News
Malpractice Suit Dropped, Court Costs Covered
February 3, 2010 4:39 am | CommentsThe family of the late Laura Sebile filed suit against Memorial Hermann Baptist Beaumont Hospital in Texas, naming two doctors and an anesthesiologist, in alleging her death was caused by their negligence. Plaintiff Paul Sebile, along with seven of his children, claimed his wife, who was 70-years-old and morbidly obese, died after doctors performed an unnecessary heart surgery.
Steris System 1 Processor Update
February 3, 2010 4:12 am | CommentsThis document updates the FDA Notice: Concerns about the Steris System 1 Processor, Components, and Accessories, and FDA Recommendations , issued December 3, 2009. Dear Healthcare Facility Administrators and Infection Control Practitioners: The purpose of this document is to inform you that FDA is extending to 18 months from the date of this notice the total recommended time period for transitioning from Steris Corporation’s modified System 1 processor (SS1) to legally-marketed alternative devices.
Male Breast Reduction Is Fastest Growing Cosmetic Surgery In UK
February 2, 2010 6:30 am | by by Rosemary Black, DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER | CommentsWomen aren't the only ones unhappy with too-large breasts. For the second year in a row, male breast reduction surgery was the fastest growing segment of the cosmetic surgery industry in England, according to the BBC News. And while such a jump in cases hasn't been seen in the U.S., it's definitely a popular operation here, too, cosmetic surgeons say.
Herbal Remedies Conflict With Heart Disease Meds
February 2, 2010 6:17 am | CommentsMore and more Americans are turning to herbal remedies to help manage chronic conditions or promote general health and wellness. But many of today's popular herbal supplements can pose serious risks to people who are taking medications for heart disease, according to a review article published in the February, 9, 2010, issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology .
Wii Ability Points To Laparoscopic Skill
February 2, 2010 5:54 am | CommentsAccording to research appearing in Surgical Endoscopy , studies have suggested a possible link between video-gaming and laparoscopic skill. The authors feel that the Nintendo Wii, with its motion-sensing interface, could provide a better model for laparoscopic tasks. This study investigated the relationship between Nintendo Wii skill, prior gaming experience and potential laparoscopic surgical abilities.
New Budget Plan Could Hit Generic Drugs
February 2, 2010 5:34 am | Comments(Reuters) - Generic drugmakers would pay the U.S. government $38 million to help speed reviews of their medicines under President Obama's fiscal 2011 budget plan. The Obama administration will ask Congress to pass legislation allowing the Food and Drug Administration to collect the fees. The money would be used to “improve review times and reduce the current backlog of applications,” budget documents said.
New Bariatric Social Network
February 2, 2010 5:24 am | CommentsThe Lap-BandLink™ Patient Care Network ( http://www.lapbandhcp.com ) is a new, web-based referral platform for connecting primary care physicians and bariatric surgeons. The password-protected, invite-only site, which is being launched by Allergan includes only those bariatric surgeons that are certified to perform the LAP-BAND® System procedure.
Surgery Solves One Problem, Leads To Another
February 1, 2010 6:18 am | CommentsYou'd think folks who’ve had knee replacement surgery and are now able to walk and exercise without pain would lose weight instead of put on pounds, but surprisingly that's not the case, according to a University of Delaware study. Researchers Joseph Zeni and Lynn Snyder-Mackler in the Department of Physical Therapy in UD’s College of Health Sciences found that patients typically drop weight in the first few weeks after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but then see an average weight gain of 14 pounds in two years.
Surgery Solves One Problem, Leads To Anothe
February 1, 2010 6:11 am | CommentsYou'd think folks who’ve had knee replacement surgery and are now able to walk and exercise without pain would lose weight instead of put on pounds, but surprisingly that's not the case, according to a University of Delaware study. Researchers Joseph Zeni and Lynn Snyder-Mackler in the Department of Physical Therapy in UD’s College of Health Sciencesfound that patients typically drop weight in the first few weeks after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), but then see an average weight gain of 14 pounds in two years.
Cost-Sharing Could Hurt The Elderly
February 1, 2010 6:00 am | CommentsAlicia Chang, AP Higher Medicare co-pays, sometimes just a few dollars more, led to fewer doctors visits and to more and longer hospital stays, a large new study reveals. With health care costs skyrocketing, many public and private insurers have required patients to pay more out-of-pocket when they seek care.
Gates Pledges $10 Billion For Vaccines
February 1, 2010 5:47 am | CommentsAlexander G. Higgins, AP The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will donate $10 billion over the next decade to research new vaccines and bring them to the world's poorest countries, the Microsoft co-founder and his wife said Friday. Calling upon governments and business to also contribute, they said the money will produce higher immunization rates and aims to make sure that 90 percent of children are immunized against dangerous diseases such as diarrhea and pneumonia in poorer nations.
Inside The Head Of An NFL Player
February 1, 2010 5:35 am | CommentsPro Football Hall of Famer Mike Haynes and current Chicago Bears linebacker Hunter Hillenmeyer are among more than a dozen NFL players who have pledged to donate their brain and spinal cord tissue for concussion research. Retired players Zach Thomas, Kyle Turley and Conrad Dobler also have said they'll help the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy at Boston University School of Medicine.
Iowa Sees Decline In Malpractice Suits
February 1, 2010 5:27 am | by by Tony Leys | CommentsIowa patients are suing their doctors for malpractice half as often as they used to, which has helped drive down malpractice-insurance premiums for many physicians. Doctors speculate that malpractice lawsuits are becoming rarer because they have cut down on medical mistakes. But plaintiffs' lawyers say they're filing fewer cases because it's become more expensive to press lawsuits.
Reflux Surgery Won't Guard Against Cancer
January 28, 2010 12:41 pm | Comments(Reuters) Patients who have surgery to treat severe heartburn, or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), continue to have a very high risk of developing cancer of the esophagus even after 15 years or more, a new study has found. “This study should put to rest the notion that antireflux surgery prevents esophageal cancer.
STERIS Expands OR Support Services
January 28, 2010 12:32 pm | CommentsPeace of mind is a valuable commodity in a hectic, highly productive surgical department. It is achieved when scrub sinks, warming cabinets, surgical tables, booms, lighting, and integration technologies work flawlessly all day, every day. “We are launching SecureCare Services, a portfolio of flexible service plans, to provide a highly adaptable surgical equipment ‘security blanket’ for our customers,” comments Tim Chapman, senior vice president and group president of STERIS’s Healthcare Group.
