OB GYN News articles from June 2001

OB GYN News archives from June 2001

Breast Ca Mortality Declines by 63%.
June 1, 2001... DANA POINT, CALIF. -- Regular mammographic screening contributed to a 63% decline in breast cancer mortality in a study of breast cancer deaths that occurred in two Swedish counties over a 29-year period. Approximately 70% of the observed...

Bethesda System Undergoing Major Revision.
June 1, 2001... Proposed alterations would impact categories of ASCUS, AGUS, 'benign cellular changes.' BETHESDA, MD. -- A new, more user-friendly Bethesda sys tem is on the way. The Bethesda System 2001, due out by summer's end, will be a major...

Two Popular Prenatal Steroids in Short Supply.
June 1, 2001... Some forced to use hydrocortisone instead. CHICAGO -- A shortage of two steroids widely used in women at risk for premature delivery has forced some providers to rely on other steroidal alternatives as they wait for the supply to be...

ACOG Prepares to Push for Wider Cystic Fibrosis Screening.
June 1, 2001... CHICAGO -- The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists is preparing to announce recommendations that are expected to widen the scope of who should be offered carrier screening for cystic fibrosis, Dr. Michael Mennuti, ACOG...

Two New Endometrial Ablation Devices Approved.
June 1, 2001... Fewer women will end up with unnecessary hysterectomies now that the Food and Drug Administration has approved two new devices for treating abnormal bleeding, experts told this newspaper. "This is an important development because it offers...

New President, President-Elect at ACOG.
June 1, 2001... CHICAGO -- Dr. Thomas F. Purdon was installed as the 52nd president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists at the group's annual meeting. Dr. Purdon is the vice chair of the department of ob.gyn. at the University of...

FROM THE FRONT LINE Confronting Disabilities.
June 1, 2001... Many of my patients have learned to confront medical disabilities-in themselves or family members-with courage and determination. Here is a story of two such patients. Several years ago in this column I related a story about Judy, a public...

LETTERS.
June 1, 2001... 'The Wrong Sex' I am certain many male and many older physicians can second Dr. David Garfinkel's experience ("Fired Male Ob.Gyn. Claims Gender Bias," April 1, 2001, p. 1). More actions aren't filed because of the time, expense, and...

Ease of New DNA Assays May Lead to Overuse.
June 1, 2001... ATLANTA -- DNA amplification methods of testing patients for Chlamydia trachomatis are far easier than traditional tissue culture methods, but their simplicity may be luring physicians to use them inappropriately, Dr. Michael Rein warned at the...

Researchers Urge Restraint in Ordering HPV Tests.
June 1, 2001... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Physicians may be tempted to test for human papillomavirus in patients whose Pap smear results indicate atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance, given the findings of a recent large study. Nevertheless,...

Reimplantation of Frozen Ovarian Tissue Restores Partial Function.
June 1, 2001... The first reimplantation of frozen ovarian tissue into a cancer patient has resulted in at least partial restoration of ovarian function, British researchers reported. The development is being lauded as a fertility breakthrough for cancer...

Menopause Raises Sleep Apnea Risk, but HRT Helps Lower It.
June 1, 2001... The risk of sleep apnea is usually much lower in women than in men but increases once menopause occurs. It also appears to be attenuated by hormone replacement therapy, according to Dr. Edward O. Bixler of the sleep research and treatment...

Mammary Ductoscopy Visualizes Breast Tissue.
June 1, 2001... DANA POINT, CALIF. -- Mammary ductoscopy is on its way to becoming a practical tool for visualizing abnormalities in breast tissue, obtaining tissue samples, and directing surgeons to the precise location of abnormal tissue, The...

Progestin May Provide Protection Against Ovarian Cancer.
June 1, 2001... NASHVILLE, TENN. -- Progestin may be the key to the development of a new strategy to protect women against ovarian cancer. "I can foresee the development of various formulations of women wellness pills' appropriately tailored to a woman's...

HRT Found Safe After Early-Stage Breast Cancer.
June 1, 2001... DENVER -- There's no compelling reason to withhold HRT from survivors of early-stage breast cancer, Sarah Lena reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. She based that conclusion on a meta-analysis of six...

Fulvestrant Promising for Advanced Breast Ca.
June 1, 2001... SAN ANTONIO -- Fulvestrant, the first in a new class of drugs known as estrogen receptor downregulators, shows great promise for the treatment of breast cancer, oncologists asserted at a breast cancer symposium sponsored by the San Antonio...

Breast-Conserving Tx Costs Less.
June 1, 2001... Breast-conserving therapy initially costs more than mastectomy for women with early-stage breast cancer, but the total medical costs are lower at 5 years, said Dr. William E. Barlow of the Group Health Cooperative, Seattle, and his associates....

