NEW YORK, March 11, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Thousands of patients whose cancer has spread to the bones could benefit from a new minimally invasive approach to fixing painful pelvic fractures, according to a study conducted by orthopedic oncology surgeons at Montefiore Health System.

If cancer spreads from the primary location to the bones, it can cause them to weaken and eventually fracture. Pelvic fractures cause debilitating pain and make it extremely difficult to walk. Traditionally, surgeons perform a total hip replacement to reduce pain and improve quality of life. While this approach is often successful, it is major surgery and comes with risks, including significant blood loss, extended time under anesthesia, risk of infection, risk of dislocation and the need for a longer hospitalization.

Orthopedic oncology surgeons at Montefiore are the first to use a novel approach called the “tripod” technique, for patients with pelvic lesions caused by cancer. This technique uses multiple screws that are placed through very small incisions, connecting the damaged bones and stabilizing the pelvis. It is called “tripod’ because the screws are placed in a tripod configuration to support the socket of the hip joint.

“This approach goes against the conventional notion that bone affected by cancer is too weak and needs to be completely replaced,” said lead author Rui Yang, M.D., orthopedic surgeon, Montefiore, and assistant professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “Our study shows that using this technique means patients don’t need to undergo a longer, more aggressive surgery. They recover and go home quicker, have less pain, and most importantly, can resume therapies targeted at treating their cancer.”

This project is part of a larger research effort by the Division of Orthopaedic Oncology that includes the Musculoskeletal Oncology Research Laboratory, which performs basic and translational research as part of the National Cancer Institute-designated Albert Einstein Cancer Center. Their projects focus on rare primary bone and soft-tissue tumors, including osteosarcoma and synovial sarcoma. In addition, the Division of Orthopaedic Oncology routinely participates in a number of institutional and multi-center clinical studies spanning various aspects of orthopaedic oncology. The doctors have presented their findings at several national and international meetings, showing the “tripod” technique is safe, effective, and extremely well-tolerated by patients who were bedridden, in wheelchairs or using assistive devices to walk prior to the procedure.

“We are pleased to find this technique results in better outcomes for our patients,” said co-author David Geller, M.D., orthopedic oncologist and vice-chairman, Strategy and Innovation, Orthopaedic Surgery, Montefiore and associate professor of Orthopedic Surgery and Pediatrics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. “And we are surprised to find that despite conventional wisdom, many of our patients heal their fractures and experience new bone growth.”

One patient who benefitted from the “tripod” technique is 58-year-old, 9/11 survivor, Nancy Toussaint. Nancy, who is the caregiver for her elderly parents, was running errands one day when she felt her hips “shift.” She managed the discomfort for a few weeks but decided to seek medical advice. Doctors discovered her pelvic bone had fractured as the result of cancer spreading throughout her body. Nancy underwent the “tripod” surgery in September to repair the pelvic fracture and is now undergoing cancer therapy.

“Most of the patients in this study were able to get out of bed and bear weight on the same day as the surgery,” said Dr. Yang. “None of them needed a blood transfusion and there were no wound-healing issues. We hope that other surgeons will consider this approach so that patients have one less issue to deal with, while they undergo cancer treatment.”

About Montefiore Health System
Montefiore Health System is one of New York’s premier academic health systems and is a recognized leader in providing exceptional quality and personalized, accountable care to approximately three million people in communities across the Bronx, Westchester and the Hudson Valley. It is comprised of 10 hospitals, including the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Burke Rehabilitation Hospital and close to 200 outpatient care sites. The advanced clinical and translational research at its medical school, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, directly informs patient care and improves outcomes. From the Montefiore-Einstein Centers of Excellence in cancer, cardiology and vascular care, pediatrics, and transplantation, to its preeminent school-based health program, Montefiore is a fully integrated healthcare delivery system providing coordinated, comprehensive care to patients and their families. For more information please visit www.montefiore.org. Follow us on Twitter and view us on Facebook and YouTube.

About Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Albert Einstein College of Medicine is one of the nation’s premier centers for research, medical education and clinical investigation. During the 2019-20 academic year, Einstein is home to 724 M.D. students, 158 Ph.D. students, 106 students in the combined M.D./Ph.D. program, and 265 postdoctoral research fellows. The College of Medicine has more than 1,800 full-time faculty members located on the main campus and at its clinical affiliates. In 2019, Einstein received more than $178 million in awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This includes the funding of major research centers at Einstein in aging, intellectual development disorders, diabetes, cancer, clinical and translational research, liver disease, and AIDS. Other areas where the College of Medicine is concentrating its efforts include developmental brain research, neuroscience, cardiac disease, and initiatives to reduce and eliminate ethnic and racial health disparities. Its partnership with Montefiore, the University Hospital and academic medical center for Einstein, advances clinical and translational research to accelerate the pace at which new discoveries become the treatments and therapies that benefit patients. Einstein runs one of the largest residency and fellowship training programs in the medical and dental professions in the United States through Montefiore and an affiliation network involving hospitals and medical centers in the Bronx, Brooklyn and on Long Island. For more information, please visit www.einstein.yu.edu, read our blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and view us on YouTube.

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SOURCE Montefiore Health System

WASHINGTON, March 10, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — March of Dimes, the leading nonprofit fighting for the health of all moms and babies, today expressed its support for a series of bills introduced in the House of Representatives by the Black Maternal Health Caucus to address the nation’s maternal health crisis.

The Black Maternal Health Momnibus Act of 2020, a package of nine bills, aims to fill gaps in existing legislation to improve health outcomes for Black moms who are dying at three to four times the rate of their White counterparts.

