By Andrius Giedraitis, MD
Blanchard Valley Pain Management
Spinal stenosis is a debilitating condition that affects many individuals, particularly as we age. Spinal stenosis involves the narrowing of spaces within the spine, causing compression onto the spinal cord and/or nerves coming from the spinal cord that go to muscles throughout your body. This narrowing can occur in most parts of the spine but is most common in the lower back (lumbar spine), where it can significantly impact a person's function and quality of life.
The spine consists of vertebrae (made of bone) stacked upon one another. These vertebrae have a hollow space that holds and protects the spinal cord and nerve roots called the spinal canal. In spinal stenosis, the open spaces between the vertebrae within the spine narrow, placing pressure on the spinal cord and nerves.
Blanchard Valley Hospital, a division of Blanchard Valley Health System, has been reverified as a Level III trauma center by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma. BVH received three additional ACS recognitions pertaining to surgical quality, cancer treatment, and its commitment to continually improving trauma care.
Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) has acquired two new da Vinci Xi surgical robots as part of its continued commitment to offering state-of-the-art technology to provide quality healthcare.
BVHS now has a total of four Xi surgical robots. One of the new robots is at Blanchard Valley Hospital, while the other is at Bluffton Hospital. They replaced da Vinci X robots previously at each site.
“An Xi robot allows the surgeon to see throughout the abdomen in all directions, without stopping to move the robot or the instruments to a new position,” said Kristie Jolliff, RN, surgery operations manager. “This means surgeries can be performed more efficiently, which is better for the patient as they have to spend less time under anesthesia.”
By Susan Grace, MD
Pediatric Hospitalist, Pediatric Hospitalists of Northwest Ohio
There has been a recent increase in cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in our region. SIDS is the leading cause of death for children under the age of one. These losses are heartbreaking for the families and for communities. While not every infant death has a preventable cause, the majority of them are associated with risk factors, including unsafe sleep. As parents, there are things that can be done to decrease the risk of SIDS.
An infant should always sleep alone, on their back, in a crib. It can be so tempting to snuggle our infants in bed while we sleep or to fall asleep on the couch with the infant on our chest. This is a recipe for disaster. As a pediatrician for over ten years, I have seen these scenarios turn into infant deaths many times. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends room-sharing but never bed-sharing. The crib should be free of any pillows, bumpers, stuffed animals, or loose bedding. These items may make the crib appear more appealing, but they are unnecessary for the baby and can be a means of suffocation.
The Blanchard Valley Health System (BVHS) Board of Trustees and the Blanchard Valley Health Foundation have announced several recent changes to its members and officers.
The BVHS Board has appointed Thomas Lause, Kay Chester and Christian Steiner, MD, as its newest trustees.
