News
9/11 Hospital Facing Financial Trouble
January 27, 2010 6:19 am | CommentsSt. Vincent's Hospital, a major AIDS and trauma center, could be taken over by a powerful nonprofit New York hospital system and stripped of its surgical and inpatient units if its finances don't improve. However, “if St. Vincent is able to continue to meet its mission on its own, they have our full support,” Continuum Health Partners said in a statement Tuesday.
Ansell Sends Medical, Occupational Gloves To Haiti
January 26, 2010 6:05 am | CommentsAs aid pours into Haiti for victims injured and displaced by the recent earthquakes, the massive cleanup is just beginning. Based on specific needs expressed by workers in Haiti, Ansell is assisting with the relief effort by shipping gloves for medical workers and work crews involved in the search for victims and removal of debris.
Benefits Of Bariatric Surgery Validated
January 26, 2010 5:53 am | CommentsIvanhoe Newswire A computerized model suggests that most morbidly obese individuals would likely live longer if they had gastric bypass surgery. However, the best decision for individual patients varies based on age, increasing body mass index and the effectiveness of surgery. An estimated 5.
Mauling Victim Seeks New Hand, Face Transplant Site
January 26, 2010 5:45 am | CommentsThe hospital known for doing the United States' first face transplant has told the family of a woman mauled by a chimpanzee that it can't perform a face and hand transplant for her. Charla Nash's family is looking into alternative facilities after the Cleveland Clinic said it could not do both transplants, and both procedures would need to be done simultaneously and come from the same donor.
Needle-Free Migraine Relief Hits Market
January 26, 2010 5:21 am | CommentsHaving received FDA approval last July, Zogenix is bringing to market its SUMAVEL DosePro sumatriptan delivery system for the treatment of oncoming migraines and cluster headaches. The needle-free device delivers the drug subcutaneously, bringing both speed and efficacy when oral pills are a poor option.
Hysterectomy Consent Law Dismissed
January 26, 2010 5:06 am | CommentsIndiana lawmakers decided not to take action on a bill that would have warned women about the specific risks of having a hysterectomy, primarily because existing state law already mandates such action. House Bill 1366 would have required informed consent for a doctor to perform a hysterectomy. The bill would have required a doctor to specifically state that the procedure will result in infertility, as well as provide a description of the discomforts and risks that might result.
Court Rejects Medical Marijuana Limits
January 25, 2010 5:56 am | CommentsReuters The California Supreme Court has rejected limits on medical marijuana imposed by state lawmakers, finding that people with prescriptions for pot can have and grow all they need for personal use. The high court ruled lawmakers improperly amended the voter-approved law that decriminalized possession of marijuana for seriously ill Californians with a doctor's prescription by limiting patients to eight ounces of dried marijuana and six mature or 12 immature plants.
Medtronic Announces $500 Million Expansion Plan
January 25, 2010 5:49 am | CommentsMedtronic says it will pay up to $500 million for Invatec, a company that makes medical devices to treat cardiovascular disease. The company will pay $350 million initially to Invatec, which makes stents, angioplasty balloons and related therapies. The purchase also includes Fogazzi, which supplies polymer technology to Invatec, and Krauth Cardiovascular, a distributor.
County Cuts vs. Private Therapy
January 25, 2010 5:40 am | CommentsResearchers at Moores Cancer Center at the University of California, San Diego has found that prostate cancer treatments varied significantly between county hospitals and private providers. Patients treated in county hospitals are more likely to undergo surgery, while patients treated in private facilities tend to receive radiation or hormone therapy.
Unnecessary Surgical Procedures Draw Malpractice Claim
January 25, 2010 5:26 am | CommentsAt least one patient has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit and a federal investigation has been launched into a physician and hospital due to findings that a doctor may have performed hundreds of unnecessary medical procedures. According to a report on WBAL TV.com out of Baltimore, the medical malpractice lawsuit against Dr.
Health System Reduces Carbon Footprint
January 25, 2010 5:15 am | CommentsS t. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network in Pennsylvania purchases renewable energy and avoids more than $1 million in electricity costs January 25, 2010 St. Luke’s Hospital & Health Network has taken a major step towards reducing its carbon footprint, a recent release on Business Wire reported.
New Social Site Connects To The OR
January 25, 2010 5:12 am | CommentsSeeMyOp.com is a new social website intended to be the first that lets members share their surgical procedures live with friends and followers, both on SeeMyOp.com as well via a live video stream from surgical scopes and instruments over Twitter and Facebook. The site’s creator, Edward Boches, also hopes a simple interface will allow for tweeting vital signs during an operation.
J&J Unit Closes Deal For Sinus Surgery Device Company
January 22, 2010 6:20 am | CommentsNEW YORK (AP) — Johnson & Johnson's Ethicon business said Thursday it completed its $785 million purchase of Acclarent Inc., which makes devices used in sinus surgery. Ethicon said the deal has been cleared by the Federal Trade Commission. Ethicon, which sells surgical supplies and cosmetic medical products, agreed to buy Acclarent of Menlo Park, CA, in December.
Meteorite Strikes Doctor's Office In Virginia
January 22, 2010 6:19 am | CommentsDoctors at a small practice in Virginia got a big surprise when a tennis ball-sized meteorite traveling at an estimated 220 miles per hour punched a hole through their a roof. January 22, 2010 LORTON, VA (AP) — Doctors at a small practice in Virginia got a big surprise when a tennis ball-sized meteorite punched a hole through their roof.
Lighter Sedation For Elderly May Reduce Post-Op Confusion, Disorientation
January 22, 2010 6:18 am | CommentsA Johns Hopkins study in hip fracture patients suggests a 50 percent drop in risk of postoperative delirium when the depth of sedation during procedures is limited January 22, 2010 A common complication following surgery in elderly patients is postoperative delirium, a state of confusion that can lead to long-term health problems and cause some elderly patients to complain that they “never felt the same” again after an operation.
