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Sneak Preview: CelebDx Reloaded

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 13:33:00 GMT

Celebrity Diagnosis 2.0 will be coming soon to a browser near you. Our "reloaded" site will have not only a new look and feel but also a host of new features. Here's a sneak peek at the what's in store for you:

Remember that you can follow CelebDx on Twitter. The first 10 people to add a comment (below) will get a free Celebrity Diagnosis T-shirt!

NFL Concussion Experts Resign

Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:13:00 GMT

In a week where two leading quarterbacks were sidelined by concussions, it is interesting to note that the co-chairmen of the league's committee on brain injuries have resigned. The two, Dr. Ira Casson and Dr. David Viano, had been criticized by the NFL Players Association as being biased in their evaluation of research about the long term impact of concussions in NFL players. The independent and league-sponsored studies linked NFL careers with a heightened risk for dementia and cognitive (thought) decline. Dr. Casson had criticized the studies, saying the sample size was too small and that more research needed to be done before an assessment could be made. According to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, who announced the resignations, the committee on brain injuries was formed to evaluate specific types of plays to evaluating possible rules changes "to reduce head impacts and related injuries in a game setting." We're all for that!

"Football isn't a contact sport, it's a collision sport. Dancing is a contact sport."
- Vince Lombardi, professional football coach (in Sports in America) by J. Michner

New Mammography Guidelines: Celebrities Speak Out

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 23:10:00 GMT

Many people have had strong reactions to the new guidelines on routine mammography screening for breast cancer. Unfortunately, the pros and cons of the new guidelines have become co-mingled with the current political debates about health care reform. People also seem to be confusing population health issues with their personal experiences. And the mainstream media have dumbed down and sensationalized the debate.

Influential celebrities have spoken out about these issues, an example of which is this Access Hollywood video featuring statements by:

Jacylyn Smith: "I'm shocked. They want to abandon proven therapies. It's wrong."
Olivia Newton-John: "We are being put back in the dark ages again...We are not data, we are human beings"

Ms. Smith is apparently confusing diagnosis with treatment. The guidelines have nothing to do with "abandoning proven therapies" but rather involve diagnostic screening technology and its effectiveness. With regard to Ms. Newton-John's statement, no one is saying that we should ignore decades of cancer research and increased breast cancer awareness. Just the opposite is the case: what's being done for any disease in terms of screening, diagnosis and treatment needs to be continuously evaluated in light of new research information and technologies. The general guidelines for patients and physicians need to be updated when appropriate. (For an interesting story about the true "dark ages" of breast cancer, see our story about Frances Burney d'Arblay who was diagnosed with and treated for breast cancer in 1811.)

We'd like to suggest that the new guidelines could actually be a blessing in disguise on the road to a new era of personalized medicine and customized care. In our view, Melissa Etheridge gets it right when she says: "We, women, have to start looking at ourselves and taking control of our health back...It's understanding your health...When someone tells you that you don't need a mammogram until you're 50, you know what, you take charge of that [decision]." Similarly, Sheryl Crow has said: "I encourage all women everywhere to advocate for themselves and for their future. See your doctor and be proactive about your health."

We completely agree with Ms. Etheridge and Ms. Crow that the key is to be a well-informed consumer who actively pursues a dialog with their healthcare providers about what is best for them, given their family medical history and all of the environmental factors that affect their personal health and well being. Our companion site, Resounding Health, is an important tool with which women can do online research about whatever health issues concern them and save the results for sharing with their families, healthcare providers and each other.

Let's look at some celebrity cases and consider how the guidelines might have affected them. In the case of Christina Applegate, no one would have denied her a mammogram given her family history and breast and ovarian cancer. Quite the contrary, much earlier and more frequent screening for breast cancer, and perhaps even genetic testing, would have been the most personalized and customized care for her. Similarly for Ms. Etheridge whose grandmother had breast cancer and Cynthia Nixon whose mother had the disease and whose mammograms began age 35 because of her family history. Jaclyn Smith's mother also had breast cancer, making her an exception to the new "general guidelines" that were recently issued. We don't know anything about Sheryl Crow's family medical history. If there was no family history of breast or ovarian cancer among the Crows, she is the only celebrity whose preventive medical care might have been affected by the new guidelines since she falls below the new cutoff age for routine screening.

	Age at diagnosis	How detected?	Family history of cancer
Christina Applegate	36		Mother (breast at age 38 & ovarian at 54)
Sheryl Crow	43		Unknown
Melissa Etheridge	43	Self-exam	Grandmother (breast)
Olivia Newton-John	44	Self-exam	Unknown
Cynthia Nixon	40	Mammogram	Mother (breast)
Jaclyn Smith	56	Mammogram	Mother (breast)

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Regis Philbin Having Hip Replacement Surgery

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 21:57:00 GMT

Talk show host Regis Philbin, age78, announced Monday that he will be taking of leave of absence from Live with Regis and Kelly to undergo hip replacement surgery. According to Philbin, "I've been limping around here; it really is painful." Philbin's surgery is scheduled for December 1, and is expected to out at least 6 to 8 weeks.

