Get a Grip

W i n t e r 2 0 1 0HEALTHIERFor you, your family, your home and your lifeLOOKGet a GripBuildingBetterHealthcare

Inside this issue:“Back” in the Game.......................... 4Healthy Cooking:Chocolate & Cherry Brownies........... 6Ask the Expert:Breast Reconstruction....................... 7Health Bits....................................... 8Building Better Healthcare.............. 10Meet the Moons............................. 12Get a Grip!..................................... 144Welcome to theNew Face of Southeast12Our new brand, SoutheastHEALTH,reflects our health system’s currentrole in healthcare. The Hospital itselfwill continue to be known as SoutheastHospital.“SoutheastHEALTH reflects the factthat Southeast Hospital is more thana hospital and more than a singlelocation,” notes SoutheastHEALTH President and CEO Debbie Linnes.“We are a far-reaching network of providers and facilities uniting to providea regional system of healthcare services. This is not simply an evolution inname alone. We are reaching out beyond the borders of Cape Girardeau topartner with regional healthcare providers to expand and enhance healthcareservices across our region,” Linnes says.“Southeast Hospital houses many of these healthcare services and our nameis widely recognized. Given this, the Hospital logo will continue to look much asit has in the past with the exception of the word ‘Missouri,’ which no longerreflects the wide geographic region served by Southeast,” explains Linnes. Inaddition to patients from Missouri, residents of Illinois, western Kentucky andnorthern Arkansas also turn to Southeast for their healthcare needs.Today, Southeast has multiple campuses and facilities, such as HealthPointFitness in Cape Girardeau and Jackson, Southeast Home Health, SoutheastHospice and Southeast Endocrinology at Doctors’ Park, Southeast WellnessConnection at West Park Mall and Southeast Medical Plaza with locations onBroadway and Mount Auburn Road. In addition, SoutheastHEALTH operatessatellite outpatient Cardiac Rehab services in Sikeston and Dexter, Mo. InFebruary 2011, the new Southeast Cancer Center, the largest constructionproject in the health system’s history, will open on SoutheastHEALTH’sWest Campus.HEALTHIERLOOKSoutheast HospitalPresident and CEODebbie LinnesExecutive Vice President,Planning and Business DevelopmentJames P. LimbaughChief Operating OfficerSly Moore, MA, MBA, CHEVice President and Chief Nursing OfficerKaren Hendrickson, EdD, RN, NEA-BCVice President and Chief Financial OfficerHugh King, CPAVice President and Chief Medical OfficerE. Lee Taylor, MD, JDVice President, Legal AffairsDaniel L. Berry, JD, CHEVice President, Strategic Planning and MarketingGregory Hudson, FACHE, MHA, MPAVice President, Physician ServicesAnn McFarland, FACMPEVice President, Human Resources & DevelopmentWayne SmithHealthier Look EditorsSally OwenMark BlissHealthier Look WriterDelain StaffordHealthier Look photography coordinated byKeith WhitworthHealthGrades ® Ratings, Rankings andAchievements: Patient Safety Excellence Award TM (2009 & 2010) Outstanding Patient Experience Award TM(2009, 2009-10, 2010-11) Five-Star Rated for carotid surgery; No. 1 in Missourifor vascular surgery Five-Star Rated for prostatectomy (Top 5) Five-Star Rated for Coronary InterventionalProcedures (Top 5) Five-Star Rated for Hip Fracture Repair (Top 10) Five-Star Rated for treatment of stroke (Top 10)Recognitions Magnet Nursing Services Recognition Award American Heart Association’s Get With theGuidelines – Coronary Artery Disease GoldPerformance Achievement Award Gold Seal of Approval TM from The JointCommission for Primary Stroke CentersMissionTogether we make a difference through our commitmentto excellence in healthcare.VisionAs a leading provider of health services, SoutheastHEALTHis dedicated to continuous improvement of the region’shealth status in a collaborative, cost-effective manner.The information contained in this publication is not intendedto constitute medical advice and should not be reliedupon in lieu of regular visits to your health practitioner.To unsubscribe to this publication, please emailSally Owen at sowen@sehosp.org or callHealthLine at 800-800-5123.2 | Healthier Look Winter 2010

