OB GYN News articles from February 2002

OB GYN News archives from February 2002

New tool assesses ectopic pregnancy. (Microculdoscopy).
February 1, 2002... MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Microculdoscopy with hydroflotation is a new and effective tool for diagnosing an ectopic pregnancy and is well tolerated by patients, Dr. Kimberly Kleiss reported at the annual meeting of District IV of the American...

CDC seek to expand group B strep testing: New data show universal screening is more effective than the risk-based method. (Antibiotic Resistance A Concern).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is drafting new guidelines for the prevention of early-onset group B streptococcal disease, recommending the universal screening-based method over the risk-based method. The move is...

Breast calcifications may raise risk of heart disease: Equal to rise in risk conferred by smoking. (Large Cohort Study).
February 1, 2002... ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Breast calcifications on mammography are an independent predictor of increased risk for subsequent coronary heart disease, results of a large prospective study suggest. The study included 16,330 women who underwent...

Where the revenue goes in corportions marketing the top 50 drugs prescribed to seniors (*). (Vital Signs).
February 1, 2002... VITAL SIGNS Where the Revenue Goes in Corportions Marketing the Top 50 Drugs Prescribed to Seniors (*) Revenue Percent of Revenue (in millions) Profit Marketing R&D...

Limited-sequence MRI clarifies murky pelvic ultrasound findings. (Benefits 97% of Cases).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- In the majority of patients with indeterminant pelvic findings on ultrasound, limited-sequence MR imaging provides an optimal way to guide clinical management without incurring the costs of a full MRI examination, Dr. Silvia Chang...

Survey suggests mammography access problems likely to continue. (Declining Interest by Radiologists).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Any hassles that your patients may be experiencing trying to get a mammogram aren't likely to go away, according to the findings of two studies presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. Just...

Insurer's exit is sign of ailing malpractice market. (St. Paul Companies).
February 1, 2002... St. Paul Companies' exit from the medical malpractice insurance market dramatically demonstrates the need for federal tort reform legislation, some observers say. The insurance firm's decision will end coverage for 42,000 physicians, 745...

Missing fetal nasal bone refines trisomy 21 Dx. (Ultrasound Screening at 11-14 Weeks).
February 1, 2002... Ultrasound screening for the absence of a fetal nasal bone at 11-14 weeks' gestation is a new technique that offers promise for further refining the prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 21, according to Dr. Simona Cicero of King's College Hospital...

Playing god? (Guest Editorial).
February 1, 2002... One definition of genetic engineering is an attempt to determine the characteristics of offspring using genetic technology. This would include prenatal genetic selection, cloning, the use of drugs derived by genetic technology, and the...

Pro & Con: Should intramural myomas be removed in infertile patients? (Opinion).
February 1, 2002... YES Infertility occurs in about 5%-10% of women with myomas. If myomectomy is not performed, treatments such as clomiphene or gonadotropins may be less effective. Potentially, you could open yourself up to litigation if a patient with a...

Correction.
February 1, 2002... Dr. Rebecca Jackson is medical director of the Women's Health Center at the University of California, San Francisco ("Singleton IVF Pregnancies Carry Far Higher Risks," Dec. 15, 2001, p. 1).

Delayed pushing doesn't increase fetal trauma. (Second-Stage Labor).
February 1, 2002... SARASOTA, FLA. -- Delaying pushing until the mother experiences Ferguson's reflex can minimize her fatigue and does not increase the likelihood of fetal trauma during second-stage labor. "We should try to take advantage of natural...

Perineal tears raise anal incontinence risk fivefold. (Forceps Delivery also Contributes).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Forceps delivery and third- or fourth-degree perineal tears both significantly increase the risk for long-term anal incontinence in primiparous women, Dr. Lily A. Arya said at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic...

Repeated abortions raise preterm delivery risk. (Study of 12,432 Women).
February 1, 2002... The risk for preterm labor was significantly increased in women with a history of induced abortion, with the magnitude of risk increasing with the number of induced abortions, French investigators reported. This finding comes from a review...

Laparoscopic cerclages placed before conception. (After Failed Transvaginal Cerclages).
February 1, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Several case reports suggest that placing a cerclage via laparoscopy in the cervicoisthmic portion of the uterus before conception can help selected women with cervical incompetence safely carry a pregnancy to term, Dr. Bert...

