a product that is allnatural, and we stand behind it,”
Michael says. “It’s the most eff ective
hormone treatment on the market.”
“Bio-natural hormone replacement
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,” explains
Moriah R. Moffitt, MD, Infinity Medical
Institute’s staff physician.
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, like Jacquie
and Marli, 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.”
Don’t sweat it
Marli Fracaro was in her late 40s when the
hot flashes and night sweats began.
“I have friends who had been going
through menopause for years before me and
they would tell me about the hot flashes,
but you have no idea how bad they can
be until it happens to you,” she explains.
(see Write to Live in Harmony, page 4)
12
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Manatee Memorial
Hospital
XLIF® for
Back Pain Relief
Back Pain Institute
of West Florida, P.A.
Decompress
That Discomfort
Regenerative
Orthopedic Institute
Connections Restored
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Eye Clinic
Eye Floaters?
Sarasota Foot
and Ankle Center
Eliminate
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Beware of Hernias
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William P.
Mack, MD
Surgeon Takes
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For more information, scan the
barcode to the right with your
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Page 2 | Florida Health Care News | Winter 2015 | Brandon/Sun City Center Edition
SPECIALITY CARE HOSPITAL
XLIF® for Back Pain Relief
Minimally invasive spine surgery allows for increased
accuracy, fewer complications and
shorter hospital stays.
A
s people age, a more sedentary
lifestyle, coupled with arthritis
and changes in the discs that
make up the spine, can lead to
a variety of conditions that cause severe,
even debilitating, back pain. Beverly
Marshall’s pain manifested as hip pain that
traveled down the back of her leg. “When
I got up out of a chair, it would take me
a while to get up and get walking because
the nerve was being pinched,” she recalls.
SAJEEV K. NAIR, MD
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
She dealt with the pain for several months. “I would have to stand
for a few minutes and hang on to the
counter,” she remembers. “Once I got
up and going, even though the pain was
there, I could work through it.”
A New Hampshire native who
moved to Florida in 1976 to escape the
harsh New England winters, Beverly
retired in 1999 after working for the City
of Bradenton and the Manatee School
Board. Her back condition hindered
some of her favorite activities, like line
dancing and bowling with her league.
Last year, her husband finally convinced her to seek help, so Beverly
Beverly Marshall
Please visit Manatee
Memorial Hospital online at
ManateeMemorial.com
Manatee Memorial Hospital has a
long tradition of providing medical
care in a comfortable and convenient
environment for thousands of
patients. Serving the community
for more than 60 years, the 319-bed,
acute-care facility offers access to
more than 500 physicians and allied
health professionals, with a broad
range of specialties.
Physicians affiliated with Manatee
Memorial Hospital can offer patients
the added benefit and convenience
of services like x-rays, laboratory tests
and MRIs, all conducted in one place.
consulted her primary care physician.
He referred her to Sajeev K. Nair, MD, a
board-certified orthopedic surgeon at the
International Center for Advanced Spine
and Orthopedic Surgery in Bradenton.
“She had back arthritis, spinal stenosis
and scoliosis,” Dr. Nair reports. “She had
severe back pain and sciatica, a nerve pain
that extends down the back of the leg.”
Dr. Nair determined that Beverly
would be a good candidate for a revolutionary procedure known as eXtreme
Lateral Interbody Fusion (XLIF). He
performed Beverly’s surgery at Manatee
Memorial Hospital in May of 2013.
About XLIF
XLIF is a minimally invasive procedure
that differs from traditional spine surgeries in that surgeons gain access to the
spinal column through the side of the
body instead of through the front or back.
“The traditional way is to either go
through the belly and take the disc out
and put implants in, or go through the
back and take out the bone [a procedure
called laminectomy] and go through the
spinal cord,” explains Dr. Nair. “This
can lead to significant blood loss, a prolonged hospital stay and complications.”
In contrast, XLIF, which Dr. Nair has
been performing since 2007, is a minimally invasive procedure with almost no
blood loss, a one-inch incision, fewer
potential complications, a shorter hospital
stay and a quicker recovery.
With the patient lying on his or her side
on the operating table, surgeons use a small
incision, known as a stab incision, to insert
a series of hollow tubes through the skin,
expertly guiding them around the muscle
and into the affected area of the spine.
“We are not cutting deep muscle; we
are not cutting ligaments; we are not cutting the bone,” describes Dr. Nair. “We
just make an entry point in the skin so
that we can put instruments in place. We
go right into the spine, then do the operation without causing any bleeding or
damage and very little scarring.”
During the procedure, patients are
continuously and closely monitored
using fluoroscopy and neural monitors
to ensure that there is no nerve damage
to the area, assures Dr. Nair.
The tubes are directed into the correct area and the bad discs are removed.
Using powerful magnifying glasses
through the tubes, the surgeon then
inserts a prosthetic disc implant that
restores disc height and provides support. “There is no blood loss,” says Dr.
Nair. “Once the procedure is finished,
nerve pinching is gone and the pain
is gone, and patients feel significantly
Beverly is
again able
to enjoy her
favorite
activities now
that she’s
pain free.
better. Patients can walk the same day.”
Dr. Nair is currently the only spine surgeon in Manatee County performing this
revolutionary procedure on a regular basis.
He has performed hundreds of the procedures with excellent results over the years.
For patients suffering from degenerative disc disease (bulging discs),
degenerative spondylolisthesis (slipped
discs), degenerative scoliosis (a curvature
of the spine) or badly ruptured discs who
have already tried traditional methods
such as medication, physical therapy and
even spinal epidurals, XLIF can mean
relief from pain and a return to an active
lifestyle, without the discomfort of traditional spine surgery.
“We have helped hundreds of people regain quality of life,” reports Dr.
Nair. “Our goal is to make patients
completely pain free.”
Exceptional experience
Manatee Memorial Hospital offers a
unique approach for patients choosing
to have a procedure at its Center for
Orthopedic and Spine Surgery. Instead
of considering these patients as “sick,”
they are instead regarded as choosing to
undergo a procedure that will improve
their quality of life. As such, Manatee
Memorial Hospital works diligently to
ensure that patients get back on their feet
– both physically and psychologically – as
quickly as possible.
For instance, prior to their surgeries,
orthopedic and spine surgery patients – as
THE BEST POSSIBLE CARE
Trust your care to Manatee Memorial Hospital. The
hospital also offers a number of programs to help
educate the public about maintaining or regaining
health. For information about health issues, visit
www.manateememorial.com, or call the marketing
department at (941) 745-7545. Manatee Memorial
Hospital is located at 206 2nd St. East in Bradenton.
well as their family members and caregivers – attend a class that explains in detail
what to expect before, during and after
the procedure. Topics include exercise,
fall prevention, pain management and
training in activities of daily living like
bathing and dressing. These classes ensure
that patients are as prepared as possible
for their procedures and their recoveries.
Beverly is glad that she chose
Manatee Memorial Hospital for her
care. “I prefer Manatee Memorial over
any other hospital in the area, personally,” she acknowledges. “I’ve had quite
a few things done there. I like the people; I like their care.”
Though she spent the first few
months following her XLIF procedure
limited to walking and taking it easy,
Beverly now is able to enjoy bowling
and other activities again. “I walk almost
every night, weather permitting; we have
line dancing lessons and a bowling league
that I am able to do again,” she offers.
Even better, she no longer has to hang
on to the counter every time she stands
up to wait for the pain to pass. Now, she
assures, “I can pop right up, no problem.”
FHCN–Melanie Casey
Sajeev K. Nair, MD, is
a board-certified orthopedic surgeon and
fellowship-trained spine
surgeon. Dr. Nair earned
his Bachelor of Medicine
and Bachelor of Surgery
(MBBS) degree and Medical
Officer degree from the University of Kerala,
India, followed by a Master of Surgery degree
in orthopedic surgery from the University of
Sambalpur, India. In 1997, Dr. Nair completed
a general surgery internship at Howard
University Hospital in Washington, DC, followed by an orthopedic surgery residency at
the Howard University School of Medicine. He
completed a spine surgery (minimally invasive)
fellowship in 2007. Dr. Nair is a member of the
American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons.
PHYSICIANS ARE INDEPENDENT PRACTITIONERS WHO ARE NOT EMPLOYEES OR AGENTS OF MANATEE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.
THE HOSPITAL SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ACTIONS OR TREATMENTS PROVIDED BY PHYSICIANS.
Brandon/Sun City Center Edition | Winter 2015 | Florida Health Care News | Page 3
CHIROPRACTIC
Decompress That Discomfort
For patients suffering with chronic back problems, the VAX-D
treatment provides relief without injections or surgery.
J
im Valliere was a little surprised to
discover that he was having problems with back pain.
