What to tell patients about banking cord blood stem cells
April 15th 2006Pregnant patients are more likely than ever to ask about stem cells and umbilical cord blood banking. In this article, an expert provides an update on the pros and cons of cord blood banking, and the controversy over private versus public banks, to help you counsel appropriately.
The search for better reconstructive materials for vaginal surgery
April 15th 2006Can the right graft materials improve the success rates for vaginal repair surgery? Drawing upon the latest research, experts weigh the pros and cons of synthetic and biologic surgical graft materials, citing pore size as arguably the key factor in reducing complications.
Gyn oncologists most effective in treating ovarian Ca
April 15th 2006Women with early ovarian cancer receive better care and live longer if their initial treatment is managed by a gynecologic oncologist. So say the results of a cohort study that compared ovarian cancer care delivered by gynecologic oncologists, gynecologists, and general surgeons.
Is HPV DNA triage of ASCUS cost-effective?
April 15th 2006Yes, says a new cost comparison of immediate colposcopy, HPV DNA testing, and conservative management in nearly 3,500 women over a 2-year period. The data are from ALTS?atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance [ASCUS] and low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion [LSIL] Triage Study.
CRITICAL CARE in OB, PART 3: Recognizing and responding to peripartum cardiomyopathy
April 1st 2006Cardiomyopathy is rare in patients who are at or near term, but it can be deadly. Consider the possibility in any woman who is pregnant or who has recently delivered and complains of swelling and trouble breathing.
Grand Rounds: Part 1: Cervical cancer guidelines: Making sense of the screening intervals
April 1st 2006If there's really been such a sea change in how and when to screen for cervical cancer, when are clinicians going to take the plunge and start applying new recommendations? An expert comes to the rescue by sifting through the new ACS and ACOG guidelines, to help you put them into practice.
Utah ruling could open door for lawsuits by patients in remission
April 1st 2006The Utah Supreme Court reversed itself recently when it allowed a woman to sue for future damages when there's only a possibility that her breast cancer may reoccur. A previous ruling by the high court had held that patients wanting to seek future damages must do so in their initial lawsuit. It is anticipated that this latest ruling may open the door for lawsuits against physicians by patients whose diseases are in remission, according to Medical Liability Monitor (1/2006).
UAE vs. myomectomy for uterine fibroids
April 1st 2006In a multicenter comparative study involving 149 women undergoing uterine artery embolization (UAE) and 60 women undergoing myomectomy, researchers found that both procedures resulted in similar bleeding improvement, uterine volume reduction, uterine fibroid quality-of-life score improvement, and overall quality-of-life score improvement.
Estrogen doesn't protect against heart disease, but...
April 1st 2006While unopposed conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) confers no protection against myocardial infarction (MI) or coronary death in generally healthy postmenopausal women between ages 50 and 79, when researchers looked only at women between 50 and 59, the story changed.
Intravaginal Surface Electromyography in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Vulvovaginal Pain Disorders
March 24th 2006This paper summarizes the work of the author in the field of pelvic floor muscle surface electromyography in the diagnosis and treatment of lower urogenital tract pain disorders. The history, definition, and treatment of vulvodynia is reviewed.