Preventing the Tragedy that Killed John Ritter
Doctors have a new tool to repair aortic dissection. That's the condition that killed actor John Ritter 5 years ago.
In aortic dissection, layers in the wall of the aorta - the body's biggest blood vessel - separate.
Blood flows in between, cutting off circulation to vital organs.
Now a new device, made of 2 wire mesh stents, can be placed into the aorta, to get blood back where it belongs.
Dr. Joseph Lombardi, of Jefferson University Hospital says, "Her aorta is for the most part, almost entirely re-expanded. There's blood now flowing down her right leg." But Dr. Lombardi says the stents can't be used if someone doesn't get help at the first signs of this deadly problem. "The symptoms usually involve chest pain, back pain, flank pain, abdominal pain, leg pain, " says Dr. Lombardi. Aortic dissection strikes the elderly, I-V drug users - and those with high blood pressure.=================================================================
Patch Fights Nausea from Chemotherapy
By the end of the year, cancer patients will have their first medicated patch to ease the nausea that often comes with chemotherapy.
The government has approved Sancuso, a patch worn on the arm.
It can provide relief for up to 5 days.
The hope is the patch can help patients who don't get relief... or have trouble swallowing anti-nausea pills.
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Honey As A Food Preservative
Honey is causing new "buzz" in the lab.
A team at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana has found that honey might be a good food preservative.
In tests, the scientists replaced standard chemical preservatives in salad dressing with honey, and found that it kept the dressing from spoiling as well as the chemicals.
Honey from clover and blueberry performed the best of the 19 types tested.
The scientists say it could also be a substitute for sweeteners, such as high fructose corn syrup.
