CAYMAN ISLANDS (October 4, 2017) – A 33-year-old Caymanian father, son and brother is breathing again – with a sigh of relief – after the Health City Cayman Islands’ medical team brought him back from the brink of death. Bjorn Ebanks’ heart stopped twice, and he underwent CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for almost 90 minutes before…
Hurricane Irma relief efforts continue in Anguilla
CAYMAN ISLANDS (September 25, 2017) – As the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla continues to recover from the devastation wrought by Hurricane Irma, relief workers on a humanitarian mission from the Cayman Islands are providing vital medical support to the island’s health care system. Health City Cayman Islands staff nurses Mahesh Kumara and Bijin Mohan…
St. Lucia open to exploring opportunities with Health City
CAYMAN ISLANDS (September 23, 2017) – Leading Caribbean tertiary care hospital Health City Cayman Islands has been credited by St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Allen Chastanet with raising the bar for the future of health care in the Caribbean. Chastanet, who visited the Cayman Islands last week to meet with medical professionals at the three-and-a-half-year-old facility,…
Health City Cayman Islands Performs Brain Surgery With Patient Awake
CAYMAN ISLANDS (September 15, 2017) – In a first for the English-speaking Caribbean, neurosurgeons at Health City Cayman Islands have successfully performed another advanced procedure by surgically removing part of a brain tumor while the patient was awake. The procedure – known as awake craniotomy or awake brain surgery, enables the surgeons to remove, partly…
Caymanians Touch Down In Anguilla For Rescue Efforts
Cayman 27 | September 12, 2017 | By MARIO GREY
Health City Cayman Islands Joins Hurricane Irma Relief Effort
CAYMAN ISLANDS (September 12, 2017) – Health City Cayman Islands is part of a relief effort being coordinated by the Cayman Islands Government to send supplies, medicines and medical staff to Anguilla – a fellow British Overseas Territory. Dr. Chandy Abraham, CEO and Medical Director of the Caribbean tertiary care hospital, said that Health City…
Advanced Life Support System At Health City Saves Visitor’s Life
CAYMAN ISLANDS (August 24, 2017) – A family vacation in a tropical paradise turned into a life or death situation for Surjeet Kaur when an unexpected viral infection became a critical health emergency. Advanced life support technology at Health City Cayman Islands, a tertiary care hospital located in East End, Grand Cayman, saved her life….
Health City Cayman Islands Partners With Region On Tertiary Health Care
PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (August 15, 2017 ) – After three years of success providing medical services to regional and international patients, a Cayman Islands hospital wants to work with other regional health care providers to meet the urgent demand for high quality and affordable tertiary health care in the Caribbean. Presenting at the Caribbean…
Health City Cayman Islands Offers New Cryo-Procedure For Atrial Fibrillation
CAYMAN ISLANDS (July 16, 2017) – A leading hospital in the Caribbean is offering another first that could save the lives of heart patients across the Caribbean and the world. Health City Cayman Islands, the first hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean to use robotic navigation for joint replacements and the first to install two artificial…
Why Canadians Are Increasingly Seeking Medical Treatment Abroad
Huffington Post | June 29, 2017 | By FIONA TAPP
Employers Are Destined for Health Quality and Cost Savings
Forbes | June 29, 2017 | By LAURA CARABELLO
Canadian Boxing Champ Retains Title While Fighting For Charity
HAMILTON, ONTARIO (June 22, 2017) – Canadian boxing champ and Hamilton, Ontario hometown hero Steven “The Piranha” Wilcox successfully defended his belt while fighting for a cause during his recent title bout in Canada. Wilcox, who is now 17-2-1, retained his World Boxing Association-North American Boxing Association (WBA-NABA) Super Lightweight title by defeating Oscar Arjona from…
Caymanian medical students off to India for training
CAYMAN ISLANDS (Wednesday, May 31, 2017) – On Saturday, 3 June, four Caymanian college students sponsored by Health City Cayman Islands depart for India to undertake a month-long fellowship at Narayana Health, the facility founded by Dr. Devi Shetty on which Health City is modelled. The four students were selected from the highest performing alumni…
Health City Surgeons Return Toddler’s Heart To Chest Cavity
CAYMAN ISLANDS (Friday, June 2, 2017) Surgeons at Health City Cayman Islands have made history in the Caribbean after performing life-saving surgery on a child from Nicaragua who was born with his heart outside of his chest cavity. Health City’s Chief Cardiac Surgeon Dr. Binoy Chattuparambil, also fondly known as Dr. Binoy, said the child,…
Canadian Boxing Champ Fights For Charity In Title Bout
CAYMAN ISLANDS (June 1, 2017) – Canadian boxing champ and Hamilton, Ontario hometown hero Steven “The Piranha” Wilcox will be fighting for both his belt and a cause with his title bout this weekend. Wilcox is headlining a professional boxing event held by Three Lions Promotions at the Hamilton Convention Center on Saturday, June 3….