| Skin Deep |Scratch Out Dry, Winter SkinIf your skin feels dry this winter – a specialproblem for infants, older people and frequenthand-washers – squelch the urge to take a long, hotbath or shower.Lengthy soaks steal the natural skin oils that sealin moisture, according to the American Academy ofDermatology. Towel drying only compounds theproblem. Here are some other ways to prevent orsoothe dry skin:• Use lukewarm water for bathing, and soak for10 minutes maximum.• Use a mild soap or non-soap cleanser. Be leeryof bath oils. They can moisturize skin, but theyalso make tubs slippery and dangerous.• After bathing, pat – rather than rub – your skinalmost dry.• Smooth in a moisturizer right after bathing totrap water in your skin. Look for a lotion orcream with urea, lactic acid or mineral oil. Youalso can use petroleum jelly on dry skin. Reapplylotion as necessary. You might want to wait andapply greasy ointments before bed.In many people with eczema or dry skin, thenatural outer oily barrier is lacking and contributesto much of the scaling and itching that peopleexperience, according to Chuck Moon, MD, ofAdvanced Dermatology of Southeast Missouri andthe Southeast Hospital Medical Staff. “I like to use anewer class of moisturizers that are formulated toreplace the oily outer barrier of skin. One brandthat is great for sensitive, dry skin is called CeraVeand is found over the counter,” Dr. Moon says.Stress, aging and smoking also contribute to skinissues. If severe dry skin lasts longer than twoweeks, appears red and swollen, or oozes, contact adermatologist. You may have an infection or otherproblem.Chuck Moon, MDAdvanced Dermatologyof Southeast MissouriFor more information,call 800-800-5123.Top NotchSoutheast Hospital Ranks High in State, Nation in Patient CareSoutheast Hospital provides its patients with some of the besthealthcare anywhere. Our national and state rankings prove it.The Hospital ranks among the top 5 percent in the nation forpatient satisfaction, according to the Centers for Medicare &Medicaid Services.The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providersand Systems or HCAHPS ranks Southeast among the top threehospitals in Missouri in six of the 10 survey categories.Southeast ranked first in the state in the categories of “paincontrol” and “communication with nurses.” Southeast had thethird highest score in the “overall rating category.”HealthGrades ® , the nation’s leading independent healthcareratings organization, also gives high marks to Southeast.The Hospital ranks number one in Missouri for vascularsurgery and has achieved“Five-Star” ratings nationallyand high state rankings inseveral clinical areas.The latest HealthGradesstudy, which measured clinical outcomes at nearly 5,000 U.S.hospitals between October 2007 and September 2009, showedSoutheast achieved significantly better outcomes than the vastmajority of the nation’s hospitals in heart care, orthopedicservices, stroke treatment, prostatectomy and vascular surgery.In addition to vascular surgery, Southeast ranks among thetop 10 in Missouri in overall cardiac services, cardiology services,coronary interventional procedures (top 5), overall orthopedicservices, prostatectomy (top 5) and stroke treatment.SEhealth.org | 3

| Success Story |Jason Parker Crombie plays a board gamewith his family while holding onto the familydog, Sassy. Clockwise from left: Jason, Kailey,Amanda and Morgan.Pain FreeNeurosurgery Gives New Lease on Life for ‘Fun Daddy’by Mark BlissFor Jason Parker Crombie, severe painwas his constant companion, the result ofback problems which first surfaced inJanuary 2005. Ten years earlier, at age 17,the vehicle he was driving was rear-endedby a semi-tractor trailer. Jason escapedwith bumps and bruises. But precautionaryx-rays indicated he could experience backproblems within a decade.When the back pain first surfaced, theCape Girardeau resident sought reliefthrough physical therapy. But the paingrew worse over the next several years. ByMarch 2010, his walking gait was noticeablyoff. He suffered from neuropathic pain inhis right leg and thigh that became sounbearable, he couldn’t walk barefooton his home’s hardwood floors.Chronic Pain“When you’re living in chronic pain, youfeel like you’re alone,” explains Jason, a32-year-old senior account representativewith Withers Communication, who alsodoes some on-air features for the radioenterprise. “It hurts you physically andalso gets into your heart and mind.”When he came home from work, hewould have to rest on the couch witheither a heating pad or ice pack. The“He had a spinescreaming to befixed.”— Kyle Colle, DOback pain prevented Jason from engagingin family activities with his wife, Amanda,and young daughters, Kailey, 6, andMorgan, 4. He was lucky if he couldsleep three hours a night.4 | Healthier Look Winter 2010

