St Marks Hospitals

Brain & Colon Cancer Health: Avastin May Stop Cancer Spread

Avastin Shows Promise As Aggressive Brain Cancer Drug

Phase II trials of Avastin (bevacizumab) for the treatment of aggressive brain cancer have shown promising results, said Genentech, makers of the drug, who presented their findings at the 12th Annual Scientific Meeting of the Society for Neuro-Oncology that took place between 15th and 18th November, in Dallas, Texas.

Avastin (bevacizumab) is a monoclonal antibody that inhibits the growth of tumours by blocking the production of new blood vessels (angiogenesis) that would feed the tumour. The drug, which has been described as a “blockbuster” cancer drug, was one of the first clinically available angiogenesis inhibitors in the US.

Given alone or with irinotecan chemotherapy in a randomized, multi-center, phase II trial, the drug showed an encouraging six-month progression-free survival (PFS) and objective response rate in patients with the most common and aggressive type of brain cancer, relapsed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), only 3 per cent of patients with GBM survive longer than 5 years, and this figure has not altered in 25 years. The Society estimates that in 2007 there will be 20,500 new cases of brain cancer and 12,740 brain cancer deaths in the US. Read this medical information article »

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Plastic Surgery Procedure For Resurfacing Skin Using ProFractional Lasers

Profractional Deep Skin Resurfacing
New Ground-Breaking ProFractional™ Laser Treatment for Your Skin

The Sciton Profractional Laser is a significant improvement over previous fractional laser resurfacing systems. This unique fractional laser resurfacing technology leaves the surrounding tissue unaffected and intact. Fractional laser treatments with the Profractional laser allows your skin to heal much faster than if the entire skin surface was treated at once. Profractional laser treatments treat sun spots and age spots, improves uneven pigmentation and improves wrinkles, stretch marks, and acne scars with minimal downtime.

Dr. Jason Pozner, a Plastic Surgeon in Boca Raton, FL said, “This depth of treatment is significant for effectively treating wrinkles and tightening the skin and should provide a significant advantage over current fractional technology. I have used ProFractional alone and also combined it with a MicroLaserPeel to provide results comparable to deep resurfacing with significantly less recovery time.”

Profractional laser treatments offer dramatic results and quick healing for patients interested in improving wrinkles, acne scars and skin texture with little to no downtime. Dr. Mark Hagberg explains that the laser is indeed worthy of the praise it’s receiving in the cosmetic industry: “The ProFractional™ laser is similar to previous fractional devices, but what sets this new laser apart is the quick healing time and comfort level during treatment,” he says. “Our patients are excited about the ProFractional laser because they can see results more rapidly with a shorter recovery time than Fraxel® or many other laser treatments.” Read this medical information article »

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Breast Lift Plastic Surgery with Augmentation

Can a breast implant lift the breast? Yes but you may need a breast lift as well or you can have a breast lift without breast augmentation. However, the breast implants will give you a fuller, rounder, younger appearance. If you have a lot of natural breast tissue you may opt for just a breast lift without breast augmentation surgery.

What about breast lift scars?
There are several kinds of breast lifts available today and all will have different kind of scarring on the breast. Take a look at the breast lift before and after photos below to view the different types of breast lifts & their scars.

Can breasts sag after a breast lift surgery?
Sagging of the breast depends on the size of the breasts, pregnancy, gravity, and time. This applies to breasts even after breast lift surgery. However, breast lift surgery does seem to lessen the rate of breast sag after surgery. Discuss this with your breast surgeon. Read this medical information article »

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What Are Cataracts & What Is Cataract Surgery?

What is a Cataract?
A cataract is a clouding of the lens in the eye that affects vision. Most cataracts are related to aging. Cataracts are very common in older people. By age 80, more than half of all Americans either have a cataract or have had cataract surgery. A cataract can occur in either or both eyes. It cannot spread from one eye to the other.

What is the Lens?
The lens is a clear part of the eye that helps to focus light, or an image, on the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. In a normal eye, light passes through the transparent lens to the retina. Once it reaches the retina, light is changed into nerve signals that are sent to the brain. The lens must be clear for the retina to receive a sharp image. If the lens is cloudy from a cataract, the image you see will be blurred.