HPV-8-Related Cervical Cancer Associated With Poorer Prognosis.
June 1, 2001... Patients with human papillomavirus 18-related cervical carcinomas have a poorer prognosis than those with other types of oncogenic HPV, particularly when the cancer is detected at an early stage, according to results of a recent study Of...

Incidental Findings Hold Low Risk of Breast Ca.
June 1, 2001... CHICAGO -- Patients who have a breast abnormality seen incidentally at the time of chest or abdominal imaging should not be alarmed, but they should be told of the importance of following it up, Dr. Mjad Rasheed said at the annual meeting of...

Benefits Linger After 5 Years of Tamoxifen Therapy.
June 1, 2001... The benefits of 5 years of adjuvant tamoxifen therapy in women with operable breast cancer persist at least 15 years, but there is no additional benefit in those who take the drug for longer than 5 years, a recent study shows. The study is...

'CHAD' Mnemonic a Checklist for Osteoporosis Tx.
June 1, 2001... ELLICOTT CITY, MD. -- Clinicians can use the mnemonic "CHAD" to remember the essential elements of osteoporosis treatment: calcium, hormone replacement therapy, add-on treatments (bisphosphonates and calcitonin), and vitamin D, Dr. Redonda...

Warn Patients About Getting Too Much Calcium.
June 1, 2001... SAN FRANCISCO -- There really is such a thing as too much calcium. These days, Dr. Steven T. Harris is more likely to see patients who are consuming an excess of calcium rather than too little, he said at a meeting on endocrinology and...

Assess Voiding Function Before Prolapse Reduction.
June 1, 2001... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- A patient with vaginal prolapse may seem continent but could have underlying voiding dysfunction, Dr. Anne M. Weber said at a urogynecology conference sponsored by the Mayo Clinic Scottsdale. Physicians therefore...

Pubovaginal Sling: Try Again If It Fails at First.
June 1, 2001... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. -- Half of all women who fail treatment for urinary incontinence with pubovaginal sling surgery may be cured by repeating the sling procedure, results of a small trial suggest. Dr. Steven P. Petrou performed a second...

Overlapping Sphincteroplasty: Lower Expectations.
June 1, 2001... SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ. - Until recently Dr. Dee E. Fenner told incontinent patients with a chronically ruptured anal sphincter that an overlapping sphincteroplasty would provide a 75% chance of regaining continence, at least of solid stool. But...

Faster Recuperation May Hinder Laparoscopic Burch Outcomes.
June 1, 2001... VAIL, COLO. -- One of the touted advantages of laparoscopic Burch procedures for stress incontinence--faster recuperation--may in fact be a detriment, according to Dr. Nicollete S. Horbach, immediate past president of the American...

Mesh Doesn't Improve Vaginal Prolapse Cure Rate.
June 1, 2001... LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. -- The addition of resorbable polyglactin 910 mesh during anterior colporrhaphy did not improve vaginal prolapse cure rates, compared with standard anterior colporrhaphy or "ultralateral" anterior colporrhaphy in a...

Repair Procedure Targets Prolapse, Enterocele.
June 1, 2001... LAKE BUENA VISTA, FLA. -- High uterosacral ligament vaginal vault suspension with fascial reconstruction appears to provide a durable anatomic repair with good functional improvement, Dr. Mickey M. Karram reported. Standardized exams...

Manual Vacuum Aspirator Works Well in Abortion.
June 1, 2001... SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, NEV. -- A manual vacuum aspirator is a reasonable alternative for physicians who want to offer medical abortions but do not have a powered vacuum suction device in their offices, Dr. Victor Chan said at an obstetrics and...

Smoking Raises Prematurity Risk Among Pregnant Women With Asthma.
June 1, 2001... NEW ORLEANS -- Women who had asthma and smoked during pregnancy were more likely to have premature babies or other adverse perinatal outcomes than were nonsmoking asthmatic women in a retrospective study. "Obstetricians and [other] doctors...

C-Section Advocated in Women With a History Of Brachial Plexus Injury.
June 1, 2001... SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, NEV. -- Cesarean section should be offered to women who have had a baby with a previous brachial plexus injury, Dr. William M. Gilbert recommended at an obstetrics and gynecology conference sponsored by the University of...

Conservative Tx for Cervical Dysplasia in Pregnancy.
June 1, 2001... CHICAGO -- Women with evidence of cervical dysplasia during pregnancy can be safely managed conservatively, Dr. Gazala Siddiqui said at the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. "As long as you get one...

