Scott & White Physician Relations - Liaison Letter

November 2009

Scott & White Accepts TRI-CARE

Physician choices are becoming more limited, particularly in the Austin area, for TRI-CARE patients. Scott & White continues to accept TRI-CARE, along with almost all major insurances available in central Texas. We're happy to partner with referring offices on the care of your patients.

To view a list of insurances we accept, go to insurance.sw.org.

New & Highlighted Services

Referring Clinic Survey Results

Thank you to all who participated in our semi-annual survey!

A high level view of your comments reveal several themes: You say we treat your patients with respect and that Scott & White provides quality care. You also say our physician relations department is responsive and is beneficial to your practice. Key opportunities noted have been historical challenges for Scott & White: Ease of referral process and how quickly the patient can be seen. We also need to do a better job communicating the appointment information to your office. While you say we're doing better in all of these key areas, we understand improvements are still necessary.

This survey is an important tool that provides information to help us better serve you. Results are shared with top leaders throughout the organization. Process improvements are set in place. Scott & White is implementing major changes in our referral process based upon your comments. More to come soon on this - soon!

SILS Colostomy Reversal at Scott & White

Surgeons at Scott & White in Round Rock are the first in the country to perform a colostomy reversal/takedown using a single incision laparoscopic approach or SILS (Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery).

Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) is performed through a single 1-2 cm incision, most often through the belly button. The advantage of the approach through the belly button is that it leaves no visible scar. Scott & White surgeon Dr. Paul Buckley III, FACS, leads a team at Scott & White - Round Rock that has performed a multitude SILS procedures for a variety of surgical conditions including cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder), appendectomy (removal of the appendix, colon resection, liver resection, hernia repair, surgical correction of acid reflux-heart burn, partial kidney removal, and now colostomy reversal. More...

Scott & White to host community event on congestive heart failure

Home Care and Hospice Cardiac Care educates patients and families on decreasing repeat hospitalizations

Scott & White Home Care and Hospice will host a free community event on congestive heart failure for the public, current patients and families of patients with the condition on November 17, 2009 from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Central Texas Council of Government building at 2180 N. Main Street in Belton.

"Perhaps you or a loved one has recently been told that they have congestive heart failure. You know something with a name like that can't be good, but exactly what does it mean? If managed improperly it can mean repeated hospitalizations." said Michael Moffitt, M.D., Ph.D, medical director for Scott & White's Home Care program. "If we can address a problem as soon as it develops, while a patient is still at home, we hope to avoid trips back to the emergency room." More...

Celebrating National Hospice Month with Scott & White Hospice

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for those living with a terminal illness, to provide bereavement support for caregivers and families and to educate the community about hospice philosophy and programs. We work closely with primary care physicians as well as specialists to incorporate a total approach to disease management and prevention of repetitive hospitalizations. We truly appreciate the physicians who recognize the importance of hospice care and continue to include us in their care team. Together we can make a significant difference. More...

Honoring National Hospice and Home Care Month in November

In 2007, former president George W. Bush proclaimed November as National Hospice Month; however the celebration has grown to recognize home care as well. In 2007, an estimated 1.4 million patients received services from hospice1.

Recently Scott & White Home Care and Hospice opened a new branch by the Georgetown clinic in Sun City in addition to partnering with Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco. Although the department is anchored in Temple, Home Care and Hospice is expanding its reach to serve residents in Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Bosque, Burnet, Caldwell, Coryell, Falls, Hays, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, Hays, McLennan, Milam, Travis and Williamson counties. More...

Family Centered Approach to Home Care

Scott & White Home Care offers a unique and engaging approach to helping homebound patients. The service features a Transition Nurse who works closely with the patient and the hospital's case management team. Prior to a patient being discharged from the hospital or signing up for home care through their primary care provider, the Transition Nurse may meet with the patient and his family to discuss their unique needs. This conversation allows the patient to clearly understand the benefit of the care that will be provided in the privacy of his home. More...

Scott & White - Georgetown Clinic offers allergy services

Allergist John Dvoracek, M.D. now seeing patients on Wednesdays

Scott & White Healthcare's Georgetown Clinic at 4945 Williams Drive welcomes allergist John E. Dvoracek, M.D. to its staff to treat patients with allergy, asthma or immunologic conditions. Local area residents can now see Dr. Dvoracek on Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the clinic.