Hip replacement surgery seems to be a hot topic this week. Earlier today, we posted an blog about Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Recipient Little Richard having surgery on his hip. To read about hip replacement surgery, click here.

The traditional way of doing hip replacement surgery involves a 10-12 inch incision along the side of the hip. The underlying muscles are split or detached to allow exposure of the hip joint. Minimally invasive procedures are now appropriate for some patients. Minimally invasive hip replacement uses special tools inserted into one or two smaller incisions around the hip to do the procedure. There is less cutting into the muscles and other underlying tissues. The main advantages of minimally invasive hip replacement include:

less pain
shorter hospitalization stays
faster rehabilitation
less muscle damage
more cosmetic results

Not ever patient is eligible for this procedure. According to the American Association of Orthopedic Surgeons, candidates for minimal incision procedures are typically thinner, younger, healthier, and more motivated to have a quick recovery compared with patients who undergo the traditional surgery.

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Newest Installment in "Aging Rock Star Ailments:" Little Richard

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 15:30:00 GMT

Rock star icon Little Richard is asking his fans to pray for his speedy recovery from hip surgery. The 76 yr. old underwent surgery on his hip this past week at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville. Apparently the Rock and Roller Hall of Famer had been in pain for a while but continued a busy concert schedule. On Little Richard's My Space page, a spokesman wrote:

He's in quite a bit of pain right now, so please be praying for a quick and full recovery. He may have a long road ahead of him (i.e. physiotherapy) because he waited so long to have the surgery.
He is thankful to the LORD for the blessing of longevity and greatly appreciates the kindness and caring of all of the faithful warriors who have been uplifting him in prayer. Please continue to pray and remember that GOD loves and truly cares for you!! GOD bless you all in JESUS mighty name, amen!

Hip replacement has been available since 1960, and with a series of surgical and technological improvements has become an increasingly effective treatment for hip pain. There are currently over 193,000 hip replacement procedures done in the US each year!The most common cause of hip pain leading to replacement is osteoarthritis, which is caused by wear and tear on the cartilage which lines the joint surface. Over time, this causes joint pain and stiffness. Initial treatment consists of anti-inflammatory pain relievers and physical therapy. However, when these measures are insufficient, hip replacement may be considered.

In hip replacement, the ball-shaped head of the thigh bone (femur) is removed,and replaced with an metal stem, and a new hip ball. The joint in the hip is also replaced with a cup-shaped socket. This socket is lined with a smooth plastic surface to allow the joint to move smoothly. The replacement parts can be made of a number of different materials, including ceramics, metal,or plastic. The materials used is dependent on the age of the patient and amount of physical activity the patient expects to do postoperatively.

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Football Gives Quarterbacks More Than a Headache

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 16:42:00 GMT

Playing football gave two NFL quarterbacks more than a headache yesterday- it gave them concussions. Arizona Cardinal's Quarterback Kurt Warner left the game in the second quarter after being hit from behind by Rams safety Oshiomogho Atogwe. He appeared shaken but stayed in the game for five more plays. As Warner put it: "It was one of those situations where I didn't feel perfect, so I just wanted to be cautious with it. I actually feel pretty good right now. Just a very, very slight headache. I remember everything that happened. I didn't get knocked out."

Meanwhile, Pittsburgh Steeler's QB Ben Roethlisberger, who faced Warner this year in the Super Bowl, was also injured by taking a knee to the head while being sacked during the Steeler's game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Roethlisberger left the game right afterward, which was in overtime. This is apparently the fourth concussion of his NFL career. According to Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin, “It was a concussion-oriented thing, so I doubt he was going to come back into the football game. I don’t have a lot of information in terms of where he is or his level of availability.”

What is a concussion?

The brain normally floats inside the skull, surrounded by spinal fluid. The brain has a consistency somewhat like jello, and although somewhat protected by the skull, is not completely protected by the impact of a violent force. Rapid changes in head movement, such a significant blow to the head, can cause the brain to hit against the inner wall of the skull, causing injury to the delicate brain tissue. There is also a chance that blood vessels in the brain can be torn, leading to bleeding in or around the brain.

