La dificultad en el reconocimiento de los síntomas de la endometriosis produce un retraso en el diagnóstico

                  

 Se calcula que 1,9 millones de mujeres en el mundo sufren endometriosis, una enfermedad incapacitante y de difícil diagnóstico que puede surgir en cualquier etapa de la vida, siendo la edad fértil cuando mayor número de casos se manifiestan. Por ello, con motivo del Día Mundial de la endometriosis, que tendrá lugar mañana día 14 de febrero, especialistas en ginecología y obstetricia de los hospitales Vithas en Andalucía, insisten en la importancia de reconocer a tiempo los síntomas con el objetivo de mejorar la calidad de vida de las mujeres que la sufren.

 

La dificultad en el reconocimiento de los síntomas produce que la endometriosis lleve asociado “un retraso en el diagnóstico muy importante, que puede llegar a ser de años, lo que genera un infradiagnóstico por la propia dificultad de valorar la enfermedad”, sostiene la Dra. Marta Arnáez, especialista en ginecología y obstetricia del Hospital Vithas Sevilla. En concreto, según los datos del Servicio Andaluz de Salud, la endometriosis aparece en mujeres en edad fértil, con una mayor incidencia entre los 30 y 45 años.

 

Pero esta menor incidencia no elimina el riesgo de padecerla fuera de este rango de edad, pues como destaca la Dra. Arnáez, “la endometriosis puede surgir en cualquier etapa de la vida y en cualquier tipo de mujer, no hay un cuadro específico de paciente, aunque sí es cierto que se asocia a la etapa fértil. Aun así, hay un 5% de diagnóstico de endometriosis en la menopausia, lo cual es muy raro, pero demuestra que es posible”.

 

Por su parte, la Dra. Emilia Villegas, jefa de servicio de la unidad de la salud de la mujer de los hospitales l Vithas Xanit Internacional y Vithas Málaga, añade que “la endometriosis puede alterar la fertilidad. Una vez conseguido el embarazo, las mujeres con esta enfermedad presentan un riesgo mayor de sufrir un aborto, pero que disminuye cuando se ha tratado la enfermedad”.

 

La innovación es un aspecto crucial en la detección temprana de esta enfermedad. “Para un diagnóstico precoz y preciso es esencial disponer de equipos de ecografía de alta resolución y ginecológicos especializados en endometriosis, capaces de detectar afecciones a nivel vesical, peritoneal e intestinal”, explica la Dra. Amelia Vizcaino, coordinadora de la unidad de ginecología y obstetricia del Hospital Vithas Granada, quien subraya la importancia de un abordaje multidisciplinar para el éxito del tratamiento.

 

Sintomatología 

 

Los especialistas en ginecología de Vithas en Andalucía recurren a la conocida como ‘triada de la endometriosis’. “Se trata de tres síntomas que se repiten en diferentes grados: la dismenorrea, dispareunia e infertilidad”. En común, estas patologías presentan un dolor incapacitante, que puede asociarse al ciclo menstrual y empeorar durante la menstruación, sumándose además a un dolor pélvico y a dolor durante las relaciones sexuales.

 

Tratamiento

 

Una vez reconocida esta enfermedad, que es inflamatoria y crónica, los especialistas destacan que la endometriosis puede tener solución. 

 

A pesar de ser una de las consultas más demandadas en ginecología según el Dr. Miguel Aragón, ginecólogo del Hospital Vithas Almería, “a día de hoy la endometriosis no tiene cura, pero es posible tratarla para poder aliviar los síntomas en el 90% de los casos. El tratamiento habitual de la enfermedad va dirigido a suprimir el dolor, frenar su progresión y prevenir o tratar la esterilidad asociada en muchos de los casos.  En general intentaremos evitar la cirugía porque esta puede reducir la reserva de óvulos”, explica el Dr. Aragón, quien añade que, “las principales indicaciones del tratamiento quirúrgico son si ha fracasado el tratamiento médico, si existen quistes sintomáticos de gran tamaño o de crecimiento rápido y cuando haya signos de obstrucción intestinal o urinaria”, concluye el especialista.

