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Anthem Blue Cross' payment cuts for physical therapy services will financially prevent providers from offering care

Patients enrolled in Anthem Blue Cross of California may be in for a rude and costly awakening the next time they visit a physical therapist. According to the California Physical Therapy Association, the insurance company is slashing payment for physical therapy services to a rate so low it is financially impossible for many physical therapists to continue providing care to enrollees of Anthem Blue Cross.

26 Feb 2010

Locally advanced sinonasal malignancies: Proton beam radiation therapy promising

Proton beam radiation therapy shows encouraging results for patients with locally advanced sinonasal malignancies, according to a study presented at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium, sponsored by AHNS, ASCO, ASTRO and SNM.

26 Feb 2010

New Robotic Surgical Simulator created for robot-assisted surgery

A collaboration between the Center for Robotic Surgery at Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the University at Buffalo's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences has produced one of the world's first simulators that closely approximates the "touch and feel" of the da Vinci- robotic surgical system.

26 Feb 2010

Surgeons perform nation's first incision-free myotomy procedure to treat achalasia

Surgeons at UC San Diego Medical Center have performed the nation's first incision-free myotomy, a procedure to treat achalasia, a distressing disorder which causes difficulty swallowing, regurgitation and chest pain. The innovative surgery, performed through the mouth, is the most recent in a series of groundbreaking clinical trial surgeries being evaluated by the UCSD Center for the Future of Surgery.

26 Feb 2010

Study identifies risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in kidney disease patients on dialysis

Vitamin D deficiency is almost universal among kidney disease patients who have low blood protein levels and who start dialysis during the winter, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The research identifies a group of patients who are at extremely high risk of being deficient in vitamin D and provides some clues as to why the deficiency occurs in these individuals.

26 Feb 2010

Guidant conceals defibrillator safety problems from FDA, is charged with criminal violations

Medical device manufacturer Guidant LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Boston Scientific Corporation, was charged today with criminal violations of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act related to safety problems with some of its implantable defibrillators. Guidant LLC formerly did business as Guidant Corporation. The Justice Department filed the criminal information today in connection with an agreement with Guidant to resolve the charges. A formal guilty plea agreement is expected to be filed with the court at a later date.

26 Feb 2010

Accelerated radiation therapy helps reduce amount of chemotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer patients

Using an accelerated, shorter course of radiation therapy for patients with advanced head and neck cancer allows doctors to reduce the amount of chemotherapy, thus reducing toxicity, according to a study presented at the Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Cancer Symposium, sponsored by AHNS, ASCO, ASTRO and SNM.

26 Feb 2010

TMI's Glider balloon catheter for PTA of lesions in peripheral vasculature receives FDA marketing clearance

TriReme Medical, Inc. (TMI) announced today that it has received FDA clearance for its newest product, the Glider™ balloon catheter, for percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) of lesions in the peripheral vasculature including the iliac, femoral, ilio-femoral, popliteal, infra-popliteal, and renal arteries.

25 Feb 2010

Boston IVF The Maine Center opened to offer full range of infertility and reproductive health services

Boston IVF, a leading medical practice providing specialized infertility treatment since 1986, is expanding its patient care services in Maine and has opened Boston IVF The Maine Center, offering local patients state-of-the-art care closer to home.

25 Feb 2010

Ovarian transplant: A viable method for fertility treatment

For the first time, a woman has given birth to two children after her fertility was restored using transplants of ovarian tissue that had been removed and frozen during her cancer treatment and then restored once she was cured.

25 Feb 2010

Transplanting genetically modified adult stem cells into injured spinal cord increases movement recovery

Researchers at UTHealth have demonstrated in rats that transplanting genetically modified adult stem cells into an injured spinal cord can help restore the electrical pathways associated with movement. The results are published in the Feb. 24 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience.

25 Feb 2010

Advanced ovarian cancer: Avastin-chemotherapy combination followed by Avastin alone improves PFS

Genentech, Inc., a wholly owned member of the Roche Group, today announced that a Phase III study showed the combination of Avastin® (bevacizumab) and chemotherapy followed by maintenance use of Avastin alone increased the time women with previously untreated advanced ovarian cancer lived without the disease worsening (progression-free survival or PFS), compared to chemotherapy alone. A preliminary assessment of safety noted adverse events previously observed in pivotal trials of Avastin.