Sun, Sea, And A New Knee: Canadians Turning To Caribbean Hospital To Avoid Long Wait Times
TORONTO (May 11, 2017) – Canada has a world class health system, but for some, the wait times for medical procedures are too long. Health City Cayman Islands offers a swifter solution – in the sun. Angie Bugera of Edmonton, for example, needed a hip replacement and waited five months until she could be seen…
St. Maarten Judge Delivers “Verdict” On Caribbean Hospital
CAYMAN ISLANDS (May 5, 2017) – Retired St. Maarten Judge Reuben Essed has received a lifesaving pacemaker for his heart in the Cayman Islands. Judge Essed, one of an increasing number of patients from St. Maarten to receive tertiary care at Health City Cayman Islands, has had a preventative pacemaker implanted by doctors at the…
Health City Cayman Islands Celebrates Three Years Of Achievement
CAYMAN ISLANDS (April 27, 2017) – Health City Cayman Islands, the renowned Caribbean hospital, has treated more than 29,000 patients since it opened its doors three years ago. Caribbean hospital has treated patients from 60 countries in the past year. As Health City celebrates its third anniversary this month, officials at the Joint Commission International-accredited…
Health City Cayman Islands Continues Conservation Commitment This Earth Day
CAYMAN ISLANDS (April 22, 2017) – To coincide with this year’s Earth Day on Saturday, April 22 Health City Cayman Islands has released its 2016 Conservation Report, highlighting results including significantly reduced electricity demands, limited waste output and efficiently recycled rainwater and sewage, culminating in a small environmental footprint for the facility. Health City was…
Health City poised for growth as it marks 3rd anniversary
Cayman 27 | April 5, 2017 | By Joe Avary
Key Mechanisms That Define Health City Cayman Islands’ Value Innovation
The Health Care Blog | April 4, 2017 | By VIDAR JORGENSEN and BRIAN KLEPPER
Direct Charter Flights To Bring St Maarten Patients To Health City Cayman Islands
CAYMAN ISLANDS (March 27, 2017) – Cayman Islands based tertiary care hospital Health City Cayman Islands announced today that direct charter flights to St Maarten will bring patients from that country to the Cayman Islands for specialized medical treatment. Following an agreement between Health City Cayman Islands and SZV Social & Health Insurances, the government-owned…
Health City Cayman Islands Completes 300 Sleep Studies
CAYMAN ISLANDS (March 16, 2017) – Health City Cayman Islands (HCCI) has completed 300 sleep studies, just in time for the 10th global observance of World Sleep Day on Friday, March 17. World Sleep Day, created and hosted by World Sleep Society, is an internationally recognized awareness event bringing sleep health professionals and patients together…
Health City Sports Ambassador Wins Boxing Bout
CAYMAN ISLANDS (March 24, 2017) – Canadian boxing champ Steven “The Piranha” Wilcox, holder of the World Boxing Association-North American Boxing Association (WBA-NABA) super lightweight title, defeated Argentina’s Jorge Luis Rodriguez in a weekend match on Saturday, March 18. Wilcox was recently named a Sports Ambassador for Health City Cayman Islands. Proceeds for his upcoming…
Health Care Needs a Better System for Importing Ideas From Abroad
Read the full column on Wall Street Journal. With political winds potentially changing the U.S. health-care system—yet again—it’s tempting to look inward, rather than outward for solutions. That means opportunities may be lost to learn from innovations abroad in the delivery of health-care services. Other countries are confronting and—in many cases—solving some of the same…
Common Shoulder Conditions Explained
Rotator Cuff Tears The rotator cuff is a group of tendons that connect the four muscles of the upper shoulder to the bones. While the normal process of aging can create wear and tear on the rotator cuff, individuals who participate in sports like golf and tennis have an increased risk of injury. Symptomatic rotator…
Holiday Miracle For Guatemalan Baby In The Cayman Islands
CAYMAN ISLANDS (January 8, 2017) – A family from Guatemala is giving thanks for the gift of life this holiday season when their baby was saved by the medical team at Health City Cayman Islands. Three month-old Kael Jiménez Souza was diagnosed with a severe congenital heart defect called aortic valve stenosis , which required…
Health City Cayman Islands Completes 500 Orthopedic Surgeries
CAYMAN ISLANDS (December 22, 2016) – Health City Cayman Islands has completed 500 successful orthopedic surgeries two and a half years after it opened its doors. “We are proud to have achieved this milestone in such a short period and look forward to embracing new technologies which have completely changed the way surgeries are performed,”…
