In partnership with Tulane University School of Medicine, Slidell Memorial Hospital Regional Cancer Center will begin offering Head & Neck Cancer Surgery and Reconstructive Services, with the first patients due to be served beginning in early January in Slidell.
The partnership brings additional local cancer services to the communities served by SMH. Under the partnership, three renowned Tulane University School of Medicine cancer and reconstructive surgeons will see patients at the Head & Neck Cancer and Reconstructive Clinic at SMHRCC. All patient care will be coordinated at SMHRCC, which is also where patients will visit these oncology surgeons and receive their chemotherapy or radiation therapy. They will receive their surgical care at Tulane in order to take advantage of the advanced surgical techniques and specialized surgical equipment that are offered in that setting. The three oncology surgeons who will hold clinic at SMHRCC are:
- Tulane University School of Medicine surgeon Paul Friedlander, M.D., is one of the first in the state to perform robotic-assisted trans-oral surgery for head and neck cancers, which is an effective, minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgical approaches. Friedlander is a Fellowship-trained head and neck surgical oncologist and is the chairman of the Tulane Department of Otolaryngology.
- An expert in facial aesthetic and reconstructive surgery, Ernest S. Chiu, M.D., along with Friedlander, recently developed a surgical technique to reconstruct the pharyngeal and esophageal lining of patients who have had a significant portion of their neck and larynx removed as part of their cancer treatment. Without restoration of this critical anatomical area patients are unable to swallow or speak normally.Chiu is an associate professor of surgery and is the director of Plastic Surgery Research at Tulane.
- Rizwan Aslam, D.O., is Fellowship-trained in head and neck oncology/microvascular reconstruction surgery.
Over 75,000 new cases of head and neck cancers are diagnosed in the United States each year. Head and neck cancers include cancers of the mouth, lip, tongue, salivary glands, tonsils, larynx (voice box), and pharynx (throat). The symptoms of head and neck cancers can be associated with other oral cavity problems but may be an indicator of something serious; the only way to know definitively is to check with a dentist or physician. Early detection of head and neck cancers leads to significantly improved outcomes.
"We made a promise to bring this region everything a patient needs for cancer diagnosis and care in one location,” said SMH Acting CEO Bill Davis. "As you can see, we are continuing to aggressively increase the range of cancer services to families of the north shore and Mississippi Gulf Coast communities. Tulane University School of Medicine is an excellent partner in this vision. In these special surgeons, we have expertise we know will help patients who have these rare forms of cancer.”
"This partnership with Tulane is the culmination of many months of hard work by people from both institutions. It represents yet one more step in proving to the community that we are committed to doing everything possible to eliminate the need to leave home for cancer treatment," said SMH Chief Ancillary Officer Bruce Clement. "That was our promise we made to the community, and we are delivering on that promise everyday."
Opened in January 2011, the SMH Regional Cancer Center was built by the community to allow for local treatment without any need for travel out of the area. What this has meant for those served by SMH is that 98 percent of cancers can now be treated close to home at SMHRCC.
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ABOUT SMH
Slidell Memorial Hospital is a full-service 182-bed acute care not-for-profit community hospital located at 1001 Gause Blvd., in the heart of Slidell. Founded in 1959, SMH serves as a primary healthcare resource for families in St. Tammany Parish, La.; and, Pearl River County, Miss. For more information, visit http://www.slidellmemorial.org/ . The hospital's main phone number is (985) 643-2200.
LINKS to TUSM articles on the surgeons:
http://tulane.edu/news/releases/pr_0207b2011.cfm
http://tulane.edu/news/newwave/012110_surgery.cfm