| Success Story |Dr. Colle suggested that Jason would needsurgery, and he was released from the hospital.During the next few months, he took pain-relievingmedications prescribed by Terry L. Cleaver, MD,a pain management specialist with the Brain andNeuroSpine Clinic and a member of the Hospital’sMedical Staff.Thanks to surgery, back pain patient Jason Parker Crombieis now pain free and once again enjoying his job at a CapeGirardeau radio station.In mid-March, he arrived at Southeast’sEmergency Services in severe pain. Diagnostic testswere performed. He was admitted to the Hospital forfurther evaluation. Tests showed he had a herniateddisc and suffered from degenerative disc disease andpars defects, a condition caused by a stress fractureto a bony region of the spine. This can lead to onevertebra slipping forward onto another.Neurosurgeon Kyle Colle, DO, of the Brainand NeuroSpine Clinic of Missouri, LLC, and theSoutheast Hospital Medical Staff, visited with Jasonin the Hospital. “When Dr. Colle came in, he didn’tstand above me in a white coat and talk in technical,medical terms. He sat down and listened – reallylistened – to me and my needs. From the momentI met Dr. Colle, I felt at ease,” Jason says.Managing Pain“We did some steroid injections. Anti-inflammatorydrugs were injected into the spinal column,” recallsDr. Cleaver. In addition to oral medications andinjections, pain management practices include theuse of nerve blocks and physical therapy. “It iscertainly a lot more complicated than prescribingsomeone a narcotic,” he notes. “Every patient’sproblem is unique.”“The majority of patients we see don’t have tohave surgery,” Dr. Cleaver says. But in Jason’s case,surgery was required. “He had a spine screamingto be fixed,” says Dr. Colle. On June 16, Dr. Colleperformed the surgery at Southeast Hospital.The minimally-invasive surgery involved removalof a disc and the installation of a spacer as well asbone and stem cells. Titanium screws and rodswere also installed. “That is scaffolding to holdeverything in place until the bone fuses,” explainsDr. Colle.“Typically, we see some bone growth withinthree months, but it can take up to a year to totallyfuse,” he says.The surgery took more than five hours, butbecause it was minimally invasive, Jason was leftwith only two, 2½ inch scars.Kyle Colle, DOBrain and NeurospineClinic of Missouri, LLCTerry L. Cleaver, MDBrain and NeuroSpineClinic of Missouri, LLCFor more information,call 800-800-5123.Did You Know?• High-heeled shoes can make your legslook great. But the American PodiatricMedical Association warns that heelshigher than 2 inches can warp yournormal walking style and contribute toback pain.• The most common cause of back pain isusing your back muscles in activitiessuch as lifting heavy furniture or doingyard work.• Back pain is one of the leading reasonsfor missed work and is second only toupper respiratory infections for number ofvisits to the doctor.• Americans spend at least $50 billion onback pain each year.Excellent Care“The people at Southeast were awesome,” Jasonsays. “It was my first surgery. Everyone made mefeel so comfortable,” he adds. “They made me feellike family. The nurses answered every question Ihad, and I was sent home with a phone number tocall if I had any additional questions or concerns.”He says he missed out on a lot of familyactivities because he didn’t seek medical helpsooner. “I spent too much time taking off from life,”Jason adds. Now that he’s pain free, Jason says hecan enjoy life again. Exclaims Jason’s daughterMorgan, “my fun daddy’s back!” And to Jason it’s anew beginning; “I have a new lease on life thanks toSoutheast, Dr. Colle and Dr. Cleaver.”Want to know more about back pain and how to treat it?Visit SEhealth.org and click on Health Library.SEhealth.org | 5

