http://www.medindia.net/healthnews/Patent-Ductus-Arteriosus-news.asp Medindia largest health website in india. en-us Copyright 2013. All Rights Reserved. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 18:33:21 GMT http://www.medindia.net/news/playing-music-to-premature-babies-improves-breathing-and-sleep-117529-1.htm A new study has revealed that music can be a boon to newborns as it can help them breathe easy as well as sleep well. The research found that music can put them into a quietly attentive state. The sound of music can help a newborn calm down and sleep better by sending the infant into a quiet attentive state. Playing live music to a prematurely born baby can help slow the heart beat, thus helping the child breathe easily. Music was also found to improve sucking behaviors in babies which helps them feed well....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/playing-music-to-premature-babies-improves-breathing-and-sleep-117529-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/report-finds-that-hospitalizations-for-congenital-heart-disease-increasing-at-greater-rate-among-adults-than-children-115601-1.htm U.S. hospitalizations from 1998 through 2010 for children and adults with congenital heart disease were analyzed by Jared M. O'Leary, M.D., of Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, and colleagues. "There are more than 787,000 adults with congenital heart disease in the United States. Adults with congenital heart disease remain at risk for frequent hospitalizations," the authors write in a Research Letter published online by iJAMA/i to coincide with its presentation at the American College of Cardiology's annual Scientific Sessions....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/report-finds-that-hospitalizations-for-congenital-heart-disease-increasing-at-greater-rate-among-adults-than-children-115601-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/high-frequency-oscillatory-ventilation-may-be-detrimental-in-acute-respiratory-distress-syndrome-115376-1.htm bThe results of recent trials discourage the use of high-frequency oscillatory ventilation (HCOV) in early acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)./b ARDS is a fatal lung condition that limits the oxygen levels in the blood. It is a sudden failure of the breathing system and is a common complication of critical illness. ARDS is associated with high mortality; long term complications are common in survivors. Mechanical ventilation which is life saving for patients with ARDS may however cause lung injury....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/high-frequency-oscillatory-ventilation-may-be-detrimental-in-acute-respiratory-distress-syndrome-115376-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/probiotics-help-protect-premature-babies-from-lethal-disease-114332-1.htm Probiotics, also known as "good" bacteria, live in our intestines offer a variety of health benefits. Recently a new study has discovered that the chemicals secreted by these "friendly" bacteria in the intestines of babies could help reduce the frequency of a common and often-lethal disease in premature infants. This disease, known as necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), affects between 8 and 13 percent of very low birthweight infants (those under 3 pounds, 4 ounces), and up to half of the infants with this condition will die....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/probiotics-help-protect-premature-babies-from-lethal-disease-114332-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/study-evaluates-safety-of-formula-food-for-premature-babies-111405-1.htm A recent study has revealed that infant formula may be the cause of cellular death as it can trigger a condition called necrotizing enterocolitis, which can be life threatening. Necrotizing enterocolitis is a severe intestinal condition occurring with premature infants on formula milk. However, infants on breast milk are protected against this condition. This condition is one of the major contributors of death due to gastrointestinal diseases in premature infants. Researchers are of the opinion ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/study-evaluates-safety-of-formula-food-for-premature-babies-111405-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/survival-rates-of-premature-babies-improve-111093-1.htm The survival rate of babies born early has witnessed a lot of improvement. Further, premature babies are also making it to three years of age without any major disability, often the case among premature babies. Many of them go on suffer conditions like cerebral palsy or learning disabilities. This improvement could be due to the progress made in neonatal medicine. The survival rates of those born prematurely between 22 and 25 weeks went up from 40% in 1995 to 53% in 2006, a recent insight has revealed....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/survival-rates-of-premature-babies-improve-111093-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/premature-babies-have-higher-survival-rate-study-104549-1.htm Preterm babies have greater chances of survival in neonatal intensive care units, reports study. The likelihood that an extremely premature baby will survive if born in a high-technology, high-volume hospital unit was already known, but the current study, the largest to date, revealed a stronger effect."Prior studies from the early 1990s found increased survival rates of 30 to 50 percent among preterm infants delivered at high-level NICUs, compared to preterm infants delivered elsewhere," said study leader Scott A....