Colorectal cancer, or CRC, is the second deadliest cancer in the United States. It can affect any age, gender, or fitness level. No one is immune to being diagnosed with colon cancer. In most cases, colorectal cancer occurs in people ages 45 or older but can affect younger patients as well. That is why every year in March, we spotlight the disease in hopes of inspiring more people to get checked starting at age 45.
Why should I have a colonoscopy?
With 1 in 24 people being diagnosed with colon cancer in their lifetime, it is extremely important to get screened. Through years of research, we know screening is the number one way to prevent or detect the disease. Screenings, as recommended by your doctor, could save your life!
Screening can:
Find the warning signs of colon and rectal cancer, letting doctors take action to prevent the disease.
Find colorectal cancer early, when treatment is most effective.
Source: Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Screenings at St. Cloud Surgical Center
Colonoscopies play an important role in colorectal cancer prevention. A colonoscopy is a minimally invasive, safe procedure used to evaluate the colon for cancer and other gastrointestinal symptoms, such as rectal and intestinal bleeding, abdominal pain, or changes in bowel habits.
During your colonoscopy, you’ll receive sedation to minimize any discomfort.
At St. Cloud Surgical Center, we use advanced, high-definition endoscopic equipment to screen the entire length of your colon. Should we detect any abnormal growths — called polyps — we’ll remove them and send them to the lab for analysis.
We know this can seem overwhelming and, at times, scary, but there is nothing to fear when having a colonoscopy. If you’re still struggling with anxiety or fear, check out this blog post about Colonoscopy Myths to calm your nerves!
How can I encourage others to be screened for CRC?
You might be asking yourself, if colorectal cancer is highly preventable with screening and highly treatable when caught early, why is it the second deadliest cancer in the U.S.?
There are many answers to this question, but one reason is lack of awareness. Since the year 2000, groups like the Colorectal Cancer Alliance have been fighting for CRC awareness, and with the help of thousands of patients, survivors, caregivers, and advocates around the country they have been doing just that!
Wearing blue! Learn more about what the color blue means to the colorectal cancer community here.
Talking to your loved ones. Express how much it means to them that they take care of their health, especially if they are on the fence and over the age of 45.
For more information about colonoscopies at St. Cloud Surgical Center, fill out our easy Colonoscopy Screening Request form at the bottom of the page. No referral necessary!
Ear Tube placement is one of the most popular surgeries performed on children. Along with the removal of Tonsils and Adenoids, the ENT team at St. Cloud Surgical Center stays busy helping our littlest patients!
A Myringotomy, or ear tube surgery, is one of the most popular procedures done by the ENT specialists at St. Cloud Surgical Center. Ear tube surgery is best thought of as a ventilation surgery. Tubes are typically needed when the eustachian tube from the nose to the ear is not allowing the necessary amount of ventilation, resulting in ear infections, fluid building up, and more. We recently sat down with Dr. Theodore Truitt to learn more about this popular procedure, including how you, as the parent, can prepare.
Why does my child need ear tubes?
Recurrent ear infections are the #1 reason parents consider ear tubes for their children. Children who start getting 4, 5, or 6 ear infections in a year and rotate through antibiotics are prime candidates for a myringotomy. Tubes put an end to all infections. Another reason a child might need tubes is for fluid build-up that results in difficulty hearing. Sometimes, it’s a combination of the two. To clear the fluid and prevent further infections, tubes will be placed to ventilate the space allowing your child to hear better and spend less time at the doctor.
Do tubes need to be removed?
Short answer, sometimes but not always.
Long answer, there are two types of tubes, Short Acting, aka temporary tubes, and Long-Acting, aka permanent tubes. Removal of the tubes depends on what type your child has.
Short Acting (Temporary Tubes): Last about 6 to 18 months. The eardrum will start working on a process of growing underneath the tube and pushing them out—roughly 5% of the time, we have to take temporary tubes out in the office.
Long Acting (Permanent tubes): These tubes are reserved for children with chronic problems, and you expect to continue placing tubes in the child’s ear until they reach a certain age. In this case, putting in a longer-lasting tube is better. The downside to this option is that there will be a hole in the drum when the tube comes out, and the longer that tube is there. The chance of the hole closing on its own is lower, meaning a future surgery might be necessary. Once these tubes have been in for about 2 to 3 years, we like to schedule removal and assess from there.
I’m a parent, and I’m nervous. Is that normal?
Parents, we know how you feel, mainly because most of us are parents, too! Being nervous is normal when your child is undergoing any type of surgery. At St. Cloud Surgical Center, we do everything possible to make the experience comfortable for you and your little ones. You’ll have the opportunity to hold your child’s hand as they go back to the OR, and once the short procedure is complete, we’ll bring them to the room where you are waiting. Your face is the first they see when they wake up!
Thankfully, surgery and recovery time for ear tube surgery is speedy, with most patients back to normal in two hours. Yes, we said hours. In fact, the feedback we often hear from parents, “Wow, it doesn’t even feel like my child had surgery!” As the week progress, your child may be able to hear and balance better, and you’ll noticeably have spent less time at the doctor. So, while it seems scary initially, ear tube surgery benefits you and your child.
Bottomline, Dr. Truitt and the rest of the ENT surgeons are confident in the team at St. Cloud Surgical Center. Together, we’ll make sure your child’s surgery is short, and recovery is quick!
If one of your 2023 goals is to get a better night’s sleep due to ongoing sleep apnea concerns, it might be time to look into Inspire.
