MedStar Health DocTalk (series)

Send us Fan Mail  Cardio Obstetrics: What is it?  | MedStar Health DocTalk Pregnancy is often described as a natural stress test for the body, and especially for the heart. In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler sits down with cardiologist and cardio-obstetrics specialist Dr. Minhal Makshood to explore the growing field of cardio obstetrics and why pregnancy can reveal imp...

Send us Fan Mail A cancer diagnosis can change everything in an instant. One conversation. Three words: "You have cancer." Suddenly, patients and families are faced with uncertainty, fear, and countless questions about what comes next. In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler sits down with medical oncologist and hematologist Dr. Ankit Madan of MedStar Southern Mar...

Send us Fan Mail On this DocTalk episode, we chat with Dr. Joseph Roswarski, the lymphoma/leukemia attending at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital and the Georgetown Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Roswarski’s medical career includes clinical care and research in hematologic malignancies, particularly lymphoma and multiple myeloma.  For an interview with Dr. Joseph Roswarski, or for...

Send us Fan Mail This episode of DocTalk takes a closer look at the different types of breast cancer, and how treatment options can vary for each. Medical oncologist Dr. Elizabeth Barrows, who specializes in breast cancer at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, joins the podcast to explain how personalized treatment plans are developed and what patients should know about their diagnosis. For more i...

Send us Fan Mail On this DocTalk episode, we chat with Dr. Jennifer Kanakry, the medical director of the Stem Cell Transplant and Cellular Immunotherapy Program at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital. Dr. Kanakry explains what types of lymphoma can be treated with CAR T-cell therapy. For an interview with Dr. Jennifer Kanakry, or for more information about this podcast, contact MedStar Georgeto...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Debra talks with MedStar Health colorectal surgeon Dr. Sherief Shawki about survey results which reveal many Americans are confused about when to have a colonoscopy. This discussion covers the rise in colorectal cancer diagnoses in younger adults and the impact that’s had on the guidelines for routine screenings. Dr. Shawki explains how colorectal cancer develops,...

Send us Fan Mail When chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue send you to the ER, a normal stress test or “clear arteries” on an angiogram should feel reassuring, but for many people, the symptoms don’t stop.  In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler sits down with Dr. Brian Case, interventional cardiologist at MedStar Southern Maryland Medical Center, to explain corona...

Send us Fan Mail On this DocTalk episode, we chat with Dr. Steven Wexner, the Physician Executive Director and System Chief of Colorectal Surgery for MedStar Health. Dr. Wexner brings more than 38 years of clinical, academic, and research excellence to MedStar Health. He specializes in surgery for rectal cancer, and patients from around the world seek his expertise.  For an interview with Dr. Stev...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode in the MedStar Health DocTalk series, host Debra Schindler talks with Dr. Meghan Milburn, FACS, director of the Breast Center at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center, about an important and emerging advancement in breast cancer surgery: breast nerve preservation and resensation after mastectomy .   Dr. Milburn explains why loss of sensation is so common after mas...

Send us Fan Mail Chronic knee pain affects millions of Americans, especially as we age, and osteoarthritis is often the cause. In this episode, host Debra Schindler talks with Dr. Moutasem Aljundi, vascular and interventional radiologist at MedStar Health, to explore an emerging, minimally invasive treatment option you may not have heard of: genicular artery embolization (GAE). Dr. Aljundi explain...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler sits down with Dr. Nicole Sakla , a breast radiologist and published researcher in artificial intelligence, to explore how AI is changing the way mammograms are read and how it can help radiologists detect disease earlier, sometimes by years. Learn how AI tools flag subtle patterns invisible to the human eye, act as a...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of our podcast DocTalk , host Debra Schindler sits down with MedStar Health interventional cardiologist Dr. John Wang, director of the Cardiac Catheterization Labs at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital and MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore, to explore how cardiac catheterizations have evolved, and why the transradial approach (through the wrist) is t...

Send us Fan Mail The shoulder is the most mobile and most complex joint in the human body, which also makes it vulnerable to injury and arthritis. Each year, nearly 60,000 Americans undergo shoulder replacement surgery, also known as total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) . In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler sits down with orthopedic surgeon Dr. Ryan Hoffman, a shoulder and...