Dr. Dvoracek is certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. He specializes in asthma and reactive airway diseases, allergic and other persistent or recurring nasal, ear and sinus conditions, skin testing for inhalants, foods and certain insects, stinging insect allergy (honey bee, wasp, hornet, yellow jacket, fire ant), hives and swelling (urticaria and angioedema). He has worked at Scott & White since 1979.

For more information or to make an appointment, please call 254-215-0200.

Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock offers patients less invasive hip replacement procedure

Scott & White surgeons teaching U.S. and local physicians on Direct Anterior Approach

More than 175,000 hip replacements are performed annually, and these numbers are on the rise. Hip replacements are expected to increase 174% in the next 20 years, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. One cause of this increase is that baby boomers are living longer and want joints that allow them to continue to lead active lifestyles. In addition, younger people with disabling hip disease are pursuing pain relief and improved function through hip replacements further increasing the demand on services.

"The direct anterior approach (DAA) at Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock is a minimally invasive technique used in hip replacement surgery that offers patients several advantages over traditional surgical approaches to hip replacement," said Rick Schultz, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Scott & White - Round Rock, Associate Professor with Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine. "This procedure requires only a small incision, reduces tissue damage and may result in faster recovery for patients with a significantly shorter hospital stay." More...

Continuing Education

Upcoming CME Conferences

Upcoming CNE Conferences

Scott & White Welcomes These New Specialists

Administrator's Corner

Your Patient Information Delivered Via E-Mail!

Physicians who prefer to receive patient information such as hospital discharge summaries and specialist notes from a clinic visit can now choose to receive this information via secure e-mail.

Scott & White is working to make your interactions with us easier and have added this e-mail service as an option to the current methods of fax and mail delivery.

A simple one-time set up of a user name and password is required upon delivery of your first secure e-mail. As confidential patient information will be available, log-in is required to read future e-mails. If you'd prefer for our physicians to communicate patient encounters to you by this method, please click here to complete this short form.

Physician Relations Department

The Scott & White Department of Physician Relations can serve as a single point of communication for your practice when questions or issues arise.

Extensive information on the services provided by Scott & White Physician Relations, including downloadable forms, accepted insurance plans and how to refer a patient can be found at referral.sw.org.

E-mail: PhysicianRelations@swmail.sw.org

Contact Us

Director of Physician Relations Brian Borchardt 254-724-8654
College Station area Physician Liaison Samara Anderson 979-777-6215
Austin area Physician Liaison James Finnen 512-940-3513
Killeen/Waco area Physician Liaison Ray Peters 254-760-9003
Hill Country/West area Physician Liaison Seth Thompson 830-481-3397
Department Coordinator Loretta Loyd O'Quinn 800-880-0165
Hospice/Home Care Physician Liaison Sheila Rogers, RN 254-931-4044
Hospice/Home Care Physician Liaison Dedra Lyman, MPH, CHES 512-547-7337

Full Articles

Scott & White to host community event on congestive heart failure

Home Care and Hospice Cardiac Care educates patients and families on decreasing repeat hospitalizations

Scott & White Home Care and Hospice will host a free community event on congestive heart failure for the public, current patients and families of patients with the condition on November 17, 2009 from 6 p.m. - 7 p.m. at the Central Texas Council of Government building at 2180 N. Main St. in Belton.

"Perhaps you or a loved one has recently been told that they have congestive heart failure. You know something with a name like that can't be good, but exactly what does it mean? If managed improperly it can mean repeated hospitalizations." said Michael Moffitt, M.D., Ph.D, medical director for Scott & White's Home Care program. "If we can address a problem as soon as it develops, while a patient is still at home, we hope to avoid trips back to the emergency room."

Scott & White Home Care's Cardiac Care Program is a specialized program that recognizes and educates patients and families on steps they can take at home to avoid repeat hospitalizations which are unfortunately all too common with congestive heart failure.  A Scott & White nurse provides patients and families with information on signs and symptoms to report, and visits the home to look for early signs of worsening of a patient's condition. Additionally, attention is given to diet, appropriate exercise and stress management, and medications. 

"Our goal is to work closely with a patients regular physician (as well as specialists) to keep patients as healthy as possible for as long as possible while paying careful attention to symptom management.," explains Dr. Moffitt.

