| Show Number |
Air Week |
Title |
Program Description |
| SHOW #149 |
Week of May 3, 1998 |
Breast Reconstruction |
Recent advances in surgical techniques have improved the aesthetic and
functional outcome of breast reconstruction, in which a breast is rebuilt from other
tissues following a mastectomy for breast cancer. One of these, the TRAM (transverse
rectus abdominus myocutaneous) flap technique is the most complex of the common
procedures, but is being used more and more because results have been so dramatic. Among
its advantages are that the breast can usually be given proper contour without a breast
implant, donor scars that are low on the front of the body, and the fact that women with
large abdomens get a "tummy tuck" as part of the procedure. Increasingly, the
plastic surgeon is being included from the outset in the team of specialists who design
and carry out a comprehensive treatment plan for the breast cancer patient. CONTACTS:
Medical College of Virginia: Mandy Setliff, (804)828-4504, Linda Anderson, (804)828-5378,
Dr. Andrea Pozez, plastic surgeon, (804)828-3037, Breast Health Center, (804)826-5116,
website: views.vcu.edu/mcv/MasseyBreast.html;
National Cancer Institute, websites: cancernet.nci.nih.gov,
rex.nci.nih.gov, Cancer Information Service,
(800)4-CANCER (800-422-6237); American Cancer Society, (800)ACS-2345 Breast Cancer Network
website: www.cancer.org/bcn/bcn.html |
| |
|
EVERYDAY BREAKTHROUGHS: Angio Advance |
Balloon angioplasty to clear a blockage in the coronary artery is an
increasingly common procedure, and now two innovations being tested could make the
patient's hospital stay shorter and more comfortable. In balloon angioplasty, a catheter
is inserted into the patient's leg. Up to now, patients would have to spend days in the
hospital, including 24 hours flat on their backs, to prevent bleeding at the thigh
puncture site. But the two artery closing devices being tested both allow patients to stay
upright during recovery, and appear to allow shorter hospital stays. CONTACT: Steve
Kraushaar, Public Affairs, Washington University, (314)286-1020, website: www.wustl.edu |
| |
|
Schizophrenia |
A new generation of drugs, known as atypical anti-psychotics, has ushered
in a whole new era in the treatment of schizophrenia. Many individuals given these
compounds have shown dramatic improvement, with fewer and milder side effects than the
older antipsychotics. Now, Dr. Jeffrey Lieberman of the University of North Carolina, one
of the world's foremost researchers on psychosis and schizophrenia, is conducting a
clinical trial called the FIRST study to assess whether the atypical antipsychotics can
stop the progression of schizophrenia in patients with new onset of psychosis. The theory
is that early intervention and aggressive treatment, typically in the teens, when first
episodes are often experienced, can improve long term outcomes for those patients.
CONTACTS: Nancy Kochuk, UNC Hospitals Marketing & Public Relations, (919)966-3366,
Janet Kazmer, FIRST Study, (919)966-9587; National Alliance for the Mentally Ill,
(703)524-7600, website: www.nami.org; The Schizophrenia
Homepage, website: www.schizophrenia.com |
| |
|
BREAKTHROUGH PROFILES: M. Devin Galligan |
Brain cancer survivor M. Devin Galligan was diagnosed at age 24 with a
malignant brain tumor. Within weeks he underwent an awake craniotomy (see Show #105), and now is undergoing chemotherapy. In November
1997, he fulfilled a lifelong dream and ran in the New York Marathon, at the same time
raising money to support brain cancer research at Vanderbilt University. He has also
written brochures for other adults scheduled to have neurosurgery. CONTACT: John Howser,
Medical Director, Vanderbilt University Medical Center News and Public Affairs,
(615)322-4747 |
| SHOW #150 |
Week of May 10, 1998 |
Prosthetic Limb Interfaces |
Even if a prosthetic limb is very well designed, amputees can experience
serious problems, including lesions, due to the interface with their residual limb. Now a
Minnesota company founded by an amputee has come up with an interface designed to avoid
those problems. The TEC (Total Environmental Control) Interface is made of urethane, a
material that mimics the load-bearing characteristics of human tissue. It absorbs impact
and equalizes pressure throughout the socket, making for a more comfortable fit. CONTACT:
TEC Interface Systems, Waite Park, MN, (800)688-4832, website: www.biomech.com/mall/tec |
| |
|
Questionable Medical Devices |
Another in our continuing series of visits to the Museum of Questionable
Medical Devices in Minneapolis, curated by collector and enthusiast Bob McCoy. We
occasionally feature McCoy showing us some of the more unusual and interesting pieces in
his renowned collection. CONTACT: Bob McCoy, (612)379-4046, website: www.mtn.org/~quack |
| |
|
Biofeedback |
Biofeedback has evolved since its appearance on the scene in the Sixties.