Send us Fan Mail MedStar Georgetown University Hospital is proud to be the first and most experienced facility in the Washington, D.C. region to offer proton therapy with HYPERSCAN™. Our team of physicians at MedStar Georgetown is made up of the D.C. area’s leading experts, who have specialized knowledge in numerous cancer types and are at the forefront of the latest advances in treatment. We are...

Send us Fan Mail  | MedStar Georgetown University Hospital was the first hospital on the East Coast to offer CyberKnife technology. Our team is among the world’s most experienced CyberKnife sites having treated more than 2,400 patients with prostate cancer and performed more than 35,000 treatments in total. Unlike traditional radiation that’s given in 40 sessions over eight to nine weeks, CyberKni...

Send us Fan Mail Understanding Aortic Aneurysms with Dr. Raghuveer Vallabhaneni Host: Debra Schindler Guest: Dr. Raghuveer Vallabhaneni, Director of Vascular Surgery, MedStar Health Baltimore Region The aorta, your body’s largest blood vessel, acts like a fire hose — forcefully pumping blood from your heart to every part of your body. Over time, parts of the aortic wall can weaken and stretch, for...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler speaks with Dr. Othman Abdul-Malak, MD, MSC, a vascular expert, to break down the what carotid artery disease is, and how it can lead to stroke , mini-strokes (TIAs) , and sudden vision loss. Learn how to recognize early warning signs—like facial droop, arm weakness, or sudden speech problems—and why acting fast can s...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler tackles a topic that many women face but few discuss: urinary incontinence. With an estimated 25 million American women affected, it's time to break the silence. Joined by MedStar Health urogynecologist Dr. Abigail Davenport, they delve into the myths surrounding incontinence, the different types, and the various...

Send us Fan Mail According to the CDC, an estimated 58.5 million US adults have been diagnosed with some type of arthritis. Arthritis Awareness Month is observed every May, and it's a time to inform people about this complex group of debilitating diseases. The goal of this episode is to educate listeners about the impact of arthritis, how to promote lifestyle changes for prevention, and highl...

Send us Fan Mail Bumps and lumps of the hand can be any number of things...  all are classified as a hand tumor, but do they all require treatment, and which are a cause for concern? Host Debra Schindler explores the various types of hand tumors from the benign to malignant, with hand surgeon and Chief of the Curtis National Hand Center, Dr. James Higgins, and orthopedic oncologist, Dr. Mohammed K...

Send us Fan Mail March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month. Colorectal cancer is the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the U.S. and the second leading cause of cancer deaths. Yet this cancer can be prevented with screening and is highly treatable when detected early. On this episode of our DocTalk podcast, we’re discussing colon cancer with Dr. Walid Chalhoub, the Division Chief of Gastroe...

Send us Fan Mail  | In this episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, host Debra Schindler sits down with gastroenterologist Dr. Jose Parungao to talk about celiac disease, a chronic immune disorder affecting approximately 1 in 100 people in the U.S. As they explore the intricacies of this condition, Dr. Parungao explains how gluten—a protein found in grains like wheat, rye, and barley—triggers an immune...

Send us Fan Mail Are you one of the many who experience heartburn or acid reflux? In our latest episode, host Debra Schindler separates fact from fiction about gastroesophageal reflux disease -or GERD- with MedStar Health gastroenterologist Vinshi Khan, MD. Learn why long term complications from GERD make treatment so important.  If you would like to provide feedback on this podcast, or get more i...

Send us Fan Mail In the latest episode of MedStar Health DocTalk, orthopedic surgeon Zan Nasser, MD, who specializes in spine surgery, discusses the facts and fiction of scoliosis. From understanding the basics of curvature of the spine, to treatment options, patients, parents, and healthcare professionals alike, this podcast has something for everyone. Contrary to popular belief, scoliosis isn&ap...

Send us Fan Mail A groundbreaking innovation is making waves for the approximate six million Americans who suffer with atrial fibrillation (AFib). It’s called pulsed field ablation. In our latest podcast episode, host Debra Schindler talks with Dr. Sunjeet Sidhu, a renowned cardiac electrophysiologist at MedStar Health, to explore the intricacies and benefits of this safer, faster, cutting-edge tr...