Molly Nash was not expected to live to the age of 10. But her parents, and John Wagner, M.D., professor with the Department of Pediatrics in the Medical School, refused to let the genetics of her disease have the final word.
Almost two decades later, doctor reflects on using embryo selection to save young girl’s life
UMN Study: More Frequent Bicyclists Have Fewer Risk Factors for Heart Disease, Diabetes
https://www.instagram.com/healthtalkumn/ Riding a bicycle more often can lower your risk of developing chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes, according to a recent UMN Study.
ICU Patients Can Safely Administer Their Own Sedatives, New Study Finds
Photo courtesy Flickr user Alex Proimos. Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are often sedated to enhance their comfort with mechanical ventilator breaths and reduce anxiety. However, the prescribed sedatives are based on clinicians’ assessments of their patients’ discomfort or anxiety and may not meet their needs. Now, researchers at the University of Minnesota have found that patients can self-administer their own sedative in some cases, which could lead to a more tailored and possibly effective care experience.
New Study Determines What Makes ‘Successful’ Smile
New research shows that less is more when it comes to a successful smile, which could have implications for how surgeons and therapists work with patients who have facial paralysis. The University of Minnesota research may be critically important for helping stroke patients and other people with facial paralysis improve quality of life.
Research Snapshot: A detailed look at HTLV-1, the retrovirus that causes T-cell Leukemia
It is generally believed that virus particles need to be fully formed to transmit a virus. But a recent study by researchers in the Academic Health Center’s Institute for Molecular Virology (IMV) shows this may not be the case.
Fighting hydrocephalus
Stephen Haines, M.D., UMN Department of Neurosurgery with hydrocephalus patient Pete Bigalk. Photo credit Tom Dunn.
“Here at the University of Minnesota, hydrocephalus is the most common condition we treat in pediatric neurosurgery,” explained Daniel Guillaume, M.D., M.S., associate professor in the Department of Neurosurgery at the University of Minnesota Medical School, “and as such we are constantly searching for better treatments.”
Hydrocephalus is a serious condition with many causes, which in some cases are not fully understood. The primary characteristic is the buildup of too much cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the brain and spinal cord. That causes potentially harmful pressure on brain tissue. Without treatment, the outcome can result in severe disability and even death.
