Anesthetics News and Research

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Designation of operating rooms as "wet" locations could prevent electrical injury to patients, OR personnel

A frightening electrical injury to an operating room nurse highlights the need to update electrical safety policies for the operating room, according to the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society (IARS).

27 May 2010

Study assesses possible links between pain medications and recurrent breast cancer risk

Women who receive one common pain drug during mastectomy are less likely to develop recurrent breast cancer in the years following surgery, suggests a study in the June issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia, official journal of the International Anesthesia Research Society.

27 May 2010

NeuroMetrix first-quarter total revenues decrease to $3.7 million

NeuroMetrix, Inc., a health care company transforming patient care through neurotechnology, today announced its financial results for the three months ended March 31, 2010.

11 May 2010

Lawsuit over hepatitis C infections contracted from Doctor

Nearly 30 women got infected with Hepatitis C virus due to a breach in infection prevention protocols by an anaesthetist at a late-term abortion clinic. The incidents occurred at the Croydon Day Surgery in Melbourne's eastern suburbs during an 18-month period when James Latham Peters was working as an anaesthetist. The issue had come to light in the last few weeks. Now a multi million dollar lawsuit against the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria on behalf of the allegedly infected women is being planned.

9 May 2010

Data comparing NUCYNTA to oxycodone IR for osteoarthritis pain presented at 29th APS

A post-hoc analysis of a Phase 3 safety study demonstrated that NUCYNTA® (tapentadol) tablets were associated with a lower incidence of nausea, vomiting and constipation when compared to oxycodone immediate release (IR) tablets in elderly patients with moderate to severe low-back or osteoarthritis pain.

7 May 2010

Anesthesiologist identifies two changes to standard of care to protect developing brains

Doctors at Children's National Medical Center have found that carbon monoxide levels in the blood of young children increase during routine general anesthesia. Anesthesiologists have found for the first time that, under certain circumstances, infants and children may be exposed to carbon monoxide during routine anesthesia resulting in a rise in the carbon monoxide levels in the child's blood.

5 May 2010

DENTSPLY International reports 7.7% increase in first-quarter 2010 net sales

DENTSPLY International Inc. today announced sales and earnings for the three months ended March 31, 2010. Net sales in the first quarter of 2010 increased 7.7% to $545.9 million compared to $506.9 million reported for the first quarter of 2009.

29 Apr 2010

Larger sized intravenous anesthetic diazepam incubated in isolation with Aβ peptide does not promote aggregation

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting millions of people worldwide and has become a major global concern. Uncontrolled oligomerization (aggregation) of Aβ peptide is the hallmark of AD and it is believed to be causally related to AD pathomechanism.

22 Apr 2010

Star Scientific completes Research and Royalty Agreement with SRQ Bio

Star Scientific announced today that it has completed a "Research and Royalty Agreement" with the Roskamp Institute's affiliate, SRQ Bio, LLC, under which the Institute will conduct research on a compound developed by the company's Rock Creek Pharmaceutical subsidiary that medical researchers at the Institute believe may have an application in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

8 Apr 2010

Lumenis' 2009 revenues down 12% to $226.1M

Lumenis Ltd., a global leader in developing, manufacturing and distributing a broad range of high-end medical lasers and sophisticated energy delivery equipment for surgical, ophthalmic and aesthetic applications, today announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2009 and that it has filed its 2009 annual report on Form 20-F with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

From Lumenis Inc. 7 Apr 2010

NMS Labs launches test to evaluate the efficacy of Milnacipran

NMS Labs launches another unique test suitable for the evaluation of toxicity vs. efficacy, the potential for physicians to establish therapeutic drug monitoring of individual patients, and the assessment of drug diversion of a new pain management drug therapy.

31 Mar 2010

Formal corporate update on Milestone Scientific's new business opportunities in China

Milestone Scientific Inc., the recognized leader in advanced injection technologies, today issued a formal corporate update relating to the Company's new business opportunities in China. Specifically, Milestone is currently working in concert with its Chinese distribution partner, China National Medicines Corporation to advance the STA System™ through the required regulatory review and approval process at the State Food and Drug Administration for the People's Republic of China.

27 Mar 2010

Anesthesia can increase behavioral changes, risk of developing Alzheimer's disease

The use of repetitive anesthesia with isoflurane (one of the most common anesthetics by inhalation) increases the risk of developing changes similar to those observed in AD brains in mice with mutations of the amyloid precursor protein (APP). This is the main conclusion of Spanish researchers coordinated by Doctors Maria -ngeles Mena and Justo Garc-a de Y-benes, from CIBERNED (Centro de Investigaci-n Biom-dica en Red de Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas).

25 Mar 2010

Solta Medical announces definitive agreement to acquire Aesthera

Solta Medical, Inc., a global leader in the medical aesthetics market, today announced it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire privately-held Aesthera Corporation, which is based in Pleasanton, California. Under the terms of the definitive agreement, Solta will acquire Aesthera for $5.25 million in Solta common stock and cash, with potential additional base line milestones of $750,000 for a consideration of $6.0 million. Excluding acquisition and integration related charges, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Solta Medical's earnings within twelve months.

23 Feb 2010

Anesthesiologists warn patients to do more research before opting for elective medical procedures

Headlines littered with patient friendly terms such as "no general anesthesia," "lunchtime lipo," and "no scar" may have some cash and time strapped patients considering an elective surgical procedure.

18 Feb 2010

NeuroMetrix announces 2009 fourth quarter financial results

NeuroMetrix, Inc., a health care company transforming patient care through neurotechnology, today announced its financial results for the three months and year ended December 31, 2009.

10 Feb 2010

New approach may prove useful in labor anesthesia, orthopedics and more

One of the holy grails of local anesthesia is the ability to achieve a long-lasting nerve block that eliminates pain sensation while not affecting motor function. Now, researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have discovered an anesthetic approach that seems to do just that.

2 Feb 2010

Posible new method to assess loss of consciousness

The brains of people under anesthesia respond to stimuli as they do in the deepest part of sleep - lending credence to a developing theory of consciousness and suggesting a new method to assess loss of consciousness in conditions such as coma.

28 Jan 2010

Limiting depth of sedation reduces risk of postoperative delirium in elderly patients

A common complication following surgery in elderly patients is postoperative delirium, a state of confusion that can lead to long-term health problems and cause some elderly patients to complain that they "never felt the same" again after an operation. But a new study by Johns Hopkins researchers suggests that simply limiting the depth of sedation during procedures could safely cut the risk of postoperative delirium by 50 percent.

23 Jan 2010

Light sedation decreases postoperative delirium in elderly patients by 50%

A recent study, published in the January issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, demonstrates that in elderly patients undergoing hip fracture repair under spinal anesthesia with propofol sedation, the prevalence of delirium can be decreased by 50 percent with light sedation, compared to deep sedation.

20 Jan 2010