“I had never had any back
issues before,” he explains. “It wasn’t
anything that happened to me – I wasn’t
in a car accident or anything like that –
it just developed over time.”
Once the pain started, it worsened,
says Jim.
DR. CRAIG S. ADERHOLDT
Jim Valliere
Call Back Pain
Institute of West
Florida today for
more information on:
VAX-D
Back and neck pain
Headaches
Spinal stenosis
Sciatica
Kinesiology
Manipulation Under
Anesthesia (MUA)
Automobile accident injuries
About VAX-D
“Chiropractic adjustments alone can actually relieve many patients’ pain,” notes Dr.
Aderholdt. “However, for select patients
with sciatica, or herniated, bulging or
degenerated discs, the VAX-D treatment
has proven extremely effective.”
VAX-D is a patented, FDA-approved
medical decompression technique for alleviating pressure on the discs of the lumbar
spine; it is not a traction device. There are
approximately 15 to 20 VAX-D tables in
use in the state of Florida, and five of these
are at Back Pain Institute of West Florida.
During treatment, the patient relaxes
on a comfortable, computer-controlled
table, secured with a pelvic belt. Carefully
specified tension and pressure changes
guide the use of VAX-D, allowing the
therapist to focus decompression at the
exact level of spinal dysfunction.
VAX-D’s computerized system
enables the table to make subtle but
targeted movements, which creates a powerful vacuum within the disc space. This
vacuum gently draws the disc back to its
proper orientation, pulling nutrient-rich
spinal fluid into the disc and stimulating
repair cells, effectively mending the disc.
“Nothing else can create such a powerful vacuum,” assures Dr. Aderholdt,
“which is what makes VAX-D such a
valuable tool for pain relief. There are
imitators, but the vacuum effect is the
most powerful one known; it doesn’t
allow muscles to contract like other
machines might. In fact, VAX-D is the
only nonsurgical treatment that has
been clinically proven to reduce disc
pressure to negative levels.
“The VAX-D treatment has a long
track record of many satisfied patients
over the years. Long-term studies have
actually shown that VAX-D is effective in
more than eighty-eight percent of patients
who go through the treatment.”
Many patients report a significant
Get “back” to wellness …
naturally!
VAX-D may be the treatment that
helps you avoid an unnecessary
surgery. For additional information,
or to schedule a free consultation,
please call (941) 756-5528 for
the office at 5221 26 th St. West
in Bradenton.
Jim is thrilled with the results of VAX-D treatment.
reduction in back pain within just a
few treatments, but the total healing
process takes longer. The reason it takes
a longer period of time, Dr. Aderholdt
notes, is that bulging or herniated discs
require several VAX-D sessions to fully
reposition themselves.
“Some patients think that they will
get relief after a handful of sessions and
they can just quit, but that’s not the case,”
he explains. “You must follow through
with all of the required treatments.”
Thanks to VAX-D, most people do not require back surgery, adds
Dr. Aderholdt.
“Whenever an invasive procedure can be avoided and noninvasive
measures used instead, the risk of complications is significantly reduced. Many
back pain sufferers are good candidates
for VAX-D. The treatment can alleviate
low back pain, numbness and tingling,
and pain radiating down the leg.
“I consider VAX-D one of the most
effective nonsurgical medical treatments
for low back pain and sciatica today. This
revolutionary technology is one more
tool I can offer my patients as we work
toward relieving pain and maintaining
the health of the lumbar spine.”
Impressive outcome
Jim reports that the VAX-D treatment
was both painless and effective.
“It was a very comfortable experience
for me,” he assures. “It took a little while,
but over time I started to notice that the
discomfort was starting to lessen greatly.”
Soon, Jim was both seeing and
feeling the difference.
“Dr. Aderholdt did a series of
x-rays,” he says, “so I could see the original x-ray where there was the pinching
of the nerve, and then a couple of weeks
later, I could see the space starting to
widen. That was very encouraging.”
The results became obvious during
his trips to Back Pain Institute, adds Jim.
“Dr. Aderholdt’s office is about a
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
“It was causing a severe amount of
discomfort,” he recalls. “It interfered with
sitting for any extended period of time; it
even interfered with my sleep.
“At first, I thought it must have
been a pulled muscle or something…
but then it wasn’t going away.”
Jim decided to go to his wife’s
trusted chiropractor, Dr. Craig S.
Aderholdt of the Back Pain Institute of
West Florida, who offers VAX-D therapy for select patients.
“I had never been there before,” he
clarifies, “but my wife is a patient of Dr.
Aderholdt’s and she likes him. Her treatment has worked out very well, too.”
Once there, Jim was very pleased
with the treatment he received at his
first consultation.
“I was in a situation where I wanted
to find out what was wrong as quickly as
I could,” he confides. “I was very happy
with going to see Dr. Aderholdt, because
he took me in immediately and he was
sensitive to the fact that I was in pain. I
thought he was extremely accommodating to get me in and at least get to the
root of the problem as quickly as possible.
“He did an x-ray and read it that
day and showed me right away what
was wrong: there was a compression of
a couple of discs that ended up pinching a nerve.”
Dr. Aderholdt recommended a
course of VAX-D treatment, and Jim
agreed to try it.
forty-minute drive,” he explains. “The
first time I drove there, I had an extreme
amount of discomfort just from sitting
in the car and driving. But within a couple weeks, I was able to make that drive
without any problem.”
For those suffering with chronic pain
– particularly anyone considering invasive
surgery – Jim has a piece of advice.
“I didn’t want to have any kind of
an invasive operation,” he reflects. “The
option of having the VAX-D treatment,
as opposed to an invasive surgical procedure, was really the way that I wanted
to go. For anyone who has lower back
pain, I would investigate VAX-D as
an option: just check it out before
having any kind of invasive surgery.”
FHCN–Michael J. Sahno
Craig S. Aderholdt, DC,
received his undergraduate
degree from the Pennsylvania
State University, State College,
and his Doctor of Chiropractic
degree from Life University
School of Chiropractic, Marietta,
GA, where he graduated cum
laude. Dr. Aderholdt also holds certification in
Chiropractic Adjunctive Physiotherapy from New
York Chiropractic College and completed extensive
postgraduate training in therapeutic modalities at
National-Lincoln School. He is a member of the
Florida Chiropractic Association and American
Chiropractic Association and is a certified VAX-D
consultant. He was also voted the Bradenton
Herald People’s Choice Awards Winner for 2008.
Does your MRI show a
herniated, bulging or
degenerated disc?
If your MRI shows disc herniation,
a bulging disc or degenerative
disc disease, you may be a
candidate for VAX-D. Contact Dr.
Aderholdt’s office at (941) 7565528 today, and bring your MRI
to your first consultation.
Please visit them on the web at www.backpaininstitutewfl.com.
Page 4 | Florida Health Care News | Winter 2015 | Brandon/Sun City Center Edition
BIO-NATURAL HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY
Write to Live in Harmony
215 Bullard Parkway
Temple Terrace, FL 33617
(813) 989-1330
(continued from page 1)
Hormonal balance
Bio-natural L pellet hormone
replacement is the most natural
and effective solution for hormonerelated issues, says Dr. Moffitt.
“Hormones act as the body’s
messengers,” she states. “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. They also play a role in
many health conditions such as
diabetes, an over- or underactive
thyroid, osteoporosis, obesity,
anxiety and depression.”
In women, the two essential hormones are estrogen and
progesterone. These, along with
the traditionally male hormone
testosterone, are produced in the
ovaries. They all work along with
the unisex follicle stimulating
hormone (FSH) and luteinizing
hormone (LH). All of these hormones, together, have specific
functions in a normal female
reproductive system.
Patient satisfaction
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 to
connect with that patient.
“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 adds.
“I feel like I am stress free
for the first time in years,”
Marli says. “My emotions are
on an even level all the time
Marli Fracaro
Barry P. Levine
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
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.
and it is a great feeling.”
Jacquie says she feels better than she has in years and is
happy to be able to be back out
on her book signings, meeting
her fans.
“It has really changed my
life and for the better,” Jacquie
raves. “I have a renewed sense of
energy that I have not had in a
long time. The staff is great to
work with and very caring about
all of their patients. I am so glad
I found them. I feel fantastic!”
Marli agrees that the staff
and personable care at Infinity
Medical Institute are top-notch.
“The doctors and the rest of
the staff are stellar,” Marli says.
“In fact, I think I have even convinced my boyfriend to go to
them, so that says something.
He has noticed such a tremendous change in my attitude and
overall health. It’s the best money
I have ever spent.” FHCN–Judy Wade
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
Nerissa Johnson
Graphic Designer
Marc Edwards
Nerissa Johnson
Photography
Brian Levine
Project Coordinator
Laura Engel
Production Assistant
Steve Turk
John Gnibus
Vincent Ortiz
Aaron Ogden
Distribution
Contributing Editors
Infinity Medical Institute
Bio-Natural Hormone
Replacement Therapy
Manatee Memorial Hospital
Specialty Care Hospital
Back Pain Institute
of West Florida, P.A.
Chiropractic
Regenerative
Orthopedic Institute
Orthopedics
Brandon Cataract Center
and Eye Clinic
Ophthalmology
South Florida Eye Clinic
Ophthalmology
Sarasota Foot and Ankle Center
Podiatry
3
Jacquie
Galvin
Winter 2015
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARLI FRACARO
“It was crippling for me.”
On top of the hot flashes,
Marli was also experiencing
vertigo, or dizziness.
“I could barely stand up
and when I would lie down in
bed at night, the room was spinning,” she shares.
For 27 years, Marli has
worked in customer service for
United Airlines. Suddenly, performing her daily tasks became
troublesome.
“I had to take two weeks
off from my job because of the
vertigo,” she explains. “And to
top that off, my emotions were
all over the place. I would go
to the grocery store and come
home and put the bags on the
counter and start crying. Just
doing the laundry became an
overwhelming task.”
Similar to Jacquie, lack of
focus was another recurring issue
for Marli.
“One day, I was driving
down the road, a very familiar
path, and I totally forgot where
I was and where I was going,”
Marli admits. “At that very
moment, I knew my hormones
were out of whack. It was almost
instinctual. I just knew it. My
focus was all over the place.”
Marli was referred to Infinity
Medical Institute by a friend.
“I started pellet therapy in
May and it has helped me with
so many different things,” she
relays. “Not only with the hormones, but it has also helped
with the joint pain I was having
as well. I’ve lost some weight and
I regained a lot of lean muscle.
I feel like a new person, really.”
Florida Health
Care News
Symptoms Treated with
David A. Napoliello, MD, FACS
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
For more information, please visit www.infinitymedicalinstitute.com.
Minimally Invasive
General Surgery
Caban Skin Institute
Dermatology
The Hearing Care Center
Clinical Audiology
William P. Mack, MD
Facial Cosmetic Surgery/
Oculoplastic Surgery
Manatee Sarasota Eye Clinic
Ophthalmology
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ORTHOPEDICS
Brandon/Sun City Center Edition | Winter 2015 | Florida 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 | Florida Health Care News | Winter 2015 | Brandon/Sun City Center Edition
OPHTHAL
New Tests Tell a Story
E
veryone sheds tears, and not just
when they’re sad. Healthy eyes
produce tears at all times, and
when a person blinks, the tears
spread across the front surface of the eye,
lubricating it. Tears also clear the eyes of
debris and protect them from infection.
There are factors, however, that can interfere with this natural process, leading to a
condition called dry eye syndrome.
“Dry eye is a very common disease,
often referred to as an ocular surface disease,” explains Ana-Maria Oliva, MD, a
board-certified ophthalmologist at Brandon
Cataract Center and Eye Clinic. “Many
people do not even know that they have
dry eye, but they do experience some of
the symptoms. It’s not until they come in
to the office and we examine them that
they realize that many of their symptoms
are actually coming from dry eye.
“The most common symptoms are
decreased vision or intermittent blurred
vision, a dry sensation and a foreign body
sensation. Some people experience eye
fatigue, redness, double vision and glare,
and some actually have tearing.”
Dry eye can result when the glands
around the eyes that make tears do not
make enough. On the other hand, people
with dry eye may produce enough tears, but
the tears are of poor quality and do not adequately serve the functions of lubricating,
protecting and nourishing the eyes. Several
factors can lead to this syndrome.
“The common causes of dry eye are age,
hormonal changes, autoimmune diseases,
systemic medications, long-term contact lens
wear, a history of LASIK surgery, decreased
blink and blepharitis [inflammation of the
eyelid],” states Dr. Oliva.
In addition, dry climates and exposure
to wind, smoke and other environmental conditions can also contribute to the
development of dry eye. Due to the effect
of hormonal changes, it aff ects women
more often than men.
Treatment options
Dr. Oliva points out that physicians often
neglect dry eye syndrome, but it can be
a severe and debilitating disease, so it’s
important to identify and treat it in a timely
fashion. Treatment for dry eye usually begins
with the use of artificial tears and progresses
until symptoms are under control.
GREGORY L. HENDERSON, MD, FACS, P.A.
LAURIE ANGLIN, MD
RONNI M. CHEN, MD
BRADLEY D. FOURAKER, MD
DEEN G. KING, MD
WILLIAM P. MACK, MD
CRAIG E. MUNGER, MD, PHD
D. SCOTT NICHOLS, MD
WILLIAM A. REEVES, MD
IGNATIUS C. CYRIAC, MD
MARGUERITE KOHLHEPP, MD
DAN P. MONTZKA, MD
ANA-MARIA OLIVA, MD
NANDESH N. PATEL, MD
L. RAY ALONZO, OD
JAMES X. LAWRENCE, OD
EDWARD J. HUGGETT, JR., OD, P.A.
five, suffer from dry eye. Also, the majority – 75 percent – of Americans over age 65
experience some symptoms of the syndrome.
This last statistic is significant because
that is a likely age group for cataract surgery, and dry eye can have an impact on the
outcome of that procedure if it has not been
properly treated before surgery.
“It is significant in the cataract practice,” describes Dr. Oliva. “It affects patients’
vision after cataract surgery. They’re typically
not as happy with their vision afterward, so
it is very important to identify and treat
dry eye before any kind of cataract surgery
because it will affect the outcome.
“It influences their measurements preoperatively, so it affects our ability to do
accurate calculations for the lens implant
that’s used during the surgery, and that
affects the patient’s vision after surgery.”
Further, cataract surgery can worsen dry
eye that was not previously treated, and, in
some cases, lead to dry eye afterward. Postcataract surgery dry eye can have a negative
effect on both visual outcomes and postoperative recovery time.
attacks the moisture-producing glands in
the eyes and mouth. Besides causing these
areas to be dry, it also puts the mouth and
eyes at risk for infection. Complications can
occur in other areas of the body as well,
including the liver and kidneys.
Dr. Oliva notes that when a patient
doesn’t respond to any of the standard treatments for dry eye or has a concurrent dry
mouth, she begins to suspect that there’s
more to the condition. Now, there’s a new
test that enables ophthalmologists to detect
Sjögren’s syndrome and initiate treatment,
and referral if necessary.
Sneaky syndrome
“My preference is preservative-free
artificial tears several times a day and a
lubricating ointment at nighttime,” notes
the doctor. “If that doesn’t help, I usually
move on to punctal plugs in the tear drainage ducts. The next step would be Restasis®,
which is a drop that helps patients produce
their own tears, and steroid drops.
“If none of that works, then I offer
autologous serum drops. We draw the
patient’s blood, spin it and remove the serum
from the blood. Then we turn the serum into
drops that the patient puts into their own
eyes. It’s incredibly effective.”
Cataract surgery impact
Dry eye is a very common condition that is
also part of the aging process. One survey
found that 59 million Americans, or one in
Sometimes, however, dry eye is more than
dry eyes. Dry eye can be a symptom of something larger, more serious.
“It could be a manifestation of an
autoimmune disease,” reports Dr. Oliva.
“Sjögren’s syndrome is an autoimmune disease that gives you dry eyes and dry mouth.
It’s important to identify this early because
Sjögren’s can be treated systemically, and it
responds very well to Restasis.
“The other issue is that there’s an
increased lifetime risk of lymphoma with a
patient who has Sjögren’s disease.”
With an autoimmune disease, the
body’s immune system, which protects it
against harmful intruders such as bacteria, viruses, toxins and cancer cells, begins
to attack normal, healthy tissue. With
Sjögren’s syndrome, the immune system
How well do you see?
Dr. Oliva tests her
patient’s vision.
“In the past, rheumatologists have been
the ones primarily responsible for diagnosing and managing Sjögren’s disease,” she
comments, “but there’s a new test available, called the Sjö test, that incorporates
the traditional Sjögren’s testing along with
Stat
Sjögren’s S
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
T
Dr. Oliva gets a
closer look to
examine the health
of the patient’s eyes.
h e S j ö g r e n’s S y n d r o m e
Foundation reports that as
many as 4,000,000 Americans
are suffering with this disease, and nine
out of ten of those are women. It is
one of the most common autoimmune
disorders. Research has shown that it
affects virtually every racial and ethnic
group. The disorder typically appears
between the ages of 45 and 55, but can
occur at any age.
Sjögren’s is a systemic disorder,
which means it influences the entire
body. While it most often causes dry
eyes and dry mouth, it can also affect
the kidneys, blood vessels, liver, pancreas, gastrointestinal system and
central nervous system. About 50 percent of the time, a patient has Sjögren’s
Brandon/Sun City Center Edition | Winter 2015 | Florida Health Care News | Page 7
LMOLOGY
Some common eye
conditions, debilitating on
their own, can also affect the
outcome of cataract surgery
if not detected and treated
promptly and properly. Two
new tests can help.
three new biomarkers. It greatly increases
the sensitivity and the specificity of testing
for Sjögren’s disease.
“With this testing, we’ve been able to
identify patients with Sjögren’s that we were
never able to identify before and get them
treated much earlier. It also improves access
to the testing because it can be done by the
ophthalmologist who’s already treating the
dry eye in the clinic.”
Dr. Oliva emphasizes that if anything
abnormal is detected on the test, which
involves drawing blood through a simple
finger prick, she promptly refers the patient
to a rheumatologist for additional testing
and treatment. Otherwise, she can begin to
treat the Sjögren’s appropriately.
“It allows me to move beyond the
drops when the patient keeps coming in
and doesn’t respond,” she says. “We do
everything we can, and finally we realize
that their symptoms are due to a systemic
disease. Once we start treating them systemically, finally their symptoms start improving.
“I think it’s important to identify these
patients early on because it can decrease the
frequency of their appointments, decrease
the cost of their medications and decrease
the amount of medication we have to use
before we identify the real problem.”
Seeing the future
Like dry eye and Sjögren’s syndrome, other
ocular diseases can affect or limit patients’
vision before and after cataract surgery. One
of these is macular degeneration.
The macula is a small area near the center of the retina, the light-sensitive tissue
that lines the back of the eye. The macula
is responsible for providing the sharp central vision that allows for seeing fine details
and color. When the macula begins to break
down or deteriorate, it is called macular
degeneration. As it is more common in people as they get older, it is often referred to as
age-related macular degeneration, or AMD.
AMD has two forms, a dry form and a
ts on
Syndrome
syndrome alone. The rest of the time, it
occurs with another autoimmune disorder or connective tissue disease such as
rheumatoid arthritis or lupus.
Because the symptoms of Sjögren’s
are similar to many other disorders, it
is often overlooked or misdiagnosed. In
fact, it can take several years to reach a
proper diagnosis. This is where the Sjö
test can have a significant impact in
detecting Sjögren’s sooner.
Sjögren’s syndrome was named
for Swedish physician Henrik Sjögren
who, in 1933, first described the disorder
when he noticed that a group of female
patients he was treating for chronic
arthritis was also suffering with dry eyes
and dry mouth. Much has been learned
about the syndrome since that time.
Dr. Oliva explains
the workings of the
inner eye to one of
her patients.
wet form. With the dry form, the macular
tissue itself begins to deteriorate; with the
wet form, new blood vessels begin to grow
underneath the retina. About 90 percent of
AMD patients have the dry form and ten
percent have the wet form. In about ten
percent of patients, the dry form of AMD
progresses into the wet form. Wet AMD is
a leading cause of legal blindness in people
over age 50 in the developed world.
Until now, there was no way to determine who of the 90 percent of patients
would end up in that ten percent. Today,
technology is available that can give ophthalmologists a good idea of if and when
a patient’s AMD will switch from the dry
form to the wet.
“The newest testing that’s available for
macular degeneration is genetic testing,”
acknowledges Dr. Oliva. “My office is now
offering the RetnaGene™ tests. They are easy,
safe and highly accurate. Each test uses a
small sample of the patient’s DNA obtained
from a buccal swab, which involves gently
rubbing the inside of the cheek with a cotton-tipped applicator.
“There is the RetnaGene™ AMD
test for patients who already have macular degeneration, the dry form, and they
want to know what their risk is of developing the wet, blinding type. RetnaGene
AMD tests for the two-, five- and ten-year
risk of developing wet macular degeneration. There is also the RetnaGene™ LR
test, which assesses the lifetime risk of
developing advanced AMD (dry or wet)
in patients who do not yet have the disease
but who are 55 years of age or older and/
or have a strong family history of AMD.”
Dr. Oliva says it is very important to
pick up on AMD sooner than later because
there are effective treatments, and the sooner
those treatments are initiated, the better the
patient’s visual prognosis, the better the
chance that the patient won’t become blind.
“A patient might come in and say, My
mother went blind from macular degeneration. I want to know what my risk is,” relates
Dr. Oliva. “That’s someone who would do
really well with this test. There are other
patients who say, Doctor, do I really need to
come in more than once a year?” This test gives
For further information or to schedule
an appointment, call the location
nearest you:
Brandon Cataract Center
and Eye Clinic
403 Vonderburg Dr.
Ruskin Cataract Center
and Eye Clinic
612 North Tamiami Trail
(813) 681-1122
(813) 645-3831
Sun City Center Eye Clinic
and Cosmetic Center
1701 Rickenbacker Drive
Retina Specialists
135 W. Robertson St.
Brandon
(813) 634-8877
(813) 685-0001
us some real data so I can say, You have a
pretty high risk for developing wet AMD. We
should be following you much more frequently.”
Or I can say, You’re a much lower risk than
I expected or You’re a low risk for developing
wet macular degeneration. Yearly testing is just
fine for you. So it can help us to guide our
patient follow-ups.
“It’s not going to change our treatment
of the patient, but it’s going to make us more
aware of the patient’s risk, and it’s certainly
going to make the patient more aware of
their risk of developing wet macular degeneration. Therefore, that makes them a little
bit more aware of any possible symptoms
if they start to develop distortions in their
vision or changes on their Amsler grid.”
Dr. Oliva restates the importance of
identifying and treating conditions such as
dry eye, Sjögren’s syndrome and AMD, not
just for the complications of the disorders
themselves, but also for the potential effects
on future treatment.
“This is significant because these are all
conditions that could limit a patient’s vision
after cataract surgery.” FHCN–Patti DiPanfilo
Ana-Maria Oliva, MD, is
a board-certified ophthalmologist who completed
her undergraduate studies
at the University of Florida,
Gainesville, and earned her
medical degree from the
University of South Florida College of Medicine,
Tampa, where she remains a member of the
prestigious medical honor society Alpha
Omega Alpha. She completed a rigorous
internship in internal medicine, as well as a
highly competitive residency in ophthalmology, at the University of South Florida, where
she was subsequently fellowship trained in
cornea and refractive surgery. Throughout her
comprehensive five years of surgical training
and fellowship, Dr. Oliva has operated with several of the world’s leading eye surgeons, and
has completed the most advanced cornea and
refractive surgical training available. Her excellence as a physician was highlighted by her
service as chief resident at the USF Department
of Ophthalmology, her multiple publications
in highly regarded medical journals and her
presentations of advanced, independent
research at several major, national ophthalmology conferences. Dr. Oliva is a member
of several professional associations, including the American Society of Cataract and
Refractive Surgeons, American Academy of
Ophthalmology and The Cornea Society.
Page 8 | Florida Health Care News | Winter 2015 | Brandon/Sun City Center Edition
Eye Floaters?
E
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?
SOUTH FLORIDA EYE CLINIC
SCOTT L. GELLER, MD
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
“By our usual definition, of course
not,” says Scott Geller, MD, a boardcertified ophthalmologist at South
Florida Eye Clinic in Fort Myers who has
a special interest in the treatment of eye
floaters. “But imagine if you only had
one good eye. Imagine that the floater in
it was so large that when it came across
your field of vision, you could not even
see the big E on the eye chart. Imagine
if it were a car on the highway or a road
PODIATRY
FHCN PHOTO BY MARC EDWARDS
Make the call
There is no need to drive to Fort Myers
or Tampa for the latest in laser toenail
fungus treatment. The FDA-approved
PinPointe FootLaser is now available
at the Sarasota Foot and Ankle Center,
which has three offices to serve you:
1601 Rickenbacker Dr. in Sun City
Center, 3428 17th Street in Sarasota
and 693 Old Englewood Road in
Englewood. To schedule a consultation
at the Sun City Center office, call
(813) 634-8980. For the Sarasota or
Englewood office, call (941) 366-4888.
Laser treatment for
eye floaters is safe
and effective.
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.”
only in their mind.”
When eye floaters are severe, some
Dr. Geller should know: he is one ophthalmologists may offer a vitrecof the most recognized eye floater laser tomy, the surgical removal of the gel
specialists in the United States and where the floaters reside. However, this
around the world.
is rare because the
“We have had
has some
“THE LARGEST SERIES operation
patients come from
serious drawbacks
all over the world to
and complications,
OF EYE FLOATER
our facility in Fort
and it is an expensive,
LASERS
WORLDWIDE”
Myers for treatment,”
invasive procedure.
says Dr. Geller. www.vitreousfloaters.com
However, the com“Many patients come
plication rate for laser
from countries where medicine is social- treatment of eye floaters is very low.
ized, and there is a lack of training and Furthermore, there is no risk of infecproper equipment. During the past tion with laser since there is no cutting
twenty years, we have treated thousands with a scalpel.
of patients and have performed nearly
Dr. Geller has treated many meditwenty thousand laser sessions.”
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
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
Eliminate Toenail Fungus
F
Alice and Edward Hicks are no longer
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OPHTHALMOLOGY
PinPointe™ FootLaser™ is the only FDA-approved laser treatment for toenail fungus.
or years, Alice and Edward Hicks
both suffered from an embarrassing fungus that caused their
toenails to thicken, yellow and
become brittle. “It was yucky-looking,”
admits Edward, 77, who retired from the
Kennedy Space Center several years ago,
“this yellowish, brownish thing underneath your toenails. And on my wife’s
feet, [the toenails] were deteriorating.”
The couple, who have been married
for more than 53 years, tried in vain to
banish the unsightly fungus on their
own using a variety of over-the-counter
medicines. “It wasn’t getting any better,”
Edward observes. “It looked ugly.”
They learned about Dawn Chiu,
DPM, a board-qualified podiatric surgeon
at the Sarasota Foot and Ankle Center,
through a Florida Health Care News article
last year. Fed up with their unsightly toes,
both Edward and Alice decided to make
an appointment.
PinPointe treatment
Dr. Chiu diagnosed them with onychomycosis, a common disorder caused by
microscopic fungi. Affecting about 35
million Americans, the condition typically begins when the fungi enter the nail
bed through a tiny break in the nail. In
time, it causes the nails to become yellow,
thick and brittle – and it won’t go away
without treatment.
The PinPointe FootLaser is the
only FDA-approved laser to treat
onychomycosis. Moreover, the Sarasota
Foot and Ankle Center, with offices
in Sarasota, Englewood and Sun City
Center, is one of the only practices in
the area to offer it.
SARASOTA FOOT AND
ANKLE CENTER
DAWN CHIU, DPM, AACFAS
ARTHUR D. CLODE, DPM, AACFAS
The treatment is simple and painless.
After grinding down the nail, “we pass the
light repeatedly in crisscross patterns so
that we know it gets good coverage for each
toenail,” explains Dr. Chiu. “The patient
will feel a warm sensation, but no pain.”
There are no side effects, and there
is no need for blood tests. Though the
laser kills the underlying fungus, the toenail will not clear immediately because it
needs time to grow out, which can take
nine to 12 months.
Patients are seen about every three
months and retreated as necessary.
Between visits, they use an antifungal nail
solution at home to keep the fungus at
bay and accelerate healing.
Edward and Alice are both pleased
with Dr. Chiu and the Sarasota Foot
and Ankle Center. “Any questions, she’ll
answer them,” says Edward. “She gets
right to the point, no messing around.
She’s definitely very, very knowledgeable.
I highly recommend her.”
The couple, who volunteer with the
Wildlife Center of Venice in their free
time, have almost finished their treatment
– and both are thrilled with the results.
“You can’t see anything on my toes
now,” notes Alice. “It’s growing out.”
“Both toes are just about completely
grown out,” agrees Edward. “We’re
very happy with the results so far.”
FHCN–Melanie Casey
BEFORE
AFTER
PHOTOS COURTESY OF SARASOTA FOOT AND ANKLE CENTER
Dawn Chiu, DPM, AACFAS, is a
board-qualified podiatric surgeon and
Associate of the American College of
Foot and Ankle Surgeons. She graduated
from the University of California, Davis
with a degree in zoology and received
her Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree
from the California College of Podiatric Medicine in San
Francisco. Dr. Chiu completed her podiatric surgical
residency at Frankford Hospital in Philadelphia. Dr.
Chiu is a member of the American Podiatric Medical
Association, Florida Podiatric Medical Association and
American Diabetes Association.
Arthur D. Clode, DPM, AACFAS, is a
board-qualified podiatric surgeon and
Associate of the American College of
Foot and Ankle Surgeons. He earned
a degree in biological sciences from
Florida International University and a
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine degree
from the California College of Podiatric Medicine in
San Francisco. He completed his podiatric surgical
residency at Golden Glades Regional Medical Center
in Miami. Dr. Clode is a member of the American
Podiatric Medical Association, Florida Podiatric Medical
Association, American Diabetes Association and is treasurer of the Manasota Podiatry Association.
To learn more about the PinPointe FootLaser, visit www.sarasotafoot.com.
Page 9 | Florida Health Care News | Winter 2015 | Brandon/Sun City Center Edition
MINIMALLY INVASIVE GENERAL SURGERY
Beware of HERNIAS
M
ore than 600,000 hernia repair surgeries are performed in the United States annually, and everyone is at risk. Adults
and children alike can develop hernias as a result of heavy lifting, straining, coughing or any unusual stress that
Adults and children alike can
causes a sudden increase of intra-abdominal pressure. Some hernias are congenital, or present at birth, whereas
develop hernias as a result
others develop as a result of a predisposition for hernia, and anyone who has surgery may experience a weakening of tissue at
of heavy lifting, straining,
coughing or any unusual stress
the incision site that could result in a hernia.
Because we are all at risk, Florida Health Care News turns to a specialist in minimallyinvasive surgery, David A. Napoliello,
that causes a sudden increase
MD, to learn more about hernia repair. Dr. Napoliello, practicing in Venice, Sarasota and Lakewood Ranch, is board certified by
of intra-abdominal pressure.
the American Board of Surgery and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons.
DAVID A. NAPOLIELLO, MD, FACS
FAQs
itself or improve over time without
intervention. The only exception to
this may be small umbilical hernias in
young children.
Q: Dr. Napoliello, what is the most
common type of hernia? A: The most
common type of hernia is called an inguinal hernia. It is a defect or weakness in
the abdominal muscle wall through which
intestine and fat layers protrude, forming
a visible bulge in the groin area.
To visualize the dynamics of it, think
of an automobile tire. The abdominal
wall is like the thick outer wall of the tire.
Should the tire get damaged, the inner
tube can push through the weakened area
or crack and form a small bubble. If the
abdominal wall becomes weakened, the
thinner, flexible tissue that lines the inside
of the abdomen and holds the intestines
in place, called the peritoneum, can bulge
into the outer wall. In the tire, it is easy to
see that the inner tube can become strangled by the pressure of the edges of the
crack through which it is protruding. It
is the same with a hernia.
Q: What treatments are available
for hernias? A: Surgeons may choose
one of several hernia repair techniques
today, depending on the patient and the
size of the hernia.
In the past, the only hernia repair
option available was called a tension repair.
In this open surgical procedure, the physician makes an incision at the site, pushes
the protruding tissue back into place, and
stitches the tissue layers together. The
potential disadvantages of this type of surgery are relatively long recovery periods,
relatively high recurring rates and discomfort following surgery.
Today, we can offer a variety of both
minimally invasive open procedures and
laparoscopic procedures.
Q: What are some of the other common types of hernias? A: An umbilical
hernia takes place when abdominal
contents protrude through the naturally occurring tiny opening behind the
belly button. Incisional hernias can take
place when a previous surgery leaves an
abdominal wall defect that allows the
abdominal contents to protrude through
it and bulge out.
Q: How does a person know when
he or she has a hernia? A: A person
may suspect a hernia if he or she notices
a bulge under the skin. Additional
symptoms may include discomfort or
pain during any of the following: lifting heavy objects, sneezing or coughing,
straining while using the toilet, standing or sitting for long periods of time.
Because delayed treatment can sometimes result in the intestine being
trapped inside the hernia sac, resulting in gangrene, any bulge should be
brought to a physician’s attention
immediately so diagnosis and treatment
can begin. If left untreated, some complications from hernias can be fatal.
Q: Will a small hernia ever heal
itself? A: No, a hernia does not heal
Q: Please describe the minimally
invasive open procedures. A: Unlike
the tension repair, minimally invasive
open procedures are tension free because
the stitches or sutures used do not put
tension on the sides of the defect to keep
it closed. Instead, special mesh patches
are used that limit the size of the required
incision. These procedures offer lower
recurring rates, quick recovery and only
minor discomfort following the surgery.
Additionally, the minimally invasive
approach allows the patient to avoid
general anesthesia.
Q: How do the laparoscopic surgeries differ? A: There are two main options
for laparoscopic surgery. In the transabdominal approach, the physician makes a
small incision and slides the laparoscope,
which is a thin telescope, through the
abdominal wall into the abdomen. For
the preperitoneal approach, the laparoscope slides in between the tissues of the
abdominal wall. With both approaches,
the doctor views the hernia and surrounding tissue on a video screen.
Q: What are the advantages of laparoscopic surgery? A: Depending on
the patient, of course, there are several.
Because it requires only small incisions,
it will likely mean less pain and a shorter
recovery time for patients, and because
the physician has the advantage of looking
PHOTO FROM ISTOCKPHOTO.COM
According to Dr. Napoliello, a hernia is a
defect of the abdominal wall that allows
a protrusion of an organ or structure
through the wall that normally contains it.
through the laparoscope, previously undiagnosed hernias may be discovered.
Additionally, the laparoscopic approach
allows us to manage recurrent hernias and
to optimize any repeat surgery because
we do not have to go through the same
incision site.
Q: Is this surgery done on an outpatient basis? A: Yes, and it is usually
performed in under an hour as well.
Q: Do you have a preference
between the minimally invasive
open procedure and the laparoscopic procedure? A: It depends on the
patient. I specialize in minimally invasive
surgery techniques and did my fellowship
in minimally invasive and advanced laparoscopic surgery. In fact, I was involved in
training surgeons using the laparoscopic
approach when it was first developed.
When my patients are good candidates for either one, I provide them
with information on both the minimally
invasive open procedures and the laparoscopic procedures, and we make the
decision together as to which one will be
more appropriate.
Q: Have there been any improvements to these surgical techniques
in recent years? A: Definitely. Scientific
improvements to help hernia repair
include the addition of very lightweight
artificial meshes and biologic meshes such
as processed skin grafts. Other improvements to decrease chronic pain associated
with hernia repairs include the addition of
absorbable tacking devices and dissolvable
sutures, which help to decrease the risk of
nerve entrapments.
These improvements are mainly
geared toward decreasing pain and
improving the repair, thereby shortening
recovery time.
Q: Once the surgery has healed, will
the patient experience any diminished quality of life? A: No, most
patients will be able to return to a normal
routine. In fact, data show that within a
week’s time, most people will feel well.
Because I am conservative, I recommend
that my patients avoid any physical strain
for four weeks.
This interview with Dr. Napoliello was
conducted by a member of the editorial staff at
Florida Health Care News.
Learn more
Dr. Napoliello and his staff
look forward to answering
your questions. For additional
information or to schedule an
appointment, please call (941)
388-9525 for the location at
Medical Office Building 1,
8340 Lakewood Ranch Blvd.,
Suite 101, in Bradenton or
1211 Jacaranda Blvd. and 825
Venetian Pkwy. in Venice.
David A. Napoliello, MD, is board certified by the American Board of Surgery
and is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He earned his undergraduate degree at Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA, and his medical degree
at Georgetown University School of Medicine. Dr. Napoliello completed his
residency in general surgery at Penn State-Geisinger Medical Center, Danville,
and a fellowship in minimally invasive and advanced laparoscopic surgery at
Mayo Clinic Jacksonville. He is past chief of surgery for Venice Hospital and
Lakewood Ranch Medical Center. In addition, Dr. Napoliello has been voted
one of the top general surgeons in Sarasota and Manatee Counties by his peers and patients
for the past six years running in Castle Connolly’s list of America’s Top Doctors.
For more information, please visit www.DavidNapolielloMD.com.
Page 10 | Florida Health Care News | Winter 2015 | Brandon/Sun City Center Edition
Say So Long to Sweat
M
Wow! I really have a problem.”
She turned to Francis A. Caban, MD,
a board-certified dermatologist at the
Caban Skin Institute. Linda was already
a patient of Dr. Caban’s, so when she saw
a poster for a procedure called miraDry®
in his office recently, she was intrigued.
Concerned about excessive
sweat? The professionals at the
Caban Skin Institute have the
answers you need. There are two
offices to serve you: 109 Margaret
Street in Brandon, (813) 654-2544
and 4164 North Armenia Ave. in
Tampa, (813) 879-7546.
In addition to miraDry, the Caban Skin
Institute offers a variety of other cosmetic
procedures, including BOTOX® Cosmetic,
JUVÉDERM®, microdermabrasion, acne facials,
laser hair removal, chemical peels and more.
Consultations for cosmetic procedures are
always free. For more information, please
visit the Caban Skin Institute online at
www.cabanskin.com.
FRANCIS A. CABAN, MD, P.A.
“I said I wonder if that’s something
that I can actually use?” she recalls. “So
I made an appointment and talked to
him about it.”
About miraDry
miraDry is an FDA-cleared treatment for
hyperhidrosis, and Dr. Caban is one of
the only physicians in the area to offer
it. The noninvasive procedure is completed right in his office and takes about
Noninvasive, FDAcleared procedure
eliminates excessive
underarm sweating.
20 minutes per arm.
The area is first numbed with a local
anesthetic. The doctor then uses a special
handheld wand that delivers electromagnetic energy to the underarm area. “It
cools the outer layer of the skin, and deep
down under where the sweat glands are,
it burns them off permanently,” describes
Linda. “It wasn’t really painful.”
The procedure essentially eliminates
the sweat glands, which drastically – and
permanently – reduces the amount of
sweat that can be produced. The underarm area makes up only about two percent
of the nearly four million sweat glands in
the body, so miraDry doesn’t affect the
body’s ability to cool itself.
Linda, who had the procedure in
early August, saw results right away. “Even
the day after, I noticed that I didn’t sweat
under there,” she says. “There were no
sweat marks on my lab coat.”
And when she ran for the first time
a week later, she noticed that her armpits
stayed dry. “It was weird,” she admits,
“but it was great. I was like, Wow! I was
amazed. It really worked.”
Linda is glad she opted for miraDry, and she’s pleased with her care at
the Caban Skin Institute as well. “They
take care of you,” she raves. “They’re very
friendly. They’re very down to earth, and
the doctor is amazing. He’s a very intelligent man and actually takes time to sit
there and listen to your needs. He’s a great
doctor.” FHCN–Melanie Casey
FHCN FILE PHOTO
ost of us who live in Florida are
accustomed to sweating. Since
we live in a hot and humid
environment, it’s only natural. However,
some people sweat excessively − particularly under their arms − even when they
are not hot due to a medical condition
known as hyperhidrosis. The condition can
be both annoying and embarrassing.
“I would definitely sweat in my
armpit area,” confides Linda Resendiz, a
radiation therapist who is constantly on
the go at work. “I was soaked through.
I thought, Oh my gosh! It was just very
embarrassing. I’d have to take my lab coat
off and air myself out.”
A runner and mother to two young
children, Linda avoided light-colored
clothing in an effort to hide her sweat
stains. She tried all sorts of antiperspirants
and deodorants to combat the condition,
but nothing worked.
“It just wasn’t helping as I wanted it
to,” she admits. “I never really thought it
was a medical condition until I looked
into this whole thing, and I thought,
DERMATOLOGY
Linda Resendiz no longer has
problems with excessive underarm
sweat, thanks to miraDry.
Francis A. Caban, MD, P.A., is
a board-certified dermatologist. He is a 1985 graduate of
the University of Puerto Rico
Medical School and completed
his internal medicine internship
at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore.
He was named chief resident during his dermatology residency at the University of Puerto
Rico. Dr. Caban is the medical director at Caban
Skin Institute, which he founded in 1991. He is a
member of numerous professional organizations,
including the American Medical Association, the
American Society for Dermatologic Surgery and
the American Academy of Dermatology.
Please visit the Caban Skin Institute online at www.cabanskin.com
CLINICAL AUDIOLOGY
Better Than Normal
H
enry used to debate politics
with his daughter at nearly
every family dinner, as the rest
of his large brood chatted around them.
At some point, Henry started leaving the
table without uttering a word. He didn’t
join in any of the conversations. To him,
the voices became one big jumble of muffled noise. He couldn’t clearly hear what
any one person was saying.
Hearing loss is a significant health
care issue, affecting as many as 36 million
Americans. It is the third most common
physical condition behind arthritis and
heart disease, and it can have an adverse
impact on a person’s quality of life.
“People who have difficulty hearing
in restaurants, at parties or in other noisy
environments may begin to avoid those
situations,” explains Briar Reppenhagen
Hull, AuD, of The Hearing Care Center
in Ruskin. “They may begin to socially
withdraw from family and friends. If they
Better hearing for YOU
Find out if your hearing problems can
be eased with one of the many models
of state-of-the-art hearing instruments
available at The Hearing Care Center, located
at 3020 College Ave. East in Ruskin. Dr.
Reppenhagen Hull invites the readers of
Florida Health Care News to call (813) 6455355 for a complimentary consultation. She
welcomes the opportunity to answer your
questions regarding hearing loss, hearing
testing and the practice of audiology.
work, it can be a problem during business
meetings. They can miss what is being
said and fall behind.”
THE HEARING CARE CENTER
BRIAR REPPENHAGEN-HULL, AUD
Now, a revolutionary, new technology developed by Siemens Hearing
Instruments can bring people who
are struggling to hear in these types of
conditions back into the conversation.
Binax hearing instruments are designed
especially to address the most common
complaint of people with hearing loss:
hearing in noisy environments.
“Binax BestSound® technology is a
new platform for programming hearing
aids,” reports Dr. Reppenhagen Hull,
“and it is the first hearing aid technology
that has been clinically proven to allow
hearing-impaired people to hear better in
background noise than people of normal
hearing levels.”
Binax takes advantage of the benefits of binaural hearing, when the brain
gets sound information from both ears
at the same time. With binaural hearing, the brain is better able to filter out
background noise, concentrate on a single voice and determine the direction
the sound signals are coming from. As a
result, sound is louder, clearer and easier
to understand.
“Of course, binax has improved
sound quality in general,” notes Dr.
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE HEARING CARE CENTER
Groundbreaking advancement in hearing aid technology enables people with
hearing loss to hear better in noisy environments than those with normal hearing.*
Reppenhagen Hull, “but it really helps
the hearing-impaired individual hear in
group gatherings or when there is some
kind of background noise, such as wind
noise or outside car noise. It helps pull
speech information out of those types of
noisy situations.”
Fabulous features
Binax hearing aids work automatically
and seamlessly. The technology also
enables wearers to wirelessly connect their
hearing aids to all of their audio sources
when paired with the easyTek™ remote
streamer.
“They can also use an app on their
iPhone® or Android™ to have some
control of their hearing aid,” says Dr.
Reppenhagen Hull. “They can adjust
volume or program. There are a variety
of options they can manipulate with that
app.”
The doctor notes another feature:
“Even with all the new technology, they
have kept the power consumption down,
so they were able to maintain using a
smaller battery.”
The Hearing Care Center is the
exclusive local provider of the new binax
hearing aid technology. FHCN–Patti DiPanfilo
The Hearing Care Center
3020 College Ave. East
Ruskin
(813) 645-5355
The Siemens binax hearing aids
are available at
The Hearing Care Center.
*Studies conducted at University of Northern
Colorado (2014) and Oldenburg Horzentrum (2013)
showed that speech reception thresholds (SRT) in cocktail-party situations improved up to 2.7 dB for wearers
with mild to moderate hearing loss using binax with
narrow directionality, compared to people with normal hearing. This corresponds to more than 25 percent
improvement in speech understanding.
Briar Reppenhagen Hull,
AuD, is certified by the
American Board of Audiology.
Trained to diagnose hearing
impairment in adults, she
dispenses hearing aids and
assistive listening devices.
She completed her undergraduate studies
in psychology at the University of Florida,
Gainesville, and her graduate degree in
audiology at the University of South Florida,
Tampa. She returned to the University of
Florida to complete her doctorate in audiology. Dr. Reppenhagen Hull is a member of
the American Academy of Audiology, Florida
Academy of Audiology, and the Academy of
Dispensing Audiologists.
FACIAL COSMETIC SURGERY/OCULOPLASTIC SURGERY
Brandon/Sun City Center Edition | Winter 2015 | Florida Health Care News | Page 11
Surgeon Takes High Honors
Patient is delighted to have her upper eyelid procedure performed by award-winning surgeon, and is even happier with the results.
C
onfetti flew at the office of
William P. Mack, MD, as the
Tampa Tribune “Best of 2013”
awards were announced. The
doctor and staff netted some key honors
in South Tampa. Dr. Mack was named
“Best of 2013 Cosmetic Surgeon” and
“Best of 2013 Eye Surgeon,” while physician assistant Loralee Koontz, MPAS,
PA-C, was pronounced “Best of 2013
Best Kept Secret.”
FHCN PHOTO BY MARC EDWARDS
To determine the “Best of ” award
winners, The Tampa Tribune gives its
readers the opportunity to vote for
their preferred providers in multiple
categories. After voters send in their
choices, the Tribune calculates the
highest scores and alerts the winners.
For Dr. Mack, a board-certified ophthalmologist who is fellowship trained
and specializes in oculoplastic and
facial cosmetic surgery, this honor is
especially gratifying as it represents the
cumulative effort of many individuals.
“I would like to thank the community, our loyal patients and my dedicated
team at the Mack Center for helping
us win these awards in South Tampa,”
acknowledges Dr. Mack.
Dr. Mack’s sterling reputation was
one of the main reasons Anne Castens
made an appointment. Once the animal
lover and Animal Protection League volunteer decided to start being more active
and getting healthier, she noticed a few
things about her appearance that she felt
made her look older than the youthful
retiree she was becoming.
“I spoke to my ophthalmologist
about my droopy eyelids because they
were getting worse and worse,” recalls
Anne. “He said, I recommend Dr. Mack.”
Anne decided, “When I get this
done, it will be Dr. Mack.”
Anne went for her consultation and
got a very positive first impression. She
left more confident than ever to be in the
highly rated surgeon’s hands.
“He was soft-spoken. He was very
friendly,” reports Anne. “He made me
comfortable, though his staff had already
made me feel very comfortable when I
walked in and met them.
“I’ve seen that throughout this whole
procedure. They’ve called me. They’ve
said, Please keep our number. Call us if you
have questions. And I have had. Every time
Anne Castens is happy she chose
Dr. Mack for her eyelid surgery.
I’ve called, I’ve gotten a call back. I’ve gotten the answers to my questions.
“I’m very comfortable with everything that his staff and he have done for
me, but Dr. Mack himself is a pleasure,”
she offers. “He’s congenial. He explained
the whole procedure to me ahead of time.
This is what we can do, and this is what we
can expect. You’ll have a little bruising here.
We’re going to put the sutures in this.”
Feeling well prepared and very reassured, Anne was scheduled for upper
eyelid blepharoplasty.
“It all started out with getting
healthier and wanting to feel healthier
and then to look healthier and to look
younger,” muses Anne.
Blepharoplasty basics
“The eye region is the most important aesthetic component of the face,” observes
Dr. Mack. “When eye contact is made,
we immediately begin forming our first
impressions. Judging someone to be
tired, sad, angry or pleasant are all based
on the appearance of the area around the
eyes. With aging, the upper eyelids may
become droopy or baggy, giving patients a
tired look that decreases the overall attractiveness of a person’s eyes.
“The condition affects both men
and women,” continues Dr. Mack. “It
is often hereditary and becomes more
pronounced with age, but exposure to
the sun, wind and other extreme weather
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.
conditions can make the problem worse
for patients of any age.”
Cosmetic upper eyelid blepharoplasty
refers to the surgical procedure that
reduces the tired, heavy appearance of the
upper eyelids. During the blepharoplasty
surgery, incisions are made in the crease of
the upper eyelid to remove excess skin and
fat. The advantage of making the incision
in the eyelid crease is that the scar is barely
noticeable after a few months.
“Patients tolerate this eyelid surgery
very well and get dramatic improvement,” notes Dr. Mack.
Dr. Mack performs the blepharoplasty as an outpatient surgery. If
appropriate, upper eyelid blepharoplasty
can be combined with other cosmetic
surgeries, such as lower eyelid transconjunctival blepharoplasty, endoscopic
brow lift and facelift to achieve maximum aesthetic results.
“My ultimate goal is to create a
natural, more youthful, refreshed appearance,” states the doctor.
very pleased. It was so properly done.”
Anne believes Dr. Mack deserves
the Best Cosmetic Surgeon and Best
Eye Surgeon awards. She says the proof
is in the results.
“I do work with seniors,” she relates.
“I’ve seen some ladies in their eighties
who come through the door with skin so
tight they look like a water-filled balloon
and everybody says, Oh my, gosh. She’s
had a facelift. When Dr. Mack finished
with me, the eyes looked completely normal. It just looks completely natural and
there’ve been no questions asked.
“I’m happy that my choice was Dr.
Mack. I think had I gone somewhere else,
they may have done something more drastic
and I would not be as happy as I am.”FHCN
Safe and effective
TO
Blepharoplasty is a safe, effective and cosmetically appealing option for removing
excess tissue from the eyelids. Dr. Mack
notes that it is performed under local
anesthesia, and the patient typically has
the sutures removed seven to ten days following the surgery.
“No pain. No pain at all,” adds Anne.
“The most difficult part of this whole procedure was keeping up with my proper ice
applications, and I say that with a smile.”
Anne really appreciates the fact
that she doesn’t look like she’s had cosmetic surgery.
“Dr. Mack said to me, I do things
very subtly. I don’t want people to realize
what’s been done,” she remarks. “I know
I’m looking a lot younger. My husband
knows it. My grown children know it.
My close friends do, but other people
never seem to question the changes in
my face, and that’s what I prefer.
“I’m very pleased with the results,
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. Dr. Mack also
sees patients at Brandon Cataract Center
and Eye Clinic.
Dr. Mack’s spa 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
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.
Page 12 | Florida Health Care News | Winter 2015 | Brandon/Sun City Center Edition
Greater Choice in Cataract Treatment
Today, cataract procedures
make use of specialized
lens implants to customize
vision correction to patients’
individual lifestyle demands.
D
OPHTHALMOLOGY
Murray L. Friedberg, MD
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and
American Board of Eye Surgery and
is a Fellowship-Trained refractive
and cornea specialist, LASIK and
cataract surgeon. Dr. Friedberg received training from
the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine,
Medical College of Virginia, and the Jules Stein Eye
Institute at UCLA. His areas of expertise include advanced
cataract lens implants such as Crystalens®, ReSTOR® and
Toric™ lenses, micro-incision cataract surgery, laser-assisted cataract surgery, custom LASIK laser vision
correction surgery, and corneal transplants/DSELK/DALK.
Robert E. Edelman, MD
ee* was no longer benefiting
from wearing glasses.
“I’ve worn glasses off
and on for most of my adult
life,” she reports. “I love to read a lot, but
I found that I wasn’t able to focus on the
words and they weren’t as clear. So I was
not reading as much as I used to.”
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and is a
Fellowship-Trained glaucoma specialist and cataract surgeon. Dr.
Edelman received training from the
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Albert
Einstein College of Medicine, and New York Eye & Ear
Infirmary. His areas of expertise include advanced cataract lens implants such as Crystalens®, ReSTOR® and
Toric™ lenses, micro-incision cataract surgery, glaucoma
management and surgery, and laser surgery.
Scott E. Silverman, MD
The problem: cataracts, which are
the gradual discoloration or clouding of
the eye’s natural lens. Like most cataract
sufferers, Dee, a nurse, discovered that
changing her eyeglasses prescription didn’t
help matters.
“I kept changing glasses but it got to
the point where it seemed like my glasses
weren’t as strong,” she describes. “If I was
watching the TV at home, I had to sit
right in front of it.”
Dee found help when she went to
Manatee Sarasota Eye Clinic.
Lens options
“Many of our patients, like Dee, are
looking for an option to reduce their
“It’s important to
discuss the pros and
cons of each lens with
your ophthalmologist
before surgery,
because only they will
know which lens is the
best choice for you.”
– Pooja Khator, MD
PLEASE VISIT THE MANATEE
SARASOTA EYE CLINIC MOST
CONVENIENT FOR YOU:
■ Sun City Center
(813) 633-3065
1515 Sun City Center Plaza
■ Sarasota
(941) 366-4777
1427 S. Tamiami Trail or
2020 Cattlemen Rd., Suite 500
■ Bradenton
(941) 748-1818
217 Manatee Ave. East
■ Lakewood Ranch
(941) 748-1818
6310 Health Park Way.
Medical Office Building II, Suite 340
dependence on glasses,” explains Pooja
Khator, MD, a board-certified ophthalmologist with Manatee Sarasota Eye
Clinic. “However, there are quite a few
different choices of lenses, so it’s important to consider all of the options.”
Dr. Khator notes that there are various premium lenses, such as ReSTOR®
and Crystalens®, that have advantages and
disadvantages for different patients.
“Dee was wearing progressive glasses
for everything – for distance, for the computer and for reading. She wanted to be
free of glasses entirely,” notes Dr. Khator.
“We discussed the risks and benefits of
the ReSTOR lens, and she was a good
candidate for it. Now, she is basically able
to do everything without glasses.”
The skilled surgeon adds that even
patients with astigmatism can now benefit
from these premium lenses.
“Patients with a mild to moderate
amount of astigmatism can have the astigmatism corrected with laser at the same
time as cataract surgery, and thus still get
the ReSTOR lens. We’re able to do everything at once, which has been a recent
improvement in the available technology.
“It’s important to discuss the pros
and cons of each lens with your ophthalmologist before surgery,” emphasizes Dr.
Khator, “because only they will know
which lens is the best choice for you.”
No more glasses
After an exam and discussion with Dee
about her options, Dr. Khator recommended the ReSTOR lens. Dee
was thrilled with the outcome, noting
that even the surgery itself was an easy
experience.
“It was actually pleasant,” she
remarks. “Everything was explained to
me beforehand, and being a nurse, I
knew about the procedure. It was what I
expected, and everything went fine.”
Dee had her left eye treated first, then
returned two weeks later for the right eye.
“I could see so much better,” she marvels, “and then even more so after I had
the right eye done. I have excellent results.
I don’t have to wear glasses…it’s almost
like I never wore glasses before!”
She is thankful for Dr. Khator, adding that her expertise and compassion
are just part of what made the doctor her
number one choice.
“She is just wonderful,” emphasizes
Dee. “Once I’d been to Dr. Khator, I
requested that I only see her. She’s very
helpful and informative. In fact, I think
the whole staff is wonderful. They are
very friendly and courteous. When you
have a good experience like mine, you’re
happy referring others to their practice.”
FHCN–Michael J. Sahno
*A pseudonym was used to protect this patient’s privacy.
Eric L. Berman, MD
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and is a
Fellowship-Trained neuro-ophthalmologist, orbital and oculoplastic
surgeon. Dr. Berman received training from the State University of New York–Downstate
Medical Center and the University of Minnesota. His
areas of expertise include orbital and reconstructive
surgery, eyelid plastic surgery, BOTOX® treatments, and
treatment of eye disorders associated with neurologic
diseases, including multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease,
strokes, aneurisms and brain tumors.
Robert P. Sambursky, MD
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and is a
Fellowship-Trained refractive and
cornea specialist, LASIK and cataract
surgeon. Dr. Sambursky received
training from the Boston University School of Medicine
and Wills Eye Institute in Philadelphia. His areas of
expertise include advanced cataract lens implants such
as Crystalens®, ReSTOR® and Toric™ lenses, micro-incision cataract surgery, custom LASIK laser vision
correction surgery and corneal transplants.
Pooja Khator, MD
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and is a
Fellowship-Trained glaucoma specialist and cataract surgeon. Dr.
Khator received training from the
University of Miami School of Medicine and Bascom
Palmer Eye Institute, Miami. Her areas of expertise include
advanced cataract lens implants such as Crystalens®,
ReSTOR® and Toric™ lenses, micro-incision cataract
surgery, laser-assisted cataract surgery, glaucoma management and surgery, and laser surgery.
Allison V. Menezes, MD
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and
the American Board of Internal
M e d i c i n e. D r. M e n e ze s i s a
Fellowship-Trained retina specialist
and laser surgeon. Dr. Menezes received training from
McGill University and the University of Toronto. Her
areas of expertise include macular degeneration, diabetic eye care and laser surgery of the retina.
FHCN PHOTOS BY MARC EDWARDS
MURRAY L. FRIEDBERG, MD
ROBERT E. EDELMAN, MD
SCOTT E. SILVERMAN, MD
ERIC L. BERMAN, MD
ROBERT P. SAMBURSKY, MD
POOJA KHATOR, MD
ALLISON V. MENEZES, MD
JEFFREY M. DAVIS, MD
ANITA R. SHANE, MD
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and is
a Fellowship-Trained pediatric
ophthalmologist and eye muscle
surgeon. Dr. Silverman received
training from the Washington University School
of Medicine, USC/Doheny Eye Institute, and Texas
Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine. His
areas of expertise include pediatric eye care, eye
muscle surgery in children and adults, treatment
of amblyopia and strabismus, as well as tear duct
surgery in children.
Jeffrey M. Davis, MD
Trust your eye care to specialists!
Your vision is too important to trust to chance. The team of eye care professionals at
Manatee Sarasota Eye Clinic stays focused on your needs, your best vision,
your best solutions.
Learn more online:
To learn more about your eyes, visit Manatee Sarasota Eye Clinic’s website at
www.YourEyeDoctors.com
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and is a
Fellowship-Trained refractive and
cornea specialist, LASIK and cataract
surgeon. Dr. Davis received training
from the University of Florida College of Medicine and
the University of Texas Southwestern. Dr. Davis’ areas of
expertise include advanced cataract lens implants such
as Crystalens®, ReSTOR® and Toric™ lenses, micro-incision
cataract surgery, custom LASIK laser vision correction surgery, and corneal transplants/DSELK/DALK.
Anita R. Shane, MD
is Board Certified by the American
Board of Ophthalmology and is a
Fellowship-Trained retina specialist and vitreo-retinal surgeon. Dr.
Shane received training from Baylor
College of Medicine and Bascom Palmer Eye Institute,
Miami. Her areas of expertise include macular degeneration, diabetic eye care, laser surgery of the retina,
and retinal diseases, tears, detachments and surgery.