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Popular Articles

Task Deconstruction Facilitates Acquisition Of Transurethral Resection Of Prostate Skills On A Virtual Reality Trainer
UroToday.com - Increasingly surgical education is being focused on specific procedural training techniques. These researchers at the University of Minnesota have shown the importance of breaking the procedure down into its specific steps and deconstructing the various tasks applied to each step of the procedure.

Evidence Challenges Effectiveness Of Embryo Screening For Older Women
There is growing evidence that a procedure for identifying chromosomal abnormalities in embryos prior to in vitro fertilization is ineffective at helping older women become pregnant, the Wall Street Journal reports. The procedure -- known as pre-implantation genetic screening, or PGS -- is performed in dozen of U.S. fertility clinics and sometimes marketed to older women as a way to increase the odds of a healthy live birth. PGS involves extracting a single cell from a six-cell embryo and inspecting it for chromosomal abnormalities known as aneuploidies; unaffected embryos can then be implanted through IVF. Women older than age 35 have a higher risk of aneuploidies, in which embryos have fewer or more than the usual number of 23 pairs of chromosomes. Aneuploidies can trigger early miscarriage or certain genetics conditions, such as Down syndrome. Most medical experts agree that embryo screening is capable of significantly reducing the risk of Down syndrome and other serious chromosome-related illnesses. However, evidence from several studies increasingly suggests that the procedure does not increase older women"s chances of healthy live births. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine released an initial opinion about PGS in 2007, saying that available evidence does not support the use of embryo screening to increase live birth rates in older women. Andrew La Barbera, scientific director of the society, said, "Since that time, there have been several more trials that have reached the same conclusion." Another shortcoming is that most clinics can only test for fewer than half of the 23 chromosomes, meaning that many defects can go undetected. However, medical experts say that the use of PGS has increased in the two years since ASRM issued its recommendations. According to the Journal, PGS can add more than $2,000 to the roughly $10,000 cost of one IVF cycle. Very few health insurers cover PGS, though some pay for IVF. Some experts contend that studies showing a lack of clinical benefit from PGS do not use more efficient biopsy techniques that can prevent damage to the embryo. Santiago Munne, scientific director for Reprogenetics, said that the treatment is "effective." In a 2007 study, Munne and colleagues used PGS to reduce the rate at which patients miscarried. However, the chances of a woman getting pregnant largely were unchanged, which the authors said could be attributed to the small number of study participants (Naik, Wall Street Journal, 6/1).
News of the day
ReachMD Launches CME iPhone APP
ReachMD, which provides medical news and information to healthcare practitioners, is raising its profile with the Continuing Medical Education, or CME, application for the Apple iPhone and iPod touch. This is the first CME application that lets users listen to all ReachMD Continuing Medical Education content, get regular updates on new Continuing Medical Education content and take Continuing Medical Education tests for credit, all from their iPhone or iPod touch.
Diagnostics

LDR Announces FDA Clearance Of The ROI-C™ Cervical Cage

LDR, a total spine solution company, announced that it has begun to market its ROI-C™ cervical cage following 510(k) clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration. The ROI-C cage, when used with the company"s integrated VerteBRIDGE™ plating technology, offers a zero profile, stand-alone construct for fusion in the cervical spine. ROI-C addresses the growing interest within the market for stand-alone cervical fusion technology that reduces the need for thick cervical plates that may contribute to dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing. The anatomical shape of the ROI-C cage and its integrated plating system are designed to provide initial and long-term stability. The self-guided, curved plating is delivered in the plane of the disc through a direct anterior approach, so the surgery can be achieved with less exposure than may be required to implant a traditional cervical plate or even contemporary stand-alone systems with screws that must be inserted at oblique angles. The system features thoughtfully designed instrumentation including an inserter that protects anatomical structures when placing the cage and VerteBRIDGE plating. Christophe Lavigne, CEO of LDR, comments, "The entry of the ROI-C cervical cage into the U.S. market represents a huge step for us in continuing to provide innovative, surgeon-friendly solutions for varied spinal pathologies. The product builds on the success we"ve had with the MC+ device and VerteBRIDGE plating to provide surgeons with yet another innovative and reliable solution." Dr. Gregory A. Hoffman of Orthopaedics Northeast, Fort Wayne, Indiana and Dr. Paul Henry Cho, M.D. of The Center for Neurological Disorders, Ft. Worth, Texas were the first to implant the ROI-C in the United States. Dr. Cho shares, "The innovative VerteBRIDGE technology combined with well-designed instrumentation and the straight anterior mini-open technique provides a very effective solution for treating my patients. I was impressed with the speed and ease of plate insertion." Dr. Hoffman notes, "The implant"s anatomical design and available sizing options ensures that I can obtain great bone-implant contact and primary stability with immediate loading. The procedure is straightforward and the instrumentation is simple and easy to use." The ROI-C represents an evolution of LDR"s MC+® implant that has been successfully used in more than 5,000 cases worldwide since 2002. Like the original MC+ implant, the ROI-C cage features a domed superior surface to better match the shape of the endplate, without requiring the removal of important structural vertebral bone, and is available in a variety of footprints and heights to restore the stability of the spine. While the MC+ features a flat plate inserted at a 50° angle into the lower vertebra, the chief technological advancement of the ROI-C is the integration of VerteBRIDGE plating technology, which is comprised of curved plates that lock into both the upper and lower vertebrae and are introduced parallel to the plane of the disc. VerteBRIDGE plating technology was first introduced in the company"s very successful ROI-A™ system in 2008. Clinical evaluation of the ROI-C began in France in April, 2009 with over 350 cases completed worldwide prior to its market introduction as a cervical cage in the United States. LDR works closely with surgeons to develop implantable spine systems and instrumentation that restore optimum stability and mobility to patients and to make spine surgery more reproducible and easier to perform. More information is located at http://www.ldrholding.com. LDR


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