 

El tratamiento de la endometriosis requiere una visión integral de la mujer. Tal y como explica la Dra. Emilia Villegas, “antes de decidir un tratamiento debe considerarse la edad, los síntomas y el deseo de ser madre. En algunos casos, la prioridad es solucionar el dolor y puede ser suficiente un tratamiento médico con fármacos. Sin embargo, en otros casos, la paciente necesitará un tratamiento médico y quirúrgico combinado.

 

Delaying treatment for localised prostate cancer does not increase mortality risk, trial shows

 

Active monitoring of prostate cancer has the same high survival rates after 15 years as radiotherapy or surgery, reports the largest study of its kind today.  The latest findings from the ProtecT trial are presented today at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Milan and published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Although men on active monitoring – which involves regular tests to check on the cancer – were more likely to see it progress or spread than those receiving radiotherapy or surgery, this didn’t reduce their likelihood of survival. The trial also found that the negative impacts of radiotherapy and surgery on urinary and sexual function persist much longer than previously thought – for up to 12 years. The findings show that treatment decisions following diagnosis for low and intermediate risk localised prostate cancer do not need to be rushed, according to lead investigator, Professor Freddie Hamdy from the University of Oxford. “It’s clear that, unlike many other cancers, a diagnosis of prostate cancer should not be a cause for panic or rushed decision making,” he said. “Patients and clinicians can and should take their time to weigh up the benefits and possible harms of different treatments in the knowledge that this will not adversely affect their survival.” The trial, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research, was led by researchers at the Universities of Oxford and Bristol in nine UK centres and is the longest running study of its kind. It is the first to fully evaluate three major treatment options: active monitoring, surgery (radical prostatectomy) and radiotherapy with hormones for men with localised prostate cancer. Between 1999 and 2009, 1,643 men aged 50-69 years across the UK, who were diagnosed with localised prostate cancer after a PSA blood test, agreed to be randomised to active monitoring (545), radical prostatectomy (553) or radical radiotherapy (545). The research team followed the men over an average of 15 years, to measure mortality rates, cancer progression and spread, and the impact of treatments on quality of life. They found that around 97% of the men diagnosed with prostate cancer survived 15 years after diagnosis, irrespective of which treatment they received. Around a quarter of the men on active monitoring had still not had any invasive treatment for their cancer after 15 years. Patients from all three groups reported similar overall quality of life, in terms of their general mental and physical health. But the negative effects of surgery or radiotherapy on urinary, bowel and sexual function were found to persist much longer than previously thought. In earlier findings released in 2016, the researchers found that, after ten years follow up, men whose cancer was being actively monitored were twice as likely to see it progress or metastasise than those in the other groups. The assumption had been that this might lead to a lower survival rate for men on active monitoring over a longer time period. However, the results from the 15-year follow up show that this isn’t the case and that survival rates remain similarly high across all groups. Lead investigator, Professor Freddie Hamdy from the University of Oxford, said: “This is very good news. Most men with localised prostate cancer are likely to live for a long time, whether or not they receive invasive treatment and whether or not their disease has spread, so a quick decision for treatment is not necessary and could cause harm.” “It’s also now clear that a small group of men with aggressive disease are unable to benefit from any of the current treatments, however early these are given. We need to both improve our ability to identify these cases and our ability to treat them.” Co-investigator, Professor Jenny Donovan, from the University of Bristol, said: “Patients and doctors now have the necessary information on the long-lasting side effects of treatments to better understand the trade-offs between their benefits and harms. Survival no longer needs to be considered when deciding on treatment – as that’s the same for all three options. Now men diagnosed with localised prostate cancer can use their own values and priorities when making the difficult decisions about which treatment to choose.” The trial has also highlighted flaws in current methods to predict which prostate cancers are likely to grow quickly and spread. Initially, all those recruited to the trial were diagnosed with localised cancer and 77% of them were deemed low risk. A reassessment using more modern methods showed that a far greater number would now be considered intermediate-risk – and in around 30% of men, the disease had spread beyond the prostate already. This means that the participants in the study had higher grade and stage disease than was thought initially. Despite this finding, mortality was still low, even when men with intermediate disease delayed or did not have radical treatment. Some of the men who subsequently died of their prostate cancer had been assessed as low risk at diagnosis, which the researchers highlight as an issue of concern. Professor Peter Albers, chair of the EAU’s Scientific Congress Office and a urologist at Düsseldorf University, said: “The fact that the greater progression of disease seen under active monitoring didn’t translate into higher mortality will be both surprising and encouraging to urologists and patients. Active monitoring and biopsy protocols today are much more advanced than at the time this trial was conducted, so it’s possible we could improve on these outcomes still further. It’s an important message for patients that delaying treatment is safe, especially as that means delaying side effects as well.” “But it’s also clear that we still don’t know enough about the biology of this disease to determine which cancers will be the most aggressive and more research on this is urgently needed.”

