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Thursday, September 14,2017
Tribune & Georgian
15
Southeast Georgia Health System
ThisWeek’sWellness
Health and Wellness News September 14, 2017
Health System Debuts Minimally Invasive Hip Surgery
S outheast Georgia Health System is entering
a new era of surgery, offering hope to
people with chronic hip pain or impaired
hip mobility. According to Beau Sasser, M.D.,
minimally invasive hip arthroscopy is a new
frontier for arthroscopic surgeries.
A board-certified orthopaedic surgeon
with Summit Sports Medicine & Orthopaedic
Surgery, a strategic affiliate of the Health System,
and medical director of the Health System’s
Sports Medicine Program, Dr. Sasser performs
hip arthroscopies on the Health System’s
Brunswick Campus. “We will springboard
this technique to help patients with limited hip
motion or chronic hip pain delay the need for a
total hip replacement,” he says.
An alternative to traditional open surgery,
the procedure requires just two to four small
incisions. Using an arthroscope (similar to an
endoscope), Dr. Sasser examines and treats
the hip joint. This “hip scope” contains a tiny
camera that projects images from inside the joint
onto a display monitor. During this exploratory
stage, Dr. Sasser diagnoses the problem. If
treatment is appropriate, he then inserts surgical
instruments through the arthroscope.
Guided by a close-up view on
the monitor, he repairs torn labral
cartilage, removes damaged tissue or
performs other techniques as needed.
This minimally invasive method
has several advantages. For patients,
the tiny incisions, hip-specific
instruments and advanced imaging
techniques mean less pain, blood
loss and scarring. More importantly,
arthroscopies help preserve hip
function. “This approach isn’t used
in lieu of a hip replacement. Instead, we use it to
preserve hip function or in some cases, prevent
the need for hip replacement. It’s always best
to preserve the natural hip joint when possible
because a hip replacement is a mechanical device
with a limited lifespan,” says Dr. Sasser.
People in their 40s to 50s with tears in the
labrum (the cartilage or tissue around the hip
joint) can benefit from hip arthroscopy, as can
young athletes with chronic hip pain from a labral
tear. In addition, arthroscopies can correct hip
impingement, or impaired mobility, resulting
from a bone spur. If the hip joint
is severely degenerated from
arthritis, or deformed due to hip
dysplasia, arthroscopic repair is not
sufficient. In those cases, a total
hip replacement is generally the
best method to achieve long-term
pain relief.
Hip arthroscopy requires
general anesthesia and patients
should prepare for a long
recovery. “Rehabilitation lasts
four to six months, which is
much longer than other arthroscopic procedures
require, but the anatomy of the hip joint is
complex,” explains Dr. Sasser. For patients
willing to invest the time, he believes the
results are worth it. “Previously, we had limited
treatment options for certain patients. As a sports
medicine doctor, I focus on prevention, so I’m
excited to offer this option to patients who are
candidates for hip arthroscopy,” he says.
To find out if hip arthroscopy is right for you,
or to schedule a consultation, call 912-466-7340
or visit sghs.org/summit to learn more.
Health System Hosts “Prep For CNOR LIVE” Class
Southeast Georgia Health System is hosting a two-day “Prep For CNOR
LIVE” class presented by the Association of perioperative Registered
Nurses (AORN) on Saturday, Sept. 30 and Sunday, Oct. 1.
Classes will be held in the Linda S. Pinson Conference Center on the
Health System’s Brunswick Campus, 2415 Parkwood Dr.
AORN’s mission is to promote safety and optimal outcomes for
patients undergoing operative and other invasive procedures, by defining
and advancing best nursing practices for surgical patients. The class is to
help prepare perioperative nurses seeking certification and the CNOR
— certified nurse operating room — designation demonstrating “the
documented validation of the professional achievement of identified
standards of practice by an individual registered nurse providing care for
patients before, during and after surgery,” according to the Competency
& Credentialing Institute. The class is open to any registered nurse
Our patient models (l-r) Georgia Hanna, Brunswick; Maxine Worley, Waycross;
and Brendia Smalls, Brunswick.
Free Fall Fit Event
Sept. 20-22, 2017 • 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Presented in partnership with American Breast Care®
Door Prizes • Refreshments
Chance to win a two-day getaway
Schedule your free fitting with our certified mastectomy
fitter today! Call 912-264-3939.
For more details about this event, visit sghs.org/fall-fit-event.
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA HEALTH SYSTEM
Ribbon
of Hope
A HEALTH CARE SPECIALTY § BOUTIQUE
3025 Shrine Rd. • Brunswick, GA 31525
eligible to seek CNOR credentialing and offers 17.4 continuing nursing
education contact hours.
Taught by Antonia (Toni) Hues, M.A., BSN, R.N., CNOR, a
perioperative nursing expert and education consultant, class topics
include: evidence-based perioperative nursing principles and practices; key
components of the nursing process related to perioperative nursing care;
test taking strategies to maximize performance on the exam; and more.
Register for the “Prep For CNOR LIVE” at aorn.org/events/
prep-for-cnor-live, through Wednesday, Sept. 27. The cost is $155 for
AORN members and $195 for non-members. Registration includes a
digital copy of the 2017 edition of AORN Guidelines for Perioperative
Practice, two online assessments, as well as a continental breakfast and
lunch each day. Class times are 7:45 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on Saturday,
Sept. 30 and 8:30 a.m.-3:15 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 1. ^
Offering a Wide Range of
Ear, Nose & Throat Services
Sherman Stevenson, M.D., Karla Flansen, M.D. and Joseph Bee, D.0.
The specialists at Southeast Georgia Physician Associates-
Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT), a strategic affiliate of Southeast Georgia
Health System, treat a variety of disorders involving the ear, nose,
throat, and related structures of the head and neck. As part of our
commitment to delivering the highest level of medical and surgical
care, we strive to provide our patients with a better understanding of
their ENT-related conditions.
• Head and neck surgery
• Sinus balloon and CT
• Laryngeal cancer
guided sinus surgery
• Medical and surgical treatment
• Throat cancer
for sinus problems and allergies
• Thyroid nodules/goiters
• Neck masses
• Pediatric ENT
• Voice/speech/ear/hearing
3025 Shrine Road, Suite 480 2040 Dan Proctor Drive, Suite 120
Brunswick, GA 31520 St. Marys, GA 31558
1-855-ASK-SGHS (1-855-275-7447)
Office Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
New patients welcome; most insurances accepted.
SOUTHEAST GEORGIA
PHYSICIAN ASSOCIATES
EAR, NOSE & THROAT
A strategic affiliate of Southeast Georgia Health System
For more information visit sghs.org.
Brunswick Campus: 2415 Parkwood Drive • Brunswick, GA 31520 • 912-466-7000
Camden Campus: 2000 Dan Proctor Drive • St. Marys, GA 31558 • 912-576-6200
Notice of nondiscrimination: sghs.org/notice-of-nondiscrimination