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New evidence shows how gastric bypass reverses diabetes symptoms

A report in the September Cell Metabolism, a publication of Cell Press, offers new evidence to explain why those who undergo gastric bypass surgery often show greater control of their diabetes symptoms within days. It also helps to explain why lap-band surgery doesn't offer the same instant gratification.

3 Sep 2008

Knee osteoarthritis a growing problem in U.S.

Almost half of all U.S. adults and nearly two-thirds of obese adults will develop painful osteoarthritis of the knee by age 85, a study based at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggests.

2 Sep 2008

Researchers find genetic proof on how osteoarthritis destroys cartilage

A team of orthopaedic researchers has found definitive, genetic proof of how the most common form of arthritis destroys joint cartilage in nearly 21 million aging Americans, according to a study published online Sept. 2 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. The findings serve as an important foundation for the design of new treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), researchers said.

2 Sep 2008

Results from the Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in aortic stenosis study

The SEAS (Simvastatin and Ezetimibe in Aortic Stenosis) study has investigated the effects of intensive cholesterol lowering with the combination of simvastatin (40 mg daily) and ezetimibe (10 mg daily) in patients with aortic stenosis.

2 Sep 2008

A new knee or hip has a life of three years

Research from the UK has found that hip and knee replacements in general last for around three years.

2 Sep 2008

Researchers say heart bypass a better option than drug-eluting stents

Major clinical research has found that for many patients with clogged arteries, bypass surgery is a better option than drug-eluting stents.

2 Sep 2008

Earwax removal - new guidelines

The American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) will issue the first comprehensive clinical guidelines to help health care practitioners identify patients with cerumen (commonly referred to as earwax) impaction. The guidelines emphasize evidence-based management of cerumen impaction by clinicians, and inform patients of the purpose of ear wax in hearing health.

1 Sep 2008

Non-invasively measuring liver stiffness with transient elastography accurately identifies advanced liver disease without biopsy

Non-invasively measuring liver stiffness with transient elastography accurately diagnoses patients with late-stage liver disease, reports a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.

1 Sep 2008

Reality television programmes fuelling demand for cosmetic surgery

Reality television programmes which focus on extreme weight loss and drastic changes to a person's appearance may be behind a dramatic increase in cosmetic and weight reduction surgery, according to University of Auckland researchers.

1 Sep 2008

Percutaneous mitral valve repair

The scope of percutaneous cardiac therapy has expanded from percutaneous coronary and peripheral intervention to percutaneous valve intervention, first used in the mid eighties.

1 Sep 2008

Fluvastatin XL use is associated with improved cardiac outcome after major vascular surgery

The DECREASE III Study which took place in the Netherlands between June 2004 and April 2008, showed that patients treated with Fluvastatin showed an improved cardiac outcome after surgery.

1 Sep 2008

New genetic link to inflammatory bowel diseases discovered

A study which entailed scientists trawling through the genetic code of thousands of people, has revealed two new genes involved in childhood inflammatory bowel disease, a painful condition that includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis (UC).

1 Sep 2008

Drug eluting stents: New elements in the debate

Results announced at the 2006 ESC meeting in Barcelona questioned the long-term safety of drug eluting stents (DES) and sparked intense discussion.

31 Aug 2008

Who needs cardiac surgery?

Throughout the developed world, cardiac surgery faces increasing challenges from percutaneous intervention, currently with revascularisation, but potentially soon for valve replacement as well. The spectacular growth of PCI in the UK over the last five years is typical for many developed countries.

31 Aug 2008

Best use of drug-eluting stents: When should they be avoided?

Compared with bare metal stents, drug-eluting stents substantially reduce the risk of angiographic and clinical recurrence but do not affect mortality or the short term or long term risk of myocardial infarction.

31 Aug 2008

DES in diabetic patients

The issue of using or not using DES in patients with diabetes will be debated between Professor Wijns, who discourages DES and Professor Silber, who feels that they should be used.

31 Aug 2008

The BEAUTIFUL study: Ivabradine and the reduction of cardiovascular events

The results of the much awaited BEAUTIFUL (morBidity-mortality EvAlUaTion of the If inhibitor ivabradine in patients with CAD and left ventricULar dysfunction) trial have shown that coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) and a heart rate more than 70 bpm have a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular death and other cardiovascular events and in these patients (heart rate above 70 bpm) treatment with ivabradine further reduces the risk of the most important coronary events such as fatal and non-fatal myocardial infarction and coronary revascularisation by one third, even when these patients are already receiving optimal therapy.

31 Aug 2008

Study points to one cause of higher rates of transplanted kidney rejection in blacks

A Johns Hopkins research team reports it may have an explanation for at least some of the higher organ rejection rates seen among black - as compared to white - kidney transplant recipients.

31 Aug 2008

Urologist is first in the world to use robot-assisted surgery to repair rare defect

A urologist at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is the first in the world to repair a rare type of hernia using robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery. The surgery required only an 18-hour hospital stay; typically, the repair involves major surgery and three to five days of hospital care.

31 Aug 2008

Gleevec receives FDA priority review for gastrointestinal stromal tumors after surgery

Novartis has announced that Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) tablets, (known as Glivec (imatinib) outside the US, Canada and Israel), has been granted priority review status by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as the first therapy to be reviewed for use after surgery in kit-positive gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST).

27 Aug 2008