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Gene therapy and stem cell transplantation successfully reverse hemophilia A

For the first time, researchers have combined gene therapy and stem cell transplantation to successfully reverse the severe, crippling bleeding disorder hemophilia A in large animals, opening the door to the development of new therapies for human patients.

3 Nov 2011

Medtronic launches MIDLF procedure at 26th North American Spine Society meeting

Medtronic, Inc. the world leader in spinal technology, announced today a pioneering approach to minimally invasive spinal fusion at the 26th annual meeting of the North American Spine Society in Chicago, IL.

From Medtronic 3 Nov 2011

Benefits of combined therapy for men with high-risk prostate cancer

Men with locally advanced or high-risk prostate cancer who receive combined radiation and hormone therapy live longer and are less likely to die from their disease, shows clinical research led by radiation oncologists at the Princess Margaret Hospital (PMH) Cancer Program, University Health Network.

3 Nov 2011

Clinical-grade viral vector can cure choroideremia

Researchers at Ohio State University Medical Center and Nationwide Children's Hospital have developed a viral vector designed to deliver a gene into the eyes of people born with an inherited, progressive form of blindness that affects mainly males.

3 Nov 2011

MSCs can be reprogrammed to have enhanced survival and therapeutic efficacy

Chinese stem cell scientists have published new research that improves the survival and effectiveness of transplanted stem cells. The research led by Dr Hsiao Chang Chan, from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is published in Stem Cells.

3 Nov 2011

Medtronic initiates CoreValve System trial to treat severe aortic stenosis in Japan

Medtronic, Inc. today announced the first implant in a clinical trial in Japan that will evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Medtronic CoreValve System.

From Medtronic 3 Nov 2011

Edwards Lifescience receives FDA approval for Sapien Transcatheter Heart Valve

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved the first artificial heart valve that can replace an aortic heart valve damaged by senile aortic valve stenosis without open-heart surgery.

3 Nov 2011

Many spinal fusion surgery patients have low levels of vitamin D

A new study indicates that many patients undergoing spine surgery have low levels of vitamin D, which may delay their recovery. In a study of 313 patients undergoing spinal fusion surgery, orthopaedic surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that more than half had inadequate levels of vitamin D, including one-fourth who were more severely deficient.

3 Nov 2011

TriVascular receives FDA approval for Ovation stent graft system to treat AAA

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a stent graft system that provides patients with small arteries the option of less invasive surgery to repair their potentially life-threatening abdominal aortic aneurysm.

3 Nov 2011

Argus II Retinal Prosthesis System successfully implanted in advanced Retinitis Pigmentosa patient

Second Sight Medical Products, Inc., the world's leading developer of retinal prostheses for the blind, announced that the first ever commercial implantation of such a prosthesis was successfully completed on Saturday, October 29th in Pisa, Italy.

2 Nov 2011

Radiation therapy prior to HCT improves outcomes in older patients with hematologic malignancies

Older patients with advanced hematologic malignancies, such as leukemia and lymphoma, who received a conditioning regimen that included minimal-intensity radiation therapy prior to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation had survival and progression-free survival outcomes suggesting that this treatment approach may be a viable option for older patients with these malignancies, according to a study in the November 2 issue of JAMA.

2 Nov 2011

Solid organ transplant may increase risk of cancer

Patients who have received a solid organ transplant, such as kidney, liver, heart or lung, have an overall cancer risk that is double that of the general population, with an increased risk for many different types of malignancies, according to a study in the November 2 issue of JAMA.

2 Nov 2011

Age is no longer a barrier to allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Age alone no longer should be considered a defining factor when determining whether an older patient with blood cancer is a candidate for stem cell transplantation. That's the conclusion of the first study summarizing long-term outcomes from a series of prospective clinical trials of patients age 60 and over who were treated with the mini-transplant, a "kinder, gentler" form of allogeneic (donor cell) stem cell transplantation developed at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

2 Nov 2011

Johns Hopkins breast cancer researcher wins BioMaryland LIFE Prize

A Johns Hopkins breast cancer researcher is the recipient of a $50,000 award designed to encourage rapid translation of her basic research on biomarkers into a commercially available test that could predict the best treatment options for some women with breast cancer.

2 Nov 2011

Young microenvironment rejuvenates old stem cells

Old stem cells can be rejuvenated by being placed in a young microenvironment, research from The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio shows. This raises the possibility that patients' own stem cells may one day be rescued and banked to treat their age-related diseases.

2 Nov 2011

No link between anti-clotting drugs and increased risk of bleeding in GI procedure

Patients with recent use of aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS), or anti-clotting drugs such as clopidogreal (Plavix) do not appear to have an increased risk of bleeding during or after removal of precancerous lesions in the digestive tract, according to results of a Mayo Clinic study.

2 Nov 2011

Penn surgeons perform first bilateral hand transplantation

For the first time in the Delaware Valley Region, a patient has undergone a complex and intricate bilateral hand transplant that could significantly enhance the quality-of-life for persons with multiple limb loss.

2 Nov 2011

Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital surgeons successfully separate conjoined twins

Formerly conjoined twins Angelica and Angelina Sabuco have been successfully separated, physicians at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital announced late this afternoon.

2 Nov 2011

LDR's ROI-A Oblique ALIF cage receives FDA marketing clearance

LDR, a privately held medical device company offering innovative spinal implants for both non-fusion and fusion applications, announced that it has received 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration to market the ROI-A Oblique ALIF cage. The oblique cage complements its forerunner, the ROI-A ALIF cage, which is designed for direct anterior insertion.

1 Nov 2011

ECMO and heart procedures performed as a bridge to lung transplantation

Surgeons at UK HealthCare recently became the first ever to perform two specific procedures together as a bridge to lung transplantation. Wanda Craig, of Lexington, Ky., is the first patient in history to receive these procedures, and at the age of 68, she is also the oldest living human to be bridged to transplant using an artificial lung device, also known as an extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO).

1 Nov 2011