A Walk In The Park

0 Comments | Daily Record; Wooster, Ohio, Oct 18, 2009 | by Jeanine Kendle

Depression screening to be held

WOOSTER — The Counseling Center will hold a screening session at the Wayne County Public Library on National Depression Screening Day, Wednesday, from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Participants will complete a brief, written questionnaire, learn about the symptoms of depression and how to help a friend or family member who may be at risk. People also have the option of talking to a health care professional about concerns they may have.

For more information call The Counseling Center at 330-264-9029.

Robotic prostate surgery may mean trade-off

CHICAGO (AP) — A new study suggests less-invasive keyhole surgery for prostate cancer may mean a higher risk for lasting incontinence and impotence when compared with traditional surgery.

The results add to confusion around prostate cancer treatments, which sometimes lead to urinary and sexual problems. It’s not clear that either kind of surgery is superior to radiation alone or watchful waiting, which means simply monitoring the prostate for changes.

Laparoscopic, or keyhole, surgery is increasingly chosen by men having a cancerous prostate removed. And often it involves the highly marketed da Vinci robotics system. Da Vinci’s popularity has been rising even though there’s never been a rigorous head-to-head comparison between it and standard surgery.

The patients who had keyhole surgery left the hospital in two days, rather than three, on average. They also had lower rates of blood transfusions, breathing problems and internal scarring.

There was no difference in the rate of additional cancer therapy down the road, suggesting the two techniques were about the same for cancer control.

But the men who had keyhole surgery were more likely to report complications in the first 30 days after surgery involving genital and urinary function. About 5 percent of the minimally invasive surgery patients vs. about 2 percent of the standard surgery patients had these complications. And after 18 months, they had more incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

In laparoscopic surgery, small incisions are made and the doctor uses a tiny camera and instruments for the operation. When robotics is used for this, the doctor sits at a console and manipulates similar instruments attached to robotic arms that work on the patient.

First lady stresses small steps to improve health

WASHINGTON (AP) — First lady Michelle Obama says small changes in diet and exercise habits can improve health and fitness.

In other words, don’t try to change everything at once.

Choose walking over driving. Add a vegetable or fruit to meals. Switch from sugary soda to water.

Mrs. Obama said that lifestyle changes are needed because nearly one-third of U.S. children are either overweight or obese — a major public health threat, as she described it, that doesn’t bode well for their future.

“Imagine what we’re going to be facing in 20 or 30 years if we don’t get on this issue,” she said while visiting the Health and Human Services Department, her 11th stop at a Cabinet department or federal agency. “None of us wants a future like that for our children.”

Mrs. Obama said she knows firsthand that change is hard. She recalled her not too distant days as a busy, working mother rushing home after work only to find an empty refrigerator and two hungry, complaining kids. It was easy to order pizza or other takeout food, she said.

Then the family pediatrician sounded an alarm, the first lady said, adding that it prompted her to start making some of the changes she talked about: adding more fruits and vegetables to meals, cutting back on sugary drinks and processed foods, reading food labels.

The Health and Human Services Department recently announced that states, communities, U.S. territories and tribes may apply for a share of $493 million in economic stimulus funds to pay for prevention and wellness programs.

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