Fortis Mohali introduces Glue Closure Technique to treat varicose veins
Fortis Hospital, Mohali has introduced a new technique Glue Closure Technique to treat Varicose Veins for the first time in India. This modern technique is a simple technique that doesn’t require application of tumescent anesthesia. A special catheter is introduced in the vein of the patient and vein is ablated along with a special Turkish glue. Dr Ravul Jindal, Director, Vascular Surgery, Fortis Hospital, Mohali and Dr Merts, proctor, RD Global, Turkey spoke about this unique technique.
Varicose Veins can occur in any part of the body but it is especially seen in legs. Beyond being a cosmetic concern, this painful condition results in enlarged and gnarled veins and it should be treated at the earliest to avoid any further complexity. Some of the most common symptoms include veins that are purple or blue in color along with twisted veins. The situation becomes painful when there is a heavy feeling in the leg or burning, throbbing, muscle cramping and swelling in lower legs. One can experience worsened pain after sitting or standing for a long time. The new Glue closure treatment uses a patented VENABLOCK catheter which is a relatively new endovascular technique to cure venous reflux disease. Dr Ravul Jindal who was the pioneer of MOCA technique (Mechanico Chemical Ablation of Varicose Veins) in India is yet again the first to introduce this even more painless technique in India. The technique is specially recommended for those who are sensitive to needle pricks as well as those who are overweight.
Speaking about the technique, Dr Ravul Jindal said, “This is a technique that wax eloquence in the treatment of varicose veins as against traditional method that require anesthesia and hospitalization. It is designed in a way to plug veins without local anesthesia or a trail of multiple cuts. The new treatment is not only less painful but can treat a leg
in 15 minutes and within one hour before the patient can go home. It is important that an expert like vascular surgeon perform this surgery.”
The ailment is usually characterized by aching and heavy legs, ankle swelling, dilated bluish bulge under the skin, redness, dryness and itchiness of skin. In some people, the skin above ankle may shrink because fat underneath it becomes hard. The symptoms also include whitened, irregular scar-like patches that can appear at the ankles or patient can have chronic non-healing ulcers. Dr Jindal said the disease marks an indication of a malfunction of venous system and should be evaluated by a vascular surgery specialist.
Dr Jindal further said, “Even after the procedure, the patient is on fewer medications and post-procedure care. At Fortis Hospital, Mohali, we have always believed in introducing cutting edge technologies for excellent patient care. We have been treating varicose veins through modern modality of lasers, radiofrequency and foam sclerotherapy. The glue procedure involves puncture of vein under ultrasound guidance. This technique is combined with a special Turkish glue to ablate veins. It is safe and painless. Patients can return home the same day, as compared to conventional surgery where they had to be hospitalized. Glue procedure is performed under local anesthesia and is scar-free. There are no cuts or stitches. As it causes minimal damage to tissues, it’s especially useful in patients who are on blood thinners, are obese, have a groin infection, and are old or patients who are scared of surgery. Patients can return to normal life
within 24 hours, except for undertaking vigorous exercise.”
Source: http://www.thehealthsite.com/news/fortis-hospital-mohali-introduces-glue-closure-technique-to-treat-varicose-veins-a-first-in-india-ag1217/
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IMA tightens the screws on antibiotic prescriptions
Doctors should not prescribe antibiotic cover or prophylactic antibiotic without a high degree of clinical suspicion.
Alarmed over the growing antibiotic resistance that has made it difficult to treat many bacterial infections, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has advised doctors to follow strictly guidelines while prescribing antibiotics.
Despite the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) setting up the National Anti-Microbial Resistance Research and Surveillance Network (AMRRSN) to enable compilation of data of such resistance at different levels of healthcare and publishing of treatment guidelines for anti-microbial use in common syndromes, the problem of multi-drug resistance due to widespread and indiscriminate use of antimicrobial and antibiotic drugs continues unabated in the country.
To address this issue, the IMA, at the Antimicrobial Resistance Conference held in New Delhi last month, advised its members to mandatorily restrict the usage of antibiotics for treatment of proven bacterial infections. It also came out with a policy on anti-microbial resistance.
No refill without consent
IMA national president K.K. Aggarwal told The Hindu that doctors should henceforth write the antibiotic in a box to differentiate it from other drugs in the prescription.
“When prescribing antibiotics, clear instructions should be given to the patient about no refill of antibiotic prescription without the signature of the doctor. The role of antibiotics should be discussed in an informed consent,” he said.
Expressing concern over irrational antibiotic usage, Dr. Aggarwal said: “As per our policy, doctors should not prescribe antibiotic cover or prophylactic antibiotic without a high degree of clinical suspicion. No antibiotics should be prescribed for small bowel diarrhoea, fever with cough and cold, dengue, chikungunya, malaria and fever with rashes. However, early initiation of antibiotics is the rule in suspected sepsis bacterial pneumonia meningitis and confirmed tuberculosis cases.”
