Surgery

MRI :: Sports concussion research using fMRI provides insight for safe return-to-play decisions

Concussions are common in young athletes but the underlying changes in brain function that occur have been poorly understood. Now, a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study is the first to link changes in brain function directly to the recovery of the athlete. Results of the five-year study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, are published in the August issue of the scientific peer-reviewed journal, Neurosurgery, the official journal of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

Aging :: Theory of facial aging gets a facelift from UT Southwestern researchers

The longstanding idea that the entire human face ages uniformly is in need of a facelift, say researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center who have found that multiple, distinct compartments of fat in the face age at different rates.

Breast Cancer :: Shutting down ovaries may help reduce breast cancer recurrence

Artificially inducing menopause may reduce breast cancer recurrence in premenopausal women with early-stage breast cancers.

Epilepsy :: Mass General Hospital testing new epilepsy therapy device

In an effort to find a better therapy and improve the lives of people with epilepsy, the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Epilepsy Service is participating in the RNS? System Pivotal Clinical Investigation, a study to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of a responsive brain stimulation device in reducing the frequency of uncontrolled seizures. MGH is one of only 28 centers across the country participating in this study.

Uterine Fibroid :: Ultrasound treatment of uterine fibroid tumors provides long term symptom relief

A noninvasive, outpatient treatment for noncancerous uterine tumors provides sustained relief from symptoms, according to a new Mayo Clinic led collaborative study.

Healthcare :: Mayo Clinic Podcasts Offer In-Depth Discussion on Diseases, Conditions

Mayo Clinic is launching a series of new free audio podcasts so people can learn more about diseases or conditions that interest them through in-depth discussions with Mayo Clinic experts.

Liver :: Predicting outcomes before and after liver transplants

The most appropriate system for organ allocation for liver transplants is a subject of continuing debate. In the U.S. the Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) was introduced in 2002 as a way of prioritizing those with the highest risk of mortality and since that time waiting list mortality and waiting times have decreased with no negative impact on post-transplant survival.