“The Baby who was ‘Repaired’ in the Womb”
“During the four-hour surgery, doctors cut an opening in the womb and then closed the baby’s gap in the spine. The procedure is risky and can cause premature labour. Amanda, a post-graduate philosophy student at St Andrews University, said: “My placenta was in the front. “So they had to lift the womb out so they didn’t hurt the placenta while they were in there. “They used a solution to ‘float’ the baby to the top of the womb so that only the back was exposed. He was still in the amniotic fluid when they closed three layers – the spinal layer, dural sheath then skin to close up.” Amanda’s waters broke just under 33 weeks into her pregnancy, and Augustine was born by caesarean section the following day. She said: “He was a pretty big baby 5lb 5oz, a good weight for being early (BBC News).” Read More
“Glimpsing the Future at Gargantuan Health Tech Showcase”
“Imagine going to the doctor and finding out before you leave the exam room how much your prescribed drug will cost, avoiding sticker shock at the pharmacy. Or what if you could wear a tiny device at the top of your back that would gently nudge you to sit up straight whenever you slump. Innovations like these geared to help consumers were on display here this week at the nation’s largest health technology conference, the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society meeting — popularly known at HIMSS. More than 40,000 health industry professionals gathered at the Orange County Convention Center, one of only a few in the country large enough to handle the conference (Kaiser Health News).” Read More
“Study Finds Radiologists Easily Transition to 3D Mammography”
“Radiologists can quickly transition to using three-dimensional mammograms from traditional two-dimensional images, yielding benefits in interpreting studies and in patient care. A study indicates that radiologists who interpret traditional mammograms require little preparation or training in order to make the transition to reading digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT, which uses 3D mammography) with improved screening accuracy (HealthData Management).” Read More
Weekend Sleep-in Might Ruin your Waistline and Your Health, Study Says
“The common behavior of “sleeping in on the weekends doesn’t correct the body’s inability to regulate blood sugar if that weekend is followed by a workweek or school week full of insufficient sleep,” said study author Kenneth Wright Jr., who directs the sleep lab at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
“And when we go back to getting too little sleep again,” Wright said, “we’re doing things that could be negative for our health long-term.” (CNN).” Read More