Catheters News and Research

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Need for a national database of epidural complications

Researchers have called for a national database to be set up to identify major complications arising from epidural pain relief after a small number of serious problems were identified during a six-year UK study, according to the April issue of Anaesthesia.

4 Apr 2007

Spectranetics announces unfavorable jury verdict in a patent litigation dispute

Spectranetics Corporation has announced that it has received an unfavorable jury verdict in a patent litigation dispute with Dr. Peter Rentrop in the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York. Spectranetics has filed several post-trial motions seeking to overturn the verdict.

21 Feb 2007

Smart bladder pacemaker

Duke University biomedical engineering researchers have moved a step closer to a "smart bladder pacemaker" that might one day restore bladder control in patients with spinal cord injury or neurological disease.

18 Feb 2007

Common-sense measures to stop ICU infections

Hospitals will quickly slash the rate of common, costly and potentially lethal catheter-related bloodstream infections in their intensive care units (ICUs) by using cheap, low-tech, common-sense measures like hand washing, timely removal of unneeded catheters, and use of sites other than the groin to place lines when possible, according to a report from safety experts at Johns Hopkins in the New England Journal of Medicine.

2 Jan 2007

VNUS Medical Technologies announces favorable ruling in patent case

VNUS Medical Technologies, Inc has announced that United States District Judge Maxine M. Chesney of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California issued a Markman order in the litigation brought by VNUS Medical Technologies against Diomed Holdings, Inc. and Diomed, Inc., AngioDynamics, Inc. and Vascular Solutions, Inc. (the "defendants").

23 Nov 2006

External catheters reduce risk of urinary tract infection in men

It's one of the things about a hospital stay that men loathe, and that infectious bacteria love: the urinary catheter. Now, a new study shows that a less-unpleasant option for male hospital patients is also a much safer one.

3 Jul 2006

Study examines the use of a novel suprapubic catheter in suprapubic prostatectomy

It is well known that in addition to urethral catheter associated discomfort, there is an increased risk of ascending urethral infection, inflammation and stricture formation with urethral catheters.

29 Jun 2006

Study examines women with symptoms of urinary incontinence

Valsalva (VLPP) and cough (CLPP) leak point pressures have been used for evaluating urinary incontinence in women. The relationship between these leak point pressures and stress urinary incontinence and detrusor overactivity is not known.

28 Jun 2006

Surveillance could cut number of blood stream infections

A study from Imperial College London and Hammersmith Hospitals NHS Trust shows how a surveillance programme designed to monitor blood stream infections in dialysis units could cut the number of infections among patients.

19 Jun 2006

Duloxetine proven effective for use in men with stress urinary incontinence after radical prostatectomy

Up to 33% of patients undergoing radical prostatectomy suffer from varying degrees of incontinence.

13 Jun 2006

Scientists gain better understanding of Proteus mirabilis

Scientists now have inside information to use in the fight against Proteus mirabilis - a nasty bacterium that can cause kidney stones, as well as hard-to-treat urinary tract infections.

1 Jun 2006

Unnecessary urinary catheters - study

A study of 1,586 hospitalized patients age 70 and older at two Ohio hospitals indicates that 24 percent were given medically unnecessary urinary catheters, according to investigators led by a researcher at the San Francisco VA Medical Center.

23 May 2006

Low radiation dose still means successful interventional procedures

Radiation dose can be reduced by as much as 88 percent for common interventional radiology procedures and still be safe and effective, a new study shows.

3 May 2006

Virtual reality simulation technology improves carotid angiography skills

Cardiologists can learn to perform risky catheter procedures such as carotid angiography on a virtual patient simulator, rather than on real patients, according to a new study in the May 2, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

3 May 2006

Rubber research set to curb life-threatening allergies

Research being undertaken at The University of Queensland (UQ) could prevent potentially life-threatening allergic reactions to conventional latex rubber which occur in 10 per cent of the population.

13 Apr 2006

Review examines the management of radiotherapy induced rectourethal fistula

Rectourethral fistulas (RUF) are a challenging problem observed by urological and colorectal surgeons.

11 Apr 2006

Robotic device appears to be more precise than conventional catheter ablation devices for atrial fibrillation

A remotely-controlled catheter device guided by magnetic fields provides a safe and practical method for delivering radio frequency ablation treatment in the hearts of patients with atrial fibrillation, according to a new study in the April 4, 2006, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

4 Apr 2006

Three-dimensional ultrasound probes poised to advance minimally invasive surgery

Three-dimensional ultrasound probes built by researchers at Duke's Pratt School of Engineering have imaged the beating hearts of dogs. The engineers said their demonstration showed that the probes could give surgeons a better view during human endoscopic surgeries in which operations are performed through tiny "keyhole" incisions.

4 Apr 2006

Modification of O'Connor's technique for the treatment of vesico-vaginal fistula repair described

Vesicovaginal fistula (VVF) is a distressing disease with social, hygienic, and psychosexual consequences.

30 Mar 2006

Catheter ablation for chronic atrial fibrillation improves quality of life

People who have endured the effects and risks of an irregular heartbeat for years can get long-lasting relief from a procedure that takes less than two hours, a definitive new study shows.

7 Mar 2006