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World’s first Cesium-131 implant for recurrent head and neck cancer performed

IsoRay, Inc. (Amex: ISR) announced today that on August 5, 2009, Dr. Bhupesh Parashar from the Department of Radiation Oncology, Dr. David Kutler of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, and Dr. Jason Spector of the Department of Plastic Surgery at Weill Cornell Medical Center performed the world’s first Cesium-131 implant for a recurrent head and neck cancer (buccal mucosa).

28 Sep 2009

UK scientists discover new route by which leukaemia develops

CANCER RESEARCH UK SCIENTISTS have discovered a completely new route by which leukaemia develops, according to research published in Nature.

28 Sep 2009

Preliminary results from procedural review of Menaflex released by the FDA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) yesterday released preliminary results of a review of its internal procedures surrounding the review of ReGen Biologics’Menaflex collagen meniscus implant for use in the U.S.

28 Sep 2009

Child health experts to gather in Italy for Excellence in Paediatrics conference

Obesity, the flu pandemic and diabetes are just three of the hot topics that will be explored when top child health experts gather in Italy for Excellence in Paediatrics from 3 to 6 December 2009.

28 Sep 2009

Podiatric experts recommend team approach for diabetic foot care

Every 30 seconds, across the globe an individual loses a limb due to poor diabetes management. In the U.S., diabetes affects nearly 24 million people. When poorly controlled, diabetes results in nerve damage and poor circulation to the legs and feet.

28 Sep 2009

UTAS chooses ADI Blackfin processors to ensure high quality patient care

Analog Devices, Inc. (NYSE: ADI) today announced that UTAS, a provider of medical devices for patient monitoring and diagnostics, has selected ADI Blackfin® processors to ensure high-performance digital signal processing operations and robust functionality across its full line of products.

28 Sep 2009

Research reveals prophylactic mastectomy is on the rise

A new study of New York State data finds that the number of women opting for surgery to remove the healthy breast after a cancer diagnosis in one breast is rising, despite a lack of evidence that the surgery can improve survival.

28 Sep 2009

First heart surgery using MECC system completed

MAQUET Cardiovascular announced today that Johannes Bonatti, M.D., Professor of Surgery and Director of Coronary Surgery and Advanced Coronary Interventions at the University of Maryland Heart Center in Baltimore, has completed the world's first use of the MAQUET Minimized ExtraCorporeal Circulation (MECC) system during a successful robotic and fully endoscopic heart surgery. The new cardiopulmonary bypass technology is the first major advancement in perfusion technology in the last decade. It is designed to minimize the effects of traditional heart surgery and aid in minimally-invasive heart surgery without the need to stop the patient's heart from beating.

28 Sep 2009

New research offers significant insights into the long-term impact of a major disaster on routine surgical services

New research published in the September issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons offers important insights into the long-term impact of a major disaster on routine surgical services in a hospital. In the study, researchers at Ochsner Health System, New Orleans, LA, showed that although Hurricane Katrina resulted in a significant loss of surgical staff and an increase in the number of uninsured patients undergoing operations, greater cost efficiencies were achieved.

25 Sep 2009

No medical errors in the month of July as widely believed: Study

New research published in the September issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons challenges the widely held belief that more medical errors occur in teaching hospitals during the month of July due to the influx of new graduates from medical and nursing schools - also known as the "July Phenomenon." The study shows no differences in in-hospital mortality rates, number of days in the intensive care unit (ICU) or on ventilator support, or minutes spent undergoing resuscitation for trauma patients in July compared with results for other months of the year.

25 Sep 2009

State round-up: Warnings, coverage and violations in health care

Modern Healthcare: "States would have up to one year to repay the federal government a share of the money they recoup from fraudulent or improper Medicaid payments, under an amendment approved by the Senate Finance Committee. Under current law, once state inspectors identify fraudulent practices, they have 60 days to return a portion of the federal dollars back to the government. Under the new amendment, states would instead have a full year to make those payments while expanding the role of recovery audit contractors" (DoBias, 9/24).

25 Sep 2009

NIH calls for identifying better methods to predict the risk of developing breast cancer

Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), the most common non-invasive lesion of the breast, presents unique challenges for patients and providers largely because the natural course of the untreated disease is not well understood. Because most women diagnosed with DCIS are treated, it is difficult to determine the comparative benefits of different treatment strategies versus active surveillance, meaning systematic followup.

25 Sep 2009

Levin Group to develop a practice integration program for BIOLASE dental lasers

BIOLASE Technology, Inc. today announced that it has engaged Baltimore-based Levin Group, Inc., a leading international dental practice consulting firm, to develop a practice management system for the successful integration and implementation of BIOLASE dental lasers into everyday dental offices.

25 Sep 2009

Entertainment Arts Research to acquire Explain My Surgery

Entertainment Arts Research, Inc. (EARI) today announced that they have issued a letter of intent to acquire Explain My Surgery, Inc. (EMS) and have the company become a wholly-owned subsidiary of EARI.

25 Sep 2009

Phase III PLATO study proves that ticagrelor is more effective than clopidogrel

New data from the phase III PLATO study showed that ticagrelor (BRILINTA((TM))) provided greater reduction of cardiovascular (CV) events (composite of CV death, heart attack and stroke) than clopidogrel (9.02% vs. 10.65%,>

25 Sep 2009

Senators urge the CMS to spare funding cuts for radiation oncology services

Cancer physicians and cancer care advocates applauded a bipartisan letter led by Senators Richard Burr (R-NC) and Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) sent to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius yesterday urging that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) spare life-saving radiation oncology services from a major Medicare funding cut proposed for diagnostic imaging services. The 32 Senators signing the letter stated their unanimous concern that these funding cuts could force freestanding and community-based cancer centers to shut down, thereby limiting access to care for seniors - particularly in rural areas.

25 Sep 2009

NIDCD awards research grant to Mobius Therapeutics

Mobius Therapeutics, LLC ™ has been awarded a research grant from the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders (NIDCD) to study its investigational procedure, selective Photodynamic Myringotomy (PDM).

25 Sep 2009

Qrxpharma forms an alliance with Liaoning Nuokang Medicines to commercialise its venomics assets

QRxPharma Limited,announced today a strategic alliance with Liaoning Nuokang Medicines Co. Ltd. ("Nuokang"), a Chinese biopharmaceutical company based in Shenyang, China, to develop and commercialise QRxPharma's venomics assets for the Chinese market.

25 Sep 2009

Webcast on the treatment of cardiovascular diseases

On September 24th at 7:00pm EDT, Dr. Holly Andersen, Director of Education and Outreach at the Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, will host a live webcast exploring the advances and innovations in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. The air live on ORLive.com from the Hospital's new Ronald O. Perelman Heart Institute.

25 Sep 2009

Severe plagiocephaly in babies can lead to ear infections

The recommendation to lay babies on their backs to sleep has reduced sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but has led to an increased number of infants with a skull deformity called deformational (or positional) plagiocephaly. Now new research suggests that infants with more severe plagiocephaly may have a higher rate of middle ear abnormalities associated with ear infections (otitis media), reports the September issue of The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

25 Sep 2009