Minimally invasive surgery a blessing
Q: My father is slated to have robotic surgery to fix a leaky mitral valve in his heart. They say it’s going to be minimally invasive. What does that mean? And is it really safe to have a robot poking around inside a person’s heart? — Gerry F., Franklin, Tennessee
A: Robotic surgery is done with a trained surgeon controlling a camera and mechanical arms with surgical instruments attached to them. The surgeon is at a computer console, where he or she sees a high-definition, magnified 3D view of the surgical site. This technology lets surgeons perform complex procedures that may have been more difficult or even impossible with other methods — in part because the surgeon has such a clear view of a patient’s anatomy and because robots can be “told” precisely how to navigate in a body with information from CT scans and ultrasounds.
A robot is often used in minimally invasive cardiac procedures that require only small incisions, often less than 2 inches long between the ribs. The precision of the robots’ movements and the delicacy of the process is great for patients. There is less risk of infection, fewer complications, less pain and blood loss, and quicker recovery with smaller scars.
Q: OK, one more time — what’s this new super study about how many steps you should walk a day really saying? Can you lay out the findings? — Cassie R., Walking in Circles, Chicago
A: First, I want to make it clear that disease prevention and longevity are very important — and that is what the new metastudy by an international group of scientists who formed the Steps for Health Collaborative
was looking at. Their analysis of the findings of 15 studies involved nearly 50,000 people from four continents.
But I believe quality of life is equally important — and that may be enhanced if you achieve optimal fitness — not just sufficient fitness.
■ The lowest step group averaged 3,500 steps per day; the second group,
5,800; the third, 7,800; and the fourth, 10,900.
■ Among the three groups getting the most steps per day, there was a 40 to 53 percent lower risk of death, compared with the group who walked the fewest steps.
Self-engineering your body — that’s what I call it — means you partner your 10,000-step walk with stress response management, smart nutrition and an engaged and active brain — then your quality of life will extend for decades beyond 60.
Email questions for Mehmet Oz and Mike Roizen to youdocsdaily@sharecare.com.