Surgery News and Research

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Medtronic's transcatheter valves to be presented at TCT 2009

With the promise of percutaneous treatments for patients with diseased heart valves growing, Medtronic, Inc., announced today that more presentations than ever before – at least 25 – on the company’s portfolio of unique transcatheter valves will be presented at Transcatheter Cardiovascular Therapeutics (TCT) 2009, the world’s premier annual meeting for interventional cardiologists.

23 Sep 2009

Decision Points helps patients with important medical decisions

Healthwise has released a new, interactive generation of its Decision Points to help people make better decisions with their doctors.

23 Sep 2009

CERE-110 trial to stop the progression of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers in the Memory Disorders Program at Georgetown University Medical Center are now recruiting volunteers for a national gene therapy trial - the first study of its kind for the treatment of patients with dementia due to Alzheimer's disease.

23 Sep 2009

Heart surgery can be scheduled anytime: Study

The October issue of the journal Anesthesiology contains a study reviewing potential adverse effects associated with the timing of a patient's heart surgery; but based on this study, there is no bad time of the day or week or year to have elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

23 Sep 2009

New heart surgery method raises questions for reformers

A new method for performing cardiac catheterizations may be more comfortable, shows a lower chance of complications such as severe bleeding, and allows patients to be discharged more quickly, potentially saving money, the Washington Post reports.

23 Sep 2009

Amgen announces results of Phase 3 head-to-head trial evaluating denosumab versus Zometa

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) today announced detailed results from a Phase 3, head-to-head trial evaluating denosumab versus Zometa(R) (zoledronic acid) in the treatment of bone metastases in 2,046 patients with advanced breast cancer that met its primary and secondary endpoints and demonstrated superior efficacy compared to Zometa.

22 Sep 2009

Study reveals effectiveness of targeted heat therapy in addition to chemotherapy

Patients with soft-tissue sarcomas at high risk of spreading were 30% more likely to be alive and cancer free almost three years after starting treatment if their tumours were heated at the time they received chemotherapy, according to new research. The finding bolsters the case for intensifying exploration of the strategy in other types of cancer.

22 Sep 2009

Event to address rheumatoid arthritis

26 men and women with RA from across europe honoured as they share their inspirational stories. Actress, artist and activist Jane Seymour will host the first My Day for RA European event in Barcelona, Spain this evening to recognise the daily challenges, hopes and achievements of people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

22 Sep 2009

Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan to partake in new Extremity Trauma Clinical Research Consortium

Orthopaedic Associates of Michigan is one of 12 clinical centers selected to participate in a newly established Extremity Trauma Clinical Research Consortium, funded by the Department of Defense and coordinated by the Research Center at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

22 Sep 2009

Major shift in cancer research priorities needed

Cancer research is too focused on new drug development, while not enough money and effort is being devoted to pursuing important advances in knowledge likely to have the biggest impact on combating the disease in the next few decades, a leading research policy expert says, adding that a major shift in research priorities will be crucial to the ability to cope with the coming wave of cancer cases.

22 Sep 2009

Technique to reduce stroke in cardiac surgery patients

Sequoia Hospital announced today that they are one of only two hospital participant abstracts selected for oral presentation at the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Advances in Outcomes and Quality national conference held this week in San Diego, California. "Separated Cerebral and Corporeal Perfusion Reduces Stroke Risk in Cardiac Surgery Patients with Mobile Aortic Atheromata" will be presented by Audrey Fisher, MPH, Sequoia Hospital Manager of Cardiovascular Quality & Outcomes. This new technique was developed to reduce strokes in cardiac surgery patients by isolating blood flow to the brain during cardiopulmonary bypass.

22 Sep 2009

Health Robotics chooses Device Technologies Australia as its exclusive CytoCare partner for Oceania

Health Robotics today announced that it has signed an exclusive five-year strategic partnership with Device Technologies Australia Pty Ltd. for its revolutionary CytoCare(TM) Robot. This strategic agreement enables Device Technologies Australia to achieve its goal of safely, accurately and cost-effectively automating the preparation of Oncology I.V. Admixtures to complement its other market-leading Oncology and Surgery Robotic solutions.

22 Sep 2009

Ross Procedure to be discussed by cardiovascular surgeons

CryoLife, Inc.- Elite cardiovascular surgeons from around the world will travel to suburban Atlanta this week for the two-day Ross Summit to review and discuss current peer-reviewed data relating to the survival advantage of the Ross Procedure and to practice the technical nuances required to perform this heart surgery successfully.

22 Sep 2009

Importance of residual thymopoiesis in aged adults

Doctor Manuel Leal is managing the Experimental Immune Virology Laboratory (in Virgen del Rocío University Hospital and Instituto de Biomedicina de Sevilla (IBIS), where clinic and basic science researchers work) where he leads a project to establish the functional nature of the thymus gland in adults. So far, it has been proven that this gland keeps on producing lymphocytes in the old age (Ferrando-Martínez et al. AGE, in press), which is a novelty because until very recently it was considered that this organ lost its immune capacity after the puberty.

22 Sep 2009

Mathematical model of an ischemic wound

Scientists expect a new mathematical model of chronic wound healing could replace intuition with clear guidance on how to test treatment strategies in tackling a major public-health problem.

22 Sep 2009

Two new products released by Simbionix USA Corporation

Simbionix USA Corporation, the world's leading developer of medical simulation systems, just released two new products: a new Laparoscopic Essential Tasks Module for its LAP Mentor(TM) and a breakthrough technology for patient-specific simulation based on actual patient data - the PROcedure Rehearsal Studio(TM).

21 Sep 2009

Study reveals that patients with NSCLC who received maintenance therapy with ALIMTA showed survival benefit

Data published today in The Lancet showed a survival benefit in nonsquamous patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who received maintenance therapy with ALIMTA(R) (pemetrexed for injection) plus best supportive care as compared to placebo plus best supportive care.

21 Sep 2009

Columbia University Medical Center performs the 100th ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis implant

ATS Medical, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATSI), manufacturer and marketer of state-of-the-art cardiac surgery products and services, today announced that Columbia University Medical Center has achieved 100 implants of the ATS 3f(R) Aortic Bioprosthesis. Based on the precept that 'Form Follows Function,' the ATS 3f Aortic Bioprosthesis is a revolutionary next generation stentless pericardial aortic tissue valve that is unlike any other valve.

21 Sep 2009

UltraPulse SurgiTouch CO2 laser for the treatment of airway stenosis

Lumenis Ltd., the world's largest medical laser company, announced today that it supplied an UltraPulse SurgiTouch CO2 laser with Digital AcuBlade microsurgery system to the Landspitalinn University Hospital in Reykjavik, Iceland. Lumenis' state of the art laser system, was used by Dr. Paul Castellanos to perform Trans-oral Laser Microsurgery (TLM) for the treatment of airway stenosis with obstructing neurofibromatosis of the laryngopharynx on a 9-year-old girl and four other patients.

From Lumenis Inc. 21 Sep 2009

Amgen announces results of Phase 3 trial in the treatment of bone metastases

Amgen (Nasdaq: AMGN) today announced detailed results from a Phase 3 trial evaluating denosumab administered subcutaneously versus Zometa(R) (zoledronic acid) administered as an intravenous infusion in the treatment of bone metastases in 1,776 advanced cancer patients with solid tumors (not including breast and prostate cancer) or multiple myeloma. These results were presented today at the 2009 ECCO 15 - ESMO 34 European Multidisciplinary Congress in Berlin, Germany (Abstract Number: 20LBA).

21 Sep 2009