News
Orthopedic Sector Strong For 2010
January 8, 2010 6:19 am | CommentsShares of companies that make orthopedic implants, like Biomet, could be strong performers heading into 2010. Biomet, which is privately held, reported sales for its fiscal second quarter that showed revenue growth of eight percent, rising to $695.6 million. That included 15 percent growth in revenue from knee implants, an eight percent gain in hip implant revenue, and a 29 percent jump in revenue from procedures on the extremities.
Improved Antiseptic Curbs Post-Surgical Infections
January 8, 2010 6:08 am | CommentsStephanie Nano, AP It looks like doctors aren't the only ones who should scrub before surgery. Bathing patients with an antiseptic and squirting medicated ointment up their noses dramatically cut the rate of dangerous staph infections afterward, researchers found. A second study found the antiseptic did a better job of preventing infections than the reddish-brown iodine solution that's been used for decades to swab the skin before an operation.
Tweeting Aids Plastic Surgeon's Practice
January 8, 2010 5:59 am | CommentsDr. Oleh Slupchynskyj, Director of The Aesthetic Institute of New York and New Jersey, recently started using Twitter as a means of disseminating the latest information in facial plastic surgery techniques, new products and beauty trends to his patients and anyone else interested in facial rejuvenation.
Cuffed vs. Uncuffed Pediatric ETs
January 8, 2010 5:48 am | CommentsKimberly-Clark Health Care recently announced the findings of their prospective, randomized, controlled, multi-center trial on cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes in small children, which has been published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia . The study found that the incidence of tube exchange was 15 times less in children who received cuffed ET tubes than those who received uncuffed ET tubes.
Home-Laundered Surgical Scrubs Show Greater Bacterial Contamination
January 8, 2010 5:39 am | Mölnlycke Health Care | CommentsStudy shows bacterial contamination associated with home-laundered surgical scrubs is significantly greater than other options. Facility-laundered, third-party laundered and single-use scrubs are “cleaner.” January 8, 2010 A study comparing the aerobic bacterial bioburden associated with surgical scrub attire shows significantly greater contamination among home-laundered attire than scrubs laundered by the healthcare facility, scrubs sent out by the facility to a third-party company for laundering, or single use/disposable scrubs.
ER Lawsuits Stem From Delays
January 6, 2010 8:00 am | CommentsThree hospital malpractice lawsuits have been filed recently against facilities that allegedly failed to treat patients in a timely manner, contributing to the deaths of one adult woman and two newborns. Two of the lawsuits were filed against University Medical Center (UMC) in Las Vegas by women who claim that the hospital failed to treat them while they were in labor, resulting in the deaths of their newborn children.
The True Costs Of Malpractice Claims
January 6, 2010 7:33 am | CommentsTennessee doctors continue to fend off the vast majority of malpractice suits filed, but the five-year trend is unmistakable, and the price of success seems to grow higher every year. Physicians and their insurance companies traditionally close up to 85 percent of malpractice cases without paying a penny to plaintiffs, but in the latest year of data available, 2007, the cost of those wins was up 17.
Donors Not Necessary - We Have Clones
January 6, 2010 7:09 am | CommentsReuters It may still seem to be in the realm of science fiction, but nearly half of Americans believe cloning organs will be routine by 2020, according to a new poll. People questioned in a Zogby interactive survey said use of stem cells and cloned organs will be commonplace in the next decade.
Wrapping Up Organ Transplants
January 6, 2010 6:55 am | CommentsScientists in Texas are reporting development of a first-of-its-kind cloth that releases nitric oxide gas — an advance towards making therapeutic socks for people with diabetes and a wrap to help preserve organs harvested for transplantation. The study is covered in Chemistry of Materials , a bi-weekly journal from ACS.
High-Tech Devices Aid Bariatrics
January 6, 2010 6:25 am | CommentsAlicia Chang, AP The fight against fat is going high-tech. To get an inside look at eating and exercise habits, scientists are developing wearable wireless sensors to monitor overweight and obese people as they go about their daily lives. The experimental devices are designed to keep track of how many minutes they work out, how much food they consume and even whether they are at a fast-food joint when they should be in the park.
State Board Accuses Octo-Doc Of Negligence
January 5, 2010 6:00 am | CommentsThe Medical Board of California has accused a Beverly Hills fertility doctor of a pattern of gross negligence that led to the birth of Nadya Suleman's 14 children. The 13-page accusation paints a picture of 11 years of medical care in which Suleman returned to Kamrava's office again and again to undergo fertility treatments.
Innovative Laparoscopic, Gastric Products Get EU Approval
January 5, 2010 5:44 am | CommentsdalimSurgNET Corporation out of Seoul, South Korea has announced receipt of the European CE Mark of approval to sell its OCTO Port laparoscopy device. The product provides up to four ports for introducing instruments via one incision. Features include a soft silicon cover with different port heights, a detachable port cap for added convenience in exchanging a port cap per the surgeon’s preference, and a round self-retraction and protection system to help prevent incision infection.
Wall Street Optimistic On Medical Device Market
January 5, 2010 5:28 am | CommentsAnalysts are predicting a strong year for shares of four medical device makers, saying that in 2010, investors may be more willing to take a risk on companies in high-growth fields. Analyst Lawrence Neibor of Robert W. Baird, upgraded shares of Cyberonics, Inc., Edwards Lifesciences Corp., Thoratec Inc.
Former NFL Chair Sacks Head Injury-Brain Disease Connection
January 5, 2010 5:12 am | CommentsLarry Lage, AP Former NFL player Kyle Turley told members of Congress on Monday that while he still had a severe headache, the St. Louis Rams cleared him for full-contact drills four days after a concussion seven years ago. “Frustrated with being injured and wanting to prove my toughness to my teammates and coaches, I used my head more aggressively than I normally would have in practice, not understanding the damage I was doing to my brain," Turley told the House Judiciary Committee.
Telemedicine's Nominal ICU Impact Raises Questions
January 5, 2010 4:22 am | CommentsAccording to a recent study in the JAMA , remote monitoring of patients in intensive care units can not be associated with an overall improvement in the risk of death or length of stay in the ICU or hospital. Experts recommend that intensivists (intensive care physicians) care for ICU patients onsite because of an associated lower rate of illness and death.
