April is Donate Life Month

For Renee Sicheri, a registered nurse at MedStar Southern Maryland Hospital Center (MSMHC), organ donation is very personal. Indeed, it is a solemn occasion for everyone at the hospital. We know it means one family is dealing with a devastating loss and a sad time, but we also know another family will be able to celebrate a second chance for their ailing loved one.

Sicheri has been on both sides of this equation. She suffered the loss of a beloved family member whose organs lived on and saved lives in the bodies of others, and she is part of the team at MSMHC who works with Washington Regional Transplant Community (WRTC) to coordinate this process to save numerous others. WRTC is the organization responsible for the delicate and complicated process of finding donor organs for recipients on donor lists and coordinating the transfer of the organs to recipients.

The way the organ donation process works is this: First, every effort to save the patient’s life is expended, provided this is what the patient would want. After extensive testing, once it is determined the patient will not make it, but whose organs may be able to function and save a life in the body of another person, WRTC is notified. They will come to MSMHC, review the patient’s chart, and check their database for matches. Then, the family of the patient is consulted, but it is always the wishes of the patient that overrides anyone else. Once the organ is harvested, it is put on a medivac helicopter for rapid transit to its recipient.

After the process is complete, the donor’s family receives recognition from WRTC for the generous gift of life from their loved one in the form of a thank you certificate that includes how many people were potentially saved through each person’s organ donation and how long they were on a recipient list.

At MSMHC, we are proud to be a part of this process and proud to support WRTC by promoting their Donate Life campaign and the process of becoming a donor. We promote this message in various ways, including through education to both our associates and our community, through hosting a WRTC representative for an organ donation sign-up day in our hospital’s cafeteria, and by participating in Blue
and Green Friday on April 13th, to increase awareness of the Donate Life campaign.

Late last year, WRTC awarded the entire MSMHC perioperative team for being champions of the organ donation process, and for being among the Top 50 hospitals for notification and procurement. It also awarded Dr. Katharine Modisett, MD, for facilitating the organ donation process at MSMHC.

Please visit MedStarSouthernMaryland.org/DonateLife for more information about organ donation.

A Life-Changing Outcome

For 42-year-old Mara Cutchember of Lexington Park, having her menstrual cycle every month was excruciating. With heavy bleeding and excessive pain, she often found herself bedridden due to symptoms caused by fibroids. “I felt like I was in labor for three to four days a month,” Mara said. “It had gotten worse, so that’s when I said, ‘I really need to do something about this.’ ”

After years of suffering, Mara began conversations with her gynecologist about what she could do to alleviate her pain. She had discussed a hysterectomy with her doctor, but, luckily, she had also read about uterine fibroid embolization and her gynecologist recommended the procedure.

Scott Kuo, MD, of MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital’s Interventional Radiology team performed Mara’s surgery in December 2016.

“It is life-changing,” said Mara, who no longer struggles with monthly pain. “Sometimes I forget I am having my menstrual cycle now.”

Uterine fibroid embolization is typically a quick, procedure - 60 to 90 minutes - performed with minimal sedation. The minimally invasive, image-guided procedure allows patients to recover more rapidly than if they had to undergo a full hysterectomy. Mara’s recovery was four to five days versus six weeks for a more extensive surgery.

The procedure Dr. Kuo performed is called Uterine Artery Embolization, which allows embolic agents to be delivered to the uterus and fibroids. The arteries providing blood to the fibroids are blocked causing the fibroids to shrink, thus eliminating the painful monthly symptoms.

 “Many people do not realize that MedStar St Mary’s has an interventional radiology department that is ready to serve the community with different types of procedures and treatment options,” said Dr. Kuo. “Mara’s story is a great example of how we are using state-of-the-art technology to give patients faster recovery times and better outcomes through less invasive procedures.”

What is Interventional Radiology (IR)?

Advanced imaging such as ultrasound, X-rays, CAT scans, MRI scans and other methods, allow interventional radiologists to see inside a patient’s body in order to treat complex conditions with minimally invasive procedures.  IR can reduce hospital stays, lessen the chance of complications and save lives.

IR Procedures Performed at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital

• Angiograms/Venograms
• Dialysis interventions
• Line placement (ports, dialysis catheters)
• IVC filter placement/removal
• Kyphoplasty and vertebroplasty
• Thoracentesis/Paracentesis
• Percutaneous image-guided biopsy
• Embolization
  • Chemoembolization
  • Radiofrequency
  • Uterine artery
  • Varicocele/Ovarian
• Varicose vein ablation
• Feeding tube placement
• Biliary and nephrostomy tube placement

Visit MedStarStMarys.org/IR to learn more about Interventional Radiology.