| Ask the Expert |Breast ReconstructionEvery year, more than 200,000 women in theUnited States are diagnosed with breast cancer. Butthe emotional and physical results are very differenttoday than they were in the past. More advancedtreatment options as well as improved reconstructivesurgery mean that women who have breast cancertoday have better choices.Q. What is breast reconstruction?A. It is a type of surgery for women who have had amastectomy. The surgery rebuilds the breast so thatit’s about the same size and shape as it was before.Q. Does breast reconstruction make thebreasts just like they were before?A. Not quite. Breast reconstruction restores thesize and shape. The areola and nipple can alsosometimes be reconstructed, but the surgerycannot restore feeling or natural sensations.Q. When do I have to decide whether ornot I want breast reconstruction?A. It is a good idea to talk about it with yoursurgeon and a plastic surgeon experienced in breastreconstruction before your mastectomy. This letsyour doctors plan the treatment that’s best for you,even if you want to wait and have reconstructivesurgery later. Some women don’t want to thinkabout reconstruction while they’re coping with thecancer diagnosis. If this is the case, you may chooseto wait until after your breast cancer surgery todecide about reconstruction.Q. Why have breast reconstruction?A. Women choose breast reconstructionfor many reasons:• To make their breasts look balancedwhen they are wearing a bra• To permanently regain breast shape• So they don’t have to use a form thatfits inside the braOther Things toThink About…If you’re thinking about breast reconstruction,here are a few things to consider:• Your surgeon may recommend reshapingyour remaining breast to match yourreconstructed breast, by enlarging,reducing or lifting it.• If you smoke, you will likely have to quitat least two months before surgery toallow for better healing.• Breast reconstruction cannot hide breastcancer, prevent it from coming back orcause it to return.You will likely be able to see the differencebetween the reconstructed breast and the remainingbreast when you are nude. But when you arewearing a bra, the breasts should be similar enoughin size and shape that you will feel comfortableabout how you look. Reconstruction surgery canhave a very positive effect on your body imageand self-esteem.Q. Does breast reconstructionrequire a lot of surgery?A. The reconstruction processoften means more than oneoperation. The first surgery createsthe breast mound, but sometimesthis can be done at the same timeas the mastectomy. Follow-upprocedures, such as creating thenipple and areola, may be done inthe hospital or in an outpatientfacility. This decision dependson a variety of factors, so youwill need to ask your plasticsurgeon this question.J. StewartHumphrey, MDHeartland Plastic& Hand SurgeryFor more information,call 800-800-5123.Have you been diagnosed with breast cancer within the last year?Turning Point is a FREE 7-week class offered by Southeast Health thataddresses healing for the mind, body and spirit. Topics include journaling,spirituality, exercise guidelines and more. You will also receive a free6-month membership to Southeast HealthPoint Fitness. For moreinformation, please call us at 537-986-4411.SEhealth.org | 7

| Health Bits |Going GreenSoutheast Hospital Recycles Everything from Batteries to Paperby Mark BlissSoutheast Hospital embraces “going green” as a standardpractice, not a slogan. The Hospital recycles everything frombatteries and printer cartridges to cardboard and disposablesurgery instruments.“Going green makes sense because it allows us to live andwork in a healthier environment,” says Debbie Goodhart,Southeast’s Environmental Services director.The Hospital also uses no-chemical floor scrubbers. Thesemachines use electricity to charge water to perform like apowerful detergent. “These are the greenest machines on themarket,” says Goodhart.“We have partnered with a company called Midwest Recyclingwhich will take and recycle anything with a cord or a battery,”she says.Recycling It AllSoutheast recycles about 2,860 pounds of batteries a year and2,200 printer cartridges. We have started recycling disposablesurgery instruments as well.The Hospital alsorecycles about 1,500pounds of heavy metals,old carts and machineseach year. In addition,Southeast is on pace toannually recycle about41,600 pounds ofcardboard. The Hospitalbegan recyclingcardboard in July.Southeast alsoworks hard to conserveresources. “We alwayswash full loads of linensat a time, which savesabout 400,000 gallonsof water a year,”Goodhart says.“Going greenmakes sensebecause it allowsus to live and workin a healthierenvironment.”— Debbie Goodhart,Southeast’s EnvironmentalServices director.“All of our paper supplies are from recycled material,” shenotes. In 2010, the Hospital used over 66,000 rolls of regulartoilet paper, 1,050 jumbo rolls of toilet paper, 43,000 packagesof paper towels, more than 4,000 rolls of paper towels and2,300 jumbo rolls of paper towels.Saving the EnvironmentSoutheast relies on microfiber cleaning cloths and mops,each of which can be washed up to 500 times and reused.About half of all the Hospital’s cleaning chemicals are“Green Seal” certified, which means they have been testedand found to be environmentally friendly.“All of our personal health information paper is recycledthrough a company called Cintas,” Goodhart says. The companypicks up the paper weekly and shreds it on site. Then, theshredded paper is taken to St. Louis and recycled.Last year, Cintas shredded 500,000 pounds of paper fromSoutheast’s facilities. According to the recycling firm, theHospital’s recycled paper saved 4,632 trees, 103,360 gallons of oiland 1.9 million gallons of water that otherwise would have beenneeded to produce an equivalent amount of new paper, and saved816 cubic yards of landfill.8 | Healthier Look Winter 2010

