OB GYN News back issues from November 2005:
Endoanal scan IDs occult defects.(News)
Nov 01, 2005; ... MONTREAL -- Endoanal ultrasound performed immediately post partum can identify clinically occult anal sphincter defects, which are linked to an increased risk of anal incontinence, according to a British study. "This technology can improve our prediction of incontinence and has ...
HPV vaccine can prevent early in situ cervical ca: prevents CIN2, CIN3 related to HPV 16, 18.(News)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- A multinational study of 11,502 young women showed for the first time that a vaccine for human papillomavirus can prevent precancerous cervical lesions and early in situ cervical cancers, Laura A. Koutsky, Ph.D., reported. The recombinant vaccine against HPV ...
Nearly 6,000 physicians were displaced by Katrina.(News)
Nov 01, 2005; ... A recent study from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill estimates that Hurricane Katrina and flooding in New Orleans may have displaced an estimated 5,944 active, patient-care physicians, the largest single relocation of doctors in U.S. history. It's expected that ...
Laparoscopic colposuspension eases recovery.(News)
Nov 01, 2005; ... MONTREAL -- Laparoscopic colposuspension performed by experienced surgeons has a cure rate similar to the open procedure, but patients experience a better recovery, according to a prospective, randomized controlled trial. The multicenter British trial is the first reported ...
UAE effective in small study of women with adenomyosis.(News)
Nov 01, 2005; ... NICE, FRANCE -- Uterine artery embolization should not be withheld from women with adenomyosis, according to investigators who conducted a prospective, multicenter study in 42 symptomatic patients. At a median clinical follow-up of 17 months, 37 women had avoided hysterectomy, ...
Science, medicine, and decision making.(GUEST EDITORIAL)
Nov 01, 2005; ... When physicians advise their patients about medications or medical devices, whether prescription or over the counter (OTC), they rely on the information provided on the product labels and package inserts. They trust that information to be reliable and unbiased. That labeling and ...
Take a stand on genital cutting.(LETTERS)(Letter to the Editor)
Nov 01, 2005 ... I am troubled by Dr. Nawal M. Nour's comments ("Female Genital Cutting," Guest Editorial, July 1, 2005, p. 6). She objects to the term "mutilation" to describe the practice of cutting away parts of the female genitalia as is still being done in some cultures. This horrific ...
Corrections.(Correction Notice)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The article, "Wisc. Ob.Gyns. Lament Cap Loss" (Sept. 15, 2005, p. 1) should have stated that ...
Corrections.(Correction Notice)
Nov 01, 2005 ... In "Mifepristone Deaths Raise Unanswered Questions," the ...
Older moms' prenatal alcohol use hurts growth.(Obstetrics)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Children of older mothers who drank during pregnancy were shorter and had smaller head circumferences at ages 7 and 14 years than other children at those ages, it was reported at the annual meeting of the Research Society on Alcoholism. Children of ...
Chorioamnionitis with PPROM is linked to adverse outcomes risk.(Obstetrics)(premature rupture of membranes)
Nov 01, 2005; ... CHARLESTON, S. C. -- The development of chorioamnionitis in patients with preterm premature rupture of membranes is associated with an increased risk for adverse neonatal outcomes, Natali Aziz, M.D., reported at the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society for Obstetrics and ...
Endothelial dysfunction remains 1 year after preeclamptic pregnancy.(Obstetrics)
Nov 01, 2005; ... STOCKHOLM -- Marked maternal endothelial dysfunction remains present a full year after a preeclamptic pregnancy, Maria J. Eriksson, M.D., Ph.D., reported at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology. One year post partum, women with a history of preeclampsia have ...
Inconsolable infants linked to maternal depression.(Obstetrics)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Results from the first population-based study of its kind have found that about one in three mothers of inconsolable, crying infants reported having postpartum depressive symptoms, Pamela C. High, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral ...
Rapid-response plan curbs maternal hemorrhage: management strategies include use of ultrasounds, vitamins, and faster availability of blood products.(Obstetrics)
Nov 01, 2005; ... When a second woman died from complications of maternal hemorrhage at his hospital between 2000 and 2001, Isaac P. Lowenwirt, M.D., knew that an institutional approach to systemic change was necessary to provide a safety net. "When we had two maternal deaths that were secondary ...
Recommendations for managing maternal hemorrhage.(Obstetrics)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The New York State Department of Health and ACOG District II continue to support their joint recommendations for preventing maternal deaths by improving management of hemorrhage. Seven steps to reduce the risk of maternal death from hemorrhage include: * Perform ...