Some of the more outlandish claims for this technique of connecting the mind and body have
gone away, but it's still in clinical use in certain areas such as pain management and
stress reduction, and it's become more solidly scientific. This story focuses on the work
being done at the biofeedback lab within the Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation
at the University of Miami. There, patients who have experienced minor traumatic brain
injury or spinal cord damage are being trained, through the use of a sophisticated
biofeedback mechanism, to regain some of their lost muscle function. They are able to
establish alternate neural pathways, replacing those damaged by injury, reconnecting to
the undamaged muscles. CONTACT: Biofeedback Lab, University of Miami, (305)585-6351 |
| |
|
EVERYDAY BREAKTHROUGHS: Octopus |
The Octopus is a device that allows doctors to perform coronary bypass
grafts without stopping or slowing the heart. It works by suction to grab a piece of the
heart and hold it motionless, so that the surgeon can place sutures with greater
precision. During the procedure, the rest of the heart continues to beat, eliminating the
need for a heart-lung bypass machine. CONTACT: Carol Hobart, Public Relations, Medtronic,
Inc., (612)574-4000, website: www.medtronic.com |
| SHOW #151 |
Week of May 17, 1998 |
Vagus Nerve Stimulation |
About 2.5 million Americans have some form of epilepsy. The disease is
most commonly treated with antiepileptic medication, and some patients are able to benefit
from epilepsy surgery. But about 20 percent of people with epilepsy do not respond to
these standard medical treatments. Now there is an FDA-approved alternative, called vagus
nerve stimulation. It involves a permanent implant that delivers electrical stimulation to
the vagus nerve in the neck. This serves to desynchronize the electrical activity in the
brain, inhibiting seizures. The device does not completely prevent seizures in most
patients, but does reduce both their frequency and severity, which can dramatically
improve quality of life. CONTACTS: Mary Ellen Stumpfl, USC Health Sciences Public
Relations Office, (213)342-2830; USC Epilepsy Program, (213)342-5710, website: www.usc.edu/hsc/medicine/neurology/
VNS.html Cyberonics, Inc. (manufacturer) website: www.cyberonics.com;
Epilepsy Foundation of America, (800)EFA-1000, website: www.efa.org;
Epilepsy Education Association, Inc., (219)273-4050, website: www.iupui.edu/~epilepsy |
| |
|
EVERYDAY BREAKTHROUGHS: VR Addiction Study |
Researchers at Baylor College of Medicine, along with colleagues at MIT
and the Salk Institute, have created several virtual organisms that serve as models for
studying addiction. The first, a bee, allowed researchers to study the way bees process
information leading to rewards. In additional studies, real people behaved the same way
the virtual bees did. These models are lending new insights into characteristics of human
behavior leading to addiction. CONTACT: Kathy Major, Senior Communications Specialist,
Baylor College of Medicine, (713)798-4712, website: www.bcm.tmc.edu
|
| |
|
Seed Implants |
One of the newest treatment options for treating localized prostate
cancer is through the use of brachytherapy - high-dose radiation via radioactive seed
implants in cancerous areas. "Brachy-" means close, and in this case refers to
the placement of a radioactive source close to a tumor site. The tiny seeds are implanted
directly into the prostate gland of the patient during a minimally invasive, one-time,
outpatient procedure to deliver an optimal dose of radiation to kill cancer cells. This
treatment option, which can be temporary or permanent, is available for men with certain
types of localized cancer who have normal or nearly normal urinary function. Two of the
most common side effects of other prostate cancer treatments - urinary incontinence and
impotence - are minimized with this therapy. CONTACTS: Jim Steele, Media Relations
Manager, Wake Forest University - Baptist Medical Center, (910)716-4587; Theragenics Corp.
(radioactive seeds manufacturer), (800)458-4372, website: www.theragenics.com/index.html; The
Prostate Cancer Infolink, website: www.comed.com/Prostate;
National Cancer Institute, websites: cancernet.nci.nih.gov,
rex.nci.nih.gov, Cancer Information Service,
(800)4-CANCER (800-422-6237); American Cancer Society, (800)ACS-2345 |
| |
|
Questionable Medical Devices |
Another in our continuing series of visits to the Museum of Questionable
Medical Devices in Minneapolis, curated by collector and enthusiast Bob McCoy. We
occasionally feature McCoy showing us some of the more unusual and interesting pieces in
his renowned collection. CONTACT: Bob McCoy, (612)379-4046, website: www.mtn.org/~quack |
|
