Regional Medical Center of San Jose

What You Can Do to Prevent Getting Ill This Cold and Flu Season

When holiday stress is running high and the weather outside has cooled off, cases of the flu spike, so your chances of getting sick are higher. To stay healthy and keep the cold or flu from getting you down this winter, follow the guidelines below recommended by Regional Medical Center of San Jose.

Wash your hands often

Hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of germs and viruses that may get you sick. Any time you make contact with another person or touch a common surface, wash your hands with warm water and antibacterial soap. Remember to wash your hands before touching your face as well.

Get plenty of sleep

If you don’t allow yourself time to rest during the busy holiday season, your immune system will be weakened and less capable of fighting off the flu. Make sure that you are giving yourself enough time to sleep at night, and encourage deep, restful sleep by taking a bath or putting out scented oils to calm your senses before you fall asleep.

Get a flu shot

While a cold may only keep you out of your routine for one or two days, the flu can be much more serious and last significantly longer. Therefore, the flu shot is a powerful weapon to protect yourself from getting sick. It is important to get immunized with the flu shot every year, because the flu virus evolves quickly.

To get your flu shot or learn more strategies for healthier living, visit Regional Medical Center of San Jose. You can also connect with us through our iTriage Symptom Checker app or by joining our H2U program featuring free classes and quarterly healthy living publications to help you stay well. Learn more about us on our website or give us a call at (888) 762-8881.

Prehypertension and its Impact on Blood Pressure and Likelihood of Stroke

Prehypertension is when a person's blood pressure is higher than ideal, but doesn't meet the level of high blood pressure.  While it may not seem alarming in itself, prehypertension carries significant health risks.  Find out more in this video, and for further information, call Regional Medical Center of San Jose today at (888) 762-8881!

Visit These Websites Provided by Regional Medical Center for More Helpful Health Information

For a look at the diagnosis and treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, see this page from the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s PubMed Health.

The National Osteoporosis Foundation describes how bone density tests help in the early detection and treatment of osteoporosis and provides scanning recommendation guidelines.

To learn how osteoporosis can lead to broken bones, who is at greatest risk of developing the condition, and how it can be prevented, see this fact sheet from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.

Read about a research study supporting the use of bone density scans in preventing osteoporosis-related fractures at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons.

Head to daVinciSurgery.com for the answers to some frequently asked questions about robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery.

If you are interested in learning more about our comprehensive emergency care services, call Regional Medical Center of San Jose at (888) 762-8881. You can also learn our current ER wait times from anywhere on your mobile device by texting ‘ER’ to 23000 and replying with your zip code.

Do Heart Medicines Work Differently in Women Than They Do In Men?

Proper health medication is a well-known way to keep your heart healthy.  However, do the biological differences between men and women impact the effectiveness of heart medicine?  Find out more in this video, and for more information, call Regional Medical Center of San Jose today at (888) 762-8881

First Thoracic Surgery in San Jose with the da Vinci Si Surgical System - Robot Used to Remove Tumor in Chest Cavity

Regional Medical Center of San Jose is the first hospital in San Jose to use the da Vinci Si Surgical System to remove a tumor from a patient’s chest cavity.  Cancerous tumors in the compartment surrounding the heart are classified as mediastinal masses and have a high frequency of malignancy.

Regional’s Cardiac Surgeon, Dr. Sang Lee, was the first surgeon in San Jose to remove a mass from a patient’s chest wall using the da Vinci Si Surgical System.

“The da Vinci Si robot dramatically enhances visualization of the operative site and more precisely mimics the complex movements of the hand and wrist, allowing us to delicately access the chest cavity and remove the cancerous section,”  said Dr. Lee.

Gaining access to masses inside the chest has traditionally involved a six to ten inch chest incision. The technique can be quite painful post-operatively because it entails cutting through muscle and spreading the ribs.

In comparison, robotic surgery is a closed-chest procedure that is performed using the da Vinci Si™ Surgical System, a highly advanced technology that allows surgeons to resect the mass through a small incision.

“As a result, patients undergoing the robotic procedure recover faster, experiencing less pain, blood loss and scarring than those treated by conventional means,” added Dr. Lee.  “Such advantages may also translate into better long-term outcomes.”

The robot is routinely used by surgeons at Regional for minimally invasive general surgical procedures such as single-site gallbladder removal, as well as urological and gynecological surgeries. Surgeons at Regional now join a select group across the country using robotics to perform sophisticated thoracic operations.

“Robotic technology takes the potential of less invasive surgery for thoracic surgery to a whole new level, opening this option up to a much broader segment of our patients,” said Mike Johnson, CEO.  “Regional expects to treat a growing number of patients with this advanced procedure.”

About Regional Medical Center of San Jose
Regional Medical Center of San Jose is a major Trauma Center.  The hospital provides a host of technologically-advanced services including Cardiovascular, Orthopedic and General Surgery, along with multi-organ Cancer Care, and services for Women and Children.  Regional Medical Center of San Jose holds Joint Commission advanced certification as a Primary Stroke Center and a Get with the Guidelines- Stroke Gold Plus Performance Achievement Award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. It is a certified Chest Pain Center, and county-designated STEMI (heart attack) receiving center. Regional is recognized by the Joint Commission as a 2011 Top Performing Hospital on Key Quality Measures™. It is a nationally recognized Robotic Surgery Training Center. For more information, visit: www.regionalmedicalsanjose.com