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Fibrinogen may reduce bleeding complications in cardiac surgery, says study

A joint clinical trial conducted by the University Hospital and the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, found that an element in human blood, fibrinogen, is likely more vital to the blood's clotting ability in connection with heart surgery than previously considered. If

10 May 2010

Double-balloon endoscopy reveals intestinal lipomas within jejunal duplication cysts

Lipoma of the small intestine is a benign tumor of mesenchymal origin which is mostly found by chance during gastrointestinal investigation. Invaginations account for 2/3 of small bowel occlusion caused by up to 80% of tumors and the lipoma is the most frequent benign tumor that causes invagination in its submucous polypoid and it is in more or less scissile form.

10 May 2010

Animal study reveals intestinal bacteria can promote tumor growth

A team of University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers has discovered that common intestinal bacteria appear to promote tumor growths in genetically susceptible mice, but that tumorigenesis can be suppressed if the mice are exposed to an inhibiting protein enzyme.

10 May 2010

Americans facing grievous harm from chemicals in the air, food and water

The U.S. President's Cancer Panel has come out with a new report on cancer risks and preventive measures, but policy makers don't seem interested. While the report is being praised by cancer awareness activists the majority of the government seems strangely unaffected by the new report. The President's Cancer Panel usually has three members appointed by the President but as of now there are only two people on the panel, namely Dr. Leffall and Dr. Margaret L. Kripke.

9 May 2010

Lawsuit over hepatitis C infections contracted from Doctor

Nearly 30 women got infected with Hepatitis C virus due to a breach in infection prevention protocols by an anaesthetist at a late-term abortion clinic. The incidents occurred at the Croydon Day Surgery in Melbourne's eastern suburbs during an 18-month period when James Latham Peters was working as an anaesthetist. The issue had come to light in the last few weeks. Now a multi million dollar lawsuit against the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria on behalf of the allegedly infected women is being planned.

9 May 2010

Researchers launch NIH-sponsored clinical trial for spinal deformity

Researchers at Northwestern Memorial have launched the first-ever National Institutes of Health-sponsored clinical trial for spinal deformity. The trial will evaluate the effectiveness of surgical and non-surgical treatments in people with adult scoliosis or curvature of the spine. Researchers also hope to identify important factors related to patient reported outcomes such as pain, activity and appearance.

7 May 2010

HCA proposes initial public offering of common stock

HCA Inc. announced today that it has filed a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission relating to a proposed initial public offering of approximately $4 billion of shares of its common stock to be sold by HCA and certain existing shareholders. It is anticipated that approximately $2.5 billion of the offering will consist of newly issued shares sold by HCA. Such amounts do not give effect to the underwriters' option to purchase additional shares to cover overallotments.

7 May 2010

HCA's first-quarter 2010 revenues increased to $7.544 billion

HCA Inc. today announced financial and operating results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2010.

7 May 2010

First 3-year results of world's largest temporomandibular joint disorder study reported at APS meeting

Scientists with the University of Maryland Dental School and collaborators at three other major universities will report results from the first three years of the world's largest study yet of a mysterious yet common pain syndrome involving the jaw at 8:30 a.m.on May 7 at the annual scientific meeting of the American Pain Society (APS). This year it is being held at the Baltimore Convention Center.

7 May 2010

Researchers investigate effects of fatigue on neurosurgery resident performance

There are more than 6,000 U.S. hospitals, with approximately 3,500 actively practicing board-certified neurosurgeons serving a population of over 303 million people. About 150 neurosurgery residents graduate every year from the 99 accredited U.S. neurosurgery training programs.

7 May 2010

Researchers analyze relationship between extent of resection and outcome in patients with glioblastoma

Gliomas arise from the supporting cells of the brain, called the glia. These cells are subdivided into astrocytes, ependymal cells and oligodendroglial cells (or oligos). These tumors are graded from the lowest grade 1 to highest grade 4, with glioblastoma multiforme being the highest grade and deadliest type of glioma.

7 May 2010

Minimally invasive scopes to detect cancer

Just as cameras and televisions have been reinvented in the last decade with improved optics, sharpness and brightness, so have the tiny imaging scopes that physicians use to peer into the body's nooks and crannies -- its organs and digestive system.

7 May 2010

MBPs offer no clinical benefit to patients undergoing PD: Research team

Mechanical bowel preparations are commonly administered preoperatively to patients who undergo a pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure) to treat benign and malignant tumors of the pancreas, common bile duct or duodenum. MBPs are employed as a preventative measure in gastrointestinal surgery but their effectiveness in reducing perioperative infectious complications remains unclear.

7 May 2010

Celebrity chef extends support to prevent malnutrition in older people

Pioneering research from the University of Reading is being used to enhance the taste of hospital food to help prevent or treat malnutrition in older people.

7 May 2010

Preoperative MRI helps spare erectile function, continence after RALP for prostate cancer

Preoperative prostate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help urologic surgeons spare the neurovascular bundle (NVB) (which controls a man's erectile function and continence) during a robotic assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP) for the treatment of prostate cancer, according to a study to be presented at the ARRS 2010 Annual Meeting in San Diego, CA.

7 May 2010

Advances in genetic research could help develop personalized pain medications

In the not too distant future, it may be possible to discern an individual's genetic predisposition to chronic pain conditions and treat them proactively to prevent lifetime afflictions, according to research presented today at the American Pain Society's (www.ampainsoc.org) annual scientific meeting.

7 May 2010

DXA testing can prevent osteoporosis in at-risk women

Geisinger has exceeded the national benchmark for testing women who are at risk for developing osteoporosis - a silent and serious disease.

7 May 2010

VA plans to limit surgeries at some of its facilities

The Department of Veterans Affairs will limit the kinds of surgeries at some hospitals after a review of surgical deaths at a hospital in southern Illinois, The Associated Press reports. "Under a new system, the VA has given each hospital a 'surgical complexity' level. Because of that, hospitals in at least five states — Louisiana, West Virginia, North Carolina, Illinois and Washington state — will now only perform less-complicated surgeries. The VA will pick up the tab for patients who have surgeries performed elsewhere" (Hefling, 5/6).

7 May 2010

Tel Aviv researchers develop microscope-based cell scanner to speed research into fat-busting drugs

Anglers rely on fish finders to help them locate the big catch. Now Tel Aviv University researchers in tissue engineering have developed a "fat finder" that can help scientists accelerate their research into new fat-melting drugs.

7 May 2010

Investigators demonstrate safety and efficacy of targeted medication to shrink advanced kidney cancers

A multicenter team of investigators led by the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has demonstrated, for the first time, the safety and efficacy of a targeted medication to shrink advanced kidney cancers prior to partial kidney removal and reconstruction. Their findings were published in the April 2010 online edition of BJU International.

6 May 2010