>> Second try at an unusual operation
>> Why you can’t find a COVID shot
>> An advance in cervical cancer treatment
The Med & Mic™ 10.23.23
A medical news blog post
Second Ever Pig Heart Transplantation
A heart from a genetically modified pig is functioning without signs of rejection one month after transplant into a human. The experimental surgery occurred in September at the University of Maryland. Because the heart is functioning on its own, the care team is withdrawing medications. The 58-year-old recipient had end stage heart disease and other medical conditions that made him ineligible for a human heart. He consented to the treatment and was informed of the risks. He had a full psychiatric evaluation and met with a medical ethicist. Because he has had a month-long hospital stay, he is undergoing physical therapy to increase his strength. The first recipient of a pig-to-human heart transplant died two months after surgery. (Source: CNN, N. Kounang, 10.20.23)
New COVID Vaccines Hard to Find
Fewer pharmacy appointments and hospitals and clinics without shipments have made it difficult for people to find the newest iteration of the COVID vaccine. During the pandemic, the government was paying for supply and distribution. Now that the public health emergency is over, wholesalers and distributors, pharmacies, and insurance companies are playing a role in the new vaccine infrastructure. (Source: USA Today, A. Rodriguez, 10.23.23)
Study: A New Treatment Regimen for Cervical Cancer
A combination of inexpensive, existing drugs prior to radiation treatment cuts the risk of death from cervical cancer by 35%. The study findings were announced at the European Society for Medical Oncology. In the study, 250 women received carboplatin and paclitaxel, radiotherapy, and weekly cisplatin and brachytherapy. Another 250 women received standard treatment. At five years, 80% of those who received the new regimen were alive, and in 73% the cancer did not return or spread. The lead investigator says this is the biggest improvement in outcome in over 20 years. Typically, cervical cancer recurs in one in three cases. (Source: BBC News, M. Roberts, 10.23.23)
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