Doctors prepare for first US penis transplant

WASHINGTON -- Johns Hopkins University doctors are preparing for what would be the first US penis transplant, a procedure that could potentially help hundreds of wounded veterans.

A Johns Hopkins spokeswoman confirmed a New York Times report that the first such operation was planned for a soldier who suffered genital injuries in a bomb blast in Afghanistan.

The 12-hour operation would involve the stitching together of nerves and blood vessels and could restore urinary function and over time, the ability to have sex.

Because the procedure would restore only the penis and not the testes, the patient would not be able to have biological children, according to the report.

According to the Times, more than 1,367 soldiers suffered injury to their genitals between 2001 and 2013 in Iraq or Afghanistan.

Although the procedure is not required to save a life, doctors and Pentagon officials told the newspaper they believe it is worthwhile to deal with the psychological trauma suffered by the soldiers.

The university has been authorized to perform 60 of the experimental surgeries, with organs coming from deceased males whose families have given permission.

Earlier this year, a South African man received the world's first successful penis transplant and reported later he was to become a father.

There was nothing preventing the South African patient from having children because his testicles, where sperm is produced, were not affected.

source: interaksyon.com

Borough Center for Sight offers new advances in cataract and refractive surgery

Cataract removal is one of the most common and safest surgical procedures worldwide. Until recently, however, cataracts were still manually removed by the eye surgeon with the aid of a phacoemulsification machine. Then, an intraocular artificial implant is then placed inside the eye for visual recovery.

Today, on the other hand, recent advancement in technology has given birth to Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery or LACS. One of the more popular lasers is the LENSAR LASER SYSTEM (LLS).

The LLS features Augmented Reality with 3-D reconstructed view of the eye, helping the surgeon plan and proceed with treatment with unparalleled confidence.

It has the most advanced imaging capability that visualizes the vital parts of the eye before and during the surgical procedure. It is the only laser that uses the Scheimpflug imaging technology and uses the same proven laser technology used in LASIK procedures.

With a slight push of a button, the LLS initiates bladeless corneal incisions, rounded centered capsulotomies and softening of the cataract.

In layman’s terms, LENSAR opens the front covering of the lens, softens the cataract and breaks it down into smaller pieces allowing the surgeon to remove the cataract with ease.

With a perfectly rounded and centered capsulotomy, the surgeon can insert an intraocular implant in the eye with such precision that the patient is assured of lifelong clear vision.

Meanwhile, manual capsulotomies are hard to center and are, more often than not, irregularly shaped that may lead to the decentration of the intraocular lens or IOLs (more importantly for multifocal IOLs), which can result to changes in the quality of vision of patients after cataract surgery.

Borough Center for Sight, one of the country’s premier eye care clinics, with branches in CyberOne Building, Eastwood, Quezon City and at the South Wing of SM Mall of Asia offers Laser Assisted Cataract Surgery. The center has a roster of well trained and experienced eye doctors who can provide expert advice on eye care and surgery.

Borough Center for Eyes also offers Lens Replacement Surgery for those who elect to have their natural lens replaced with an intraocular lens to achieve good quality vision for far, intermediate and reading distances without glasses.

source: interaksyon.com

Marilyn Monroe plastic surgery notes, X-rays up for auction

LOS ANGELES | A physician’s notes on Marilyn Monroe that indicate that the Hollywood sex symbol had undergone cosmetic surgery will be up for sale next month along with a set of her X-rays, an auction house said on Tuesday.

The set of six X-rays and a file of doctors’ notes that offer a partial medical history of the “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” actress from 1950 to 1962, are expected to fetch between $15,000 and $30,000 at auction on November 9-10, said Julien’s Auctions in Beverly Hills, California.





The notes written by Hollywood plastic surgeon Michael Gurdin appear to confirm speculation that Monroe, who epitomized glamour and set a standard of movie star beauty during the latter part of Hollywood’s golden era, went under the knife for cosmetic reasons.

The seller, who is so far unnamed, received the items as a gift from Gurdin.

“Nobody really thought about Marilyn Monroe having plastic surgery. It was always speculation — did she or didn’t she?” said Martin Nolan, executive director of Julien’s Auctions. “They thought she was such a natural beauty, they didn’t want to believe.”

Gurdin’s notes include references to a 1950 cartilage implant in Monroe’s chin, which he observed to have slowly begun to dissolve.

Monroe’s biggest films, such as 1953′s “How to Marry a Millionaire,” 1955′s “The Seven Year Itch” and 1959′s “Some Like It Hot,” were all shot after 1950.

“Also at that time, going back to the 1950s, people didn’t go for plastic surgery procedures,” Nolan added. “This is very, very new.”

THE BROKEN NOSE MYSTERY

The X-rays are dated June 7, 1962, after Monroe saw Gurdin following a late night fall and two months before the actress would die at age 36 from an overdose of barbiturates. The death was ruled a probable suicide.