Concussion is a very common problem, with over 1 million concussions occurring in the US each year. Many occur as sports injuries. Symptoms can range from mild to severe. They can include headache, loss of consciousness, and memory loss (amnesia)of events surrounding the injury. Many concussions do not involve loss of consciousness, but victims may appear shocked or stunned or a short period of time. Symptoms of a more serious head injury include:

Changed level of alertness (drowsy, hard to arouse, or similar changes)
Seizures (convulsions)
Muscle weakness on one or both sides
Continued confusion
Persistent unconsciousness (coma)
Repeated vomiting
Unequal pupils
Unusual eye movements
Walking problems
Ear ringing
Impaired balance

The presence of these symptoms requires evaluation by a physician. For mild concussions, treatment is rest, mild analgesics, and observation.

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Bills' Eric Wood Suffers Leg Injury Too Bad to Replay

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:48:00 GMT

Buffalo Bills rookie defensive lineman, Eric Wood, sustained a severe leg fracture in today's game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The injury occurred in the beginning of the 4th quarter, when Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick threw a short pass to Josh Reed, and Wood was injured on the play. Wood's leg was bent forward at an "unnatural angle", breaking both his tibia and fibula. The injury was felt to be so "gruesome" that CBS declined showing it in instant replay. Wood is undergoing surgery to repair the fracture and will most likely be out for the rest of the season.

For those wanting to see the video, click here: (Warning, it is graphic!) Wood's jersey number is 70.

Just a bit of lower leg anatomy: The lower leg is comprised of two long bones.The tibia is the larger of the two, and is located toward the middle of the lower leg. The fibula is the smaller bone and it is located on the outside of the lower leg. There are three main muscles in the lower leg. The soleus and gastrocnemius muscles make up the calf, and the anterior tibial muscle runs along the outside of the leg in the front. There are also smaller muscles that help move the big toe and the foot in directions other than up and down.

Symptoms of a leg fracture include pain, swelling, decreased mobility, and sometimes, and obvious deformity of the legs as was probably the case here. If the bones remain in good alignment, the injury can be treated with casting to protect the leg while it heals. If the alignment is not good, surgery will be required to fix the fractured parts in place to allow for optimal healing. Failure to do so can lead to leg length discrepancies.

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"Wrap Artist" Jeanne-Claude Has Died

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 19:39:00 GMT

Artist Jeanne-Claude, who along with her husband Christo, created the 2005 Central Park installation "The Gates" and other large scale "wrapping" projects around the globe has died at age 74. Her family reports that she died from complications of a brain aneurysm (otherwise known as a cerebral aneurysm).

What is a Cerebral Aneurysm?
A cerebral aneurysm (also known as an intracranial aneurysm) is a weak or thin spot on a blood vessel in the brain that balloons out and fills with blood. It is estimated that one in fifteen people in the US will develop an aneurysm during their lifetime. The bulging aneurysm can put pressure on a nerve or surrounding brain tissue. It may also leak or rupture, spilling blood into the surrounding tissue (called a hemorrhage). Some cerebral aneurysms, particularly those that are very small, do not bleed or cause other problems. Cerebral aneurysms can occur anywhere in the brain, but most are located along a loop of arteries that run between the underside of the brain and the base of the skull.

Symptoms depend on what structure the aneurysm pushes on, but may include:

Double vision
Loss of vision
Headaches
Eye pain
Neck pain

A sudden, severe headache (often described as "the worst headache of your life") is one symptom that an aneurysm has ruptured. Other symptoms of an aneurysm rupture may include:

Confusion, lethargy, or sleepiness
Eyelid drooping
Headaches with nausea and/or vomiting
Muscle weakness or difficulty moving any part of the body
Numbness or decreased sensation in any part of the body
Seizures
Speech impairment
Sudden onset of irritability, impulsiveness, or loss of temper control
Vision changes (double vision, loss of vision)

NOTE: A ruptured aneurysm is a medical emergency. Seek immediate medical help.

Treatment of unruptured aneurysms may be one of two ways- depending on size, shape and location:

An open skull procedure, with placement of a clip to cut off the aneurysm
An endovascular procedure, where a catheter is threaded into the artery and small metal wires are inserted into the aneurysm. These wires coil up into a mesh ball and encourage the formation of a blood clot, which prevents the aneurysm from rupturing. This is a less invasive procedure, but is not appropriate for all types of aneurysms.

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Nicole Richie Hospitalized with Pneumonia

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:04:00 GMT

Nicole Richie was hospitalized today with pneumonia at LA's Cedar Sinai Hospital. Richie, 28, had been battling what she called a cold for over a week. Monday, she appeared quite subdued at a court date where she was trying to get restraining orders against two paparazzi. Her lawyer told the judge she was not feeling well.

