Surgery News and Research

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Nine-year-old recovers with experimental heart pump

Nine-year-old Greer Underwood was healthy until February 2011. What seemingly began as sinusitis on a Tuesday became almost fatal by the weekend when her heart began to fail. Now, after a historic series of events at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, she's the only child in the country to have used the experimental heart pump, Heartware, as a bridge to transplant.

28 Jun 2011

RCSI researchers identify novel drug target for osteomyeltitis

New research from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) has identified a novel drug target for the treatment of infection in bone.

28 Jun 2011

Experts discuss therapeutic potential of adipose-derived stem cells at ICAS Conference

Esthetic therapies with stem cells from autologous fat are revolutionizing cosmetic surgery: Ever more women prefer breast augmentations with autologous stem cells over silicone implants. The world's leading experts recently met at the ICAS Conference in Istanbul to discuss the therapeutic potential of stem cells from fat tissue.

28 Jun 2011

Tissue-engineered blood vessels from donor skin cells successfully implanted in patients

For the first time, blood vessels created in the lab from donor skin cells were successfully implanted in patients. Functioning blood vessels that aren't rejected by the immune system could be used to make durable shunts for kidney dialysis, and potentially to improve treatment for children with heart defects and adults needing coronary or other bypass graft surgery.

28 Jun 2011

Women can benefit from immediate breast reconstruction following mastectomy

For women undergoing mastectomy for breast cancer, immediate breast reconstruction has a low risk of complications—including serious complications related to radiation therapy—and does not cause undue delays in cancer treatment, reports a study in the July issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

28 Jun 2011

Body sculpting technique eliminates abdominal fat with few side effects

A "body sculpting" technique using high-intensity focused ultrasound to eliminate unwanted abdominal fat effectively reduces waist circumference, with only minor pain and side effects, reports a study in the July issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

28 Jun 2011

RL Solutions, 3M to offer new software for minimizing risk of healthcare-acquired infections

3M Infection Prevention and RL Solutions today announced a joint feasibility program to provide healthcare facilities data on the rate of infection in real-time and the costs associated with those infections.

28 Jun 2011

On-X LTI announces four clinical trial results of Prosthetic Heart Valve

On-X Life Technologies, Inc. announced today that four clinical trial reports, documenting the On-X Prosthetic Heart Valve's extraordinary performance, will be presented at the upcoming meeting of the Society for Heart Valve Disease in Barcelona, Spain being held June 25-28, 2011.

28 Jun 2011

Very low calorie diet can reverse type 2 diabetes: Study

According to scientists people who have had obesity-related type 2 diabetes for years have been cured, at least temporarily, by keeping to an extreme, low-calorie, diet for two months. The researchers from Newcastle University, overturns previous assumptions about type 2 diabetes, which was thought to be a lifelong illness.

27 Jun 2011

'MRA Fusion' treatment for uterine fibroids

A radiologic technology, which functions like a 'human GPS system,' and provides more precise results while using less radiation, is being used to treat patients with symptomatic uterine fibroids exclusively at Paoli Hospital. Dr. Atul Gupta, director of interventional radiology, is treating patients as part of a first-ever clinical trial.

27 Jun 2011

Teva concludes Site Initiation Visit for Israeli clinical center in CEL-SCI's Multikine Phase III clinical trial

CEL-SCI Corporation announced today that its partner Teva Pharmaceuticals, a leading global pharmaceutical company, has concluded the Site Initiation Visit for the first Israeli clinical center in CEL-SCI's Phase III clinical trial for Multikine, the Company's flagship cancer immunotherapy.

27 Jun 2011

Rogue super-activated neutrophils may cause organ damage in parts unconnected to injury

A study from scientists at Queen Mary, University of London, sheds new light on why people who experience serious trauma or go through major surgery, can suffer organ damage in parts of the body which are seemingly unconnected to the injury.

27 Jun 2011

Teleflex, Premier sign new three-year agreement for laryngoscopes

Teleflex Incorporated, a leading global provider of medical devices for critical care and surgery, has announced a new three-year agreement with Premier Purchasing Partners, L.P., the group purchasing unit of the Premier healthcare alliance.

27 Jun 2011

STAAR Surgical completes first procedures to implant Visian ICL V4c design

STAAR Surgical Company, the leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of minimally invasive refractive lenses that go inside the eye, today announced the completion of the first procedures to implant its recently CE Mark-approved Visian Implantable Collamer Lens V4c design.

27 Jun 2011

Positive results from Stealth's Bendavia Phase I renal impairment study

Stealth Peptides Inc. (Stealth), a privately held biopharmaceutical company developing innovative mitochondrial therapies, announced today the results of a Phase I renal impairment study with Bendavia.

27 Jun 2011

Transcatheter valve replacement safe and effective alternative to open-heart surgery

An innovative approach for implanting a new aortic heart valve without open-heart surgery is being offered at Rush University Medical Center to patients with severe aortic stenosis who are at high-risk or not suitable candidates for open heart valve replacement surgery.

27 Jun 2011

Many women with advanced breast cancer do not receive radiation after mastectomy

Radiation after a mastectomy for women with advanced breast cancer saves lives, but almost half of these patients do not receive it. That is the conclusion of a new study published early online in CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. =

27 Jun 2011

Intravenous diclofenac holds promise against severe pain following oral surgery

An essential aspect of oral surgery is controlling the patient's pain following a procedure. The goal is to relieve pain and promote a rapid recovery, without opioid side effects. An initial study shows that Dyloject, a new intravenous form of the drug diclofenac, has promise for achieving these goals.

27 Jun 2011

Research roundup: Revamping public health law; Pay-for-performance

New Cardiac Surgery Programs Established From 1993 To 2004 Led To Little Increased Access, Substantial Duplication Of Services -- This study, using Medicare data from 1993-2004, finds that although the number of coronary artery bypass surgeries declined, 301 new cardiac surgery units opened.

24 Jun 2011

Focused ultrasound changes 27 year-old uterine fibroid patient's life

On June 12, 2011, viewers of the CBS Evening News learned about Stephanie Small's gripping story. Suffering from a large uterine fibroid, the 27 year-old was treated last December as part of a MR-guided focused ultrasound clinical trial at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.

24 Jun 2011