Significant proportion of cancer drugs lack proof of added benefit, finds study

Many cancer drugs approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) between 1995 and 2020 lack proof of added benefit, particularly those approved through expedited (“fast track”) pathways, finds a study published by The BMJ.

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New study links hospital privatization to worse patient care

A new review has concluded that hospitals that are privatized typically deliver worse quality care after converting from public ownership. The study, led by University of Oxford researchers, has been published today in The Lancet Public Health.

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Menu calorie labeling may reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease in England, modeling study suggests

The current policy of mandatory calorie labeling in large food businesses in England could potentially prevent approximately 730 deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) between 2022 and 2041—and if the policy were extended to all English food businesses, could potentially prevent around 9,200 CVD deaths over the same time period, suggests first modeled estimation of the impact of the policy published in The Lancet Public Health.

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Consistent evidence links ultra-processed food to over 30 damaging health outcomes

Consistent evidence shows that higher exposure to ultra-processed foods is associated with an increased risk of 32 damaging health outcomes including cancer, major heart and lung conditions, mental health disorders, and early death.

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Utilizing drones to deliver childhood vaccines could save lives, says research

Delivering childhood vaccines via drone could be a triple whammy—saving lives, saving money and improving health outcomes—according to research in Transportation Science. The authors developed optimization models to strategically design a distribution network for drones to deliver vaccines. Their proposed approach was evaluated using real-world data from the Vanuatu region, where vaccine delivery by drones was tested.

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Alkem Labs gets USFDA EIR for Mandva facility

Mumbai: Alkem Labs has announced that US Food and Drug Administration (US FDA) has issued an Establishment Inspection Report (EIR) for the Company’s API manufacturing facility located at Mandva.

The Inspection has been classified as Voluntary Action Indicated (VAI) and was closed accordingly.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that Alkem Labs had received Form 483 with three observations from the USFDA at the end of the inspection conducted at the Company’s API manufacturing facility located at Mandva. 

Read also: USFDA Issues 3 Observations For Alkem Labs Mandva Facility

Alkem Laboratories Ltd is an Indian pharmaceutical company engaged in the development, manufacture, and sale of pharmaceutical and nutraceutical products. The company produces branded generics, generic drugs, active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) and nutraceuticals in acute and chronic therapeutic areas, such as anti-infective, pain and analgesics, vitamins/minerals/nutrients, cardiac and Diabetology, Gynecology, Ophthalmology, neuro/central nervous system, dermatology, anti-diabetes, anti-osteoporosis, cardiovascular, and muscle relaxants, which are marketed in Indian and International markets. It operates through the pharmaceutical business segment.

Read also: Anti-infective for severe fungal infections: Alkem Labs joins hands with Biosergen for development of BSG005

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IIT Madras, THSTI Faridabad Researchers develop India-specific AI model to determine foetus age

Researchers at Indian Institute of Technology Madras(IIT Madras) and Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, as part of ‘Interdisciplinary Group for Advanced Research on Birth Outcomes – DBT India Initiative’ (GARBH-Ini) program, have developed the first India-specific Artificial Intelligence (AI) model to determine the age of a foetus in a pregnant woman in the second and third trimesters precisely.

Accurate ‘Gestational Age’ (GA) is necessary for the appropriate care of pregnant women and for determining precise delivery dates. Called ‘Garbhini-GA2’, this is the first late-trimester GA estimation model to be developed and validated using Indian population data.

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Sahyadri Hospital doctors perform laparoscopic cystectomy to treat rare ovarian condition in 13-year-old girl

Pune: In a remarkable medical achievement, MomStory by Sahyadri Hospitals, led by the expert team of doctors, including Dr Mini Salunkhe, Director & Head of Dept – Obstetrics, Dr Gauri Jagdale, Gynaecologist and Obstetrician and Dr Sunil have successfully treated a 13-year-old schoolgirl, Priya (Name changed), for a rare ovarian condition. 

Under the expert care of doctors from Sahyadri Hospitals, Priya underwent a laparoscopic cystectomy to address a large and complex ovarian cyst, this kind of cyst is not common in girls who haven’t started their periods yet.
Diagnosed on October’23, Priya presented with abdominal pain persisting for a month. Initial sonography and MRI revealed a substantial ovarian cyst (size 17*16*12 cm), with the ovary not separately visible.
Also Read:Sahyadri Hospitals collaborates with ImmunoACT for Advanced CAR-T Cell Therapies
Notably, all tumor markers were within the normal range except for a slightly elevated CA 125 (often found in people who have ovarian cancer). The medical team, led by Dr. Mini Salunkhe, opted for a laparoscopic cystectomy, a minimally invasive surgical procedure. This case is special because doctors accidentally found a big cyst in the ovaries of a 13-year-old girl.
They then used a special method called laparoscopy to take it out. Dr. Mini Salunkhe said, “Post-surgery, Priya demonstrated remarkable progress, being able to walk within six hours of the procedure. The histopathological examination unveiled that the cyst was endometriotic, a rarity in premenarcheal girls. This unique aspect further underscores the significance of early diagnosis and advanced medical interventions in pediatric cases at Sahyadri Hospitals.” Dr Gauri Jagdale, who is the part of surgical team, remarked that, “It is rare to encounter such a condition in a patient of Priya’s age.
Our successful laparoscopic intervention not only relieved her of the pain and discomfort but also provided a unique opportunity for learning and research in the field of pediatric gynecology.” Dr Gauri underscored the significance of timely diagnosis and appropriate intervention, particularly in instances where medical conditions diverge from the usual norms. Dr. Sunil, also part of the surgical team, added, “This case exemplifies the collaborative efforts of our medical team and the effectiveness of minimally invasive techniques.
Priya’s rapid recovery underscores the advantages of laparoscopic procedures in pediatric cases, showcasing the hospital’s commitment to advanced healthcare.” This successful procedure at Sahyadri Hospitals serves as a testament to the hospital’s commitment to advancing medical care and embracing innovative, minimally invasive surgical techniques, especially in pediatric cases.
The hospital takes pride in playing a pivotal role in Priya’s recovery and remains dedicated to delivering high-quality healthcare with a focus on individualized treatment plans for every patient. Understanding Endometriotic Cyst – An endometriotic cyst is a small, fluid-filled sac that develops on the ovary due to endometriosis, a condition in which the uterine lining tissue grows outside the uterus, usually on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and/or pelvic peritoneum. It is a type of ovarian cyst that is caused by a hormonal imbalance and can lead to symptoms such as abdominal pain, heavy menstrual periods, and infertility.
Also Read:Sahyadri Hospital doctors perform mechanical thrombectomy on 62-year-old heart attack patient