MRI under investigation for use in diagnosis of fetal lung anomalies. (Signal Intensity Flags Fluid Content).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Researchers are homing in on how to best apply magnetic resonance imaging to identify fetuses with lung development abnormalities such as pulmonary hypoplasia, but it's not ready for prime time yet. Still, "we believe that [in...

Better outcomes obtained with elective cerclage. (Retrospective Analysis).
February 1, 2002... MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- Outcomes for women having midtrimester rescue cerclage are significantly worse than those for women who have cerclage electively, Dr. Michele Urban reported. Significant predictors of failed cerclage--defined as...

Unresponsive infants linked to postpartum depression. (Poor Receptivity to Outside Stimuli).
February 1, 2002... MADRID -- The seriously negative effects of maternal depression on infant development have been well documented, but the cause-and-effect relationship may actually be bidirectional: Certain neonatal characteristics could put the mother at...

Enoxaparin is well tolerated, safe for use during pregnancy. (Low-Molecular-Weight Heparin).
February 1, 2002... The low-molecular-weight heparin enoxaparin (Lovenox) was deemed well tolerated by expectant mothers, fetuses, and neonates as an anticoagulant during pregnancy, said Dr. Jacques Lepercq of the Hopital Saint Vincent-de-Paul, Paris, and his...

Treating postpartum depression. (Drugs, Pregnancy, and Lactation).
February 1, 2002... Postpartum depression, which has a prevalence between 5% and 10%, is characterized by depressive symptoms similar to those associated with major depression in the general population. Symptoms may begin early after delivery or, occasionally late...

Echogenic bowel on ultrasound may signal Cf. (Second-Trimester Finding).
February 1, 2002... SARASOTA, FLA. -- A finding of echogenic bowel on second-trimester ultrasound typically is a transient artifact, but in some instances signals the possibility that the fetus is affected by cystic fibrosis, Dr. Felice Baron said at a symposium...

Fatty liver may cause Third-Trimester nausea. (Triplet Pregnancies).
February 1, 2002... SARASOTA FLA. -- Think of acute fatty liver hen a woman with a triplet pregnancy experiences nausea and vomiting in the third trimester, Dr. Mary E. D'Alton advised. "In a series of over 100 sets of triplets, we had four cases of...

Upright positions offer most room for delivery. (MR Pelvimetry Study).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Upright birthing positions provide significantly more room for delivery in terms of pelvic dimensions, compared with lying supine, Dr. Thomas Keller said at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America. He and...

Postabortion IUD insertion doesn't increase PID rates. (Retrospective Study).
February 1, 2002... The benefits of inserting an IUD immediately after an induced or spontaneous abortion may outweigh the postinsertion risks, reported Dr. Nancy L. Stanwood and her associates at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The...

Diagnostic rule may flag UTIs without culturing. (Also Avoids Unneeded Antibiotics).
February 1, 2002... HALIFAX, N.S. -- A simple diagnostic rule for managing uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women shows promise as a way to cut unnecessary antibiotic use and the volume of urine cultures. The rule focuses on testing for pyuria, the...

HRT for menopausal depression shows promise. (SSRIs Should Still be First Line of Defense).
February 1, 2002... NEW ORLEANS -- Although data on the role of hormone replacement therapy for mood disorders associated with menopause look promising, only well-documented, proven treatments such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are appropriate...

Dry Eye syndrome linked to HRT use. (Women's Health Study).
February 1, 2002... Women who use hormone replacement therapy are at significantly increased risk for dry eye syndrome, said Debra A. Schaumberg, Sc.D., and her associates at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. The prevalence of clinically diagnosed or...

In-office saline infusion sonography advocated. (Abnormal Uterine Bleeding).
February 1, 2002... BALTIMORE -- Like hysteroscopy, saline infusion sonography should become a part of the office evaluation for abnormal bleeding, Dr. Linda Bradley said at a symposium on women's health sponsored by Mercy Medical Center. Both saline infusion...