Laparoscopic Tx okay for ectopic pregnancy, shock.(Obstetrics)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Laparoscopic management for ectopic pregnancy was safely undertaken in 12 women who were in shock, Mark Erian, M.D., reported at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. He reviewed records of 12 patients with clinical hypovolemic shock ...
Rapid test has its place in GBS infection prevention.(Obstetrics)
Nov 01, 2005; ... CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Rapid realtime polymerase chain reaction testing for group B streptococcus detection proved at least as sensitive and specific as standard culture screening at 35-37 weeks' gestation in a recent study. Two vaginal-rectal swabs were collected from each of 190 ...
Results for laparoscopic hysterectomy similar: complication rates are about the same whether procedure is for benign or cancerous conditions.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- The rate of surgical complications with laparoscopic hysterectomy is similar whether the procedure is performed for benign or cancerous conditions, Ali Mahdavi, M.D., said at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. Laparoscopic ...
Outpatient laparoscopic subtotal hysterectomies considered safe.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Laparoscopic supracervical hysterectomies can be done safely on an outpatient basis, a review of 190 cases suggests, Stefanos Chandakas, M.D., reported. The surgeries were performed over a 14-month period by a two-surgeon team at Princess Royal University Hospital, ...
Outcomes data show durability of uterosacral ligament vault suspension.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- Uterosacral ligament vault suspension for the repair of enterocele and vaginal vault prolapse is a durable procedure, 5-year outcomes data suggest. Of 110 patients who underwent the procedure for advanced pelvic organ prolapse, 72 returned for follow-up assessment at ...
Preemptive nerve block studied in vaginal surgery.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- Preemptive pudendal nerve blockade had no effect on postoperative pain or use of narcotic analgesia in a prospective randomized study of patients undergoing pelvic reconstructive surgery. A total of 102 patients undergoing transvaginal pelvic reconstruction under ...
Cystoscopy safe, accurate after vaginal surgery.(Gynecology)(Brief Article)
Nov 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- Cystoscopy with intravenous indigo carmine dye is safe and accurate for detecting ureteral obstruction following vaginal surgery for pelvic organ prolapse, Arlan M. Gustilo-Ashby, M.D., said at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society. Although the ...
Botox may cut detrusor overactivity incontinence.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... ATLANTA -- Botox may be the answer for women with detrusor overactivity incontinence who have failed to respond to conservative therapy. A cystoscopic technique that uses intradetrusor injections of botulinum toxin A injections to decrease bladder muscle overactivity associated ...
Cough test targets early intervention for asymptomatic POP.(Gynecology)(pelvic organ prolapse)
Nov 01, 2005; ... MONTREAL -- A cough is worth a thousand contractions of the pelvic floor muscles, since it can often reveal the otherwise hidden beginnings of pelvic organ prolapse, according to Maryke Slieker-ten Hove of Erasmus Medical Center in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Symptoms of pelvic ...
Transobturator tape offers Tx option for stress urinary incontinence.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... MONTREAL -- Clinicians looking for a less invasive treatment for stress urinary incontinence can choose transobturator tape instead of tension-free vaginal tape, according to Italian researchers. "The results [efficacy] are equal and the complications are very similar," said ...
HT product with drospirenone wins approval.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... A combination hormone therapy that contains drospirenone was approved in late September for treating moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms and moderate to severe symptoms of vulvar and vaginal atrophy associated with menopause, the first such product to contain this particular progestin. ...
HTA stops uterine hemorrhage due to fibroids.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Hydrothermal ablation stopped persistent uterine hemorrhage in six women with large submucosal intrauterine myomas, Herbert A. Goldfarb, M.D., said at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. These six patients traditionally would have ...
Laparoscopy can be safe option in infertility cases.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Laparoscopic myomectomy for large intramural myomas is a safe and useful treatment in select women with infertility problems, Mineto Morita, M.D., reported in a poster session at an international congress of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. He and his ...
Strontium ranelate cuts vertebral fracture risk.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- Strontium ranelate reduced the risk of new vertebral fractures 41% over 3 years in a very-high-risk population of osteoporotic women with at least two prevalent vertebral fractures at baseline, Sergio Ortolani, M.D., reported at the annual European congress of rheumatology. ...
Back pain is reduced for at least 30 months after stopping teriparatide.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... VIENNA -- The risk of developing new-onset back pain is markedly decreased during and for at least 30 months after stopping teriparatide (Forteo) for the treatment of osteoporosis, Jean-Yves Reginster, M.D., Ph.D., reported at the annual European congress of rheumatology. He ...
