Urodynamic Testing: Is It Needed Before Incontinence Surgery?
May 28th 2012There is much debate about whether pre-operative urodynamic testing (or bladder function testing) is clinically useful in patients with pure stress urinary incontinence, with some professional organizations recommending for the use of routine urodynamics and some recommending against routine use of these tests.
Secondary Ultrasound Markers Improve First-Trimester Screening
May 25th 2012Several recent studies have shown that the addition of secondary ultrasound markers to the combined first-trimester screening for aneuploidies, or chromosomal abnormalities such as trisomy 21 (Down syndrome) and trisomy 18 (Edwards syndrome), can slightly improve screening accuracy.
ACOG: Increased Birth Weight Slows Labor, May Alter Labor Curve
May 24th 2012A study presented at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Annual Clinical Meeting indicates that as birth weight increases, progression in labor is slower in both successful trial of labor and patients who ultimately have cesarean deliveries.
New Blood Test for Strains of Toxoplasmosis
May 23rd 2012A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which was developed by scientists at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was used to distinguish specific types of Toxoplasma gondii parasite that children acquired in the womb from their acutely infected mothers.
Using RVUs to Improve Your Practice’s Performance
May 21st 2012In the early years, medical practices only utilized Relative Value Units (RVUs) to understand the Medicare fee schedule. Now the role of RVU analysis has expanded. RVUs have become the standard measurement in analysis of reimbursement and payer contracts, physician compensation and productivity, and practice staffing and operating costs.
ACOG: Neoprene Abdominal-Pelvic Binder Significantly Increases Early Postoperative Ambulatory Events
May 16th 2012Postoperative use of a neoprene abdominal-pelvic binder significantly increases ambulatory events in the first 24 hours after surgery and may be of benefit particularly in a high-risk gynecological oncology surgical population, according to a study presented the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ Annual Clinical Meeting.
ACOG: Region Should Factor Into Chlamydia Screening Guidelines For Women Over Age 25
May 14th 2012Women over the age of 25 may still need to be screened for Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) according to research released at the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists’ (ACOG) Annual Clinical Meeting.
ACOG: Delaying Non-Indicated Induction of Labor or Scheduled Cesarean May Reduce NICU Utilization
May 11th 2012A study that examined trends in timing of non-medically necessary elective delivery and NICU utilization indicates that the older the gestational age of the infant, the less the NICU is utilized.
ACOG: Providers Underestimate Pain Intensity During IUD Insertion
May 8th 2012Providers underestimate the intensity of patients’ pain during IUD insertion, and often misidentify the moment at which maximum pain occurs, according to a randomized trial of 200 women. Midlevel providers are slightly better at estimating pain intensity.
Early Menopause Ups Risk for Osteoporotic Fractures, Death
May 4th 2012Women who experience early menopause are almost twice as likely to have osteoporosis and are at greater risk for fracture and death than women who experience menopause later in life, according to results of a 34-year study conducted in Sweden.