Reconstruction and reconstructive surgeons correct functional impairments caused by burns; traumatic injuries, such as facial bone fractures and breaks; congenital abnormalities, such as cleft palates or cleft lips; developmental abnormalities; infection and disease; and cancer or tumors. Reconstruction surgery is, in its broadest sense, the use of surgery to restore the form and function of the body. Reconstruction plastic surgeons use the concept of a reconstruction ladder to manage increasingly complex wounds. This ranges from very simple techniques, such as primary closure and dressings, to more complex procedures like skin grafts, tissue expansion and free flaps. Cosmetic surgery reshapes normal structures of the body in order to improve the appearance and self-esteem of a patient. Health insurance does not cover cosmetic surgery. A plastic surgeon performs reconstructive surgery abnormal structures of the body, caused by congenital defects, developmental abnormalities, trauma, infection, tumors or disease. Reconstructive surgery serves to improve function and approximate a normal appearance. Reconstructive surgery can help repair the body. Breast reconstruction or breast reduction is for patients who have undergone a mastectomy or for patients who have abnormally large breasts that cause back problems or other health-related issues. Surgeries are available for people affected by any number of maladies, including tumors, webbed toes or fingers or extra fingers or toes. People also can receive treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome.

Older Adult Addiction Treatments

The aging of baby boomers results in a higher number of elderly people and aging adults. Older adults with a history of lifetime drug use, plus different cultural norms and general attitudes about drug use, and increases in the availability of psychotherapeutic medications, may cause a higher number of older adults with substance use problems. Although no drug treatment programs exclusively target older adults, research to date indicates that current addiction treatment programs can be as effective for older adults as for younger adults. However, substance abuse problems in older adults often go unrecognized and therefore untreated.

Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass procedures are any of a group of similar operations used to treat morbid obesity—the severe accumulation of excess weight as fatty tissue—and the health problems it causes. Bariatric surgery is the term encompassing all of the surgical treatments for morbid obesity, not just gastric bypasses, which make up only one class of such operations. A gastric bypass first divides the stomach into a small upper pouch and a much larger, lower remnant pouch and then re-arranges the small intestine to allow both pouches to stay connected to it. Surgeons have developed several different ways to reconnect the intestine, thus leading to several different bypass names. Any bypass leads to a marked reduction in the functional volume of the stomach, accompanied by an altered physiological and psychological response to food. The resulting weight loss, typically dramatic, markedly reduces comorbidities. The long-term mortality rate of gastric bypass patients has reduction of up to 40 percent. The gastric bypass, in its various forms, accounts for a large majority of the bariatric surgical procedures performed. An increasing number of these operations are by limited access techniques, termed laparoscopy. Laparoscopic surgery uses several small incisions, or ports, one of which conveys a surgical telescope connected to a video camera, and others permit access of specialized operating instruments. The surgeon actually views his operation on a video screen. The method is limited access surgery, reflecting both the limitation on handling and feeling tissues, and also the limited resolution and two-dimensionality of the video image. With experience, a skilled laparoscopic surgeon can perform most procedures as expeditiously as with an open incision—with the option of using an incision should the need arise. The gastric bypass reduces the size of the stomach by well over 90 percent. A normal stomach can stretch, sometimes to over 1000 ml, while the pouch of the gastric bypass may be 15 ml in size. The gastric bypass pouch is formed from the part of the stomach, which is least susceptible to stretching. That, and its small original size, prevents any significant long-term change in pouch volume. What does change, over time, is the size of the connection between stomach and bowel, and the ability of the small bowel to hold a greater volume of food. Over time, the functional capacity of the pouch increases, and by that time, weight loss has occurred, and the increased capacity serves to allow maintenance of a lower body weight. When the patient ingests just a small amount of food, the first response is a stretching of the wall of the stomach pouch, stimulating nerves, which tell the brain that the stomach is full. The patient feels a sensation of fullness, as if they had just eaten a large meal—but with just a thumbful of food.

Many people do not realize that addiction is a brain condition. While the path to drug addiction begins with the act of taking drugs, over time the ability of a person to choose not to do so becomes compromised and seeking and consuming the drug becomes compulsive. This behavior results largely from the effects of prolonged drug exposure on brain functioning. Passages Malibu Cost Addiction affects multiple brain circuits, including those involved in reward and motivation, learning and memory and inhibitory control over behavior. Some individuals are more vulnerable than others to becoming addicted, depending on genetic makeup, age of exposure to drugs, other environmental influences and the interplay of all these factors. Passages Malibu Cost A wide range of dysfunctional behaviors can result from drug abuse and interfere with normal functioning in the family, the workplace and the broader community. Because drug abuse and addiction have so many dimensions and disrupt so many aspects of an individual’s life, treatment is not simple. Passages Malibu Cost Effective treatment programs typically incorporate many components, each directed to a particular aspect of the illness and its consequences. Addiction treatment must help the individual stop using drugs, maintain a drug-free lifestyle and achieve productive functioning in the family, at work and in society. Passages Malibu Cost Because addiction is a condition, people cannot simply stop using drugs for a few days and be cured. Most patients require long-term or repeated episodes of care to achieve the ultimate goal of sustained abstinence and recovery of their lives. Passages Malibu Cost

VIP Medicine

VIP Medicine is a type of medical practice now found in many metropolitan areas across the country. VIP Medicine has come to represent a higher level of healthcare for those who want a more personalized relationship with their physician. At the upper echelon are the practice associations, like IPA Health, which integrate the traditional concierge model and match it with an advanced level of diagnostic care and true concierge services. IPA Health members enjoy the benefit of having access to on-site laboratories and the best diagnostic equipment available in medicine today. The ability to make most diagnoses in a single visit saves concierge patients the time of having to return to the office for a follow-up visit. This, in complement with a dedicated Patient Care Concierge and the ability to network and consult online through a patient portal sets the IPA Health model above most other concierge practices found nationwide. VIP Medical services include the following: IPA Health redefines the concept of Concierge Medicine. As a Concierge member, you will be assigned a Patient Care Concierge who will manage all aspects of the IPA Health experience, from transportation and accommodation (if you are coming from out of town), to medical evacuation if you experience a health emergency while traveling. VIP medicine at IPA Health is a healthcare service that is available to all people and is extremely affordable. Finally, a meaningful option for individuals and families seeking personalized attention from their doctor. A doctor can spend as much time with a patient as the patient needs. Wellness and prevention can be as much the center of attention as the immediate problem. The fundamental concept of Medicine Concierge is to bring back the old fashioned medical care. The number of patients are decreased by 90 percent of a conventional medical practice, our physicians are able to spend prolonged visits with our patients, and provide 24/7 physician availability via cell phone and see patients same-day.