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/premature-babies-have-higher-survival-rate-study-104549-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/gene-discovery-in-congenital-heart-disease-may-be-explained-by-new-mouse-model-103348-1.htm A new study published in the journal PLoS Genetics reveals that abnormal development of heart cells during embryogenesis may be responsible for the underdevelopment of inner walls in the heart among people with congenital heart disease who also have a genetic mutation. When babies are born with a hole in their heart (either between the upper or lower chambers), they have a septal defect, the most common form of congenital heart disease. Although it's not clear what causes all septal defects, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/gene-discovery-in-congenital-heart-disease-may-be-explained-by-new-mouse-model-103348-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/reduction-in-blindness-risk-of-extremely-premature-babies-shown-by-antioxidant-102905-1.htm Retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is the second most common cause of childhood blindness in the United States. It is occurring in half of premature infants born earlier than or at 28 weeks gestational age. Abnormal blood vessel development in the retina of the eye causes this condition. With decreasing gestational age ROP risk increases. A study by researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) suggests that the antioxidant, rhSOD (recombinant human Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase), reduces the ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/reduction-in-blindness-risk-of-extremely-premature-babies-shown-by-antioxidant-102905-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/premature-babies-have-increased-risk-of-mental-disorders-102123-1.htm A new study to be published in the Archives of General Psychiatry has found that babies who are born prematurely have an increased risk of suffering from mental disorders including depression, psychosis and bipolar disorder. The study was conducted by a team of British and Swedish researchers who analyzed medical records of more than 1.3 million Swedes born between 1973 and 1985 and found that those who were born following less than 32 weeks of gestation period were three times more likely to be ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/premature-babies-have-increased-risk-of-mental-disorders-102123-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/pacified-activated-lullaby-teaches-premature-babies-to-feed-better-101692-1.htm Researchers at Florida State University have developed a new device, Pacifier Activated lullaby (PAl) which can teach premature babies how to suckle and feed and thereby reduce the amount of time required to stay in the hospital. The innovative PAl device, which uses musical lullabies to help infants quickly learn the muscle movements needed to suckle, and ultimately feed, is being sold through a partnership with Powers Device Technologies Inc. Research studies have shown that PAl can reduce ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/pacified-activated-lullaby-teaches-premature-babies-to-feed-better-101692-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/cracking-bile-duct-cancer-with-findings-of-new-gene-mutations-scientists-101432-1.htm An international scientists unit has made a momentous breakthrough in comprehending the cause of bile duct cancer, a fatal form of liver cancer. By identifying several new genes frequently mutated in bile duct cancers, researchers are paving the way for better understanding of how bile duct cancers develop. Their discovery is published online in INature Genetics/I. Bile Duct Cancer, or Cholangiocarcinoma, is a fatal cancer with a poor prognosis. Accounting for 10 to 25 per cent of all primary ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/cracking-bile-duct-cancer-with-findings-of-new-gene-mutations-scientists-101432-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/rectal-indomethacin-is-effective-in-reducing-post-ercp-pancreatitis-100550-1.htm bThe researchers from the University of Michigan Health System and Indiana University Medical Centre have reported in a study published in the NEJM (New England Journal of Medicine) that the frequency of pancreatitis after ERCP was significantly reduced if indomethacin was given rectally to the patients./b Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a non-invasive procedure used commonly for the diagnosis and treatment of bile and pancreatic duct problems. In an ERCP procedure, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/rectal-indomethacin-is-effective-in-reducing-post-ercp-pancreatitis-100550-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/early-milk-feeds-crucial-for-vulnerable-premature-babies-100386-1.htm A new study has suggested that vulnerable premature babies would benefit from earlier milk feeds. The University of Oxford study found that babies were not at a higher risk of severe bowel problems if moved off tube-feeds early, as was feared. 