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Protexis Latex Hydrogel Surgical Gloves
June 12, 2013 10:31 am | by Cardinal Health | Cardinal Health | Product Releases | CommentsThe new Protexis Latex Hydrogel surgical gloves from Cardinal Health are powder-free, made from natural rubber latex, and their exclusive coating makes them easy to don. Hydrogel is a hydrophilic coating bonded to the interior of the glove, which enhances donning lubricity.
Lung Transplant Pool For Kids Just Got Bigger
June 12, 2013 9:43 am | by Michael Smith | Articles | CommentsThe high profile story of two children who need lung transplants has moved organ transplant board members to action, with ramifications for other youngsters in need of new lungs. In a revision of existing policy, the executive committee of the board that runs the organ transplant system ruled Monday that children 11 or younger can be considered for transplant from an adolescent or adult donor.
Pregnant Woman Dies After Ovary Removed Instead Of Appendix
June 12, 2013 9:33 am | by Skeptical Scalpel | Blogs | CommentsOn June 10, 2013 a 32-year-old "heavily" pregnant woman was reported to have died after having an ovary removed instead of her inflamed appendix. As the infected appendix festered, she became septic and succumbed to multiple organ failure. This tragedy occurred in the UK in late 2011, but has just come to light. How could this have happened?
Killer “Superbugs” No Match For College Researcher
June 12, 2013 9:20 am | News | CommentsWhile antibiotics can’t kill deadly “superbug” bacteria, a researcher at Texas A&M University- Corpus Christi has developed an amazing new technology that can. Using new “cold plasma” technology, which he developed in the Plasma Engineering Research Lab (PERL) at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Dr. Magesh Thiyagarajan is stopping these killer bacteria, before they find a host.
Fungus Found In Pharmacy's Drugs
June 11, 2013 12:39 pm | by Matthew Perrone, AP | News | CommentsFederal health officials say they have found bacteria and fungus in drug vials from a Tennessee specialty pharmacy that recalled all of its injectable medicines last month. The FDA said that it identified the growths in two unopened vials of a steroid injection and is working with the CDC to identify the exact species of fungus and bacteria.
Transplant Vote Seeks Balance
June 11, 2013 12:33 pm | by Kevin Begos, AP | News | CommentsFaced with a federal judge's order in the heart-wrenching cases of two terminally ill children seeking lung transplants, a national review board sought a balance that will keep such decisions in the hands of doctors, not lawyers or judges. The executive committee of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network resisted making rule changes for children under 12, but created a special appeal and review system to hear such cases.
Transplant Patient Outcomes Strong Following Trauma
June 11, 2013 12:21 pm | News | CommentsPhysicians from the Department of Surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine have determined that outcomes for traumatic injury in patients with organ transplants are not worse than for non-transplanted patients. One theory indicates that severe trauma activates nearly all components of the immune system, triggering a series of responses that lead to inflammation, which can limit tissue damage and promotes repair.
Nanofiber Sensors Detect Cancer Faster
June 11, 2013 12:10 pm | News | CommentsNew research suggests that smartphone users could diagnose serious diseases, such as diabetes or lung cancer, quickly and effectively by simply breathing into a nanofiber breathing sensor mounted on the phones. The use of biomarkers to predict certain diseases such as acetone for diabetes, toluene for lung cancer, and ammonia for kidney malfunction could speed diagnosis and cut costs.
Women Can Be Screened With Virtual Colonoscopy Later Than Men
June 10, 2013 11:57 am | News | CommentsA new study has found that women can be screened for colorectal cancer at least five to 10 years later than men when undergoing an initial "virtual colonoscopy." The findings may help establish guidelines for the use of this screening technique, which is less invasive than a traditional colonoscopy.
African Plants Could Stop Tumor Growth
June 10, 2013 11:51 am | News | CommentsAfrican medicinal plants contain chemicals that may be able to stop the spread of cancer cells. This is the conclusion of researchers following laboratory experiments. The plant materials will now undergo further analysis in order to evaluate their therapeutic potential.
3-D Map Of Brain Shows Surprises
June 10, 2013 11:37 am | News | CommentsBlood vessels within a sensory area of the mammalian brain loop and connect in unexpected ways, a new map has revealed. The study describes vascular architecture within a well-known region of the cerebral cortex and explores what that structure means for functional imaging of the brain and the onset of a kind of dementia.
Only Five Percent Washing Hands Correctly
June 10, 2013 11:29 am | News | CommentsA new study by Michigan State University researchers found that only five percent of people who used the bathroom washed their hands long enough to kill the germs that can cause infections. What’s more, 33 percent didn’t use soap and 10 percent didn’t wash their hands at all.
Fewer U.S. Families Report Having Difficulty Paying Medical Bills
June 7, 2013 4:17 pm | by Judith Graham | Articles | CommentsThe report found that 20.3 percent of families headed by someone under the age of 65 — 54.2 million people — had difficulty covering medical expenses in the first half of 2012, compared with 21.7 percent of families — or 57.8 million people – in the same period in 2011.
Improving Patient Safety With Unique Device Identification
June 7, 2013 3:42 pm | by Warren Ward-Stacey, Sales Director, PRISYM ID | Blogs | CommentsMedical device manufacturers should welcome the proposed ruling for Unique Device Identification (UDI); however, being compliant by the effective date (based on classification) for some organizations may be a concern. UDI aims to identify errors involving medical devices and provide more rapid resolution of device problems.
Combating Infections With The Right Materials (A Roundtable Q&A)
June 7, 2013 3:34 pm | Articles | CommentsEastman’s Gopal Saraiya, global segment leader of medical devices at Eastman Chemical Company, took time to address a number of questions related to the use of materials in medical device development. He was included in the staff written article, “Materials Impact Medical Device Design Trends.” Following are all of the responses he provided.
