September 9th, 2011 by John Di Saia, M.D. in Opinion
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When things are done properly, infection is pretty uncommon in a plastic surgery practice. Surgery and infection are unfortunately related however and will co-exist at least occasionally even when everything is done correctly. This is just a fact of life.
People interestingly enough seem to believe that an infection is evidence of malpractice. Infection can be present when malpractice has occurred but by itself is not evidence of anything.
Minor infections can often can be treated and cause no long term problems. More serious infections can Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Truth in Cosmetic Surgery*
August 25th, 2011 by DrWes in Opinion, Research
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A new report published online in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology and reported in theHeart.org and elsewhere, suggests the infection rate of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CEID’s) between 1993 and 2008 has greatly increased from 1.53% in 2004 to 2.41% in 2008 (p < 0.001) with a dramatic rise in 2005:
Click image to enlarge
The authors explain this sudden increase on the basis of comorbities: Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Dr. Wes*
July 30th, 2011 by ChristopherChangMD in Research
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From the pages of CSI: Miami… a commonly used forensic chemical called luminol to identify traces of blood at crime scenes has been modified to be used in a novel medical test that can help differentiate a viral infection from a bacterial infection.
Why is this important?
Not uncommonly, it is sometimes hard to differentiate between a bacterial infection which is treated with antibiotics from a viral infection which is NOT treated with antibiotics. Unfortunately, in the healthcare system, too often, antibiotics are given if an infection is present whether viral or bacterial which is leading to multi-drug resistant infections like MRSA.
Well with this test, Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Fauquier ENT Blog*
July 25th, 2011 by ChristopherChangMD in Research, Video
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Many people are already aware of nebulizer treatments to help with breathing during asthma attacks and other pulmonary conditions.
What many people may not be aware of is that such nebulizer treatments can also potentially be used for chronic sinus infections. One of the best known companies offering such treatment is Sinus Dynamics.
Using one of several different nebulizers, compounded liquid medications (antibiotics and/or steroids) selected by the physician are nebulized/atomized which the patient then breathes into the nasal passages. The small size of the particles allow medication to theoretically move through the tiniest of sinus openings directly onto the infected tissue. Treatments are quick generally lasting 3 – 5 minutes (depending on medication and device). Here’s a video demonstrating how it is used.
Sinus Dynamics™ specifically is contracted by over 14,000 insurance companies across the nation, which means that most patients are able to receive their treatment for little to no cost out of pocket.
Most ENT doctors are already familiar with this product.
Personally, I prescribe Read more »
*This blog post was originally published at Fauquier ENT Blog*
July 20th, 2011 by Paul Auerbach, M.D. in Health Tips
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Ear infections are the bane of childhood and can spoil many outdoor adventures. One of the most common infections of childhood, they provoke long nights of miserable children, sleepless parents, and unhappiness all around. They may be recurrent, and can also progress (rarely) to more serious medical problems, such as meningitis.
What Are Ear Infections?
Acute otitis (inflammation of the ear) media (“middle”) infection is caused by bacteria or viruses. When it occurs, there is redness and inflammation of the eardrum, frequently with a collection of blood, serum, or pus behind the drum. To know whether or not this has occurred, and to precisely determine the anatomic diagnosis and severity, one needs to see the eardrum, which is what the healthcare provider does with an otoscope.
With otitis media (middle ear infection), there is no drainage from the external ear canal (unless the eardrum ruptures, which is unusual in an adult and more common in a child) and the victim has a fever, sometimes with an accompanying sore throat. In many cases, the victim has a history of prior similar ear infections. Most often, otitis media occurs in children; when it occurs in an adult, it may be associated with a sinus infection or functional obstruction of the eustachian tube (the pressure-release mechanism from the middle ear into the throat).
It is interesting to note that children who chew Read more »
This post, One Of The Most Common Infections Of Childhood: Otitis Media, was originally published on
Healthine.com by Paul Auerbach, M.D..
