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Winter 2015–2016
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WOMEN’S HEALTH
Women facing a breast cancer
diagnosis have a new ally at
Methodist Health System.
Allison DiPasquale, MD, is
Methodist Charlton Medical Center’s
first fellowship-trained breast surgical
oncologist. She specializes in
removing cancerous tissue in the best-
possible way for breast reconstruction.
Thanks to her expertise, Methodist
Charlton now offers nipple-sparing
mastectomies and oncoplastic
reconstruction.
Dr. DiPasquale is with Texas
Oncology – Methodist Cancer Center
and is also on the medical staff at
Methodist Dallas Medical Center.
Dr. DiPasquale completed
her fellowship at City of Hope, a
National Cancer Institute–designated
Comprehensive Cancer Center in
Duarte, California. At Methodist,
she will collaborate with plastic
surgeons for optimal breast
reconstruction possibilities for women
with breast cancer, as well as with
other specialists at tumor boards.
She looks forward to building
relationships with both her colleagues
and patients.
“I want my patients and their
families to feel like they’re a part of
my family and our medical family at
Methodist,” she says.
Look like yourself
again
New breast surgeon optimizes
reconstruction results
Acessa offers nonsurgical solution
for fibroid tumors
You might be one of the 3 in
4 women
who experiences uterine
fibroids at some point in her life.
Fortunately, you won’t have to endure
the discomfort, thanks to a new
procedure at Methodist Charlton
Medical Center.
“Fibroid tumors are noncancerous,
abnormal growths in the uterus that
can be anywhere from 1 centimeter
to the size of a grapefruit,” explains
Jeremy Vaughan, MD, OB-GYN,
at Methodist Charlton. “For many
women, they can cause extremely
heavy, lengthy periods and severe
cramping. In some cases, they may
even cause infertility or miscarriage.”
Acessa: An alternative
to hysterectomy
In the past, hysterectomy and
medication were the only
options for women dealing with
fibroid symptoms.
“Then along came fibroid
ablation,” Dr. Vaughan says. “It allows
doctors to use cold or heat to shrink
or destroy the fibroids with just two
tiny incisions and a laparoscope.”
One option for ablation, newly
available at Methodist Charlton, is the
Acessa™ procedure, a radiofrequency
technique that gives doctors an
enhanced ability to remove almost
any type of fibroid tumor, regardless
of size or location in the uterus.
“Acessa offers a lot of advantages
for patients,” Dr. Vaughan says. “They
can go home the same day and resume
normal activity within a few days.”
And the best benefit of all?
“There’s almost no chance that the
fibroids can return after a patient
undergoes the Acessa procedure,”
Dr. Vaughan says. “That means it
provides permanent relief of pain and
other symptoms.”
Q
GET ACCESS TO ACESSA
Are you
looking for a doctor who performs
the Acessa procedure? Call
214-947-6296
today to find relief
from uterine fibroids.
“There’s almost no chance that the fibroids can return after
a patient undergoes the Acessa procedure. That means it
provides
permanent relief of pain and other symptoms.”
— Jeremy Vaughan, MD, OB-GYN
What’s oncoplastic
reconstruction?
“Oncoplastic reconstruction is
oncology mixed with a bit of
plastic surgery. I remove a lump of
cancerous tissue and then rearrange
the remaining healthy tissue for a
decreased disfigurement of the breast.
After radiation, women have a more
natural-looking breast.”
— Allison DiPasquale, MD, breast
surgical oncologist