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New insights into the mechanism of neuropathic pain
Chronic pain affects nearly millions of Canadians from such varied causes as arthritis, sciatica, cancer, diabetes. Pain usually serves to warn us when something is wrong and to seek help or to rest. Another kind of chronic pain may start with a specific injury, surgery or disease event, but may linger for weeks or even…
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A better solution to reconnect the sternum after open chest surgery
The challenge: offer to undergraduate students at John Hopkins University to design a better way to reconnect the breastbone or sternum after open heart surgery. The reason: a half-century-old technique of using steel wires that pierced the bone and pulled the halves together poses some risks to both the surgeon and the patient. The 11-member…
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Partial knee replacements
There are many people waiting for knee replacement surgery. Innovations in surgical techniques have made this a relatively routine procedure despite its invasive nature. However hospital stay and recovery times can be a protracted affair. A new technique has been developed that can save parts of the original knee joint replacing only the damaged areas…
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How to reduce the doctor shortage
How should we approach the issue of reversing the doctor shortage and temporizing the effect in the short-term over the looming cohort of Physicians set to retire? Due to government restrictions on education and training, the number of physicians per capita in Canada will fall between now and 2015, unless Canada relies on foreign-trained doctors…
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The European Food Safety Authority's evaluation of aspartame
The AFC Panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has evaluated the new long-term study on the carcinogenicity of aspartame conducted by the European Ramazzini Foundation in Bologna, Italy. In its opinion published today, the Panel concluded, on the basis of all the evidence currently available, that there is no need to further review…
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New allergy treatment guidelines proposed
Last November, the story of Quebec teen, Christina Desforges, made headlines around the world when reports suggested that she had died after kissing her boyfriend who had eaten peanut butter earlier that day. Desforges, who was peanut allergic, was also asthmatic. Her friends were unaware of her food allergy and that she carried an EpiPen.…
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The Underrecognized Burden of Influenza in Young Children
Every year, usually during the flu shot season, questions arise about the need for vaccination especially of healthy young people. People question whether it reduces the risk of infection and its complications. What seems to be lost in the discussion is the health effects of the flu on specific age groups, in particular young children.…
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New technologies in cardiac imaging research
What are some of the means at our disposal to assess how well our hearts are functioning? What new technologies are available and what are some of the promising avenues in imagiing research and development. Dr. Robert Beanlands will also be presenting at the World Society of Cardio-Thoracic Surgeons conference and the title of his…
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What is coming down the pipe medically on the smoking cessation front?
For some, smoking cessation can be a simple as throwing the pack away, for others it is a mighty hill to climb. Cigarette smoking is responsible for 30 per cent of all cancers, is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke and is the principle cause of COPD. Dr. Andrew Pipe will present a…
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