Medical Tourism News

http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS194948+20-Oct-2009+BW20091020

(10/31/09) ALEXANDRIA, La.--(Business Wire)-- The CHRISTUS Healthy Living Spa - the first Murad Inclusive Health Center in the state of Louisiana, opened its doors Friday to the public. The innovative, state-of-the-art wellness center incorporates the Inclusive Health philosophies of world-renowned skincare and healthy living pioneer, Howard Murad, M.D. Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA and founder of Murad, Inc., into individually tailored consults, programs and treatments. Murad`s Inclusive Health approach is a groundbreaking method to understanding health and beauty which goes beyond preventative care to address the needs of the whole body on a cellular level. Visitors to the Spa will receive health consults based on these philosophies, so that they can begin on the road to living healthier, more fulfilling lives.

Is Body Contouring Surgery Right for You?

(09/20/09) With the increasing popularity of bariatric surgery, weight losses of over 100 pounds have become a reality for thousands of people worldwide. As gratifying as this accomplishment is, often following bariatric surgery and resulting weight loss, skin does not shrink to firmly fit the new, smaller frame. The result is something similar to having a size 12 body in a size 24 skin. This loose, sagging skin can create hygiene problems and is prone to chafing, rashes, and infection. Surgical procedures to cut away and tighten the excess skin have become one of the fastest-growing invasive cosmetic surgeries in the United States.

Study Reveals Deadly Toll of Being Uninsured

(09/20/09) Twelve is quite a prolific number. The revered clock has twelve hours displayed on its face, there are twelve months in a year, and twelve people sit on a jury. Every twelve minutes, there is a television commercial, a car is stolen, and another name is added to the national organ transplant list. But these pale in comparison to another event researchers say occurs every twelve minutes in the United States—a person dies, primarily because they lack health insurance and cannot get the medical care they need. Researchers at Harvard Medical School looked at data on 9,000 patients aged 17 to 64 who were tracked by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Health Statistics through the year 2000. (Those 65 or older were excluded since they are covered by the Medicare insurance program.) The analysis revealed that 45,000 Americans die each year in large part due to lack of insurance, a figure 2.5 times higher than an estimate from the Institute of Medicine in 2002. “We’re losing more Americans every day because of inaction ... than drunk driving and homicide combined,” said study co-author Dr. David Himmelstein, an associate professor of medicine at Harvard.

How Coconut Oil Could Help Reduce The Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes

(09/13/09) A new study in animals demonstrates that a diet rich in coconut oil protects against 'insulin resistance' (an impaired ability of cells to respond to insulin) in muscle and fat. The diet also avoids the accumulation of body fat caused by other high fat diets of similar calorie content. Together these findings are important because obesity and insulin resistance are major factors leading to the development of Type 2 diabetes. The study is also interesting because it helps explain human studies showing that people who incorporate medium chain 'fatty acids', such as those found in coconut oil, into their diets can lose body fat.

TransEnterix Announces Positive First-in-Man Results With New Laparoscopic Surgical Platform

(09/13/09) Officials with TransEnterix announce that surgeons from the United States and Paraguay have successfully performed first-in-man studies of its revolutionary single-incision, single-port, four-channel laparoscopic surgical platform called the SPIDER™ System. The SPIDER System - short for Single Port Instrument Delivery Extended Reach - allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive abdominal surgeries entirely through the umbilicus, leaving no visible scar. It's the first single-port system to offer surgeons true triangulation and other critical techniques common in multi-port laparoscopy.

Migraine Sufferers Benefit From Forehead Lifts

(09/13/09) Migraine headaches are a drain - not only on the estimated 30 million Americans who suffer from them, but on the economy, too. Because pain and other symptoms caused by migraine headaches can be quite severe, it is projected that nearly $13 billion is spent every year in headache treatment and loss of time from work, which no one can afford these days. But according to a new study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), there is hope for severe and frequent migraine sufferers who can't find relief in conventional remedies. "Nearly one out of four households, including 18 percent of women, suffer from migraines and many patients are not only eager, but desperate to stop the pain," said ASPS Member Surgeon and study author Bahman Guyuron, MD, professor and chairman, department of plastic surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center. "In this study, we've shown that surgical treatment of migraine headaches is safe, effective, and that this reasonably short operation can have a colossal impact on the patients' quality of life - all while eliminating signs of aging for some patients, too."

Consumer Alert: Minimally Invasive Cosmetic Procedures Should Not Be Taken Lightly

(09/13/09) Today, there are more ways than ever before to "get a little work done." From skin fillers to fat-reduction procedures, the options are endless for those looking to improve their appearance and boost their self-esteem. But with so many physicians and options from which to choose, consumers can be confused about where to start and who to trust to perform a cosmetic procedure. At the American Academy of Dermatology's Summer Academy Meeting 2009 in Boston, dermatologist C. William Hanke, MD, MPH, FAAD, clinical professor at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, offered advice to help patients determine if a cosmetic procedure is right for them, including questions to ask the physician to ensure a safe and effective result or outcome.

Candela Receives Registration Approval To Market The Alex TriVantage Laser In Brazil

(09/13/09) Candela Corporation (NASDAQ:CLZR) announced that it has received registration approval from the Brazilian National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) to market the Candela Alex TriVantage® multi-wavelength, q-switched laser system in Brazil. "Until now, providing high quality and effective treatment for pigmented lesions and multi-color tattoos meant that Brazilian doctors needed to own at least two different lasers. With Alex TriVantage's Laser-Pumped-Laser (LPL) technology, a greater number of doctors will be able to offer a wider variety of services assured of the ability to provide treatment regardless of the patient's skin color," said Candela President and Chief Executive Officer, Gerard E. Puorro. "This approval increases the number of Candela products marketed in Brazil, enabling us to offer a more complete range of highly effective aesthetic laser solutions."

New Treatment For Receding Gums: No Pain, Lots Of Gain

(09/13/09) Tufts dental researchers conducted a three-year follow-up study that examined the stability of a treatment option for receding gums and found that complete root coverage the goal of the surgery had been maintained. This specific tissue regeneration application, developed at Tufts, reduces the considerable pain and recovery time of gum grafting surgery. The case study of six patients is published in the July 2009 issue of the Journal of Periodontology. "Patients have a less invasive treatment option for receding gums and we now have evidence to support the stability of this relatively painless procedure. Instead of leaving the dental office with stitches in the roof of their mouth, a patient leaves with a small bandage on the arm that can be removed in an hour," said Terrence Griffin, DMD, associate professor, chair of the department of periodontology, and director of postdoctoral periodontology at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine in Boston

Plastic surgery popular despite economic woes: poll

(07/24/09) NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – Most women under 50 have not turned their backs, or faces, on cosmetic beauty-enhancement, despite the state of the economy. While the recession continues, a poll of 1,000 women carried out this month showed that 63 percent aged 18-34 and 73 percent of women aged 35-49 thought positively of age-camouflaging procedures.