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Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder that causes muscle pain and stiffness, especially in the shoulders. Symptoms of polymyalgia rheumatica (pol-e-my-AL-juh rue-MAT-ih-kuh) usually begin quickly and are worse in the morning. Most people who develop polymyalgia rheumatica are older than 65. It rarely affects people under 50. You may receive symptom relief by taking anti-inflammatory drugs called corticosteroids. But relapses are common, and you'll need to visit your doctor regularly to watch for serious side effects of these drugs. Polymyalgia rheumatica is related to another inflammatory disorder called giant cell arteritis, which can cause headaches, vision difficulties, jaw pain and scalp tenderness. It's possible to have both of these conditions together.
HIV gradually destroys the immune system by attacking and killing a type of white blood cell called a CD4 cell. CD4 cells play a major role in protecting the body from infection. HIV uses the machinery of the CD4 cells to multiply (make copies of itself) and spread throughout the body. This process, which is carried out in seven steps or stages, is called the HIV life cycle. HIV medicines protect the immune system by blocking HIV at different stages of the HIV life cycle. Antiretroviral therapy or ART is the use of HIV medicines to treat HIV infection. People on ART take a combination of HIV medicines from at least two different HIV drug classes every day. Because each class of drugs is designed to target a specific step in the HIV life cycle, ART is very effective at preventing HIV from multiplying. ART also reduces the risk of HIV drug resistance. ART can’t cure HIV, but HIV medicines help people with HIV live longer, healthier lives. ART also reduces the risk of HIV transmission (the spread of HIV to others).
Renowned for her work in reinnervated autologous muscle-preserving perforator flaps, Dr. Aldona Spiegel is one of the top breast reconstruction surgeons in the nation. Dr. Spiegel's office is located in the Houston Methodist Hospital and is affiliated with their Breast Center. These DIEP Flap before and after photos depict some of her recent work. To learn more about DIEP Flap reconstruction in Houston, please visit http://www.breastrestoration.org/diep_siea.php
Hemophilia A, also called factor VIII (FVIII) deficiency or classic hemophilia, is a genetic disorder caused by missing or defective factor VIII, a clotting protein. Although it is passed down from parents to children, about 1/3 of cases are caused by a spontaneous mutation, a change in a gene. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, hemophilia occurs in approximately 1 in 5,000 live births. There are about 20,000 people with hemophilia in the US. All races and ethnic groups are affected. Hemophilia A is four times as common as hemophilia B while more than half of patients with hemophilia A have the severe form of hemophilia.
Cerebral palsy is a disorder of movement, muscle tone or posture that is caused by damage that occurs to the immature, developing brain, most often before birth. Signs and symptoms appear during infancy or preschool years. In general, cerebral palsy causes impaired movement associated with abnormal reflexes, floppiness or rigidity of the limbs and trunk, abnormal posture, involuntary movements, unsteady walking, or some combination of these. People with cerebral palsy may have problems swallowing and commonly have eye muscle imbalance, in which the eyes don't focus on the same object. People with cerebral palsy also may suffer reduced range of motion at various joints of their bodies due to muscle stiffness. Cerebral palsy's effect on functional abilities varies greatly. Some affected people can walk while others can't. Some people show normal or near-normal intellectual capacity, but others may have intellectual disabilities. Epilepsy, blindness or deafness also may be present.
Osteoporosis, which literally means porous bone, is a disease in which the density and quality of bone are reduced. As bones become more porous and fragile, the risk of fracture is greatly increased. The loss of bone occurs silently and progressively. Often there are no symptoms until the first fracture occurs.
Thyroid cancer is a disease that you get when abnormal cells begin to grow in your thyroid gland . The thyroid gland is shaped like a butterfly and is located in the front of your neck. It makes hormones that regulate the way your body uses energy and that help your body work normally.
What are diverticula? Diverticula are outpouchings that most commonly happen in the sigmoid colon of the large intestine. The presence of a diverticulum is defined as diverticulosis, whereas diverticulitis describes an inflamed diverticulum
Most people have general anesthesia right before surgery. This means you will be asleep and pain-free. Other kinds of anesthesia, like regional anesthesia or a block, may also be used for this surgery. The tissue to replace your damaged ACL will come from your own body or from a donor. A donor is a person who has died and chose to give all or part of his or her body to help others. Tissue taken from your own body is called an autograft. The two most common places to take tissue from are the knee cap tendon or the hamstring tendon. Your hamstring is the muscle behind your knee. Tissue taken from a donor is called an allograft. The procedure is usually performed with the help of knee arthroscopy. With arthroscopy, a tiny camera is inserted into the knee through a small surgical cut. The camera is connected to a video monitor in the operating room. Your surgeon will use the camera to check the ligaments and other tissues of your knee. Your surgeon will make other small cuts around your knee and insert other medical instruments. Your surgeon will fix any other damage found, and then will replace your ACL by following these steps: The torn ligament will be removed with a shaver or other instruments. If your own tissue is being used to make your new ACL, your surgeon will make a larger cut. Then, the autograft will be removed through this cut. Your surgeon will make tunnels in your bone to bring the new tissue through. This new tissue will be in the same place as your old ACL. Your surgeon will attach the new ligament to the bone with screws or other devices to hold it in place. As it heals, the bone tunnels fill in. This holds the new ligament in place. At the end of the surgery, your surgeon will close your cuts with sutures (stitches) and cover the area with a dressing. You may be able to view pictures after the procedure of what the doctor saw and what was done during the surgery.
A cervical biopsy is a procedure that is sometimes done on women during an exam called a colposcopy to remove cervical tissue for examination. It is also called a punch biopsy. It is usually performed when a Pap smear result is either inconclusive or abnormal and a doctor wants to screen further for any cervical dysplasia or cervical cancer.