Surgery News and Research

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First Edition: October 7, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about what the Institute of Medicine recommends in terms of the criteria and methods the Department of Health and Human Services should follow in developing the health law's essential benefits package.

7 Oct 2011

MD Anderson's pediatric surgeon receives Geneva and James Briscoe Physician Assistant Award

Holly Green, a pediatric surgery physician assistant in the Department of Surgical Oncology, division of pediatrics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Children's Cancer Hospital, is the recipient of the 2011 Geneva and James Briscoe Physician Assistant Award for Excellence.

7 Oct 2011

'Bad' hospitals may treat larger proportion of poor patients, study finds

The nation's worst hospitals treat twice the proportion of elderly black patients and poor patients than the best hospitals, and their patients are more likely to die of heart attacks and pneumonia, new research shows. Now, these hospitals, mostly in the South, may be at higher risk of financial failure, too. That's because the nation's new health care law punishes bad care by withholding some money, says the lead author of the study published Wednesday in the journal Health Affairs.

7 Oct 2011

Hysterectomy increases brain iron levels in both men and women

The human body has a love-hate relationship with iron. Just the right amount is needed for proper cell function, yet too much is associated with brain diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

7 Oct 2011

Scientists discover new metabolic pathway which makes gliomas more aggressive

A research alliance of Heidelberg University Hospital and the German Cancer Research Center, jointly with colleagues of the Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research in Leipzig, have discovered a new metabolic pathway which makes malignant brain tumors (gliomas) more aggressive and weakens patients' immune systems.

7 Oct 2011

Scientists discover how cells detect tissue damage and modify their repair properties

Scientists have discovered how cells detect tissue damage and modify their repair properties accordingly. The findings, published in the journal Developmental Cell, could open up new opportunities for improving tissue repair in patients following illness or surgery.

7 Oct 2011

New method employs Doppler ultrasound sensor to diagnose sinusitis

A new method of diagnosing sinusitis is presented in a new thesis from Lund University. The results offer the potential to reduce the use of antibiotics and the costs of the disease to society.

7 Oct 2011

The male circumcision debate continues

Much has been written on the controversies and debates on whether males – from infants to adults – have a human right to retain their foreskin. The protestors have helped persuade 18 states to stop paying for circumcisions under their Medicaid health insurance programs.

5 Oct 2011

Anesthesia in very small kids may raise risk of learning disabilities

According to the latest research very young children exposed to general anesthesia during surgical procedures may be at an increased risk for learning problems.

4 Oct 2011

Muscle cannot be functionally reactivated if you're too late

When a motor nerve is severely damaged, people rarely recover full muscle strength and function. Neuroscientists from Children's Hospital Boston, combining patient data with observations in a mouse model, now show why. It's not that motor nerve fibers don't regrow – they can – but they don't grow fast enough. By the time they get to the muscle fibers, they can no longer communicate with them.

4 Oct 2011

FDA grants 510(k) clearance to Carticept Medical's Navigator Delivery System

Carticept Medical, Inc., a developer of innovative products for the treatment of cartilage injuries and osteoarthritis, today announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the Food and Drug Administration to market its Navigator™ Delivery System (Navigator DS) in the United States.

4 Oct 2011

Three Penn labs receive NIH grant to speed translation of medical research into patient care

Three labs from the University of Pennsylvania have received $12.5 million from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as part of its $143.8 million national grant program to challenge the scientific status quo with innovative ideas that have the potential to speed the translation of medical research into improved health for the American public.

4 Oct 2011

MR-guided focused ultrasound may effectively control essential tremor

In a presentation at the Congress of Neurological Surgeons today, University of Virginia neurosurgeon W. Jeffrey Elias, MD reported that preliminary results of a pilot clinical trial indicate that MR-guided focused ultrasound has the potential to safely and effectively control essential tremor (ET), a common neurological condition that affects 10 million Americans.

4 Oct 2011

Roundup: Blue Shield of Calif. drops coverage of controversial drug in breast cancer treatment; Perry presses stem cell therapy

Blue Shield of California will no longer pay for the use of the drug Avastin to treat breast cancer, a sign that support for the widely debated and expensive treatment may be eroding among health plans.

4 Oct 2011

Researchers identify new enzyme function that may protect against anemia

Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital have discovered a new function for an enzyme that may protect against organ injury and death from anemia.

4 Oct 2011

Federal officials extend Ariz. Medicaid program while reviewing new plan; Wis. announces eligibility changes to cut budget shortfall

In other state Medicaid news, doctors in Washington state are suing to stop a new rule that limits enrollees' visits to the emergency department and Gov. Cuomo's administration dismisses a proposal for N.Y. to pay for transgender surgery.

4 Oct 2011

Anesthesia and liposuction

Liposuction is a body contouring procedure, not a cure for obesity. The results are judged with a mirror and not a scale. The procedure is ideally suited for men and women with localized fat deposits that are resistant to diet and exercise. Men typically want their "spare tire" and excess fat on their chest removed, while women want their abdomen, hips, and thighs reduced.

3 Oct 2011

GETINGE to acquire Atrium Medical

Atrium Medical Corporation, announced today that it has signed a definitive agreement to be acquired by GETINGE GROUP of Sweden and its subsidiary, MAQUET Cardiovascular, a global leading provider of cardiovascular technologies for $680 million.

3 Oct 2011

New research uses Tilman model to study metastasis of prostate cells into bone

The invasion of a new species into an established ecosystem can be directly compared to the steps involved in cancer metastasis. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling uses the Tilman model of competition between invasive species to study the metastasis of prostate cells into bone.

3 Oct 2011

FBC Device receives US patent titled, 'Disc Implant'

FBC Device ApS, a medical device company developing the Statur line of spinal interbody fusion implants, has received its first US patent covering a series of two piece implants that enable natural spinal alignment. The Patent number US 8,007,536 is titled "Disc Implant."

3 Oct 2011