Maternal Underweight Tied To Preterm Delivery.
June 1, 2001... Preterm delivery and delivery of a low birth-weight infant are the pregnancy out comes most affected by maternal under weight, reported Dr. N.J. Sebire and colleagues at St. Mary's Hospital, London. Although maternal underweight--defined as...

Endothelial Dysfunction Improved by Ascorbic Acid.
June 1, 2001... Ascorbic acid reverses the vascular endothelial dysfunction that can occur in women with previous preeclampsia, said Dr. John C. Chambers and his associates at Hammersmith Hospital, London. This finding bolsters the theory that endothelial...

Limited Intervention Can Reduce Drinking in Pregnant Women by 40%.
June 1, 2001... TORONTO -- A very simple intervention program can reduce drinking in pregnancy by 40% and is especially effective with heavy drinkers, Dr. Janet Hankin said at the annual meeting of the Society for Gynecologic Investigation. "One of the...

Exposure to Anticonvulsant Drugs Causes Fetal Anomalies.
June 1, 2001... The distinctive abnormalities observed in infants of mothers who have epilepsy are caused by exposure to anticonvulsant drugs during pregnancy, not to the epilepsy itself, according to Dr. Lewis B. Holmes of Massachusetts General Hospital,...

DRUGS, PREGNANCY, AND LACTATION.
June 1, 2001... Antihistamines comprise a large, fairly diverse group of compounds that are so prevalent that many women are probably exposed to these drugs at some point during pregnancy. In general, first-generation antihistamines are usually safe during...

Spinal Administration Beats Infusion Method.
June 1, 2001... TORONTO -- Neonatal outcomes may be improved when low-dose epidurals are administered spinally instead of by infusion, according to a new analysis of data from the Comparative Obstetric Mobile Epidural Trial. "If you're worried about the...

GBS Sepsis Prevention Frequently Suboptimal.
June 1, 2001... VAIL, COLO. -- There's "considerable confusion" among ob.gyns. regarding prophylaxis against perinatal group B streptococcal sepsis, Dr. Ronald S. Gibbs said at a conference on obstetrics and gynecology sponsored by the University of Colorado....

Methyldopa a Safe Antihypertensive During Pregnancy.
June 1, 2001... VAIL, COLO. -- Methyldopa is an old and frequently overlooked agent that, in the setting of hypertension in pregnancy, is suddenly transformed into first-line therapy, Dr. Jill Davies said at a conference on obstetrics and gynecology sponsored...

Perinatal Consults Cost Effective in High-Risk Cases.
June 1, 2001... TORONTO -- Requiring women with high-risk pregnancies to have an early consultation with a maternal-fetal medicine specialist may end up saving money by reducing the rate of premature deliveries, according to one study. "Some HMOs have a...

Genes of Both Parents Tied to Preeclampsia.
June 1, 2001... Genetic components from both mothers and fathers play a role in the predisposition to develop preeclampsia, findings of a recent population-based study suggest. A review of birth records from Utah revealed that both men and women who were...

Oral Triple-Drug Therapy.
June 1, 2001... Oral triple-drug therapy is an effective and underutilized strategy in type 2 diabetes, Dr. Diana Dills said at a meeting of the Colorado chapter of the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine. Here's what...

Insulin Underused.
June 1, 2001... Insulin therapy is underused and inappropriately considered to be too difficult to use for the management of type 2 diabetes, Dr. Dills said at the ACP-ASIM meeting. Insulin therapy improves insulin sensitivity, which reduces...

Latex Sensitivity and Food Allergies.
June 1, 2001... Food allergy is a serious concern for people who are sensitized to natural rubber latex, Kim Elizabeth Mudd, R.N., reported in a poster session at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. In a study of...

Nasal Steroids Best Allergy Tx.
June 1, 2001... Nasal corticosteroids are unequivocally the treatment of choice for allergic rhinitis, Dr. Harold S. Nelson said at the Colorado chapter meeting of ACP-ASIM. Compelling evidence both from head-to-head comparison trials and...

Effexor Effective Antidepressant.
June 1, 2001... Symptoms were significantly reduced in depressed patients who took venlafaxine (Ef fexor), compared with those who took selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or a placebo, said Dr. Michael E. Thase of the University of Pittsburgh and his...

Eating Disorders and Substance Abuse.
June 1, 2001... Eating disorders and substance abuse are two sides of the same :coin, according to some leading researchers. At a meeting on eating disorders and substance abuse sponsored by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia...

Vitamin E Reduces CVD Risk.
June 1, 2001... Vitamin E's role in the prevention of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events was bolstered by the results of two major epidemiologic studies presented at a conference on cardiovascular disease sponsored by the American Heart Association. ...

