Curated News: Medical Meetings

• share
• favorite_border

Accurately diagnosing traumatic brain injuries (TBI) and concussions is difficult, as standard CT or MRI scans can’t see most changes to the brain caused by these injuries. Borrowing a tactic used to identify lung infections, University of Virginia School of Medicine researchers have discovered a potential method to identify TBI that uses positron emission tomography (PET) scans and the body’s immune response to a brain injury.

• share
• favorite_border

When the pros and cons of prostate cancer treatment are spelled out using an online interactive program, more patients choose active surveillance over therapy.

• share
• favorite_border

Francis O. Walker, MD, is the new president of the AANEM. Walker is a national expert in neuromuscular ultrasound and a dedicated member of the organization since 1985.

• share
• favorite_border

Women with common forms of urinary incontinence have various bacteria in their bladder, according to data presented today by researchers from Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Researchers also found that some of these bacteria may differ based on their incontinence type.

• share
• favorite_border

ALS patients using diaphragm pacing experienced improved quality of life, with better sleep and daytime functioning, better breathing, and less fatigue.

• share
• favorite_border

Thomas D. Kirsch, M.D., M.P.H., a Johns Hopkins emergency physician who was among key responders to the Sept. 11 attacks on the New York World Trade Center and the 2010 Haitian earthquake, is the inaugural recipient of a new national award for outstanding achievement and excellence in the field of disaster medicine.

• share
• favorite_border

Patients with bladder cancer are two times more likely to have complications after a radical cystectomy procedure if they have a biomarker for poor nutritional status before the operation, according to study findings presented last week at the 2013 Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons. Surgeons from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center identified a potentially modifiable risk factor for such postsurgical problems: a low preoperative level of albumin, a marker of the protein level in the blood.

• share
• favorite_border

First step taken in collection of data on vaccine-preventable illnesses in patients with myasthenia gravis, a neuromuscular disorder causing weakness and rapid fatigue of voluntary muscles.

• share
• favorite_border

Emerging data regarding vemurafenib, a BRAF-targeted inhibitor used with good effect for BRAF V600E mutation positive melanomas, are much anticipated.

• share
• favorite_border

A study designed to compare cure rates, postoperative pain, cosmetic satisfaction, and length of the procedure and of the hospital stay for patients with hyperparathyroidism who underwent BNE versus minimally invasive video-assisted (MIVAP) parathyroidectomy.

• share
• favorite_border

Review of cases spanning more than 12 years found that nearly a third of patients with DTC and neck metastases would not have had adequate operations if the surgeons had relied on pre-referral imaging studies and had not performed US themselves.

• share
• favorite_border

A novel drug target, and evidence of the strong anti-tumor effects of an inhibitor capable of blocking expression of the target are described.

• share
• favorite_border

Socioeconomic factors used to rank the different geographic regions that together are associated with higher use of radioactive iodine (RAI). These factors include significantly lower levels of income, education, and white collar employment.

• share
• favorite_border

contrary to popular belief, effective treatment with levothyroxine (LT4) to restore normal thyroid hormone levels is not associated with clinically significant weight loss in most people.

• share
• favorite_border

Decreased thyroid function can have a detrimental effect on pregnancy outcomes. A majority of thyroid specialists surveyed recommend thyroid function testing for all pregnant women.

• share
• favorite_border

Applications of stem cells in developing thyroid function. This is an important area to treat anyone with thyroid deficiency, whether congenital or acquired. Chinnaiyan, explores how genes and mutations can cause cancer, and how genome sequencing can be used to diagnose and treat cancer.

• share
• favorite_border

Early-stage lung and prostate cancers as well as their recurrence can be detected with a simple blood test, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY 2013™ annual meeting. Serum-free fatty acids and their metabolites may be used as screening biomarkers to help diagnose early stages of cancer, as well as identify the probability of recovery and recurrence after tumor removal, researchers found.

• share
• favorite_border

Breast cancer patients who received the combination of a nerve block with general anesthesia for their breast cancer surgery had less cancer recurrence and were three times less likely to die than those who received only general anesthesia, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ annual meeting. Additionally, patients who received the nerve block needed less opioid pain relief from drugs such as fentanyl and oxycodone.