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50-year-old brain dead man donates organs, saves three lives in Rajasthan

Kota: The family of a 50-year-old man, who was declared brain dead during a treatment, donated his organs, giving a new lease of life to three patients in Jaipur and Jodhpur. 

With this, Jhalawar Government Hospital and Medical College has become the state’s first “non-transplant organ retrieval centre”, its principal Dr Shiv Bhagwan Sharma told PTI on Monday.

On February 18, Bhuria was brought to the hospital with injuries he sustained after falling from the rooftop of his house. He was declared brain dead during the treatment on February 24, following which Jhalawar Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO) Dr Sajid Khan and the medical college administration informed the matter to the state government.

Also Read:53-year-old brain-dead woman gifts new life to many through organ donation at AIIMS Delhi

Rajasthan Health Minister Gagendra Singh and Additional Chief Secretary (Health), Shubhra Singh directed the hospital administration to counsel the family to consent for organ donation.

Upon consent of Bhuria’s wife for donation of her husband’s liver and kidneys, a certificate for organ retrieval was issued to the medical college on Saturday and kidneys, liver and cornea were harvested from the brain-dead man on Sunday, Dr Sharma told PTI.

One kidney and liver were allotted to Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Jaipur and other kidney to AIIMS, Jodhpur, he added.

For immediate transportation of these organs to needy patients, a green corridor was created in coordination with traffic police and the organs were on Sunday sent to Jaipur and Jodhpur by four ambulances, Jhalawar CMHO Dr Khan said.

The organs were transplanted to three patients in the two hospitals on Sunday night, giving a new lease of life to them, the CMHO said.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that in a deeply touching display of humanity’s kindness and generosity marked a profoundly moving chapter. A 43-year-old woman has generously donated the chance of life through organ donation.

Also Read:31-year-old brain dead woman’s heart airlifted, transplanted into air warrior in Pune

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The sling procedure useful reconstruction method for wide defect of the proximal humerus: study

The proximal humerus is a common site for both primary and metastatic bone tumors. Although various methods have been developed for reconstruction following resection of the proximal humerus, a consensus on which technique is best has not been established.

Ryuto Tsuchiya et al focused on the sling procedure using a free vascularized fibular graft (FVFG). The study was conducted at National Cancer Center Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.

The authors retrospectively reviewed the data of 19 patients who underwent the sling procedure with use of an FVFG. The median age was 20 years, and the median follow-up duration was 63.1 months. Surgical data, oncological outcomes, the postoperative course, complications, and functional outcomes as measured with use of the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score were thoroughly reviewed.

Key findings of the study were:

• The median operative duration was 555 minutes, and the median blood loss was 374 mL.

• The median length of the bone defect was 17.0 cm, and the median length of the graft was 20.0 cm.

• With respect to oncological outcomes, 9 patients were continuously disease-free, 9 patients had no evidence of disease, and 1 patient was alive with disease.

• Bone union was present in 13 of the 17 patients for whom it was evaluable.

• The median time to bone union was 4 months.

• Graft growth was observed in 2 pediatric patients.

• Postoperative fracture was a major complication at the recipient site.

• The incidence of pseudarthrosis significantly increased when the FVFG could not be inserted into the remaining humeral bone or was split in half (p = 0.002).

• Although a few patients demonstrated peroneal nerve palsy at the donor site, the symptom was temporary.

• The overall functional outcome was favorable, with an average MSTS score of 66.9%.

“In conclusion, we retrospectively reviewed the largest number of patients to date to undergo the sling procedure using an FVFG. This reconstruction method demonstrated a low complication rate and a favourable functional outcome overall. We therefore conclude that the sling procedure is beneficial for patients in a broad age range who have a wide defect of the proximal humerus” the authors commented.

Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level IV.

Further reading:

Outcomes of Sling Procedure Using a Free Vascularized Fibular Graft After Resection of the Proximal Humerus

Ryuto Tsuchiya et al

JBJS Open Access 2023:e23.00044.

http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.OA.23.00044

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