Prescription audit
B.R. Jagashetty, former Drugs Controller of Karnataka and former National Adviser to the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, said the government should conduct random “prescription audits” in both private and public sectors to improve medication safety.
National policy
This has also been included in the National Health Policy and Karnataka Public Health Policy prepared by the Knowledge Commission. The Karnataka Health Policy — that is yet to be implemented — also recommends that the State Health Ministry should also have its own antibiotic policy.
Attributing the growing antibiotic resistance to self-medication by most people, Dr. Jagashetty said: “Many people go to a chemist and ask for medicines for their health problem without visiting a doctor. Buying medicines over the counter is a major reason for misuse. Moreover, some doctors too prescribe higher antibiotics due to the impatience shown by their patients in getting well soon.”
Source: http://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/health/ima-tightens-the-screws-on-antibiotic-prescriptions/article21823790.ece
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New device to detect cancer with urine test is here
A novel nanowire device that is able to non-invasively detect microscopic levels of cancer markers in the urine, has been developed by Japanese researchers and could aid in improving diagnosis and treatment of the deadly disease.
The device was found with potential to efficiently capture extracellular vesicles (EVs) from urine and potentially use them to screen for cancer.
“The ongoing challenge for physicians in any field is to find a non-invasive diagnostic tool that allows them to monitor their patients on a regular basis — for example, a simple urine test,” said lead author Takao Yasui, from the Nagoya University in Japan.
However, the content of EVs in urine is extremely low, at less than 0.01 per cent of the total fluid volume, which becomes a major barrier to their diagnostic utility.
The new device — embeded with zinc oxide nanowires into a specialised polymer — was found highly efficient at capturing these vesicles.
“Our findings suggest that the device is indeed quite efficient. We obtained a collection rate of over 99 per cent, surpassing ultracentrifugation as well as other methods that are currently being used in the field,” Yasui added.
Using the device, the scientists were able to net over a thousand types of microRNAs, which are short pieces of ribonucleic acid that play diverse roles in normal cellular biology.
The presence of certain microRNAs in urine might serve as a red flag for serious conditions such as bladder and prostate cancer, the study reported in Science Advances showed.
To test the device, the team compared the microRNAs of EVs isolated from healthy patients with those isolated from patients who were already diagnosed with bladder, prostate, and other forms of cancer.
Compared with the standard approach, they found a substantially greater number and different types of microRNAs with just 1 milliliter of urine, the researchers said.
Source: http://zeenews.india.com/health/new-device-to-detect-cancer-with-urine-test-is-here-2070180
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Nicotene addiction: Scientists identify the root of addiction, may lead to new treatments
Scientists have identified specific chemical changes deep in the brain that help drive nicotine addiction, an advance that may lead to new treatments for the condition.
In the research published in the journal PNAS, scientists were able to halt these changes in mice and discover potential targets for drugs to treat tobacco dependence.
Nicotine is a stimulant that works by binding to receptors widely distributed throughout the brain, causing neurons to release a variety of neurotransmitters including dopamine, which triggers feelings of pleasure.
In a search for the brain cells that transmit this response, researchers at the Rockefeller University in the US investigated how nicotine affects two midbrain structures, the interpeduncular nucleus (IPN) and the medial habenula (MHb).
While these brain regions are ancient in evolutionary terms and are found in all vertebrates, including humans, they have not received much attention from scientists until recently, researchers said.
Working with mice, Jessica L Ables, first author of the study, found that chronic nicotine consumption alters the functions of a particular population of neurons inside the IPN.
These altered brain cells, which she dubbed Amigo1, appear to promote nicotine addiction by disrupting the communication between the habenula and the IPN.
Normally, these brain structures have a system in place to curtail nicotine addiction.
The habenula responds to a given dose of nicotine by sending an aversion signal to the IPN that decreases the reward of the drug, an effect that ultimately limits the urge to consume nicotine.
After chronic exposure to nicotine, however – the mice used in the study drank nicotine-laced water for six weeks – the Amigo1 cells compromise this “braking effect” by releasing two chemicals that reduce the response of the IPN to the aversion signal from the habenula.
In other words, the stop-smoking message does not get delivered.
The result is a “pro-addiction” response to nicotine, which the mice displayed in a behavioural test designed to measure the motivational properties of the drug.
In the test, called conditioned place preference, the mice chose to spend time in a chamber where they had previously received nicotine.
