Survival of newborns with abdominal holes differs according to hospital

A newborn’s chance for surviving a low-risk version of a condition called gastroschisis varies greatly by hospital, according to a study by Johns Hopkins surgeons. Babies with the condition have a hole in their abdomen near the umbilical cord. The uncomplicated variant of the condition, where the hole is the only abdominal anomaly, is fairly easy to repair, and 97 percent of babies survive it. However the Hopkins findings suggest that in some hospitals, far fewer babies who should survive the condition after treatment actually do. Some hospitals had death rates three to five times the national average.

Physical Therapy In ICU Can Reduce Hospital Stays

The results of the first study to show the effectiveness of early physical therapy in a medical intensive care unit (ICU) are being presented October 23 by a researcher from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center at the national meeting of the American College of Chest Physicians in Chicago.

New Treatment For Varicose Veins Uses Crochet Hooks

Dr. Peter Lawrence, UCLA’s chief of vascular surgery, picks up size 7 crochet hooks from a fabric store — not to make sweaters or scarves but to use in a new technique he has developed to treat varicose veins.

Modafinil Is Effective In Treating Excessive Sleepiness, Study Suggests

A study published in the October 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine finds that modafinil is well-tolerated in the treatment of excessive sleepiness associated with disorders of sleep and wakefulness such as shift work sleep disorder, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and narcolepsy, and does not affect cardiovascular or sleep parameters.

Pathway Required For Normal Reproductive Development Identified

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) clinical researchers, in collaboration with basic scientists from the University of California, Irvine (UC Irvine) have identified a new molecular pathway required for normal development of the reproductive, olfactory and circadian systems in both humans and mice. In their report to appear in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the team describes defects in a gene called PROK2 (prokineticin 2) in human siblings with two different forms of infertility. The UC Irvine team had previously reported that mice lacking PROK2 had abnormal olfactory structures and disrupted circadian rhythm.

Weight Loss Before Bariatric Surgery Linked To Shorter Hospital Stay, Faster Weight Loss

High-risk morbidly obese patients who lose 5 to 10 percent of their excess body weight before undergoing gastric bypass surgery appear to have shorter hospital stays and more rapid postoperative weight loss, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Surgery, a theme issue on bariatric surgery.

Physicians Breathe Life Into Cutting-edge Stem Cell Procedure

Patients living with Myasthenia Gravis (MG) may breathe easier thanks to a rare bone marrow transplant procedure performed at The Bone Marrow Transplant Program at University of California, San Diego Medical Center, the only program in the western United States that has attempted this procedure.

Targeting Sugars May Revolutionize Treatment Of Bone Disorders

Researchers in the United Kingdom and Germany are reporting that one of the most fundamental scientific beliefs about the structure of human bone is incomplete — a finding they say could have sweeping impact on treatments for osteoporosis and other bone disorders. Their study concludes that sugars, not proteins, are key organic building blocks that account for bone’s toughness and stiffness.

New Pheromone Sprayer Leads Amorous Moths Astray

For decades, apple and pear growers have “adorned” their orchards with hundreds of plastic dispensers that emit a chemical sex attractant, or pheromone, to disrupt codling moth mating. Now, thanks to Agricultural Research Service (ARS) studies in Wapato, Wash., growers could soon be spraying the pheromone instead.

Complementary Medicine Can Help With Chronic Pain

Some of the pain medications had side effects that made it difficult for Jones to perform his job. Occupational therapy intervened with acupressure, modifications for performing daily activities and adaptive devices, such as a long handle reacher that allowed him to put on socks without bending over.