News

Empowered by Bariatric Surgery, Patient Hopes to Inspire Others

For Naiesha Brooks, 44, knee pain and missing her children’s activities were finally too much to bear.

She had always been an active person, enjoying dancing and exercising, especially boxing. During one strenuous boxing workout she tore the meniscus in her knee, the C-shaped piece of tough cartilage that acts as a shock absorber between your shinbone and thighbone. It’s a common knee injury and easily repaired, but Naiesha put off getting the surgery for years.

Lung Cancer Screening Saves Lives

Each November, we celebrate Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in the United States, ahead of breast, pancreatic and colon cancers combined.  In The U.S. alone, there are approximately 160,000 deaths each year. By spreading awareness about the disease, and lifestyle factors that can contribute to developing Lung Cancer, our hope is to help prevent further progression on disease.

Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center Appoints Daniel Mansour, M.D. as Medical Director of Thoracic Surgery

Mountainside Medical Center has announced that Daniel Mansour, M.D. will take on the role as medical director of thoracic surgery and surgical director of the lung cancer screening/lung nodule program. In this role, Dr. Mansour will operate the thoracic surgery program to ensure its organization and delivery of excellent, timely and evidence-based care.

Monoclonal Drug Therapy to Treat COVID-19 Available at Mountainside Medical Center

Mountainside Medical Center is offering monoclonal antibody treatment [Regen-Cov] to patients with confirmed COVID-19. The use of monoclonal antibody treatment has been shown to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.

Those who qualify for monoclonal antibody treatment include:

· Individuals, 12 years and older weighing at least 88 pounds, with confirmed COVID-19 who are at risk of progressing to severe COVID-19 (including those who are 65 years of age or older, those with certain chronic medical conditions and those who are unvaccinated).

Mountainside Surgeon gets Home Health Aide Back Up on her Feet

For Agnieska “Agnes” Hamiga, being on the receiving end of healthcare was a new experience.

A certified home health aide in Wallington, N.J., Agnes has been caring for the sick for more than 28 years. She typically cares for patients in their homes, occasionally being on duty for more than 24 hours at a time.

On a 2018 drive home from work with her husband, their vehicle collided with an ambulance, sending her to the hospital. Her right leg was injured, from her hip to her ankle, with swelling around her knee.

Multiple Myeloma – the Blood Cancer that Silently Impacts Vital Organs

Every year more than 1.3 million Americans will be living with, or be in remission from, a blood cancer.

Multiple myeloma, one of three main blood cancers (with leukemia and lymphoma), is a cancer of plasma cells, which are a type of white blood cells. When these cells form naturally in bone marrow, they produce antibodies, playing a key role in keeping the immune system strong enough to ward off most diseases.

Blood Cancers: Hidden Diseases with Many Treatments

When most people think about cancer, they tend to think of lumps and bumps, something visible they can see and touch. But with blood cancers, there are no immediate visible signs, just the effects of the cancer in the blood system. It may only be identified after a patient visits their doctor and describes symptoms like:

· Fatigue

· Pain and soreness

· Swelling

· Loss of function of an infected organ

Treatment and Considerations for Pancreatic Cancer

According to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, pancreatic cancer is the eleventh most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, with more than 60,000 Americans expected to be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer this year.

Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center Acquires Stryker’s Mako SmartRoboticsTM System

As part of the hospital’s continued investment in the latest technology, Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center has acquired a Stryker Mako robotic surgical system to perform robotic-assisted joint replacement procedures. Mountainside has offered robotic-assisted surgeries for a decade. The new Mako gives patients a minimally invasive option for total hip, total knee and partial knee replacements.

Back to School Sports Physicals – An Important Health Screening

It’s back to school time, when we have a ton of things to check off the list: new books and supplies, new clothes, enrolling our children in sports, activities and more. Before completely checking off sports, consider getting your child a sports physical. A sports physical can help ensure children and teens are prepared to participate in athletics. It’s also a great opportunity to learn how to avoid getting hurt or sick while playing their chosen sports.