The Scope

Patients today have access to more information than ever before when it comes to our health. But with something as serious as colorectal cancer, no amount of research can replace the expertise of a physician. Dr. Courtney Scaife highlights the importance of having a specific diagnosis and how that can help narrow and better your understanding and treatment options for colorectal cancer.

As scary as it might sound, cornea transplant surgery is actually very safe. Advances in the past 10 years have even allowed eye surgeons to shorten recovery time for some procedures from six months to around two weeks. Dr. Mark Mifflin talks about the procedure and the techniques he and other Moran Eye Center surgeons use that result in better vision.

As babies grow from crawlers to walkers to climbers, their curiosity can put them at risk for accidental poisonings. Everyday items—cleaning products, medications, even toothpaste—can quickly become dangerous in little hands. Sherrie Pace from Utah Poison Control shares practical prevention strategies for each stage of development, and explains why supervision and safe storage matter most. If you...

Learn about some of the things you have in your home that kids can easily mistake for things that they eat and drink everyday. Sherrie Pace from Utah Poison Control brings in some poison look-alikes to see how good we are at figuring out which is which. Listen to see how we do and and learn what steps you can take to protect your kids from making a deadly mix-up.

Tonsils are small glands on either side of the throat that stop bacteria from entering the body. They are an important part of your child’s immune system, but sometimes can become ‘ginormous’ and cause problems like difficulty swallowing, heroic snoring, or chronic strep throat. Pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD , explains the functions of tonsils and when you should consider getting them removed.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be challenging to diagnose, especially with overlapping symptoms from conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). John Valentine, MD , explains the symptoms, risk factors, and diagnostic process for inflammatory bowel disease. Learn about the importance of family history, the critical diagnostic tools used to identify IBD, and when it is best to consult a s...

One in 20 women will have some kind of uterine abnormality. Most won’t realize they have the condition until there are complications with a pregnancy. On this episode of “The Seven Domains of Women’s Health,” Dr. Kirtly Jones speaks about uterine anomalies: What they are, how they impact women, and available options for treating and living with uterine abnormalities.

Carri Lyons was only 39 years old when she was diagnosed with colorectal cancer. And that wasn’t even her first cancer diagnosis. This is Carri's story about clashing with cancer twice and how her “game on” approach has kept her going. She also talks about how she made the treatment decision she did, her advice for others diagnosed with the disease, and the importance of really knowing yourself in...

Tooth decay is the most common chronic children’s disease in the country—even more chronic than allergies. Over 40 percent of children will have tooth decay before kindergarten. And those who have it are more likely to suffer from cavities in adulthood. Dr. Cindy Gellner tells you how to check for tooth decay and simple ways you can keep your child's teeth strong and healthy.

Opioid addiction is one of the most difficult addictions to overcome, but a new approach may prove to help patients suffering from dependency. Through mental training, doctors are working to help patients recognize craving behaviors and experience greater pleasure in everyday experiences. Eric L. Garland, Ph. D , describes how University of Utah psychotherapists are using ‘mindfulness’ techniques...

One in 5,000 women is born without a uterus—a condition called MRKH syndrome—making it impossible to carry a child. This is usually diagnosed during the adolescent years, and Dr. Kirtly Parker Jones says the first sign she looks for is the lack of a period. In this episode, Dr. Jones talks about the different pregnancy options available for a woman born with MRKH, including the new uterine transpl...

If one of your fingers gets stuck when you make a fist and it is accompanied by shooting pain and popping, it might be a condition called trigger finger. Tom Miller, MD , talks to orthopedic surgeon Angela Wang, MD , about the condition, who tends to be the most susceptible, and the possible treatments.

Stomach ache, headache, dizziness, and nausea are all symptoms you might hear from your child on a school day morning. The condition may even get worse as it gets closer to time for school, then miraculously become better on the weekends. It may be school phobia. Pediatrician  Cindy Gellner, MD , explains what can cause school-phobic kids to feel sick and the simple method to calm the fear in...

It may be unsettling to realize, but roughly eight percent of our DNA is viral in origin, meaning it came from infections our ancestors battled long ago. New research published in the journal Science by University of Utah geneticists Cédric Feschotte, PhD, Nels Elde , PhD, and Edward Chuong, PhD, looks at how our bodies have repurposed the viral remnants to defend ourselves against infections by v...

If you or someone you know takes opioid-based pain medications or has a history with heroin abuse, a naloxone kit in the home can save their life. In many cases, the overdose is an accident: A child gets into a grandparent’s medicine cabinet or a patient forgets they already took their pill and takes another one too soon. With a naloxone injection this deadly overdose can be reversed. In Utah, you...

It’s not something most pregnant women want to plan for when preparing for their new baby to be born: complications. Knowing what to expect when a complication occurs is crucial to a safe labor and delivery for both mom and baby. Janet Fisher, labor and delivery nurse educator, talks to Dr. Kirtly Jones about the conversations every pregnant woman should have with her clinician before the due date...

You see it happening but just can’t get there fast enough to stop it—your child falls or gets hits in the head. Dr. Cindy Gellner says the first thing to do is not to panic. Head injuries are common in active kids and there are three main types: scalp injury, skull fracture and concussion. In this episode, Dr. Gellner tells you what the most dangerous head injury is and what to do at home if it ha...

With so many tasks vying for your attention, why spend precious time sending out short 140 character Twitter messages? Sara Yeo, PhD (@sarakyeo), assistant professor of communication, explains the advantages of communicating via Twitter, who you can expect to reach, and how you can use it to your advantage.

Neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors are dangerous because they might be potentially cancerous but can go relatively unnoticed for a long period of time. Dr. Tom Miller speaks with pancreatic transplant surgeon Dr. Thomas Chaly about these dangerous ninja cancers and how to treat them.

Bacteria help build babies' immune systems. During a natural birth, the passage through the birth canal allows mom’s bacteria to colonize the baby. But what about babies born by cesarean section? Data suggest C-section babies may have more autoimmune diseases such as asthma and type 1 diabetes. So should C-section babies be gauzed with mom’s vaginal bacteria during the first few minutes of life? D...

There are many treatment options for pancreatic cancer—from resection to radiology to surgical de-bulking. But for some rare types of cancer, like neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas, more dramatic treatments may be necessary. Surgeon Dr. Thomas Chaly speaks on how a pancreatic transplant can be used as a treatment and potential cure for pancreatic cancers when other treatments have failed.

Thumb-sucking is a normal comfort habit for younger children, but when it lingers past age four or five, it can affect dental health and become harder to break. Pediatrician Cindy Gellner, MD , explains when thumb-sucking is harmless, when it becomes a concern, and the most effective, positive ways to help your child give up the habit without a battle.

Traditionally, a liver used for transplant came from a deceased donor. Now, a handful of hospitals in the United States have the ability to do what’s called a “living donor” liver transplant. It’s a very complex procedure where a piece of the donor’s liver is put into the recipient. After a short time, the segments in the donor and the recipient naturally increase in size and serve as two function...

Medical advances have improved outcomes for heart attack patients, even for the sickest patients who undergo cardiogenic shock, a condition where the heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. Yet a new study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reveals that over half of all heart attack patients either die or are rehospitalized within one year after being di...

Travis Maak, MD , used to volunteer on the ski patrol. He says every day after 3:30 pm is when the injuries start happening. But what makes 3:30 pm different than 10 am? Is it conditions or conditioning , or a bit of both? Dr. Maak identifies the factors he thinks contribute to those late-in-the-day, last-run injuries, and has advice for skiers to avoid ending the day in a bad way.