University Health System Blog

The 2011 U.S. News Top Doctors includes 29 University of Nevada School of Medicine doctors and surgeons. Two notable distinctions are Las Vegas oncological surgeon Dr. Daniel Kirgan and Las Vegas pediatric geneticist Dr. Colleen Morris who are among the top 1 percent in the nation in his or her specialty according to the rankings. Doctors listed in U.S. News Top Doctors are determined to be in the top 10 percent in their region. Information on the nomination process is available here.

• Caroline Barangan, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, Las Vegas
• Leslie Browder, Colorectal Surgeon, Las Vegas
• Diane Chau, Geriatrician, Reno
• Echezona Ezeanolue, Pediatric Infectious Disease Specialist, Las Vegas
• Eric Farbman, Neurologist, Las Vegas
• David Ginsburg, Neurologist, Las Vegas
• John Gosche, Pediatric Surgeon, Las Vegas
• David Gremse, Pediatric Gastroenterologist, Las Vegas
• Thomas Hunt, Family Medicine Doctor, Las Vegas
• Renu Jain, Pediatrician, Las Vegas
• Chakravarthy Kannan, Endocrinologist, Las Vegas
• Kayvan Khiabani, Plastic Surgeon, Las Vegas
• Daniel Kirgan, Oncological Surgeon, Las Vegas*
• Deborah Kuhls, Critical Care Surgeon, Las Vegas
• Kami Larsen, Pediatrician, Las Vegas
• John Menezes, Plastic Surgeon, Las Vegas
• Colleen Morris, Clinical Geneticist, Las Vegas*
• Matthew Ng, Otolaryngologist, Las Vegas
• TJ O-Lee, Otolaryngologist, Las Vegas
• Elissa Palmer, Family Medicine Doctor, Las Vegas
• David Parks, Pediatric Pulmonologist, Las Vegas
• Pisespong Patamasucon, Pediatric Infectious Disease, Las Vegas
• Rola Saad, Pediatric Endocrinologist, Las Vegas
• Christian Stone, Gastroenterologist, Las Vegas
• Milka Torbarina, Obstetrician/Gynecologist, Las Vegas
• John Varras, Internist, Las Vegas
• Sandyha Wahi, Internist, Las Vegas
• Robert Wang, Otolaryngologist, Las Vegas
• William Zamboni, Plastic Surgeon, Las Vegas

The August 2011 edition of Desert Companion, Nevada Public Radio’s monthly magazine, features what the publication named as ‘the 159 best physicians in Southern Nevada, as chosen by their peers.’ Thirty-one University of Nevada School of Medicine faculty physicians were among the group.

A list of each of the doctors, along with their medical specialities, is posted on the magazine’s website. According to the publication, doctors are selected through a rigorous screening process using mail and telephone surveys and electronic ballots. They ask physicians and hospital executives to help identify exceptional doctors.

The University physicians are listed below.

• Caroline Barangan, adolescent medicine (substance abuse, teen behavior evaluation, behavioral disorders);
• Colleen Morris, clinical genetics (Williams Syndrome, inherited disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome);
• Thomas Hunt, family medicine (long-term care, palliative care, developmental disorders);
• Elissa Palmer, family medicine (women’s health, preventive medicine);
• Christian Stone, gastroenterology (inflammatory bowel disease, gastrointestinal functional disorders);
• Chakravarthy Kannan, internal medicine (diabetes, metabolic disorders);
• John Varras, internal medicine (weight management, diabetes, heart disease, preventive medicine);
• Sandyha Wahi Gururaj, internal medicine (preventive medicine, hypertension);
• Subhash Mitra, maternal and fetal medicine (high-risk pregnancy, obstetric, ultrasound);
• Eric Farbman, neurology (Parkinson’s disease and movement disorders, Tourette’s syndrome, Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease);
• David Ginsburg, neurology (muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), neuromuscular disorders);
• Milka Torbarina, obstetrics and gynecology (high-risk pregnancy, infertility, uro-gynecology);
• Matthew Ng, otolaryngology (neurotology, skull base surgery, otology, acoustic neuroma);
• Robert Wang, otolaryngology (head and neck surgery);
• Rola Saad, pediatric endocrinology (diabetes, metabolic disorders, pubertal disorders);
• David Gremse, pediatric gastroenterology (nutrition, gastrointestinal disorders);
• Echezona Ezeanolue, pediatric infectious disease (neonatal infections, vaccines, immune deficiency);
• Pisespong Patamasucon, pediatric infectious disease (antibiotic resistance);
• David Parks, pediatric pulmonology (lung disease, pulmonary infections);
• John Gosche, pediatric surgery;
• Johanna Fricke, pediatrics (developmental and behavioral disorders, learning disorders, autism);
• Renu Jain, pediatrics (newborn care, child abuse);
• Kami Larsen, pediatrics;
• Beverly Neyland, pediatrics;
• Tsung O-Lee, pediatric otolaryngology (airway disorders, airway reconstruction, sleep apnea, hearing loss);
• John Menezes, plastic surgery (cranofacial surgery, cosmetic and reconstructive surgery);
• Kayvan Khiabani, plastic surgery (hand surgery, hand reconstruction, hand and microvascular surgery);
• William Zamboni, plastic surgery (microsurgery, limb surgery and reconstruction, hyperbaric medicine, wound healing and care);
• Constance Kalinowski, psychiatry (behavioral disorders, dual diagnosis);
• Leslie Browder, surgery (colon and rectal surgery);
• Daniel Kirgan, surgery (cancer surgery, breast cancer and surgery); and
• Deborah Kuhls, surgical critical care (trauma)

Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Three University of Nevada School of Medicine physicians are listed in the Las Vegas Life Top Doctors 2011.

The School of Medicine physicians listed are William Zamboni, M.D. (plastic surgery and research), Colleen Morris, M.D. (pediatric genetic research), and David Ginsburg, M.D. (neurology).

According to the publication, surveys are mailed to every medical doctor—more than 3,530 physicians—in Southern Nevada. The doctors are asked to identify the top doctor in each of the specialties listed in the survey. The list is tabulated annually.

Edgar Antonio Nunez is creative director at University Health System. For media inquiries, contact him by email or call 702-671-2230.

Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Reno primary care physician Dr. Steven Zell answers the question: What health recommendations do you advise for seniors who travel abroad?

Seniors who travel or planning to travel to underdeveloped countries are at greater risk of contracting infectious diseases. However, traveler’s diarrhea is of particular concern.

Traveler’s diarrhea is caused by many strains of bacteria. It affects roughly 60 percent of Americans who travel abroad, usually during the first week of travel. There is no vaccine to prevent traveler’s diarrhea.

Managing traveler’s diarrhea requires antibiotics and oral rehydration packets dissolved in water to prevent dehydration.

Seniors who use acid-reducing drugs are at greater risk of getting traveler’s diarrhea, suffering more severe symptoms because of medications for high blood pressure, especially diuretics.

Drugs for hypertension in these cases can also lead to severe dehydration, loss of electrolytes and kidney failure if continued during an episode of traveler’s diarrhea.

Such patients need medical supervision on when to take medications for hypertension and on the use of oral rehydration salts. A prescription for an antibiotic to limit traveler’s diarrhea based on the bacterial agents in the country of travel is also advised.

When traveling to underdeveloped countries, disease can be organized as vaccine preventable and non-vaccine preventable.

An example of a non-vaccine preventable disease includes malaria. There’s currently no vaccine for malaria, but prescription drugs can help prevent infection.

Vaccines for travelling abroad are subdivided into vaccines required to enter a country, as defined by the World Health Organization, and recommended vaccines based on your travel plans.

You must provide proof of receiving the vaccine for yellow fever to have permission to enter certain countries and must receive the vaccine at a center certified by the Centers for Disease Control.

Recommended vaccines may be appropriate based on your travel plans, but don’t require proof of administration to enter a country. Examples include vaccines for hepatitis A and B, typhoid and influenza and boosters for tetanus and polio.

Steven Zell, M.D., is professor of medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine and board certified in internal medicine. His expertise and experience is in travel medicine.

Health question? University Health System physicians answer select questions from readers like you.

Las Vegas migraine headache surgeon Dr. Kayvan Khiabani, assistant professor of surgery at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, appeared on UMC Digest.

UMC Digest is the weekly television program produced by University Medical Center and airs on Clark County Channel 4 (CCTV4).

Direct links to program segments are not available, but the “Migraine Headache Relief” segment is available at UMC Digest, currently the fifth entry in the list of segments.

