Use of Stent during Procedure May Help Patients with Ruptured Brain Aneurysms

According to the Mayo Clinic, a brain aneurysm is a bulge or extension in a fragile part one of the brain’s blood vessels. When a brain aneurysm ruptures, it causes a bleed in the brain that often results in death. For people who survive a ruptured brain aneurysm, treatment options include brain surgery or embolization, which is less invasive than the surgical alternative.

With embolization, which is also called endovascular coiling, surgeons use a catheter to fill the bulging part of the blood vessel with metal coils, allowing blood flow to be restored. The procedure also prevents the vessel from bleeding again. This procedure is becoming more preferred in patients with ruptures because it is less invasive than surgical clipping, in which a surgeon enters the brain to close off the aneurysm with a metal clip.

However, embolization can be tricky when the aneurysm’s neck is broad, allowing the coils to stick out into the blood vessel. In some cases, this problem can be corrected through the use of a balloon, which is placed on the end of the catheter. But, recent research led by Dr. Olli Tahtinen at Tampere University Hospital in Finland has found that stent-assisted embolization may also be effective in patients with ruptured brain aneurysms.

For the study, researchers looked at 61 people who had experienced a rupture. Each of them underwent an embolization procedure using a stent, which was placed over the neck of the aneurysm to keep the coils in place. Fourty-four of the study participants had a successful procedure, while sufficient blood flow was restored in 39 people.

The study, which was published in the online journal Radiology, may help many patients recover from a ruptured brain aneurysm. As with all new procedures, there is some risk that a problem will arise. If you or a loved one was injured by surgical malpractice in New York City or Long Island, call or e-mail Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today. Our surgical malpractice attorneys will evaluate your case for free. We serve clients with Bronx surgical malpractice, Brooklyn surgical malpractice, Queens surgical malpractice, Nassau surgical malpractice and Suffolk surgical malpractice cases.

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FDA Approves Drug to Treat Spasms and Epileptic Seizures in Infants

When an infant or young child experiences a spasm, it causes their body to bend uncontrollably and their limbs to stiffen up, making daily life extremely difficult. Infantile spasms usually appear between 4 and 8 months of age and are often the result of birth injury, metabolic disorders or genetic disorders. Spasms can occur in multiples of up to 100, with some children experiencing dozens of these episodes each day, amounting to hundreds of spasms. Children with this disorder tend to experience spasms after waking up or eating.

Although the cause of a child’s spasms can often be associated with birth injury or some other disorder, the cause of many children’s spasms is never uncovered. Fortunately, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently approved Sabril (vigabatrin) Oral Solution to treat these spasms and epileptic seizures in children 1 month to 2 years old.

According to the Epilepsy Foundation, epilepsy is a “medical condition that produces seizures affecting a variety of mental and physical functions.” The condition is also referred to as a seizure disorder, and may cause a person to act strangely or jerk violently. When someone has more than two seizures, they are usually considered to be epileptic.

In combination with other drugs, Sabril Tablets were previously approved to treat complex partial seizures in adults. The oral solution form of the drug is the first in the U.S. approved to treat these serious seizures in young children. Use of the drug does come with the risk of vision damage, so it is important that doctors prescribe only the necessary dose to children requiring Sabril and check their vision periodically.

If your child has suffered a birth injury that may have been preventable, call or e-mail the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today. One of our experienced birth injury lawyers will evaluate your case free of charge. We have represented clients with Bronx birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Queens birth injury, Nassau birth injury and Suffolk birth injury.

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Development of Weight-Loss Medications Still a Challenge

In the past eighty years, several weight-loss medications have been made available for the treatment of obesity. All of those drugs were subsequently pulled from the market after their approval because of serious adverse effects, including fatal hyperthermia, pulmonary hypertension (PHT), iatrogenic hyperthyroidism, valvular heart disease and hemorrhagic stroke.

In October of 2008, the development of two of the latest weight-loss medications was terminated due to safety and efficacy reasons. The development of taranabant, the generic name for a trial medication being tested for the fight against obesity, was stopped by Merck & Co., Inc. on the basis of safety. A few weeks later, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) found that rimonabant (Acomplia®), an appetite-reducing drug, had more risks than benefits.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) updated their recommendations for weight management drugs in February of 2007, making it even harder for new medications to receive approval. The updated recommendations involved issues of testing drug effectiveness over a certain period of time, guaranteeing subjects who took drug lost a certain percentage of body weight, having specific safety assessments on these drugs, as well as others concerns.

There are currently over 300 million obese adults globally, making the development of weight-loss drugs that are safe and effective exceedingly crucial. If you or a loved one has suffered harm as a result of a pharmaceutical error, call or e-mail our medical malpractice lawyers to discuss your legal rights. We can answer any questions you may have and examine your potential case thoroughly. We serve clients with Bronx pharmaceutical error, Brooklyn pharmaceutical error, Queens pharmaceutical error, Nassau pharmaceutical error and Suffolk pharmaceutical error cases.

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More Polyps Detected during Morning Colonoscopies

A recent study published in the American Journal of Gastroenterology has found that more potentially cancerous polyps were detected in people who had a colonoscopy in the morning rather than the afternoon. Polyps are small clumps of cells that form on the lining of the colon, some of which may become cancerous over time, according to the Mayo Clinic. The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that adults have a colonoscopy every 10 years beginning at age 50 to detect any polyps so they can be removed before they become cancerous.

Led by Dr. Madhusudhan R. Sanaka, researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio looked at over 3,600 colonoscopies at their health center. The team found that more polyps were detected in tests performed in the morning than in the afternoon. Of the patients who had a colonoscopy performed in the morning, 29 percent had polyps, while 25 percent of the patients who underwent screening in the afternoon had polyps.

Sanaka and his team considered that this lower detection rate in the afternoon may have been a result of doctors having less energy as the day progressed, making them less meticulous and less likely to find polyps. The higher rate of polyp detection in the morning may have also been a result of the types of people who had morning appointments. The morning group consisted of more patients with a history of polyps, more men and people with an older average age.

According to the Mayo Clinic, polyps may be small and produce few, if any, symptoms, so it is important to have regular screening tests to help prevent colon cancer. If you or a loved one has questions about the timeliness of a cancer diagnosis or the quality of the medical care you received, call our cancer malpractice lawyers at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. for answers. Our lawyers serve clients with Manhattan cancer malpractice, Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice and Long Island cancer malpractice cases.

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Lower Risk of Breast Cancer for Women who Breast-Fed

According to a recent study, women with a family history of breast cancer who have ever breast-fed have less of a risk of developing the disease before menopause. Dr. Alison Stuebe, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, headed up the study, which appears in the Archives of Internal Medicine. At the time the study was conducted, Stuebe was associated with Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Along with colleagues, Stuebe looked at roughly 60,000 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study II who had given birth one or more times. They found that in women who had a family history of the disease, the risk of premenopausal breast cancer was lowered by 59 percent if they had breast-fed for as little as three months. Women who did not have a mother or sister who had breast cancer saw no reduced risk.

Less extensive studies conducted in the past regarding the association between breast cancer and breast-feeding have also suggested that a woman’s risk of the disease may be lowered by breast-feeding. Researchers for this study did not find a link between reduced risk of premenopausal breast cancer and hormones, leading them to suggest that the lowered risk is associated with the milk being taken out of the breast tissue after pregnancy.
If you or a loved one has breast cancer medical malpractice questions in New York, e-mail the cancer malpractice attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. We serve clients with Manhattan cancer malpractice, Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Nassau cancer malpractice and Suffolk cancer malpractice.

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Anesthesia during Birth Does Not Increase Learning Disability Risk

A recent study conducted by researchers at the Mayo Clinic has found no association between learning disabilities in children and the use of anesthesia during a Cesarean section. For the study, the research team, led by Dr. Juraj Sprung, examined the medical and school records of 5,320 children born in Olmsted County, Minnesota. All of the children were born between 1976 and 1982. Sprung and his colleagues found that the risk of developing a learning disability was no greater for children who were exposed to anesthesia during a Cesarean delivery than those who were delivered vaginally. In addition, the study found that when a mother received an epidural anesthetic during delivery, the risk of their child developing a learning disability was significantly lowered. Compared to babies that were delivered vaginally or by C-section without general anesthesia, the risk of developing a learning problem was lowered by about 40 percent for those whose mother received an epidural.

Co-author Dr. Randall Flick noted that no changes to medical practice should be made based on these preliminary findings. He also added that other factors may influence whether or not a child develops a learning disability. During pregnancy, labor and birth, a doctor, nurse or hospital employee has a responsibility to the mother and her baby to monitor and manage their medical conditions. If your child has suffered a birth injury that may have been preventable, call or e-mail us today. One of our experienced birth injury attorneys in New York will evaluate your case for free. We have helped clients with Bronx birth injury, Queens birth injury, Brooklyn birth injury, Nassau birth injury and Suffolk birth injury cases.

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Quality of Care Better in Non-Profit Nursing Homes

A recent study out of Canada has found that patients received better care at non-profit nursing than at for-profit homes. For the study, researchers at McMaster University in Ontario examined the findings of 82 studies regarding nursing home care conducted between 1965 and 2003 in Canada and the U.S. Of the studies the team reviewed, 40 determined that the quality of care at non-profit nursing homes was considerably better than. Only 3 of the 82 studies found that for-profit nursing homes provided better care to their patients, while the other studies had varied results. The research team also found that in terms of staffing quality, incidence of pressure ulcers, use of physical restraints and number of deficiency cited by regulatory agencies, non-profit facilities fared better than those that operate for profit.

