Medical News

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Bone Cement Permits Surgeons To Restore Normal Facial Contours

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Two or three unprovoked seizures may greatly increase the risk for more seizures and should be necessary criteria for diagnosing epilepsy, according to a study by researchers at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons. The study, published in the Feb 12 New England Journal of Medicine, establishes the first mathematically sound definition of epilepsy. The data could lead to a better understanding of seizure occurance and more appropriate treatment intervention.

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A University of Iowa researcher may have made a key advance in finding more effective and safer drugs to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune disorders.

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Rancho Mirage, CA ó Physicians reporting at the annual spine-section meeting of the combined American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) societies this week will describe how the Digital Holographyô System from VoxelÆ (NASDAQ:VOXL) helps them diagnose and treat disorders of the spine.

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Tulane University and University of Rochester medical researchers find that a vaccine therapy for ovarian cancer using genetically altered tumor cells could improve the effectiveness of certain chemotherapy treatments. The research will be presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

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The American Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons (ASPRS) recommends that people considering lipoplasty, popularly known as liposuction, be fully informed about the procedure before surgery. In a position statement issued today, the organization states that lipoplasty is believed to be generally safe, provided that patients are carefully selected, the operating facility is properly equipped, and the physician has proper surgical education with special training in body contouring.

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As prologue to a soon-to-be-published study that confirms the efficacy of valacyclovir--a new, more potent, cost-effective and convenient anti-herpes medication--the study's lead author warns that stopping the spread of genital herpes will take more than popping a pill or avoiding sex during outbreaks.

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Women facing surgery for endometrial cancer may want to think twice before embarking on a lengthy course of radiation treatments after the operation, a national study chaired by a Stanford researcher suggests.

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Daily smokers have twice the risk for major depression compared to people who have a history of smoking on an occassional basis, according to a Henry Ford Health System study.

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Medical researchers from the University of California-Irvine and the State University Hospital at Stony Brook, NY, have determined that a vaginal delivery will result in an increased postpartum regression rate for pregnant women with abnormal antepartum cervical cytology. Their findings will be presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

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A revolutionary new tool has been introduced which will help women determine their risk of being attacked by one of the most deadly of all killers: reproductive cancer (cancer of the ovaries, uterus, and cervix). The Women's Cancer Network (WCN) website, at www.wcn.org, is the world's first interactive reproductive cancer website and allows a woman to instantly receive an assessment of her risk for developing these cancers.

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As much as one-fifth of the U.S. population may be at increased risk of heart attacks and strokes because they do not eat enough food with vitamin B-6 and folic acid, according to a report in today's Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

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Approximately 80% of women with cervical cancer receive a favorable prognosis if treated with a radical hysterectomy and early radiotherapy. However, in the last 30 years, the 20% mortality rate of patients following surgery has not improved. Now, medical researchers specializing in the treatment of women's cancers have completed research that offers hope to women recovering from treatment for this deadly disease. Their findings will be presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

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Medical researchers from the University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center and the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center have conducted the first long-term follow-up of ovarian cancer patients having a negative second-look laparotomy, after treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy. Their findings will be presented at the 29th Annual Meeting of the Society of Gynecologic Oncologists.

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Through a public awareness campaign, researchers in Normal, Ill. were able to significantly improve people's knowledge of stroke warning signs and, in the process, found that women were more apt to listen to stroke messages than men.

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The press is invited to attend a meeting of the National Advisory Council (NAC) for Health Care Policy, Research, and Evaluation on February 12, 1998. The Council provides advice to the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Administrator of the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) on matters related to AHCPR activities.

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Researchers at Henry Ford Health System have discovered evidence that suggests the male brain shrinks faster with age than the female brain.

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A virtual "flight" through a colon, new math and high-resolution telescopes, a promising new cancer-fighting technique, and new information about plant growth hormones. What do these technological innovations have in common?

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Repeated heartburn should sound an alarm; Navel battle reduces fat, risk for health problems; Parents of colicky babies need attention, too; Knock yourself out with fitness boxing; Antibiotics cannot cure all ear infections

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Temple University Hospital enrolled the first patients into both the clinical therapy and surgical portions of the National Emphysema Treatment Trial (NETT) within the past week. The first NETT patient to enter the surgical portion also received lung volume reduction surgery this week at Temple University Hospital.

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Protection from strokes may be found in high doses of vitamins B6, B12 and folate. A University of Maryland researcher reports that high doses of B-vitamins lower homocysteine, an amino acid associated with increased stroke risk when levels in the blood are even slightly elevated.

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New data reveal that the cholesterol-lowering drug pravastatin (Pravachol) can significantly reduce the risk of a stroke or ministroke in people who have previously suffered a heart attack.

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A trio of B vitamins given to a group of people who had suffered a stroke reduced their homocysteine levels and improved biochemical "markers" in their blood that indicate injury to artery walls -- damage that can lead to strokes.

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Genetic variations in apolipoprotein E, a key protein involved in the transport and disposal of cholesterol in the body, may be associated in African Americans with the occurrence of a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.

