News
Surgery Tech Sentenced To 30 Years In Prison
February 26, 2010 3:52 am | CommentsA surgery technician who infected about three dozen people with hepatitis C after she injected herself with painkiller-filled syringes and replaced them with ones filled with saline, has been sentenced to 30 years in prison. Kristen Diane Parker received the sentence in federal court after pleading guilty to some of the charges in the case.
Unnecessary Mastectomy Leads To Protocol Changes
February 24, 2010 6:00 am | CommentsThe results of a misread pathology report and results unnecessary mastectomy at the Hotel-Dieu Grace Hospital in Windsor, Ontario has led hospitals throughout the region to reconsider their surgical protocols. Officials at Windsor hospitals said that surgeons are generally the only ones looking over the final pathology and clinical diagnosis report before surgery, even though many pairs of eyes may see a patient's chart and test results throughout the cancer diagnosis and treatment process, as is the case in most hospitals across Ontario.
Pediatricians Pushing For More Choking Warning Labels
February 24, 2010 5:43 am | CommentsLindsey Tanner, AP When 4-year-old Eric Stavros Adler choked to death on a piece of hot dog, his anguished mother never dreamed that the popular kids' food could be so dangerous. Some food makers, including Oscar Mayer, have warning labels about choking, but not nearly enough, says Joan Stavros Adler, Eric's mom.
Work Hours On The Decline For Doctors
February 24, 2010 5:31 am | CommentsCarla K. Johnson, AP Doctors have steadily cut their work hours over the past decade, a new study finds, something that experts say may only worsen the health care situation. It's not that doctors are terrible slackers. Average hours dropped from about 55 to 51 hours per week from 1996 to 2008, according to the analysis, which will appear in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Hospitalization Linked To Cognitive Decline
February 24, 2010 5:12 am | CommentsOlder patients hospitalized for acute care or a critical illness are more likely to experience cognitive decline when compared to older adults who are not hospitalized, according to a study in JAMA . Some studies have suggested that many survivors of critical illness experience long-term cognitive impairment, but these studies did not measure cognitive function before a critical illness, according to background information in the article.
Two Sepsis Strategies Show Similar Results
February 24, 2010 4:47 am | CommentsA comparison of two strategies for treating severe sepsis or septic shock finds that using lactate levels measured in blood samples showed a similar short-term survival rate compared to a treatment regimen using central venous oxygen saturation measured using a specialized catheter, according to a study in JAMA .
Report: Hospital Infections Killed 48,000
February 23, 2010 5:44 am | Comments(Reuters) Pneumonia and blood-borne infections caught in hospital killed 48,000 patients and cost $8.1 billion in 2006, according to a recently unveiled report. The study is one of the first to put a price tag on the widespread problem, which is worsening and which some experts say is adding to the growing cost of healthcare in the United States.
Evaluating Length Of Stay vs. Cost Controls
February 23, 2010 5:30 am | Comments(Reuters) An intensive look at two common conditions – pneumonia and heart failure – showed that it may be possible to lower costs in the U.S. system without hurting patients, the researchers reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine . “Most evidence did not support the ‘penny wise and pound foolish’ hypothesis that low-cost hospitals discharge patients earlier but have higher re-admission rates and greater downstream inpatient cost of care,” Dr.
Exercise Reduces Patient Anxiety
February 23, 2010 5:21 am | CommentsThe anxiety that often accompanies a chronic illness can chip away at quality of life and make patients less likely to follow their treatment plan, but regular exercise can significantly reduce symptoms of anxiety, a new University of Georgia study shows. In a study appearing in the February 22 edition of the Archives of Internal Medicine , researchers analyzed the results of 40 randomized clinical trials involving nearly 3,000 patients with a variety of medical conditions.
"My Heart, My Choice"
February 23, 2010 5:12 am | CommentsAn unapologetic Danny Williams, who serves as the premier of New Foundland and Labrador, says he was aware his trip to the United States for heart surgery earlier this month would spark outcry, but he concluded his personal health trumped any public fallout over the controversial decision. In an interview with The Canadian Press, Williams said he went to Miami to have a minimally invasive surgery for an ailment first detected nearly a year ago.
Few Differences In Outcomes Between Open And Laparoscopic Prostate Surgery
February 22, 2010 5:48 am | CommentsOf the 200,000 men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the United States, about one-third will undergo surgical treatment. Although open radical prostatectomy (ORP) is regarded as the standard treatment, laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) with or without robotic assistance is becoming more common.
ICU Room Assignment Can Affect Survival
February 22, 2010 5:47 am | by Will Boggs, MD and Nancy Lapid | CommentsFor the very sickest patients in an intensive care unit (ICU), being assigned to a room that can't easily be seen from the central nursing station might lower the chances of survival. "Very sick patients require close monitoring by healthcare professionals," Dr. Phillip H. Factor from Beth Israel Hospital, New York, told Reuters Health by email.
Robot-Assisted Option Offers Advantages For Kidney Surgery
February 22, 2010 5:47 am | CommentsA comparison of two types of minimally invasive surgery to repair kidney blockages that prevent urine from draining normally to the bladder found that robot-assisted surgery was faster and resulted in less blood loss and shorter hospital stays. Reporting in the Canadian Journal of Urology, Ashok Hemal, M.
Endoscopic Treatment Could Enhance Esophagus Surgical Approach
February 22, 2010 4:02 am | CommentsEarly tumor formation in Barrett's esophagus (BE) can be effectively and safely treated with radiofrequency ablation (RFA), in combination with prior endoscopic removal of visible lesions, according to a new study in Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology , the official journal of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute.
J&J Settles Tumor Detection Systems Dispute
February 22, 2010 3:51 am | CommentsJohnson & Johnson’s Ethicon Endo-Surgery unit will get $12.5 million from medical imaging equipment maker Hologic, Inc. to end disputes over tumor detection systems used to test for breast cancer. Each will pay the other royalties on future sales of their respective breast biopsy devices, the companies said in statements.
