August 4th, 2011 by RamonaBatesMD in News, Research
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Yesterday, I came across this press release from Johns Hopkins regarding a new composite material which may someday be used to restore damaged soft tissue. (photo credit)
The liquid material is a composite of biological and synthetic molecules which is injected under the skin. Transdermal light is then used to “set” the material into a more solid structure.
The results of the early experiments in rats and humans has been reported in the July 27 issue of Science Translational Medicine (full reference below).
It is hoped that the new liquid material is a biosynthetic soft tissue replacement composed of poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and hyaluronic acid (HA).
From the press release Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*
July 29th, 2011 by RamonaBatesMD in Better Health Network
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It seems to me this topic of surgeons and their lack of civility gets pulled out on a fairly regular basis. This latest discussion in the news media is due to a short article in the current Archives of Surgery (full reference below).
Surgeons as a group have a reputation (which even nice ones have trouble overcoming) of arrogance and incivility.
The authors, Klein and Forni, of this article state (bold emphasis is mine):
Uncivil behavior is so present in society at large that we should not be surprised to find it among health care workers. This article is meant to raise the awareness of the costs—both in dollars and in human misery—of incivility in the practice of medicine by looking in particular at the case of surgeons.
Uncivil behavior brings misery wherever it occurs. If the individual tends to behave in an uncivil fashion prior to medical school and prior to residency, Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*
July 15th, 2011 by RamonaBatesMD in Opinion, Research
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Stretch marks (striae distensae) are common. They represent linear dermal scars accompanied by epidermal atrophy. Stretch marks aren’t a significant medical problem, but can be a source of significant emotional distress.
There are many treatments available, ranging from therapy applied to the skin, laser therapy, and even more invasive surgical methods. Unfortunately, stretch marks remain a tricky problem to target, in which no established treatment exists.
A recent article in the May issue of the Aesthetic Surgery Journal (full reference below) discusses the use of fractional nonablative laser treatment for stretch marks.
Dr. Francesca de Angelis and colleagues conducted a clinical study involving 51 patients with striae, three male and 48 female, who were treated between May 2007 to May 2008. Several patients had striae on multiple areas of the body so a total of 79 striae locations were treated.
Patient ages ranged from 13 to 56 years (mean, 33 years). Fitzpatrick skin type ranged from II to IV. The duration of striae ranged from one to 40 years, with an average duration of 12 years. The striae formed as a result of pubertal growth (41%, n = 21), pregnancy (31%, n = 16), weight change (20%, n = 10), muscular atrophy (2%, n = one ), or unknown causes (6%, n = three).
Anatomical locations for treatment included the hips, breasts, abdomen, flanks, knees, buttocks, arms, thighs, and shoulders, with the majority of treatments occurring on the first three sites.
The stated objective of this study was to determine Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*
July 7th, 2011 by RamonaBatesMD in Health Tips, Opinion, Research
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I read the LA Times article by Shari Roan, Study urges more individual mammogram guidelines, with interest. As Roan notes, guidelines to date have mainly focused on a woman’s age and not her other risks factors.
The American Cancer Society recommends that healthy women undergo screening mammograms every one to two years beginning at age 40 regardless of risk factors. In 2009, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended a different schedule which urged the inclusion of an individual’s personal risks: screening for women ages 40 to 49 should be based on individual risk factors and women ages 50 to 74 should be screened every two years.
Monday, a paper was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine (full reference below) which argues for a more personalized approach to screening mammograms.
The study by Dr. Steven R. Cummings, senior author and senior researcher at the California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute, and colleagues was based on a computer model comparing the lifetime costs and health benefits for women who got mammograms every year, every two years, every three to four years or never. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*
July 1st, 2011 by RamonaBatesMD in Health Tips
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As the 4th of July approaches, I’ve begun to hear fireworks exploding in my neighborhood. It’s been dry here, so in addition to the risk of injuring a person, there is a risk of setting the fields on fire. I sure hope my neighbors are being responsible.
I hope you will all have a safe and happy July 4th. Be safe and stay out of the ER.
Please use the following tips:
- Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks. A responsible adult should be in charge.
- Read and follow all warnings and instructions.
- Be sure other people are out-of-range before lighting fireworks. Small children should be kept a safe distance from the fireworks; older children that use fireworks need to be carefully supervised.
- Do not smoke when handling any type of “live” firecracker, rocket, or aerial display.
- Keep all fireworks away from any flammable liquids, dry grassy areas, or open bonfires.
- Keep a bucket of water or working garden hose nearby in case of a malfunction or fire.
- Take note of any sudden wind change that could cause sparks or debris to fall on a car, house, or person. Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Suture for a Living*
