Laurie Mullens didn’t so much care that on July 20, 2016 she was about to have the world’s first total knee replacement using the Navio™ robotic-assisted surgical system. She just wanted the pain to stop. Mullens, 63, of Farmingdale, who had enduring "excruciating pain" for 10 years in both her knees due to arthritis, had…
Peter Schultz of Calverton never wanted to slow down, but debilitating back pain was a game changer for this formerAir Force linguist, two-time NYC marathon runner, church deacon, avid golfer and local volunteer. "Six years ago I was up in Vermont for a week and went snowshoeing. We did a rather difficult trail and when…
By Sanjay Godhwani, MD If you suffer from joint inflammation and the resulting pain, swelling, redness, warmth and stiffness, you may be among the more than 53 million people affected by arthritis. Arthritis can occur at any age and includes more than 100 different diseases. Symptoms can develop suddenly or over time. If you experience…
First LI Community Hospital to Offer Cardiac CTA When a patient arrives at Mather Hospital’s Emergency Department with symptoms such as palpitations, labored breathing, tightness or pain in the chest or abdomen, excessive fatigue or dizziness, time is crucial in determining whether the cause is a heart attack. If tests reveal that there is no…
Mather Hospital is now offering free lung cancer screenings for certain high risk smokers and former smokers to diagnose lung cancer in its earliest most treatable stages. An influential panel of medical experts recently recommended that some former and current heavy smokers should be screened annually for lung cancer, which could prevent as many as…
Luis Hernandez, 52 of Lake Grove knows firsthand how bariatric surgery can lead to more than just weight loss. He was a diabetic and weighed just under 300 pounds with a body mass index (BMI) of 41. A person with a BMI greater than 40 is considered to be morbidly obese. He also suffered from…
Mather Hospital has been recognized for its patient safety record with The Leapfrog Group’s top "A" Hospital Safety Score for the eighth consecutive ratings period – the only New York State hospital to achieve that distinction. Mather is one of only 133 hospitals out of more than 2,500 ranked nationwide to have achieved an "A"…
Craig Limoncelli of Smithtown had endured a painful right hip for five years. It got so bad that walking up his steep, 130-foot long driveway with the day’s mail became a painful experience. A technician for Mercedes Benz, Limoncelli, 53, decided he couldn’t put off hip surgery any longer when he had difficulty lifting objects…
After Christie Bonadio of Port Jefferson Station learned that her breast cancer had invaded her spine and her liver, her oncologist, Jeffrey Vacirca, MD, referred her to the Interventional Radiology (IR) Department at John T. Mather Memorial Hospital. Having been there years earlier for the removal of a vena cava filter designed to prevent blood…
Retired New York City firefighter Kevin Larkin of Farmingville meets once a week with a group of classic car enthusiasts. They talk about their latest projects and upcoming shows and share a meal that is usually prepared by Larkin. Persistent and increasing neck pain was beginning to get in his way. "On any given week,…