Most women treated for osteoporosis are deficient in vitamin D.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- More than half of North American women receiving treatment for osteoporosis have suboptimal serum vitamin D levels, Anne E. de Papp, M.D., and her associates reported in a poster at the annual meeting of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists. ...
Use T and z scores to talk about bone density.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Patients receiving bone densitometry should be counseled about their T and the z scores, Steven T. Harris, M.D., advised at a meeting on osteoporosis sponsored by the University of California, San Francisco. The T score compares the patient's bone mineral ...
Many uninformed on external anogenital warts.(Gynecology)
Nov 01, 2005; ... CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Most clinicians counsel patients appropriately about the cause and prevention of external anogenital warts, but many--including some ob.gyns.--are unaware of the difference between oncogenic and wart-related human papillomavirus types, Zsakeba Henderson, M.D., reported ...
Manage mass casualties with SAGGY PRIDE: when situation overwhelms available medical capabilities, certain key steps should be followed.(Clinical Rounds)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN FRANCISCO -- Every physician should consider how he or she would manage as the only medical professional in a mass-casualty situation, Lt. Cormac J. O'Connor, MC, USN, said at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Dr. O'Connor, a second-year ...
Waist-height ratio is better indicator of cardiovascular risk than body mass index.(Clinical Rounds)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SAN DIEGO -- Waist-to-height ratio is more strongly associated with cardiovascular risk than body mass index (BMI), particularly in middle age, according to a large European study presented at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society. Harald J. Schneider, M.D., of the Max ...
First 2 weeks of meal-replacement diet predicts adherence.(Clinical Rounds)
Nov 01, 2005; ... Obese women who lost more weight in the first 2 weeks of a meal-replacement diet program were more likely to continue the program and maintain their weight loss, reported I. Packianathan of Addenbrooke's Hospital National Health Service Trust, Cambridge, England, and associates. ...
Katrina survivors sort through mix of emotions.(Clinical Rounds)
Nov 01, 2005; ... Forget everything you learned about treating survivors of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and the Oklahoma City bombing. The fallout from Hurricane Katrina will be unique in that the mental health challenges facing survivors will be impossible to predict, according to disaster ...
Gender gap is narrowing in risky drinking and driving.(Clinical Rounds)
Nov 01, 2005; ... SANTA BARBARA, CALIF. -- Longitudinal data from a large national alcohol abuse survey suggest that the gender gap is narrowing with regard to drinking and driving: Women's rates of risky alcohol-related driving behaviors are actually increasing in some cases. "The worldwide ...
Doctors brace for possible avian flu pandemic.(Clinical Rounds)
Nov 01, 2005; ... Warnings of a potential avian influenza pandemic have the nation and medical community on alert--but those who would be on the front lines appear to be taking the threat in stride. One of the few concrete steps that physicians can take at this time is to ensure that patients are ...
Payment system thwarts efforts to treat obesity: many physicians try to get counseling reimbursed by coding for related comorbidities such as diabetes.(Practice Trends)
Nov 01, 2005; ... With the obesity epidemic growing, physicians are facing a payment system that hasn't caught up. Although coverage varies by payer, most Medicare carriers do not pay for office visits coded only for obesity and the same is true for most private payers, physicians told this ...
Physicians sought to test electronic health record software.(Practice Trends)
Nov 01, 2005; ... Officials at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are seeking physicians to test electronic health record software originally developed by the Department of Veterans Affairs and adapted for use in physicians' offices. CMS is releasing a test version of the ...
Policy & practice.(Practice Trends)
Nov 01, 2005; ... Another FDA Resignation The Food and Drug Administration's delay in deciding whether to approve Plan B emergency contraception for sale over the counter has cost the agency another expert. Frank Davidoff, M.D., editor emeritus of the Annals of Internal Medicine, resigned his ...
Physicians share the rewards of volunteering.(THE REST OF YOUR LIFE)
Nov 01, 2005; ... The first time Mark D. Dressner, M.D., joined a group of medical colleagues on a mission trip to Honduras in the early 1990s, he made house calls an hour and a half away from the group's base camp on horseback. "I had never ridden a horse before, so that was an experience," ...
Council: issues on aging call for presidential panel.(Practice Trends)
Nov 01, 2005; ... WASHINGTON -- The issues of aging, dementia, and long-term care merit formation of a presidential commission, the President's Council on Bioethics suggests in a new report. At its recent meeting in Washington, the commission heard from Greg Sachs, M.D., chief of the section of ...
