Neurosurgery News and Research

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FDA grants orphan drug status to Lentigen’s LG631-CD34 for treatment of glioblastoma multiforme

Lentigen Corporation, a biotechnology company specializing in the development and manufacture of lentiviral gene delivery products, announced today that that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted orphan drug status to P140K methylguanine methyltransferase (MGMT) transduced human CD34 cells for bone marrow protection in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme.

14 Feb 2013

DBS can lead to long-term improvement in patients with neuropathic pain

For many patients with difficult-to-treat neuropathic pain, deep brain stimulation (DBS) can lead to long-term improvement in pain scores and other outcomes, according to a study in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

14 Feb 2013

Study questions high rate of cesarean deliveries in women with aneurysms

For women with aneurysms involving the brain blood vessels, pregnancy and delivery don't appear to increase the risk of aneurysm rupture, reports a paper in the February issue of Neurosurgery, official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

11 Feb 2013

Northwestern Medicine expert offers tips to battle seasonal affective disorder

Winter is in full force. With short days and less exposure to sunlight, everyone feels less energetic and more people are vulnerable to depression. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), or winter depression, is a mood disorder related to seasonal variations of light. Symptoms start in late fall and oftentimes last until April or early spring. It affects between 10 to 20 percent of Americans, primarily younger adults and women.

10 Feb 2013

Older adults with COPD more frequently use benzodiazepines

A popular class of drugs commonly used to treat sleep and mood symptoms continues to be frequently prescribed despite being known to have potentially life-threatening side effects.

9 Feb 2013

Novel combination of ibrutinib and bortezomib could be effective new therapy for blood cancers

Laboratory experiments conducted by scientists at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center suggest that a novel combination of the drugs ibrutinib and bortezomib could potentially be an effective new therapy for several forms of blood cancer, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL).

7 Feb 2013

Misonix revenue increases 19% to $8.0M for six months ended December 31, 2012

Misonix, Inc., a surgical device company that designs, manufactures and markets innovative therapeutic ultrasonic products worldwide for spine surgery, cranial maxillo – facial surgery, neurosurgery, wound debridement, cosmetic surgery, laparoscopic surgery and other surgical applications, today reported financial results for the six-months and the second quarter of fiscal year 2013, ended December 31, 2012.

7 Feb 2013

Hospital house calls: A way to cut costs and improve quality?

Meanwhile, a group of experts convened by the National Quality Forum has released its second annual round of recommendations on quality measures to be used in federal health programs.

6 Feb 2013

Amygdala not the only gatekeeper of fear in human mind

When doctors at the University of Iowa prepared a patient to inhale a panic-inducing dose of carbon dioxide, she was fearless. But within seconds of breathing in the mixture, she cried for help, overwhelmed by the sensation that she was suffocating.

5 Feb 2013

Spinal surgery outcomes put ‘July effect’ in myth category

The supposed commotion caused by an influx of new residents and fellows that typically takes place at teaching hospitals during the month of July has an negligible effect on periprocedural outcomes after spinal surgery.

4 Feb 2013

Pipeline embolization device safe and effective tool for patients with brain aneurysms

A multi-center study supports the effectiveness of the newest technology available for the treatment of difficult, life-threatening brain aneurysms. The technology, the Pipeline embolization device, is a flow diverter that redirects blood flow away from wide-necked or giant aneurysms that cannot be treated in more conventional ways.

31 Jan 2013

Study finds negligible effect on periprocedural outcomes among patients after spine surgery

The "July effect"-the notion that the influx of new residents and fellows at teaching hospitals in July of each year adversely affects patient care and outcomes-was examined in a very large data set of hospitalizations for patients undergoing spine surgery. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic and the University of Virginia Health System found a negligible effect on periprocedural outcomes among patients treated by spine surgery.

30 Jan 2013

Subcortical damage from craniotomies predicts neurologic deficits

Despite attempts to preserve cortical areas of function during awake craniotomy procedures, postoperative neurologic decline still occurs as a result of subcortical injury, report researchers.

28 Jan 2013

Paper says hospitals that do treat patients with anemia have better outcomes

Up to one-third of patients undergoing surgery in Ontario have a treatable form of anemia but are not optimally treated for it.

28 Jan 2013

Daily antibacterial baths can safely reduce risk of bloodstream infections in critically ill children

Daily baths with an ordinary antibacterial cleanser can safely reduce the risk of dangerous bloodstream infections in critically ill children, according to a trial conducted in five pediatric hospitals and led by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.

28 Jan 2013

Conscious sedation potential for intracranial aneurysm intervention

Coil embolization of ruptured intracranial aneurysms can be performed using conscious sedation and local anesthesia, report clinicians.

25 Jan 2013

One more reason to quit smoking

Smokers who quit when they are young adults can live almost as long as people who never smoked, groundbreaking new research has found.

25 Jan 2013

UTHealth NRC to sponsor forum on sports-related concussions

Super Bowl-winning lineman turned orthopaedic surgeon Mark Adickes, M.D., is moderating a free public forum to help parents, athletes and trainers spot the warning signs of concussion.

24 Jan 2013

KLF6-SV1 gene variant drives the spread of breast cancer

A team of researchers led by Goutham Narla, MD, PhD, at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center, and collaborators at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Erasmus Medical Center, have discovered a gene variant that drives the spread of breast cancer.

23 Jan 2013

Tumor separation surgery followed by SRS is safe and effective in controlling spinal metastases

Researchers from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (New York, NY) have found that tumor "separation surgery" followed by high-dose hypofractionated stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) or high-dose single-fraction SRS is safe and effective in controlling spinal metastases regardless of the radiosensitivity of the particular tumor type that has invaded the spine.

23 Jan 2013