SILS Colostomy Reversal at Scott & White

Surgeons at Scott & White in Round Rock are the first in the country to perform a colostomy reversal/takedown using a single incision laparoscopic approach or SILS (Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery).

Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) is performed through a single 1-2 cm incision, most often through the belly button. The advantage of the approach through the belly button is that it leaves no visible scar. Scott & White surgeon Dr. Paul Buckley III, FACS, leads a team at Scott & White - Round Rock that has performed a multitude SILS procedures for a variety of surgical conditions including cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder), appendectomy (removal of the appendix, colon resection, liver resection, hernia repair, surgical correction of acid reflux-heart burn, partial kidney removal, and now colostomy reversal.

"There are many reasons why a patient might have a colostomy and many of these can be reversed, or taken down, in order to restore normal bowel continuity and function.  "The traditional surgery requires a large incision and is associated 9 or more days in the hospital," says Dr. Buckley. "At Scott & White Round Rock we have performed the first two single incision laparoscopic colostomy reversals.  We accomplish the entire surgery through a single incision that is less than an inch."

Dr. Buckley notes their first two patients were both discharged from the hospital in 2 days. Additional potential advantages of the SILS approach for a variety of procedures are decreased pain, better cosmetic results, decreased wound infection rates, and decreased pain medication requirements.  "Our hope," says Dr. Buckley "is that this will translate into a substantial and provable decreased recovery time, thus getting our patients back to the activities they enjoy most."

Scott & White Round Rock has become a training site for the SILS procedure. With support from surgical equipment manufacturer Covidien, surgeons travel from across the country to visit and learn about SILS procedures. The monthly SILS training classes now fill up in less than 45 minutes. In addition to Dr. Buckley, the general surgery team using SILS at Scott & White Round Rock includes Drs. Rob W. Watson and John F. Eckford. Drs. Watson, Eckford and Buckley are Board Certified surgeons and hold academic appointments through Texas A&M College of Medicine.

"SILS is not a new procedure, it is a new approach to many procedures," Dr. Buckley says. "With SILS, surgeons can now perform most procedures through a single incision hidden within the patient's belly button. The health and safety of our patients is our first priority, and if a SILS procedure is appropriate, we will discuss that opportunity with the patient and family:"

Dr. Buckley and Scott & White, Round Rock were recently featured on KXAN.

An indication of the awareness of SILS around the country, it has found its way into popular culture; SILS was referenced in the network television drama Grey's Anatomy series finale.

Celebrating National Hospice Month with Scott & White Hospice

Dr. Michael J. Moffitt,
Scott & White Hospice Medical Director

Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for those living with a terminal illness, to provide bereavement support for caregivers and families and to educate the community about hospice philosophy and programs. We work closely with primary care physicians as well as specialists to incorporate a total approach to disease management and prevention of repetitive hospitalizations. We truly appreciate the physicians who recognize the importance of hospice care and continue to include us in their care team. Together we can make a significant difference.

At Scott & White Hospice, we listen to the needs of patients and their families and create a care plan to meet their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. We provide comfort, support and peace of mind today, tomorrow, and as long as necessary. The key to our philosophy is that patients facing a terminal illness should have the alternative of care givers in their home setting. We accomplish this by educating patients and caregivers in how to adapt to changing circumstances as their disease progresses.

"It has been said that pain is inevitable, but suffering is something we have control over. People choose Scott & White Hospice because relief of suffering is something that our multidisciplinary team has years of experience with. Individuals that seek comfort measures rather than extended or aggressive medical intervention are provided the highest quality medical, emotional, and spiritual support by a compassionate and skilled group of professionals.

"We are a not-for-profit hospice committed to meeting the needs of the Central Texas community. We feel that it is our responsibility to provide physicians and patients with the information needed to make the right choices for the patient and their family. When it is time to decide that dignity outweighs technology, we will be there to provide comforting care."

Warm regards
Dr. Michael Moffitt

Dr. Linda Uhrig Hitchcock
Scott & White Hospice Associate Medical Director

"Over my career, I have worked with Hospice for more than twelve years. During that time, I felt that I had encountered all the situations we commonly associate with hospice care. It wasn't until my own father was diagnosed with cancer and subsequently passed away that I completely realize the full impact and need that is carried out by Hospice team members.

It has truly been rewarding to be part of the interdisciplinary team at Scott & White Hospice and a privilege to provide comforting care to the people in our community."

