Spine News and Research

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Doctors call on the British Government to make all workplaces smokefree

Today (Wednesday 30 June) at the BMA's annual conference in Llandudno, Dr Peter Maguire signed a giant prescription form in front of 500 doctors calling on the Government to make all workplaces smokefree.

30 Jun 2004

Early patient response to Forteo in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis

Changes in markers of bone remodeling after one month of treatment with FORTEO® (teriparatide [rDNA origin] injection) may provide important early evidence of treatment response, according to new data presented today at the 86th Annual Meeting of The Endocrine Society (ENDO).

17 Jun 2004

Low back pain research using surface electromyography (SEMG) technology

Low back pain research using surface electromyography (SEMG) technology may lead to the development of a valid and reliable tool to prevent the condition, it was announced today.

17 Jun 2004

Technique using ordinary light detects scoliosis in children

Lateral curvature of the spine can now be detected without the use of X-rays. Tom Huysmans of K.U.Leuven’s Department of Biomechanics and Graphic Design has developed a technique using ordinary light which approaches the precision of radiology.

15 Jun 2004

Virginia Health urges women of childbearing age to take folic acid

According to data from a report released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in January 2004, only 35 percent of Virginia women of childbearing age take a vitamin pill that contains folic acid.

11 Jun 2004

New shaped-beam radiation delivery system provides patients with targeted cancer treatment

The Cleveland Clinic has installed the latest in radiation oncology technology, making it possible to treat a wider range of cancer patients with more precisely targeted radiation treatments that largely spare healthy tissues.

10 Jun 2004

FDA approval for miniature robot for spinal procedures

A miniature robot for fail-proof spinal procedures has received FDA approval. Named SpineAssist, the robot is the brainchild of Technion-Israel Institute of Technology Mechanical Engineering Professor Moshe Shoham.

10 Jun 2004

Serum estrogen receptor modulator's (SERM's) may help reduce postmenopausal breast cancer risk

Newest research findings were presented on the possible benefits they may provide for postmenopausal breast cancer risk reduction. SERMs are a class of drugs that can block the cell's ability to use estrogen to stimulate the development of breast cancer.

7 Jun 2004

Model of the central nervous system will allow oncologists and neurosurgeons to target tumours more effectively

A larger-than-life model of the human central nervous system including the brain and spinal cord, which will allow oncologists and neurosurgeons to target tumours more effectively, will be among a range of student projects on display at an event at The University of Nottingham this week.

2 Jun 2004

36 percent of Americans are using complementary and alternative medicines

A new, comprehensive government survey, released by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM), reveals that 36 percent of Americans are incorporating complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) into their health care regimen.

1 Jun 2004

Focus on implantation of artificial discs to treat degenerative disc disease

Implantation of artificial discs to treat degenerative disc disease was the subject of multiple presentations earlier this month at the Spine Arthroplasty Meeting in Vienna, Austria, where spine and orthopaedic surgeons from all over the world heard new data about this technology.

25 May 2004

Combination radiation treatment for brain cancer leads to better life

People with cancer that has spread to the brain – about 40 percent of all cancer cases – live longer and enjoy a better quality of life if they are treated with a combination of radiation techniques, according to research conducted, in part, at the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

21 May 2004

New device for locating and identifying motor nerves during spinal surgery

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the commercial release of the NIM-Spine™ System neural integrity monitor, a surgeon-guided device for locating and identifying peripheral motor nerves during spinal surgery, which is designed to help predict and possibly prevent potential neurologic injury.

21 May 2004

First filing for zoledronic acid in metabolic bone disease

One 15-minute infusion of the intravenous bisphosphonate zolendronic acid more rapidly reduced the biochemical markers of bone turnover in patients with Paget's disease than was seen in a head-to-head comparison with the oral treatment risedronate (95% vs. 75% response rate).

17 May 2004

Low back pain - does it need costly scan?

A major study has been conducted to evaluate the role of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Computed Tomography (CT) scans in the treatment of low back pain (LBP).

10 May 2004

Two serious birth defects in the U. S. are on the decline

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious birth defects of the spine (e.g., spina bifida) and the brain (e.g., anencephaly) that occur during early pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

10 May 2004

$FDA approves INFUSE® bone graft which improves fracture healing$

FDA approves INFUSE® bone graft which improves fracture healing

Medtronic, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of INFUSE® Bone Graft in the treatment of acute, open fractures of the tibial shaft, a long bone in the lower leg. The approval broadens the indications for INFUSE Bone Graft, a product that has been used since 2002 in spinal surgery with metallic cages to treat tens of thousands of patients.

4 May 2004

Versatile spinal procedure may offer less muscle damage and quicker recovery times

Medtronic, Inc. has introduced at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) meeting in Orlando the latest advancement in the company’s line of Minimal Access Spinal Technologies (MASTSM), which offer surgeons the ability to treat conditions of the lumbar spine using less-invasive techniques.

3 May 2004

Wyeth gets FDA approval for a novel protein device that enhances bone healing

Wyeth have announced that the FDA has approved rhBMP-2/ACS (recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2/Absorbable Collagen Sponge), a novel protein device that enhances bone healing, for use in the treatment of acute, open tibia shaft fractures in adults.

3 May 2004

Iraqi Freedom low casualty rates compared with other recent conflicts

Military neurosurgeons serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom have recently reported a significant decrease in casualty rates compared with other recent conflicts.

3 May 2004