Incision, special tools aid minilaparotomy success. (Series of 30 Cases).
February 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Specialized tools and a properly executed incision are key in performing a minilaparotomy for large fibroid uteri or significant adnexal pathology when a vaginal hysterectomy is contraindicated, results of a feasibility study...

Microwave endometrial ablation effective in irregular uteri. (Device not yet Approved in the U.S.).
February 1, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Microwave ablation seems to effectively destroy endometrium and treat abnormal uterine bleeding in women with irregular uteri, a prospective, observational study suggests. Two women with bicornuate uteri and 123 women with...

Pudendal nerve stimulation for overactive bladder. (Experimental Device).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- An experimental implanted device that delivers pudendal nerve stimulation holds promise for the treatment of refractory overactive bladder, Dr. Jerome L. Buller said at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society. ...

Need for prophylactic sling after pelvic organ prolapse repair under question. (Future Incontinence at Issue).
February 1, 2002... ST. Louis -- Whether to do a prophylactic incontinence procedure on a patient who is having a pelvic organ prolapse repair is a clinical conundrum that's begging to be researched, Dr. Robert Kovac said at the 11th International Pelvic...

Genetics may play an important role in urinary incontinence. (Study of 667 Women).
February 1, 2002... CHICAGO -- Urinary incontinence runs in families, Dr. Giovanni Elia reported at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society. In a study aimed at understanding the role of constitutional or genetic factors in the development of...

U.S. physicians try fertioscopy with mixed results. (Evaluates Reproductive Structures, Pelvis).
February 1, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Ob.gyns.at three U.S. centers experienced some difficulty in entering the abdominal cavity during their initial experience with fertiloscopy, a variation on transvaginal hydrolaparoscopy imported from France. The procedure...

Failed IVF may be due to defective uterine receptivity, inflammation. (Treat with Lupron, Laser Surgery).
February 1, 2002... ASHEVILLE, NC. -- Ongoing research on the process of implantation suggests that those women who have the most difficulty becoming pregnant may have defects in uterine receptivity, Dr. Bruce A. Lessey said at the annual Southern Obstetric and...

Spontaneous ovhlation after Ovary-to-Forearm transplant. (Menstruation Followed Ovulation).
February 1, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- An ovary that had been transplanted into a woman's forearm has undergone spontaneous ovulation followed by menstruation for approximately 10 months, Dr. Kutluk Oktay reported. "Ovarian transplant to the forearm seems to be...

Outcomes of pregnancies resulting from assisted reproductive technology cycles, 1999 (*). (Data Watch).
February 1, 2002... DATA WATCH Outcomes of Pregnancies Resulting From Assisted Reproductive Technology Cycles, 1999 (*) Singleton Births 52.3% Multiple-Infant Births 30.2% Miscarriages 14.5% Induced Abortions 1.2%...

Rise in leukemia linked to breast cancer chemo. (Five-Year Cumulative Incidence of 1.1%).
February 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- The incidence of secondary acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome is dramatically increased following dose-intensified regimens of doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide for breast cancer, Dr. Roy E. Smith reported. ...

Peripheral BMD readings may predict fractures. (Almost 40% of women Had Osterpenia).
February 1, 2002... Peripheral bone mineral density measurements taken in the primary care setting were highly predictive of short-term fracture risk in a recent longitudinal, observational study of postmenopausal women. In the 160 women over age 50 who...

Sage extract may cut frequency of hot flashes. (Pilot Study of 39 Women).
February 1, 2002... EXETER, ENGLAND -- Salvia officinalis may prove useful for the relief of hot flashes in menopausal women, according to the results of a pilot study presented at a health care symposium sponsored by the University of Exeter. A group of 39...

'Statins are the new aspirin'. (Cardiology).
February 1, 2002... Aggressive lipid lowering reduced major vascular events by one-third in high-risk patients, regardless of their baseline levels of total or LDL cholesterol, according to the initial findings of the 20,536-patient Heart Protection Study ...

Rx wards off clots in fliers. (Cardiology).
February 1, 2002... A single dose of the anticoagulant enoxaparin (Levenox) before a long-distance flight effectively prevents deep vein thrombosis in high-risk patients, while compression stockings are a nonpharmacologic alternative for other fliers, Gianni...

