You At Your Best

4 | YOU AT YOUR BEST | nwAdg.cOm/YOUATYOURBEST SEpTEmBER - ViSiOn HEAlTH | SATURdAY, AUgUST 25, 2018 Special to NWa Democrat-Gazette Northwest Health now offers robotic technology for knee and hip replacement procedures at two locations. Northwest Health Physicians' Specialty Hospital (NWHPSH) offers total knee, partial knee and total hip replacement procedures. And Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville, has provided partial and total knee procedures with the technology since 2014, as first in the state to do so. This new technology transforms the way joint replacement surgery is performed, enabling patients to have a more predictable surgical experience with increased accuracy. With this technology, each patient can be provided with a personalized surgical experience based on their specific diagnosis and anatomy. Using a virtual 3D model, the robotic system allows surgeons to personalize each patient's surgical plan pre-operatively before entering the operating room. During surgery, the surgical plan can be validated and surgeons can make any necessary adjustments while guiding the robotic-arm to execute that plan. The total knee application is a knee replacement treatment option designed to relieve the pain caused by joint degeneration due to osteoarthritis. Through CT- based 3D modeling of bone anatomy, surgeons can create a personalized surgical plan and identify the implant size, orientation and alignment based on each patient's unique anatomy. The robotic system also enables surgeons to virtually modify the surgical plan intra-operatively and assists the surgeon in executing bone resections. The total hip application is a treatment option for adults who suffer from degenerative joint disease of the hip. During surgery, the surgeon guides the robotic-arm during bone preparation to prepare the hip socket and position the implant according to the pre-determined surgical plan. These procedures are performed by the following specialty trained robotic-certified orthopedic surgeons: Mark Allard, M.D., of Northwest Orthopedics – Springdale; Christopher Arnold, M.D., of Advanced Orthopedic Specialists; Christopher Dougherty, D.O., of Agility Center Orthopedics; Stephen Hudson, M.D., of Ozark Orthopaedics; Michael Maline, D.O., of Agility Center Orthopedics; Terry Sites, M.D., of Sites Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine; David Yakin, M.D., of Advanced Orthopedic Specialists. "We are proud to further expand access to this technology at Northwest Health," said Denten Park, Market CEO, Northwest Health. "It is part of our commitment to provide our community with outstanding healthcare, close to home." To schedule an appointment or for more information, call us at 479-757-4056 or visit NorthwestHealth.com. Orthopedic surgeons at Northwest Health now offering new procedures using robotic technology Special to NWa Democrat-Gazette Every year in the United States, more than 600,000 people have a new stroke, and 130,000 of those strokes are fatal. But according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, up to 80% of strokes could be prevented through controlling the health conditions that raise your risk for stroke. Anyone – including children – can have a stroke. And while it's true that certain factors like age, sex, race and family history are beyond our control, there are a number of lifestyle choices we can make to vastly reduce the number of tragic stroke-related fatalities. The good news is most of the health and lifestyle choices needed to reduce your risk of stroke, will also significantly reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, while enhancing your overall health and quality of life. So why wait to get started? Here is your priority checklist: • Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure is the leading cause of stroke, and its most controllable risk factor. If you can't manage healthy BP through diet and stress-reduction, get with your doctor for the right medicine. • Stop smoking. Nicotine and carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke damage the cardiovascular system and pave the way for a stroke to occur. Use of birth control pills combined with cigarette smoking can increase the risk of stroke even further. • Prevent or control diabetes. Diabetes (both I and II) is an independent risk factor for stroke. If you are diabetic, have your blood sugar and A1C levels checked regularly and keep those numbers in a healthy range. • Use food as preventive medicine. Your diet can make or break your risk of a stroke over time. Eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables per day can actually reduce the risk of stroke. Minimize sodium, saturated fat and trans fat and keep calories in a healthy range. • Manage cholesterol levels. Large amounts of cholesterol in the blood can build up and cause blood clots, leading to a stroke. If you can't get your numbers in range with diet changes, talk with your doctor about whether medication is the right choice. • Atrial Fibrillation. AFib increases stroke risks fivefold because it causes the heart's upper chambers to beat incorrectly, which can allow the blood to pool and clot, then travel to the brain and cause a stroke. If you have AFib, know your stroke risks and get treatment to keep them as low as possible. • Physical inactivity and weight control. Both physical inactivity and excess body weight can increase your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke. So go on a brisk walk, take the stairs, and do everything you can to make your life more active. If your BMI is over 25, make losing at least 5-10 pounds a priority this year. • Other medical conditions. If you have sleep apnea, sickle cell disease, alcohol or drug abuse, peripheral or carotid artery disease, or any other disease of the heart or blood vessels, talk with your physician regularly about the impact of these conditions on your risk of stroke, and how to best manage it. Transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) are also strong predictors of stroke. TIAs are smaller, temporary blockages in the brain that can produce milder stroke-like symptoms but may not leave lasting damage. Someone who has had one or more TIAs is almost TEN TIMES more likely to have a stroke than someone of similar age who hasn't. Recognizing and treating TIAs is critical to avoiding a major stroke. TIAs should be considered a medical emergency, and the patient should follow up immediately with a neurologist. Perhaps most importantly, the key to avoiding stroke- related death is to get the patient treatment F.A.S.T. The FAST acronym is a helpful reminder to looking for Face drooping, Arm weakness, Slurred speech – Time to call 9-1-1. Other symptoms can include sudden and severe headache pain, confusion, numbness of arms or legs, and loss of vision. Treatment must be administered quickly to avoid irreversible damage, so if in any doubt at all – call 9-1-1. If you need to be connected to a physician to help you identify and manage your risk factors for a stroke, contact one of our neurologists at Northwest Health by calling (479) 553-3310 or visiting NorthwestHealth.com. Stroke prevention starts with smart choices

• Cover