U of M researchers identify 2 FDA approved drugs that may fight HIV
In the mouse model, the two drugs combined to eliminate the HIV virus
Researchers at the University of Minnesota Academic Health Center have identified two drugs that, when combined, may serve as an effective treatment for HIV.
Life-threatening gene defect located by UT-Houston researchers
November 12, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
Mutation linked to thoracic aortic disease
Thoracic aortic disease, specifically thoracic aortic aneurysms leading to aortic dissections, is the 15th leading cause of death in the country, killing up to 20,000 people a year. Actor John Ritter (age 54 years) and “Rent” creator Jonathan Larson (age 35 years) both died from the disease. Cardiac surgeons in the Texas Medical Center – including Michael DeBakey. M.D., and Denton Cooley, M.D. – pioneered the surgical repair of thoracic aortic disease.
Screening for Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Women May Save Lives
November 9, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
New Study Challenges Current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendations That Support AAA Screenings Only in Men
These Lethal Events Strike Men More Frequently, But Older Women With a History of Smoking, Heart Disease Are Also Prone
Clipping, the most common surgical treatment for brain aneurysms
July 22, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
Clipping is still the most common surgical treatment for brain aneurysms. It is an effective, well researched surgical procedure with excellent results.
The patient is put under general anesthesia, and then prepped for surgery. The head is stabilized to make sure it does not move during the surgical procedure. Depending upon where the aneurysm is, an incision is typically made behind the hairline or on the back of the head. Next, a section of bone, or bone plate, is removed from the skull. The surgeon approaches the aneurysm in the cleft between the skull and the brain and not through brain tissue. Under a microscope, the aneurysm is then carefully separated from the normal blood vessels and brain.
The aneurysm is then completely obliterated with a tiny metal clip, something like a tiny clothespin. This keeps blood from entering the aneurysm. As a result, future bleeding is prevented and nearby brain tissue is protected from further damage. The bone plate is then wired securely into place and the wound is closed.
Occlusion and Bypass Procedure
July 21, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
In some cases, it may be best to stop blood flow through the artery leading to the brain aneurysm. This is known as an occlusion. Sometimes the aneurysm has caused severe damage to the artery, so the doctors go in and completely shut down that part of the artery and reroute the blood. This procedure is usually done as an open surgery, which requires similar surgical preparation as in a clipping procedure such as having your head shaved, and a section of the bone plate removed.
Endovascular Embolization or Coiling
June 12, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
Endovascular (meaning within the blood vessel) embolization, or coiling, uses the natural access to the brain through the bloodstream via arteries to diagnosis and treat brain aneurysms. The goal of the treatment is to safely seal off the aneurysm and stop further blood from entering into the aneurysm and increasing the risk of rupture or possibly rebleeding.
New Minimally Invasive Procedures Repair Abdominal and Thoracic Aortic Aneurysms
January 22, 2007 by admin · Leave a Comment
An aortic aneurysm is a silent killer. Frequently there are no symptoms. The artery can burst causing internal bleeding leading to shock and death without any indication that it is about the happen. Each year, approximately 200,000 Americans are diagnosed with abdominal aortic aneurysms. Some 15,000 people are also diagnosed annually with thoracic aortic aneurysms.
