Portable 3D Scanner to Assess Elephantiasis Patients
Scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have developed a portable 3D scanner that can help health workers to rapidly assess patients with elephantiasis, a condition that causes swollen limbs. The scanner allows medical professionals to measure the volume and dimensions of swollen limbs in the comfort of a patient’s home.
Approximately 120 million people worldwide suffer from elephantiasis, a parasitic disease transmitted by mosquitoes that causes significant swelling and deformity of the legs. At present, health workers assess the severity of the disease using a measuring tape to determine the...
Source: Medgadget - October 17, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Conn Hastings Tags: Medicine Public Health Source Type: blogs
Health Caused Limitatons
Over the years we all accumulate our health caused limitations. I have just a few. Due to thyroid cancer, I have no thyroid and am dependent on a daily pill for the rest of my life. And with any decongestant I have to ask the pharmacist if I can take them because they often say do not take if you have ' thyroid disease ' so I need to clarify.Breast cancer left with left arm lymphedema so no shots, blood pressure cuffs, IVs, or any pressure on my left arm. So when I had surgery last week, I had an IV on my right wrist and a blood pressure cuff above it.I also have two bad knees, a bad back, bursitis in my hips, etc that try...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - October 15, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: aggravation being a patient frustration limitations Source Type: blogs
New Research Which Could Have More Thought
This study did not include women who had mastectomies or suspicious or enlarged lymph nodes in a physical exam." To make sure that women have the appropriate lymph node surgery, the American Society for Clinical Oncology released guidelines on sentinel lymph node biopsy for people diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. The guidelines say sentinel lymph node biopsy SHOULD be offered under these circumstances:breast cancer in which there is more than one tumor, all of which have formed separately from one another (doctors call these multicentric tumors); these types of breast cancers are rareDCIS treated with mastectomywo...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - October 8, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: breast cancer breast cancer treatment young cancer patients Source Type: blogs
New Microsurgery Robot Helps to Suture Tiny Vessels to Treat Lymphedema
At Maastricht UMC+, an academic hospital in The Netherlands, the first surgical procedure using a new microrobot has been successfully performed. The physicians used a system from Microsure, a Dutch firm that spun off from Eindhoven University of Technology and Maastricht UMC+, to suture sub-millimeter vessels in the arm of a patient suffering from lymphedema.
The robotic device converts the movement of the surgeon’s hands into precise, but tiny actions of the robot, giving physicians an unprecedented level of dexterity that would be impossible with just bare hands.
During the surgery, lymphatic vessels of between ...
Source: Medgadget - October 5, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Plastic Surgery Vascular Surgery Source Type: blogs
Pre-Op Day
Today is pre-op day. Tomorrow I am having minor arthroscopic knee surgery. Its no big deal. An in and out procedure that should last an hour or so. Nothing significant. It is to repair my right knee which has been locking up for the last year or so.What it does mean is that I am going to be limited in my abilities to get around for the next week or so. I do not plan on using crutches because I hate them (and I have lymphedema). I really hate crutches. We live in a raised ranch and I bought a can so I should be able to maneuver around the one floor by myself.My husband has taken tomorrow and Friday off and then will be home...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - October 4, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: knee pain organization planning surgery Source Type: blogs
SOZO High End Bioimpedance Spectroscopy System Being Released
ImpediMed, a company with offices in California and Australia, is releasing its new SOZO bioimpedance spectroscopy system that performs advanced body composition analysis. The technology involves sending out electric current through the arms and legs and detecting how the body affects it as it passes through.
Though this technology has been in existence for a while, SOZO takes it up a notch by quickly scanning through 256 different frequencies between 3kHz and 1000 kHz, obtaining and interpreting significantly more data than your typical bioimpedance spectrosoper.
Lymphedema and other conditions that affect the fluid lev...
