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Inguinal lymph node dissection with spinal anesthesia improves prognosis in patients with malignant melanoma

A study presented at this year's American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting offers evidence that patients with malignant melanoma who undergo inguinal lymph node dissection with spinal anesthesia (a regional anesthetic) have a better prognosis than patients who undergo the same surgery with general anesthesia.

20 Oct 2010

Dexamethasone improves quality of life after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery

A study presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists 2010 Annual Meeting in San Diego seems to confirm that a single, small dose of the steroid dexamethasone improves the post-surgical quality of life of patients receiving laparoscopic gallbladder surgery.

20 Oct 2010

BCAN holds regional Bladder Cancer Patient Forum at New York Academy of Medicine

Bladder cancer is the fifth most commonly diagnosed cancer in the United States, yet most people know nothing about it. To help enhance the public's understanding of the risks and signs of bladder cancer and the importance of early detection and treatment options, the Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN) will hold its regional Bladder Cancer Patient Forum "Understanding Bladder Cancer" on Saturday, October 23, 2010, in New York City at the New York Academy of Medicine.

20 Oct 2010

Studies explore efforts to measure, improve hospitals' surgical outcomes

Hospital Compare, an HHS website that allows patients to compare hospitals online using various indicators of quality, is intended to help them choose better facilities for their medical care. But a new report in the Archives of Surgery says the website doesn't help Medicare beneficiaries in need of certain high-risk surgeries find better facilities.

20 Oct 2010

Japanese study finds proton beam therapy safe and effective for Stage I inoperable NSCLC

Proton beam therapy is safe and effective and may be superior to other conventional treatments for Stage I inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, according to a study in the October issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology•Biology•Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

20 Oct 2010

When hospital checklists don't tell the whole story

Kaiser Health News staff writer Aimee Miles reports: "The whole idea behind HHS' Hospital Compare is simple: patients can shop around by putting in their zip codes and the website churns out a list of nearby hospitals, with detail on available services, care outcomes, patient satisfaction ratings and more.

20 Oct 2010

Ceregene commences enrollment in CERE-120 Phase 2b study for Parkinson's disease

Ceregene, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, announced today that enrollment has begun in a new double-blind sham surgery-controlled Phase 2b study evaluating CERE-120 in Parkinson's disease patients. CERE-120 is a gene therapy product that delivers the neurotrophic factor neurturin to degenerating or dying dopamine neurons. Data from the first Phase 2 clinical trial of CERE-120 are being published later this year in Lancet Neurology (to appear online October 21, 2010).

20 Oct 2010

Xenogenics acquires Ideal BioStent assets

MultiCell Technologies, Inc. and its majority owned subsidiary, Xenogenics Corporation, are pleased to announce the acquisition of the Ideal™ BioStent assets by Xenogenics Corporation from investment funds managed by Western Technology Investment and Silicon Valley Bank. Xenogenics Corporation also entered into a worldwide exclusive license with Rutgers University for rights to certain intellectual property related to the Ideal™ BioStent.

19 Oct 2010

Syneron launches VelaBABE device for women to reclaim pre-baby body

Syneron Medical Ltd., a leading medical aesthetic device innovator, is announcing their new VelaBABE promotion for women who want to reclaim their pre-baby body with help from VelaShape.

19 Oct 2010

Johnson & Johnson third quarter sales decrease 0.7% to $15.0 billion

Johnson & Johnson today announced sales of $15.0 billion for the third quarter of 2010, a decrease of 0.7% as compared to the third quarter of 2009. Operational results increased 0.1% and the negative impact of currency was 0.8%. Domestic sales declined 2.5%, while international sales increased 1.1%, reflecting operational growth of 2.6% and a negative currency impact of 1.5%.

19 Oct 2010

First Edition: October 19, 2010

Today's major health policy headlines include reports about the latest developments in Virginia's court challenge against the health law, a U.S. government lawsuit targeting Michigan Blue Cross Blue Shield for anti-trust activities and a study about the Department of Health and Human Services' Hospital Compare.

19 Oct 2010

ACG 75th Scientific Meeting to review advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases

Many of the world's preeminent gastroenterologists will gather for the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific Meeting at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center in San Antonio, Texas starting Monday October 18, 2010, to review the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

19 Oct 2010

MRG data finds factors that drive single-port laparoscopy market

According to Millennium Research Group (MRG), the global authority on medical technology market intelligence, a combination of increased volume from current practitioners and growth in the number of surgeons performing the technique will drive the single-port laparoscopy market to over 100% growth over the next year, and to high double-digit growth past 2011.

19 Oct 2010

An overview on American College of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific meeting

The association between obesity and gastrointestinal-related cancers and coronary artery disease; the link between an overweight or obese body mass index and the severity of Crohn's disease; and whether inflammatory bowel disease is an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease, were among the highlights of new research that was presented this week at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio.

19 Oct 2010

Few legitimate opioid users are getting information to keep medications safe

For some people with ongoing or chronic pain, opioids (medications such as oxycodone or hydrocodone) can make the difference between disability and the ability to function at near-normal levels. For those with acute pain, such as pain after surgery or injury, sound pain management with opioids can speed healing and recovery.

19 Oct 2010

Annals of Internal Medicine raises concerns over placebo standard

Much of medicine is based on what is considered the strongest possible evidence: The placebo-controlled trial. A paper published in the October 19 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine - entitled "What's In Placebos: Who Knows" calls into question this foundation upon which much of medicine rests, by showing that there is no standard behind the standard no standard for the placebo.

19 Oct 2010

STOP-BANG questionnaire on sleep apnea syndrome helps identify patients' risk for surgical complication

A research team from the Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has utilized a simple, eight-item pre-operative questionnaire about obstructive sleep apnea syndrome that could help identify patients at risk for complications following surgery, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Individuals prone to the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome as determined by the questionnaire appear to have an increased risk of heart, lung and other complications following elective surgery.

19 Oct 2010

Study: Gastric function and autonomic nervous system are impaired in obese individuals

Research on obesity examining the role of hormones and the autonomic functions of the digestive system was presented at the 75th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American CoIlege of Gastroenterology.

19 Oct 2010

Study reveals diagnostic strategies eliminate ionizing radiation exposure in IBD patients

At the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio, Texas, several studies of the effectiveness of non-X-ray techniques to evaluate Crohn's disease revealed that diagnostic strategies such as capsule endoscopy (CE) and magnetic resonance enteroscopy (MRE) are useful in managing patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and avoiding ionizing radiation.

19 Oct 2010

Annals of Vascular Surgery publishes Endologix's Powerlink System clinical trial results for AAA endovascular repair

Endologix, Inc. developer of minimally invasive treatments for aortic disorders, announced today the publication of results from its pivotal, multicenter, prospective clinical trial of the Company's Powerlink System for endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) using an anatomical fixation technique with a suprarenal aortic extension.

19 Oct 2010

Surgery News and Research

Inguinal lymph node dissection with spinal anesthesia improves prognosis in patients with malignant melanoma

Dexamethasone improves quality of life after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery

BCAN holds regional Bladder Cancer Patient Forum at New York Academy of Medicine

Studies explore efforts to measure, improve hospitals' surgical outcomes

Japanese study finds proton beam therapy safe and effective for Stage I inoperable NSCLC

When hospital checklists don't tell the whole story

Ceregene commences enrollment in CERE-120 Phase 2b study for Parkinson's disease

Xenogenics acquires Ideal BioStent assets

Syneron launches VelaBABE device for women to reclaim pre-baby body

Johnson & Johnson third quarter sales decrease 0.7% to $15.0 billion

First Edition: October 19, 2010

ACG 75th Scientific Meeting to review advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases

MRG data finds factors that drive single-port laparoscopy market

An overview on American College of Gastroenterology's Annual Scientific meeting

Few legitimate opioid users are getting information to keep medications safe

Annals of Internal Medicine raises concerns over placebo standard

STOP-BANG questionnaire on sleep apnea syndrome helps identify patients' risk for surgical complication

Study: Gastric function and autonomic nervous system are impaired in obese individuals

Study reveals diagnostic strategies eliminate ionizing radiation exposure in IBD patients

Annals of Vascular Surgery publishes Endologix's Powerlink System clinical trial results for AAA endovascular repair

Sensing a Healthier Future

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

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