| Health Bits |A New Year, a New StartNew Year’s resolutions seem like agreat idea in January, but what aboutin February, March and beyond?Here’s how to stick with your plan.Your Resolution: Lose weight.Keep It Up: Write down in a fooddiary what you eat, how much, where,when, with whom and your mood atthe time. In one large study, the moreoften overweight people wrote in afood diary, the more weight they lost.Your Resolution: Reduce stress.Keep It Up: Recharge with seven toeight hours of sleep a night. Thisimproves mood and helps you think4 letter wordsChipDale5 letter wordsBambiDaisyDumboGoofyHappy6 letter wordsDonaldMickeyMinnie7 letter wordsAladdinScrooge9 letter wordsPinocchioSnow White10 letter wordsCinderellaTinker Bellclearly and creatively. Go to bed andget up at the same time every day,even on weekends.Your Resolution: Manage time.Keep It Up: Make to-do lists andrank items in order of importance.Tackle high-priority items first. Don’tpush back exercise; write it on yourcalendar like any other appointment.Kids CornerFill in the squares with these Walt Disney characters!For the answers to this puzzle, visitSEhealth.org/healthierlookmagazineChecking Upon Your MedicineCabinetContrary to popular belief, a bathroommedicine cabinet is not a good place tokeep your medicines. Showers and bathscreate heat and humidity, which can causesome drugs to break down. It’s best tokeep medicines in a cool, dry place, awayfrom light and out of the reach of children.Here are more tips to help you keepyour medicines in good condition:• At least once a year, check and discardmedicines that have passed the expirationdate, have damaged containers oryou no longer need.• Keep all items in their original containers.• Make an inventory of your medicines toshare with your doctor.Disposing of Old MedicationsTimes have changed – never flushmedication down the toilet. Sewagetreatment plants cannot clean all medicationout of our water source. This can harm fishand wildlife and can have an adverse affecton our environment.To protect children, pets and wildlife, beproactive – dispose of unused medicationsyourself:• Place solid medications in a plastic bagand then crush the medication.• Pour liquid medication into a plastic bag.Mix kitty litter, coffee grounds, saw dustor flour with the medication to preventany misuse. Seal the bag well and placeit into the trash.• Remove and destroy all identifyingpersonal information (prescription label)from the container. Recycle the medicationcontainer as allowed in your area orthrow it away.SEhealth.org | 9

| Our Commitment |Building Better HealthcareEmployers and Employees Benefitfrom Southeast HealthWorksby Mark BlissManufacturing parts for freight cars is big business forAmerican Railcar Industries in Jackson, Mo. But beyond thewelded steel products, the company has helped shape healthcarefor its employees with the help of Southeast HealthWorks.Laura Klinkhardt, supervisor of safety, environmental andhuman resources at the plant, says the company has focused onimproving employees’ health by taking advantage of healthscreenings and programs offered through HealthWorks.“Every month, we have a health program,” Klinkhardtnotes. The on-site programs are voluntary and held in thefactory break room. HealthWorks and Southeast’s WellnessConnection bring in area physicians to talk about varioushealth topics such as the importance of cancer screenings.Klinkhardt says her company encourages presentationsfrom family doctors who are taking new patients, a move thatcan encourage employees to turn to such physicians for theirhealthcare rather than relying on hospital emergency rooms.The company’s health insurance program also pays for flushots for employees and their spouses. Employees can attenda smoking cessation program offered by the Hospital.The company utilizes HealthWorks and SoutheastOccupational Medicine for treatment of work injuries, preemploymentphysicals and drug and alcohol screenings. “Wecouldn’t do it ourselves. We had to have help,” Klinkhardt notes.Improving Employee HealthAmerican Railcar isn’t alone in benefitting from such services.HealthWorks currently provides health services to 138businesses in southeast Missouri and southern Illinois. Thosecompanies employ about 12,000 workers and include sevenof the 10 largest employers in a 50-mile radius of CapeGirardeau, according to Southeast HealthWorks programdirector Mike Griffin.“The American Railcar plant has focused on improvingemployee health for the past six years. That’s reduced healthcosts for both employees and the company,” says Griffin.American Railcar’s Jackson plant employs about 100people. Many of them didn’t have a primary care physicianAllen Holshouser of Marble Hill,Mo., welds a part for a freight carat American Railcar Industries.before the company began focusing on improving employeehealth. “We found that employees were going to hospitalemergency rooms because they didn’t have a doctor,” Klinkhardtsays. That resulted in higher medical costs for both the workersand the company, she explains.But that’s changed in recent years. “A lot of them now havetheir own physicians,” she notes. “That’s led to more cost-effectivehealthcare for employees and the company.”Workers at the plant now participate in walks that include prizeincentives such as tickets to baseball or football games for thosewho walk the farthest. The Jackson plant’s focus on employeehealth has served as a role model for the company’s other plants.10 | Healthier Look Winter 2010