Dr. Khiabani is also scheduled to appear on Healthline Today with Dr. Jim on KSNV Las Vegas Channel 3 Thursday and Friday, March 24 and 25 to discuss migraine headache surgery.

Dr. Khiabani is the only surgeon in Nevada performing a revolutionary surgery technique that in many cases cures patients of their migraine headaches or greatly reduces the frequency and severity of migraine headaches.

Edgar Antonio Nunez is creative director at University Health System. For media inquiries, contact him by email or call 702-671-2230.

Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Las Vegas weight loss surgeon Dr. Shawn Tsuda answers the question: What are the health risks of obesity?

There’s as many as 60 medical problems that have been associated with obesity. Diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure and obstructive sleep apnea—many of these can lead to early death in some cases.

Other medical problems like arthritis or gastroesophageal reflux disease can really affect people’s quality of life when they are obese.

Diet and exercise are the mainstays of weight loss, but for some patients who are severely obese, weight loss surgery may be the best option.

In those cases, long-term weight loss, sometimes greater than 10 years, can be conferred with weight loss surgery, as well as in many cases, resolution of those medical problems.

Shawn Tsuda, M.D. is vice chief for bariatric surgery at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Tsuda completed fellowship training in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Harvard Medical School. He is board certified in general surgery.

Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Las Vegas weight loss surgeon Dr. Shawn Tsuda answers the question: Who is a good candidate for weight loss surgery?

The mainstay of weight loss are a good exercise and diet program, but for some patients who are severely obese, surgery may be the best option.

Severe obesity is defined by your body mass index or your weight divided by your height squared. If that number is 40 or above, or above 30 with significant health problems related to obesity, you may be a candidate for weight loss surgery.

You should consult with your surgeon or to see if you’re a good candidate, or if you have risk factors that prohibit you from having surgery.

For patients to go on to surgery, they may benefit from resolving many of the medical problems related to obesity, such as diabetes, high blood pressure or obstructive sleep apnea.

Shawn Tsuda, M.D. is vice chief for bariatric surgery at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. Dr. Tsuda completed fellowship training in minimally invasive and bariatric surgery at Harvard Medical School. He is board certified in general surgery.

Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Las Vegas gastroenterologist Dr. Christian Stone, associate professor of medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine, is scheduled to appear on the Ed Bernstein Show this Sunday, Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. on KSNV-NBC Channel 3. (Video link to follow.)

Dr. Stone, an expert on inflammatory bowel disease, will speak on this topic. Sunday’s program will also provide details on a Q&A discussion that is open to the general public on the latest medical research, surgery options, nutrition and complementary treatments for children and adults with inflammatory bowel disease.

The discussion will take place on Saturday, Feb. 26. For information about the event, call the Crohn’s and Colitis Foundation of America at 877-259-2104.

Edgar Antonio Nunez is creative director at University Health System. For media inquiries, contact him by email or call 702-671-2230. Have a health question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Reno internist Dr. John Pixley answers the question: Should men take calcium supplements for bone health?

Osteoporosis, the most common disease leading to increased fracture risk, increases with age in both men and women.

Men sustain hip and spine fractures at about one-third the rate of women. In men there is often a secondary cause for fractures including, but not limited to, excessive alcohol intake, smoking and chronic steroid use.

While calcium supplements in the elderly may be helpful, it is probably advisable to determine if one is at increased risk by consulting a physician and having a bone mineral density study at a certified facility including a FRAX score to estimate fracture risk probability.

John Pixley is board certified in rheumatology and associate professor of internal medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine.

Have a health related question? University of Nevada School of Medicine doctors answer select questions from readers like you.

Reno family physician Dr. Dan Spogen answers the question: Are zinc supplements effective in fighting a cold?

From multiple studies, the essential mineral and dietary supplement zinc has been shown to be marginally effective at reducing a cold’s duration, perhaps by a day or so at most.  There is no study currently that proves that zinc actively prevents colds.

Taking zinc has few side effects, so the potential harm is minimal. However, there is monetary cost for a treatment of limited value.

Proven methods for reducing the frequency, duration and severity of colds include washing one’s hands often, covering the nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and reducing your contact with people who have colds. Taking care of yourself by getting enough rest and exercise with proper nutrition is more important than taking supplements like zinc.

Dan Spogen, M.D., is chair and professor of family and community medicine at the University of Nevada School of Medicine. He practices in Reno.

Have a general health related question? University Health System doctors answer select questions from readers like you.