Chest Pain and Normal Angiograms.
June 1, 2001... Women with chest pain and no coronary angiographic abnormalities have quality-of-life and psychologic distress scores similar to women with chest pain and coronary artery disease, Dr. Marian B. Olson reported at the annual meeting of the...

Hold Off on Changes Over Medical Privacy Rule.
June 1, 2001... Physicians should go slow on the decision to purchase a compliance program or hire a consultant to help them wade through the recently implemented medical privacy rule. They have 2 years to come into compliance with the rule, which will be...

Expert Offers Advice on How to Lower Spending on Drugs.
June 1, 2001... ATLANTA -- Physicians have a tremendous role to play in reining in out-of-control pharmaceutical spending, and much of the job boils down to having an impact on utilization, Dr. Joseph Raduazzo said at the annual meeting of the American College...

Prepare to Move to Internet-Based Health Care.
June 1, 2001... ALBUQUERQUE -- Physicians need to stake a claim on some Internet bandwidth to avoid being left behind as medicine migrates from the Industrial Age into the Information Age of health care. So far, patients are well ahead of their physicians...

Work as a Team to Reduce Prescribing Errors.
June 1, 2001... NEW YORK - The basic medication errors that are likely to mean medicolegal mischief for physicians are essentially the same as they-were 30 years ago: wrong dose, wrong drug, wrong route of administration, or wrong patient. But a massive...

FETAL PROTECTION BILL.
June 1, 2001... The House of Representatives has passed the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, which would make it a federal crime to harm a pregnant woman and her fetus. Under H.R. 503; criminals who commit a violent crime against a pregnant woman could be...

'MEXICO CITY POLICY' OVERTURNED.
June 1, 2001... Legislation designed to overturn a Bush administration policy that denies U.S. funds to overseas groups that provide abortion services or counseling has been passed by a House committee. Almost immediately upon taking office, President Bush...

ALCOHOL UNDERREPORTED IN PREGNANCY.
June 1, 2001... Underreporting of alcohol consumption by pregnant women on birth certificates is so common that the data might be unreliable in creating a national picture. Researchers compared answers given by 212 women, on birth certificates with the answers...

WEB SITE OPPOSED.
June 1, 2001... The American Medical Association has filed an amicus curiae brief asking a federal court to review an opinion that upholds the free speech of an antiabortion Web site. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit recently ruled that the...

MEDICARE PAPERWORK HASSLES.
June 1, 2001... Hospital staff spends at least 30 minutes on paperwork for every hour of care provided to a typical Medicare patient, a study from the American Hospital Association said. The study determined that for surgery and inpatient care, every hour of...

Fast-Dissolving Depression Tabs.
June 1, 2001... Remeron SolTab (mirtazapine) tablets, indicated for the treatment of depression, are now available in an orally disintegrating formulation that allows rapid dissolution. The drug is available in 15-mg, 30- mg, and 45-mg tablets, according to...

Thinner Surgical Gloves.
June 1, 2001... Biogel Super-Sensitive surgical gloves are 20% thinner than standard Biogel surgical gloves and manufactured for more natural hand movements. They provide in creased tactile sensitivity and comfort, a smooth surface that does not compromise...

Instrument Bundling System.
June 1, 2001... Pro-Ties are stretchable ties made of medical-grade silicone. They can be used to manage medical instruments through the entire sterilization process. Pro-Ties are available in packages of six and come in blue, red, yellow, and green, according...

Over-50 Fit Kit.
June 1, 2001... "Exercise With the National Institute on Aging" is a 48-minute at-home video based on medical research. Targeted to older Americans, the program emphasizes exercises that increase endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. The video and...

Umbilical Cord Clamp.
June 1, 2001... The Securline Umbilical Cord Clamp is designed for safe, easy sealing of the umbilical cord. Each clamp has a ridged finder grip area that provides the control needed for single-handed application. Available in sterile, individual packages,...

Surgical Headlamp.
June 1, 2001... The XenaLux Softband headlamp is a lightweight, right-angle headlamp with an optical system that contains a strong bright beam with an adjustable diameter spot. The headlamp features a blue Polartec sweatband with Velcro fastener to absorb...

Menopause Kit.
June 1, 2001... The Emerita menopause kit combines ProGest, a natural progesterone cream; Phytoestrogen Body Cream; and Personal Lubricant, which helps relieve vaginal dryness. The 2-oz. products are packaged in one box and retail for $39.99. For more...

Antifungal Cream Multipack.
June 1, 2001... Naftin-MP 60 g (naftifine hydrochloride)-now available in a 1% topical antifungal cream--is the only prescription allylamine offered both as a cream and as a quick-drying gel. Both formulations are available in a variety of sizes. Naftin is...

