Urology News and Research

Latest Urology News and Research

Watson enters new $1.8B senior secured term loan facility

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that it has entered into a new senior secured term loan facility in an aggregate principal amount of $1.8 billion. Borrowings under the new term loan facility bear interest, at a rate equal to LIBOR plus an expected margin of 1.50%, which is subject to a ratings based margin grid. The new five year term loan is fully prepayable.

25 Jun 2012

AUA, AIUM announce collaborative development of urologic ultrasound practice guidelines

The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) and American Urological Association (AUA) are proud to announce the collaborative development of practice and training guidelines in the practice of urologic ultrasound which has led to the availability of practice accreditation through the AIUM.

23 Jun 2012

Grb2 switch controls normal signaling through fibroblast growth factor receptor

Once considered merely a passive link between proteins that matter, Grb2 - pronounced "grab2" - actually lives up to its nickname with its controlling grip on an important cell signaling pathway, scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the June 22 issue of Cell.

22 Jun 2012

Mid-urethral sling may reduce risk of urinary incontinence after surgery

For many adult women, supporting tissues in and around their vagina weaken to the point where the bladder and other organs descend from their normal position, creating a hernia into the vaginal wall known as pelvic organ prolapse. One in five women will undergo surgery to repair such prolapse.

22 Jun 2012

Patients with MS appear to have reduced risk of cancer

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients appear to have a lower cancer risk, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health.

22 Jun 2012

Midurethral slings can prevent pre-operative urinary incontinence in women with vaginal prolapse

A multicenter study involving a UT Southwestern Medical Center urogynecologist will eliminate some of the guesswork physicians face about whether to use a sling during vaginal prolapse repair to prevent urinary incontinence.

21 Jun 2012

Foods fortified with folic acid can prevent neural tube defects

Wheat flour milled in Nigeria will soon be fortified with folic acid, a B vitamin known for preventing serious or fatal birth defects of the spine and brain. Women who may become pregnant are encouraged to daily choose foods fortified with this essential vitamin because it can prevent the majority of these devastating birth defects known as neural tube defects.

21 Jun 2012

Review describes new classes of drugs that target androgens in novel ways

Prostate cancer cells require androgens including testosterone to grow. A recent review in the British Journal of Urology International describes new classes of drugs that target androgens in novel ways, providing alternatives to the traditional methods that frequently carry high side effects.

21 Jun 2012

FimH antagonists can effectively treat UTIs

A potential new approach for treating urinary tract infections (UTIs) - which affect millions of people annually - without traditional antibiotics is being reported in ACS' Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. It involves so-called FimH antagonists, which are non-antibiotic compounds and would not contribute to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance bacteria.

21 Jun 2012

AUA Foundation introduces It's Time to Talk About OAB campaign

On the heels of the fourth annual World Continence Week, the American Urological Association (AUA) Foundation has launched "It's Time to Talk About OAB," a nationwide education campaign designed to elevate awareness of Overactive Bladder (OAB), a common, yet often untreated condition, as a public health issue.

20 Jun 2012

Covidien introduces knotless suturing device for laparoscopic surgery

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, today announced the latest additions to its growing bariatric surgery portfolio of products and services designed to improve patient and surgeon experiences with weight loss surgery and other procedures.

19 Jun 2012

US Court of Appeals confirms District Court decision in Watson's Sanctura XR patent suit

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today confirmed that the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit has affirmed the United States District Court for the District of Delaware's March 31, 2012 decision that the asserted claims of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,410,978; 7,759,359; 7,781,448; 7,781,449 and 7,763,635 relating to Sanctura XR (trospium chloride extended-release capsules) are invalid.

19 Jun 2012

Health Canada approves Viveve System to improve sexual function after childbirth

Viveve, Inc., a woman's health company and pioneer in non-surgical vaginal tissue restoration, announces Health Canada has issued a Medical Device License for the Viveve System to treat laxity of the vaginal introitus (opening) after vaginal childbirth, to improve sexual function. The Viveve procedure is the first of its kind and clinical results have shown an improvement in the feeling of vaginal tightness and sexual satisfaction for women.

18 Jun 2012

Agility MLC's new design provides better dose sculpting capabilities

Requiring only a quick upgrade to their existing Elekta Synergy linear accelerator, physicians at SALK and Paracelsus Medical University began using the new Agility 160-leaf multileaf collimator (MLC), treating 33 patients on its first day. In its first month of Agility use, the center now treats 50 patients per day, comprising about 700 individual treatment sessions that have benefited from this breakthrough in cancer care.

From Elekta 18 Jun 2012

Study finds no evidence to support an effect of THC on MS progression

The first large non-commercial study to investigate whether the main active constituent of cannabis (tetrahydrocannabinol or THC) is effective in slowing the course of progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) shows that there is no evidence to suggest this; although benefits were noted for those at the lower end of the disability scale.

16 Jun 2012

Top five prostate wellness tips

David Samadi, MD, Vice-Chair of Urology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, knows that many men put off caring for their health, even when they have a family. But just a loving nudge from his family can help keep Dad on track for long-term prostate health, prostate cancer prevention, and prostate cancer awareness.

15 Jun 2012