Belizean Bus Driver Steered to Cayman Islands for Life-Saving Surgery
A popular bus driver from Belize is alive and well, thanks to Health City Cayman Islands. Tyron Coleman, who works for James Bus Line, had been experiencing chest pain for a few months. He saw multiple doctors in Belize and underwent a slew of tests, but his heart condition remained undetected. Doctors simply advised him…
Guyanese In St. Maarten Receives Life-Saving Pacemaker
Egland Arthur, a construction supervisor in St. Maarten, started experiencing shortness of breath while visiting Guyana earlier this year. When it was discovered he had very poor heart function, Arthur’s cardiologist recommended he go to Health City Cayman Islands as conventional therapies could not adequately address the condition. His cardiologist wanted him to have the…
Barbadian Athlete Reports Successful Treatment in Cayman
A fit and athletic Shawn Denny aggravated a shoulder injury during his regular CrossFit exercise routine and after much research left his Barbados home to seek medical help at Health City Cayman Islands. He is delighted with the choice he made. Questioned about his experience, he has nothing but positive reviews, but there is one…
Caymanian college students complete summer fellowship at Health City
CAYMAN ISLANDS (September 14, 2016) – Eighteen Caymanian college students recently completed the inaugural Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) Program at Health City Cayman Islands. The SURF Fellows were chosen through a competitive application process and completed their fellowships in June and July. “We were very pleased by the diversity of students,” said Richard Parchment, Program…
It’s Time To Liberate Health Savings Accounts
“How can we control health care costs and at the same time improve quality and create greater access to care? Answer: Give patients control over more of the health care dollars. Right now Health Savings Accounts are primarily being used by patients to pay small medical bills below the deductible. But they could and should…
Modern Healthcare Profiles Ascension and Health City Cayman Islands Partnership
“GRAND CAYMAN — Last spring, a 6-foot-4, 250-pound Texan sorely in need of new knees became one of the first medical tourists to this Caribbean island, better known for its tax-dodging opportunities than its healthcare. Encouraged by his self-insured employer to explore alternatives to a local hospital, Wayne Wright, now 68, spent hours on the…
Grenadian Humanitarian Worker “Amazed” By Health City Cayman Islands
A nurse who works in some of most difficult parts of the world experienced a very different type of care when she chose Health City Cayman Islands for her medical needs. Marguerite Sheriff, from Grenada, volunteers for the humanitarian aid charity Doctors Without Borders. She is a sexual and reproductive health manager who trains midwives…
Canadian Tourists Thank Health City Cayman Islands
A Canadian couple have become the latest proponents of destination healthcare in the Cayman Islands after their positive experience at the tertiary care hospital, Health City Cayman Islands. Lois and Larry Keenan, from North Bay, Ontario, were visiting Grand Cayman on vacation when Mrs. Keenan fell and sustained a painful injury to her arm. The…
Health City And “Have A Heart” Successfully Operated On 100 Children
CAYMAN ISLANDS (August 12, 2016) – Health City Cayman Islands has achieved the initial target set by its founder, Dr. Devi Shetty, when it successfully completed 100 heart procedures for children from families with limited financial resources. In partnership with the Have a Heart Cayman organization, Health City was able to operate on young patients from the…
Health City Cayman Islands Reaches Surgical Milestone
The cardiovascular surgery team at Health City Cayman Islands reached an impressive milestone recently by performing more than 150 consecutive surgical procedures without a single surgical mortality. “This is a proud moment for us as this milestone is rarely achieved in this surgical specialty due to the complexity of the procedures involved,” said Dr. Binoy…
Miss Universe Supports Mission Of Caribbean Hospital
Positively impacted by Health City Cayman Islands’ humanitarian approach to healthcare, the reigning Miss Universe has pledged her support to advance the mission of the internationally-accredited facility. During her visit to Health City Cayman Islands, Pia Wurtzbach of the Philippines spent time with children from Bolivia who received lifesaving heart surgeries through the efforts of…
