Latest News in Minimally Invasive Medicine – 9 Topics & Webcast

Newswise — From March 30 - April 4, the Society of Interventional Radiology will present the latest research on non-surgical treatments for stroke prevention, chest and liver cancer, chronic pelvic pain in women, male infertility, uterine fibroids, and pediatric treatments for vascular malformations and juvenile arthritis at its 31st Annual Scientific Meeting in Toronto, Ontario. Below are highlights of the key studies being presented. Embargoed press releases, along with interviews with the lead researchers, can be arranged upon request, along with illustrations or broadcast quality footage.

CAROTID STENTING - STROKE Cognitive Improvements in Carotid Stenting Patients:Study shows carotid stenting improves memory and thinking ability in patients classified as "asymptomatic." Interventional radiology findings may change more than 50 years of prevailing thought about significance of blocked carotid arteries; Sacred Heart Medical Center. (Embargoed for release, March 31, 2006, 9 a.m. ET)

INFERTILITY Non-Surgical Treatment for Male Infertility, Already as Good as Surgery, Just Got Better:The inventor of the embolization procedure to treat varicoceles adds foam to improve the technique to relieve groin pain, eliminate testicular atrophy and reverse male infertility. Treatment offers three-day recovery time versus six weeks for surgery to return to vigorous exercise. As many as 80,000 men may undergo surgical correction of varicoceles annually; Yale University. (Embargoed for release, March 31, 2006, 9 a.m. ET) VNR available.

ONCOLOGYMinimally Invasive Treatment Equally Effective as Surgery for Liver Cancer:Three-year data on interventional radiology procedure may challenge surgery as first-line treatment for cirrhosis patients with single, small tumors in early-stage liver cancer; University of Pisa, Italy. (Embargoed for release, March 31, 2006, 9 a.m. ET)

Non-Surgical Thermal Ablation Treats Painful Chest Wall Tumors:New non-surgical techniques — radiofrequency ablation, cryoablation and microwave ablation — heat or freeze the cancerous cells, which kills the tumor and nerve endings in the vicinity that were causing pain. Treatment reduces severe chronic pain caused by chest wall tumors in 71.4 percent; Brown University Rhode Island Hospital. (Embargoed for release, April 1, 2006, 9 a.m. ET)

WOMEN'S HEALTH Women with Debilitating Chronic Pelvic Pain Have Non-Surgical Solution:Effective treatment exists for women whose chronic pelvic pain is caused by enlarged varicose veins in the pelvis, known as pelvic congestion syndrome. New addition of recently available foam to the technique allows for a more improved treatment. Most women are unaware of this non-surgical interventional treatment; Yale University. (Embargoed until March 31, 2006, 9 a.m., ET) VNR available.

First Study of Uterine Fibroid Embolization for Post-Menopausal Women:Although uterine fibroids generally regress after menopause, there are many post-menopausal women who continue to suffer pain, constipation, urinary frequency and other symptoms due to their fibroids. Interventional radiology treatment has 92 percent success rate in post-menopausal women; Northwestern University. (Embargoed until April 3, 2006 at 9 a.m. ET)

Study Compares Complications of Surgical and Non-Surgical Treatments for Uterine Fibroids:Major complications, infections and pulmonary embolisms were tracked in 313 patients. There were no major complications in the interventional radiology group. The surgical group had 20 cases (6.3%) of major complications ranging from death to bowel injury and anemia; Scarborough General Hospital, Toronto. (Embargoed until April 3, 2006, at 9a.m. ET)

PEDIATRIC INTERVENTIONS Laser Provides Children with Less Painful Treatment for Vascular Malformations:Interventional radiologists adapt existing non-surgical laser technology to treat painful and disfiguring vein defect. New technique greatly improves treatment because it is less painful; Boston Children's Hospital. (Embargoed until April 3, 2006, at 9 a.m. ET)

Image"Guided Joint Injection for Subtalar Juvenile Arthritis: Fluoroscopically guided subtalar joint injection is an effective treatment for foot inversion (twisted inward and upward) and eversion, (twists outward and upward) due to juvenile idiopathic arthritis; The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. (Embargoed until April 3, 2006, at 9 a.m. ET)

WEBCASTThese presentations are being webcast live on Friday, March 31 from 9-10 a.m. ET, and Monday, April 3, from 9-10 a.m. ET. To register for the webcast, go to: http://www.videonewswire.com/event.asp?id=32803