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U.S. News & World Report names Hospital for Special Surgery among 2012 America's Best Hospitals

For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named Hospital for Special Surgery the top hospital in the country for orthopedics in its 2012 "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Once again, the hospital ranked as a leader in rheumatology at number three in the nation. In addition, neurology was ranked at No. 10.

17 Jul 2012

PsychoGenics, Afraxis partner to offer Enhanced Spine Platform technology

Afraxis and PsychoGenics today announced an alliance to offer Afraxis' Enhanced Spine Platform (ESP) technology as part of PsychoGenics' comprehensive testing capabilities and drug discovery services.

17 Jul 2012

Biomet fourth quarter net sales increase 3% to $739.5 million

Biomet, Inc. announced today preliminary financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year ended May 31, 2012. The final results for the three and twelve months ended May 31, 2012 will be made available to the public with the filing of Biomet's Form 10-K for fiscal year 2012 and will include the finalization of a non-cash goodwill and intangible asset impairment charge as further described below and certain income tax accounts.

17 Jul 2012

Introducing missing gene could help extend lives of patients with SMA

A team of University of Missouri researchers has found that introducing a missing gene into the central nervous system could help extend the lives of patients with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) - the leading genetic cause of infantile death in the world.

17 Jul 2012

U.S. FDA clears Mazor Robotics’ Renaissance platform

Mazor Robotics Ltd., a developer of innovative surgical robots and complementary products, today announced its Renaissance platform received U.S. FDA marketing clearance, expanding the applications of the Renaissance system to include the precise positioning of surgical instruments and implants during brain surgery.

17 Jul 2012

Scientists isolate new type of energy-burning fat cell

Scientists at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have isolated a new type of energy-burning fat cell in adult humans which they say may have therapeutic potential for treating obesity.

13 Jul 2012

Enrollment complete in Phase III IND study of Spinal Restoration's Biostat System

Spinal Restoration, Inc. announced today the completion of enrollment in the Phase III Investigational New Drug (IND) study of the Biostat System. The Phase III clinical trial is a 260-subject, randomized, blinded, placebo controlled study designed to assess the ability of the Biostat System to reduce pain and improve function in patients with chronic discogenic low back pain.

12 Jul 2012

K2M expands biologics portfolio

K2M, Inc., a spinal device company developing innovative solutions for the treatment of complex spinal pathologies and minimally invasive procedures, today announced a major expansion of the company’s U.S. biologics offering with the launch of its VESUVIUS™ Osteobiologic Systems and new additions to its VIKOS® Allograft Systems. K2M is working with LifeNet Health®, a leading allograft bio-implant and regenerative medicine company, to bring to market quality implants to enhance bone regeneration and osteoconductivity.

10 Jul 2012

OREF study to explore how helmet design might protect sport-related head, neck and spine injuries

The Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) announced today it awarded a $200,000 Prospective Clinical Research Grant to researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation to study ways to reduce the risk of spine, neck and head injuries to adults and youth playing football.

10 Jul 2012

Live zoster vaccine associated with reduced risk of HZ in patients with immune-mediated diseases

Although some have suggested that patients receiving medication for immune-mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis or psoriasis may be at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ; shingles) shortly after receipt of the vaccine, an analysis that included nearly 20,000 vaccinated Medicare beneficiaries finds that the live zoster vaccine is not associated with an increased risk of HZ shortly after vaccination in patients currently treated with biologics, and that it is associated with a significantly reduced longer-term risk of HZ in patients with an immune-mediated disease, according to a study in the July 4 issue of JAMA.

4 Jul 2012

Platelet activation linked to osteoporosis

Elderly, postmenopausal women with osteoporosis have elevated platelet volumes, report researchers.

2 Jul 2012

Vitamin D–calcium combo reduces mortality in elderly

The results of a meta-analysis of individual patient data show that vitamin D supplementation with calcium reduces mortality rates in the elderly.

2 Jul 2012

Young inflammatory bowel disease patients have low bone mass

Children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease have significantly lower bone mineral density than their healthy peers, even after adjusting for pubertal delay, Finnish researchers report.

29 Jun 2012

Injections of corticoid preparations can have severe side effects

Injections of corticoid preparations can have severe side effects. In this issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, Christian Holland and coauthors contribute to physicians' awareness of problems of this type with a report on the relevant findings of medicolegal expert committees in Germany.

29 Jun 2012

$Study sheds light on increased risk of fractures and falls among epilepsy patients using AEDs$

Study sheds light on increased risk of fractures and falls among epilepsy patients using AEDs

New research has shed light on the high risk of fractures, falls, and osteoporosis among epilepsy patients using antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) with most patients unaware of the risks associated with taking the drugs.

29 Jun 2012

Young inflammatory bowel disease patients have low bone mass

Children and adolescents with inflammatory bowel disease have significantly lower bone mineral density than their healthy peers, even after adjusting for pubertal delay, Finnish researchers report.

28 Jun 2012

Experts in fluid mechanics to study Chiari malformation

Expertise in fluid mechanics at The University of Akron has attracted funding for a new research center designed to help physicians better diagnose and treat an unusual cause of pain in the head, neck and shoulders. Chiari malformation is a disorder of the neurologic system caused in part by an imbalance in brain and spinal fluid.

28 Jun 2012

DHA and curcumin help maintain neurological function after degenerative damage

UCLA researchers discovered that a diet enriched with a popular omega-3 fatty acid and an ingredient in curry spice preserved walking ability in rats with spinal-cord injury. Published June 26 in the Journal of Neurosurgery: Spine, the findings suggest that these dietary supplements help repair nerve cells and maintain neurological function after degenerative damage to the neck.

27 Jun 2012

Diet enriched with curcumin and DHA can promote neuroprotection in chronic SCI

Researchers from the Department of Neurosurgery at the David Geffen School of Medicine and the Department of Integrative Biology and Physiology at UCLA have found that a diet enriched with docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid, and curcumin, a component of the Indian spice turmeric, can protect the injured spinal cord and minimize the clinical and biochemical effects of spinal cord myelopathy in rats.

27 Jun 2012

Apple iPad 2 can affect programmable shunt valve in children with hydrocephalus

Researchers at the University of Michigan have found that the Apple iPad 2 can interfere with settings of magnetically programmable shunt devices, which are often used to treat children with hydrocephalus.

27 Jun 2012