Health City and NWDA Announce Healthcare Apprentice Program
Health City Cayman Islands and the National Workforce Development Agency (NWDA) have collaborated on an innovative program with the aim of providing young Caymanians the opportunity to become qualified support-level healthcare administrators. With destination healthcare set to become the third pillar of the Cayman Islands economy, and due to the continued growth of Health City,…
Pioneering Treatment for Hypertension Succeeds in the Caribbean
For the first time in the Caribbean region, surgeons at Health City Cayman Islands successfully performed an operation which relieves serious hypertension. Senior Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at Health City Cayman Islands, Dr. Ravi Kishore performed the procedure, known as renal denervation, on Caymanian Allan Ebanks who had been diagnosed with resistant hypertension symptoms that were…
Revolución Robótica: Cirugías Ortopédicas Asistidas por Robots Mejoran la Seguridad y Eficacia
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Health City Cayman Islands se ha unido a un grupo de hospitales élite en todo el mundo que pueden realizar la cirugía ortopédica asistida por un robot en las rodillas y otras articulaciones. “Esta tecnología ha cambiado la forma en que se realizan las cirugías”, afirmo el Dr. Alwin Almeida, Consultor y Cirujano Ortopédico de…
Health City Named Most Innovative Commercial Development
Health City Cayman Islands, the medically advanced tertiary hospital located in Grand Cayman, was recently honored for its affordable, energy-efficient building design as part of the ICF Builder Awards. The international competition, which showcases the advantages of building with Insulated Concrete Forms (ICFs), took place at the World of Concrete trade show in Las Vegas…
Young Caymanian Gets “Second Chance At Life” After Severe Accident
CAYMAN ISLANDS (May 24, 2016) – A young Caymanian who suffered life-threatening injuries as the result of a motorcycle accident is recovering today thanks to the skilled teamwork and timely response of heart surgeons at Health City Cayman Islands. John Miller III, 25, arrived at the international hospital in critical condition with a traumatic aortic…
Health City Cayman Islands Adds Robotic Assisted Orthopedic Surgery
Health City Cayman Islands has joined an elite group of hospitals around the world that can perform robotic assisted orthopedic surgery on knees and other joints. “This technology has really changed the way surgeries are performed,” asserted Dr. Alwin Almeida, Health City’s Senior Consultant Orthopedic Surgeon. “With the acquisition of this advanced system we have…
Caribbean Hospital Treats Two Bolivian Boys
The skill and success rates of the surgical teams at Health City Cayman Islands are well known in medical circles in the Caribbean, but it is their humanitarian outreach that is touching lives in South America. Thanks to the international hospital’s compassion-based mission to provide exceptional care to all, including the poor and vulnerable, two…
The Future of Family Caregiving
The vital role of caregivers extends beyond those they care for. Caregivers contribute a vital service to their communities, often at unexpected cost to their finances, mental and physical health. With a skyrocketing elderly population, and continuing advances in modern medicine, the need for caregivers will only continue to increase. However, as a global community,…
The Caregiver Bind
Caregiving is often broken into three silos: financial, emotional, and physical, though the tasks required rarely conform to just one of these capacities. The family and loved ones who become caregivers provide advocacy, dignity, love, comfort, inclusion in family, familiarity, and it’s often through this emotional framework that caregiving is undertaken. The physical requirements of…
An Introduction to Family Caregiving
As care providers, we realize that disease and disability affect more than just the patient who is no longer able to fully care for themselves. Caregiving exists in as many permutations as there are families and friendships, and is dictated by the cultural framework of those involved. However, regardless of nationality or cultural perspective, caregiving…
Health City Completes First Ever TAVI Procedure in the Caribbean
The first ever Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI Procedure) undertaken in the English-speaking Caribbean region has been completed at leading tertiary care hospital, Health City Cayman Islands. The complex cardiac procedure was performed on local Cayman Islands patient, Dianna Merren, in February 2016, by Health City Senior Cardiologist, Dr Ravi Kishore and Senior Cardiac Surgeon,…
