OB GYN News articles from November 2003

OB GYN News archives from November 2003

Anal incontinence & sphincter injury: vaginal childbirth a factor.
November 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Anatomic anal sphincter injury from vaginal childbirth is significantly associated with anal incontinence and stage IV pelvic organ prolapse, according to a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Urogynecologic...

Vital signs.
November 1, 2003... Top 10 Drugs Mentioned During Office Visits in 2001 Millions of Mentions Lipitor 21.2 Celebrex 17.6 Vioxx 15.3 Claritin 14.6 ...

No significant increase in ovarian Ca risk with HT: new WHI analysis: investigators say combo HT's bone benefits don't outweigh therapy's overall risks.
November 1, 2003... Two new Women's Health Initiative final analyses have concluded that combination hormone therapy may result in a slight but insignificant increase in ovarian cancer and that, despite offering fracture protection to healthy postmenopausal women,...

Low and high birth weight linked to cerebral palsy: possible liability implications: study shifts focus from intrapartum events.
November 1, 2003... Babies born at either extreme of weight for gestational age--low or high--are at increased risk for cerebral palsy, according to a 10-country European study of 4,503 children. That low birth weight is associated with cerebral palsy (CP) and...

Assess 'soft markers' with transvaginal ultrasound: chronic pelvic pain.(News)
November 1, 2003... PARIS -- Assessment of "soft markers" of pelvic pathology greatly enhances the diagnostic potential of transvaginal ultrasound in women with chronic pelvic pain, Dr. Emeka Okaro said at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and...

Short-course cipro for pyelonephritis: unapproved regimen shows promise.(News)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Seven days of oral ciprofloxacin is a highly effective and well-tolerated treatment for community-acquired acute uncomplicated pyelonephritis, Dr. David Elkharrat reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents...

Antibiotic tx before prolapse, incontinence surgery cuts UTIs: macrobid vs. placebo.(News)
November 1, 2003... HOLLYWOOD, FLA. -- Prophylaxis with the antibiotic Macrobid was tied to significantly fewer Symptomatic urinary tract infections than was placebo after surgery for pelvic organ prolapse and/or stress urinary incontinence. This difference...

Cipro beats amoxicillin-clavulanate in cystitis study: young women, uncomplicated cystitis.(News)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Amoxicillin-clavulanate is clearly inferior to ciprofloxacin for treatment of uncomplicated cystitis in young women--even in those infected with a uropathogen strain susceptible to amoxicillin-clavulanate, Dr. Thomas M. Hooten...

Zyrtec may reduce hot flashes in postmenopausal women: small trial.(News)
November 1, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Zyrtec may be able to treat more than just allergies in some postmenopausal women, according to the results of a small study presented at the annual meeting of the North American Menopause Society. Zyrtec (cetirizine...

FDA panel okays revised osteoporosis indication for PremPro: discussion of WHI data.(News)
November 1, 2003... BETHESDA, MD. -- An independent expert panel convened by the Food and Drug Administration has agreed that the revised osteoporosis indication for PremPro, changed earlier this year to reflect the findings of the Women's Health Initiative, is...

Lessons of malpractice litigation.(Guest Editorial)
November 1, 2003... Malpractice can happen to any of us, even if we practice great medicine. Consider what happened to me. Early in my medical career I had a patient who, although of, hi in her mid-60s, was very frail owing to multiple illnesses. "Anna" had...

Talk back online.(Opinion)
November 1, 2003... TALK BACK ONLINE If you were choosing your career path today, would you still become a doctor? (Oct. 1, 2003, p. 26) YES 61% NO 39% Note: Table made from pie chart. To Talk Back, visit www.eobynnews.com

Hair treatments.(Drugs, Pregnancy, And Lactation)
November 1, 2003... Women often have questions and concerns about the safety of hair treatments during pregnancy. The limited available data have not indicated problems with teratogenicity or other adverse reproductive outcomes associated with either occupational...