Pneumonia is an infection in one or both of the lungs. Many small germs, such as bacteria, viruses, and fungi, can cause pneumonia.The infection causes your lungs’ air sacs, called alveoli, to become inflamed. The air sacs may fill up with fluid or pus, causing symptoms such as a cough (with phlegm), fever, chills, and trouble breathing. Pneumonia can be a complication of upper respiratory infections, such as colds or flu, because the mucus in the airways is an excellent growth medium for germs.

Source: NHLBI

Doctors listening to the chest with a stethoscope may hear a bubbling or crackling sound (called rales) or a harsh rumblings (called rhonchi) if pneumonia is present. Confirmation of the disease is made with an x-ray, which will show an area of increased "whiteness" in the infected area (normal lung tissue is mostly black on x-ray).

Symptoms of pneumonia can be mild to severe. Treatment is dependent on the organism causing the pneumonia- viruses can be treated symptomatically or with anti-viral medications, bacteria with antibiotics specific to the organism present. Pneumonia tends to be more serious for:

Infants and young children.
Older adults (people 65 years or older).
People who have other health problems like heart failure, diabetes, or COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
People who have weak immune systems as a result of diseases or other factors. These may include HIV/AIDS, chemotherapy (a treatment for cancer), or an organ or bone marrow transplant.

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Santa Wants an H1N1 Vaccine for Christmas

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:35:00 GMT

This year, Santa is requesting an H1N1 vaccine for Christmas. Ernest Berger, president of a group called Santa America, asked an Alabama congressman last week to designate Santas a priority group for the H1N1 vaccine, like health care workers or infant caregivers. Other Santa organizations, such as the Amalgamated Order of Real Bearded Santas, are also afraid of getting swine flu, and have held seminars about how to prevent getting the disease by using hand sanitizer, washing their Santa suits more frequently, and even boosting their immune systems with extra vitamins. The president of the organization, Nicholas Trolli, hopes that parents will keep sick kids at home: "We don't want any child to go without seeing Santa, but it's not worth bringing your child to the mall, infecting the Santa and infecting the other children. Santas' concern goes deeper than just the extra exposure they get by being around so many kids. Some studies show that being overweight increases the risk of getting severe H1N1 disease. Berger reports than approximately two-thirds of American Santas are overweight.

For more information about H1N1 and H1N1 Vaccine, get the free e-books:

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Amy Winehouse- Hospitalized, Again

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 15:56:00 GMT

Singer Amy Winehouse was hospitalized this week. This is one of several hospitalizations for the British singer in recent years- including those for drug and alcohol dependence, and in October 2009 for complications of breast implant surgery. This time the reason seems to be related to an adverse drug interaction. According to her reps: "Amy took over-the-counter stuff for a cold but it didn't agree with medication she takes for her on-going recovery. She felt rubbish when she woke on Sunday morning. A doctor came to her house and advised her to go to the hospital to make sure she was all right. She was due to stay the night."

The take-home lesson from this is- if you are on any prescription medications:

Consult with your physician if you want to take over-the-counter medications or herbal supplements.
Get all your medications from the same pharmacy- This allows them to use their computerized alerts that can help you avoid adverse drug interactions.
Look at the drug information inserts that came with your prescription, many will list what medications adversely interact with the medication.
Use online drug interaction checkers at one of several available websites:

Note: Adverse drug interactions not only include those that can make you feel sick, but also includes interactions that can decrease the effectiveness of the medications you are taking. For instance, some antibiotics can decrease the effectiveness of oral contraceptives, so you may want to take extra precautions if you are on birth control pills and get put on an antibiotic.

Celebrity Moms Find Great Way to Lose Pregnancy Weight

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:45:00 GMT

A number of celebrities moms have touted a great way to lose that post baby weight- breastfeeding! X-Men and Ugly Betty actress Rebecca Romijn called nursing her twins "the best diet I've ever been on." Other celebrities attributing their baby weight loss to breastfeeding include Angelina Jolie, Christina Aguilera, and Crossing Jordan's Jill Hennessy.

Many sources speak of the benefits of breastfeeding for infants, but there are benefits for mothers as well. Breastfeeding a new baby can burn anywhere from 200-500 calories a day. That may not seem like much, but it's the equivalent of swimming 30 laps in a pool! As long as a new mother eats a balanced diet of about 1800-2000 calories/day and does not overeat to "compensate" for breastfeeding, many women will lose baby weight faster than if they did not breastfeed. One large Danish study of 36,000 women concluded that women that exclusively breastfed for six months had increased baby weight loss.

Other benefits for breastfeeding mothers include decreased risks of:

Type 2 diabetes
Breast cancer
Ovarian cancer
Postpartum depression (PPD)

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Microsoft Co-Founder Paul Allen has Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:33:00 GMT

In 1983 at the age of 30, Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease -- the same cancer of the lymph system that Ethan Zohn is currently struggling with. Mr. Allen, who is now 56 years old, was successfully treated and remained disease-free for more than 25 years. Barbara Padilla, of America's Got Talent fame, is also a survivor of Hodgkin's Disease.

