Mayo Clinic Health Matters

Arthroplasty is a surgical procedure to restore the function of a joint by replacing disease and damaged parts. However, everyone is not made the same way. When it comes to complex shoulder and elbow surgeries, 3D anatomical modeling can be used to help a surgeon plan the surgery for better outcomes. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Mark Morrey, an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic, discusses common elbow and shoulder problems, and treatment options, including surgery. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Front-line health care workers across the country are receiving the first COVID-19 vaccinations. With the recent approval of a second COVID-19 vaccine for use here in the U.S., more COVID-19 vaccine doses are expected to be available this week.A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel has recommended allocating COVID-19 vaccines for the next phase. Phase 1b includes those who are 75 and older as well as front-line essential workers, including police, firefighters, teachers and grocery store workers. These vaccinations would begin when phase 1a, health care workers and long term care residents, is completed.On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group, gives an update on vaccine approvals and the rollout phases.Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Several communities and populations are underserved by the U.S. health care system. There are many reasons for this, including differences in risk incidence, morbidity and mortality due to social, economic and structural factors. And the COVID-19 pandemic has further exposed these health care inequities. "The term health care inequity actually implies justice and fairness, as well as intentional action," says Dr. Chyke Doubeni, director of Mayo Clinic's Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement Research. "So, as a matter of fact, inequities stem from injustices and failures to act. As a society, we have to address this. These are things that are fixable." In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Doubeni discusses strategies to eliminate health care disparities in underserved populations and how Mayo Clinic is reaching out to communities. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Knee pain is a common problem that can have many causes, but one common reason is damage to the cartilage. Because cartilage doesn't have its own blood supply, it can't heal itself. When knee cartilage is damaged, treatment options are available, including a new method using a patient’s own cells to grow new cartilage. The new technique is called matrix-associated autologous chondrocyte implantation, or MACI. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Daniel Saris, an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic, discusses MACI, the regenerative medicine approach to treating knee cartilage damage.     Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The latest direction in cancer treatment has been toward potential cancer vaccines and immunotherapies. As these therapies become standard, continued research is important to understand how the body interacts with these treatments. A recent Mayo Clinic study found a unique form of immunosuppression caused by brain cancer that could inhibit the effectiveness of cancer vaccines and immunotherapies. The findings were recently published in the journal, Brain. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Aaron J. Johnson, a professor of immunology at Mayo Clinic, and Dr. Katayoun (Kathy) Ayasoufi, a research associate in Dr. Johnson's lab in the Department of immunology, discuss the importance of basic science research and explain how understanding the immunosuppression caused by brain cancer could lead to improved treatments for patients. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Type 1 diabetes in children is a condition in which a child's body no longer produces insulin, an important hormone. The missing insulin needs to be replaced with injections or with an insulin pump. The diagnosis of Type 1 diabetes in children can be overwhelming. Depending on his or her age, the child must learn how to give injections, count carbohydrates and monitor blood sugar. There's no cure for Type 1 diabetes in children, but it can be managed effectively. This edition of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast features an #AskMayoMom episode, which is hosted by Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician at Mayo Clinic Children's Center. Joining Dr. Mattke to discuss Type 1 diabetes in children are Dr. Ana Creo, a pediatric endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic, and Janet Hansen, a pediatric diabetes nurse coordinator at Mayo Clinic Children's Center. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The news about COVID-19 vaccines being approved, distributed and administered so quickly is causing concern for some people — what is often referred to as vaccine hesitancy. "We have always struggled with vaccine hesitancy and a sense of uncertainty," says Dr. Robert Jacobson, a Mayo Clinic pediatric infectious diseases expert and director of Mayo Clinic's Primary Care Immunization program. "But what we have available through this emergency use authorization is worth taking now. I would not delay doing what I could to protect my patients and myself." In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Jacobson dives into the data, detailing how the randomized controlled trials worked. He also answers questions about COVID-19 vaccines for children and pregnant women, explains why the vaccine doesn't change your genetic makeup and much more. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

The Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have approved the first of several COVID-19 vaccines developed in response to the pandemic. The first vaccine has been distributed to all 50 states, and vaccinations are underway. Development of safe and effective COVID-19 vaccines has been an extraordinary effort of science and engineering."This is a milestone human achievement by any measure," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group.On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland discusses the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. and the timeline for vaccinations.Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

3D printing can provide an exact replica of a body part. But the printing process is not building or molding the model in traditional ways. The technology creates a solid 3D object by taking thin imaging slices from computer files. Mayo Clinic has been working with 3D printing for at least 16 years, applying it to clinical and surgical areas. "And one of the many benefits we have from 3D printing is the ability to inform the patient," says Dr. Jonathan Morris, a Mayo Clinic neuroradiologist. In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Morris explains how 3D printing works and how medical teams have used it during the COVID-19 pandemic. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Back pain is one of the most common reasons people go to their health care provider or miss work, and it is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Most back pain gradually improves with home treatment and over-the-counter pain relievers. But for some people, back pain can be a debilitating problem that requires more advanced treatment. One option for persistent back pain is an implanted spinal cord stimulator that uses low levels of electricity to intercept or block pain signals. On the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Tim Lamer, an anesthesiologist and pain medicine specialist at Mayo Clinic, explains how spinal cord stimulation devices are implanted and used to relieve persistent back pain. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy