Medicine 

Network: July 2009

Live 3D TEE technology shows a heart valve.

Live 3D Transesophageal Echo Real-Time Views of the Beating Heart Valve
Using the cutting-edge imaging technology of Live 3D TEE, physicians at Sentara Heart Hospital are getting a real-time look at how a heart valve is functioning and making a precise surgical plan, before the first incision is even made. That’s the basis for the Live 3D TEE technology that provides cardiologists, cardiac surgeons and cardiac anesthesiologists multiple views of the complete mitral valve, in action. The mitral valve is the gatekeeper between the left atrium and the left ventricle. Consisting of two triangular flaps attached to a fibrous ring and the ventricular walls of the heart, its job is to prevent the blood in the ventricle from backing up into the atrium. When it’s not working properly, surgeons must find out exactly where the malfunction is occurring.

With Live 3D TEE, cardiac anesthesiologists can see “real-time” views of the complete heart valve while the heart is beating. As a result, a comprehensive surgical plan is established before the first incision is even made. When the operation is finished, a final analysis can confirm if the problem with the heart valve has been resolved. If needed, additional refinements can be done right then, optimizing the results for the patient. For more information on Sentara Heart visit the cardiac section of the Sentara Web site.

Sentara Sponsors Stroke Prevention and Treatment Conference
In May, Sentara sponsored Emerging Treatments for Cerebrovascular Disease conference in Virginia Beach. Approximately 110 clinicians attended the conference. Dr. Richard Zwiefler, Sentara chief of neurology, collaborated with various neurospecialists across the nation for this one-day event that was designed to assist medical professionals bridge the gap between clinical guidelines and inpatient/outpatient care and to increase the integration of clinical protocols for stroke prevention and intervention into practice. For more information on stroke, visit the stroke section on Sentara's Web site.

Live CyberKnife® Webcast Draws Many Viewers
On May 28th, Sentara featured a live webcast, "CyberKnife®  Offers Cancer Patients New Treatment Options." The technology offers a broad range of cancers and non-cancerous applications for conditions of the head, neck, brain, spine, lung, liver, pancreas, kidney and bone. More than 477 viewers both nationally and and internationally watched the webcast via the Internet. Dr. Scott Williams, a radiation oncologist with Eastern Virginia Medical School Health Services, moderated the live webcast.

As a community outreach during the event, Gwen King and Sam Dunn, both physicists with Radiation Oncology at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, visited Maury High School in Norfolk. More than 100 students from Maury High School’s Health and Medical Careers program and 40 students from Blair Middle School’s pre-med curriculum got a chance to ask the physicists questions about CyberKnife® , as well as watch the CyberKnife®  webcast live in the school auditorium on a large screen that was projected through a laptop computer.

Meanwhile, during the live webcast at Sentara Norfolk General Hospital, almost 20 questions were submitted for doctors and patients to answer live as they discussed the benefits of CyberKnife®  radiosurgery. Watch the On-Demand version of the CyberKnife webcast.

Lithotripsy Services Debut at Sentara Bayside Hospital
Urology of Virginia, Sentara Medical Group, is opening an office at Sentara Bayside Hospital and will be scheduling mobile lithotripsy services there. Lithotripsy uses shock waves to crush kidney stones in the kidneys or urinary tract. Sentara offers a mobile lithotripsy unit that travels to several sites in the region and now includes Sentara Bayside Hospital.

Virginia Beach Man Credits Amazing Medical Care
After collapsing in full cardiac arrest while out for a jog just a few blocks from his Virginia Beach home, Ron Hamilton credits community “angels” and amazing medical professionals for saving his life. A retired Navy helicopter rescue pilot and former EMS volunteer, Steve Hartz, was jogging with his wife and saw Hamilton collapse. His wife dialed 911 as Hartz began CPR. By sheer coincidence, Master Police Officer Michael Melnyk and recruit Douglas Payer were in the neighborhood in a police car equipped with an automated external defibrillator, or AED. Hamilton’s heart was shocked and he was transported to Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital, where Emergency Department staff and physicians acted quickly. When interventional cardiologist Dr. Deepak Talreja responded, he came upon a conscious, but very disoriented Hamilton.

Hamilton’s left main artery was almost completely blocked and he needed open heart surgery. Hamilton was put on a heart pump and underwent successful heart surgery just a few hours later. “I am so grateful to everyone involved,” says Hamilton. “These people are why I am still here today.” After writing a letter of appreciation to the Virginia Beach Police Department, Hamilton was pleased to learn that Officers Melnyk and Payer were recognized at the Annual Citizens and Police Award Ceremony with a Lifesaving Award on June 5. Read more about cardiac care at Sentara and the Sentara Heart Hospital.

Sentara Video Center
The Sentara Video Center can help provide a better understanding of health through Webcasts, physician profiles and patient stories View the latest Sentara physician videos, such as Dr. Surjya Das of Sentara Medical Group. Dr. Das is an interventional cardiologist at Sentara Cardiologist Specialists on the campus of Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center, who says, "In medicine, there is no substitute for having close relationships with your patients."  In addition to his expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease, Dr. Das is skilled in performing life-saving emergency heart procedures such as angioplasty and stent implants. 

 The latest Sentara Medical Group physician video profiles that are now available include:
— Richard Zweifler, MD - Sentara Neurology Specialists
— Mark Fontana, MD - Sentara Metabolic & Weight Loss Surgery Center, Norfolk Surgical Group
— Andrew Miller, DO - Sentara Rheumatology Specialists
— John Lasater, MD -  Urology of Virginia
— Karen Sullivan, MD - Providence Road Family Practice & Urgent Care
— Michael Landis, MD - Vascular & Transplant Specialists

Watch the video along with all of the latest Sentara physician video profiles.