It doesn't seem fair to have two different cancers in a lifetime, but Mr. Allen was recently diagnosed with another cancer of the lymphatic system called non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a disease that recently led to the death of The Ventures' guitarist Bob Bogle.

Mr. Allen, who is well-known for co-founding Microsoft with Bill Gates, has also backed many other science and technology projects including the Allen Institute for Brain Science in 2003.

In the picture above, Mr. Allen is shown ready to smash a guitar on stage, in imitation of guitar hero Jimmy Hendrix, at the opening of his Experience Music Project in Seattle in 2000.

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A Damning Diagnosis on Health Styles of the Rich and Famous

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:59:00 GMT

Cheryl Cole * Holly Willoughby * Kelly Brook * Danii Minogue

The London-based insurance group, Aviva, recently published the results of polling 200 U.K. general practitioners (GPs) about the effectiveness of popular alternative medicine treatments including detox diets and colonic irrigation. They also surveyed women regarding how celebrity "health styles" influenced women's health behaviors.

GPs, doctors who provide primary care and specialize in family medicine, slammed the "health-styles" of the rich and famous - warning that UK women are wasting money and potentially risking their health following celebrity health fads like cupping, colonic irrigation or extreme detoxes.

The Aviva “Health Hoaxes” report, reveals that more than three quarters (79%) of women use alternative health treatments favored by celebrities - Gwyneth Paltrow, Alesha Dixon and Cheryl Cole have the "health-styles" they most admire.

Now, GPs have named and shamed the 10 most useless alternative "health" trends used by celebrities and their fans and, in a damning diagnosis, declared many a waste of money (92%) and with no medical value (93%).

Cupping therapy, used by Paltrow, tops the list of "health hoaxes", which also includes vitamin B12 injections - said to be used by Madonna - extreme yoga, rumored to be favored by Sadie Frost, and reflexology and macrobiotic diets.

Aviva also discovered that to try each treatment on the GPs’ list could cost women more than £800 on average – with upgrades to practitioners used by the celebs themselves seeing the costs running to thousands. (Note: at the current exchange rate, £800 equals about $1,335 USD.)

GPs have issued a stark warning that celebrities are having a dangerous level of influence over women’s health choices (84%) and that celebrity endorsement of unproven health treatments could be putting the public at risk (93%):

94% of women believe celebrities pay for the very best and most effective treatments
32% will try a health fad simply because a celebrity has used it
70% would try alternative treatments rather than visit their doctor

Alesha Dixon * Lily Allen * Katie Price * Victoria Beckham

Dr. Douglas Wright, principal clinical consultant at Aviva UK Health, said: “At Aviva we understand that people like to deal with their own wellbeing in a number of ways, but too many women are wasting money following ‘health’ fads that have little effect – just because it’s expensive, or rumored to be a celebrity favorite, is not an automatic guarantee that a treatment will work.

“What’s more worrying is that some women are opting for treatment trends rather than seeking medical advice – they might not be fashionable but tried and tested health routes are far safer and more beneficial.”

The Aviva research also found almost half (46%) of women saying they’ve become more experimental in the last five years with their health treatments, with 54% following celebrity trends in magazines.

Dr Wright adds: “Although women seem happy to spend money on celebrity health trends, our consumer research showed that over 60% of people would be worried about their finances if their child or partner required medical attention.

The top 10 least effective alternative treatments, according to the 200 GPs polled, are (average cost per treatment):

   1. Cupping (£56 or $93)
   2. Colonic Irrigation (£78 or $130)
   3. Food intolerance testing (£137 or $229)
   4. Detoxing (£112 or $187)
   5. Macrobiotic diet (£83 or $138)
   6. Aromatherapy (£59 or $98)
   7. Reflexology (£56 or $93)
   8. Vitamin B12 injections (£60 or $100)
   9. Extreme yoga (£10 or $17)
10. Overnight health farm stay (£185 or $309)

Opting for the practitioners said to treat celebrities could see costs soaring. For example, a consultation with holistic doctor Nishi Joshi (rumoured to have given Kate Moss acupuncture) starts at £240 ($400) with subsequent sessions at £120 ($200).

And the first meeting with nutritionist Ian Marber, whose celebrity clients are said to include leading models and Leona Lewis, costs £125 ($208), after which the cost per session is £95 ($158).