Eco-friendly Health City Cayman Islands Releases 2015 Conservation Statistics
Health City Cayman Islands this week released its annual conservation statistics detailing the tertiary care hospital’s water, energy, waste-reduction and landfill diversion efficiencies. Mr. Gene Thompson, Project Director at Health City Cayman Islands, said the eco-friendly JCI accredited hospital had been committed to a conservation-minded business since its inception, from construction through to operations. “We…
Top Caribbean Hospital Seeks To Provide Relief For Canadians On Waiting Lists
Canadians enduring long waiting periods for surgical and other advanced medical procedures now have a solution – in the sunny, warm Caribbean. Health City Cayman Islands, a world class hospital in the northwestern Caribbean, has opened an office in Canada to support Canadian medical practitioners who want to move their patients off long waiting lists…
Health City Donates Science Equipment to Local Schools
Health City Cayman Islands, a state-of-the-art tertiary referral hospital, recently donated science equipment to two Grand Cayman high schools, John Gray High School in South Sound and Clifton Hunter High School in Frank Sound. The equipment, which included high quality chemistry and lab supplies, was donated by the Healthcare Explorers Program, a Health City initiative…
Health City, A Model For Enhanced Hospital Productivity
Excerpt from Feb. 6th article published on Modern Healthcare’s website. “The focus on productivity isn’t just in the operating room. Instead of separate intensive-care units and post-anesthesia care units, Health City has a 17-bed open ward ICU that is used for both functions. Nurses in the combined ICU-PACU perform a number of duties on an…
Life-saving Heart Surgery Saves Four Children From Honduras
Four children from Honduras, each under the age of five, have new leases on their lives following open heart surgeries performed at no cost to their families by the specialist medical teams at Health City Cayman Islands. Each of the children suffered from complex congenital heart disease with little chance of long-term survival until they…
American Surgeon Saved In The Cayman Islands
CAYMAN ISLANDS (January 22, 2016) – A doctor from Massachusetts is alive today thanks to quick reactions by hotel employees, first responders, and the skilled medical teams and surgeons at Health City Cayman Islands, and he now plans to partner with the facility that saved his life. Judy Josephs, whose husband Leon had cardiac arrest…
Mother Teresa’s Physician Applauds Her Expected Canonization
BANGALORE, India (January 13, 2016) – One of the world’s top cardiac surgeons , Dr. Devi Shetty, is applauding the decision to clear the late Mother Teresa’s path to sainthood. Mother Teresa, widely admired around the world as a champion of the poor in the slums of India, is expected to be declared a Catholic saint this…
Acclaimed Medical Professor Endorses Caribbean Hospital’s Mission
One of the world’s respected pathologists is encouraged by the work of a Caribbean hospital and its mission to make high quality healthcare affordable and accessible to all. Dr. Vinay Kumar, a titan in medical education and co-author of some of the most widely cited literature on pathology, visited Health City Cayman Islands last month…
NFL Great Dan Marino Inspires Medical Leader
One of the world’s leading orthopedic surgeons was inspired by meeting a legendary American football hero who was visiting the Cayman Islands to participate in a leadership conference. Dr. Alwin Almeida, Chief Orthopedic Surgeon and Joint Replacement Specialist at Health City Cayman Islands, said it was an honor to meet Dan Marino, one of the greatest American…
Type 1 Diabetes Patients Receive Educational Tour At Health City
CAYMAN ISLANDS (December 3, 2015) – Health City Cayman Islands recently held a tour of the hospital for young Type 1 Diabetes patients and their families. The tour included a discussion with medical staff, including Pediatric Endocrinologist, Dr Deepa Subramonian and Registered Dietitian, Stellerie Noyons. The tour, held on 28 November 2015, included treating the families…
Economist Films Profiles Dr. Shetty in Health Without Wealth
Two million people need life-saving heart operations in India every year—but only 5% will get them. Pioneering heart surgeon Dr Devi Shetty is on a mission to make world-class treatment available to all. Find out how in Health Without Wealth by The Economist.