“We commend the Caucus Co-founders and Co-Chairs, Representatives Alma Adams and Lauren Underwood, as well as its members, for playing a galvanizing role to bring greater attention to the health disparities facing Black mothers,” said March of Dimes President and CEO Stacey D. Stewart.  “Black women are dying at higher rates than all other races, which is unacceptable. Almost two-thirds of maternal deaths are preventable. Now is the time to enact policies that will eliminate disparities and improve health outcomes for women of color.”

“For decades, the U.S. maternal mortality and morbidity rates have gotten worse for all mothers, but especially for Black women whose health outcomes are further compounded by systemic and structural racism,” said Representative Adams. “The Black Maternal Health Momnibus is an historic piece of legislation that not only fills existing gaps in maternal healthcare, but also works to address pervasive maternal health disparities through solutions that are culturally-congruent and proven effective. The Momnibus provides a new roadmap to ensure our healthcare systems, providers, and society truly make Black maternal and infant health a priority.”

“This legislation says, unequivocally, that Black Moms matter,” Adams added. “I’m proud to stand with my colleagues to unveil a comprehensive package that tackles one of the greatest public health crises of our time.”

“While maternal mortality rates continue to drop around the world, they are rising in the U.S., leaving behind devastated families and children who will grow up never knowing their moms. This crisis demands urgent attention and serious action to save the lives of Black mothers and all women across the county,” said Representative Underwood. “The Black Maternal Health Momnibus is a sweeping effort to address our nation’s maternal mortality crisis through effective, evidence-based, and culturally competent solutions. I commend Stacey Stewart for her leadership and March of Dimes for its guidance in developing the Momnibus and support of the legislative package. The time to end preventable maternal mortality and close racial and ethnic disparities in outcomes is long overdue. With the Black Maternal Health Momnibus, we can work together to solve this crisis right now. New moms and their children and families deserve nothing less.”

Significantly, the Momnibus will help end preventable maternal mortality and close racial and ethnic disparities in these specific ways:

• Moms MATTER Act – Establishes a Maternal Mental and Behavioral Health Task Force to improve mental and behavioral health outcomes for women throughout pregnancy and up to one year postpartum. It also provides $10 million a year over five years to promote innovative approaches to improving maternal health, such as group prenatal and postpartum care programs. Group prenatal care matches pregnant women with similar due dates together in small groups for prenatal care. March of Dimes’ Supportive Pregnancy Care, which is one form of group care, could help more women in more communities across the country through this legislation.
• Kira Johnson Act – Provides funding for community-based organizations to support moms with mental health conditions and substance use disorders, as well as addressing social determinants of health (housing, transportation, nutrition, and other factors) and improving health literacy and education. Importantly, it provides funds to support implicit bias training in maternity care settings. March of Dimes is leading the way with a new, compelling implicit bias training for maternal care providers and health systems that will be available this Spring.
• Data to Save Moms Act – Promotes greater diversity and community engagement in state and Tribal Maternal Mortality Review Committees. It also establishes a Task Force on Maternal Health Data and Quality Measures and will commission a comprehensive study on maternal mortality and severe maternal morbidity among Native American women.
• Social Determinants for Moms Act – Establishes a task force across agencies and departments to coordinate federal efforts to address social determinants of health for pregnant and postpartum women. It will also provide guidance on Medicaid funding to address social determinants of health for pregnant and postpartum women and study transportation barriers and the effects of air and water pollution on maternal and infant health outcomes, among other things.

In addition to supporting the Momnibus, March of Dimes continues to advocate for Congress to advance a comprehensive maternal health package this session.  In particular, we urge swift passage of the Maternal Health Quality Improvement Act of 2019 (HR 4995) and Helping Medicaid Offer Maternity Services (MOMS) Act of 2019 (HR 4996), which passed the House Energy and Commerce Committee last year. These bills would extend Medicaid coverage for new moms for one year after pregnancy, authorize public health programs such as state-based perinatal quality collaboratives and the Alliance for Maternal Health Innovation, improve care for women in rural areas, and support provider training in implicit bias and culturally competent care.

About March of Dimes

March of Dimes leads the fight for the health of all moms and babies. We support research, lead programs and provide education and advocacy so that every baby can have the best possible start. Building on a successful 80-year legacy of impact and innovation, we empower every mom and every family.

Visit marchofdimes.org or nacersano.org for more information. Visit shareyourstory.org for comfort and support. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram and Twitter.

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SOURCE March of Dimes

OAKLAND, California, March 9, 2020 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Blue Shield of California President and CEO Paul Markovich has issued the following statement regarding new rules on data sharing issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS):

“The new federal rules issued today by CMS and ONC are a major milestone. The healthcare system in the U.S. needs to progress into the digital age so that care can be enhanced, costs can be reduced, medical providers can be more efficient and Americans can get timely access to their health information.

“We welcome the leadership that CMS Administrator Seema Verma, her team and the staff at ONC have displayed to develop these solutions. My team and I at Blue Shield of California are excited to work with federal officials and others in the industry to use these rules to create a healthcare system that is worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable.”

About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare system worthy of our family and friends that is sustainably affordable. Blue Shield of California is a tax paying, nonprofit, independent member of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association with over 4 million members, 6,800 employees and more than $20 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in San Francisco and now headquartered in Oakland, Blue Shield of California and its affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid and Medicare healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more than $500 million to Blue Shield of California Foundation since 2002 to have an impact on California communities.

For more news about Blue Shield of California, please visit news.blueshieldca.com.

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SOURCE Blue Shield of California