Difference between “growers” and “showers” revealed

 

A scientific definition to determine whether a man’s erection can be deemed a "grower " or a "shower" has been produced by researchers.   The findings are presented today at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Milan. Urologists based at three hospitals and a clinic in Madrid conducted ultrasound scans on 225 men in both flaccid and then erect states. The researchers, led by Dr Manuel Alonso-Isa, a urologist at the University Hospital HM Puerta del Sur in Madrid, Spain, had hoped to find factors among the men that would predict if they fell into one of these categories, which could be used to help make surgical decisions. “It is important to be able to predict if a patient is a grower or a shower as when we see them, they are usually in a flaccid state,” he said. “If they grow a lot when they get an erection, it might mean they need a different surgical approach compared to someone who doesn’t grow much.”   When they examined the data, the extent of the men’s penis growth followed a pattern – a standard distribution curve – that allowed them to set parameters on each category. They found that men whose penis increases in size by more than 56% when erect compared to a flaccid state could be considered "growers". Those who saw an increase in size of less than 31% were "showers".   Most men in the study, however, fell into a "grey zone" in between the two categories. Only 24% of the men were growers while 25% were classified as showers.   Unfortunately, the researchers, who also included urologists at the HM hospitals and the ROC Clinic in Madrid, found no correlations between age, weight, smoking status or other co-morbidities, and penis growth. Men who were showers, however, tended to have longer penises when flaccid than growers – an average of 11.3cm compared to 8.8cm.   They also found that the size of the fibrous tissue known as the tunica albuginea, which surrounds the spongy erectile tissue inside the penis, did not predict how much a man’s penis might grow. But they did find in men who were growers, the tunica albuginea became thinner than in men who were showers.   “This makes sense as the tissue is being stretched further,” said Dr Alonso-Isa. “So it could be that this tissue has more elastic fibres in men who are growers than those who are showers. But we need to do more research to prove this hypothesis."   He said there may also be other factors they didn't look at that play a role.   “In the meantime, we have defined what constitutes a ‘grower’ or a ‘shower’ in a scientific way, which will be important for the future,” said Dr Alonso-Isa.   Commenting on behalf of the European Association of Urology, Professor Maarten Albersen, a urologist at the University of Leuven, Belgium, said while there may not be any medical consequences to being a shower or a grower, it was something that often weighed on the minds of patients.   He said: "This is a frequent area of concern for our patients and the emphasis should be on normalising baseline and erectile length for all."