25 Feb 2010

End-stage ankle arthritis: New treatment options for baby boomers

There's good news for active older adults who are plagued with arthritic ankles. Surgeons presenting today at the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons' Annual Scientific Conference in Las Vegas are re-thinking treatment approaches for end-stage ankle arthritis.

25 Feb 2010

AOSSM and RTI Biologics award $250,000 grant for ligament and tendon repair and regeneration research

Dr. Robert C. Bray of the University of Calgary was recently selected as the winner of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine's (AOSSM) $250,000 Ligament and Tendon Repair and Regeneration Grant for his project, "Biological Augmentation of Ligament and Tendon Healing: Role of Neuropeptides."

25 Feb 2010

SBi's Mini-Rail System and Cannulated Screw System receive FDA pre-market clearance

Small Bone Innovations, Inc. (SBi), a leading, privately-held orthopedics company focused exclusively on technologies and treatments for the small bones & joints, announced that it has received 510(k) pre-market clearance notifications from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for Mini-Rail Fixation System (‘Mini-Rail System’) and large Cannulated Screw System for use in lower limb reconstruction and repair procedures.

25 Feb 2010

Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery program performed at John Muir Medical Center

As part of John Muir Health’s Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery program, a minimally invasive thymectomy – removal of the thymus gland – was successfully performed recently at the John Muir Medical Center – Concord Campus. This procedure, designed to minimize trauma to patients, uses the latest generation da Vinci® Si Surgical System to help surgeons see vital anatomical structures more clearly and to perform a more precise operation.

24 Feb 2010

Smith & Nephew launches DYONICS RF System to remove soft tissue during arthroscopic surgery

Smith & Nephew's Endoscopy Division today announced the launch of the DYONICS™ RF System, which incorporates a compact generator with a family of probes for aggressively removing defects and smoothing soft tissue during arthroscopic surgery.

24 Feb 2010

Observational study on mild demonstrates acute safety of procedure in treatment of LSS

Medical device company Vertos Medical Inc. has reported that an observational study on mild, published in the January/February 2010 issue of the peer-reviewed journal Pain Physician, has demonstrated the acute safety of the procedure in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).

24 Feb 2010

First convertible endotracheal tube launched by Teleflex Medical

Teleflex Medical has announced the introduction of the Teleflex ISIS™ HVT™, the first convertible endotracheal tube. The Teleflex ISIS HVT features an integrated suction port and separate suction line allowing for subglottic secretion suctioning on demand. Now clinicians can be free from the burden of choosing which tube is best for the patient at the time of intubation. When needed, the suction tube attaches to the Teleflex ISIS HVT via a secure locking connection.

24 Feb 2010

Pain-free sedation dentistry may help reduce fear of the dentist

Fear of the dentist is a huge problem in the United States. While as many as four out of five Americans admit being afraid of the dentist, it is estimated that one in seven Americans never get any dental treatment at all because of dental phobia. Sedation dentistry is a pain-free option.

24 Feb 2010

Medical Procedure News

Anthem Blue Cross' payment cuts for physical therapy services will financially prevent providers from offering care

Locally advanced sinonasal malignancies: Proton beam radiation therapy promising

New Robotic Surgical Simulator created for robot-assisted surgery

Surgeons perform nation's first incision-free myotomy procedure to treat achalasia

Study identifies risk factors for vitamin D deficiency in kidney disease patients on dialysis

Guidant conceals defibrillator safety problems from FDA, is charged with criminal violations

Accelerated radiation therapy helps reduce amount of chemotherapy in advanced head and neck cancer patients

TMI's Glider balloon catheter for PTA of lesions in peripheral vasculature receives FDA marketing clearance

Boston IVF The Maine Center opened to offer full range of infertility and reproductive health services

Ovarian transplant: A viable method for fertility treatment

Transplanting genetically modified adult stem cells into injured spinal cord increases movement recovery

Advanced ovarian cancer: Avastin-chemotherapy combination followed by Avastin alone improves PFS

End-stage ankle arthritis: New treatment options for baby boomers

AOSSM and RTI Biologics award $250,000 grant for ligament and tendon repair and regeneration research

SBi's Mini-Rail System and Cannulated Screw System receive FDA pre-market clearance

Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery program performed at John Muir Medical Center

Smith & Nephew launches DYONICS RF System to remove soft tissue during arthroscopic surgery

Observational study on mild demonstrates acute safety of procedure in treatment of LSS

First convertible endotracheal tube launched by Teleflex Medical

Pain-free sedation dentistry may help reduce fear of the dentist

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

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