W I N T E R 2 0 1 0| Our Commitment |For moreinformation aboutSoutheast HealthWorksand the cost-savingservices it provides,call HealthWorkscoordinatorJohn Caldwell at573-986-4474.American Railcar Industries employeeDarrel Davenport of Marble Hill, Mo., sayshis health has improved since he shed poundsand has embraced a healthier diet.Chad Hurst of Marble Hill, Mo., kneels on the factory floorto weld a part.Preventing InjuriesOccupational Medicine’sThomas W. Marsh, MD,MPH, says the focus is onmore than simply treatingworkers’ injuries. “Ourwhole goal is towardprevention,” he explains. Dr.Marsh has toured AmericanRailcar and the businessesof many of his other clients.“Frequently, I ask for a videoof the job,” Dr. Marsh says.That way, he explains, hehas a better understandingThomas W. Marsh, MDSoutheast OccupationalMedicineFor more information,call 800-800-5123.of what the job entails and the physical requirementsof the task.Among the most common workplace injuries areback, shoulder and foot problems, he notes. Manyinjured workers are helped by physical therapy offeredthrough HealthPoint’s Outpatient Rehab.Dr. Marsh says some companies haveseen significant reductions in healthinsurance costs and injury rates afterpartnering with HealthWorks. “Over time,it greatly benefits companies to have usinvolved with the care of their workers,”he notes.Timely management of health issuesreduces worker absenteeism and allowsemployees to do their jobs better, heexplains. Ultimately, he adds, that canlead to fewer workplace accidents.Injured employees often can return towork on light duty while their injuries heal,Dr. Marsh says. “The vast majority ofinjuries get better in a short period oftime,” he adds.On the CoverHEALTHIERFor you, your family, your home and your lifeLOOKGet a GripBuildingBetterHealthcareRichard Beard of Perryville,Mo., grinds a metal part atAmerican Railcar Industriesin Jackson, Mo.Darrel Davenport, of Marble Hill, Mo., praises AmericanRailcar for making employee health a priority. Davenport saysit has prompted him to lose 50 pounds. As a result, he sleeps betterand it has kept his blood sugar level in check.“I just changed the way I eat,” he says, adding that he has cutout the white bread and potatoes. He’s also eating fewer sweets.“My blood pressure is lower,” adds Davenport. “I feel a lot better.”Such testimony demonstrates the importance of focusing onemployee health. HealthWorks, Klinkhardt says, is a cost-effectiveprescription for good health.SEhealth.org | 11

