Anesthetics News and Research

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Study assesses children's exposure to anesthesia and risk for developmental, behavioral disorders

When children undergo anesthesia during surgery, the long-term effects that anesthetics have on the developing brain is relatively unknown. A study presented at this year's American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting assesses the association between exposure to anesthesia in children 3 years old and younger and their risk for developmental and behavioral disorders.

19 Oct 2010

Drugs may prevent temporary combativeness in children after surgery

Temporary combativeness after surgery-a complication affecting up to half of anesthetized children-may be preventable with drugs that decrease epinephrine production, according to a Medical College of Georgia pediatric anesthesiologist.

11 Oct 2010

Bathing better than pethidine as pain relief during labor: Survey

According to a large survey of new mothers, a bath or a shower relieves pain in childbirth more effectively than anaesthetic gas or pethidine. The survey also found that breathing techniques, massage, hot packs and hypnotherapy were more effective than pethidine, a strong analgesic given by injection, and nitrous oxide, that is an anaesthetic gas. The survey has renewed the debate of drug overuse during child birth that could potentially harm babies.

10 Oct 2010

J&JPRD receives FDA Complete Response Letter for tapentadol ER tablets NDA

Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD) announced today that it received a Complete Response letter from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding its New Drug Application (NDA) for tapentadol extended release tablets.

4 Oct 2010

PGIC analysis indicates tapentadol ER tablets provide significant improvement in pain intensity

Phase 3 safety and efficacy data comparing tapentadol extended release (ER) tablets, an investigational pain medication, to placebo in patients with moderate to severe chronic low back pain have been published online by Expert Opinion on Pharmacotherapy. In addition, this study compared oxycodone controlled-release (CR) to placebo as an active control.

28 Sep 2010

Islamic Relief USA provides $20 million medical aid to Pakistan

Islamic Relief USA (IR USA), a non-profit relief and development organization based in metro-D.C., announced today that it has delivered a $20 million aid shipment of medicine to Pakistan.

22 Sep 2010

McGill researchers pioneer anesthetics via videoconferencing

Videoconferences may be known for putting people to sleep, but never like this. Dr. Thomas Hemmerling and his team of McGill's Department of Anesthesia achieved a world first on August 30, 2010, when they treated patients undergoing thyroid gland surgery in Italy remotely from Montreal. The approach is part of new technological advancements, known as 'Teleanesthesia', and it involves a team of engineers, researchers and anesthesiologists who will ultimately apply the drugs intravenously which are then controlled remotely through an automated system.

10 Sep 2010

Mylan completes acquisition of Bioniche Pharma

Mylan Inc. today announced it has completed the acquisition of Bioniche Pharma Holdings Limited sooner than anticipated.

8 Sep 2010

OpEds: Health costs and new law; Penn. doctor supply; Anesthesiologists vs. nurses

Some sort of Medicare-for-all program remains the only equitable way that every American can be provided with adequate and affordable coverage. This wouldn't be socialized medicine and it wouldn't be state-run healthcare (David Lazarus, 9/7).

7 Sep 2010

Tapentadol ER improves average intensity of chronic osteoarthritis knee pain: Study

Phase 3 safety and efficacy data comparing tapentadol extended release (ER) tablets, an investigational pain medication, to placebo in patients with moderate to severe chronic osteoarthritis knee pain have been published by Clinical Drug Investigation.

31 Aug 2010

Researchers find smoked cannabis reduces chronic neuropathic pain

For people suffering chronic pain, smoked cannabis reduces pain, improves mood and helps sleep, according to new research published in CMAJ.

30 Aug 2010

'Neural inertia' may explain brain's resistance to changes in consciousness

Despite the fact that an estimated 25 million patients per year in the U.S. undergo surgeries using general anesthesia, scientists have only been able to hypothesize exactly how anesthetics interact with the central nervous system. They previously thought that the processes of "going under" and waking up from anesthesia affected the brain in the same way.

27 Aug 2010

TOPEX announces sale of skin cancer business operations to SENSUS Healthcare

TOPEX, Inc. announces the sale of its skin cancer business operations to SENSUS Healthcare, LLC for its low energy SRT 100 superficial radiotherapy treatment system. Since TOPEX received FDA approval during 2007, many systems have been operating worldwide at hospital radiation oncology centers, dermatology and veterinary oncology practices for the treatment of skin cancer.

19 Aug 2010

Study examines surgical procedures in low-resource settings

A new study shows "that surgery can be safely performed in areas with minimal resources and little or no sophisticated technology," the Los Angeles Times' "Booster Shots" blog reports. The study, published in the Archives of Surgery, examines "almost 20,000 surgical procedures completed in resource-limited areas from 2001 to 2008" by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) (Roan, 8/16).

18 Aug 2010

Research finds genetic roots of alcoholism in humans

A novel mutation found in a mouse gene might provide new insights into the genetic roots of alcoholism in humans, according to a study led by researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center and the University of California, San Francisco. The study is published August 12th in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics.

13 Aug 2010

NeuroMetrix second-quarter total revenues decrease to $3.9 million

NeuroMetrix, Inc., a health care company transforming patient care through neurotechnology, today announced its financial results for the quarter ended June 30, 2010.

10 Aug 2010

Endo to acquire Penwest for $5.00 per share

Endo Pharmaceuticals today announced actions designed to advance the company's leadership and growth in pain management, including an agreement to acquire all outstanding shares of Penwest Pharmaceuticals for $5.00 in cash per share, or an estimated enterprise value of approximately $144 million at the time of deal close. Penwest has been working with Endo since 1997 on the development and commercialization of OPANA® ER and receives a royalty stream on net sales of the product.

10 Aug 2010

Lack of understanding about anesthesia may lead patients to postpone surgery

Lack of understanding and apprehension about anesthesia may lead as many as one in four patients to postpone surgery according to the Vital Health Report, a quarterly health survey of Americans released today by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA).

4 Aug 2010

Menstrual cycle affects body's response to tracheal intubation: Research

In women undergoing surgery, the heart rate and blood pressure response to ventilation tube placement varies at different times of the menstrual cycle, according to a study in the August issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

3 Aug 2010

Study analyses anesthetic effects on surgical site infections

A study appearing in the August 2010 issue of Anesthesiology found that patients receiving a total hip or knee replacement in Taiwan had a higher incidence of surgical site infections (SSIs) when general anesthesia was administered for the operation than when the same procedures were performed under epidural/spinal (regional) anesthesia.

27 Jul 2010