A new type of surgery could become very popular. For certain types of surgeries, instead of making incisions and removing whatever you need removed through that hole, it would be removed through a “natural orifice” (ex: one’s mouth). Read more…
NEW YORK) — A Filipino teenager who came to New York so doctors could perform surgery to untwist her severely clubbed feet took her first unaided steps Wednesday in pink-and-white sneakers — the first shoes she’s ever worn.
“I’m very happy,” Jingle Luis said with a smile. “It was exciting.”
The 15-year-old girl arrived at Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx in May with her mother for surgery and follow-up treatment.
She had never been able to walk on her own because she was born with feet so clubbed they twisted backward and upside down, forcing her to hobble on the tops of her feet with the help of crutches. Read more…
According to VERENA DOBNIK
MIAMI - A Vietnamese girl is finally free of a disfiguring 16-pound (7-kilogram) facial tumor, after a surgery that lasted at least 12 hours in Miami.
The Schwannoma tumor had consumed the lower half of 15-year-old Lai Thi Dao’s face. It had been growing since she was 3 and eventually accounted for roughly one-third of her body weight. Read more…
SAN FRANCISCO, CA–(Marketwire - March 6, 2008) - Until now, the impact of some recreational activities has been hard to judge when it comes to protecting artificial knee replacements. A study presented today at the 75th Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS), shows that golf, generally thought to be a low impact activity, can also cause a great deal of stress on an artificial knee.
“Some of our findings were expected. For example, we were not surprised to find that jogging and tennis generate a lot of force on the artificial knee joint,” said Darryl D. D’Lima, MD, PhD, primary author of the study. Dr. D’Lima is director of the research laboratory at the Shiley Center for Orthopaedic Research and Education at Scripps Clinic in La Jolla, California. “However, we did not expect to find that golf swings can be so hard on the knees. During the golf swing, it seems that there is a lot of force on the forward knee.”
Taking data from a specially designed artificial joint, the study authors have determined exactly how much force is put on the implant during some common physical activities.
Clifford W. Colwell Jr., MD, implanted four total knee arthroplasty (TKA) patients with joints equipped to measure forces from inside the implant. One year following surgery, the patients performed the following activities, for which the force on their replaced knees could be measured:
– jogging
– tennis
– golf swings
– treadmill walking
– biking
Researchers found that jogging, tennis, and golf generated the highest forces on the knees, while walking generated a lower force; walking on a treadmill instead of level ground further reduced the force. The lowest force was generated by biking.
Most orthopaedic surgeons agree that high-impact activities in any form following a knee replacement have the potential to shorten the life of the artificial joint. However, nearly all previous studies of force from different activities on artificial knees have involved only external measurements or estimates.
More than 478,000 total knee replacements are performed in the United States each year. Patients might have one or both knees replaced. Total knee replacement is a surgical procedure whereby the patient’s natural knee joint is replaced with an artificial one, composed of metal and plastic. Some patients might have a unicompartmental replacement, in which only a portion of the knee joint is replaced.
The most common reasons for this surgery are:
– severe pain
– swelling
– stiffness in the knee, frequently caused by osteoarthritis (OA) that cannot be satisfactorily treated with medications or other therapies
It is often recommended that TKA patients participate in some form of exercise following surgery. Maintaining a healthy weight and strengthening the leg muscles can benefit the artificial joints. This is why it is so important for surgeons to have objective measures of the amount of force that different activities exert on the knee.
“Biking is often recommended for TKA patients because developing the quadricep muscles helps support the knee joint, and the activity was assumed to be low impact,” Dr. D’Lima said. “This study provides the scientific data to verify that assumption. This is not to say that TKA patients have to eliminate jogging, golfing or tennis, but they should consider modifying those activities will lessen the impact on their knees.” For example, the researchers suggest that joggers, who have first discussed running with their orthopaedic surgeon, might run on a treadmill instead of pavement.
WALTHAM, Mass., Feb. 27 /PRNewswire/ — According to Millennium Research Group’s US Surgical Procedure Volumes 2008 report, dental implants and facial aesthetic procedures are both growing at over 15% compound annual growth rates (CAGR). This stands in stark contrast to non-cosmetic procedures, which are only growing at CAGRs of under 5%. Aesthetically conscious Americans are demanding cosmetic procedures due to a strong societal focus on good looks and an increased public acceptance of cosmetic enhancement procedures.
Dental implant procedures will expand at a CAGR of over 18% from 2008 to 2011. These procedures will experience particularly high growth due to patients’ desire for aesthetically pleasing and healthy teeth, technological improvements of current dental implant devices, and greater awareness among general practitioners who can perform dental implant procedures.