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Roswell Park Cancer Institute will host the first meeting of a Regional Cancer Center Consortium for Biological Therapy of Cancer, February 19-21, in honor of the Institute's Centennial.

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Two studies by University of Maryland neurologists-one completed and one just beginning-address the higher risk of stroke that young African-Americans face.

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Nearly one in three people over age 65 and not living in a nursing home fall each year---and those falls often result in serious injury and significant cost. Now, through a series of studies, researchers have documented a strong link between falling and a neurological disorder called peripheral neuropathy.

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A Johns Hopkins physician has discovered that a 74-year-old woman originally diagnosed with a blood cell cancer actually had a very mild case of malaria that lasted for as many as 70 years. Once he nailed down the cause of her symptoms, he cured her within three days.

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The number of Americans afflicted with a stroke each year is estimated to be about 500,000 -- but that number is too low, according to a report in today's Stroke: A Journal of the American Heart Association.

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While medical professionals may understand how and why a stroke happens, researchers say the wide variation in treatment of stroke patients shows that much professional education is needed to ensure they receive the most up-to-date care.

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There may be a lower cost solution to fighting stroke that doesn't involve new equipment or new therapies. Researchers say the formation of an acute stroke team (AST), comprised of stroke-savvy health professionals, can streamline stroke care in major medical centers.

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By using high-tech telecommunications equipment, researchers hope to reduce the time it takes to determine whether an individual having a stroke can be safely given the potentially life saving clot-busting treatment.

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Approximately 400,000 Americans have a first-ever stroke each year, and according to researchers from the University of Iowa, current trends indicate that number will increase steadily, surpassing the 1 million mark in 2050.

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High intakes of two B vitaminsæfolic acid and B6æcan reduce the risk of heart disease in women by 45 percent, announced Harvard University researchers in the February 4, 1998, Journal of the American Medical Association.

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A Johns Hopkins evaluation of a drug commonly used to prevent rejection of kidney transplants has found that it also may help patients with severe symptoms of kidney disease.

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February is American Heart Month and the American Heart Association (AHA) has launched a nationwide campaign to educate people---especially women---about the dangers of heart disease and stroke.

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A research team led by a University of Iowa College of Medicine researcher has discovered a combination of laboratory tests that may help identify heavy drinkers.

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Highlighting recent heart disease treatment findings, WATTSHealth Systems, Inc. responds to a "cardiovascular crisis" by combining the interests of Black History Month and American Heart Month

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Doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center are the first in the nation to use sophisticated video and computer technology to assess a stroke patientís condition during an ambulance ride, before arrival at the hospital. Two Maryland Express Care ambulances have been outfitted with digital cellular equipment that allows neurologists in their hospital office to see a stroke patient in real time video and speak to the emergency medical personnel on the ambulance as they rush the patient to the hospital.

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Stroke rehabilitation programs that include a heavy emphasis on support and social activities may lead to less depression in people who have a brain attack, according to a study in this month's Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association.

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Dr. Kenneth Mobily, University of Iowa professor of sports, health, leisure and physical studies, has developed a low-tech, community-based strength training program that improves the physical condition and capabilities in older folks and helps prevent falls.

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News Briefs from Mayo Clinic; 1) Endoscopic surgery for adrenal tumors is better for patients 2) Simple test predicts survival in heart failure 3) Study finds good ice hockey goalies have high heart rates and share feelings

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Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center have shown that diagnostic accuracy of chest pain can be dramatically increased by using a clinical approach that combines the results of an echocardiogram with a simple blood test that measures a patient's troponin T, a protein released during cardiac cell injury.

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STANFORD ó HIV strains that have developed resistance to a wide range of antiviral drugs constitute the gravest challenge now facing AIDS researchers in the battle against this deadly virus.

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New specialty referral guidelines for people with diabetes developed, approved and adopted by a consensus conference of more than 100 practicing primary care and specialty physicians representing private practice, hospital and managed care settings were announced today by Diabetes Treatment Centers of America (DTCA).

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A study of 80,082 female nurses over a 14-year period has indicated that increased intake of two vitamins, folate and vitamin B-6, is predictive of reduced risk of coronary heart disease (heart attack or death from coronary heart disease).

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Aviron announced today that it is working with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to prepare two vaccine candidates for potential use in the event of a pandemic of the "Hong Kong flu" resulting from the avian A/Hong Kong/97 (H5N1) influenza virus.

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1) For newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients initial therapy with oral medications is better and results in less reactions. 2) Heart surgery often leads to kidney problems or kidney failure. 3) Initial medical therapy is good for low-risk angina patients; angioplasty or bypass surgery is good for moderate-risk patients; and bypass surgery is reasonable for high-risk patients. 4) Firearm injury prevention should be a major public health issue for internists and other physicians.

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In light of recent allegations about public figures, APA's Division of Public Affairs has been receiving calls from journalists asking for psychiatrists to speculate on alleged addictions or disorders.

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World'S First "Blood Substitute" Receives FDA approval For Treatment For Canine Treatment Of Canine Anemia. First in a New Category called "Oxygen Therapeutics"