Source: Medgadget - August 16, 2017 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Medicine Sports Medicine Source Type: blogs
The Truth, The Whole Truth, Nothing But The Truth
The truth about cancer treatment is very complicated. The treatment options are very deep, strong, and harsh even. They are just drastic. Because they are so drastic, they can very well cause a lot of post treatment effects - i.e., side effects. The information on side effects is not a list, but a mountain.Yes we want the truth. Oncologists I think waffle on how much information to provide to their patients about their treatment options when faced with their treatment options. I can tell you its a lot of information to take in and absorb - and probably not everyone is ready for that. And our doctors are unsure how muc...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - July 3, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: brainless cancer treatment doctor questions doctors side effects Source Type: blogs
Once Upon A Time, I Was A Healthy Person
I have many friends who, after cancer, get back to their old lives for the most part. I ' m not talking about that ' new normal ' bull, but just doing normal things like going back to work, taking part in all their family activities and all sorts of regular, every day life things.Me, I did not get to go back to my regular life after breast cancer. My body had other plans for me. It decided it was time to fall apart.After breast cancer, I got gall stones and had my gallbladder out six months after radiation ended. That winter I slipped on the ice, landed on my left hand and started all my lymphedema crap.The following fall ...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - May 31, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: ailments being healthy being me Source Type: blogs
New News on Lymphedema
Lymphedema has long been known as a life long complication from breast cancer surgery.I am not a doctor but here is my understanding of lymphedema: the lymph system is a second system in your body connecting hundreds of lymph nodes which help clean out your body and heal injuries or diseases. When you have surgery the lymph system is often impaired because it does not heal and reconnect after. If the lymph system is unconnected to the rest, you can end up with swollen body parts, or lymphedema.After breast cancer if a bunch of nodes are removed under your arm as with an axillary node dissection, you can end up with problem...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - May 20, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: lymph nodes lymphedema risks Source Type: blogs
Losing Track of Time
I haven ' t worked really in a year and a half. I have no reason to watch the clock very much - except for doctor appointments. I never look at a calendar. I have to think to figure out what day of the week it is - and am often wrong.I completely lose track of time.I was talking to a friend yesterday and she said that her problem she couldn ' t remember anything. I never can remember anything either but I find losing time is more important. Priorities I guess.This also causes me to forget to blog.Maybe I should try wearing a watch again. But I can ' t because of lymphedema and RA. (Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog)
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - May 10, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: blogging memory time Source Type: blogs
I Was Thinking
I ' m sorry, I know I shouldn ' t spend time thinking because it can cause all sorts of problems. I know. I should stop spending so much time thinking. I ' ll think about that for a while.Anyway, I was thinking because I read an article on the giantRheumatoid Arthritis Time Suck. When you have RA you spend a lot of time going to the doctor to deal with doctors for RA and then all the time dealing with the side effects of your RA medications. And your low immune system which makes you high risk for everything. And blood tests every 8 weeks. And more and more.But then I get to add in the fibromyalgia time suck which causes t...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - April 13, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: ailments thinking time Source Type: blogs
Every One's Cancer Is Different
I now know many women, dozens, probably more like hundreds, who have been diagnosed with breast cancer. Sadly not all are still with us.The one thing I have learned is that everyone ' s cancer is different and presents differently. A case in point is a friend went to see another friend who was newly diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer. Two months after her diagnosis she cannot walk with out a cane because of the mets in her hips and her arm is huge with lymphedema. Two months! Her first symptom was hip pain.I have a friend who was diagnosed with breast cancer at stage IV about four years ago and she was gone within 8 wee...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - February 12, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: breast cancer breast cancer treatment outcome Source Type: blogs
The Bigger Problem Than Lack of New Cancer Treatments
I constantly read articles on the advent of new cancer treatments. I think they are wonderful. But they are not always instituted.In 2014, new guidelines started to recommend sentinel node biopsies instead of full axillary node dissections to detect cancer spread. They are told not to do axillary node dissections (AND) if the patients cancer is under 5 cm and if breast cancer was only found in one or two sentinel nodes." Sentinel node biopsies are done on early-stage breast cancer patients to stage their cancer and determine if it has infiltrated the lymph node system, a common signal of cancer spread. "Axillary node ...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - February 4, 2017 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: breast cancer treatment cancer research uncertainty with doctors Source Type: blogs
Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 167
Just when you thought your brain could unwind on a Friday, you realise that it would rather be challenged with some good old fashioned medical trivia FFFF…introducing Funtabulously Frivolous Friday Five 167
Question 1
What is Asturian leprosy?
+ Reveal the Funtabulous Answer
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Pellagra or vitamin B3 (niacin) deficiency as a result of a corn based diet (Noted in the Asturias community in Spain).
In 1915, back when such practices were legal and under the Surgeon General’s sanction in the USA, Dr. Goldberger offered ...
Source: Life in the Fast Lane - November 24, 2016 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Neil Long Tags: Frivolous Friday Five acromegaly Andre the giant as you wish Asturian leprosy bicyclists vulva brown sequard Jake leg OPIDN organophosphate induced delayed neuropathy Pellagra placebo vitamin B3 Source Type: blogs
Lymphedema and the lymph system
So as an extra gift with breast cancer, I have lymphedema in my left arm. I am very coordinated and fell on our icy front walk and landed on my hand. My arm swelled up and voila, I have lymphedema. I have a ' lovely ' , ' skin tone ' sleeve that I get to wear sometimes. It even provides some sun protection so I get a tan line on my wrist.So what is the lymph system? I had no idea until I fell that day. I sometimes try to find more information on the lymph system.First of all what is lymph? That clear fluid that seeps out of blisters and cuts sometimes. Its the other system in your body like your blood system but it has whi...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - September 21, 2016 Category: Cancer & Oncology Tags: breast cancer lymph nodes lymphedema Source Type: blogs