• share
• favorite_border

Complications in the recovery room decreased by 58 percent between 1990 and 2010, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. In a previous study completed in the late 1980s, recovery room complications occurred in 23.7 percent of the patients. Today, the complication rate is 9.9 percent. The study also found that less-healthy patients are more prone to recovery room complications.

• share
• favorite_border

Late starts to the first surgical case of the day can be improved, according to two studies presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. Improving efficiency potentially reduces costs, increases patient and staff satisfaction, and increases the number of cases that can be performed daily.

• share
• favorite_border

The Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) is the largest neurosurgical society in the world and the global leader in neurosurgical education, serving to promote health by advancing neurosurgery worldwide through innovation and excellence in education. The CNS Annual Meeting is an essential destination for medical professionals and others seeking to learn about important medical advances in the field of neurosurgery.

• share
• favorite_border

Humans rarely walk the straight and narrow; something's always in the way. So Michigan Tech scientists are developing a computer-controlled artificial limb that can turn like a flesh-and-blood foot.

• share
• favorite_border

Emergency Departments across Michigan are better prepared to handle a disaster today than they were seven years ago, according to a Henry Ford Hospital study. The study found that 84 percent of emergency departments said they are more prepared to handle a terrorist attack or natural disaster than they were in 2005.

• share
• favorite_border

Elderly surgical patients are more likely to suffer from debilitating post-operative delirium if they have diabetes, undergo longer surgery or respond poorly to stress, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers have identified hundreds of variants in a patient’s DNA sequence or genetic code that predict which military service members are more likely to develop persistent, chronic pain after amputation, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

More than 4,000 gastroenterologists, physicians and other health care professionals from around the world will convene this week for the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 78th Annual Scientific Meeting at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA, to review and present the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

• share
• favorite_border

Harry Eugene Sarles, Jr., M.D., FACG was elected by the membership as the 2013-2014 President of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), a national medical specialty society representing more than 12,000 clinical gastroenterologists and other specialists in digestive diseases. Dr. Sarles officially took his position as President during the College’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting, held this week in San Diego. As President, Dr. Sarles will direct ACG’s programs, which include continuing medical education in the clinical, scientific and patient-related skills of gastroenterology, policies involving national and state medical affairs, managed care issues and clinical investigation.

• share
• favorite_border

Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer, particularly esophageal adenocarcinoma, according to a new meta-analysis of published observational studies presented by Mayo Clinic researcher Siddharth Singh, M.D., at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

• share
• favorite_border

Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is effective in resolving Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in immunocompromised patients with few serious adverse events according to an retrospective series presented at the 78th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Two other studies looked at FMT in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients who also suffered from C. difficile infection, as well as the impact of altering gut flora with transplant of fecal bacteria upon symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

• share
• favorite_border

A smartphone virtual coach application for colonoscopy preparation is shown to be easy to use and engaging, even among people who have previously undergone colonoscopy. Results of a usability study were presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

• share
• favorite_border

Two separate studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego analyze inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) health outcomes in the United States and Canada. IBD, which includes both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory condition of the intestinal tract and is estimated to affect over 1.4 million people in the U.S.

• share
• favorite_border

Severe liver damage, and even failure, has been associated with the consumption of weight loss supplements, an herbal supplement and an energy drink, according to four separate case reports presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA. Use of herbal and dietary supplements is widespread for a variety of health problems. Because many patients do not disclose supplement use to their physicians, important drug side effects can be missed.

• share
• favorite_border

A marker in bile known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the growth of cancerous tumors according to new research presented at the 78th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic found that VEGF levels from bile aspirated from the pancreas can accurately distinguish pancreatic cancer from other causes of common problems in the bile duct. The results of this pilot study indicated that using this marker in bile can correctly identify pancreas cancer with high sensitivity, detecting pancreas cancer accurately in 93 percent of cases.

• share
• favorite_border

Childhood and infancy factors have been linked to a predisposition to developing Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection, the leading cause of health-care associated diarrhea, according to new research being presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

• share
• favorite_border

Data on new treatment options and combinations of therapies to treat chronic viral hepatitis C infection were presented at the 78th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Diego in a scientific session dedicated to liver disease. Three research teams reported on trials of several experimental treatments, including interferon-free drug combinations and direct acting antiviral agents effective against genotypes 2 and 3 of the Hepatitis C virus, as well as new agents which have the potential to shorten the duration of therapy.

• share
• favorite_border

A blood-test could easily determine whether a patient is suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), eliminating the need for extensive and expensive dialogistic testing in order to rule out more serious conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), suggests Mark Pimentel, M.D., lead author of a multicenter study unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

• share
• favorite_border

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at an increased risk of stroke and heart attack according to a new study presented by Mayo Clinic researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology’s Annual Scientific Meeting, Oct. 11–16, in San Diego.

• share
• favorite_border

Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer, according to a new study presented by Mayo Clinic researchers at the American College of Gastroenterology’s Annual Scientific Meeting, Oct. 11–16, in San Diego.

• share
• favorite_border

Ninety-seven percent of bariatric surgery patients avoided post-operative nausea and vomiting (PONV) with the addition of a second drug to the standard treatment given during surgery, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

Simple remedies – from keeping the antibacterial gel dispenser clean to giving health care workers their own hand sanitizer – can help keep patients safe by decreasing contamination in operating and recovery rooms, suggest two studies presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

Before and after spinal surgery, patients on a polyamine-deficient diets experienced significant relief of both chronic and acute pain, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

Patients with fibromyalgia resistant to more routine therapies have a new pain relief treatment available, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. Intravenous (IV) lidocaine infusion provided significant pain relief to fibromyalgia patients, although the pain relief was much less for African-Americans and smokers.

• share
• favorite_border

Researchers have discovered how to determine which bipolar patients will benefit from Ketamine, a treatment commonly used for depression and pain relief, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting.

• share
• favorite_border

The incidence of chronic pain following cardiac surgery can be reduced in patients when the drug pregabalin is used before surgery and for 14 days post-surgery, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. The study also found that patients at risk of developing long-term post-operative persistent pain can be predicted by conducting pain sensitivity tests at the time of surgery.

• share
• favorite_border

For the more than 45 million Americans who suffer from chronic headaches, relief may be on the way in the form of an electric pulse, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. Electric stimulation of the peripheral nerve reduced average headache intensity by more than 70 percent.

• share
• favorite_border

Long-term memory loss, difficulty understanding verbal or written communication or impaired ability to pay attention may still occur five years after heart surgery if a patient has a certain gene variation, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. This gene was found to be related to a decline in cognitive capabilities compared to those who do not have the variation.

• share
• favorite_border

With the entry of “Millenials” into medical residency programs across the country, institutions have started to examine ways to improve programs to correspond with that generation’s learning behaviors and preferences. A study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting found that Millennial residents use their iPad® to enhance their educational experience. Surprisingly, as residents increased use of their iPad® for educational purposes, their personal iPad® use decreased significantly.

• share
• favorite_border

Using intravenous (IV) acetaminophen with narcotics provides more effective pain relief to children having tonsillectomies, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. Additionally, the combination therapy saves costs due to reduced use of narcotics after surgery, reduced side effects and slightly quicker hospital discharge than in patients who receive narcotics alone.

• share
• favorite_border

Menopausal women suffer from half as many hot flashes after receiving a non-hormonal chronic pain treatment, according to a study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY™ 2013 annual meeting. The nerve block treatment interrupts the area of the brain that regulates body temperature, reducing moderate-to-severe hot flashes and alleviating depression in menopausal women, breast cancer patients and women in surgical menopause.

• share
• favorite_border

The American Society of Anesthesiologists commends Missouri Governor Jay Nixon on his decision not to use propofol in a manner that may have significantly affected the availability of this medication for the anesthetic care of patients in America. Propofol’s wide-spread patient acceptance and tolerance in procedures requiring anesthesia make this medicine critically important to providing the most optimal outcomes for patients.