UK study finds vasectomies are even safer than reported

 

 

Vasectomies are much less likely to cause complications than expected, according to a new UK study reviewing the outcomes from over 90,000 vasectomies performed over 15 years. The study, led by researchers from Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, is being presented today at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Milan. It shows that existing leaflets explaining the potential complications to patients are based on outdated figures. Around 11,000 vasectomy operations are performed every year in the United Kingdom, the majority in primary care settings by specialist general practitioners.   The Association of Surgeons of Primary Care, led by Dr Gareth James, gathered data from 94,082 vasectomies between 2006 and 2021, mostly through patient questionnaires; one completed on the day of surgery and the second sent to patients four months post-operation. Over 80% (around 77,000) of patients filled out the initial questionnaire and just under 40% (36,500) of patients completed the second. Mr Julian Peacock, a Senior Registrar at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust who headed the review along with Mr John Henderson, Consultant Urological Surgeon, said: “This large dataset had never been independently analysed, and doing so has enabled us to update the standard complication rates, some of which dated back to the 1980s.” For example, one of the most significant complications of a vasectomy is chronic scrotal pain, which is quoted as affecting ‘up to 5% of all patients’ in the British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS)’ patient information leaflet about vasectomies. Reviewing the more recent data, the team found that the rate was in fact as low as 0.12% of patients. Mr Peacock says: “The chances of chronic scrotal pain could be very off-putting, especially as it’s a difficult condition to manage. So we hope that this more up-to-date rate gives a better picture of the small chance of this happening.” The chances of post-operative infection, and of haematoma - when blood forms a clot in the scrotal tissue - were also reviewed. The rates of infection – taken as any case or condition that had been treated with antibiotics - are quoted as 2-10% of patients in the BAUS statistics, but the team found this was closer to 1.3%. Haematoma rates in patients is quoted at 2-10% in BAUS statistics, but the updated information suggested this could be as low as 1.4%. Vasectomy failure rates were available for 70,947 patients. The early failure rate - that’s finding motile sperm at 3 months - was very slightly higher than previously quoted, occurring in 360 patients, or 0.5%, vs BAUS’s figure of 0.4%. Late failure  - which occurs when the severed ends of the vas deferens join up - occurred in just 10 patients – or 0.014%. vs BAUS figure of 0.05%. Mr Peacock added: “Vasectomy is a very reliable and safe contraception method. These figures might encourage more men to undergo the procedure, so we  hope our research will be incorporated in the guidelines that provide information for pre-vasectomy counselling and leaflets. “ Dr. Marij Dinkelman-Smit, Assistant Professor of Urology at Erasmus University Medical Centre in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and a member of the EAU’s section of Andrological Urology, said: “Although other countries’ standard information may be more up-to-date, nevertheless it is very useful for us as urologists to see large datasets of patient perspectives on this frequent procedure. As specialists, we mainly see the problems that arise from vasectomies, so it’s relevant for us to fill in the complete picture.”

LIV GOLF LEAGUE BEGINS SEASON OF IMPACT SUPPORTING GLOBAL COMMUNITIES

 

LIV Golf Impact Partnership with Fútbol Más - YouTube
  

LIV Golf is committed to making a positive impact on and off the course. In its first official season, the league has begun carrying out that mission on a global scale.   LIV Golf has announced a three-year community impact partnership with Fútbol Más to establish programming that promotes youth development and wellbeing through sports. The partnership is aligned with LIV Golf’s impact and sustainability initiatives that positively affect young lives and communities around the world including Mexico, site of the league’s launch event.   Fútbol Más is an award-winning, global non-governmental organization (NGO) that operates in countries throughout Latin America, Europe, Africa, and the Caribbean. For more than 15 years, the organization has delivered sport programming that enhances youth wellbeing, builds meaningful bonds, and develops fundamental values in children living in communities of social vulnerability.     At LIV Golf Mayakoba, players Abraham Ancer, Joaquin Niemann and Carlos Ortiz joined with leaders from Fútbol Más at El Camaleón Golf Course to celebrate the partnership which will begin serving thousands of community members in Cancun and Playa del Carmen. The partnership will launch two programs, the “Neighbourhood Program” and the “My Journey Program,” to empower youth, establish safe spaces for play, and develop necessary skills for teens and young adults preparing for employment.   “As LIV Golf launches its first full season, our league and teams are committed to affecting positive change through our impact and sustainability programs,” said Greg Norman, LIV Golf CEO and Commissioner. “We are excited to work with an experienced and mission-aligned charitable partner in Fútbol Más to demonstrate how golf can help youth all around the world build critical skills and relationships as the future leaders of their communities.”   Throughout the tournament at LIV Golf Mayakoba, LIV Golf and Fútbol Más hosted young leaders from Mexican communities to coach, lead, and engage fans in golf and sports-focused educational activities within the Fan Village Impact Zone. They also led informational sessions about local community programming and encouraged fan pledges to promote respect, joy, responsibility, creativity and teamwork with children.   “We are very excited about the partnership with LIV Golf, which represents an opportunity to extend the impact of sport for youth development. Through our creative programming and 15+ years of experience working with communities worldwide, we’re eager to improve the lives of children and increase the positive impact of this beautiful sport.” said Ignacio Gomez, Executive Director at Fútbol Más. “This tournament is just the start of our long-term collaboration with LIV Golf to help kids and young adults develop life skills that will maximize their potential.”   Throughout the year, LIV Golf will continue to develop and carry out impact efforts in tournament host communities through the league, its teams, players and charitable partners.   LIV Golf is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission are centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential.

