Dr. Shak’s quote embodies Dr. C’s approach to medicine and surgery. We should never accept that we have reached the end of improvement, of discovery, of better ways of doing things. Our pursuit for excellence is relentless.
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Dr. C focuses her innovation efforts on cutting edge surgical options to bring patients more choices, on innovative education methods to educate patients and thus empower them to participate in the decision for treatment of their disease, and new technology that allows better, safer surgery.
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Innovation in Patient Education
“Pictures say 1000 words” - Dr. C feels very strongly that a patient should be given the tools to have realistic understanding and expectations of what their surgery will be like.
No explanation can be detailed enough without appropriate pictures. Therefore Dr. C developed a system to help patients understand what happens in surgery and what they will look like after surgery, customized for the surgeries patients want and are qualified for. Education and a clear understanding is the foundation of informed decisions.
Dr. C also uses innovative advanced technology to explain cancer, types of cancer, and treatment options.
Patient education is critical to the patient’s control over their care, their experience as they go through the treatments, and their recovery.
No explanation can be detailed enough without appropriate pictures. Therefore Dr. C developed a system to help patients understand what happens in surgery and what they will look like after surgery, customized for the surgeries patients want and are qualified for. Education and a clear understanding is the foundation of informed decisions.
Dr. C also uses innovative advanced technology to explain cancer, types of cancer, and treatment options.
Patient education is critical to the patient’s control over their care, their experience as they go through the treatments, and their recovery.
Innovation in Technology
Dr. C brought to Milford Regional Medical Center.
- Painless SAVI localizer to localize the cancers for surgery. This replaced the archaic painful needle sticking out of a patient’s breast while they were waiting for surgery.
• Not only is this technology better for patients in terms of comfort, but this technology allows for increased accuracy in surgical removal of cancer. This technology allows for a better operation.
- SPY-PHI technology to allow safer mastectomy with better cosmetic outcomes.
• SPY Portable Handheld Imager (SPY-PHI) utilizes SPY Fluorescence Imaging technology and allows surgeons to visualize blood flow in vessels and related tissue perfusion during plastic, microsurgical, reconstructive surgery. - EXPAREL nerve block utilization – a cutting edge solution to post-operative pain which has demonstrated a decrease in amount of narcotics needed. Many patients do not need any narcotics after their mastectomy and reconstruction and get to go home the same day.
SPY-PHI Imager
Advanced Imaging to Benefit Women Undergoing Breast Surgery
Last August Milford Regional added a state-of-the-art device to the Surgery Center that will especially benefit women undergoing breast surgery. Diana Caragacianu, MD, medical director of The Breast Center at Milford Regional, led the efforts in trialing this new technology at MRMC, demonstrating its safety and utility and resulting in the purchase of the Stryker SPY Portable Handheld Imager (SPY-PHI). This equipment uses fluorescence imaging technology that allows surgeons to visualize blood flow in vessels and related perfusion to an organ or a tissue. This type of intra-operative information acquired from the technology allows us to choose precise steps in surgery which optimizes the patient’s safest outcome.
SOURCE: Posted on March 3, 2020 by Milford Regional in The Breast Center, Today's Feature