400 babies, born at least five weeks early and small for their age, were studied for the Pediatrics paper. The premature baby charity Bliss said it hoped the findings would lead to a change in feeding practices. High-risk premature babies are ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/early-milk-feeds-crucial-for-vulnerable-premature-babies-100386-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/listening-to-mothers-heartbeat-beneficial-for-premature-babies-98651-1.htm Listening to a recording of a mother's voice and heartbeat reduces the number of cardio-respiratory events among premature babies, a new study published in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine reveals. Researchers from Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston conducted the experiment on 14 premature babies born between 26 and 32 weeks of gestation. The babies were made to listen to a recording of his or her mother's voice and heartbeat for four ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/listening-to-mothers-heartbeat-beneficial-for-premature-babies-98651-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/c-sections-may-be-harmful-for-premature-babies-97343-1.htm Premature babies who are delivered through caesarean section are at a higher risk of developing respiratory problems, a new study presented at the annual Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine meet reveals. C-Section seems to be the preferred mode of delivery for a number of obstetricians but researchers from Johns Hopkins and Yale Universities suggested that it could increase the risk of breathing problems, such as respiratory distress syndrome, by 30 percent among the babies who were delivered before 34 weeks of pregnancy....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/c-sections-may-be-harmful-for-premature-babies-97343-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Genetic-Mechanism-Linked-to-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Identified-96473-1.htm Recent study provides new insight into the genetic cause of congenital heart disease. In a paper being published online today in INature Genetics/I, researchers in the laboratory of Gladstone Senior Investigator Benoit Bruneau, PhD, describe the roles that two genes-Ezh2 and Six1-play in embryonic heart development, while also uncovering how the genetic basis of embryonic heart formation can have profound health consequences later in life. This research highlights the emerging importance ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Genetic-Mechanism-Linked-to-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Identified-96473-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Gene-Mutations-Associated-With-Bile-Duct-Cancer-Identified-96301-1.htm Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Cancer Center have identified a new genetic signature associated with bile duct cancer, a usually deadly tumor with limited treatment options currently. Their report, which has been published online in IThe Oncologist/I, finds that growth-enhancing mutations in two related genes may account for nearly a quarter of bile duct tumors arising within the liver, presenting the possibility that drugs targeting this mutation could represent a new strategy to control tumor growth....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/New-Gene-Mutations-Associated-With-Bile-Duct-Cancer-Identified-96301-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Research-Finds-Premature-Babies-Harbor-More-Dangerous-Microbe-Types-94608-1.htm A new study on the microbes present in extremely low-birth weight infants found that hard-to-treat Candida fungus is often present, as well as some harmful bacteria and parasites. Researchers at the Duke University Medical Center and Nicholas School of the Environment looked at the microbes in 11 premature infants and found much less diversity than in full-term infants. "The babies' guts were taken over by microbes we know are dangerous if they get into the blood," said senior author Patrick Seed, M....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Research-Finds-Premature-Babies-Harbor-More-Dangerous-Microbe-Types-94608-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-Likely-to-Suffer-Memory-and-Attention-Problems-in-Adulthood-94449-1.htm Premature Babies born at a very low birth weight carry an elevated risk of suffering memory and attention problems when they become adults. "While we know babies born severely preterm generally achieve lower cognitive test scores, this is one of the first studies to look at how severely low birth weight impacts executive functioning, such as attention and visual memory, when these babies become young adults," said study author professor Katri RAikkAnen, PhD, of the University of Helsinki in Finland....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-Likely-to-Suffer-Memory-and-Attention-Problems-in-Adulthood-94449-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Steroids-Benefit-Premature-Babies-94417-1.htm Administering steroids to pregnant women improves survival and limits brain damage among infants born as early as 23 weeks, reveals study. The research in the December 7 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that preterm babies may benefit sooner than thought from the boost in lung power and organ growth they get from exposure to steroids. Until now, little was known about the efficacy of giving a pregnant woman steroids for a fetus less than 24 weeks old, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Steroids-Benefit-Premature-Babies-94417-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-in-Malawi-Face-Higher-Death-Risk-93126-1.htm In Malawi, babies who were born prematurely continue to have poor growth rate and development, than babies born at term, finds study published in this week's IPLoS Medicine/I. The authors, led by Nynke Van Den Broek from the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, and Melissa Gladstone, from the University of Liverpool say that their findings show that in addition to interventions in the immediate neonatal period, a focus on early childhood is needed to improve outcomes for infants born prematurely in low-income settings....