Quirónsalud Málaga, servicio médico del Festival de Cine

               

 

Un año más, el Hospital Quirónsalud Málaga brinda su apoyo al Festival de Cine de Málaga como servicio médico oficial, prestando la asistencia requerida por el certamen, que se celebra del 10 al 19 de marzo de 2023.

El centro hospitalario, paralelamente, lanza una campaña especial durante el Festival para que todos los participantes puedan ver y verse de cine gracias a los tratamientos anti manchas, antiflacidez o remodelación facial de la Unidad de Medicina Estética; los tratamientos mínimamente invasivos de varices y varículas del Servicio de Angiología y Cirugía Vascular; así como los tratamientos de Cirugía Refractiva (miopía, presbicia o cataratas, entre otros) del Servicio Integral de Oftalmología, con descuentos y primera consulta gratuita en dichos tratamientos. Para más información, consulta : comunicacion.mlg@quironsalud.es 

Tratamiento de varices sin cirugía mediante escleroterapia con espuma

El equipo de Quirónsalud Málaga ofrece soluciones de vanguardia sin cirugía para todo tipo de varices patológicas, sin ingreso hospitalario, con reincorporación inmediata a la rutina, gracias al tratamiento mínimamente invasivo de escleroterapia con espuma: mediante mini inyecciones de espuma, rellenamos y colapsamos cada variz a tratar. Totalmente ambulatorio, sin anestesia y alta inmediata tras el procedimiento. La esclerosis con espuma consiste en la inyección directa en la vena a tratar de una sustancia esclerosante en forma de espuma, que produce una reacción inflamatoria de las paredes de la vena y termina con la desaparición de esta.

Cirugía Refractiva Avanzada

Quirónsalud Málaga cuenta con un avanzado servicio integral de Oftalmología que integra las más innovadoras técnicas diagnósticas y quirúrgicas para ofrecer al paciente el tratamiento más adecuado a su patología, como el láser femtosegundo y el láser teneo, para miopía, hipermetropía, astigmatismo, presbicia o cataratas; así como el láser de luz pulsada o el plasma rico en factores del crecimiento, para el tratamiento del ojo seco, una de las patologías más frecuentes en las consultas de Oftalmología.

El servicio cuenta con el láser más rápido y preciso del mercado, que elimina la miopía, la hipermetropía, el astigmatismo y la presbicia en solo 10 segundos por ojo.

En este sentido, el equipo tiene el láser teneo, que permite tratar miopía, hipermetropía, astigmatismo y presbicia y, asociado al de femtosegundo, constituye la más avanzada plataforma refractiva existente en la actualidad, con pantalla funcional, camilla pivotante con funciones de ajuste, consiguiendo resultados optimizados en menos tiempo e intervenciones más satisfactorias.