| Patient’s Experience |GettingaGripCape Girardeau NeurosurgeonsOffer Patients EndoscopicProcedure for Carpal Tunnel Reliefby Sally OwenWilliam (Bill) Beggs knows what it’s like to work withyour hands. Until retiring recently, Beggs managed thefamily’s Pioneer Orchard in Cape Girardeau. Everysummer, fruit lovers flock to the orchard – nestled on120 acres on the city’s south side – to enjoy the 10different varieties of peaches that are picked throughoutthe summer.Beggs also enjoys playing cards. But he started havingtrouble holding them. That was one clue. Then, when thepain and numbness in his hands began to affect his sleep,Beggs knew it was time to do something.Did You Know?• Carpal comes from “carpus,” the Latin wordfor wrist.• Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) results in morethan two million visits to physicians’ officeseach year and affects one in 10 Americans.• CTS affects three times as many womenas men.• If not properly treated, CTS can causeirreversible nerve damage.• CTS accounts for roughly 10 to 17 percentof repetitive strain injuries.• Although it may be aggravated by work,CTS can also occur in people who are notworking with their hands.14 | Healthier Look Winter 2010

| Patient’s Experience |He consulted Cape Girardeauneurosurgeon Kyle O. Colle, DO, of theBrain and NeuroSpine Clinic of Missouri,and learned about endoscopic carpaltunnel release, an innovative procedurethat is minimally invasive, causespatients less discomfort and allowsa quicker return to normal activities.Dr. Colle and Scott R. Gibbs, MD,founding partner of the clinic, are theonly neurosurgeons in the region whoperform what is often referred to as“no stitch” surgery.Beggs and his wife Shirley alsoattended an informational sessionpresented by Brain and NeuroSpine physicians. Attending thatsession, Beggs says, “was the icing on the cake” that firmed uphis decision to have the procedure done on his right hand atSoutheast Hospital’s Brain and Spine Center.He was extremely pleased with the surgery – which takes just15 to 20 minutes – and its outcome, so much so that six weeksafter the first procedure Beggs underwent endoscopic carpaltunnel release on his left hand. The care he received at Southeastwas excellent, he adds. “They bent over backwards to make usfeel comfortable,” he says. “When I got a survey to rate my careon a scale of one to 10, I put 12.”Dr. Colle says patients may elect to have either regional orgeneral anesthetic for thebrief outpatient procedurewhich utilizes an endoscope(a small fiber optic TVcamera) to look into thecarpal tunnel through a tinyincision in the wrist. Thepinpoint wrist and palmincisions require only smallbandages. In comparison,traditional open carpaltunnel release requires anincision of an inch or moredown the middle of thepalm. Best of all, thesuccess rate for endoscopiccarpal tunnel release isexcellent.Kyle O. Colle, DO,Brain and NueroSpineClinic of Missouri, LLCFor more information,call 800-800-5123.The tiny incisions made on Bill Beggs’ handsare virtually invisible.Beggs says he was back to his normal activities in no time,including “getting up on the roof and hammering.” And he hasthis advice for those who endure the aggravating symptoms ofcarpal tunnel: “Take advantage of what’s available. You won’t besorry.”What is Carpal TunnelSyndrome?Small bones at the base of the hand, called thecarpals, and a connecting tissue spanning them,form a tunnel-like structure. Tendons, the connectingbands of tissue between the muscles and thebones they move, and the median nerve thatcarries signals between the hand and spinal cord,pass through this tunnel. If the tendons becomeswollen, as can happen with overuse, the swellingcan pinch the nerve, causing the pain, tingling andnumbness of carpal tunnel syndrome.Symptoms• Numbness, tingling and pain in the thumb,index, middle and/or ring fingers that often getsworse at night• Pain that shoots from the hand up the arm,occasionally as far up as the shoulder• Dropping objects or limited use of hands• A swollen feeling in the fingers – although theymay not be visibly swollenCarpal Tunnel SyndromeMedian NerveTransverseCarpal LigamentWith endoscopic surgery, small incisions are made in thehand so the surgeon has access to the carpal tunnel ligament.SEhealth.org | 15

HEALTHIERLOOKSoutheast Hospital1701 Lacey StreetCape Girardeau, MO 63701-5299NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGEPAIDSoutheastMissouriHospitalPlease visit our website atSEhealth.org.10307MMORE THAN A HOSPITAL –A REGIONAL SYSTEM OF CAREAs Southeast has grown and evolved, we have not limited ourselves to asingle location. With facilities ranging from dedicated treatment centers andoutreach physician offices to fitness centers and outpatient laboratories,Southeast has established itself as a regional healthcare system.Our goal is to provide you with the highest level of care. From prevention,planning and diagnosis to treatment and recovery, we are here for you.Today we are more than a hospital. We are a regional system of care.Visit us online at SEhealth.org