No mask. No hose. Just Sleep.™ Inspire is the only FDA-approved obstructive sleep apnea treatment that works inside your body to treat the root cause of sleep apnea with just the click of a button. At St. Cloud Surgical Center, we are lucky enough to have two of the foremost doctors in sleep apnea surgery on our team. Dr. Ronald Hanson and Dr. Amy Dearking are trained Inspire physicians and have been using this system with their patients for years, with hundreds of successful outcomes.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SLEEP APNEA
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder where breathing is repeatedly interrupted during sleep.
There are three main types of sleep apnea.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): The most common form occurs when throat muscles relax and block airflow to the lungs.
Central Sleep Apnea (CSA): A type of sleep apnea occurs when the brain doesn’t send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing.
Mixed or Complex Sleep Apnea: When both OSA and CSA occur during sleep.
While some extra snoring at night may not seem like the end of the world, it is imperative not to let it go untreated. Untreated sleep apnea can be extremely dangerous, leading to serious health risks such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and more, including mental and emotional issues due to lack of sleep.
SIGNS YOU MIGHT HAVE SLEEP APNEA:
You or your partner reports loud snoring
You have episodes during sleep in which you stop breathing
You are gasping for air during sleep
You awaken with a dry mouth
.You have consistent morning headaches
You have difficulty staying asleep ( insomnia)
You have excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)
You have difficulty paying attention when awake
You find yourself becoming more irritable
Sleep Apnea type can be challenging to diagnose as some symptoms may overlap, but it’s important not to let multiple symptoms go unreported to your doctor. You and your partner don’t have to suffer in silence.
HOW INSPIRE CAN HELP YOU GET A BETTER NIGHT’S SLEEP
Many people have heard of the CPAP machine, and while it works for some, it may not work for all. Studies have shown only about 50% of people can tolerate and consistently benefit from CPAP. If you, or someone you know, might be struggling with a CPAP, Inspire could be the solution.
Unlike a CPAP, Inspire works inside your body, allowing you to sleep without a mask or hose. You simply turn on your device at night by clicking a button on your Inspire Sleep Remote. While you sleep, Inspire will gently deliver a pulse to your tongue to keep your airway open, thus preventing apneas from occurring. Learn more about Inspire from Drs. Hanson or Dearking and how it can help you.
Patient Outcomes
90% of bed partners report no snoring or soft snoring
91% of people are satisfied with Inspire
79% reduction in sleep apnea events
94% of Inspire patients say Inspire is better than CPAP & would recommend Inspire to others
“And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.”
-Abraham Lincoln
Another year has come and gone at the St. Cloud Surgical Center. As we welcome the New Year in a few short weeks, we want to take a moment to reflect on the momentous things that happened in and around our facility this year. We have a lot to celebrate in 2022, and we feel those memories deserve a permanent spot on our blog. Take a trip down memory lane with us!
WINTER
After over a year of ongoing construction, we finally wrapped up the expansion and remodeling at St. Cloud Surgical Center. We talked about the process, upgrades, and vision for the future here.
Team members honored the work of MLK by donating their team and talents, as well as donations, to local homeless shelters.
SPRING
In March, we celebrated our 2022 Values Hero, Amy Brinkman! The St. Cloud Surgical Center’s Values Hero Program recognizes teammates who demonstrate a special commitment to our values of Clinical Quality, Integrity, Service Excellence, Teamwork, Accountability, Continuous Improvement & Inclusion. Amy does all that and more, a well-deserved Values Hero, no doubt!
We love to celebrate our team and never miss a national day, especially when it’s for our team of incredible doctors! As a bonus, we were able to give back to the community by purchasing lunch for our staff from Jersey Mike’s during their campaign for Special Olympics. 100% of the proceeds were donated to the cause, and we were thrilled to be a part of it!
Every year our patients participate in a Physician Satisfaction Survey, and we were thrilled to receive a 93% satisfaction rating. Some of the things patients said were:
“Best Same Day Surgery Center I have ever worked at. Very efficient. Very user-friendly. Excellent and nice nurses, anesthesia personnel, and administrative staff.”
“I have been utilizing the facility for the last 23 years, and have not met any other team more efficiently than the one at the SCSC.”
“I have seen changes at the Center, and they always point in the right direction. A true privilege to be part of the SCSC family!”
SUMMER
In June, we started on our remodel in PACU – Admit area. The remodel would allow for larger door openings, new recliner chairs, and updated ceilings, lights, floors, and walls. The goal was to create a better patient experience and working environment in this area!
We spent most of the early summer months planning our 50th Anniversary party! From advertising, creating invites, and working with vendors, it was a crazy time of year for the St. Cloud Surgical Center Administrative Staff!
On August 10th, we celebrated St. Cloud Surgical Center’s 50th Anniversary with staff, family, friends, and the entire Central Minnesota community. To make the night even better, our founder, Dr. Joseph Belshe, 101 years old, traveled from Florida to attend. Read more about our party here.
FALL
Clap your hands. St. Cloud Surgical Center was named #1 in Minnesota and #24 in the country by Newsweek® in their 2023 America’s Best ASCs list! We are beyond proud of this accomplishment.
In November, our team put together a fantastic fundraiser, “Harvest to Holiday Adoptive Family Program.” With teamwork, each department joined forces and gift baskets were created and put on display. Teammates nominated families that needed a hand up, and we were able to support 12 families this year!
2022 was an incredible year at the Center, and we are excited to see what the future holds! 2023 is going to be another one for the books. See you in the New Year!
