Does a Goiter Always Require Surgery?
Fate of the non-operated, non-toxic goitre in a defined population Winbladh A, Järhult JBr J Surg. 2008;95:338-343 SummaryDoes every patient with a benign goiter need surgery? To answer this question, the study authors reviewed data on 261 patients (median age, 56 years) who, at the time of clinical examination or after fine-needle aspiration (233 patients), […]
Have you been selected to participate in the Physician Practice Information survey?
The AMA and more than 70 other organizations are conducting a comprehensive multi-specialty survey of America’s physician practices. The results will be used to positively influence national decision makers to ensure accurate and fair representation for all physicians and patients, and to articulate the challenges of running a practice that provides expert patient care, while […]
Endovascular vs Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Any Long-term Difference?
Endovascular vs Open Repair of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in the Medicare Population Schermerhorn ML, O'Malley J, Jhaveri A, Cotterill P; Pomposelli F; Landon BEN Engl J Med. 2008;358:464-474 SummaryHow does endovascular repair (EVAR) of abdominal aneurysms compare with conventional open repair? The authors reviewed results from 22,830 Medicare patients (average age, 74 years) followed for […]
Acupuncture Shows Promise In Improving Rates Of Pregnancy Following IVF
A review of seven clinical trials of acupuncture given with embryo transfer in women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) suggests that acupuncture may improve rates of pregnancy. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of couples experience reproductive difficulty and seek specialist fertility treatments, such as IVF.
Anesthesiology /Considerations for specimen collection
By Dr. Ramaz Mitaishvili Patient Preparation FactorsTherapeutic Drug Monitoring: different pharmacologic agents have patterns of administration, body distribution, metabolism, and elimination that affect the drug concentration as measured in the blood. Many drugs will have "peak" and "trough" levels that vary according to dosage levels and intervals. Check for timing instructions for drawing the appropriate […]
Does acupuncture work?
According to the NIH Consensus Statement on Acupuncture, there have been many studies on acupuncture's potential usefulness, but results have been mixed because of complexities with study design and size, as well as difficulties with choosing and using placebos or sham acupuncture. However, promising results have emerged, showing efficacy of acupuncture, for example, in adult […]
