Maverick County Hospital District Physician Specialty Group Celebrates National Men’s Health Month in June
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2019
Maverick County Hospital District Administrator Alma Martinez announced that the District’s Physician Specialty Group is celebrating National Men’s Health Month during the month of June 2019.
Martinez encourages all men in Maverick County to get their physical and medical check-ups or exams done at the MCHD’s Physician Specialty Group by calling for an appointment at (830) 757-4900.
The Physician Specialty Group has over 16 physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and professionals to handle most of the healthcare issues affecting men, said Martinez.
Dr. Michael Crone is a Urologist and one of several physicians at the Physician Specialty Group who works on men’s healthcare issues such as kidney stones, prostate cancer, urinary issues, bladder cancer, erectile dysfunction, kidney cancer, and others.
Dr. Crone has 20 years of experience as a Urologist surgeon and stated that he and the Physician Specialty Group as well as Fort Duncan Regional Medical Center are capable of now handling just about all (99 percent) of men’s urological medical issues in the community without having to travel out of time anymore.
Dr. Crone noted that the most prevalent type of men’s medical issue he sees the most in Eagle Pass is prostate cancer. He recommends that all men who are age 45 or older should have an annual prostate cancer exam until the age of 75. He stated that local Primary Care Physicians or Urologists can conduct this annual prostate cancer exam on men and, if the test is positive, then a biopsy is performed to confirm if it is cancer. He noted that some prostate cancer is non-aggressive and others are aggressive, depending on the biopsy exam results. His job is to determine which patients are in the danger zone and require intervention (surgery) and perform their surgeries. The annual prostate cancer exam purpose is to detect cancer at an early stage.
Dr. Crone state that a new medical procedure called “Cryoablation” allows most prostate cancer patients to go home the same day following the procedure. Cryoablation is a form of cryotherapy for the prostate that involves the controlled freezing of the prostate gland in order to destroy cancerous cells.
Dr. Crone also performs another procedure called “Urolift” on men who have an enlarged prostate that is done in the doctor’s office, which places tiny implants to hold open the obstructed pathway in the enlarged prostate. Most patients return home immediately after a “Urolift” procedure and experience a speedy recovery.
Among prostate cancer major risk factors include family history of prostate cancer, high fat diets or heart unhealthy diets, nutrition, and obesity, said Dr. Crone.
Dr. Crone also does stones removal surgeries such as kidney stones and gallbladder stones. He also performs bladder cancer surgeries on patients with bladder cancer. He noted that smoking is a main risk factor of bladder cancer.
Dr. Crone also performs kidney cancer surgeries to patients with this medical condition. He noted that smoking and heredity are main risk factors of kidney cancer patients.
Another medical issue addressed by Dr. Crone is erectile dysfunction of men, which he performs surgeries to address the medical condition.
Dr. Crone recommends that all men should have an annual medical exam with their primary care physician and if any issues arise to have their physician refer them to a specialist such as those available at the MCHD Physician Specialty Group.
For more information about the MCHD Physician Specialty Group, please visit them at 3406 Bob Rogers Drive, Eagle Pass, Texas 78852 or call them at (830) 757-4900.