Sincerely,
Dr. Linda Hitchcock


Dr. Arden Aylor
Scott & White Hospice Associate Medical Director

"Why I love this work; because it is all about love. Most, think of hospice as an avenue for providing symptom control and support to those in the last phase of an incurable illness; which in some ways is true, but the mission goes much deeper than that.  We are experts at the one thing that nobody wants to be an expert at.  It is experiencing the healing gift of love that makes being part of our Scott & White Hospice so special."

In Him,
Dr. Arden Aylor


For more information or to make a referral please call 800-299-2033

Honoring National Hospice and Home Care Month in November

In 2007, former president George W. Bush proclaimed November as National Hospice Month; however the celebration has grown to recognize home care as well. In 2007, an estimated 1.4 million patients received services from hospice1. Recently Scott & White Home Care and Hospice opened a new branch by the Georgetown clinic in Sun City in addition to partnering with Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center in Waco. Although the department is anchored in Temple, Home Care and Hospice is expanding its reach to serve residents in Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Bosque, Burnet, Caldwell, Coryell, Falls, Hays, Lampasas, Lee, Llano, Hays, McLennan, Milam, Travis and Williamson counties.

Home Care and Hospice is staffed by registered nurses, licensed vocational nurses, physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, volunteers, chaplains and more. Both services accept all major insurance plans including Medicare. Access to services is available to all local patients who are cared for by Scott and White physicians or physicians in private practice from area communities.

If your loved one is homebound, the services provided by Home Care may provide the additional care needed by the patient to promote the process of healing. Approximately 7.6 million individuals currently receive care from 17,000 providers because of acute illness, long-term health conditions, permanent disability, or terminal illness 2. Home Care offers in-home therapies and nursing care to help those recovering from surgery and trauma or those coping with a debilitating disease. Approximately 21% of 2006 Medicare home health patients had conditions related to diseases of the circulatory system as their principal diagnosis 2.

Caregivers also benefit from interacting with the Home Care staff. From wives to children to neighbors, caregivers may quickly feel overwhelmed by the responsibility of attending to an ill or disabled loved one. The typical caregiver is a 46 year old woman with at least some college experience who provides more than 20 hours of care each week to her mother 2. For this reason, Scott & White Home Care goes above and beyond to support the caregivers. From our team, they learn about the patient's medications, home safety issues and how to participate in any therapy regimens. 

If you are facing the challenge of dealing with end of life care for a friend or family member we can help. Hospice care is a unique in-home service that provides patients with privacy and dignity as they receive medically supervised nursing care, pain management, spiritual counseling and assistance from volunteers. Hospice emphasizes palliative rather than curativetreatment; quality rather than quantity of life. When treatments are no longer effective, we focus on aggressive comfort care and symptom management. The patient and family are included in the care plan and emotional, spiritual and practical support is given based on the patient's wishes and family's needs. Trained volunteers can offer respite care for family members as well as meaningful support to the patient.

The majority of patient care is provided in the place the patient calls "home" including nursing homes and residential facilities 1. In 2007, 70.3% of patients received care at home 1.

Scott & White Hospice is a Medicare and Medicaid certified hospice and typically covers 100 percent of hospice charges. Most private insurance and HMO's also cover the cost of hospice care. A terminal diagnosis means that the individual has a medical prognosis that his or her life expectancy is six months or less if the illness runs its normal course. General eligibility guidelines are based on this prognosis, however, hospice benefits can be extended for as long as the individual meets the criteria for a terminally ill diagnosis. Although assistance is available to the patient and their family upon receiving the terminal diagnosis, few patients make use of the full benefit. Half of hospice patients receive care for less than three weeks and half receive care for more than three weeks 1. Though Nationally, the average length of service is 67.4 days 1. Early referrals promote the most personalized, comprehensive end-of-life care.

Contact us at 800-299-2033 to start learning how to connect your family to the benefits of Scott & White Home Care and Hospice. If you are attempting to coordinate a referral from your department or if a physician needs information on services or a qualifying diagnosis, contact the Home Care and Hospice Physician Liaison at 800-299-2033. One number - many possibilities.

