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Functionally deaf patients can gain normal hearing with new implant that replaces the middle ear

Functionally deaf patients can gain normal hearing with a new implant that replaces the middle ear. The unique invention from the Chalmers University of Technology has been approved for a clinical study. The first operation was performed on a patient in December 2012.

15 Jan 2013

Knee cartilage repair success with new biomaterial

In a small study, researchers reported increased healthy tissue growth after surgical repair of damaged cartilage if they put a “hydrogel” scaffolding into the wound to support and nourish the healing process. The squishy hydrogel material was implanted in 15 patients during standard microfracture surgery, in which tiny holes are punched in a bone near the injured cartilage. The holes stimulate patients’ own specialized stem cells to emerge from bone marrow and grow new cartilage atop the bone.

15 Jan 2013

Bionic devices: an interview with Dr Rylie Green

Bionic devices are implants which replace biological functions which have been lost due to nerve damage. They use electrical signals to stimulate the remaining nerve cells following disease or injury. Although the term bionic was only coined in the late 1950s, the earliest bionic devices were cardiac pacemakers, developed in the early 1900s. However the first commercial implantable units were not available until the 1950s.

14 Jan 2013

Medicaid cost estimates trigger Florida flap

Florida Gov. Rick Scott's concerns about the health law's Medicaid expansion during a meeting Monday with HHS Secretary Sebelius is continuing to draw criticism that he is exaggerating the potential cost.

11 Jan 2013

Mussels may provide highly adhesive wound closure and more effective healing from surgery

Mussels can be a mouthwatering meal, but the chemistry that lets mussels stick to underwater surfaces may also provide a highly adhesive wound closure and more effective healing from surgery.

10 Jan 2013

Oxaliplatin and bevacizumab disappoint for rectal cancer

The addition of bevacizumab and oxaliplatin to standard neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy does not enhance clinical response rates in rectal cancer, show phase II study results.

9 Jan 2013

Anesthesia choice may benefit knee arthroplasty patients

Spinal anesthesia could reduce the risk for postoperative complications in select patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, US researchers say.

28 Dec 2012

Factors influencing anal sphincter injury risk ‘modifiable’

Researchers have identified several modifiable risk factors significantly associated with wound complications after obstetric anal sphincter injuries.

28 Dec 2012

No direct link between dental procedures and prosthetic joint infection

The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), and the American Dental Association (ADA) found that there is insufficient evidence to recommend the routine use of antibiotics for patients with orthopaedic implants to prevent infections prior to having dental procedures because there is no direct evidence that routine dental procedures cause prosthetic joint infections.

19 Dec 2012

Arthritis, rheumatism and total joint arthroplasty: an interview with Dr Ravi and Dr Hawker

Arthritis translates to “joint inflammation.” The most common form of arthritis is osteoarthritis (OA), which affects 12-15% of North Americans over the age of 60, and will increase in prevalence as our population ages.

19 Dec 2012

Apophysomyces fungus kills 5 people following a massive Joplin tornado

A fast growing, flesh-eating fungus killed 5 people following a massive tornado that devastated Joplin, Mo., according to two new studies based on genomic sequencing by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

16 Dec 2012

Banana leaf bandages effective and inexpensive

Banana leaves are a cheap and effective alternative to traditional medical wound dressings, as long as they are effectively sterilized before use, show study findings published in Dermatologic Surgery.

14 Dec 2012

IDSA guidelines describe best methods for diagnosis of prosthetic joint infections

Of the one million people each year who get hips and knees replaced, as many as 20,000 will get an infection in the new joint, a number that is expected to skyrocket in the next 20 years. Multispecialty physician teams need to work together to reduce disability, death and costs associated with the ever-growing number of these prosthetic joint infections, note the first guidelines on the topic being released by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA).

9 Dec 2012

Prosthetic joint infection guidelines released

The Infectious Diseases Society of American has released guidelines for the diagnosis and care of patients with a prosthetic joint infection.

7 Dec 2012

Novel organic metamaterial holds promise for drug delivery

A bit reminiscent of the Terminator T-1000, a new material created by Cornell researchers is so soft that it can flow like a liquid and then, strangely, return to its original shape.

7 Dec 2012

Dietary fish oil supplements could help heal bedsores

Chock-full of Omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, fish oil can help lower blood pressure, reduce inflammation in the skin and joints, and promote healthy fetal development. Now a Tel Aviv University researcher has found that it has a positive effect on bedsores, too.

5 Dec 2012

Novel device improves post-prostatectomy incontinence

Researchers have developed a novel device that improves stress urinary incontinence in men who have undergone prostatectomy, report researchers.

3 Dec 2012

L-Fucose slows down and even reverses age-related skin developments

With increasing age the human skin shows a considerable loss of resistance and elasticity. These changes in skin texture, which are one of the main reasons for the appearance of wrinkles, is the age induced loss of skin thickness and the related degradation of elastin fibers within the skin. It has been proven that L-Fucose - a scarce sugar - slows down and even reverses age-related skin developments.

2 Dec 2012

Cedars-Sinai surgeons use evidence-based protocols to reduce post-operative infections

Surgical teams at Cedars-Sinai have reduced surgical site infections by more than 60 percent for patients who undergo colorectal procedures by introducing evidence-based protocols that are easy to follow and relatively low in cost.

1 Dec 2012

Topical simvastatin may be answer to nonhealing diabetic wounds

Topical simvastatin significantly accelerates wound healing in mice and may be a good treatment option for diabetic patients with nonhealing wounds, say researchers.

30 Nov 2012