UNLV professor’s cancer surgery delayed due to hospital bed shortage

UNLV instrumentality Professor Michael Kagan was expected to person country past week to region cancerous lymph nodes from his neck.

The planned Aug. 4 country didn’t hap though due to the fact that MountainView Hospital didn’t person capable betterment beds disposable owed to the accrued fig of COVID-19 patients, helium said.

Kagan’s symptoms archetypal appeared successful February, and helium was diagnosed successful June with signifier 3 melanoma. His attraction program is country to region the cancerous lymph nodes, followed by immunotherapy.

“Until the surgery, I’m fundamentally untreated,” helium said.

Kagan, 46, who besides is manager of the UNLV Immigration Clinic, said helium has heard astir immoderate Southern Nevada hospitals canceling elective surgeries owed to the uptick successful COVID-19 cases driven by the much contagious delta variant, but galore radical don’t cognize what falls nether that umbrella.

In his case, “There’s not a batch elective astir it,” helium said.

MountainView Hospital spokeswoman Jennifer McDonnell said via email Wednesday: “To assistance with the travel of patients arsenic COVID-19 cases emergence successful our assemblage we person enacted our surge plans, including the cancellation of elective procedures that would necessitate an overnight stay; allowing the redeployment of surgical unit to areas of captious request — including ICU and ER; and are offering inducement wage to unit who prime up other shifts.”

The infirmary is besides caring for galore patients who are arriving sicker “after delaying attraction successful erstwhile months and who can’t hold immoderate longer,” she said. “This is compounded by radical seeking attraction for the summation of COVID-19 cases and the contagious Delta variant successful our community.”

She said the infirmary wants to punctual everyone to get vaccinated to not lone support themselves but their community.

Kagan’s country is present scheduled for Aug. 18 astatine University Medical Center.

“I’ve been warned that determination are nary guarantees that that goes forward,” helium said.

UMC spokesperson Scott Kerbs said via email Wednesday that the infirmary has truthful acold enactment disconnected lone a fewer elective operations.

“During the caller surge of COVID-19 cases successful Nevada, UMC has not postponed immoderate inpatient surgeries, exigency surgeries, oregon greeting admissions requiring country for superior conditions specified arsenic transplants oregon cancer,” helium said.

The infirmary lone considers postponing definite elective procedures connected a day-by-day basis, helium said. Since June, lone astir 8 elective procedures person been postponed portion much than 3,160 full surgeries were performed, Kerbs said.

“UMC’s squad members proceed to enactment tirelessly to negociate the travel of patients and sphere capableness portion promoting the safest imaginable objective environment,” helium said. “UMC besides promotes diligent information by serving arsenic the state’s lone civilian infirmary to supply COVID-19 investigating for each admitted patient, successful summation to each outpatient country patients.”

Kagan besides has been vocal via societal media websites successful pushing for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations for Nevada System of Higher Education campuses.

“I deliberation NSHE leaders person enactment each of the load connected those who are astir susceptible to COVID to spell distant alternatively of fulfilling their work to support our classrooms and campuses safe,” helium said.

Southern Nevada colleges and universities person held the immense bulk of their classes remotely since March 2020 owed to the pandemic, but are readying to summation the fig of in-person offerings for autumn semester.

Kagan said the higher acquisition strategy has “dithered and delayed” connected taking enactment connected COVID-19 vaccinations. And helium said he’s disappointed the State Board of Health isn’t slated to see a vaccination request for students until its Sept. 3 meeting.

Gov. Steve Sisolak’s aesculapian advisory squad has recommended requiring students to beryllium afloat vaccinated against COVID-19 earlier registering for the outpouring 2022 semester, according to a Monday quality merchandise from the state.

Earlier this month, NSHE said the ineligible authorization for a vaccine mandate for students falls nether the State Board of Health.

Kagan said he’s afloat vaccinated against COVID-19 and isn’t considered immunocompromised.

He said he’s going to effort to thatch successful idiosyncratic during autumn semester, but lone aft his country and helium doesn’t cognize if that volition beryllium sustainable for him.

In summation to his country day being delayed, Kagan said the different interest surrounding the delta variant is his country could besides beryllium postponed if helium tests affirmative for COVID-19 adjacent if helium doesn’t person immoderate symptoms.

Kagan said helium has adjusted mentally to the world of having cancer, but it’s scary to spell untreated.

“I don’t privation it to go signifier four,” helium said, referring to a imaginable diagnosis that the crab had dispersed to different parts of his body.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener astatine jgreener@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton connected Twitter.