New services offer advanced treatment options

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With the opening of both its new Breast Center and IVF Lab, Westside Surgical Hospital continues to bring new and innovative care to its patients.

The breast center will feature the most advanced reconstructive surgery techniques available today, along with imaging options that include:

  • 3-D mammography
  • 3-D ultrasound
  • Stereotactic breast biopsies
  • Bone density testing

“Westside Surgical Hospital has always had a special focus on breast health, but with this new center we will be able to care for women from diagnosis through treatment using state of the art microsurgical techniques and the most advanced breast-imaging technology,” says Dr. Jay Shenaq, a plastic and reconstructive surgeon who is the executive director of the Breast Center at Westside Surgical Hospital.Early detection is always the best defense against breast cancer, and the new breast center will be deploying a wide arsenal of technology and techniques to catch problems early.

“Three-D mammograms have been shown, in the right hands, to reduce false positive studies by 37 percent and increase the detection of early tumors by over 50 percent,” says Dr. Stephen Rose, director of the Breast Imaging Program.

IVF CENTER GIVES PATIENTS MORE OPTIONS

A new IVF lab will provide pre-implantation genetic diagnosis as well as fertility preservation. This makes it the first of its kind in the Houston area, and will give cancer patients a convenient post-treatment family planning option.

“Westside Surgical is known for offering exceptional services for women,” says Dr. Michael Heard, the reproductive endocrinologist spearheading the fertility program. “The new IVF services will certainly match that, with a state-of-the-art lab and a commitment to patient service. It’s something our city needs and deserves.”

COMMITMENT TO CARE

Chief Administrative Officer Jim Witt sees the services as part of the hospital’s dedication to meeting patient needs in the area.

“Our hospital has very successfully positioned itself as a leading provider of breast surgery in the Houston market, and now we are moving into the imaging space as well,” he says. “We want to provide as many services as possible around breast care, and Dr. Shenaq is making sure that our new center does just that.”

The IVF services expansion also shows a willingness to bring new services to the area, he adds, noting that bringing these two major additions online at once has been a challenge.

“We noticed that IVF referrals often are generated by women who are facing cancer treatment, and so they want to make sure they preserve their fertility,” Witt says. “We want to have both of these areas operating right away, because we believe that we can not only help women through any breast-cancer experience they may be having, but can also help them with options regarding their fertility post-treatment.”