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TTFields therapy vs. chemotherapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma

Results of the first randomized controlled trial to compare a novel cancer treatment modality delivering Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) therapy versus chemotherapy in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM) were published in the European Journal of Cancer.

21 May 2012

Specialized high volume centers linked with lower rates of death and disability from aSAH

People with bleeding brain aneurysms have the best chance of survival and full recovery if they receive aggressive emergency treatment from a specialized team at a hospital that treats a large number of patients like them every year, according to new guidelines just published by the American Stroke Association.

19 May 2012

Study demonstrates impact of epilepsy on child and parent sleep patterns

Researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital for Children in Boston have determined that pediatric epilepsy significantly impacts sleep patterns for the child and parents. According to the study available in Epilepsia, a journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE), sharing a room or co-sleeping with their child with epilepsy decreases the sleep quality and prevents restful sleep for parents.

18 May 2012

Scientists investigate how ApoE4 gene contributes to Alzheimer's disease

A well-known genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease triggers a cascade of signaling that ultimately results in leaky blood vessels in the brain, allowing toxic substances to pour into brain tissue in large amounts, scientists report May 16 in the journal Nature.

17 May 2012

$Age alone is not a contraindication to surgical fixation of C2 fractures$

Age alone is not a contraindication to surgical fixation of C2 fractures

For older adults with "C2" fractures of the upper (cervical) spine, surgery and nonsurgical treatment provide similar short- and long-term outcomes, reports a study in the May issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

17 May 2012

Some hand function restored in quadriplegic patient with spinal cord injury

Surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have restored some hand function in a quadriplegic patient with a spinal cord injury at the C7 vertebra, the lowest bone in the neck. Instead of operating on the spine itself, the surgeons rerouted working nerves in the upper arms. These nerves still "talk" to the brain because they attach to the spine above the injury.

16 May 2012

Dangerous, complex migraines linked to high risk for stroke

Nicole Soriano had headaches before but nothing like the one that struck in the middle of one summer night. A coincidence led nine days later to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, where a rare type of migraine was diagnosed and treated - but any moment during that time could have been disastrous.

16 May 2012

Nerve transfer procedure helps patients recover movement in hands and extremities

San Diego based neurosurgeon, Dr. Justin M. Brown, M.D., Director of the Neurosurgery Peripheral Nerve Program at UCSD School of Medicine, has implemented a procedure that helps patients recover movement in their hands and extremities after spinal cord and brain injuries, strokes, and other forms of paralysis.

16 May 2012

Healthy lifestyle choices may reduce risk of stroke

Every 40 seconds someone in the United States has a stroke. Stroke is the fourth leading cause of death and the number one cause of adult disability in the country. While stroke often occurs without warning, understanding risk factors and learning to recognize symptoms can potentially save lives and limit damage if a stroke occurs. In recognition of National Stroke Awareness Month, Northwestern Medicine experts encourage consumers learn about their potential risk factors and start making lifestyle decisions that may decrease their likelihood of having a stroke.

16 May 2012

HyperBranch’s Adherus AutoSpray Dural Sealant receives CE Marking

HyperBranch Medical Technology, Inc. announced today that it has received CE Marking for Adherus AutoSpray Dural Sealant.

16 May 2012

IMRIS first quarter revenues decrease to $3.5 million

IMRIS Inc. today reported its results for the first quarter of 2012. All figures are reported in US dollars.

15 May 2012

Study identifies how skeletal muscle stem cells respond to muscle injury

A study conducted by Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland scientists identifies how skeletal muscle stem cells respond to muscle injury and may be stimulated to improve muscle repair in Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, a severe inherited disease of muscle that causes weakness, disability and, ultimately, heart and respiratory failure.

15 May 2012

Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE CT system improves detection of acute stroke

Kaleida Health's Gates Stroke Center (GSC) at the Gates Vascular Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., a world-class neurological and stroke care center, recently completed the second phase of its study analyzing the patient and fiscal benefits of using Toshiba America Medical System, Inc.'s Aquilion ONE CT system in diagnosing acute stroke.

14 May 2012

Maternal gluten sensitivity may increase risk of schizophrenia in children

Babies born to women with sensitivity to gluten appear to be at increased risk for certain psychiatric disorders later in life, according to research by scientists at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and Johns Hopkins Children's Center in Baltimore.

11 May 2012

Domain Surgical's FMwand successfully used in 100 cases

Domain Surgical, a leading developer of advanced thermal surgical technology, today announced that its novel FMwand Ferromagnetic Surgical System has been used successfully in 100 cases. The FMwand simultaneously cuts and coagulates tissue without passing electrical current into the patient, making it safe to use near delicate tissue structures.

9 May 2012

UVA achieves two important milestones in VISIUS Surgical Theatre

IMRIS Inc. today reported on the preliminary successes that the University of Virginia (UVA) has achieved in their VISIUS Surgical Theatre. UVA clinicians have treated over 50 patients in their VISIUS Surgical Theatre since its opening, achieving two important milestones in the use of their new intraoperative imaging capabilities.

9 May 2012

Bacterin International announces third national GPO contract with Novation

Bacterin International Holdings, Inc., a leader in the development of revolutionary bone graft material and antimicrobial coatings for medical applications, announces its third national GPO contract, a three-year agreement with Novation, a leading health care supply chain expert and contracting company.

8 May 2012

More teenagers and young adults diagnosed with skin cancer

With summer just around the corner, pediatricians at Johns Hopkins Children's Center are sounding the alarm on a disturbing trend: A growing number of teenagers and young adults diagnosed with skin cancer.

8 May 2012

LAA occlusion effectively reduces risk of stroke in patients with A-fib

Patients with atrial fibrillation (A-fib) who cannot take blood thinners now have an alternative to reduce their risk of stroke, which is five times more common in people with the rhythm disorder. The non-surgical procedure works by tying off the left atrial appendage (LAA), the source of most blood clots leading to stroke in patients with A-fib. Northwestern Medicine- heart rhythm specialists from the Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute were the first to perform this procedure in Illinois.

8 May 2012

DBS may offer hope for patients with mild Alzheimer's

A study on a handful of people with suspected mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) suggests that a device that sends continuous electrical impulses to specific "memory" regions of the brain appears to increase neuronal activity. Results of the study using deep brain stimulation, a therapy already used in some patients with Parkinson's disease and depression, may offer hope for at least some with AD, an intractable disease with no cure.

8 May 2012