New rheumatoid arthritis drug. (Musculoskeletal Disorders).
February 1, 2002... Anakinra, the third biologic therapy to be approved for moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis, may have some therapeutic advantages over its competition. Anakinra (Kineret) is the first interleukin-1 inhibitor to be approved for...

Hold the decaf. (Muscwloskeletal Disorders).
February 1, 2002... Women who regularly drank decaffeinated coffee were significantly more likely than other women to develop rheumatoid arthritis, according to a report at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. In the Iowa Women's...

FDA investigating kava kava. (Alternative Medicine).
February 1, 2002... Kava kava has been removed from pharmacy shelves in Germany and Switzerland after 24 reports of liver damage were attributed to the herbal supplement, Dr. Edzard Ernst said at a health care symposium sponsored by the University of Exeter...

Antioxidants fall short. (Alternative Medicine).
February 1, 2002... The landmark Heart Protection Study has driven the final nails into the coffin for the once-popular hypothesis that antioxidant vitamins protect against cardiovascular events. The 20,539-patient double-blind, placebo-controlled trial had a...

Drug update: Influenza.
February 1, 2002... Antiviral treatment for influenza generally works as a complement to immunization, not as a substitute, for most patients. People at high risk of serious complications from influenza who have not been vaccinated have the highest priority...

Take heed of 'incident to' rule for medicare. (Whose Provider Number is it, Anyway?).
February 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Be careful of the "incident to" rule when billing Medicare for services performed by nonphysicians, Alice Gosfield warned at a meeting sponsored by the American Health Lawyers Association. The "incident to" rule has become...

'Paperless' offices assist compliance, efficiency. (HIPAA Regulation, Medicare Claims).
February 1, 2002... An electronic medical record may have saved the life of one of Dr. Tamara Wetterman Price's patients. Dr. Price, an internist in Moon, Pa., recalls a phone call she got late one night: One of her patients was in the emergency room with an...

Handheld electronic prescribing can save time, reduce errors. (Questions to ask Before Buying).
February 1, 2002... ATLANTA -- Electronic prescribing at the point of care using a handheld computer has the potential to improve work flow, reduce prescription fraud, provide formulary and copay information, and reduce medication errors. "We're not just...

Report on teen sexual behavior. (Policy Practice).
February 1, 2002... Teens in the United States are as sexually active as those in other countries, but they bear more children, a new study from the Alan Guttmacher Institute says. The report compared teenage sexual behavior in the United States with that of teens...

Reducing smoking in pregnancy. (Policy Practice).
February 1, 2002... A new national campaign is aimed at helping pregnant women kick the tobacco habit. Great Start is the first national campaign of its kind, says the American Legacy Foundation, a public health organization focused on reducing tobacco use. Key to...

Fertility knowledge low. (Policy Practice).
February 1, 2002... Just of 12,382 respondents correctly answered all 15 questions on basic fertility facts in a recent online survey the American Infertility Association says. "There is a serious lack of education about infertility" says Pamela Madsen, the...

Nurse shortage bills passed. (Policy Practice).
February 1, 2002... Congress has passed two bills aimed at stemming the nation's nursing shortage. The House and the Senate passed similar versions of the Nurse Reinvestment Act, which provides scholarships and loan repayments to nursing students and authorizes...

Research boost. (Policy Practice).
February 1, 2002... Spending for health programs got an $11 billion boost from last year's budget agreement, with major investments going toward health research initiatives. The fiscal year 2002 appropriations bill, which funds the Department of Health and Human...

Recruiting packages can raise tax, antitrust issues. (Low-Interest Loans, Joint Recruitment).
February 1, 2002... WASHINGTON -- Physician recruiting efforts can raise several legal concerns that must be considered simultaneously a panel of experts said at a meeting sponsored by the American Health Lawyers Association. The panelists discussed a...

Ductoscopy, lavage combo promising. (Breast Evaluation).
February 15, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Mammary ductoscopy may provide the missing link that renders ductal lavage more clinically relevant, Dr. Seema A. Khan said at the annual breast cancer symposium sponsored by the San Antonio Cancer Institute. The finding of...

Cost prevented one in five Americans from filling at least one prescription (*). (Vital Signs).
February 15, 2002... VITAL SIGNS Cost Prevented One in Five Americans From Filling at Least One Prescription (*) Income All Less than $15,000- $25,000- ...

First-trimester screening proves 'accurate, reliable': (Detection rate for trisomy 21 is 85.2% with a false-positive rate of 9.4%. (Nuchal Translucency, Biochemistry, Age).
February 15, 2002... NEW ORLEANS -- First trimester aneuploid screening using maternal age, biochemistry, and nuchal translucency measurement is "possible, accurate, and reliable," and should be more widely adopted, Dr. Ronald Wapner said at the annual meeting of...

Aspirin gets the nod for primary cardiac prevention: Postmenopausal women, diabetics targeted. (U.S. Preventive Services Task Force).
February 15, 2002... Aspirin has been officially declared a key factor in preventing first-time myocardial infarctions and other coronary events. In a report that goes beyond previous guidelines, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force "strongly" recommended...

Vertebral fracture predicts another fracture in a year. (Warning Signal).
February 15, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- One in four women identified as having an incident vertebral fracture in a large osteoporosis trial broke another bone within a year, it was reported at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. Dr....

FDA review may be limiting thyroxine supplies. (New Drug Applications Under Study).
February 15, 2002... WASHINGTON -- A Food and Drug Administration ruling may be limiting supplies of thyroxine preparations, according to a fact sheet released by the American Thyroid Association at its annual meeting. In 1997, the FDA decided that a new review...

Anthrax doesn't develop resistance to long-term Tx with Doxycycline. (In Vitro Study).
February 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- Doxycycline appears to be superior to ciprofloxacin, or any other quinolone or macrolide, for long-term therapy or prophylaxis against anthrax, Dr. Itzhak Brook reported in a poster presentation at the annual Interscience Conference...

Bisphosphonate therapy reduces bone metastases, raises survival. (Breast Cancer Patients).
February 15, 2002... SAN ANTONIO -- Adjuvant bisphosphonate therapy in breast cancer patients appears to decrease the incidence of bone metastases and to reduce mortality, Dr. Trevor J. Powles said at the annual breast cancer symposium sponsored by the San Antonio...

Letters. (Opinion).
February 15, 2002... Mandatory HIV Testing The American Medical Association's House of Delegates said that mandatory testing of pregnant women would not be good policy ('AMA Briefs: HIV Testing," Jan. 1, 2002, p. 3). Why? Eighty percent of newborns could...

Pro & Con: Should in vitro fertilization be done for the sole purpose of nonmedical gender selection? (Opinion).
February 15, 2002... Yes Society has been nervous about the concept of nonmedical gender selection for fear that it would create a gender imbalance through the favoring of one gender, among other reasons. This is an understandable fear in parts of the...

Expert offers Vacuum extraction strategies. (Suggests Stopping After Two Pop-Offs).
February 15, 2002... KAUAI, HAWAII -- Vacuum extraction gained popularity as a form of operative vaginal delivery in the 1990s despite a lack of formal guidelines on how to do it, Dr. Julian T. Parer said at a conference on obstetrics, gynecology, perinatal...

Laparoscopy in pregnancy treats ovarian masses. (Less Postoperative Pain than Laparotomy).
February 15, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Two separate studies favored laparoscopy over laparotomy for surgical treatment of ovarian masses during pregnancy, investigators reported at the annual meeting of the American Association of Gynecologic Laparoscopists. In...

POP incidence could play into primary elective c-section debate. (Genetic Markers Yet to be Identified).
February 15, 2002... ST. LOUIS -- If anything could put a twist in the debate about primary elective cesarean section, it's the possibility of genetic testing to identify women who have a predisposition to develop pelvic organ prolapse. Based purely on...

People want pharmacies located near physicians' offices. (Data Watch).
February 15, 2002... DATA WATCH People Want Pharmacies Located Near Physicians' Offices Ideal Location for Pharmacy Adjacent to doctors offices 56% In shopping malls 19% On the Internet 5% In office buildings ...

Serum screening strategies to sidestep lawsuits. (Don't Forget the Obvious).
February 15, 2002... KAUAI, HAWAII -- The main reasons for lawsuits concerning maternal serum screening are all preventable, Dr. Aubrey Milunsky said at a conference on obstetrics, gynecology, perinatal medicine, neonatology, and the law. A startling number of...

Center crafts guide to fetal heart rate patterns. (Confronts Lack of Data in this Area).
February 15, 2002... KAUAI, HAWAII -- Clinicians at one medical center have developed fetal management guidelines based on heart rate patterns in an effort to reduce fetal acidemia while avoiding unnecessary operative interventions. Thirty years after the...

Vaginal vaccine prevents recurrent UTIs in trials. (Phase II Study).
February 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- The incidence of recurrent urinary tract infections in women was cut nearly in half over 6 months by the use of a vaginal mucosal vaccine in a phase II study of 54 women. The vaccine, formulated into a vaginal suppository will...

Long menstrual cycles predictive of later diabetes. (Nurses' Health Study).
February 15, 2002... Women aged 18-22 whose menstrual cycles are at least 40 days long are at heightened risk for the later development of type 2 diabetes, according to the results of a new study. Cross-sectional studies have previously suggested that women...

Osteopenia lingers in recovered teen anorexics. (Long-Term High Fracture Risk).
February 15, 2002... DENVER -- Spinal osteopenia persists in adolescents with anorexia nervosa a full year after they recover their body weight and resume menstrual periods, Dr. Leslie Soyka reported at the annual meeting of the Endocrine Society. This is a...

Exact instructions key to success of labial separation. (Pediatric Patients).
February 15, 2002... ORLANDO, FLA. -- Scarring from prior surgical separation and thick adhesions may make estrogen therapy less effective in treating pediatric labial agglutination. But the majority of girls can have good results with this first-line...

Microwave endometrial ablation trials promising. (Patients with Submucosal Fibroids).
February 15, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Microwave endometrial ablation stacked up well against rollerball ablation for the treatment of abnormal uterine bleeding in preliminary data from an ongoing randomized, multicenter trial, Dr. Carl R. Della Badia reported. ...

Laparoscopic pain, hypothermia cut with warmed, wet [Co.sub.2]. (Abdominal Insufflation).
February 15, 2002... NEW YORK -- Warm and moist is a whole lot nicer than cold and dry when it comes to laparoscopic peritoneal insufflation. A simple $125 device that heats and humidifies the [CO.sub.2] before insufflating a patient's abdomen can markedly...

Genital herpes may raise HIV transmissibility. (Accelerates Disease Course).
February 15, 2002... SAN FRANCISCO -- Physicians have long shrugged off genital herpes as basically a trivial infection, when in fact there is persuasive evidence that herpes simplex virus type 2 is a major force driving the AIDS epidemic, Dr. Lawrence Corey said...

Transvaginal approach preferred with urethrolysis. (Managing Obstructive Voiding).
February 15, 2002... CHICAGO -- Most physicians who perform urethrolysis prefer the transvaginal approach, Dr. James Dunn said at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic Society. Widespread incongruity has existed--even among the tightly knit...

Patch, vaginal ring offer steady hormone levels. (New Contraceptives).
February 15, 2002... WASHINGTON -- A constant, nonfluctuating hormone serum level and ease of use are among the positive attributes of the recently approved contraceptive vaginal ring and contraceptive patch, Dr. Felicia Stewart said at the annual meeting of the...

Laparoscopic myomectomy may save $300/case. (Analysis Compares Costs to Open Procedure).
February 15, 2002... NEW YORK -- Insurance carriers and government health care payers in New Jersey often claim that laparoscopic myomectomy costs them more than traditional open procedures, and therefore should not be encouraged. Dr. George Tweddel and Dr. Gerard...

New & Approved: Activa Parkinson's Control System * Enbrel. (Primary Care).
February 15, 2002... Activa Parkinson's Control System (Medtronic) A deep-brain stimulator for use in both sides of the brain to help reduce symptoms of advanced Parkinson's disease in patients who still respond to levodopa but whose symptoms cannot be...

Drug Update: Gastroesophageal reflux disease. (Primary Care).
February 15, 2002... Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) affects about 7% of American adults every day and about 40% at least weekly It's generally a chronic condition, and although medication labels generally recommend a finite duration of treatment, experts...