The UK’s most admired celebrity "health-styles":

   1. Gwyneth Paltrow
   2. Cheryl Cole
   3. Madonna
   4. Holly Willoughby
   5. Kelly Brook
   6. Dannii Minogue
   7. Alesha Dixon
   8. Lily Allen
   9. Victoria Beckham
10. Katie Price

Results of this study are reproduced here with permission of the Aviva group.

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Celine Dion "No Longer Pregnant"

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 18:58:00 GMT

Superstar singer Celine Dion is no longer pregnant. In an interview with Canadian paper Journal de Montreal, husband Rene Angelil says: "We are living the reality of the majority of couples who have to use [IVF]. The process can be long and arduous, but today, we are full of confidence. Celine is more determined than ever." The couple had reported in August that the singer, age 41, was in the early stages of a pregnancy using in vitro fertilization of an embryo that had been frozen for eight years.

What is IVF?
In vitro fertilization (known as IVF) was first used in 1978 when the first "test tube baby," Louise Brown, was born. It refers to a procedure used in some women with infertility problems. Eggs and sperm are mixed together outside of the body (in vitro) and the resulting fertilized egg, now called a zygote, is implanted into the uterus to continue the pregnancy.

There are five steps in the IVF treatment cycle.

   1. Ovarian stimulation. This step involves the use of ovulation, or fertility, drugs. These hormones, taken over a period of eight to 14 days, stimulate a woman's ovaries to produce several eggs per menstrual cycle instead of one. Successful IVF usually requires the fertilization of multiple eggs -- some may not fertilize or develop normally after fertilization.
   2. Egg retrieval. Once the eggs are deemed ready for retrieval, the doctor performs a transvaginal ultrasound aspiration. This is a simple surgical procedure that uses a small amount of anesthesia, such as a mild sedative. Once the ultrasound locates the mature follicles in the ovary, the doctor inserts a needle into the follicles and removes the eggs with suction. If the ultrasound can't find or access the ovaries, doctors might have to perform laparoscopic surgery. This technique -- in which doctors cut a small incision in the abdomen and locate the ovaries with a tiny fiber-optic lens -- is still simple and short, but it requires stronger anesthesia.
   3. Insemination. After retrieval, doctors examine the eggs and decide which of them hold the most potential for a successful pregnancy. They place these eggs in an IVF culture medium to await insemination. Meanwhile, they separate the father's sperm from his semen. The most motile sperm (the "best swimmers") are then added to the eggs in the incubator.
   4. Fertilization and embryo culture. Usually within a matter of hours, a sperm cell penetrates an egg and fertilizes it. A two- to four-cell embryo appears approximately two days after fertilization. On the third day, a six- to 10-cell embryo is seen. Embryos can be placed in the uterus as early as one day and as late as six days after fertilization. In most cases, they're observed for two to three days to determine if the development is normal.
   5. Embryo transfer. About two to three days after fertilization, the resulting embryo or embryos are transferred to the woman's uterus. Doctors suspend them in a drop of fluid and draw it into a transfer catheter -- a long, thin, flexible tube that has a syringe on one end. They then guide the catheter into the vagina, past the cervix and into the uterus. The patient is encouraged to remain in a resting position for an hour or two to prevent any stress on the body. If the embryo or embryos do attach to the uterine wall, a positive pregnancy test will result.

The success rate, i.e. the chance of having a live birth, varies from infertility center to center, and also varies according to maternal age. The live-birth rate is highest for 27 year-olds, at about 40%, and decreases to about 25% for women at age 37 and older. The main complication of IVF is multiple pregnancy, as more than one embryo is frequently implanted at embryo transfer. Multiple pregnancies have increased risk of pregnancy loss, maternal complications, prematurity and neonatal illness with the potential for long term damage.

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Red Flag over Rick Astley iPhone Virus

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 02:32:00 GMT

OK, a computer virus is not the usual type of "infectious disease" that we blog about at Celebrity Diagnosis, but anyway....

An Australian student, 21 year-old Ashley Towns, has created a worm that infects Apple's iPhone with pictures of 1980s pop star Rick Astley best known for his 1987 chart-topper "Never Gonna Give You Up."

"The virus itself is not malicious and is not out to hurt people. It's just poking fun and hopefully waking people up a little," Towns said. By "waking people up,' Towns was referring to the fact that many people don't change their passwords after they jail-break their phone (that is, modify the iPhone's software to install applications that are not sanctioned by Apple).

Even though this virus is not malicious, it demonstrates that the iPhone is susceptible to hacking and raises fears that others will develop malicious software that spreads from phone to phone over wireless networks.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Magic Cancer Bullet

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:48:00 GMT

About a year ago, basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar began getting hot flashes and sweats on a regular basis and a medical exam showed that he had a very high white blood cell count. The diagnosis was CML - chronic myeloid (or myelogenous) leukemia - a rare and slowly progressing cancer of the bone marrow and white blood cells that usually occurs during or after middle age. Mr. Abdul-Jabbar was 62 years old when diagnosed.