Jamaican Businesswoman Heartened By Caribbean Hospital
CAYMAN ISLANDS (December 3, 2015) – A Jamaican businesswoman is giving thanks for the lifesaving heart treatment she recently received in the neighboring Cayman Islands, resurrecting hopes of being able to run as fast as her countryman Usain Bolt. Cluthild Spencer, who runs a successful pole-line construction and cabling company with her husband in Jamaica,…
Types of Treatment
Treatment for arrhythmia depends on the type and severity of the condition, and whether or not there is an underlying cause, such as heart disease. Non-invasive treatment options include medications to restore normal rhythm, control heart rate, or treat the underlying cause. Invasive treatment options include electrical cardioversion or ablation, implantation of a pacemaker or…
Atrial Fibrillation Diagnosis and Treatment
Diagnosis and Treatment There are several tests and procedures your doctor may use in conjunction with a medical history and physical exam if atrial fibrillation is suspected. The diagnostic process is designed to evaluate your blood chemistry, how well your heart is functioning, and where the dysregulation of impulses is originating. Atrial fibrillation can be…
How Do I Know If My Child Is Suffering from Heart Disease?
How Do I Know If My Child Is Suffering from Heart Disease? The more serious the congenital heart defect, the more likely that it is evident as soon as the child is born or in the first few months of life. Be on the lookout for the following symptoms that may suggest a serious condition…
The Cost Savings of Medical Tourism
Health City Cayman Islands, which is supported by two major healthcare organizations, Narayana Health Group and Ascension, embodies all of the above qualities and more. It is frequently mentioned in publications as an important player in the growing medical tourism industry. Its founder, famed heart surgeon Dr. Devi Prasad Shetty, was called “the Henry Ford…
The Growing Interest and Ease of Medical Tourism
Medical Tourism & Travel: A Growing Industry Medical tourism is an industry that is international by nature, due to relatively low prices of transportation and other costs, as well as the ability to do research online. These factors enable people to comparison shop, get on a plane, visit an interesting and often beautiful locale, and…
Traditional Healthcare Challenges Offer a Gateway for Medical Tourism
Healthcare Challenges a Gateway for Medical Tourism Prior to the Affordable Care Act being enacted in the U.S., there were an estimated 47 million uninsured Americans not yet old enough to qualify for Medicare. After five years of historically slow growth, U.S. healthcare spending accelerated significantly in 2014. According to the Health Research Institute, although…
Polio, Diptheria, and Tetanus Vaccine Schedules
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Vaccines
Polio (Poliomyelitis) Polio is an infectious illness caused by the poliovirus. Although it is often thought of as a childhood malady, polio can affect people of any age. A majority of cases are symptomless, but some people experience fever, headache, vomiting, diarrhoea, neck stiffness, and pain in the arms and legs. In the worst cases,…
Diabetes Symptoms and Prevention
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Diabetes
Diabetes Affects Your Entire Body The following diabetes symptoms are the most common, but some people with type 2 diabetes have symptoms so mild that they go unnoticed. Frequent urination Extreme thirst Feeling very hungry, even with adequate food intake Extreme fatigue Blurry vision Cuts/bruises that are slow to heal Weight loss, even though you…
Diabetes Risk Factors and Diagnosis
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Diabetes
Risk Factors – Type 2 Pre-diabetes, also known as impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and/or impaired fasting glucose (IFG) Being age 45 or older Having a family history of diabetes Being overweight or obese Not exercising regularly High blood pressure Low HDL, also known as “good” cholesterol and/or high levels of triglycerides Certain racial and ethnic…
Types of Diabetes
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Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes, once called juvenile-onset diabetes, is often caused by an auto-immune reaction in which the body’s defence system attacks the cells that produce insulin. For reasons that are still not fully understood, people with type 1 diabetes produce very little or no insulin. Unlike type 2, the only known risk factors in type…
