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Men's Services 

Saint Vincent Health System offers a range of men's health care services and screenings. Screening tests can find diseases early, when they’re easiest to treat. Talk to your doctor about which preventive medical tests you need to stay healthy.

  • BMI, or body mass index,  is a measure of your body fat based on your height and weight. It is used to screen for obesity.
  • Cholesterol. Once you turn 35 (or once you turn 20 if you have risk factors like diabetes, history of heart disease, tobacco use, high blood pressure, or BMI of 30 or over), have your cholesterol checked regularly. High blood cholesterol is one of the major risk factors for heart disease.
  • Blood Pressure. Have your blood pressure checked every 2 years. High blood pressure increases your chance of getting heart or kidney disease and for having a stroke. If you have high blood pressure, you may need medication to control it.
  • Cardiovascular Disease. Beginning at age 45 and through age 79, ask your doctor if you should take aspirin every day to help lower your risk of a heart attack. How much aspirin you should take depends on your age, your health, and your lifestyle.
  • Colorectal Cancer.Beginning at age 50 and through age 75, get tested for colorectal cancer. You and your doctor can decide which test is best. How often you'll have the test depends on which test you choose. If you have a family history of colorectal cancer, you may need to be tested before you turn 50.
  • Other Cancers. Ask your doctor if you should be tested for prostate, lung, oral, skin, or other cancers.
  • Depression. If you have felt "down" or hopeless during the past 2 weeks or you have had little interest in doing things you usually enjoy, talk to your doctor about depression. Depression is a treatable illness.
  • Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. If you are between the ages of 65 and 75 and have smoked 100 or more cigarettes in your lifetime, ask your doctor to screen you for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. This is an abnormally large or swollen blood vessel in your stomach that can burst without warning. \
  • Diabetes. If your blood pressure is higher than 135/80, ask your doctor to test you for diabetes. Diabetes, or high blood sugar, can cause problems with your heart, eyes, feet, kidneys, nerves, and other body parts.
  • Tobacco Use. If you smoke or use tobacco, talk to your doctor about quitting. 
                                               * This list was provided by US Dept. of Health and Human Services

 Saint Vincent has a network of primary care physicians as well as specialists who can address the specific health needs of men.

Men's Surgical Procedures at Saint Vincent

Saint Vincent Health Center is proud to offer patients access to state of the art robotic technology, the da Vinci® Surgical System. The da Vinci Surgical System is able to use 3D visualization to translate the surgeon’s hand movements at the console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient. For patients, this means improved clinical outcomes, shorter hospital stay and faster recovery. To learn more about the procedures available with the da Vinci® click here.

Preventing Cancer Through Testicular Self-Exam

Testicular cancer is the most common type of cancer in men ages 20-35. Because of advances in treatment of testicular cancer, it is one of the most curable cancers, especially if detected and treated promptly.

The most common symptom of testicular cancer is a small, painless lump in a testicle, or a slightly enlarged testicle. Men should perform a testicular self-exam (TSE) once a month – after a warm bath or shower. The heat causes the scrotal skin to relax, making it easier to find anything unusual. TSE is simple and takes only a few minutes:

1. Examine each testicle gently with both hands. The index and middle fingers should be placed underneath the testicle while the thumbs are placed on the top. Roll the testicle gently between the thumbs and fingers. One testicle may be larger than the other. This is normal.
2. Feel for any abnormal lumps – about the size of a pea – on the front or the side of the testicle. These lumps are usually painless.
3. The epididymis is a cord-like structure on the top and back of the testicle that stores and transports sperm. Do not confuse the epididymis with an abnormal lump.

If you do find a lump, contact your doctor right away. The lump may be caused by an infection, and a doctor can decide the proper treatment. If the lump is not an infection, it is likely to be cancer. Remember that testicular cancer is highly curable, especially when detected and treated early.