News
Standard Postop Care Reduces Pneumonia Risk
June 12, 2013 11:15 am | by Charles Bankhead | CommentsThe incidence of postoperative pneumonia and unplanned intubation decreased following implementation of a standardized postoperative care program, investigators reported. The frequency of postoperative pneumonia declined from 2.6 percent to 1.6 percent and the rate of unplanned intubation from 2.0 percent to 1.2 percent in the year after the postoperative care program went into effect.
Study Assesses Impact Of Rheumatoid Arthritis On Joint Replacement Surgery Outcomes
June 12, 2013 10:58 am | CommentsOne study overturns the common belief that RA patients have worse outcomes after a total knee replacement (TKR) than patients who undergo the operation for osteoarthritis. The other study demonstrates that RA patients who undergo a total hip replacement were as likely to have significant improvements in function and pain as patients with osteoarthritis (OA).
Killer “Superbugs” No Match For College Researcher
June 12, 2013 9:20 am | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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.
Study Expands Concerns About Anesthesia's Impact On The Brain
June 7, 2013 10:42 am | CommentsAs pediatric specialists become increasingly aware that surgical anesthesia may have lasting effects on the developing brains of young children, new research suggests the threat may also apply to adult brains. Although more research is needed to confirm the study's relevance to humans, the study suggests possible health implications for millions of children and adults who undergo surgical anesthesia annually.
Study: Medical Devices Complicate Complex Conditions In Kids
June 7, 2013 10:36 am | CommentsAs modern medical advances help more children with complex conditions live longer, a new study shows a significant number suffer from complications caused by medical devices that are also necessary for their survival. Study authors say their research underscores the continued need to improve care for this growing population of children by enhancing medical device safety practices.
Three Out Of Twenty Scopes Used To Examine GI Tracts, Colons Improperly Cleaned
June 7, 2013 10:32 am | CommentsThree out of 20 flexible gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopes used for screening were found to harbor unacceptable levels of "bio dirt" – cells and matter from a patient's body that could pose potential infection risk -- according to a study of endoscopes used at five hospitals across the U.S.
Duke Surgeon Conducts First U.S. Human Trial With Engineered Blood Vessel
June 7, 2013 10:27 am | by Kelsey Rupp | CommentsA surgeon at Duke University performed the first U.S. implantation of a bioengineered blood vessel on Wednesday, using a new technique that may improve the lives of dialysis patients. A non-living tube built using living cells, a bioengineered blood vessel resembles natural blood vessels in size and strength but is not made of unnatural materials like synthetic blood vessels, called grafts.
