eHealth Connection | Cooper University Hospital

by Joseph V. Lombardi, MD

John Ritter

You probably remember the tragic death of actor John Ritter in 2003.

Recently, his family partnered with the Thoracic Aortic Disease (TAD) Coalition to shed light on the condition that took his life: aortic dissection.

In addition to the TAD Coalition’s “Ritter Rules,” which focus on recognizing, treating and preventing the condition, the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology also released new guidelines designed to prevent unnecessary deaths.

Aortic dissection occurs when the wall of the aorta, the body’s main blood vessel, splits and blood flows in the wall of the aorta. That extra channel of blood flow then travels down the length of the aorta and can rupture the vessel or shut down other vital blood vessels causing obstruction of blood-flow to vital organs. Aortic dissection generally affects one in 10,000 Americans and is usually more prevalent in patients with high blood pressure or hypertension.

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Michele had three strikes against her. There was no doubt about it. She was one of the 40 million Americans doomed to suffer from varicose veins and spider veins. The thirty-something mother of two was significantly overweight, had a family history of varicose veins, and stood on her feet all day.

One day in 2007, Michele Sorbello of Mantua decided it was time to take control of her body. She switched to a healthy diet and began exercising five to six days a week. Michele lost 220 pounds in only two years, yet her transformation was far from complete.

“I couldn’t wait to wear shorts and dresses,” says Michele, who spends her days styling hair and her nights tending to her four-year-old son and six-year-old daughter. “I was so disappointed. I lost all that weight, toned my body, but my varicose veins looked worse and hurt more than before.”

Michele turned to her primary care physician who immediately referred her to James B. Alexander, M.D., F.A.C.S., a vascular and endovascular surgeon at Cooper University Hospital, who specializes in minimally invasive treatments for varicose veins and spider veins.

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If you’ve been diagnosed with a blood vessel disorder, for example an aneurysm, carotid artery disease, or poor circulation to your legs and feet, vascular surgeons at Cooper University Hospital offer minimally invasive surgical techniques designed to get you fixed, fast.

Known as endovascular surgery, these minimally invasive procedures avoid open-body surgery for select patients, offering less pain and trauma, shorter recovery time and excellent results.

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For many people, dressing for the summer means donning shorts and capris. For those who suffer with spider veins and varicose veins, they may not be so enthusiastic to store away their slacks until fall.

As many as 80 million Americans suffer from spider veins and/or varicose veins. Women of childbearing age or older, are more at risk than men to develop these conditions. Hereditary influences, hormonal changes and aging are factors that can contribute to both spider and varicose veins. Read the full story