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Auditory brainstem implants for adults with damaged cochlear nerves

If a siren sounded but you were deaf, might you still be able to hear the sound?

23 Mar 2010

Hot dogs: Top food-related choking hazard in children under 3

Hot dogs, those ubiquitous and savory symbols of the American diet, have caught the attention of pediatricians at Johns Hopkins Children's Center and elsewhere for a decidedly unappetizing reason — they are a choking hazard for young children.

22 Mar 2010

Aston University scientists receive grants to develop new forms of drug delivery

Before you swallow a tablet, or put it into a glass of water to dissolve, do you ever stop and think about how it actually works in your body and how quickly and effectively it can deliver the drug to where it is needed?

22 Mar 2010

Stomach wrap operations more effective than acid suppression tablets in severe acid reflux treatment

Stomach wrap operations may be more effective than acid suppression tablets in the treatment of severe acid reflux, according to a new Cochrane Systematic Review. The study shows a more pronounced improvement in symptoms shortly after surgery than with drug treatment.

17 Mar 2010

Prevention of choking hazards in food: Safe, children oriented packaging and design needed

While choking hazards in toys have been widely publicized and addressed by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), ironically choking hazards in food have lacked federal attention despite the fact that food is far more likely to go into a child’s mouth.

12 Mar 2010

Spasticity in flexor muscles of elbow, wrist, and fingers: Botox approved for treatment

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Botox (onabotulinumtoxin A) to treat spasticity in the flexor muscles of the elbow, wrist, and fingers in adults. Spasticity is common after stroke, traumatic brain injury, or the progression of multiple sclerosis.

10 Mar 2010

Positive results from INSYS Therapeutics' phase III trial for Fentanyl SL Spray

INSYS Therapeutics, Inc. announces positive results from the pivotal phase III efficacy trial for patients utilizing the Fentanyl Sublingual Spray technology to treat breakthrough cancer pain. All primary and secondary endpoints were achieved in the study, and the drug is the first product to ever show statistically significant pain relief when measuring the summary of pain intensity difference at five minutes in a phase III breakthrough cancer pain trial using Fentanyl.

9 Mar 2010

Pediatrics researchers identify major gene location responsible for EoE

Pediatrics researchers have identified the first major gene location responsible for a severe, often painful type of food allergy called eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE). In this disease, which may cause weight loss, vomiting, heartburn and swallowing difficulties, a patient may be unable to eat a wide variety of foods.

7 Mar 2010

NAF to hold third annual Ataxia Investigators Meeting in Rosemont

The National Ataxia Foundation, in conjunction with the University of Chicago program in pathobiology and translational neuroscience, will hold its third annual Ataxia Investigators Meeting March 9-11, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare, in Rosemont, Ill. A three-day meeting for patients, caregivers and families will follow at the same location.

6 Mar 2010

Larynx preservation using chemotherapy followed by radiation is effective treatment: Study

Head and neck cancer patients receiving induction chemotherapy followed by radiation to preserve their larynx have a low-risk of severe voice disability and almost half experienced no eating or swallowing problems, according to a first of its kind study presented at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium, sponsored by AHNS, ASCO, ASTRO and SNM.

26 Feb 2010

Surgeons perform nation's first incision-free myotomy procedure to treat achalasia

Surgeons at UC San Diego Medical Center have performed the nation's first incision-free myotomy, a procedure to treat achalasia, a distressing disorder which causes difficulty swallowing, regurgitation and chest pain. The innovative surgery, performed through the mouth, is the most recent in a series of groundbreaking clinical trial surgeries being evaluated by the UCSD Center for the Future of Surgery.

26 Feb 2010

New endoscopic ablation technique safe and effective for treating Barrett's esophagus

Early tumor formation in Barrett's esophagus (BE) can be effectively and safely treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), in combination with prior endoscopic removal of visible lesions, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

19 Feb 2010

Tobacco users with HPV-positive head and neck cancers at increased risk of recurrence

Patients with head and neck cancer linked to high risk human papillomavirus, or HPV, have worse outcomes if they are current or former tobacco users, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center.

15 Feb 2010

Hypnosis has potential therapeutic value in children with respiratory disorders

Hypnosis has potential therapeutic value in children with respiratory disorders for alleviating symptoms such as habit cough or unexplained sensations of difficulty breathing and for lessening a child's discomfort during medical procedures.

15 Feb 2010

New review highlights risks and benefits of fluoride toothpaste in young children

Everyone who has ever seen a toothpaste commercial knows that fluoride is the ingredient that helps fight tooth decay, but a new review has determined exactly how much fluoride is best in toothpastes for children.

21 Jan 2010

Parents advised to use fluoridated toothpaste to prevent tooth decay in their children

Parents should use toothpastes that contain fluoride with a minimum concentration of 1,000 parts per million to prevent tooth decay in their children, says a new report. Preventing tooth decay can help reduce the need for extensive and costly dental treatments, including extractions.

20 Jan 2010

Organization of the brain's dictionary

Two hundred years ago, archaeologists used the Rosetta Stone to understand the ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs. Now, a team of Carnegie Mellon University scientists has discovered the beginnings of a neural Rosetta Stone. By combining brain imaging and machine learning techniques, neuroscientists Marcel Just and Vladimir Cherkassky and computer scientists Tom Mitchell and Sandesh Aryal determined how the brain arranges noun representations. Understanding how the brain codes nouns is important for treating psychiatric and neurological illnesses.

18 Jan 2010

BDSI to discuss planned BEMA Granisetron IND with the FDA

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. announced that the company has been granted a meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to discuss the planned Investigational New Drug (IND) application for BDSI’s antiemetic (anti-nausea and vomiting) product candidate, BEMA Granisetron. The meeting will take place on March 17, 2010. The company will discuss with the FDA clinical development and regulatory plans for BEMA Granisetron, which is anticipated to enter Phase 1 studies in the second quarter of 2010.

13 Jan 2010

FDA approves minimally invasive procedure for treating benign and malignant tumors

A minimally invasive surgical approach developed by head and neck surgeons at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine has been cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The

5 Jan 2010

Talampanel slows progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

A drug already used to treat symptoms of epilepsy has potential to slow the muscle weakening that comes with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), scientists report after completing a Phase II clinical trial-an early, small-scale test to show if the drug works and continues to be safe.