References:

1 NHPCO Facts and Figures: Hospice Care in America, 2008

2 BASIC STATISTICS ABOUT HOME CARE by The National Association for Home Care & Hospice, 2008

Family Centered Approach to Home Care

Scott & White Home Care offers a unique and engaging approach to helping homebound patients. The service features a Transition Nurse who works closely with the patient and the hospital's case management team. Prior to a patient being discharged from the hospital or signing up for home care through their primary care provider, the Transition Nurse may meet with the patient and his family to discuss their unique needs. This conversation allows the patient to clearly understand the benefit of the care that will be provided in the privacy of his home.

Homebound patients have a particularly intimate relationship with their families. Scott & White Home Care works to be an extension of the family unit. Whether the patient is receiving skilled nursing care or physical therapy, the team helps the family to identify safety hazards within the home as well as educate the family on ways to minimize the risks of infection, falls and fire.

Frequently, homebound patients have difficulty with standing and walking. The nurses and therapists will teach both the patient and family how to transfer patients from the bed or wheelchair. If adaptive equipment is needed, the team will help arrange it and instruct the patient and family in its use.

Each patient cared for by Scott & White Home Care receives a customized care plan that utilizes the orders from the patient's doctor as its foundation. The team ensures that the caregivers and patient both have input in establishing goals for the patient's therapy or healing process. To learn more about Scott & White Home Care, which accepts Medicare and all major insurance plans, please call 800-299-2033.

Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock offers patients less invasive hip replacement procedure

Scott & White surgeons teaching U.S. and local physicians on Direct Anterior Approach

More than 175,000 hip replacements are performed annually, and these numbers are on the rise. Hip replacements are expected to increase 174% in the next 20 years, according to a study presented at the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. One cause of this increase is that baby boomers are living longer and want joints that allow them to continue to lead active lifestyles. In addition, younger people with disabling hip disease are pursuing pain relief and improved function through hip replacements further increasing the demand on services.

"The direct anterior approach (DAA) at Scott & White Hospital - Round Rock is a minimally invasive technique used in hip replacement surgery that offers patients several advantages over traditional surgical approaches to hip replacement," said Rick Schultz, M.D., orthopedic surgeon at Scott & White - Round Rock, Associate Professor with Texas A&M Health Sciences Center College of Medicine. "This procedure requires only a small incision, reduces tissue damage and may result in faster recovery for patients with a significantly shorter hospital stay."

Special equipment allows positioning of the patient during surgery facilitating the procedure.

"We are not only offering the direct anterior approach procedure to our patients but we're also educating surgeons from across the U.S. and in our community on how to perform this procedure," says Dr. Schultz.

Traditional hip replacement, on the other hand, involves operating from the side (lateral) or the back (posterior) of the hip, which requires a more disturbance of the muscles and an usually an incision approximately 8-12 inches long.  In comparison, the direct anterior approach requires an incision that's only three to four inches long and is located at the front of the hip and does not require the surgeon to detach muscles or tendons."  DAA and traditional approaches to hip replacement share equal long-term results, and at one year patients are performing similarly.

"The smaller incision and reduced muscle disruption may also lead to less scarring within the muscles around the hip with minimization of tissue damage, potential for less blood loss, less time in surgery, reduced post-operative pain and a shorter hospital stay," Dr. Schultz said.  Some evidence of this is that the vast majority of our patients are able to go straight home, with a simple exercise program, and do not require admission to a rehabilitation facility."

Hip replacement, no matter how minimally invasive, is major surgery and patients are at risk for complications. However, complication rates following joint replacement surgery are generally very low. Serious complications, such as joint infection or dangerous blot clot, occur in less than two percent of patients.  Post-operative recovery depends on several factors including surgeon training and experience, the surgical approach, the implant, and the patient's health and commitment to post-operative physical therapy. Although the direct anterior approach may make sense for some patients, only an orthopedic surgeon can help patients decide what is best for them.

Clinical Trials

Lymphoma Clinical Trial

Phase I Clinical Trials for the Cancer Research Institute:
Expanding Novel Therapies for Hematologic Malignancies

The Cancer Research Institute (CRI) of Scott & White under the leadership of Dr. Arthur Frankel is currently a leader in Phase I clinical trials for hematologic malignancies. Currently there are novel therapies now open to treat t-cell lymphomas, myelodysplastic syndrome, acute myeloid leukemia and B-Lineage Leukemia or Lymphoma. The new class of anti-cancer therapies developed at CRI is immunotoxins composed of specific cell directed ligands (or antibodies) covalently linked to protein synthesis inactivating peptide toxins. The ligand (or antibody) directs the molecule to the surface of the specific cell. After ligand binding and internalization, the toxin escapes to the cytosol and catalytically inhibits protein synthesis leading to apoptosis.

