The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that the average American now lives to 77 years of age. That number has been on the rise for the last several decades. As Americans live longer, there has been an increase in the number of nursing homes opening in…
The American Society of Clinical Oncology announced during its Chicago meeting that a drug has the potential of attacking tumors without some of the usual side effects. The results, although not yet certain, point to prolonging the lives of breast cancer victims. The treatment in clinical trials validates the method…
In November 2003, the defendant R.A. was driving while intoxicated on Route 173 in Spring Grove, Ill. He apparently fell asleep, crossed the center line and crashed head-on into the car occupied by L.M., who was a passenger. L.M. was airlifted to Rockford Memorial Hospital where he remained in intensive…
In January 2007, J.F. underwent a splenectomy, which is the removal of the spleen, at the University of Illinois Medical Center at Chicago. J.F. had a condition known as idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), which is a blood disorder managed by steroid use. Reportedly more than two-thirds of the ITP patients…
In 2007, Y.H., an 11-year-old child, was admitted to the University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago. He was vomiting and had a history of propionic acidemia, an inborn metabolic disorder that causes acids to accumulate in the body and can lead to brain damage and heart problems. Children with…
Often surgery is seen as a last resort in medical treatment; doctors usually turn to performing an operation only if no other option exists. This is because surgery itself is not only risky, but can also lead to a wide range of additional complications. Doctors often opt for the least…
The journal of Science Translational Medicine published an article describing the surgical procedure developed at Northwestern Memorial Hospital regarding organ transplantation. The article, co-authored by Dr. Joseph Leventhal, a surgeon at Northwestern, said the new organ transplant procedure would help eliminate the need for numerous medications that individuals must take…
A Cook County jury has found in favor of internist Dr. Sanjeev Joshi in a claim for an undiagnosed pulmonary embolism resulting in the death of K.R. K.R. presented to her internist, Dr. Joshi, at his Suburban Heights Medical Center office in Chicago Heights, Ill., on March 3, 2003. Her…
It was not long ago that Yaz and Yasmin ranked as one of the leading birth control pills on the market. They were able to corner a large share of the market in large part due to a successful ad campaign marketed towards women under 35 and promises to decrease…
As we age, our health problems multiply, leaving many Americans on numerous medications whether to treat high blood pressure, thyroid problems, high cholesterol, diabetes, Alzheimers disease, etc. And while many of these medications are necessary to prevent serious health problems, they also come with potentially life-threatening side effects. An estimated…