“Facial aesthetic procedures will grow more than 15% over the next five years,” says Jaya Classen, Senior Analyst at Millennium Research Group. “While non-cosmetic procedures are typically limited to those that are afflicted with a disease or infirmity, cosmetic procedures face no such demographic barriers to growth-the number of people seeking to improve their looks seems endless.”
Millennium Research Group’s US Surgical Procedure Volumes 2008 report covers over 200 different procedures, including anesthesiology, cardiovascular, dental, diagnostic imaging, endoscopy, general surgery, gynecology, neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedics, urology, and varicose vein procedures. Millennium Research Group also has similar coverage of Japanese and European surgical procedure volumes.
About Millennium Research Group
Millennium Research Group (http://www.MRG.net), a Decision Resources, Inc. company (http://www.DecisionResources.com), is the global authority on medical technology market intelligence and a leading provider of strategic information to the health care sector. Focused solely on the medical device, pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries, the company provides its clients with the benefits of its specialized industry expertise through published reports and customized consulting services.
Atlanta, GA (PRWEB) January 23, 2008 — Traditional New Year’s resolutions usually include a better diet, a gym membership, and a commitment to better overall fitness and nutrition. But for those who want a quicker and easier way to achieve results, cosmetic surgery is becoming increasingly more popular. Newer technology and surgical methods have made cosmetic surgery safer and more effective.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, nearly 150,000 people elected to undergo a “tummy tuck” in 2006 — a 9% increase from 2005. Minimally and moderately invasive cosmetic procedures (those requiring little or no surgery) also are on the rise. Botox and collagen injections removals all experienced increased popularity from 2005 to 2006. The rising numbers can be attributed to increased availability and affordability, according to Mark Deutsch, M.D., of Perimeter Plastic Surgery.
More and more, people want to look younger for longer. My staff and I can help you improve or preserve your appearance, regardless of your age.
“More and more, people want to look younger for longer. My staff and I can help you improve or preserve your appearance, regardless of your age.” said Dr. Deutsch.
Face lifts, forehead lifts, neck lifts, and dermabrasion are recommended procedures for clients in their mid-50s and older. Typical surgeries for those in their 40s include brow lifts, eyelid surgery, breast lifts and tummy tucks. Moderately and minimally invasive procedures such as injectable fillers like Botox and Restylane are more effective when used on patients in their 30s and younger because they help to preserve youthfulness before patients begin to age.
Dr. Deutsch is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, has over 10 years experience in the field, and is an expert when it comes to the aging process. He and his staff specialize in providing their clientèle with age appropriate cosmetic procedures. More importantly, Perimeter Plastic Surgery is committed to providing top quality professional service. Each patient undergoes a thorough consultation prior to any surgical procedure.
For more information about Perimeter Plastic Surgery’s services, or a consultation, stop by the Atlanta or Fayetteville office, or visit www.perimeterplasticsurgery.com.
WALTHAM, Mass., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ — Physicians attending the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery in Chicago were invited to a Hot Topics session on the latest advances in plasma skin regeneration. Co-moderated by Richard Fitzpatrick, MD, and Christopher Zachary, MD, the session focused on new studies, expanded protocols, treatment of acne scars, skin tightening — especially around the eyes — and delivering CO2-like results with less recovery time. Presentations were made by a world-renowned faculty that included Drs. Kenneth Arndt, Brian Biesman, Jeffrey Dover, David Goldberg and Nathan Uebelhoer.
According to David Goldberg, MD of Skin Laser & Surgery Specialists of New York & New Jersey, “The reason why this technology all of a sudden is becoming very exciting is that the whole pendulum with what we are trying to accomplish is swinging back with patients wanting to see some results. We went from laser resurfacing, which worked but had all its problems, to non-ablative lunchtime procedures which were easy to do but didn’t do much. Portrait offers different treatment options that you can match with both yours and your patient’s expectations. It can induce collagen remodeling in a very different manner than what we are used to while at the same time promoting skin tightening. You can reduce wrinkles, tighten skin, improve tone, texture and pigmentation — take your pick, it does it all”.
One of the most requested aesthetic improvements is wrinkle reduction and tightening around the eyes and the excess tissue of the upper eyelid. In a study conducted by Brian Biesman, MD of Nashville Centre for Laser and Facial Surgery, looking at the use of high-energy plasma skin regeneration compared to blepharoplasty, patients rated their overall improvement as 64% (37-90%). This clinical study laid the foundation for a further study using plasma at low energy in multiple passes based on a technique developed by William Petri, MD, PhD, from the Center for Dermatology and Maxillofacial Surgery in Chambersburg, PA, producing skin tightening and wrinkle reduction with a shorter recovery time. Dr. Biesman said of his reaction to the initial results, “I am very, very enthusiastic about the changes we are seeing … plasma treatment of the eyelid is a very viable and I think a very exciting technique that can play a nice role in the aesthetic practice.”
Richard Fitzpatrick, MD, of La Jolla Cosmetic Surgery Centre in CA and a pioneer in cosmetic laser procedures, reported that skin tightening and improvement in rhytides were noted in all of his patients treated with plasma and approached results seen with CO2. He added, ” … the really nice thing about the (Portrait®) procedure is that it heals like a TCA peel, but you get results like a CO2 laser.” Dr. Fitzpatrick also presented the results of a study in which he and Kenneth Rothaus, MD, of Ageless Plastic Surgery & Laser in New York City and White Plains, NY looked at adverse effects for plasma skin regeneration compared to CO2 treatments. For all adverse events — hyperpigmentation, hypopigmentation, erythema, and scarring and infection — plasma had an extremely low complication rate, a high safety profile, and a short recovery period relative to CO2.
Nathan Uebelhoer, DO of Naval Medical Center, San Diego, CA, discussed a study evaluating the treatment of acne scars* with Portrait® plasma skin regeneration. Using high-energy settings, patients expressed seeing a 35% overall improvement in their acne scars 3 months post treatment. Dr. Ubelhoer reported a 41% improvement rating which was determined by a blinded physician assessment at his site. Dr. Uebelhoer’s conclusion about treating acne scars with plasma energy is that “it improved acne scars safely, effectively … ” and ” … the patients all noted their improvement and 71% of the patients would recommend (this treatment) to a friend.”
The Hot Topic session continued with Jeffrey Dover, MD presenting a new very low energy, no downtime* protocol for patients looking for a simple procedure offering improvement. An initial pilot study on this technique using Portrait® Plasma was completed by Eric Bernstein, MD, Director of the Laser Surgery and Cosmetic Dermatology Centers, Inc. and presented at the American Academy of Dermatology in February 2007. The results of his study with 3 treatments 3 weeks apart showed improvements in skin tone, texture, fine lines, and pigmentary alterations. An additional multi-center study — with Dr. Bernstein, Drs. Dover and Kenneth Arndt, of SkinCare Physicians of Chestnut Hill, MA and Dr. Roy Geronemus of the Laser Skin & Surgery Center of New York — is nearing completion that evaluates this very low energy plasma treatment with 6 treatments 3 weeks apart. At 30 days following the last treatment, patients assessed their personal results as showing good improvement for overall skin quality and very little or no downtime following the procedure. Dr. Arndt commented that “this isn’t a lunchtime procedure, it’s a coffee break procedure … it’s quick, easy and brings about modest results. You can do it on several occasions, patients like it and it shows the versatility of this very unique energy delivery system.”
In addition to the cosmetic applications for Portrait® plasma, the device is also cleared by the FDA to treat precancerous skin lesions. Chris Zachary, MD, from UC Irvine spoke during the Hot Topics sessions to the physician audience about other medical applications such as the use of Portrait® Plasma on Hailey-Hailey patients. He closed the session remarking that “this device is so simple to use, so effective, and with so minimal patient downtime … patients will choose this. You will be using this (plasma) on a regular basis.”
About Rhytec - The Makers of Portrait Plasma
Rhytec is a developer of innovative plasma technologies based on sound scientific and clinical research for the dermatological, plastic, and cosmetic surgery markets. Plasma energy stimulates a true, natural skin regenerative process whose efficacy is supported by over 30 completed and ongoing clinical trials. Founded in 2004, Rhytec works with leading dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and cosmetic physicians to develop new technologies that enhance the skin’s appearance and function, improving the quality of life for patients seeking treatment. Rhytec, Inc. is a privately held company based in Waltham, MA (US), and is a subsidiary of Rhytec, Ltd. in Berkshire (UK).
* Pending FDA Clearance
Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) November 7, 2007 — Liposuction has long been the most commonly performed surgical cosmetic procedure, according to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery and many other organizations. But a new form of liposuction is on the rise, and industry research suggests it’s growing by as much as 250%. It’s called liposculpture.
“Liposculpture is the new liposuction,” says Alan Bittner, Medical Director of Beverly Hills Liposculpture (http://www.dralanbittner.com), the busiest center for liposculpture in the world. “Not only is liposculpture safer, but it can remove more fat with smoother results and almost no downtime.”
Liposculpture is the new liposuction
Liposculpture, like liposuction, is the removal of fat from the body, except with smaller instruments and only local anesthesia. Patients remain awake during the procedure, and most can drive themselves home and return to work the following day. Besides abdominal liposculpture, patients can receive arm, chin or thigh liposculpture.
The speed with which liposculpture can be performed has earned it the nickname “lunch-time lipo.” It was featured on a recent episode of the hit FX show Nip/Tuck in which the main character had fat removed during his lunch break.
Liposculpture was developed in Southern California, where more liposuction is performed each day than anywhere else in the world. That fact, coupled with the shortage of liposculpture specialists elsewhere, has made Beverly Hills the world capital for liposculpture surgery.
“We have seen patients from as far away as Tokyo and Nigeria, and we get patients from Texas, Georgia or Florida every week,” says Dr. Bittner. “Other areas of the country are still using old techniques, like general anesthesia and large instruments, which lead to lumpy results. At Beverly Hills Liposculpture, our patients demand smooth results, no visible liposuction scars, and minimal bruising.”
Beverly Hills Liposculpture, which sees up to ten patients a day, has two or more patients a day fly in for their procedure. Most fly home the same or next day.
In addition to treating out-of-state and international patients, Beverly Hills Liposculpture provides Los Angeles liposuction, Orange County liposuction and Beverly Hills liposuction. For more information or to schedule a consultation, call 310-550-9905 or visit www.dralanbittner.com.
SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 16 /PRNewswire/ — According to the American Cancer Society, over 200,000 new breast cancer cases are diagnosed annually in the United States. Also, a recent article suggests that more than forty percent of women who undergo breast cancer removal are not offered any type of reconstruction, referred to a surgeon, or educated in any way on current reconstructive options available.
Dr. Gabriel Kind, M.D., FACS, is a board certified plastic surgeon who practices in San Francisco, California and specializes in breast reconstruction before and after the diagnosis of breast cancer. Dr. Kind offers a variety of surgical options to help breast cancer patients and survivors recover gracefully from this disease!
“As a surgeon, I always educate my patients as to all of their options when dealing with something as serious as mastectomy surgery to remove cancer,” says Dr. Kind. “Many options are available. What appears to be the procedure of choice for many women is the DIEP flap, or Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator flap. Spreading the word about the options women have is the key to recovery.”
With the DIEP procedure, Dr. Kind begins by harvesting tissue from a patient’s lower abdomen and uses the fat, skin and DIEP vessels that supply necessary blood, and successfully recreates a natural-looking new breast for his patient. Since the abdominal wall tissue is similar to breast tissue, it produces a natural, aesthetically pleasing result without the use of an implant, and no sacrifice of muscle resulting in less post-surgical pain and complications.
The DIEP procedure has the advantage of avoiding implants, which can leak or rupture, requiring replacement, implants usually do poorly in patients who have had or will have radiation therapy for cancer. The DIEP brings healthy tissue to irradiated areas.
Dr. Kind has performed more DIEP procedures than any other surgeon in the Bay Area, and according to Dr. Kind, there are three main types of patients who receive the DIEP procedure: Newly found breast cancer patients; patients who had breast cancer removal and opted for breast implants and are having complications; and patients who have had mastectomy surgery to remove cancer, but had no breast reconstruction afterward. For these three types of women the DIEP procedure is a remarkable option.
“Reconstructive breast surgery is a sensitive topic amongst breast cancer patients, but the DIEP procedure is a significant step forward, offering another option for women facing breast cancer surgery,” states Dr. Kind. “I believe that excellence in surgery and the compassionate care and education of patients must go hand-in-hand.”
Dr. Gabriel Kind, M.D., FACS received his undergraduate degree from Dartmouth College, and attended Northwestern University Medical School. Additionally, Dr. Kind was fully trained in General Surgery at Rush Presbyterian St.Luke’s Medical Center, and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Northwestern University, McGaw Medical Center. He also completed a fellowship in Hand and Microsurgery at the Davies Medical Center which is now part of California-Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco. Dr. Kind was Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery, by the American Board of Plastic Surgery, and received a Certificate of Added Qualification in Surgery of the Hand from the American Board of Surgery. Dr. Kind is a member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the American Association of Plastic Surgeons, and the American Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery, as well as several other national medical organizations. Dr. Kind is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, at the University of California-San Francisco. Visit www.drkind.com
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