Are There Other Types of Cataract?
Yes. Although most cataracts are related to aging, there are other types of cataract:

• Secondary cataract. Cataracts can form after surgery for other eye problems, such as glaucoma. Cataracts also can develop in people who have other health problems, such as diabetes. Cataracts are sometimes linked to steroid use.
• Traumatic cataract. Cataracts can develop after an eye injury, sometimes years later.
• Congenital cataract. Some babies are born with cataracts or develop them in childhood, often in both eyes. These cataracts may be so small that they do not affect vision. If they do, the lenses may need to be removed.
• Radiation cataract. Cataracts can develop after exposure to some types of radiation.

Read this medical information article »

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Laser Hair Removal And IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)

IPL Hair Removal and Laser Hair Removal
For many men and women, unwanted hair can be a nightmare. Until now the only options for removing unwanted hair were smelly hair removal creams, sharp razors, stinging wax or painful electrolysis needles. IPL, an advanced approach to beautiful skin, provides the ultimate solution. Now, men and women alike will be pleased with the results made possible by the IPL Laser Hair Removal process.
What is the IPL Laser Hair Removal process?

The IPL process uses intense pulsed light to gently remove unwanted hair, putting an end to routine shaving and waxing. IPL treatments leave your skin looking and feeling smoother and silkier. This patented technology transcends the older, painful hair removal treatments to deliver long lasting results. IPL’s wide beam treats larger areas such as the back, shoulders, arms, legs and face rather than treating one hair at a time. Best of all, IPL treatments are a safe, fast, gentle and effective alternative method for hair removal.

What are the benefits of IPL hair removal and Laser Hair Removal?

• Larger areas may be treated at one time.
• It works equally well with light or dark hair and skin.
• There is less chance for scarring and pigmentation change.
• Less pain and discomfort compared to other hair removal treatments.
• Combines the speed of shaving with the lasting results promised by electrolysis.
• IPL is effective on almost any area of the body where smoother, younger-looking hair-free skin is desired.

Read this medical information article »

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Breast Implant Removal Surgery And Scar Removal Surgeries

Breast Implant Surgery and related surgeries including breast implant replacement surgery, breast reduction surgery, breast implant scar removal surgery and other breast surgeries require serious consideration. Including a careful and researched choice of breast surgery doctor is a list of personal and finncial questions each potential patient must evaluate before proceeding with breast surgeries.

• Am I a Candidate For Breast Surgery?
• Benefits of Breast Implant Surgery
• Cost of Breast Implant Surgery
• FAQs about Breast Implant Surgery
• Financing for Breast Implant Surgery
• How to Choose a Breast Implant Surgeon
• Post Surgery: Complications of Breast Implant Surgery
• Post Surgery: Recovery from Breast Implant Surgery
• Post Surgery: Results of Breast Implant Surgery
• Breast Implant Removal Surgery
• Breast Implant Replacement Surgery

Saline and silicone breast implant removal surgery is an option for women who are not satisfied with the results of their breast augmentation, or when complications with breast implants arise. B reast implant removal surgery may become necessary if the original breast implant placement was performed incorrectly. Breast implants may become displaced or contracted because of improper placement or due to pressure from scar tissue. Breast implant removal may also be necessary if the implants rupture or deflate as a result of injury or a defect in the implant itself. Additionally, breast implants may need to be removed if infection occurs. Read this medical information article »

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What Are Silicone Breast Implants?

Before reviewing this information, it is worth describing the silicone gel implant and explaining the differences between a silicone gel-filled and a saline-filled breast implant, which is an alternative to the silicone gel implant. The outer shell of both silicone and saline implants is made of a solid silicone material. Solid silicone is widely used in implantable medical devices. In contrast, silicone gel implants are filled with silicone gel, which is a semi-solid. Saline-filled implants are filled with the same kind of salt water that is used in I.V. fluids.

Surface of the Breast Implant
The surface of a breast implant may be smooth or textured (multiple fine bumps on the surface). There is some evidence that textured implants have a lower incidence of tight scar formation around them. However, because a textured implant adheres to the surrounding tissue, it may cause visible rippling (wrinkling) in the skin. This can occur if there is not adequate soft tissue between the implant and the skin’s surface on top of it to prevent wrinkling of the implant from being transferred to wrinkling in the skin. A textured implant generally requires a larger incision due to the increased difficulty of sliding the implant through the surgical opening.

