Better Edge : A Northwestern Medicine Podcast For Physicians

In this episode of Better Edge, Kevin Y. Zhan, MD, director of the Northwestern Medicine Cochlear Implant Program, outlines the program’s multidisciplinary approach and its expanded candidacy criteria. The program now serves people with significant hearing loss who struggle with speech clarity despite using hearing aids. Dr. Zhan also shares the innovative surgical techniques and personalized rehabilitation strategies that make Northwestern Medicine a leading center for hearing restoration.

In this episode, Stuart Shankman, PhD, psychologist, and Lilian Li, PhD, postdoctoral scholar, discuss their research at the NEAR Lab on capturing aspects of mood and mental health through adolescent smartphone social communication. They explore the challenges in diagnosing and treating adolescent depression and the potential of using smartphone data to detect depressive symptoms. The conversation also addresses the ethical considerations and future implications of this innovative approach to mental health monitoring.

Defining "obesity" is not straightforward. Using body mass index (BMI) alone may miss some unhealthy individuals and mislabel others. New global clinical recommendations aim to improve the definition of obesity. The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology Commission, supported by 75 medical organizations, proposes to use objective measures of illness based on individual risk factors. Dr. Kushner states that these recommendations represent a significant advancement in recognizing obesity as a disease rather than just a risk factor, allowing clinicians to identify those in need of treatment.

Aziz Aadam, MD, interventional endoscopist, Daniel Borja-Cacho, MD, transplantation surgeon, and Ahsun Riaz, MD, vascular and interventional radiologist, discuss a complex biliary case involving a patient with advanced stage cancer. They explore the innovative, multidisciplinary approach taken to manage the patient's biliary fistula and hepatic duct obstruction. The physicians highlight the collaborative efforts and advanced techniques that led to a successful outcome and improved quality of life for the patient.

Anita W. Asgar, MD, recently named section head of Interventional Cardiology at Northwestern Medicine, introduces herself and reveals what drew her to join the team at Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute. Dr. Asgar shares her goals for the future of the Interventional Cardiology program, her clinical and research interests in structural heart interventions and moderate secondary mitral regurgitation, and her experience working on MitraClip procedures in Canada.

Join podcast host Angela Chaudhari, MD, and a panel of experts in urogynecology and reconstructive pelvic surgery for the seventh episode of Parts and Labor. In this episode, they discuss urogynecology, complex case management, uterine-sparing surgery, the CARE Clinic for congenital anomalies, and future research areas. This episode’s panel of guests include:Emi Bretschneider, MD, Division Chief of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery in the Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyTeni Brown, MD, Director of Diversity and Inclusion, McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University; Assistant Professor of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery and of Medical Education, Northwestern Medicine​Julia Geynisman-Tan, MD, Assistant Professor of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology​​​​Douglas Luchristt, MD, Assistant Professor of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Lisa J. Rosenthal, MD, discusses the recently launched Northwestern Medicine West Health Accelerator, an initiative designed to enhance access to mental health services through evidence-based collaborative care models. Learn how this program integrates psychiatric care into primary care settings, using advanced technology and data analytics to improve patient outcomes.

Join Sean W. P. Koppe, MD, and Justin R. Boike, MD, both of Northwestern Medicine Gastroenterology and Hepatology, as they discuss how communities are affected by the availability of expert liver care close to home. We’re proud to offer liver transplant care clinics in Northern and Central Illinois and Northwest Indiana, providing essential pre-transplant services near where our patients live and work.

In this Better Edge podcast episode, Margrit Urbanek, PhD, associate professor of Endocrinology, and doctoral student Rosie Bauer discuss key insights from their recent research on the potential role of a rare genetic variation in the LMNA gene in the development of PCOS.

Immense pressure on hospitals from the COVID-19 pandemic prompted CMS to waive its three-day rule for skilled nursing facility (SNF) care. Effective March 1, 2020, this waiver allowed patients to transfer to SNFs without the usual inpatient criteria or a three-day hospital stay. A recent study by Northwestern Medicine published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society explores the trends in hospital discharges to SNFs during this period.Join study authors Lee A. Lindquist, MD, MPH, and Marianne Tschoe, MD, on this episode of the Better Edge podcast as they discuss their research and findings.

