News
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.
Organization Repairs Instruments For Volunteer Surgeons Headed To Haiti
January 22, 2010 6:17 am | CommentsSurgeons embarking for Haiti to assist earthquake victims can have their surgical devices refurbished prior to departure at no cost through the non-profit organization Instruments of Mercy, Inc®. “We’ve heard reports of surgeons having to use rusty instruments and hacksaws to amputate limbs,” says Gene Robinson, founder of Instruments of Mercy and CEO of IMS, a surgical instrument management and consulting company that supports Instruments of Mercy.
Approximately $1 Million Of Supplies Donated To Haiti
January 22, 2010 6:16 am | CommentsCardinal Health announces the company is donating approximately $1 million worth of supplies through four organizations: World Vision, AmeriCares, Map International and Heart to Heart International. To most efficiently help meet the critical needs on the ground in Haiti, and leverage resources and the capabilities of relief organizations, they are directing donations through these four organizations.
New Weapon In Fighting HAIs
January 20, 2010 6:01 am | CommentsA new fast-acting disinfectant that is effective against bacteria, viruses, fungi and prions could help to reduce the spread of deadly infections in hospitals, according to research published in the February issue of Journal of General Virology . Researchers from the Robert Koch Institute in Berlin, Germany have optimised a rapid-acting, practical formula for disinfecting surgical instruments.
Specialists Better Route For Emergency Colon Surgery
January 20, 2010 5:49 am | CommentsReuters – If you find yourself in need of emergency colon surgery, you'll be better off with a surgeon who specializes in operating on the large intestine, a new study from Spain shows. While colorectal surgery is a formally accepted specialty in the United States, Australia and other regions, this is not yet the case in Europe, Dr.
Circumcising Babies Could Help Africa's AIDS Fight
January 20, 2010 5:36 am | CommentsKate Kelland, Reuters Circumcising newborn boys to stop them from becoming infected with the AIDS virus in later life is more cost-effective than circumcising adult men, Rwandan health experts stated. A study by Agnes Binagwaho and colleagues at Rwanda's health ministry found that the operation, which has been shown to cut dramatically the virus' transmission from women to men, is quicker, simpler and more cost-effective in newborns.