Luckily for Mr. Abdul-Jabbar, there is a "magic bullet" called Gleevec (or Glivec) that was the first example of a completely new class of cancer drugs that target cancer cells in a very specific way with far fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy. When this "magic cancer bullet" was first developed, it generated tremendous excitement in the cancer research community because these new types of drugs had the potential to transform cancer from a killer disease to a manageable chronic illness or even cure the disease entirely. Dr. Daniel Vasella, CEO of Novartis (the drug company that developed Glivec), wrote a book about the discovery of this "Magic Cancer Bullet."

Describing drugs as "magic bullets" began over a hundred years ago when a German scientist, Paul Ehrlich, discovered the first modern antibiotic, a drug called Salvarsan 606 (because it was the 606th chemical he tested) that could cure syphilis. This discovery earned Ehrlich a Nobel Prize in 1908. Ehrlich's story was made into a Hollywood movie in 1940 with legendary actor Edward G. Robinson playing Dr. Ehrlich.

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Chronic Myeloid Leukemia or CML

Boston Mayor Tom Menino Undergoes Emergency Surgery

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:24:00 GMT

Boston Mayor Tom Menino underwent surgery Monday to repair a torn tendon in his knee. The mayor "missed a step" on Sunday while at his son's home in Hyde Park. Menino's orthopedic surgery, Dr. Thomas Thornhill, said the tendon connecting Menino’s thigh muscles to the top of his kneecap was completely torn away. To make the repair, Thornhill drilled holes in Menino’s kneecap and used wire to stitch the tendon back in place. The mayor is expected to be released from Brigham and Women's Hospital on Thursday, and will require crutches for several weeks.

The knee is essentially a modified hinge joint located where the end of the thigh bone (femur) meets the top of the shin bone(tibia). The patella (kneecap) rides over the joint and is attached by the patella tendon.
The patellar tendon attaches to the front of the tibial below the knee, and is connected to the bottom of the patella. The top of the patella is attached by the quadriceps tendon to the quadriceps muscle, the large group of muscles on the front of the thigh. This structure allows the knee to flex and extend, is critical to basic functions of the leg, such as walking, standing, and running.

When a tear or rupture of the patellar tendon occurs, the patella loses support from the tibia and moves toward the hip when the quadriceps muscle contracts, hindering the leg's ability to extend. This means that those affected cannot stand, as the knee buckles and gives way when an attempt is made. Treatment is surgical, reattaching the tendon to the kneecap.

Dennis Hopper Goes to Breeder's Cup, Despite Prostate Cancer

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 19:08:00 GMT

Actor Dennis Hopper attended the Breeder's Cup, in Santa Anita on Saturday, in support of the VFoundation for Cancer Research. The Easy Rider actor, who is a big fan of thoroughbred horse racing, attended the event despite being treated for prostate cancer. Last month, Hopper revealed that he was being treated in an experimental program at University of Southern California, and now says that he has been battling the disease for the last nine years. According to Hopper, the current treatment "... has great promise. Everything's good right now."

We've already done a few blogs about prostate cancer: What is prostate cancer?; What is PSA, and how good a measure of prostate disease is it? In this blog we will discuss risk and prevention of prostate cancer, according to the National Cancer Institute.

Avoiding risk factors and increasing protective factors may help prevent cancer. Avoiding cancer risk factors such as smoking, being overweight and lack of exercise may help prevent certain cancers. Increasing protective factors such as quitting smoking, eating a healthy diet, and exercising may also help prevent some cancers.

The following risk factors may increase the risk of prostate cancer:

Age: Prostate cancer is rare in men younger than 50 years of age. The chance of developing prostate cancer increases as men get older.
Family history of prostate cancer: A man whose father, brother, or son has had prostate cancer has a higher-than-average risk of prostate cancer.
African-American men are more likely than white men to develop prostate cancer and die from it.
The prostate needs male hormones to work the way it should. The main male sex hormone is testosterone. Testosterone helps the body develop and maintain male sex characteristics. Testosterone is changed into dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by an enzyme in the body. DHT is important for normal prostate growth but can also cause the prostate to get bigger and may play a part in the development of prostate cancer
Folic acid: A 10-year study showed that the risk of prostate cancer was increased in men who took supplements of folic acid (a vitamin in the vitamin B complex).
Dairy and calcium: A diet high in dairy foods and calcium may cause a small increase in the risk of prostate cancer.