Breast Implant Position
Implants may be placed either beneath the breast tissue or on top of the pectoralis muscle (subglandular) or partially beneath the pectoralis major muscle (submuscular). There are advantages and disadvantages of each placement. Generally, placement of an implant beneath the muscle gives an extra layer of muscle coverage and may give less interference with mammographic examination of the breasts. Placement of the implant on top of the muscle in a patient with adequate breast soft tissue to cover the implant may be carried out under local anesthesia, if desired. Generally, this placement has less postoperative discomfort and a quicker return to activities. Placement beneath the pectoralis muscle usually requires more anesthetic and higher costs.

Breast Implant Incisions
A silicone gel implant is commonly inserted through an incision in the inframammary fold (crease under the breast) or just above it. This incision may vary from 3-6 cm in length. An implant may also be inserted through an incision around the pink portion of the nipple/areola complex (a peri- areolar incision). This incision is hidden to some extent by the color change at the edge of the areola. The incision at or above the inframammary fold is often hidden by the slight droop of the breast and is not seen unless an observer is looking up under the breast. Implants can also be inserted through an incision in the armpit (axilla) but this is more
difficult. There is some evidence that more difficult insertions may cause damage to the implant.

Breast Implant Prostheses
A prosthesis is used to enlarge the size of a woman’s breasts (known as breast augmentation, breast enlargement, mammoplasty enlargement, augmentation mammoplasty or the common slang term boob job) for cosmetic reasons; to reconstruct the breast (e.g. after a mastectomy; or to correct genetic deformities), or as an aspect of male-to-female sex reassignment surgery. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentation is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgical procedure in the United States. In 2006, 329,000 breast augmentation procedures were performed in the U.S. Read this medical information article »

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Endoscopic Sinus Surgery

What Is Endoscopic Sinus Surgery?
Endoscopic sinus surgery - also called endoscopy or sinoscopy - is a procedure used to remove blockages in the sinuses (the spaces filled with air in some of the bones of the skull). These blockages cause sinusitis, a condition in which the sinuses swell and become clogged, causing pain and impaired breathing.

A thin, lighted instrument called an endoscope is inserted into the nose, and the doctor looks inside through an eyepiece. Much like a telescope with a wide-angle camera lens, the endoscope beams light into different parts of the nose and sinuses, allowing the doctor to see what is causing blockages. Surgical instruments can then be used along with the endoscope to remove the blockages and improve breathing.

This surgery does not involve cutting through the skin, as it is performed entirely through the nostrils. Therefore, most people can go home the same day. Read this medical information article »

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 Tubal ligation, often referred to as “having your tubes tied,” is a surgical procedure in which a woman’s fallopian tubes are blocked, tied, or cut. Tubal implants are small metal springs that are placed in each fallopian tube in a nonsurgical procedure (no cutting is involved). Over time, scar tissue grows around each implant and permanently blocks the tubes. Either procedure stops eggs from traveling from the ovaries into the fallopian tubes, where the egg is normally fertilized by a sperm. Tubal ligation and tubal implants are considered to be permanent methods of birth control for women. They are usually done by a gynecologist. They may also be done by a family medicine doctor or general surgeon. Tubal ligation method There are several different ways of closing the fallopian tubes, including clipping or banding them shut or cutting and stitching or burning them closed. Your surgeon will probably prefer one of the following methods. See an illustration of tubal ligation methods. Read this medical information article »

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Treatment For Ruptured Appendix Infected Appendix and Appendicitis

Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. The appendix is a small pouch attached to your large intestine. Appendicitis is one of the most common causes of emergency abdominal surgery in the United States. Appendicitis usually occurs when the appendix becomes blocked by feces, a foreign object, or rarely, a tumor.

Symptoms of Appendicitis
The symptoms of appendicitis vary. It can be hard to diagnose appendicitis in young children, the elderly, and women of childbearing age. Typically, the first symptom is pain around your belly button. (See: abdominal pain.) The pain may be vague at first, but becomes increasingly sharp and severe. You may have reduced appetite, nausea, vomiting, and a low-grade fever. As the inflammation in the appendix increases, the pain tends to move into your right lower abdomen and focuses directly above the appendix at a place called McBurney’s point.

If the appendix ruptures, the pain may lessen briefly and you may feel better. However, once the lining of the abdominal cavity becomes inflammed and infected (a condition called peritonitis), the pain worsens and you become sicker. Abdominal pain may be worse when walking or coughing. You may prefer to lie still because sudden movement causes pain. Read this medical information article »

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