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Patients with cancer of the esophagus benefit from new technique developed by OHSU surgeons

Surgeons at the Oregon Health & Science University Digestive Health Center have developed a new technique that makes feasible and safe a potentially lifesaving and noninvasive surgical procedure known as laparoscopic esophagectomy.

9 Jun 2005

One-a-day tablet treats common infection

A bioadhesive tablet containing the antifungal drug miconazole is an effective and convenient means of treating oropharyngeal candidiasis, which is the most frequently occurring infection in head and neck cancer patients undergoing radiation therapy, scientists reported at the 2nd ESMO Scientific & Educational Conference (ESEC) in Budapest, Hungary.

6 Jun 2005

West Nile virus more of a threat than previously thought

West Nile has traditionally only been considered a serious problem for the elderly and frail, and more of a nuisance illness for everyone else. But a surprising number of patients show the virus is more threatening than widely believed.

31 May 2005

New treatment for wrinkles

Abbott Northwestern Hospital’s Center for Cosmetic Care in Edina now has a new option for people seeking treatment to slow down the aging process of our skin - the Fraxel.

26 May 2005

'Brown fat cells' hold clues for possible obesity treatments

Joslin Diabetes Center scientists have discovered a group of genes that govern the genesis of calorie-burning fat cells. This discovery may lead to novel ways to treat obesity in humans.

26 May 2005

Study shows how COX-2 inhibitors lead to heart disease

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers have found additional evidence that may help explain how selective inhibitors of COX-2 might predispose individuals to heart disease and stroke.

26 May 2005

Proof that chiropractic treatment helps migraine sufferers

Seventy-two per cent of migraine sufferers in a clinical trial experienced either 'substantial' or 'noticeable' improvement after a period of chiropractic treatment, defying historical skepticism of chiropractics by some medical practitioners.

22 May 2005

Safety belts in police cars may be life threatening

The hypothesis that the personal equipment or the uniform might affect the function of the seat belt in a collision was put to test. The study points out that an alternative, professional use of vehicles ought to be more generally considered in relation to the crash safety aspects.

17 May 2005

75,000 children end up in hospital emergency rooms due to trampoline injuries

Linakis states quite categorically that the home environment and even the school environment are not the place for trampolines. He says though it will not be a popular idea, trampolines are only appropriate in very select, heavily supervised environments, such as a gymnastics school.

15 May 2005

Drug trio increases survival rate in head and neck cancers

Adding a third drug to a standard chemotherapy combination can dramatically improve the survival of patients with advanced head and neck cancer, according to research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

15 May 2005

Surgical technique provides the first permanent solution to treating vocal-cord spasms

The first large, long-term study of patients who had surgery to control vocal-cord spasms showed excellent results in the majority of cases, reports new UCLA research presented May 14 at the 126th Annual Meeting of the American Laryngological Association.

15 May 2005

Robotic surgery dramatically reduces physical trauma for head & neck cancer patients

For patients with cancer of the mouth and throat, surgery is a frequent course of treatment, often leading to speech and swallowing dysfunction and external scarring.

15 May 2005

Vitamin A's paradoxical role in influencing symmetry during embryonic development revealed

In this week's journal Nature, scientists at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies report that they have solved one of the "holy grail" puzzles of developmental biology: the existence of a mechanism that insures that the exterior of our bodies is symmetrical while inner organs are arranged asymmetrically.

11 May 2005

UK Chief Medical Officer updates heatwave plan

The dangers of heat were today highlighted by the Chief Medical Officer Sir Liam Donaldson with the publication of an updated heatwave plan and new public information leaflets.

11 May 2005

Reconstruction of the lower jaw with a fibula autotrasplant

The University Hospital of the University of Navarra has carried out a complicated surgical operation on a child who had a particularly large benign tumour located in the mandibular region. The procedure involved the extraction of the lower jaw and its substitution by a bone transplant from the fibula of the patient.

10 May 2005

New study suggests Pioglitazone HCl may significantly improve key predictors of cardiovascular risk

Study results published in the May 17th issue of Circulation, the journal of the American Heart Association, found that the diabetes medication pioglitazone HCl reduced carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT). Patients taking pioglitazone also experienced significant reductions in insulin resistance, C-reactive protein (a marker for inflammation) and blood pressure, all of which contribute to the overall risk for cardiovascular disease.

9 May 2005

$Soft tissue injuries can predict risk of facial fractures in trauma patients$

Soft tissue injuries can predict risk of facial fractures in trauma patients

Trauma patients with specific types of facial soft tissue injuries should have a CT (computed tomography) scan of the face as well as a standard head scan to determine the presence and severity of facial fractures, according to a study published in the May issue of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

8 May 2005

15 die in India in latest meningitis outbreak

An outbreak of bacterial meningitis in India has caused one more death bringing the total number of lives lost to 15.

8 May 2005

Scientists take aim at virulent bacteria by decoding machinery of key control enzyme

By deciphering the ingenious mechanism used by a particular enzyme to modify bacterial chromosome chemistry, scientists have come a step closer to designing a new kind of drug that could stop virulent bacterial infections in their tracks. Their research will be published in the May 6 issue of the journal Cell.

5 May 2005

$Black women at less risk of fractures$

Black women at less risk of fractures

A recent report from the U.S. surgeon general on bone health and osteoporosis has found that black women have a lower risk of fracture than white women at every level of bone mineral density.

3 May 2005