The results of the research, which were published in the British Medical Journal, suggest that patients in non-profit nursing homes can expect better care than those patients in for-profit facilities. The researchers determine that patients in the U.S. would receive 500,000 more hours of nursing care per day if all nursing homes were non-profit, while those in Canada would receive 42,000 more hours of care per day. Nursing homes are accountable for ensuring the safety and well being of their residents. If you suspect a problem in your family member’s nursing home, please call or e-mail us. Our New York nursing home lawyers know how to help families whose loved ones have suffered injury, pain, harm or emotional trauma because of nursing home negligence. We can help you remedy the situation and get you or your loved one the compensation you deserve. Our firm proudly offers free initial consultations to those in New York, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk.

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Celebs Pitch in to Benefit Children with PABI

Each year in the United States, more than one million new cases of Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury (PABI) are reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This figure makes PABI the leading cause of disability and death in children and young adults. PABI is a brain injury that can be caused by a traumatic or non-traumatic event in children and young adults (up to 25). Falls, automobile accidents, child abuse, explosion injuries from war, concussions, gunshot wounds, and being hit with an object are some traumatic causes of PABI, while non-traumatic causes include insufficient oxygen, ischemia, brain tumors, strokes, meningitis, poisoning, pediatric AIDS and substance abuse.

The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation was started by Patrick Donohue, the father of four-year-old Sarah Jane Donohue, who sustained a severe brain injury after being violently shaken by a nurse at five days old. The foundation’s mission is to help other children/young adults and their families affected by PABI. This past January, the National Advisory Board of The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation formed the National Pediatric Acquired Brain Injury Plan (PABI Plan). According to their website, the plan creates a model system for the care of children suffering from these types of brain injuries, which the foundation hopes to have implemented across the country.

Recently, several celebrities supported The Sarah Jane Brain Foundation by helping to raise money and awareness about these types of brain injuries in children and young adults. An online auction was held through the end of July, with entertainment, fashion and political personalities, including Howard Stern, former New York Governors George Pataki and Hugh Carey, designers Nanette Lepore and Nicole Miller, Martha Stewart, Judge Jeanine Pirro and Kristy Kay (voice of Barbie), making a contribution. The celebrity experiences up for auction included a tour of The Howard Stern Show studio, dinner with the former Governors, a dress from Miller’s runway collection and lunch with Judge Pirro and VIP tickets to the taping of her show.

The disabilities caused by brain injuries make them one of the most catastrophic and devastating injuries one could sustain. If you or a loved one has suffered a brain injury due to the negligence of a doctor or hospital, you need the assistance of an experienced brain injury lawyer who will guide you through this traumatic time, protect your rights, and fight for the compensation your family is entitled to. Call the attorneys at Silberstein, Awad & Miklos, P.C. today for your free initial consultation. We have been helping clients with Bronx brain injury, Brooklyn brain injury, Queens brain injury, Nassau brain injury and Suffolk brain injury cases for more than 30 years.

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Later Treatment for Slow-growing Prostate Cancer

According to a large study of men with prostate cancer who had surgery for their cancer, a very small percentage died as a result of their cancer. The study, which was published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, supports earlier data that some men with prostate cancer may not require major surgery to take care of their slowly developing tumors. More than 12,600 men who had surgery to remove their prostates were included in the 15-year study, which was led by Dr. Peter Scardino of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. Of the study participants, only 12 percent had died as a result of their cancer at the conclusion of the study, while 38 percent had died from something other than cancer. Scardino noted that the study showed a “remarkably low risk of dying of prostate cancer within 15 years for treated men, and supports the concept that men with slow-growing cancers may not need immediate treatment.”

Although doctors typically recommend routine prostate screening for men after they reach 50, many of these tumors grow too slowly to kill, making it less likely they will cause serious harm or death for many years. Some men who do opt for surgery or other forms of treatment may be living with aggravating side effects of a treatment they could have lived without, so it is important to discuss all options with a doctor before deciding on the best treatment for you. If you or a loved one has had a delay in diagnosing cancer and have questions about the quality of the medical care you received, call or e-mail Silberstein, Awad & Miklos' cancer malpractice attorneys for answers. Together we will continue our fight against FRIVOLOUS and DECEPTIVE DEFENSES. We offer free consultation to clients with Manhattan cancer malpractice, Bronx cancer malpractice, Brooklyn cancer malpractice, Queens cancer malpractice, Nassau cancer malpractice and Suffolk cancer malpractice cases.

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