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One-side parathyroid surgery has poorer long-term outcomes

Dr James Norman, MD and his partners at the Norman Parathyroid Center have published a landmark study in this week's Journal of the American College of Surgeons describing how the operation they developed and advocated for more than 19 years has significantly poorer long-term outcomes. The unilateral or "one-side" parathyroid surgical procedure to remove parathyroid tumors from patients suffering from hyperparathyroidism is a dramatic change from the large neck operation that it replaced.

29 Mar 2012

anwerina, Ascendx Spine announce distribution partnership

Ascendx Spine, which recently received ISO 13485 Certification and CE marking approval for its Ascendx VCF Repair System and its Acu-Cut Vertebral Augmentation System to treat vertebral compression fractures (VCF), today announced an agreement with Switzerland-based anwerina AG to distribute the Ascendx Spine products in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

29 Mar 2012

SafeStitch Medical's AMID Stapler to be presented at AHS 2012

SafeStitch Medical, Inc. will present the AMID Stapler® at the 5th International Hernia Congress in New York City, March 28-31, 2012.

29 Mar 2012

Study calls for re-examination of criteria used to prioritize liver transplant candidates

Patients with end-stage liver disease complicated by the most common type of liver cancer - hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) - are less likely to die or become too sick for a transplant while waiting for a new liver than those with other complications of end-stage liver disease, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

29 Mar 2012

VasoStitch percutaneous access-and-closure system featured at ACC annual meeting

VasoStitch is developing a percutaneous access-and-closure system for the nonsurgical deployment of large-diameter transcatheter therapeutic devices, such as Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implants (TAVI) and Endovascular Aneurysm Repair (EVAR) devices. The VasoStitch system is designed to reduce procedural complexity and eliminate the need for an "open" surgical procedure.

29 Mar 2012

New treatment approach halts spread of cancer cells into normal brain tissue

Treating invasive brain tumors with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation has improved clinical outcomes, but few patients survive longer than two years after diagnosis. The effectiveness of the treatment is limited by the tumor's aggressive invasion of healthy brain tissue, which restricts chemotherapy access to the cancer cells and complicates surgical removal of the tumor.

29 Mar 2012

DaVita thanks nearly 1,500 renal social workers during NASW

DaVita Inc., a leading provider of kidney care services that is committed to improving the quality of life for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), today thanks its nearly 1,500 social workers for the value and care they provide to patients and their families.

29 Mar 2012

Accidental ingestion of wire bristles leads to necessity for surgery

Rhode Island Hospital physicians identified six cases of accidental ingestion of wire grill brush bristles that required endoscopic or surgical removal. The paper calls attention to the need for the public and physicians to be aware of this potential danger.

29 Mar 2012

Bariatric surgery may eliminate need for diabetes medication

Diabetes has become an epidemic in the United States, with the number of cases tripling over the last three decades. Most of those cases are Type 2 diabetes, which is linked to obesity and can lead to serious medical issues that range from heart disease to renal failure, blindness, and more.

29 Mar 2012

Tips to help ensure best plastic surgery results

Believe it or not, you play just as big a role in the overall success of your cosmetic surgery as your surgeon. Board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Gregory A. Buford recently published a comprehensive list of tips to help ensure the best results, no matter what procedure you're preparing for.

29 Mar 2012

Many medical implants never tested for safety

A new investigation by Consumer Reports reveals that while tens of millions of American consumers live with medical devices implanted in their bodies, many of these implants have never been tested for safety and manufacturers are often required to do nothing more than file paperwork and pay a user fee before bringing their products to market.

29 Mar 2012

IMRT associated with reduced toxicities when compared with standard whole breast irradiation

Breast cancer patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) instead of standard whole breast irradiation (WBI) have a lower incidence of acute or chronic toxicities, according to a study in Practical Radiation Oncology (PRO), the official clinical practice journal of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO).

29 Mar 2012

Single-port laparoscopic appendectomy performed at Valley Presbyterian Hospital

Surgeons at Valley Presbyterian Hospital (VPH) recently performed the hospital's first-ever single-port laparoscopic appendectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure for removing an infected appendix, which reduces scarring and healing time because it requires only one incision, Gustavo Valdespino, VPH president and CEO, announced today.

29 Mar 2012

Luna to extend development and supply agreement with Intuitive Surgical

Luna Innovations Incorporated announced today that it will be extending its development work through 2012 under its development and supply agreement with Intuitive Surgical, Inc., as they work towards the integration of Luna's shape and position sensing technology into Intuitive's medical robotic products.

29 Mar 2012

ASGE announces honorees of new endoscopy unit recognition program

The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) has recognized 18 endoscopy units as part of its program specifically dedicated to promoting quality in endoscopy, in all settings where it is practiced in the United States.

29 Mar 2012

Enrollment complete in Aperion Biologics' Z-Lig Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Device trial

Aperion Biologics, Inc. announced that it has completed patient enrollment and implantation in the Company's clinical trial of its Z-Lig Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) Device for the treatment of ligament injuries of the knee.

29 Mar 2012

37 year old man living behind a mask gets a new face

A team of U.S. doctors have carried out what they say is the most extensive face transplant ever performed. The operation at the University of Maryland gave Richard Norris 37, a new face, including jaw, teeth and tongue.

28 Mar 2012

Adjusting ventilator to keep breath size and lung pressures lower can reduce death from lung injury

Carefully adjusting mechanical ventilator settings in the intensive care unit to pump smaller breaths into very sick lungs can reduce the chances of dying by as much as 8 percent, according to a study by critical care experts at Johns Hopkins. Study participants were evaluated for two years after their acute lung injury.

28 Mar 2012

New MRI method to test effectiveness of baking soda against breast cancer

A University of Arizona study that looks to improve the way doctors can measure the effectiveness of drinking baking soda to fight breast cancer has received a $2 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

28 Mar 2012

Invasive strategy benefits patients with myotonic dystrophy type 1 neuromuscular disorder

Patients with a cardiac irregularity and myotonic dystrophy type 1 (a severe neuromuscular disorder with a high risk of sudden death) who received an invasive treatment strategy that included testing of their heart's electrical conduction system and if needed, implantation of a device such as a pacemaker, had an associated higher rate of 9-year survival compared to patients treated noninvasively, according to a study in the March 28 issue of JAMA.

28 Mar 2012