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Researchers launch NIH-sponsored clinical trial for spinal deformity

Researchers at Northwestern Memorial have launched the first-ever National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial for spinal deformity. The trial will evaluate the effectiveness of surgical and non-surgical treatments in people with adult scoliosis or curvature of the spine. Researchers also hope to identify important factors related to patient reported outcomes such as pain, activity and appearance.

7 May 2010

$CT technique is more specific than X-rays in detecting thoracic, lumbar spine fractures: Study$

CT technique is more specific than X-rays in detecting thoracic, lumbar spine fractures: Study

When trauma patients receive a computed tomography scan of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis, a technique called CT spine reformatting eliminates the need for X-rays of the thoracic and/or lumbar spine to detect spinal fractures. This technique can lower cost and overall patient radiation exposure, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2010 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.

7 May 2010

$Inflammatory bowel disorders can raise risk of osteoporotic fractures$

Inflammatory bowel disorders can raise risk of osteoporotic fractures

A team of scientists from the University Hospitals of Geneva and Lausanne have shown that young people with inflammatory bowel diseases have low bone mass and poor bone architecture compared to healthy people of the same age, placing them at increased risk of fracture.

7 May 2010

DXA testing can prevent osteoporosis in at-risk women

Geisinger has exceeded the national benchmark for testing women who are at risk for developing osteoporosis - a silent and serious disease.

7 May 2010

Accuray reports total revenue of $51.9M in third quarter 2010

Accuray Incorporated, a global leader in the field of radiosurgery, announced today financial results for the third quarter of fiscal year 2010, ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

DJOFL net sales increases 10.3% to $240.1 million for first-quarter 2010

DJO Incorporated a global provider of medical device solutions for musculoskeletal health, vascular health and pain management, today announced financial results for its operating subsidiary, DJO Finance LLC ("DJOFL"), for the first quarter of 2010, ended April 3, 2010.

6 May 2010

Southeast Pain Care offers non-addictive alternatives to pain relief

The untimely death of Michael Jackson has brought the issue of pain medication addiction to the forefront of American media recently. The good news for people suffering with pain is that there are several non-addictive alternatives to pain relief.

6 May 2010

ArthroCare reports total revenue of $90.6M for first-quarter 2010

ArthroCare Corp., a leader in developing state-of-the-art, minimally invasive surgical products, announced its financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2010

6 May 2010

New research suggests tPA can act as neuroprotectant against stroke

New research on the properties of the clot-busting stroke drug tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) suggests that tPA can act as a neuroprotectant and may form the keystone of an adaptive response to a reduction in blood flow.

6 May 2010

Researchers analyze spine surgery patients' existing comorbdities in relationship to hospital stay, costs

It is estimated that between 75 and 85 percent of all Americans will suffer from low back pain and/or neck pain at some point in their lives. An estimated 12 million Americans suffer from degenerative disc disease, with over one million patients undergoing surgery each year. The cost of treating back pain is currently estimated at more than $100 billion annually in the U.S. Many patients with back pain have comorbidities that impact spine surgery.

5 May 2010

Pre-treatment quality-of-life scores predict malignancy in patients with pancreatic disease

Quality-of-life measures used routinely to assess treatment outcomes for patients with pancreatic disease may be used to predict both malignancy and survival for those patients, according to a study by Henry Ford Hospital.

5 May 2010

Boston Scientific commences enrollment in trial comparing SCS to spine reoperation in FBSS patients

Boston Scientific Corporation today announced the start of patient enrollment in the EVIDENCE Clinical Trial, which compares the therapeutic effectiveness and cost effectiveness of spinal cord stimulation (SCS) therapy to spine reoperation in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS). The first patient was enrolled by Joseph Buwembo, M.D. and Krishna Kumar, M.D., F.R.C.S.C., at Regina General Hospital in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.

4 May 2010

$Osteoporosis screening can reduce risk of future fractures$

Osteoporosis screening can reduce risk of future fractures

One in two women in the United States will have an osteoporosis-related fracture in her lifetime. However, according to a review article published in the May 2010 issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (JAAOS), only a few of these women will be tested and treated for osteoporosis, which if identified and treated, could dramatically decrease their risk of future fractures.

4 May 2010

Researchers present positive results of Phase II clinical trial of eliglustat tartrate

Gaucher disease, a rare enzyme deficiency disorder, is one of many conditions with few approved treatment options for patients. In a study published online today in Blood, the journal of the American Society of Hematology, researchers present positive results of a Phase II clinical trial of eliglustat tartrate, an oral therapy in development to treat Gaucher disease.

4 May 2010

Belatacept preserves kidney function in transplant recipients better than cyclosporine, says study

Two-year results from phase III clinical trials show the experimental immunosuppressive drug belatacept can better preserve kidney function in kidney transplant recipients while preventing graft rejection when compared with the standard immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine.

3 May 2010

SGB procedure holds potential promise for PTSD treatment

Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Bethesda, MD, has published case reports detailing the successful treatment of combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder with a stellate ganglion block.

3 May 2010

VIMOVO delayed-release tablets receive FDA approval

AstraZeneca and POZEN Inc. today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved VIMOVO (naproxen and esomeprazole magnesium) delayed-release tablets for the relief of signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis, and to decrease the risk of developing gastric ulcers in patients at risk of developing NSAID-associated gastric ulcers.

3 May 2010

REGN reports net loss of $30.5M for first-quarter 2010

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced financial and operating results for the first quarter of 2010. The Company reported a net loss of $30.5 million, or $0.38 per share (basic and diluted), for the first quarter of 2010 compared with a net loss of $15.4 million, or $0.19 per share (basic and diluted), for the first quarter of 2009.

30 Apr 2010

A major research initiative to optimize quality of life for cancer survivors

At the age of 12, she was diagnosed with spinal cord cancer, with a nasty tumor sitting at the very base of her spinal cord and getting entangled with spinal nerves.

30 Apr 2010

New report evaluating use of SBRT in lung cancer treatment released

The American Society for Radiation Oncology has released its Emerging Technology Committee's report evaluating the use of stereotactic body radiotherapy in lung cancer treatment.

29 Apr 2010