News

Apr 2012   Knee arthritis is a very common problem, afflicting about 1-2 in 10 Americans and getting more common with a heavier population. For some patients with early arthritis (like tears in the meniscus due to age), a common treatment has been arthroscopic surgery. Regrettably, recent research shows that this type of surgery isn't effective. For more severe problems like holes in the cartilage, some patients try micro fracture or autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI). The micro fracture procedure involves poking holes in the bone to stimulate a less than perfect cartilage repair. The ACI procedure uses cultured cartilage to be placed into the hole and surgically sewn into place. The problem with both procedures is that they don't apply to patients who are older or who have more extensive arthritis. For those patients, the only option is simply waiting until you're old enough to need a knee replacement.

Mar 2012   Two hundred years back, the shaman would say to the patient, "Oh, unfortunate man, give me your blood and bring me the blood of a new born, and I shall mix the two and use my magical chants and my secret potions to teach your blood to heal thyself and put it back into you. I tell you that it will work, if you come to me early in your illness, and if you trust me do as told and if you have pure heart and good liver. And if you heal, you will give me your goat, in return."

Mar 2012   The Icla da Silva Foundation is the largest recruitment center for the Be The Match Registry in the United States. It recruits over 38,000 new potential bone marrow donors every year, with a strong focus on minority communities. The Icla da Silva Foundation was established in 1992, in memory of the 13-year-old Brazilian girl named Icla da Silva. After three years of fighting leukemia, Icla passed away in New York City, where she came hoping to get her life saving treatment: a stem cell transplant. The young girl never found a matching donor.

Mar 2012   Preeclampsia is a life-threatening medical condition that complicates about 5% of the pregnancies in the United States. Onset of this disease commonly occurs after 32 weeks gestation but can occur late in the second trimester, and is one of the most common causes of premature birth.