Mayo Clinic Health Matters

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2020 was a record year for solid organ transplants, even amid COVID-19 pandemic Apr 01, 2021

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2020 was a record year for solid organ transplants, according to the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic the center performed the most solid organ transplants across its three campuses in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota, than any time in history."

All donors are tested for COVID-19," says Dr. David Douglas, chair of the Mayo Clinic Transplant Center. "Anyone who had active COVID-19 would not be used as a donor. In fact, it's important to make that point because there have been no recorded cases of COVID being transmitted from the donor to a recipient from transplantation."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Douglas explains how the increase of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic has changed care before and after transplants, and he addresses misconceptions about organ donation. He also talks about technologies in transplantation that are on the horizon.

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A race between vaccines, the virus and variants Mar 31, 2021

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COVI D-19 vaccine eligibility is increasing across the U.S., as many states lower age requirements for those who can be vaccinated for COVID-19. By the end of March, the U.S. will have received 240 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine, and 173 million doses of those will have been distributed, according to Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group.

"Our way out of this (COVID-19 pandemic) is getting a vaccine," says Dr. Poland. "But when there's misinformation and disinformation circulating about the vaccines, it scares people."

Dr. Poland emphasizes the importance of relying on credible, reliable medical resources for accurate information.

He also has a message for young people, who think they are too healthy to get sick with COVID-19 and that they don't need a vaccine. "Even if you don't get seriously ill, that doesn't mean you won't have long-term complications," says Dr. Poland. "It also doesn't mean that you couldn't spread it to a member of your family or somebody else."

In this week's Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland talks about the chances the U.S. will reach herd immunity. Also, he addresses the rollout and confusion around the Astra Zeneca's COVID-19 vaccine, and discusses the COVID-19 hot spots in South America.

Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

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Mayo Clinic's commitment to equity, inclusion and diversity Mar 29, 2021

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"Mayo Clinic stands united in strong commitment toward anti-racism and rejecting all discrimination," says Dr. Anjali Bhagra, medical director for Mayo Clinic's Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion. "Our vision is to create a global environment of empowered belonging for everyone. This vision of belonging is a welcoming culture where all voices and perspectives are encouraged, acknowledged, celebrated and valued."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Bhagra talks about Mayo partnering with the World Economic Forum, and she describes what she calls an ecosystem of change that includes health care professionals, social scientists, life scientists and political scientists. Dr. Bhagra also defines the words "equity," "inclusion" and "diversity," and she explains what "social determinants of health" means.

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Liver failure and transplant in children Mar 26, 2021

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A liver transplant is a surgical procedure that removes a liver that no longer functions properly and replaces it with a healthy liver from a deceased donor or a portion of a healthy liver from a living donor.

The process for liver transplant in children is similar to the process for adults. But because children with liver disease face unique challenges, it is important to have transplant surgeons with extensive experience in pediatric and adult liver transplantation.

This edition of the Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast covers liver disease and liver transplant in children. Guests on the podcast are three Mayo Clinic transplant experts: Dr. Timucin Taner, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon, and Dr. Sara Hassan and Dr. Samar Ibrahim— both Mayo Clinic pediatric hepatologists.

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Viruses can’t mutate if they can’t replicate Mar 24, 2021

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The COVID-19 virus mutates and replicates when people let down their guard and don't follow safety protocols, such as practicing social distancing and wearing a mask.

"I think most of us expect a major surge because of spring break travel and the relaxation of restrictions," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "And the sort of COVID fatigue that all of us feel, in one way or another."

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland addresses the potential of a fourth COVID-19 surge, new information regarding the COVID-19 vaccines for pregnant women and he discusses research for next generation vaccines for COVID-19 variants.
Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

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The silent defects of congenital heart disease need lifelong surveillance Mar 22, 2021

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Children and adults with congenital heart disease need complex, multifaceted care for continued survival and quality of life.

"These heart defects may be silent when a child is born and might only surface as the person gets older," says Dr. David Majdalany , a Mayo Clinic cardiologist. Dr. Majdalany adds that many patients who were born with a congenital heart disease undergo an intervention of some kind and they think things are fixed. "They think they have no further need for cardiac surveillance, so they fall off the radar of getting followed because they feel so good," says Dr. Majdalany.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Majdalany addresses the issue of pregnancy for women who have congenital heart disease. He also details the intricacies and seriousness of congenital heart disease, emphasizing the need for good transitioning from pediatric care to adult cardiovascular care.

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Protection protocols involving ear, nose and throat patients during COVID-19 Mar 19, 2021

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The COVID-19 virus spreads through respiratory droplets. This means treating patients who have diseases or injuries involving the ears, nose or throat, or the head and neck, requires particular precautions.

"COVID-19 taught us all to be more nimble," says Dr. Devyani Lal, a Mayo Clinic otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon. She says the COVID-19 pandemic required Mayo Clinic's Department of Otolaryngology to pivot quickly and require that patients be tested for COVID-19 before appointments.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Lal explains more about COVID-19 safety measures that have been implemented and encourages not to delay treatment. She also details how extensive the otolaryngology practice is at Mayo Clinic.

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Rapid pace of COVID-19 vaccinations Mar 17, 2021

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Millions of people in the U.S. are being vaccinated for COVID-19. However, discussion is ongoing as to whether people who are immunocompromised, such as patients undergoing cancer treatment, or people who have autoimmune diseases, should be vaccinated for COVID-19.

"Both of those categories (of people) should be vaccinated," says Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious diseases expert and head of Mayo Clinic's Vaccine Research Group. "Those are not contraindications. Those are indications to get the vaccine." He adds that research is ongoing, but current information demonstrates the benefits far outweigh the theoretical risks.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Poland talks about vaccine hesitancy, and patients who are immunocompromised or have autoimmune conditions. Also, he discusses next steps in the journey to vaccinate children for COVID-19. And he reviews recent guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Control about in-person gatherings.
Research disclosures for Dr. Gregory Poland.

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The increasing prevalence of inflammatory bowel disease Mar 16, 2021

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Inflammatory bowel disease is common, and it is becoming more common in many populations.

Dr. William Faubion Jr., a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist, says inflammatory bowel disease is an umbrella term that covers Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and that inflammatory bowel disease is an emerging public health problem.

"The most recent estimates would be that, depending on where you live and what region in the world you live, as many as 1 in 250, to 1 in 300 people may be affected with inflammatory bowel disease," says Dr. Faubion.

Dr. Faubion points out that inflammatory bowel disease is a combination of a complex genetic disease and an immunologic disease, as well as environmental variants or triggers.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Faubion explains that inflammatory bowel disease is very different from irritable bowel syndrome. He also describes symptoms, tests and treatments for inflammatory bowel disease, including how researchers are using artificial intelligence to determine the right medication for each patient.

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Kidney cancer often found by accident Mar 15, 2021

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Your kidneys remove waste from your blood and regulate a healthy balance between water, sodium and minerals in your bloodstream.

"Kidneys filter intoxicants, drugs and waste products out of your blood," says Dr. Scott Cheney, a Mayo Clinic urologic surgeon. "We would actually die within about a week without having good kidney function."

Poor kidney function could mean kidney cancer, but signs or symptoms are rare in its early stages. Patient are sometimes informed about kidney cancer tumors when they are discovered during CT scans or other imaging techniques for unrelated ailments.

In this Mayo Clinic Q&A podcast, Dr. Cheney discusses different types of kidney cancers, how smoking can affect the kidneys and why treatment usually involves surgery.

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