El equipo, además dispone del tratamiento para la cirugía de las cataratas gracias al láser de femtosegundo, que, frente a la cirugía convencional, añade la función y eficacia del láser, reduciendo la mano del cirujano; de manera que se pueden realizar incisiones mucho más precisas, reduciendo el riesgo de infección y mejorando la herida, perfeccionando el posicionamiento de la lente intraocular y haciendo más previsible la corrección del astigmatismo asociada a la cirugía de la catarata. 

Tratamientos estéticos

La Unidad de Medicina Estética del Hospital Quirónsalud Málaga cuenta con los tratamientos más avanzados para mantener una correcta hidratación facial y prevenir el envejecimiento precoz. Ante una piel deshidratada, aparecen manchas o arrugas finas, que es recomendable controlar y revisar por un especialista e incluso recurrir a ciertos tratamientos adecuados, como mesoterapia, peelings químicos o luz pulsada intensa.

La mesoterapia facial con ácido hialurónico y vitaminas aporta una gran dosis de hidratación a esas células castigadas. Por otro lado, los peelings químicos ayudan a pelar esa piel engrosada, consiguiendo así una piel más sana y limpia. Mientras, la Luz Pulsada Intensa (también llamado IPL), trata y elimina los léntigos o manchas benignas de la piel.

El Hospital Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar cumple 10 años

                     

El Hospital Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar cumple 10 años cuidando de la salud de los campogibraltareños. Para conmemorar esta efeméride se ha llevado a cabo un acto en el centro hospitalario con la presencia de los alcaldes de las localidades de Los Barrios y Algeciras, autoridades del ayuntamiento de La Línea de la Concepción, además de representantes de la sociedad del Campo de Gibraltar, aseguradoras y profesionales médicos. El evento comenzó con el descubrimiento de una placa conmemorativa con el logotipo del décimo aniversario del hospital, por parte de Miguel Alconchel, alcalde de Los Barrios. A continuación, la comitiva realizó una visita a las instalaciones del hospital y posteriormente tuvo lugar la presentación del aniversario en rueda de prensa.

 

Abrió el acto el director gerente de Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar, Rafael García Meléndez, que dio la bienvenida a todos los asistentes y agradeció las habitantes de la comarca la confianza depositada durante estos 10 años de actividad. “Para mí es un orgullo abrir este aniversario, porque he vivido la evolución de este hospital desde el comienzo y durante todos estos 10 años. Puedo decir firmemente que el hospital y yo hemos crecido juntos.  En todo este tiempo hemos atendido más de 500.000 urgencias, más de 800.000 consultas, más de 110.000 hospitalizaciones, más de 55.000 cirugías y más de 3.000 partos. Todo esto es posible gracias al gran equipo que forman los profesionales del Hospital Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar, que ofrecen la calidad asistencial que se merecen los pacientes de la comarca. Estoy seguro de que será por muchos años más”.

     

Por su parte, la directora territorial de Quirónsalud en Andalucía, Pilar Serrano Moya, señaló que “el Hospital Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar ha experimentado un gran salto de calidad en sus 10 años de vida, gracias a la firme apuesta del Grupo Quirónsalud por este centro, invirtiendo desde el comienzo en ampliación de instalaciones, nuevos servicios y alta tecnología, que junto a nuestros principales aliados, que son nuestros profesionales, nos permite prestar una asistencia de la más alta calidad a los ciudadanos. Agradecer a nuestros pacientes la confianza que han depositado en nosotros para cuidar de su salud y esperamos continuar estando a la altura de sus expectativas”.

 

El alcalde de Los Barrios, Miguel Alconchel, clausuró el acto haciendo un repaso por la historia de Quirónsalud con Palmones. “Hoy es un gran día para el ayuntamiento de Los Barrios. El Hospital Quirónsalud Campo de Gibraltar es uno de los buques insignia de nuestro municipio y siempre iremos juntos de la mano. Me gustaría felicitar a todos los profesionales del centro, desde el personal de a pie a los directivos, tanto por este aniversario, como por el gran trabajo que realizan en el hospital”, manifestó el alcalde barreño.