Elitefitness.com interviewed cosmetic surgeon Dr. Mordcai Blau, M.D. about his expertise with gynecomastia surgery; “gyno” is a potential side effect of anabolic steroid use. Dave Palumbo was the first bodybuilder on which Dr. Blau performed the gynecomastia procedure. Palumbo was a student in Dr. Blau’s class during medical school. Since the successful operation with Dave, many top professional bodybuilders and top amateur bodybuilders from around the world have gone to Dr. Blau. With 20 years experience with bodybuilders, he is in great demand by athletes in the sport of bodybuilding.
Dr. Blau explains why it is important that the surgeon performing the gynecomastia procedure is familiar with the goals of the bodybuilder.
Yes there is, every operation and patient is different. When I perform a correction on a very lean person, I have to go about the procedure a bit differently. The bodybuilders are doing the operation to shape their chest and gain more definition of their pectoral muscle. Gynecomastia is not just the tissue you see beneath the areola, there is also what I call a “tail” an a “head”. The head spreads towards the middle of the chest, the tail grows towards the arm pit, the glandular tissue spreads over the Pectoral muscles and blurs definition. You must remove the tail and head to gain more definition in the pectoral muscle and to prevent the condition from coming back. This is especially important for a Bodybuilder who’s chest will be displayed and judged constantly by discerning eyes. It must look like there was never any Gyno to begin with.
Dr. Mordcai Blau’s website lists additional bodybuilders with whom he has worked along with additional information about gynecomastia.
Dave Palumbo of Muscular Development reports that former IFBB Pro Bodybuilder and former American Gladiator Shelley Beattie died on February 13, 2008. She was 39 years old.
Beattie played “Siren” on the original American Gladiators series (not be confused with Valerie Waugaman who plays “Siren” in the current series). Beattie was one of very few and the most accomplished deaf female professional bodybuilders. She was an actress who appeared in the movie Hot Shots! Part Deaux that starred Charlie Sheen. She was formerly married to John Romano, senior editor for Muscular Development Magazine.
Muscular Development first reported rumors of Lee Priest’s suicide attempt. Now, they have determined that there is no truth to the rumors. It was at worst a tasteless publicity stunt.
Dave Palumbo reports on Muscular Development website that Pro Bodybuilder Lee Priest [created rumor of] made suicide attempt yesterday. Lee Priest was purportedly found unconscious after cutting his wrists; he was taken to a hospital in Arizona for medical treatment and subsequently institutionalized in the psychiatric ward of the hospital.
Dave Palumbo of Muscular Development reports that Victor Martinez’ ruptured patellar tendon was successfully repaired during a 2-1/2 hour operation by renowned orthopaedic surgeon Russ Warren, MD and Victor Prisk, MD. Dr Prisk is a national level bodybuilder too and gave Dave Palumbo a firsthand account of the procedure:
I just returned from a long day in the operating room at The Hospital for Special Surgery. However, this wasn’t an ordinary day in the OR for me or the bodybuilding community. One of the greatest bodybuilders to grace the Olympia stage has suffered an unfortunate mishap. Victor Martinez, while doing warm-up lunges at his gym, ruptured his patellar tendon. He consulted with myself and the world-renowned orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Russ Warren yesturday. After confirmation of the diagnosis with x-rays and evaluation of its severity by MRI, he consented for surgery. The operation went well and he’s in good spirits. Let’s all give Victor support and encouragement throughout his recovery.
The successful surgery is good news. We wish Victor a speedy recovery and hope to see him on the competitive bodybuilding stage soon.
Yesterday, rumors circulated that IFBB Pro Bodybuilder Victor Martinez, the overwhelming favorite to win the 2008 Arnold Classic bodybuilding contest, injured his knee while warming up and would pull out of the Arnold. Today, Dave Palumbo of Muscular Development confirmed this unfortunate news and reported that Victor Martinez will have surgery on his knee tomorrow:
Today, he went for an MRI at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City and it was determined that he’ll require surgery to repair the injury. Victor will have one of the top orthopedic surgeons in the country operating on him tomorrow morning; and, if all goes as planned, he should be home by Saturday afternoon.
This is very unfortunate news for Victor Martinez and opens Arnold Classic contest wide open for other competitors, perhaps making Phil Heath the new frontrunner.
, senior editor for 