Follow the rules with shoulder dystocia: avoid fundal pressure.(Obstetrics)
November 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- "Never, never, never!" is Dr. Washington C. Hill's advice on when to apply fundal pressure for shoulder dystocia. This can further impact the shoulder and is clearly associated with orthopedic and neurologic damage. It also is...

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy ok in pregnancy: 150 successful cases.(Obstetrics)
November 1, 2003... LAS VEGAS -- A total of 150 successful laparoscopic cholecystectomies have been reported in pregnant women who were unresponsive to medical management, suggesting that this procedure is safe during pregnancy, Dr. Raymond J. Lanzafame said. ...

Cerclage can remain in place after PPROM: no difference in outcomes.(Obstetrics)
November 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- Preterm premature rupture of the membranes does not necessarily require removal of a cerclage, Dr. Mureena A. Turnquest Wells said at a conference on high-risk obstetrics sponsored by Symposia Medicus. After the publication in...

Isolated anomaly may not warrant invasive testing: midtrimester scan.(Obstetrics)
November 1, 2003... ATLANTA -- An isolated, subtle anomaly seen on a midtrimester ultrasound may be innocuous if the mother is not at high risk and the triple screen is normal. But with advanced maternal age or if multiple abnormalities are present, an...

Elevated NT, normal karyotype = good prognosis: 11-14 weeks' gestation.(Obstetrics)
November 1, 2003... PARIS -- Most karyotypically normal fetuses with elevated nuchal translucency at 11-14 weeks will be born without major abnormalities, Dr. Katia Bilardo reported at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. ...

First-trimester IUH flags risk of adverse outcome: spontaneous abortion.(Obstetrics)
November 1, 2003... PARIS -- Intrauterine hematoma during the first trimester carries a high risk of adverse pregnancy outcome, Dr. Gianpaolo Maso said at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. In pregnancies affected by...

Complete miscarriage? Rule out ectopic pregnancy: monitor HCG levels closely.(Obstetrics)
November 1, 2003... PARIS -- Ectopic pregnancies may be present in up to 6% of women who appear to have had a complete miscarriage based on history and ultrasound findings, Dr. George Condous said at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and...

Hot news flashes.(FYI)
November 1, 2003... "Menopause Flashes" is a monthly e-mail newsletter that is available from the North American Menopause Society. To subscribe, visit the NAMS Web site at www.menopause.org/newsletter.html.

Updated osteoporosis guide.(FYI)
November 1, 2003... The National Osteoporosis Foundation has updated its practice guidelines "Physician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis." To order, 877-868-4520, www. nof.org/professionals/clinical/clinical.htm.

Breast reconstruction.(FYI)
November 1, 2003... The M.D. Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas offers two resources on breast reconstruction. "Breast Reconstruction: What You Need to Know" is a free CD-ROM available in English or Spanish. Order at www.mdanderson.org/...

Heart health with Maya Angelou.(FYI)
November 1, 2003... The Association of Black Cardiologists has launched an educational video and booklet, featuring poet Maya Angelou, for African American women. The effort is supported by a grant from Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corp. Visit www.abcardio.org or call...

National Cancer Institute survey.(FYI)
November 1, 2003... The National Cancer Institute is looking for people to participate in telephone interviews. Patients with stage III or IV cancer, current or bereaved friends and family of cancer patients, and physicians who work with patients in advanced...

Skin care and aging.(FYI)
November 1, 2003... "Skin Deep: What You Need to Know to Keep Your Skin Healthy and Young" provides tips to help care for skin as it ages. For more information on this booklet, contact the Alliance for Aging Research, 202-293-2856, www.agingresearch.org/...

Filshie clip favored over Pomeroy technique in study.(Ten Surgeons Surveyed)
November 1, 2003... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Surgeons strongly preferred the Filshie clip technique to the Pomeroy technique for obstetric sterilization in a small pilot study. If the results are replicated in larger trials, the Filshie dip, a titanium-silicone...

Repairing posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse: little data available.(Gynecology)
November 1, 2003... ST. LOUIS -- There is little in the way of evidence to guide the management of posthysterectomy vaginal vault prolapse and postrepair recurrence of vault prolapse, but the problems will require increasing attention, Dr. Patrick Hogston said at...

Colpocleisis: valid option for severe prolapse: selected women.(Gynecology)
November 1, 2003... ST. LOUIS -- Colpocleisis for severe pelvic organ prolapse is a procedure that will be used more often in the coming years, Dr. Sheldon Weinstein predicted at the 13th International Pelvic Reconstructive and Vaginal Surgery Conference. The...

Tibolone tied to increased BMD, less bleeding: not available in the United States.(Gynecology)
November 1, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- The synthetic steroid tibolone appears to increase bone mineral density as well as hormone therapy, but without the side effects of breast pain and breakthrough bleeding, Dr. Robert D. Langer reported in a poster session at the...

Raloxifene tx not linked to gallbladder disease: posthoc analysis of major study.(Gynecology)
November 1, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Raloxifene therapy for 4 years was not associated with any increase in new-onset gallbladder disease or worsening of existing gallbladder disease in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, Dr. Deborah Grady reported in a poster...

'Ecstasy' drug tied to permanent neurotoxicity: looming public health problem.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... SAN FRANCISCO -- Use of the club drug MDMA, also known as Ecstasy, appears to result in permanent neurotoxicity, the effects of which may not be felt for many years to come, Dr. David M. McDowell said at the annual meeting of the American...

Hepatitis C virus may be spread through saliva: avoid toothbrush sharing.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- Intermittent shedding of hepatitis C virus in saliva is common in infected individuals, Dr. Chia C. Wang reported at the annual Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. This observation raises the...

'D-zone' clue key to clindamycin-resistant MRSA: test inducible resistance.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... ASPEN, COLO. -- Physicians should make sure their microbiology lab is testing for both inducible and constitutive resistance to clindamydn when they send samples for susceptibility testing, Dr. Carol J. Baker said at a conference on pediatric...

SARS outbreak caused psychological trauma: physicians also affected.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... CHICAGO -- The Toronto outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome led to many cases of posttraumatic stress disorder--both in infected patients and in the health care professionals providing care for them, researchers reported at the annual...

Self-mutilation eating disorders may be linked: college women.(Clinical Rounds)
November 1, 2003... DENVER -- Cutting behavior is closely associated with bingeing and purging in female college students, Wendy D. Hoyt, Ph.D., reported at an international conference of the Academy for Eating Disorders. This finding in a large epidemiologic...

Obesity and weight loss.(Women's Health Adviser)
November 1, 2003... An estimated 127 million adults in the United States are overweight, 60 million are obese, and 9 million are severely obese, according to national statistics. And yet, studies show that obesity remains an undertreated condition. Many...

Tread carefully when setting fair market value: Stark law must be considered.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Physicians should tread carefully when trying to arrive at a fair market value for office space they're renting, Beth Schermer said at a forum sponsored by the American Health Lawyers Association. That's because fair market...

Scrutinize hospital agreements before you sign: fair market value documentation is key.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- For physicians entering into agreements with hospitals, the key is documentation, especially when it comes to deals that involve determination of fair market value, said Robert A. Wade at the annual meeting of the American Health...

HIPAA privacy enforcement.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2003... Complaints filed under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 privacy regulation are coming in at about 75 per week to the Department of Health and Human Service's Office for Civil Rights (OCR), said Susan McAndrew,...

Missouri's waiting period.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2003... A new law requiring a 24-hour waiting period before a physician can perform an abortion will go into effect this year after Missouri's legislature voted the measure into law over the governor's veto. The law requires a conference between the...

Smoking failures.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2003... The nation got a grade of "F" for its handling of smoking among women, according to a report card from the National Women's Law Center and the Center for Women's Health at Oregon Health and Science University. The report card gave a failing...

Birth bonuses.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2003... The Department of Health and Human Services is awarding $100 million in bonuses to states with the largest decreases in out-of-wedlock births between 1998 and 2001. Maryland, Colorado, Wyoming, Texas, and the District of Columbia will receive...

Malpractice reform.(Policy & Practice)
November 1, 2003... Even if Congress does not enact caps on noneconomic awards this year, there are other possible fixes to the medical malpractice quandary, says Michelle M. Mello, Ph.D., of the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston. One possibility is an...

HIPAA could impact state 'prompt pay' laws: 'clean claim' redefined?(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- State "prompt pay" laws could be affected by the "transaction and code set" provisions of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) that went into effect last month, Ann Leopold Kaplan said at a forum...

Impact of virtual visits on doctor-patient relationship unclear: an end to 'true medicine'?(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- In the next few years, 20%-50% of all physician-patient interactions will be virtual, according to Dr. Allen Wenner. "There will always be situations where the in-office visit will still be required," said Dr. Wenner, a...

Medicare to alter enrollment form: provider enrollment.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Medicare plans to revise its proposed enrollment form to make it more user friendly for physicians, Robert Loyal said at a meeting of the Medicare Practicing Physicians Advisory Council. "Some of the language in the form could...

Physician unionization: a difficult proposition: antitrust laws, other barriers.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2003... WASHINGTON -- Interest in physician unionization is increasing as health insurers become more powerful, but doctors who want to unionize still face many barriers, said several speakers at a hearing sponsored by the Federal Trade Commission and...

Democratic candidates' proposed health care plans: campaign 2004.(Practice Trends)
November 1, 2003... With nine Democratic candidates currently running for president, keeping track of each one's proposal for improving access to health insurance can get a bit confusing. Does the plan use incremental steps or cover everyone at once? Use a...

Sling for incontinence.(Products)
November 1, 2003... The BioArc SP sling system is available for the treatment of female incontinence. The sling allows surgeons to select the type, size, and thickness of biologic tissue for urethral support. For more information, contact American Medical Systems...

Oral solution metformin.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Riomet (metformin HCl, 500 mg/5 mL) oral solution is approved for use as a monotherapy as an adjunct to diet and exercise to improve glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. For more information, contact Ranbaxy Pharmaceuticals Inc.,...

Fosamax oral solution.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Fosamax (alendronate sodium) oral solution is approved for treatment and prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis, treatment of Paget's disease of bone, treatment to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis, and treatment of...

General semen analysis kit.(Products)
November 1, 2003... The Flow-GSA (general semen analysis) kit is available. The kit uses flow cytometry to provide automated analysis of sperm count, motility, viability, morphology, white blood cells, immature sperm cells, and sperm-bound antibodies. For more...

Shot pain device redesigned.(Products)
November 1, 2003... ShotBlocker has been redesigned to accommodate both intramuscular and subcutaneous injections. The plastic disk features a number of skin contact points and an opening for injections. The device is designed to block injection pain based on the...

GI disorder therapy.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Pamine Forte 5 mg (methscopolamine bromide) is available in a dose pack of five blisters of 12 tablets. The drug is indicated for the treatment of gastrointestinal motility disorders including abdominal pain and cramping, diarrhea, and bloating...

Darvocet A500 approved.(Products)
November 1, 2003... Darvocet A500 (propoxyphene napsylate and acetaminophen) is approved for the treatment of mild to moderate pain. The drug combines 500 mg acetaminophen with 100 mg propoxyphene napsylate. For more information, contact aaiPharma Inc.,...

Patient assessment.(Products)
November 1, 2003... The BHI 2 (Battery for Health Improvement 2) assessment is a self-report tool to help psychologists and medical professionals determine presurgical readiness, develop treatment plans, evaluate treatment effectiveness, and monitor clinical...

FDA panel backs silicone implants: long list of conditions.(News)
November 15, 2003... GAITHERSBURG, MD. -- In a 9-6 vote, a federal advisory panel recommended--with a long list of conditions--the approval of one brand, of silicone gel-filled breast implants but emphasized the need for more long-term safety data on the product....

FDA approves MEA system for excessive bleeding: microwave endometrial ablation: patients must have an endometrial thickness of at least 10 mm to undergo the procedure.(News)
November 15, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration imposed conditions on its recent approval of a microwave endometrial ablation system that have "significantly minimized the potential for an adverse event," according to Dr. Jay Cooper, principal investigator of...

Higher rate of major birth defects seen in ART infants: retrospective cohort study: attributed to parents' underlying infertility.(News)
November 15, 2003... SAN ANTONIO -- Babies born as a result of assisted reproductive technologies had a significantly higher rate of major birth defects compared with children conceived naturally, according to a large, retrospective cohort study. But the rate...

Preeclampsia tied to risk of early coronary disease: insulin resistance a shared factor.(News)
November 15, 2003... VIENNA -- Preeclampsia is a strong independent risk factor for development of premature coronary artery disease, Dr. Risto Juhani Kaaja said at the annual congress of the European Society of Cardiology. In his case-control study,...

CDC & FDA: no contamination of flu vaccine lots: no truth to recall rumor.(News)
November 15, 2003... No contamination of any flu vaccine has been identified anywhere in the United States, contrary to rumor, the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Immunization Program said in a statement....

Many problems, one solution.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 15, 2003... It looks like the critics of a single-payer plan have it backward ("Physician Group Reignites Debate Over Single-Payer Plan," Sept. 15, 2003, p. 5). We would not "be trading one problem for a whole set of others," as American Medical...

Counting should be kicked.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
November 15, 2003... The recent article on fetal kick counts has me concerned ("Persuade Patients to Get Fetal Kick Counts," Sept. 1, 2003, p. 12). Dr. William M. Gilbert said that he advises patients to call labor and delivery if they don't feel 10 kicks in 1...

Talk back online.(Opinion)
November 15, 2003... Has the malpractice crisis led to widespread health care access problems? YES 93% NO 7% To Talk Back, visit www.eobgynnews.com

Our relationship with industry.(Guest Editorial)
November 15, 2003... Over the past few years there has been increased scrutiny of the relationship between physicians and the health care industry. Voluntary guidelines from numerous organizations promote self-regulation, but if interactions do not remain...

Letrozole linked to fewer cancers post tamoxifen: more than 5,000 women studied.(Gynecology)
November 15, 2003... Postmenopausal breast cancer survivors who took the aromatase inhibitor letrozole following a 5-year course of tamoxifen therapy had significantly fewer new and recurrent cancers, as well as a trend toward lower overall mortality, compared with...

Topical estrogen approved for treating hot flashes: lotion for short-term use only.(Gynecology)
November 15, 2003... The Food and Drug Administration last month approved Estrasorb--the first topical estrogen therapy or treating moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms of menopause. The novel estrogen-based skin lotion was approved for short-term use only....

Bone fracture risk may be higher in postmenopausal breast ca survivors: analysis of WHI participants.(Gynecology)
November 15, 2003... MINNEAPOLIS -- Menopausal breast cancer survivors may have a 29%-32% higher risk of sustaining fractures at specific sites than do other menopausal women, according to data from the Women's Health Initiative. That finding suggests that...

Ob.gyn. wins MacArthur Foundation award: 'victory for the female circumcision issue'.(Gynecology)
November 15, 2003... Nobody likes to be interrupted in the middle of a delivery--unless, of course, the interruption is a phone call with the news that you've just been awarded $500,000. "I delivered the placenta and went to my office to return the call," said...

Lipid profiles of nonwhites, whites benefit equally from raloxifene: posthoc analysis of 7,705 women.(Gynecology)
November 15, 2003... MIAMI BEACH -- Raloxifene improves the lipid profiles as well in nonwhite women as in white women, according to data extracted from a posthoc analysis of the Multiple Outcomes of Raloxifene Evaluation. Women with the highest baseline...

Bone anchors boost safety of ab sacrocolpopexy: series of 11 cases.(Gynecology)
November 15, 2003... Abdominal sacrocolpopexy can be much safer if bone anchors are used instead of traditional sutures, according to Dr. Luis Sanz, professor and vice chairman of the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Georgetown University, Washington. ...

Properly rebuilt perineal body is critical element of prolapse repair: vaginal reconstructive surgery.(Gynecology)
November 15, 2003... ST. LOUIS -- Proper reconstruction of the perineal body is a key component of successful vaginal prolapse repair, so a clear understanding of its anatomy is imperative, Dr. Robert M. Rogers Jr. said at the 13th International Pelvic...

Educate moms on breast-feeding preterm infants: promotional strategies.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... STANFORD, CALIF. -- Don't expect the mother of a premature newborn to know when and how to breast-feed. Set up your health care system to promote breast-feeding for premature infants, Dr. Jane A. Morton said at a conference on perinatal...

ECV success tied to fetal weight, amniotic fluid: best done at 36-37 weeks.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... PARIS -- Estimated fetal weight is directly related to the success of external cephalic version, Dr. Emmanuel Bujold reported at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The finding, from a prospective study of...

Ethnicity, NT and down syndrome risk: consider crown-rump length.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... PARIS -- An absent nasal bone at 11-14 weeks' gestation is strongly related to the presence of chromosomal defects, Dr. Kypros H. Nicolaides reported at the 13th World Congress on Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology. Among fetuses with...

Advanced ultrasound may find more fetal cardiac anomalies: after 18 weeks' gestation.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- Advanced ultrasound equipment may be better than standard systems at detecting some fetal heart anomalies in obese women who are at more than 18 weeks' gestation, Dr. Israel Hendler said at the annual meeting of the Central...

Rate of termination for fatal birth defects up 38% during 1974-1999: rate rose from 25% to 63%.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... PHILADELPHIA -- The rate of prenatal ultrasound screening increased from 9% to 87% over a 25-year period in a study of 939 pregnant women with malformed fetuses and infants at a tertiary care hospital. During the same time period, the rate...

Dilated fetal small bowel prognosis linked with size: third-trimester ultrasound.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... PARIS -- A third-trimester ultrasound finding of dilated fetal small bowel of 18 mm or less is associated with complete postnatal resolution and a favorable outcome, Dr. Aleksandr M. Fuks reported in a poster presentation at the 13th World...

First-trimester down screening gaining ground: nuchal translucency, serum markers.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... Atlanta -- First-trimester screening for Down syndrome using nuchal translucency measurements and serum markers will soon be the standard of care, Dr. Ray O. Bahado-Singh predicted at a conference on high-risk obstetrics sponsored by Symposia...

Evidence guides repair after obstetric trauma: episiotomy, sutures.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... ST. Louis -- Evidence-based choices regarding episiotomy and sutures could help prevent traumatic injury and improve prognosis when it comes to traumatic genital injury associated with vaginal childbirth, Dr. Patrick Hogston said. ...

Cytokines gauge endometritis risk post C-section: serum measured upon admission.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... HYANNIS, MASS. -- Elevated cytokine levels upon hospital admission may identify patients at high-risk for postcesarean endometritis, a prospective study has shown. An analysis of maternal serum measures of patients in a pregnancy study...

Magnesium sulfate linked to increased TSV risk: clinical significance of finding unknown.(Obstetrics)
November 15, 2003... LA JOLLA, CALIF. -- The use of magnesium sulfate for tocolysis may increase a neonate's risk of thalamostriate vasculopathy, according to a new analysis of data from the Magnesium and Neurologic Endpoints Trial. In a mulivariate regression...

Good people skills may deter malpractice suits: consider 'firing' uncooperative patients.(Practice Trends)
November 15, 2003... NEW ORLEANS -- Dr. Edward Zurad has developed a new skill in his office-based practice: "firing" patients. Although it's not something he does frequently, Dr. Zurad, a family physician in Tunkhannock, Pa., said he has "gotten really good...