Colonoscopies at 45, Florida Sleeve for Aortic Aneurysm

First Physicians Group | March 2026

SMH HealthCasts with FPG Anesthesiologist, Matthew Waldron, MD

Anesthesia and Aging

HealthCasts Season 6, Episode 17 with FPG Anesthesiologist, Matthew Waldron, MD

Depending on the type of procedure a patient needs, different kinds of anesthesia may be used to ensure that patient's safety and comfort. Matthew Waldron, MD, Department Chair and Medical Director of Anesthesiology at Sarasota Memorial discusses how age can also impact anesthesia, and what patients can do to prepare themselves for anesthetic as they get older.

Colonoscopies at 45: Early Detection Makes the Difference

“The incidence of colon cancer being diagnosed in people between ages 45 and 50 is worse than it was in 50-year-olds 20 years ago, before we did routine screening,” says Stephen Kucera, MD, medical director of gastroenterology and endoscopic oncology at Sarasota Memorial. “When you look at all diagnosed colon cancer cases, an alarming—and growing—percentage are in people younger than 50.”

Experts worldwide are baffled as to the cause of the increase but are united in their response: routine colorectal cancer screening should begin at age 45, not age 50, as guidelines previously advised.

More About Colon Cancer Screening

The Florida Sleeve vs. The Silent Killer

It killed Albert Einstein and Charles de Gaulle, Lucille Ball and John Ritter. And every year, nearly 200,000 more people die from an aortic aneurysm. It often has no symptoms and lies undetected, like a ticking time bomb waiting to go off. The only solution is open-heart surgery—and all the complications that entails.

Today at Sarasota Memorial, however, surgeons cut those complications in half for patients with aortic root aneurysms, using a new approach that is faster, safer, and less intrusive but just as effective, if not more: the Florida Sleeve.

“The Florida Sleeve is technically faster and simpler than other procedures available for valve repair,” says First Physicians Group Cardiovascular Surgeon Kristen Walker, MD,, who brought the technique to SMH from the University of Florida where it was originally developed. “It gets the patient on and off the heart and lung machine much faster, which leads to faster recovery times and fewer complications.”

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Opens Pregnancy and Wellness Center

The SMH Pregnancy and Wellness Center is now available to ensure that every expecting mother, regardless of her medical or financial circumstances, has access to exceptional, compassionate prenatal care.

High-risk and underinsured patients, in particular, often struggle to find appropriate medical support during pregnancy. From early prenatal visits to delivery planning and wellness support, the SMH Pregnancy and Wellness Center offers a welcoming, patient-centered environment designed to promote healthy pregnancies and healthy babies.

Anne Rainville, MD, FPG OB/GYN and OB/GYN Ambulatory Medical Director of the Pregnancy and Wellness Center, leads a team of experts, including a women’s health nurse practitioner, dedicated to providing comprehensive care for women throughout their pregnancy journey from prenatal through postpartum.

Welcome To Our New Provider

Kristin G. Baldea, MD

Urology

FPG Urology at Waldemere Medical Plaza

More about Dr. Baldea

First Physicians Group of Sarasota Memorial Health Care System

FPGAministration@smh.com | firstphysiciansgroup.com

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