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Laser therapy can be used to cut a very tiny area to remove very small cancers without damaging surrounding tissue. Lasers also are used to apply heat to tumors to shrink them. They are sometimes used with medicines that are activated by laser light to kill cancer cells.

Vaccines for COVID-19 are available. Here's what you need to know about them.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory infection. It usually spreads when a person comes in contact with droplets from coughs or sneezes of someone with the virus.

Abdominal ultrasound is an imaging test that uses sound waves to form pictures of your abdominal organs. It can help detect organ problems, such as gallstones, kidney stones, or liver disease.

Having a tracheostomy can affect your ability to talk and communicate with others. A speech therapist (a person trained to help people who have problems speaking) will work with you to address these problems. If you can't talk, you can learn other ways to express your thoughts and feelings to others.

How long you stay in the hospital after open-heart surgery depends on what type of surgery you had and your needs. It may be as short as 3 to 4 days. If you have complications, you may stay in the hospital several weeks or longer.

With a tracheostomy, your healthcare provider makes a small hole (stoma) in your windpipe (trachea) through your neck. A tracheostomy tube (trach tube) is then placed into the stoma. Air goes into and out of your lungs through the tube. Here are answers to some common questions that people often ask about tracheostomy.

The sphincter of Oddi is part of your digestive system. A sphincter is a circle of muscle. The sphincter of Oddi surrounds the end of the tubes (ducts) that connect the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas to the first part of the small intestine (duodenum). The sphincter opens to let digestive juices flow through the ducts from the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas into the small intestine. To prevent the juices from leaking back into the ducts, the sphincter squeezes shut.

Adjusting to being home after combat and coping with changes that happened while you were away can be stressful.