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-in-Malawi-Face-Higher-Death-Risk-93126-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-at-Risk-of-Heart-Disease-Diabetes-92236-1.htm Preterm infants are at a greater risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, shows research. The study of 48 volunteers aged 18-27 found that those who were born at 33 weeks of gestation or less had higher blood pressure, more fat tissue despite having a normal Body Mass Index, and more fat in their muscle and liver. These traits are linked to heart and circulatory disease and type 2 diabetes. The differences in fat around the abdomen were most marked in men. The scientists ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-at-Risk-of-Heart-Disease-Diabetes-92236-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-at-Higher-Risk-of-Developing-Autism-92074-1.htm Researchers have found a link between low birth weight and autism development. Study says that premature infants are five times more likely to have autism than normal infants. Premature babies have long been known to risk a host of health problems and cognitive delays, but the study in the journal Pediatrics is the first to establish a link between low birth weight and autism. US researchers tracked 862 children from birth to young adulthood. Those in the study were born between 1984 and 1987 in three counties in New Jersey....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-at-Higher-Risk-of-Developing-Autism-92074-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Pulse-Oximetry-can-Help-Screen-Infants-With-Suspected-Congenital-Heart-Disease-92005-1.htm A new study says that pulse oximetry can be used as a screening tool to detect critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) in infants. This is a non-invasive procedure that measures the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream. This method is more readily available than echocardiography, the current gold standard for CCHD diagnosis, according to a new research abstract presented Friday, Oct. 14, at the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) National Conference and Exhibition (NCE) in Boston. In September, the U....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Pulse-Oximetry-can-Help-Screen-Infants-With-Suspected-Congenital-Heart-Disease-92005-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Liver-Transplantation-for-Bile-Duct-Cancer-89841-1.htm Transplantation of liver is often used for cancer that occurs within the liver. U-M is one of a small number of centers around the country that offer liver transplant for bile duct cancer. Bile duct - a long tube-like structure that connects the liver to the intestines. Bile duct cancer can be extremely difficult to remove surgically, and even when surgery is an option, the cancer frequently comes back. This is a tumor we have always struggled with, says Christopher Sonnenday, M.D., M.H.S....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Liver-Transplantation-for-Bile-Duct-Cancer-89841-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Blood-of-Children-With-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Contains-Harmful-Toxins-89718-1.htm Babies and toddlers with congenital heart disease are at an increased risk of having harmful toxins in their blood, particularly following surgery, according to research by a team at Imperial College London. The study, published today in the IAmerican Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine/I, found that children with high levels of toxins from gut bacteria in their blood are likely to take longer to recover from surgery and spend more time in intensive care. The researchers ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Blood-of-Children-With-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Contains-Harmful-Toxins-89718-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Congenital-Heart-Disease-can-be-Detected-by-Simple-Test-88707-1.htm A simple test involving testing of oxygen in the blood of the new born babies is the most efficient way of detecting congenital heart defects, a new study published in The Lancet journal reveals. Researchers, led by Dr Andrew Ewer of the University of Birmingham, conducted the study involving more than 20,000 new born babies and arrived at the conclusion that testing a baby's blood for oxygen is the best way of identifying whether it had a congenital heart defect. The study, which was funded by ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Congenital-Heart-Disease-can-be-Detected-by-Simple-Test-88707-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Scientists-Fear-Risk-Of-Psychiatric-Disorders-In-Premature-Babies-With-Abnormal-Brain-Ultrasounds-87845-1.htm Infants born prematurely are at risk for injuries to the white and gray matter of the brain that affect cortical development and neural connectivity. Certain forms of these injuries can be detected in the neonatal period using ultrasound, according to Columbia University Medical Center researchers. Researchers who followed a group of premature infants until age 16 found that those with neonatal ultrasound abnormalities were at increased risk for specific psychiatric disorders, namely, attention ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Scientists-Fear-Risk-Of-Psychiatric-Disorders-In-Premature-Babies-With-Abnormal-Brain-Ultrasounds-87845-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Versatile-Duct-Tape-Helps-Save-Money-and-Time-in-Hospitals-87079-1.htm Duct tape has always been a boon in healthcare settings. Inventive thinking by the infection prevention team at Trinity Medical Center has added to the versatility of the well-known duct tape. Patients who are treated for infectious diseases are housed in protected zones. HealthCare professionals entering these zones, irrespective of the nature of interaction- a simple communication or a complete examination, need to wear protective gowns, caps, and gloves. This is not only time consuming but hospitals ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Versatile-Duct-Tape-Helps-Save-Money-and-Time-in-Hospitals-87079-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-Have-Increased-Heart-Risk-in-Later-Life-86503-1.htm Babies that are born prematurely have a greater risk of heart disease later in their lives and also suffer from social problems, a new study conducted by American researchers reveals. Lead researcher Mary Sullivan and her colleagues studied the birth of infants at the Women and Infants Hospital for more than two decades and found that the highest resting blood pressure and poorest pulmonary function was among those who were born with very low birth weight. Chronic health conditions among infants ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-Have-Increased-Heart-Risk-in-Later-Life-86503-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/FDA-Warns-Popular-Thickening-Agent-Affects-Intestines-of-Premature-Babies-85308-1.htm Parents and physicians in the United States have been warned by the Food and Drug Administration not to use popular thickening agent, SimplyThick, especially for premature babies after it was found to fatally affect the intestines of the infants. SimplyThick is a popular thickening food additive since it helps the infants to swallow the food easily. However recent reports have found that the additive is responsible for necrotizing enterocolitis in at least 15 infants, leading to the deaths of two babies....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/FDA-Warns-Popular-Thickening-Agent-Affects-Intestines-of-Premature-Babies-85308-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Formula-Milk-Not-Good-For-Extremely-Premature-Babies-84381-1.htm Breast milk is certainly better than the formula variety for all babies. Certainly much more so for extremely premature babies, it turns out. If only fed on human donor milk, they are less likely to develop the dangerous intestinal condition necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC), according to research by investigators at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center and elsewhere. Only one of the 29 infants who received human milk developed NEC and it recovered without surgery, compared with five out of the 24 babies ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Formula-Milk-Not-Good-For-Extremely-Premature-Babies-84381-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Risk-of-Premature-Babies-Little-in-Immigrants-84317-1.htm New immigrants to Canada face little risk in giving birth to premature babies compared to Canadians, although the situation changes after they have been there for some time. "Living in poor neighbourhoods has been linked with poor health outcomes, but this study shows that this is not always the case for new Canadians," says Dr. Marcelo Urquia, epidemiologist at the Centre for Research on Inner City Health at St. Michael's Hospital in a new study. "For new immigrants, while they have an advantage ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Risk-of-Premature-Babies-Little-in-Immigrants-84317-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/German-Baby-Lives-to-Equal-World-Record-for-Surviving-Premature-Babies-84048-1.htm Born after only 21 weeks and five days in the womb, a German baby has equalled a world record for surviving premature infants, the hospital said Saturday. When Frieda was born on November 7 she measured 11 inches (28 centimetres) and weighed only one pound (460 grammes). "In the specialist literature, other premature babies have been lighter than her at birth, some even less than 300 grammes, but there is no mention of a premature baby even younger than Frieda," the clinic in western Fulda said in a communique....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/German-Baby-Lives-to-Equal-World-Record-for-Surviving-Premature-Babies-84048-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Complete-Recovery-After-of-Acute-Respiratory-Distress-Syndrome-ARDS-May-be-Rare-83841-1.htm bSurvivors of/bb /bbacute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remain physically and emotionally weak even five years after recovering, says new study. /bAcute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening lung condition in which sufficient oxygen does not enter blood. In a recent study it was shown that despite the fact that their lungs heal almost completely, survivors did not regain the physical or psychological health. The results of this Canadian research were ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Complete-Recovery-After-of-Acute-Respiratory-Distress-Syndrome-ARDS-May-be-Rare-83841-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Erectile-Dysfunction-Drug-Can-Help-Treat-Congenital-Heart-Disease-82101-1.htm A drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, has another possible use-helping children and young adults with congenital heart disease to better tolerate exercise, scientists have found. Researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia show the drug, called Sildenafil, significantly improved measures of exercise performance during stress testing in patients with single-ventricle heart disease, All patients involved in the study had earlier undergone the Fontan ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Erectile-Dysfunction-Drug-Can-Help-Treat-Congenital-Heart-Disease-82101-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Controversial-Claim-Over-Premature-Babies-81919-1.htm A controversial claim has been made by a leading National Health Service official who states that babies born at 23 weeks or earlier should be left to die. Dr Daphne Austin's claim is that keeping prematurely-born babies alive is to draw out their agony over a longer period when it can be over quickly. She suggests that the immense amount of money - about 10 million a year - spent so futilely on resuscitating and sustaining these babies could be used to help people who are struggling with diseases like cancer....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Controversial-Claim-Over-Premature-Babies-81919-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Congenital-Heart-Disease-Patients-Need-Uninterrupted-Medical-Treatment-81618-1.htm Experts say that patients with congenital heart disease should get continuing medical treatment. Experts also emphasized on the point that doctors should transition their patients from children ward to adult medical care during early adolescence stage. "It's not as simple as getting the name of a new doctor and going to see them when a patient turns 18," said Craig Sable, M.D., co-chair of the statement committee and director of echocardiography and cardiology fellowship training at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Congenital-Heart-Disease-Patients-Need-Uninterrupted-Medical-Treatment-81618-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-Win-Fight-to-Live-81321-1.htm A British couple can rejoice now, for after five long months they can hold and cuddle their twin babies at last. Born prematurely, 14 weeks too soon, in September last year at Poole Hospital in Dorset, Willow and Stanley Senior were so tiny their arms could easily fit into their father's wedding ring. Each weighed just 2lb 1oz and 2lb 3oz. Their lungs were underdeveloped and they were so fragile that changing their nappies or giving them a cuddle was near to impossible since there was always the danger of serious injuries....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-Win-Fight-to-Live-81321-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Cancer-Pathways-Provide-Insights-into-Congenital-Heart-Disease-81298-1.htm Two most commonly mutated pathways in cancer provided better understanding of the mechanism underlying the cause of congenital heart disease. With the aid of this pathway researchers have identified an immunosuppressant and an anti-cancer drug in mouse model that could prevent hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes thick, leading to the sudden death in children and young adults. Researchers at the University Health Network (UHN), Toronto, ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Cancer-Pathways-Provide-Insights-into-Congenital-Heart-Disease-81298-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Blindness-in-Premature-Babies-can-be-Prevented-With-Drug-Avastin--81005-1.htm Premature babies who are born before their eyes develop fully carry a risk of blindness. A recent study has outlined that the cancer drug Avastin can protect against blindness in premature babies. This condition called "retinopathy of maturity" affects nearly 50,000 people, causing blindness. According to the study, a single injection of Avastin into the eyes of premature babies can help prevent blindness. During the study, 150 premature infants were randomly assigned treatment with Avastin injections or with lasers....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Blindness-in-Premature-Babies-can-be-Prevented-With-Drug-Avastin--81005-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Specialized-Care-Needed-For-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Patients-80655-1.htm Experts are offering a variety of options for specialized care for congenital heart disease patients. Treatments received during neonatal, childhood, and adolescent years affect future adult events. In the January/February issue of Progress in Cardiovascular Diseases, ten articles explore the current understanding of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) in survivors. "In recognition of ACHD care currently holding potential as one of the largest and most complex growth sectors within both pediatric ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Specialized-Care-Needed-For-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Patients-80655-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Cause-of-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Identified-80229-1.htm When the body faces a difficulty in distinguishing its right side from left side during development, then a child can develop heterotaxy, a congenital heart disease. In heterotaxy condition the heart is severely malformed. To improve survival in these children, researchers at Yale School of Medicine sought to identify the genes that cause heterotaxy. They have shown in a new study that patients with heterotaxy have considerably more copy number variations (CNVs) on their genomes than do control patients....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Cause-of-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Identified-80229-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Bowel-Disease-Also-Possible-in-Children-With-Congenital-Heart-Disease-69402-1.htm Findings from a study by Nationwide Children's Hospital has revealed that infants born with complex congenital heart disease are at risk of developing a deadly bowel disease, besides serious heart-related complications. This is regardless of the type of surgical intervention they receive for their heart. (The findings of the study will also appear in the IPediatric Critical Care Medicine/I, published online May 6 ahead of print.) Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Bowel-Disease-Also-Possible-in-Children-With-Congenital-Heart-Disease-69402-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/First-Common-Gene-That-Raises-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Risk-Found-69375-1.htm Researchers have found a genetic variant on chromosome 5 that strongly raises the risk of congenital heart disease. Although congenital heart disease represents the most common major birth defect, scientists have not previously identified the genes that give rise to it. Now genetics and cardiology researchers have discovered it. "This gene, ISL1, plays a key role in regulating early cardiac development, so there is a compelling biological reason for investigating ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/First-Common-Gene-That-Raises-Congenital-Heart-Disease-Risk-Found-69375-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/High-Frequency-Jet-Ventilators-To-Help-Premature-Babies-Develop-Breathing-Muscle-69130-1.htm Researchers at the University of Western Australia have shown that high frequency jet ventilators can help premature babies develop their breathing muscles. The ventilators will in no way damage the lungs, and hence their use in the case of babies with respiratory problems will be fully justified. Professor Jane Pillow, a neonatologist in the School of Women's and Infants' Health based at King Edward Memorial Hospital, said it was for the first time the jet ventilator had been used in a maternity hospital in the country....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/High-Frequency-Jet-Ventilators-To-Help-Premature-Babies-Develop-Breathing-Muscle-69130-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-are-More-Sensitive-to-Pain-68776-1.htm Babies who are born premature are more sensitive to pain than others even when they grow up, a new study published in the journal NeuroImage reveals. Researchers studied 15 babies from Londonis University College Hospital and found that more often than not, premature babies are kept in intensive care for moths together. Around half of the babies of the sample size were premature and were kept in the hospital for 40 days. The researchers conducted brain scans on the babies during procedures such ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Premature-Babies-are-More-Sensitive-to-Pain-68776-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Survival-Chances-Better-For-Premature-Babies-With-Probiotics-68733-1.htm Probiotics can help extremely low birthweight infants gain weight, it was reported recently. Now researchers say it is possible to save thousands of very premature babies by adding probiotics to their feeds. Probiotics are 'friendly' bacteria present in many foods like yogurt and cheese. Babies born more than six weeks prematurely currently represent between three and four per cent of all births. The systematic review of 11 randomised trials in over 2000 babies born more than six weeks prematurely ...]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Survival-Chances-Better-For-Premature-Babies-With-Probiotics-68733-1.htm http://www.medindia.net/news/Lives-of-Premature-Babies-Saved-by-Pioneering-Brainwashing-Treatment-66095-1.htm A pioneering 'brainwashing' procedure they believe will slash the number of premature babies suffering severe disabilities has been developed by UK scientists. The technique involves removing potentially harmful toxic fluids from the brains of infants born early. "Premature babies are particularly at risk of bleeding because, in the middle of pregnancy, the foetus has many fragile blood vessels in the centre of the brain,' said Prof Andrew Whitelaw, at the University of Bristol....]]> http://www.medindia.net/news/Lives-of-Premature-Babies-Saved-by-Pioneering-Brainwashing-Treatment-66095-1.htm