Managing HIV in pregnancy.(MASTER CLASS)
Nov 01, 2005; ... When the HIV-AIDS epidemic spread across the Western hemisphere and into the United States, we all were petrified. We've made great strides with research and investigation. Today, we have a greater understanding of the biology of the disease, ways to prevent its transmission, and methods ...
New tests would help lower perinatal transmission.(Practice Trends)
Nov 01, 2005; ... The HIV epidemic continues to expand in Africa and beyond, and will continue to infect women as well as men. Tens of millions of people are already infected worldwide, more than a million of them in the United States where about 7,000 HIV-infected women give birth each year. Yet ...
Drug resistance factors into HIV treatment failures.(Practice Trends)
Nov 01, 2005; ... BETHESDA, MD. -- Drug resistance poses a problem in treating HIV patients, in part because of the virus's high mutation rate, Roy M. Gulick, M.D., said at an annual conference on antimicrobial resistance sponsored by the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Factors ...
Extended-release pain relief.(PRODUCTS)
Nov 01, 2005 ... A product to be marketed as Tramadol HCI extended-release tablets are approved for the management of moderate to moderately severe chronic pain in adults who require around-the-clock treatment of pain ...
Ambien CR approved for insomnia.(PRODUCTS)
Nov 01, 2005 ... Ambien CR (zolpidem tartrate extended-release tablets) is approved for the treatment of insomnia. The tablets are ...
Expanded labeling for pap test.(PRODUCTS)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The ThinPrep pap test label now includes the detection of endocervical and endometrial glandular ...
Oral medication dispenser.(PRODUCTS)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The design of the Exacta-Med dispenser prevents the attachment of a luer needle hub or a needleless connector, to help eliminate potential error ...
Laparoscopic instruments.(PRODUCTS)
Nov 01, 2005 ... New active electrode monitoring laparoscopic instruments combine a shielded design with continuous monitoring to prevent burn ...
More underbody blankets.(PRODUCTS)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The expanded line of Bair Hugger underbody blankets now includes two adult and two pediatric blankets. The blankets provide forced-air warming for patients undergoing ...
Frozen premixed ceftriaxone.(PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)
Nov 01, 2005 ... Ceftriaxone injection (1 g/50 mL and 2 g/50 mL) is now packaged in single-dose plastic containers. The premixed frozen drug is ready to use. Ceftriaxone is indicated for the treatment of susceptible ...
Larger dosing option for fertility Tx.(PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The Follistim AQ cartridge (follitropin beta injection) is now available in a 900-IU size. The cartridge works with the Follistim Pen, which allows fine-tuning of fertility medication in 25-IU ...
Clonazepam disintegrating tablets.(PRODUCTS)(Lennox-Gastaut syndrome )(Brief Article)
Nov 01, 2005 ... Clonazepam orally disintegrating tablets (0.125 mg, 0.25 mg, 0.5 mg, 1 mg, and 2 mg) have been approved, alone or as an adjunct, for treatment of Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (petit mal variant), akinetic and myoclonic ...
Medicare Prescription Benefit guide.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The Medicare Rights Center has released a free guide for physicians who assist older and disabled Americans with Medicare to better understand the new Medicare drug benefit to begin in January 2006. "Medicare Drug Coverage ...
Comparing health plans.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The National Committee for Quality Assurance has added summary comparative scores to its online "Living with Illness" reports. The move is part of an effort to help users better compare how health ...
Guide to Quality Health Care.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality has released the booklet "Guide to Health Care Quality: How to Know It When You See It" to help ...
HPV and cancer guide.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The Association of Reproductive Health Professionals has released "A Woman's Guide to Understanding HPV and Cervical ...
Patient guide to recovery.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations is offering a free brochure aimed at helping patients plan follow-up care after they leave the hospital ....
Food safety for pregnant women.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The Food and Drug Administration has launched a campaign to educate pregnant women about the risks of foodborne illness. "Food Safety for Moms-to-Be" ...
Smoking cessation Web site.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... Smokefree.gov offers information about quitting smoking and suggestions on preparing to quit, actually quitting, and staying quit. The site also includes links to Web sites and government reports for health ...
Emergency resource for PDAs.(FYI)
Nov 01, 2005 ... The ".911" emergency response resource for Palm OS and Pocket PC devices--designed for use during infectious disease outbreaks, natural disasters, and bioterrorism ...
Study links PCOS to depression.(News)
Nov 15, 2005; ... MONTREAL -- A total of 35% of those with polycystic ovary syndrome also had depression in a case-control study of 206 women. "We recommend that women with PCOS should be routinely screened and adequately treated for depression," study investigator Elizabeth M. Hollinrake said at ...