“If you are exposed to nicotine over a long period you produce more of the signal-disrupting chemicals and this desensitises you. That is why smokers keep smoking,” said Ines Ibanez-Tallon, a scientists in the lab of Nathaniel Heintz, a professor at the Rockefeller University.
In other experiments, her group was able to confirm that these mices response to chronic nicotine was indeed influenced by Amigo1 neurons.
When the researchers silenced these neurons using a genetic engineering technique, this eliminated the “nicotine preference” of the mice, strongly suggesting that those neurons play a role in the addictive behaviour.
Source: http://zeenews.india.com/health/scientists-identify-the-root-of-nicotine-addiction-may-lead-to-new-treatments-2070464
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High blood sugar in early pregnancy could cause heart problems for baby
Higher blood sugar in early pregnancy can up the risk of a congenital heart defect in babies, according to a research.
The study was led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
For many years, physicians have known that women with diabetes face an increased risk of giving birth to babies with heart defects. Some studies have also suggested a link between nondiabetic mothers’ blood sugar levels and babies’ heart defect risk. However, the new study is the first to examine this question in the earliest part of pregnancy, when the fetal heart is forming.
“Most women who have a child with congenital heart disease are not diabetic,” said the study’s senior author, James Priest, MD, assistant professor of pediatric cardiology. “We found that in women who don’t already have diabetes or develop diabetes during pregnancy, we can still measure risk for having a child with congenital heart disease by looking at their glucose values during the first trimester of pregnancy.” The study’s lead author is Emmi Helle, MD, PhD, an affiliate in pediatric cardiology and former postdoctoral scholar.
The research team studied medical records from 19,107 pairs of mothers and their babies born between 2009 and 2015. The records included details of the mothers’ prenatal care, including blood test results and any cardiac diagnoses made for the babies during pregnancy or after birth.
Infants with certain genetic diseases, those born from multiple pregnancies and those whose mothers had extremely low or high body-mass-index measures were not included in the study. Of the infants in the study, 811 were diagnosed with congenital heart disease, and the remaining 18,296 were not.
The scientists analyzed blood glucose levels from any blood sample collected from the mothers between four weeks prior to the estimated date of conception and the end of the 14th gestational week, just after the completion of the first trimester of pregnancy.
These early blood glucose measurements were available for 2,292, or 13 percent, of women in the study. The researchers also looked at the results of oral glucose tolerance tests performed around 20 weeks of gestation, which were available for 9,511, or just under half, of the women in the study.
After excluding women who had diabetes before pregnancy or who developed it during pregnancy, the results showed that the risk of giving birth to a child with a congenital heart defect was elevated by 8 percent for every increase of 10 milligrams per deciliter in blood glucose levels in the early stages of pregnancy.
The next step in the research is to conduct a prospective study that follows a large group of women through pregnancy to see if the results are confirmed, Priest said. If researchers see the same relationship, it may be helpful to measure blood glucose early in pregnancy in all pregnant women to help determine which individuals are at greater risk for having a baby with a heart defect, he said.
“We could use blood glucose information to select women for whom a screening of the fetal heart could be helpful,” Priest said, adding that modern prenatal imaging allows for detailed diagnoses of many congenital heart defects before birth.
“Knowing about defects prenatally improves outcomes because mothers can receive specialized care that increases their babies’ chances of being healthier after birth.” The study is published in The Journal of Pediatrics. — ANI.
Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/health/high-blood-sugar-in-early-pregnancy-could-cause-heart-problems-for-baby/515181.html
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First baby born from a uterus transplant in the US
The first birth as a result of a womb transplant in the United States has occurred in Texas, a milestone for the U.S. but one achieved several years ago in Sweden.
A woman, born without a uterus gave birth to the baby at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. In October 2016, the hospital said four women had received transplants but three of the wombs had to be removed because of poor blood flow.
There have been at least 16 uterus transplants worldwide.
Womb donors can be dead or alive, and the Baylor study aims to use some of both. The first four donors were unrelated and unknown to the recipients. The ones done in Sweden were from live donors, mostly from the recipients’ mother or a sister.
Doctors hope that womb transplants will enable as many as several thousand women born without a uterus to bear children. They will first have in vitro fertilization to retrieve and fertilize their eggs and produce embryos that will be frozen. After the uterus transplant, the embryos can be thawed and implanted, at least a year after the transplant. A baby resulting from a uterine transplant would be delivered by cesarean section.
The wombs are not intended to be permanent. The woman must take powerful drugs to prevent organ rejection, and the drugs pose long-term health risks, so the uterus would be removed after one or two successful pregnancies.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine issued a statement on December 1, calling the Dallas birth “another important milestone in the history of reproductive medicine.” For women born without a functioning uterus, “transplantation represents the only way they can carry a pregnancy,” the statement said.
Photo credit: AP
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