Medical Procedure News

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Who needs cardiac surgery?

Throughout the developed world, cardiac surgery faces increasing challenges from percutaneous intervention, currently with revascularisation, but potentially soon for valve replacement as well. The spectacular growth of PCI in the UK over the last five years is typical for many developed countries.

31 Aug 2008

Urologist is first in the world to use robot-assisted surgery to repair rare defect

A urologist at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center is the first in the world to repair a rare type of hernia using robot-assisted, minimally invasive surgery. The surgery required only an 18-hour hospital stay; typically, the repair involves major surgery and three to five days of hospital care.

31 Aug 2008

Computed tomography provides anatomy - we need ischemia!

Cardiac computed tomography has revolutionized cardiac imaging in recent years by providing exquisitely detailed cardiac anatomy, including, but not limited to, coronary anatomy.

31 Aug 2008

Ongoing debate: The future of non-invasive cardiac imaging

Imaging has gained attention in many areas of medicine but its relevance and importance in clinical cardiology cannot be underestimated.

31 Aug 2008

Some hospitals require insured patients to make larger upfront payments for elective procedures, surgeries

The South Florida Sun-Sentinel on Tuesday examined how across the U.S., "some insured patients are being asked by hospitals to pay larger portions of their bills upfront -- and sometimes hospitals will not do the procedures until they get their copayments."

28 Aug 2008

Endoscopic ultrasound 99.1 percent accurate in diagnosing pancreatic neoplasms

Researchers from St. Louis University School of Medicine in Missouri report that EUS and EUS-FNA is 99.1 percent accurate in diagnosing pancreatic neoplasms (abnormal growths or tumors) in patients who were referred for endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) because of CT and/or MRI reports of two common, though somewhat ambiguous findings - enlargement of head of pancreas (HOP) or dilation of the pancreatic duct (PD).

27 Aug 2008

Urologists report success using robot-assisted surgery for urinary abnormality

Ashok Hemal, M.D., a urologic surgeon from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center, and colleagues have reported success using robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery to repair abnormal openings between the bladder and vagina known as fistulas. Reporting on their experience with seven patients, Hemal and colleagues have the world's largest known success with the procedure.

18 Aug 2008

First NY to LA living-donor transplant chain results in three lifesaving kidney transplants at UCLA

The lives of three Los Angeles-area kidney transplant patients were transformed by one of the West Coast's first three-way living donor kidney transplant chains, made possible through the generosity of a non-directed, altruistic kidney donor from New York City -- announced today at a joint news conference.

4 Aug 2008

Robotic surgery now benefits bladder cancer patients

Robotic surgery, largely pioneered for prostate cancer surgery, is rapidly being adapted for use in other areas, including for bladder cancer patients. Urologic surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center now have significant experience -- and have demonstrated considerable success -- with robotics for removal of the bladder, also known as cystectomy.

30 Jul 2008

World's first double arm transplant

A German farm worker who lost both arms in a farm accident has become the world's first double arm transplant recipient.

30 Jul 2008

New minimally invasive procedure successfully eliminates pain and disability caused by lumbar spinal stenosis

Early clinical results from the US and Argentina reveal that a new minimally invasive procedure successfully eliminates pain and disability caused by lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), a condition that, in severe form, can cripple sufferers.

29 Jul 2008

New medical procedure for kidney donor surgery

Advanced Surgical Concepts is pleased to announce that surgeons have used its TriPort device to complete a kidney transplant through only a small incision in the donor's bellybutton.

28 Jul 2008

Antimicrobial sutures reduce infections in brain shunt surgery

Children born with hydrocephalus, or "water on the brain" must have shunts implanted to drain the fluid away from the brain to reduce harmful pressure.

27 Jul 2008

No justification for denying obese patients knee replacement surgery

There is no justification for denying obese patients knee replacement surgery: They benefit almost as much as anyone else from the procedure, concludes a small study published ahead of print in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

23 Jul 2008

Removable splints better than plaster casts for broken ankles

Australian researchers suggest that broken ankles possibly heal faster and better when instead of a plaster cast patients are fitted with removable splints or braces.

23 Jul 2008

Laser treatment the best fix for wrinkles

According to dermatologists in the U.S. laser treatment is a more effective way of removing wrinkles than some newer procedures.

22 Jul 2008

Scheme to reward doctors for successful operations raises harsh criticism

A scheme in Britain which appears to promise to reward doctors for successful operations has met with harsh criticism from doctors and patient groups.

21 Jul 2008

Higher than average success rate reported for children receiving living donor transplants

Ninety-six per cent of children who have received liver transplants from living relations are still alive five years after surgery, according to research published in the July issue of the British Journal of Surgery.

17 Jul 2008

Measuring amniotic volumes - single deepest vertical pocket technique best

Women often undergo early caesareans or induced labour following detection of decreased amniotic fluid volume, because this is seen as a sign of foetal distress.

16 Jul 2008

Cord traction removal of placenta safer than hand method after Caesareans

In Caesarean deliveries the placenta is usually removed by hand or by a technique known as 'cord traction'. A recent systematic review by Cochrane Researchers shows that cord traction poses less risk to the mother than manual removal.

16 Jul 2008