Human Heart Transplantation
The first human heart transplant occurred in December 1967, less than two years prior to the first artificial heart transplant. It was performed by South African cardiac surgeon Dr. Christiaan Barnard at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town, South Africa. Three days later, Dr. Adrian Kantrowitz performed the world’s first pediatric heart transplant at…
Artificial Heart: Devices and Procedures
From 1969 to September 5, 2014, 1,413 artificial heart devices with 13 different designs were implanted in heart failure patients. The SynCardia temporary Total Artificial Heart (TAH) is the modern version of the well-known Jarvik-7 Total Artificial Heart that was implanted for the first time in 1982. The SynCardia TAH was approved by the U.S….
Heart Failure and Congenital Defects
Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a term used when the pumping action of the heart becomes increasingly less powerful and effective over a period of time. When this happens, blood does not move efficiently through the circulatory system and starts to back up, increasing pressure and causing fluid to leak from the capillary blood vessels….
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Typically, patients stay in the hospital for 3 to 4 days, but this varies a bit since every patient progresses at his or her own rate. After surgery, it is natural to feel some pain, but this is usually managed adequately with medication. Being physically active is an important part of recovery. In general, most…
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Typically, patients stay in the hospital for 3 to 4 days, but this varies a bit since every patient progresses at his or her own rate. After surgery, it is natural to feel some pain, but this is usually managed adequately with medication. Being physically active is an important part of recovery. In general, most…
Types of Knee Surgery, Process, and Precautions
Types of Knee Surgery Traditional Total Knee Replacement One of the most common types of knee surgery and types of knee replacement is the traditional total knee replacement. Traditional total knee replacement involves a 7 to 10-inch incision, a hospital stay of 3 to 5 days, and a recovery period typically lasting from 1 to…
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Recovery time and rehabilitation depend on the type of surgery performed. As with all surgeries, there are some risks and possible complications including infection, excessive bleeding, blood clots, and damage to blood vessels or nerves. After surgery, it is natural to feel some pain, but this is usually managed adequately with medication and icing. A…
Types of Shoulder Arthroscopy
Hemiarthroplasty: Only the head of the humerus is removed and replaced with an artificial component. Total shoulder arthroplasty: Both the head of the humerus and the glenoid are replaced. A plastic cup-shaped device is fitted into the glenoid, and a metal ball-shaped device is attached to the top of the humerus. Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty:…
Sport Injuries Prevention Tips
For most team and individual sports, warming up is an essential prevention tool. Gradually increasing the body temperature, heart rate, and circulation can help to reduce injuries by improving the elasticity of muscles and tendons, enabling better motor performance. Warm-ups should consist of a minimum of 10 minutes cardiovascular work (such as light jogging or…
Sports Injuries Statistics and Facts
Injury patterns tend to be specific to the sport, the age of the athlete, and the unique style and play of an athlete, i.e., a tennis player like Rafael Nadal has an intensity that makes him more prone to knee and shoulder injuries than Roger Federer. Overuse injuries to the patellar tendon (known as jumper’s…
Non-Invasive Treatment Options
As soon as possible after an injury, experts recommend using the RICE method: Rest – keep the injured area supported and avoid using for 48-72 hours. Ice – apply ice to the injured area for 20 minutes every two hours for the first 48-72 hours. Compression – apply a firm elastic bandage over the area,…
Hip Recovery and Potential Complications
Hip Replacement Surgery Recovery Typically, patients stay in the hospital for three to four days, but this varies a bit since every patient progresses at his or her own rate. After surgery, it is natural to feel some pain, but this is usually managed adequately with medication. Being physically active is an important part of…