The following protective factors may decrease the risk of prostate cancer:

Folate: A 10-year study showed that prostate cancer risk was lowered in men who had enough folate in their diets. Folate is found in whole-grain breads and cereals, liver, green vegetables, orange juice, lentils, beans and yeast.
Finasteride: The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial (PCPT) studied whether the drug finasteride can prevent prostate cancer in healthy men 55 years of age and older. Finasteride is a drug that blocks the enzyme that changes testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). DHT may play a part in the development of prostate cancer. The prevention study showed there were fewer prostate cancers in the group of men who took finasteride compared to the group that did not take it. However,the men in the finasteride group who did have prostate cancer had more aggressive class of tumors. The number of deaths from prostate cancer was the same in both groups.

The following have been proven not to affect the risk of prostate cancer, or their effects on prostate cancer risk are not known:

Selenium and vitamin E: The Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial studied whether taking vitamin E and selenium (a mineral) will prevent prostate cancer. The selenium and vitamin E were taken separately or together by healthy men 50-55 years of age and older. The study showed that selenium and vitamin E did not decrease the risk of prostate cancer.
Diet: It is not known if decreasing fat or increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet helps decrease the risk of prostate cancer or death from prostate cancer. Cancer prevention clinical trials are used to study ways to prevent cancer.

Clinical Trials:

Clinical trials are used to study ways to lower the risk of developing certain types of cancer. Some cancer prevention trials are conducted with healthy people who have not had cancer but who have an increased risk for cancer. Others consist of people who have had cancer and are trying to prevent a recurrence of the same type, or to lower their chance of developing a new type of cancer. Still other trials are done with healthy volunteers who are not known to have any risk factors for cancer.
The purpose of some cancer prevention clinical trials is to find out whether actions people take can prevent cancer. These may include eating fruits and vegetables, exercising, quitting smoking, or taking certain medicines, vitamins, minerals, or food supplements.

New ways to prevent prostate cancer are being studied in clinical trials in many parts of the country.
Information about clinical trials can be found in the Clinical Trials section NCI's Website.
Check for clinical trials in NCI's Cancer Clinical Trials Registry for prostate cancer prevention trials that are accepting patients.

For more information:

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Prostate Cancer

Golden Girl Rue McClanahan Undergoes Bypass Surgery

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:46:00 GMT

Actress Rue McClanahan, best known for playing the saucy Blanche Devereaux on Golden Girls, is recovering well from coronary artery bypass surgery. The heart disease was diagnosed when the actress had gone to her doctor about a knee problem. McClanahan has been working on a tribute show at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco. The actress said: “Unfortunately, my doctor has laid down the law, and I’m currently in the hospital having some maintenance on the old ticker,” she said. “Trust me, I’d much rather be in San Francisco having fun and being adored by all of you.”

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common kind of heart disease. It is the leading cause of death in the United States. It occurs when the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart muscle itself (the coronary arteries) become narrowed by a build up of plaque. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fat, calcium and other substances from the blood. With narrowing of the arteries comes a decrease in blood supply to the heart muscle. This can lead to the symptoms of chest pain (angina) or even heart attack if the narrowing is severe enough, or if part of the plaque breaks off and blocks a smaller part of the artery.

Source: NHLBI

Coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) is the most common surgical procedure done for the treatment of CAD. The surgeon uses a piece of a vein from the leg or artery from the chest or wrist. The surgeon attaches this to the coronary artery above and below the narrowed area or blockage. This allows blood to bypass the blockage. Some people need more than one coronary artery bypassed- thus the expressions "triple or quadruple bypass."

Key Points about CABG from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute:

Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a type of surgery used to improve blood flow to the heart in people with severe coronary artery disease (CAD).
During CABG, a healthy artery or vein from another part of the body is connected, or grafted, to a blocked coronary artery. The grafted artery or vein bypasses (that is, it goes around) the blocked portion of the coronary artery. This improves the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart muscle.
CABG is one type of treatment for CAD. Not everyone with CAD needs CABG. In people who are candidates for the surgery, the results are usually excellent, with 85 percent of people having significantly reduced symptoms, less risk for future heart attacks, and a decreased chance of dying within 10 years following the surgery.
Your doctor will determine if you're a candidate for CABG based on a number of factors, including the presence and severity of CAD.Often nonsurgical treatments, such as medicines and will be tried first.
Although the surgery is usually done on an elective (scheduled) basis, it may need to be performed in an emergency, such as pending or during a heart attack.
Although complications are rare, risks of CABG include infection at the incision site, bleeding, reactions to the anesthesia, fever and pain, stroke, heart attack, or even death.
Recovery may take 6 to 12 weeks or more. Most people can get back to their normal activities about 6 weeks after the surgery.
Care after surgery may include followup visits with doctors,lifestyle changes to prevent further progression of CAD, and taking medicines as prescribed.

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Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery