Surgery

Host: Lisa Mazzullo, MD

Guest: Enrique Hernandez, MD

Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death in women around the world. Many of these deaths can be avoided if women with mild cervical dysplasia are treated early. In the last few years, doctors have clarified the cytology and pathology for women in order to treat the problem effectively, while not over-treating the issue. Dr. Enrique Hernandez, chairman of the department of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at Temple University School of Medicine in Philadelphia, joins host Dr. Lisa Mazzullo to talk about the treatment plan for women with mild cervical dysplasia as well as recommendations for treating the disease in the future.

Host: Janet Wright, MD

Guest: Arvind Agnihotri, MD

For patients diagnosed with aortic valve stenosis, corrective surgery is advised and is often extremely safe and effective. But there are some patients with advanced disease whose symptoms may be difficult to recognize, and thus may remain undiagnosed without careful consideration. As Dr. Arvind Agnihotri, assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, tells host Dr. Janet Wright, some of these symptoms—including decreased exercise tolerance or subtle dyspnea—may be more easily dismissed in older patients, in particular, because we expect these symptoms to appear in this population. In what other ways can we improve our detection of aortic valve disease? Dr. Agnihotri will also guide us through the process of a percutaneous valve replacement, from the initial decision-making process to the early post-operative period.

Host: Janet Wright, MD

Guest: Arvind Agnihotri, MD

Artificial heart valves have steadily evolved since their arrival on the surgical scene in the 1960s. A range of the newest devices have shown significant potential, including the prospect of valve replacement in high-risk, symptomatic patients with severe aortic stenosis. What are the most promising devices on the horizon today, and how will these new tools allow us to care for populations with precarious cardiac function without conducting a major surgical procedure? Dr. Arvind Agnihotri, assistant professor of surgery at Harvard Medical School, explores the ways in which we are improving upon traditional aortic valve surgery with host Dr. Janet Wright.

Guest: Mitch Tyler

Host: Bruce Bloom, DDS, JD

Guest: Kurt Kaczmarek, PhD

Guest: Yuri Danilov, PhD

A number of illnesses are caused by central nervous system damage. Can a new method of non-invasive brain stimulation treat or cure disease? Join host Dr. Bruce Bloom as he discusses non-invasive neuromodulation of the central nervous system with senior scientists Dr. Kurt Kaczmarek and Dr. Yuri Danoliv, and Mitch Tyler, from the Tactile Communication and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Host: Lee Freedman, MD

Guest: Jason G. Newman, MD, FACS

Minimally-invasive surgery is generally an attractive option, but how reliable and effective is brain surgery performed through the nose? Dr. Jason Newman, assistant professor of otolaryngology - head and neck surgery at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, explores the rapidly evolving field of incisionless brain surgery with host Dr. Lee Freedman. What are the obstacles to approaching brain surgery through the nose, and could there be a robotic component in the next few years?

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD

Guest: John Dixon, MBBS, PhD

Gastric bypass surgery has received significant attention as an up-and-coming treatment for type 2 diabetes. At the same time, we are also seeing the emergence of encouraging results from laparoscopic gastric banding surgery for patients with diabetes. Dr. John Dixon, associate professor of medicine and head of obesity research at Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia, compares the efficacy of gastric banding surgery with gastric bypass as a treatment for diabetes. Further, some medical experts have been very critical of any form of surgery as a means to reverse lifestyle tendencies that often contribute to the onset of diabetes, including one's propensity to eat too much or an aversion to exercise. Dr. Dixon responds to this notion in this conversation with Dr. Mark Nolan Hill.

Host: Mark Nolan Hill, MD

Guest: John Dixon, MBBS, PhD

There is mounting evidence that surgery can be a key weapon against diabetes, improving glycemic control or sending the disease into remission entirely. As the scourge of diabetes continues across our country and abroad, safety and efficacy of surgery are two legitimate concerns. How does gastric banding surgery stack up against more traditional therapies for diabetes? What is the key mechanism behind gastric banding: does it reduce the patient's appetite or make the patient ill if they eat too much? Dr. John Dixon, associate professor of medicine and head of obesity research at Monash University Medical School in Melbourne, Australia, details his research team's work to assess the viability of gastric banding surgery. Dr. Mark Nolan Hill hosts.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Coleen Kelly, MD

More than 150,000 obese American people undergo bariatric surgery annually. Many of these patients are women who will become pregnant. Dr. Colleen Kelly, a gastroenterologist at Women and Infants Hospital in Providence, Rhode Island, joins host Dr. Lauren Streicher to discuss this growing patient population. The two discuss which surgical option is best for a woman who wants to conceive, along with nutritional guidlines, complications, and of course the health of the baby.

Host: Lauren Streicher, MD

Guest: Patrick Lowe, MD

Robotic surgery for gynecology has only been approved by the FDA since 2005. This method is growing popularity among surgeons due to its success rate in treating endometrial cancer and cervical cancer. Dr. Patrick Lowe, director of the Gynecological Robotics and Minimally Invasive Surgery program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago, talks with host Dr. Lauren Streicher about the benefits of robotics and the types of surgery cases that benefit from this cutting edge technology.

Host: Shira Johnson, MD

Guest: John McConnell, PhD

The concept of the surgicalist was born of economic and practical necessity. Dr. John McConnell is a health economist and an assistant professor of emergency medicine at Oregon Health and Science University whose research has focused on emergency and trauma care as well as health policy. He is interviewed by Dr. Shira Johnson to discuss how and why the role of the surgicalist evolved. Tune in to find out who may be seeing your next surgical consult from the ED. It may not be the surgeon on call.