In this episode of the Better Edge podcast, Anjan Tibrewala, MD, discusses his paper published in Circulation: Heart Failure, “Impact of Heart Transplant Allocation Change on Waitlist Mortality and Posttransplant Mortality in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Devices.”The study’s results found that despite the 2018 heart transplant allocation change deprioritizing patients with LVADs, patients with LVADs are living longer on the heart transplant waitlist. Interestingly, the study also demonstrated that patients with LVADs have slightly higher mortality after heart transplant following the allocation change. Dr. Tibrewala discusses recent advances in LVAD technology and what’s next in advanced heart failure care.

Ziho Lee, MD, discusses how ureteral stricture disease management has evolved over the past decade, emphasizing the impact of minimally invasive surgical techniques. Dr. Lee shares insights on how his team developed a patient-reported outcome measure, detailing their approach, validation process and the potential implications for clinical practice.

In this Better Edge podcast episode, a multidisciplinary panel of Northwestern Medicine experts — R. Mark Wiet, MD, otologist and neurotologist; Nicholas Hac, MD, otoneurologist; Stephen T. Magill, MD, PhD, neurosurgeon; and Kevin Y. Zhan, MD, otologist and neurotologist — discusses advances in the management of acoustic neuroma. They explore detection, diagnosis and treatment options and outline the advantages of a multidisciplinary approach, while also engaging in a case-based discussion.Physicians who listen to this podcast may claim continuing medical education credit after listening to an episode of this program.

Join Larissa Pavone, MD, Mary Keen, MD, and Anton Dietzen, MD, as they discuss the significance of muscle tone in young pediatric patients. They explore the causes and manifestations of high muscle tone, including hypertonia, and share insights on managing spasticity, dystonia, and rigidity. Learn about the latest diagnostic approaches and therapeutic strategies to support early development in children with muscle tone abnormalities. Dr. Pavone is associate chief medical officer of Northwestern Medicine Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital; Dr. Keen is a pediatric PM&R specialist; Dr. Dietzen is medical director of Pediatrics at Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital.

David W. Manning, MD, and Caroline P. Thirukumaran, PhD, both of Northwestern Medicine Orthopaedic Surgery join the Better Edge podcast. They delve into the CMS Orthopedic Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Performance Measure for Total Hip Arthroplasty (THA) and Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA).   Dr. Manning and Dr. Thirukumaran provide an in-depth discussion on these performance measures:   The benefits and challenges Integrating them into clinical practice How they may affect patient outcomes and satisfaction The future of PRO measures in orthopaedic care Anticipated advances in the reporting process

Jennifer U. Miles-Thomas, MD, explores the diagnosis and treatment of overactive bladder in women. She covers: • Underlying causes• Impact on quality of life• The range of treatment options Dr. Miles-Thomas highlights the importance of personalized care, shared decision-making and guidelines-based management for effective diagnosis and treatment.

In this episode of the Better Edge podcast, Bruce K. Tan, MD, associate professor of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at Northwestern Medicine, discusses his recent research study titled, “Increased Autoreactivity and Maturity of EBI2+ Antibody-Secreting Cells from Nasal Polyps,” which sheds light on the cells’ role in predicting polyp recurrence after sinus surgery and the potential implications for diagnosing and treating nasal polyps. The findings also contribute to our understanding of immune response, antibodies and inflammation in respiratory conditions, highlighting the unique activation mechanisms and tissue-resident memory cells in the airway.

Quentin R. Youmans, MD, MSc, and Alyssa M. Vela, PhD, discuss a recent paper they co-authored that explores the importance of addressing the unique psychosocial and emotional challenges faced by patients with advanced heart failure.

Yvonne C. Lee, MD, shares key takeaways from her ACR Convergence presentation on sleep disturbances in patients with rheumatoid diseases. Additionally, Dr. Lee gives an overview of the meeting’s standout presentations.