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Vitrase has been approved for use as an adjunct to rehydrating agents

The Food and Drug Administration approved Vitrase (hyaluronidase for injection). Vitrase is an injectable drug approved as an adjunct to (in combination with) other injected drugs to increase their absorption and dispersion. Hyaluronidase has been used most commonly in combination with local anesthetics in the setting of ophthalmic (eye) surgery.

6 May 2004

New Yorkers less likely to fall from buildings

A national study by Columbia University Medical Center (CUMC) researchers shows that young minority children from lower income neighborhoods are far more likely to die or be injured in falls from buildings.

6 May 2004

FDA approval of Hylaform and Restylane, both injectable gels, to treat facial wrinkles

The list of cosmetic soft tissue fillers on the market and in the pipeline worldwide is growing rapidly. Many have been introduced with great fanfare; relatively few stand the test of regulatory or peer review - as well as the test of time.

6 May 2004

Weight loss and exercise regime helps osteoarthritis

A combination of moderate weight loss and exercise is an effective treatment for overweight adults with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to new research from Wake Forest University published in the May issue of the journal Arthritis & Rheumatism.

6 May 2004

World's first gene therapy trial aimed at preventing cancer

The concept seems straightforward. If, at its heart, cancer is a disease of genes, then giving patients new genes should disarm cancer. Such treatment would replace missing or faulty genes that keep cell growth in check, or would flush the body with "super genes" that could attack and destroy cancer.

5 May 2004

Care that combines medication and psychotherapy can reduce alcohol abuse by trauma survivors

Approximately 2.5 million Americans are so severely injured each year that they require inpatient hospital admissions, and between 10 and 40 percent of these patients go on to develop symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

5 May 2004

African American and Asian American patients are less likely than whites to turn to a medical specialist

African American and Asian American patients are less likely than whites to turn to a medical specialist for their initial care, suggesting a possible explanation for why racial differences in health care exist, according to a new UCLA study.

4 May 2004

$FDA approves INFUSE® bone graft which improves fracture healing$

FDA approves INFUSE® bone graft which improves fracture healing

Medtronic, Inc. has announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of INFUSE® Bone Graft in the treatment of acute, open fractures of the tibial shaft, a long bone in the lower leg. The approval broadens the indications for INFUSE Bone Graft, a product that has been used since 2002 in spinal surgery with metallic cages to treat tens of thousands of patients.

4 May 2004

LVAD heart pumps improve survival in congestive heart failure patients

Despite a risk of stroke, left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) – heart pumps – work better than medical therapy in keeping seriously ill congestive heart failure patients alive, according to Columbia researchers.

4 May 2004

South Asian breast cancer patients may have higher rates of mastectomy compared with non-Asians

South Asian breast cancer patients living in Yorkshire may have higher rates of mastectomy compared with non-Asians because they present to their GPs too late, Cancer Research UK scientists reveal today

4 May 2004

First drug product for treatment of short bowel syndrome

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a rare and potentially life-threatening condition in which the ability of the small intestine to absorb the nutrition a person needs from food is impaired. Short bowel syndrome can occur after surgical removal of part of the intestine, due to trauma or because the intestine is diseased.

4 May 2004

IMRT controls head and neck cancer reducing radiation side effects

Intensity modulated radiation therapy, also known as IMRT, when used alone or combined with surgery, has been shown to greatly increase the chance for survival for patients with head and neck cancer while greatly reducing painful side effects, according to a new study.

3 May 2004

Survey reveals surprising attitudes about joint replacement

DePuy, Inc., a Johnson & Johnson company, today released the results of a Harris Interactive® survey showing that, when asked about joint replacement, nearly half of surgery candidates said they were holding off on surgery because they were waiting for more advanced surgical techniques.

3 May 2004

Versatile spinal procedure may offer less muscle damage and quicker recovery times

Medtronic, Inc. has introduced at the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) meeting in Orlando the latest advancement in the company’s line of Minimal Access Spinal Technologies (MASTSM), which offer surgeons the ability to treat conditions of the lumbar spine using less-invasive techniques.

3 May 2004

Wyeth gets FDA approval for a novel protein device that enhances bone healing

Wyeth have announced that the FDA has approved rhBMP-2/ACS (recombinant human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2/Absorbable Collagen Sponge), a novel protein device that enhances bone healing, for use in the treatment of acute, open tibia shaft fractures in adults.

3 May 2004

Chemical thumbprint can help determine if tumor is returning or dying

Brain tumor survivors live with the constant worry that their cancer might come back. And even if they have a brain scan every few months to check, doctors often can't tell the difference between new cancer growth and tissue changes related to their treatment with radiation or chemotherapy.

3 May 2004

Elastic titanium nails help children recover faster from a broken leg than the traditional cast treatment

Elastic titanium nails help children recover faster from a broken leg than the traditional treatment with weeks of traction and a body cast, according to a new study from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

3 May 2004

New practice guidelines for treating fluid in the ears

Most toddlers and preschoolers will be diagnosed with fluid in their middle ears--or otitis media with effusion (OME)--at some time before school age.

3 May 2004

Iraqi Freedom low casualty rates compared with other recent conflicts

Military neurosurgeons serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom have recently reported a significant decrease in casualty rates compared with other recent conflicts.

3 May 2004

Intraocular lens demonstrates ability to provide excellent near and distance vision after cataract removal

Alcon, Inc. reported updated clinical results on the AcrySof®ReSTOR®intraocular lens (IOL) that demonstrate its ability to substantially restore a cataract patient’s ability to see both near and distant objects without the aid of reading glasses or bifocals.

3 May 2004