News
Technology Provides Most Accurate View Inside Human Body
October 28, 2009 6:57 am | CommentsDoctors at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine got a glimpse into the future of women's health with the presentation of endoscopic gynecologic surgery performed for the first time using "4K" technology, a recent article reported. Steven F. Palter, MD, an obstetrician, gynecologist, reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist performed the world's first 4K super high-definition (HD) laparoscopy at Syosset Hospital, part of the North Shore-LIJ Health System, and presented images from that surgery on October 20 at the 65th annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.
Get With The Guidelines Quality Program Improves Care
October 28, 2009 6:55 am | CommentsAccording to a recent report, participation in the American Heart Association’s Get With The Guidelines® quality improvement program can significantly improve a hospitals’ adherence to evidence-based therapies and reduce gender and age-related disparities in the care of coronary artery disease patients.
Orthopedic Surgeon Uses New Technique To Save Three-Year-Old's Arm
October 28, 2009 6:54 am | CommentsWhen Mark Blinder was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer, doctors at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital gave his parents three agonizing options: amputate the affected arm at the shoulder, irradiate the tumor and risk a second malignancy, or try a limb-preserving surgery that had never been attempted in a toddler.
Medtronic's Transcatheter Offers Encouraging Results
October 28, 2009 6:53 am | Medtronic | CommentsClinical trial results published in this week’s Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) describe six-month outcomes for patients using the Melody® Transcatheter Pulmonary Valve from Medtronic, Inc. The valve is implanted through a catheter procedure instead of open-heart surgery in patients with congenital heart disease affecting the function of their pulmonary valve.
HHS' Sebelius: Ample Flu Vaccine Will Be Available
October 28, 2009 6:51 am | CommentsHealth and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Monday the swine flu vaccine “is coming out the door as fast as it comes off the production line.” But at the same time, she acknowledged delays in getting a sufficient supply for all those demanding it. “We were relying on the manufacturers to give us their numbers and as soon as we got numbers we put them out to the public.
A Clear Diagnosis
October 27, 2009 6:54 am | CommentsNew technologies aim to give physicians a clearer picture with high-definition (HD) October 27, 2009 Several studies presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastrenterology this week reveal recent advances in colonoscopic technology, with some technologies faring better than others at improving detection of potentially pre-cancerous growths in the colon known as adenomas.
Google Answers The Call
October 27, 2009 5:57 am | CommentsMichael Liedtke, AP Google wants to answer your mobile phone calls when you can't or just don't want to talk. In its latest bid to become a bigger player in telecommunications, the internet search leader is giving people a chance to send calls to their cell phones into a free voice mail service unveiled earlier this year.
What Price Victory?
October 27, 2009 5:45 am | CommentsFor today's athletes, size and strength can mean the difference between championships, scholarships and million-dollar paydays. But new research comparing the signs of metabolic syndrome in professional baseball and football players, presented at the American College of Gastroenterology's 74th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, reveals that the larger professional athletes – specifically football linemen - may encounter future health problems despite their rigorous exercise routines.
Healing Combat Heroes - Including The Four-Legged Variety
October 27, 2009 5:28 am | CommentsMost of today's gastroenterologists practice in relatively calm environments with patients of the same species. But for Dr. Leon Kundrotas and his colleagues working in Joint Base Balad, Iraq, the need to diagnose and treat military personnel sometimes required putting their human skills to the test to care for canine heroes.
Ethicon-Endo Study Demonstrates MIS Benefits
October 27, 2009 5:16 am | CommentsEthicon Endo-Surgery recently announced the results from two newly published studies that demonstrate a minimally invasive approach in three common procedures resulted in a reduced rate of complications and lower overall cost of care, including a difference of more than $15,000 on average for colectomies, when compared to open surgery.
5th Wrong-Site Surgery Puts Hospital In The Crosshairs
October 26, 2009 7:36 am | CommentsHealth officials are investigating how a surgeon at Rhode Island Hospital mistakenly operated on the wrong part of a patient's hand, the hospital's fifth wrong-site surgery since 2007. Hospital President Timothy Babineau said in a letter that the mistake Thursday happened on a patient scheduled for surgery on two fingers.
Zargis Medical Cleared For iPhone Apps
October 26, 2009 6:38 am | CommentsPRNewswire Zargis Medical Corp., a subsidiary of Speedus Corp. recently announced that is has been cleared as an iPhone® developer and begun development of medical diagnostic support software and related peripherals for the iPhone and other leading smartphones. Zargis has identified the handheld environment as a logical delivery platform for its telemedicine and diagnostic software initiatives, and plans to leverage the platform as a mobile support hub.
Boston Medical Pioneering New Incisionless Surgery
October 26, 2009 6:38 am | CommentsBoston Medical Center (BMC) surgeons are now offering patients an incisionless alternative to laparoscopic and traditional surgery in the treatment of acid reflux, or GERD. Using a new procedure known as EsophyX TIF (Transoral Incisionless Fundaplication), surgeons can repair or reconstruct the valve between the esophagus and stomach, effectively stopping GERD.
"Phantom of the Opera" Composer Diagnosed With Cancer
October 26, 2009 6:37 am | CommentsAndrew Lloyd Webber is undergoing treatment for early-stage prostate cancer October 26, 2009 LONDON (AP) — Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber has been diagnosed with prostate cancer, his spokeswoman said Sunday. The 61-year-old Lloyd Webber's condition is in its early stages, a statement from his publicists said.
Clock Ticking On Democrats' Health Care Reform
October 26, 2009 6:37 am | by by David Espo, AP Special Correspondent | CommentsWASHINGTON (AP) — Time growing short, Democratic leaders in the House and Senate still face key decisions if they are to achieve President Barack Obama's goal of passing legislation to remake the nation's health care system by year's end. In the House, that means setting conditions under which the federal government would sell coverage in competition with private industry.
