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New antibody could prevent Candida infections in patients who receive central lines

A team of researchers at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center has developed an antibody that could prevent Candida infections that often afflict hospitalized patients who receive central lines.

12 Sep 2013

New strategy to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections

Simply replacing the connector in the IV system in patients with central lines could help reduce deadly bloodstream infections, researchers at Georgia Regents University have found.

11 Sep 2013

Dementia catheterization rate a ‘cause for concern’

Researchers from the UK have found that patients with dementia presenting in primary care with urinary incontinence are significantly more likely to receive pharmacologic treatment or be catheterized than other patients.

9 Sep 2013

Semi-automatic catheter insertion gun reduces pain in hospitalized children

Administering fluids to patients is carried out through intravenous (IV) catheters, inserting a needle in a vein in a common medical procedure. However, the motor coordination required to insert an IV catheter is very demanding, particularly in children and infants. This often causes pain, distress and frustration.

4 Sep 2013

New prototype device for safe IV insertion reduces pain in hospitalized children

A new prototype device for rapid and safe IV insertion reduces pain in hospitalized children. The semi-automatic handheld device, called SAGIV, identifies veins, inserts a needle and withdraws it in a single movement. It was developed by students and clinicians in the Biodesign program of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Hadassah Medical Center.

3 Sep 2013

Enhanced recovery pathway recovers patients undergoing gynecologic surgery more quickly

Patients who had complex gynecologic surgery managed by an enhanced recovery pathway resulted in decreased narcotic use, earlier discharge, stable readmission rates, excellent patient satisfaction and cost savings, according to a Mayo Clinic study.

27 Aug 2013

Enhanced recovery pathway for patients undergoing gynecologic surgery recovers more quickly

Patients who had complex gynecologic surgery managed by an enhanced recovery pathway (ERP) resulted in decreased narcotic use, earlier discharge, stable readmission rates, excellent patient satisfaction and cost savings, according to a Mayo Clinic study. The findings are published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.

27 Aug 2013

WHO hand-hygiene compliance strategy easy for health-care workers to practise

WHO's strategy for improving hand hygiene is easy for health-care workers to practise, according to a new study published today in "Lancet Infectious Diseases". Health care-associated infections are a major threat to patient safety worldwide and transmission in these settings is mainly from the hands of health-care workers.

23 Aug 2013

Compounds found in red wine and green tea can be used as antibacterial coating

A simple kitchen sink experiment helped Northwestern University researchers discover that green tea leaves not only can be used to steep a good cup of tea, but they make an excellent antibacterial coating, too.

23 Aug 2013

Researchers outline recommendations to lower costs and lead to better care for patients

Medical organizations are participating in a campaign to help clinicians and patients avoid wasteful and sometimes harmful medical interventions. Recently, experts in pediatric and adult health from diverse geographic locations of the United States and from a mix of academic and non- academic settings shared their experiences, consulted their colleagues, and analyzed numerous studies in the medical literature to determine the top recommendations for improving healthcare value.

20 Aug 2013

Chemical compound prevents fungal cells from adhering to surfaces

Targeting serious and sometimes deadly fungal infections, a team of researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) and the University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS) has discovered a chemical compound that prevents fungal cells from adhering to surfaces, which, typically, is the first step of the infection process used by the human pathogen Candida albicans (C. albicans).

14 Aug 2013

Enrollment completed for Cook Medical’s study of tibiopedal access technique for treating PAD

Cook Medical has completed patient enrollment in a study evaluating a technique for achieving vascular access via below-the-knee arteries. The new access technique could be used in treating peripheral arterial disease, including patients with critical limb ischemia.

9 Aug 2013

Study shows peripherally inserted central catheters have similar CLABSI risk in vulnerable patients

A new study reports that peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) do not reduce the risk of central line associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) in hospitalized patients. PICCs have become one of the most commonly used central venous catheters (CVCs) in healthcare settings since they are considered easier and safer to use, with less risk of CLABSIs.

7 Aug 2013

Nano-machine cell killer offers new insight into fight against pathogens

This is a veritable mechanics of aggression on the nanoscale. Certain bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, have the ability to deploy tiny darts. This biological weapon kills the host cell by piercing the membrane.

5 Aug 2013

Combating antibiotic resistance: an interview with Ron Najafi, CEO NovaBay Pharmaceuticals

Approximately 80 years ago the first antibiotic was discovered by Sir Alexander Fleming, for which he was justifiably awarded the Nobel Prize in medicine.

2 Aug 2013

Inhalable gene therapy may restore function of crucial enzyme to reverse deadly PAH

The deadly condition known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which afflicts up to 150,000 Americans each year, may be reversible by using an inhalable gene therapy, report an international team of researchers led by investigators at the Cardiovascular Research Center at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

31 Jul 2013

Researchers create computational model to track VRE spread among hospitals

A moderate increase in vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) at one hospital can lead to a nearly 3 percent increase in VRE in every other hospital in that county, according to a study in the August issue of the American Journal of Infection Control, the official publication of the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).