Tubal Ligation Cuts Ovarian Ca Risk.
June 15, 2001... Women with BRCA1 mutations who have undergone a tubal ligation have a 60% lower risk of developing invasive ovarian cancer than those who haven't had the procedure, results of a matched case-control study indicate. And women who used oral...

Guidelines Back Statins Over HRT To Lower CAD Risk.
June 15, 2001... Recent clinical trials have failed to show that estrogen use reduces heart disease. WASHINGTON -- New national cholesterol guidelines favor the use of statin therapy over hormone replacement for reducing the risk of coronary artery disease...

One-Third of Severe RDS Cases May Be Preventable.
June 15, 2001... Failure to test for Lung maturity faulted. CHICAGO -- One-third of severe neonatal respiratory distress cases could be avoided if physicians tested for fetal lung maturity before performing elective deliveries, results of a large,...

Raloxifene Doesn't Improve Cognition.
June 15, 2001... The selective estrogen-receptor modulator raloxifene doesn't appear to improve cognitive function in postmenopausal women, but it may delay cognitive decline, reported Dr. Kristine Yaffe of the University of California, San Francisco, and...

ACOG Backs Advance Prescription Of Emergency Contraception Pills.
June 15, 2001... CHICAGO -- Gynecologists should offer advance prescriptions for emergency contraceptive pills to all their patients in an effort to stem the tide of unplanned pregnancies in this country, said Dr. Thomas Purdon, president of the American...

Study Finds No Need to Catheterize Before C-Section.
June 15, 2001... CHICAGO -- The routine practice of inserting an indwelling urinary catheter before cesarean section is largely unnecessary, results of a prospective study suggest. "I would hope that people would think about the option of not putting a...

LETTERS.
June 15, 2001... Too Much Credentialing I would like to comment on the article "Extra Credentialing Worries Experts" (April 15, 2001, p. 1): I have been performing operative laparoscopy in my small rural practice for over 25 years. I learned the advanced...

PRO & CON.
June 15, 2001... Should nicotine replacement therapy be used during pregnancy? YES Women who smoke during pregnancy assume a large risk of serious complications. Some women do quit smoking during pregnancy, but many don't, and those who do not quit...

Innovations Stem Blood Loss in Hysterectomy.
June 15, 2001... CHICAGO -- Innovations aimed at refining abdominal hysterectomy are significantly stemming the loss of blood during the procedure, experts said at the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Among the...

Low-Dose OCs File With FDA for Acne Indication.
June 15, 2001... CHICAGO -- Physicians can add another oral contraceptive to their armamentarium for clearing moderate facial acne in women, Dr. Richard Derman said at the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ...

Triple Test Helps Assess Palpable Breast Masses.
June 15, 2001... SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, NEV. -- A triple-test scoring system is an effective means of assessing palpable breast masses, Dr. Richard Bold said during an obstetrics and gynecology conference sponsored by the University of California, Davis. The...

Sigmoid Adhesions May Explain IBS-like Symptoms.
June 15, 2001... CHICAGO -- Adhesions surrounding the sigmoid colon may be the root of irritable bowel syndrome--like symptoms in some patients with pelvic pain, Dr. Brent W. Bost said at the annual meeting of the American College of Obstetricians and...

Pap Test After Total Hysterectomy Questioned.
June 15, 2001... DENVER -- Pap screening for vaginal cancer after total hysterectomy for benign disease is so non-cost-effective as to constitute an "absurd" practice, Dr. Michael Fetters said at the annual meeting of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine....

HAART Increases the Risk for STDs.
June 15, 2001... AIDS patients are at an increased risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease if they are taking highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), according to a report by Susan Scheer, Ph.D., and her associates at the San Francisco...

Prophylactic Cerclage of No Benefit With Multiples.
June 15, 2001... CHICACO -- Women with multiple gestations or a history of midtrimester pregnancy loss do not benefit from prophylactic cervical cerclage and may even be harmed by it. Instead, in both high-risk scenarios expectant management is advised,...

Cesarean Birth Associated With Adult Asthma.
June 15, 2001... Birth by cesarean section may lead to asthma in adulthood, said Dr. Baizhuang Xu of the Imperial College School of Medicine, London, and associates. In a prospective cohort study of 1,953 babies born in 1966, 88% were born via normal...

Smoking Not Tied To Congenital Malformations.
June 15, 2001... DENVER -- Maternal smoking doesn't appear to increase birth defect rates, Dr. Scott B. Woods reported at the annual meeting of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine. There are plenty of other solid reasons to urge pregnant women not...