EP20 - Dr. Julio Novoa MD - Surgery & Foreign Body Reactions: Asia Syndrome & Informed Consent

OB/GYN Dr. Julio Novoa, who not only provides excellence in women’s health care but is renowned for his minimally invasive techniques, joins the HMP to discuss all things foreign body reactions, metal hypersensitivity, ASIA syndrome and beyond. Not only a OB/GYN, Dr. Novoa also specializes in cosmetic gynecology but might just shine as the brightest light in his concern for women’s safety and advocacy, who agrees more with a patient-centric model for healthcare as opposed to approaching medicine strictly from a business perspective. 

Seeing a trend towards unnecessary medical procedures and not being a fan, he became alarmed with routine practices in surgical standards that harmed the patient. Noticing a large subset of patients with severe symptoms from foreign body implantation, such as the Essure permanent sterilization device, surgical clips and staples, leaky breast implants and more, he knew he had to speak out and continues to do so today. 

We discuss a newer-term and evolving diagnoses: ASIA Syndrome or Autoimmune Inflammatory Syndrome Induced by Adjuvants. Dr. Novoa explains what an adjuvant is and why it matters. We discuss various types of foreign body reactions and why surgeons should be able to readily explant anything they are keen to implant. We also discuss localized and systemic hypersensitivity reactions and whether or not everyone who has them can be classified under the definition of the ASIA effect. 

Dr. Novoa goes on to detail clinical observations and personally observed results from the large amount of explant surgeries he has performed and witnessed. More and more complete resolution of the patient's vast symptoms upon explantation became the rule, rather than the exception and he shares some of those experiences. He states his opinion on whether asymptomatic patients with implants should consider having them removed after healing has occurred.

A lengthy discussion ensues surrounding how to affect change within the medical communities, physicians groups and governing bodies and Dr. Novoa offers his opinion as to why physicians aren’t putting two and two together and completely missing the boat when patients present with systemic and localized foreign body reactions. We also go into the super-serious topics surrounding informed consent and how we need to up our game with our own surgical consents and medical records. This episode will encourage patients to look more closely prior to surgery and to find their voice when experiencing practices that could increase the risk of foreign body reactions. 

You’ll also want to tune in to hear who is Dr. Novoa’s favorite heavy metal band! 

In this episode you will learn:

• All about informed consent. 

• Why keeping copies of op and pathology reports is critical. 

• How to affect change in medicine. 

• Can what’s put in come out?

~Links and Resources~

~ Check out Dr. Novoa & The Novoa Medical Services website HERE.