For study registration or additional information, contact Margarite Grable, at 254-724-0292 or Arthur Frankel, M.D. at 254-724-0094.

Overview of trials

AML and M.D.S: Fusion protein DT-IL3
DT388IL3 fusion protein:

The Cancer Research Institute will enroll an additional 40-50 patients in a phase I/II trial for patients with high-risk myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) or relapsed/refractory acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). The novel agent is a fusion protein derived from diphtheria toxin and interleukin-3 called DT388IL3. The drug targets the IL-3 receptor on the surface of the AML or MDS stem cell and delivers the peptide toxin-diptheria toxin to the cytosol of the leukemia cell.

To date 71 patients have been treated with DT388IL3, with the regimen recently shortened to a 6 day inpatient stay. We have seen one complete remission lasting 7  months, with cytoreductions seen in 7/40 AML patients. The side effect profile to date suggests that this agent may be useful in elderly AML patients and patients with co-morbidities for whom aggressive salvage combination chemotherapy is poorly tolerated.

T-cell Lymphomas:
Fusion protein for CD3 positive t-cell lymphoma:

This phase I/II, open-label, dose-escalation, multi-dose study of A-dmDT390-bisFv (UCHT1) Fusion Protein, an antibody tagged with diphtheria toxin targeting CD3+ surface membrane protein found on malignant T-cells. CD3e, a component of the T-cell receptor has been chosen as a target to eliminate T-cells, because targeting CD3e with immunotoxin was superior to targeting other pan-T-cell surface glycoproteins (Thompson et al., 2001; Vallera et al., 2000). In addition, the advantage of the immunotoxin approach is that unlike most drugs that inhibit T-cell proliferation, immunotoxin will kill both dividing and non-dividing targets. However, the targeted therapy for T-cell malignant diseases has been far less intensively explored, because B-cell malignancies are more frequent diseases in the United States.

It is anticipated that approximately 40 patients will be enrolled in this study over two years. Patients will be hospitalized for 5 days and will be monitored daily for a total of 10 days after completion of a 4 day administration cycle of A-dmDT390-bisFv (UCHT1) (14 days total).

To date, 10 patients have been treated with A-dm-DT390-bisFv (UCHT1). We have seen 2 CRs. One lasted 17 months and relapsed. The other CR is ongoing and has lasted 14 months. To date, we have one CR, 3 PRs lasting 10 months, 9 months, and 5 months- all ongoing.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia:
DT2219ARL immunotoxin:

This study is designed to determine the tolerability, safety and maximum tolerated dose of DT2219ARL. It is anticipated that approximately 20 patients will be enrolled in this study over the next two years. Patients will receive full supportive care including transfusions, antibiotics, fluids, electrolytes, growth factors, antiemetics etc. when appropriate. However patients are not allowed intravenous immunoglobulin, other cancer chemotherapy or radiation therapy during the study. Patients will be hospitalized for approximately nine days for the completion of the four dose, every other day dosing schedule. Patients initially will have follow-up blood work every 2-3 days and doctor's visits on days 15 and 28. Patients who achieve remission will be followed monthly with blood work and every three months with bone marrows until relapse or progression. To date, 7 patients have been treated.

 

Plastic Surgery Study at Scott & White

The Scott & White Division of Plastic Surgery is seeking to enroll patients in a randomized control trial aimed at minimizing the long-term physical deformity associated with cutaneous infantile hemangiomas.

Inclusion and exclusion criteria are as follows: Patients must be less than 12 months old and have been discharged from hospital within first week of life. Visceral tumors, and those located on the face, genitalia, or hands are not eligible. Patients with multiple hemangiomas are eligible, but those with generalized hemangiomatosis (i.e. Kassabach-Merritt syndrome) are excluded.

We will make every effort to evaluate patients within 72 hours of your referral. Thank you for your assistance in helping us investigate these tumors that burden so many of our young patients.

Paul A. Berry, M.D.
Charles N. Verheyden, M.D. Ph.D.
Scott & White Memorial Hospital
Department of Surgery
Division of Plastic Surgery