Hip Recovery and Potential Complications
Hip Replacement Surgery Recovery Typically, patients stay in the hospital for three to four days, but this varies a bit since every patient progresses at his or her own rate. After surgery, it is natural to feel some pain, but this is usually managed adequately with medication. Being physically active is an important part of…
Precautions and Surgical Process
Total Hip Precautions If you are overweight or obese, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend losing some weight prior to surgery to minimize the stress on your new hip, and possibly decrease the risks associated with surgery. If any infections are present, surgery will be postponed until they resolve. In addition, because infections can enter the bloodstream…
Precautions and Surgical Process
Total Hip Precautions If you are overweight or obese, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend losing some weight prior to surgery to minimize the stress on your new hip, and possibly decrease the risks associated with surgery. If any infections are present, surgery will be postponed until they resolve. In addition, because infections can enter the bloodstream…
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Overview
COPD Fast Facts Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a life-threatening lung disease that interferes with normal breathing – it is more than a “smoker’s cough”. More than 3 million people died of COPD in 2012, which is equal to 6% of all deaths globally that year. More than 90% of COPD deaths occur in…
Kittitian Mother Thanks Health City For Son’s Free Heart Surgery
CAYMAN ISLANDS (October 25, 2015) – A relieved mother from St. Kitts and Nevis is grateful for the doctors and staff of Health City Cayman Islands and its partners following the successful cardiac treatment of her son. Shellon McCalmon thanked the Caribbean hospital “for the hospitality you have offered to us. For your patience and…
Total Hip Replacement: Surgery, Recovery, and Outcomes
The hip is a major weight-bearing joint in the human body, and therefore very vulnerable to the degenerative changes of aging that can lead to osteoarthritis. In addition, being overweight or prior injuries can also play a role in development of this disease. When there is not enough cushioning, the bones of the hip joint…
Indian Doctors A Blessing To Caribbean, Says Envoy
Having spent nine years in New Delhi, the Dominican Republic’s Ambassador to India has endorsed the expertise of Indian medical practitioners who are dispensing high quality medical care and saving lives in the Caribbean and around the globe. Ambassador Frank Hans Dannenberg Castellanos, Dean of Diplomatic Corps in the Indian capital, asserted the Caribbean is…
Sports Injuries: Causes and Prevention
Whether you are a professional athlete, weekend warrior, a high school athlete engaged in organized sports, or a youngster playing in the neighborhood park – you are vulnerable to sports-related injuries. Orthopedic injuries are the most common type of injury incurred in sports – from sprains and strains – to serious neck injuries that require…
Common Shoulder Injuries: Diagnosis and Treatment
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Common Shoulder Injuries The shoulder is the most flexible joint in the body, consisting of a ball called the humeral head, and shallow socket joint called the glenoid. Because the glenoid is shallow, it covers less than half of the humeral head and does not provide much structural support which…
Top Reasons for Knee Replacement Surgery
Total knee replacement procedures are growing in popularity and efficacy. A knee replacement surgery procedure was first performed in 1968, while modern techniques began in earnest in the 1970s. In the last few decades, major improvements in surgical materials and techniques have greatly increased its efficacy. Total knee replacement, also known as total knee arthroplasty,…
Devices and Surgical Procedures to Treat Heart Failure
Technology has come a long way since the first rudimentary artificial heart, invented by Dr. Domingo Liotta, was implanted in a history-making operation at St. Luke’s Hospital in Houston in April 1969. The patient, a 47-year-old man with heart failure, became the first recipient of the Liotta-Cooley Artificial Heart while waiting for a human heart…