Monroe would also be fired by studio 20th Century Fox from the unfinished film “Something’s Got to Give” the following day for her constant absences.

The X-rays include Monroe’s frontal facial bones, a composite right and left X-ray of the sides of her nasal bones and dental X-rays of the roof of her mouth.

A set of three chest X-rays of Monroe from 1954 sold for $45,000 at a 2010 auction.

A self-published memoir by Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Norman Leaf in 2010 claimed that Monroe underwent cosmetic surgery on her chin in 1950, citing the same notes made by Gurdin, Leaf’s medical partner.

Leaf also states in his memoir that Monroe underwent a slight rhinoplasty procedure on the tip of her nose.

A radiologist’s notes included in the lot determined that there was no damage to Monroe’s nose from the fall, but a recent evaluation of the X-rays found a minute fracture, the auction house said.

Doctors used the name “Joan Newman” as Monroe’s alias on the X-rays which list her height as 5 feet, 6 inches and her weight as 115 lb (52 kg).

Gurdin’s notes were first drawn up in 1958 when the actress complained about a “chin deformity” and the note listed her married name, Marilyn Miller. She was married to playwright Arthur Miller from 1956 to 1961.

The notes also indicate that Monroe suffered from neutropenia, a low level of a white blood cell type, in 1956 while in England and had an ectopic pregnancy in 1957.

source: interaksyon.com

Japanese researchers reach breakthrough in breast cancer regenerative medicine

TOKYO -- Japanese researchers have achieved a major breakthrough in regenerative medicine for breast cancer patients, Japanese news agency Jiji Press reported.

The researchers succeeded in having breast cancer patients recover what was lost after breast-conserving surgery, an operation to remove breast cancer and not breast itself by transplanting fat mixed with their own stem cells.

The achievement was made by a team of researchers led by Bin Nakayama, associate professor at Tottori University during clinical testing conducted between September and January on five women aged between 30 and 60 who underwent breast-conserving surgery.

Durng the tests, fat taken out of the patients' abdomen or hips and mixed with their stem cells was transplanted into where tumours and surrounding tissues were removed.

The researchers said that if only fat is transplanted, most of it is absorbed into the body and about 30 per cent of it remains as it does not have blood vessels.

Between 70 to 90 per cent of transplanted fat remained after blood vessels were newly formed in the fat.

Stem cells are apparently capable of helping bring blood vessels into fat from surrounding tissues, the researchers added.

According to the Japanese Breast Cancer Society, some 60,000 Japanese develop breast cancer a year with 60 per cent undergoing breast-conserving surgery.

source: interaksyon.com

Lady Gaga cancels tour, to have hip surgery

WASHINGTON – Lady Gaga has canceled the rest of her “Born This Way Ball” tour due to a hip problem that requires surgery, Live Nation Global Touring said Wednesday.

In a statement, the tour operator said the superstar singer has a labral tear of the right hip.

“She will need surgery to repair the problem, followed by strict down time to recover,” said the statement. “This unfortunately, will force her to cancel the tour so she can heal.”


In a series of tweets Tuesday, Lady Gaga said she had been hiding a show injury and chronic pain for some time and that it had worsened over the past month.

“I hid it from my staff, I didn’t want to disappoint my amazing fans,” she tweeted.

The latest tweet had described her condition as a case of synovitis, an inflammation of the joints.

Live Nation said refunds for the cancelled performances will be available starting Thursday.

source: interaksyon.com

Zsa Zsa Padilla’s Surgery Successful

MANILA, Philippines – Zsa Zsa Padilla's prayers were answered with the success of the surgery she underwent in the US on Aug. 28 (local time) that removed her kidney cyst.

This was announced by Zsa Zsa’s daughter, Zia Quizon, via Twitter on Tuesday afternoon.

“As far as the doctors could tell it (cancer) has not spread anywhere else. Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. <3,” she added.

Several minutes later, Zia posted a photo of her with the Divine Diva, which bore the caption: “Much love, guys! Thankful to be loved, to be blessed, and for every second. :)”

The veteran singer-actress underwent laparoscopic surgery (a minimally invasive procedure) at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, California. Zia, along with her half-sister Karylle, are also in the US to support their mother.

Zsa Zsa’s other daughter, Nicole Quizon, related the turnout of Zsa Zsa’s surgery during the healing mass tendered for the 48-year-old diva on Tuesday afternoon at the Dolphy Theater of ABS-CBN in Quezon City. Others who attended the mass included Dolphy’s children Eric Quizon, Epi Quizon, and Vandolph.

Zsa Zsa was diagnosed with Stage 1 kidney cancer just several weeks past the death of her life partner, Comedy King Dolphy. In her series of examinations at the Cedars-Sinai hospital, Zsa Zsa learned that she had a malignant tumor almost the size of golf ball—three centimeters.

In her recent interview with the ABS-CBN North America News Bureau, Zsa Zsa said that she will stay in the hospital for two days. After a week, she can fly back to the Philippines then resume work after a month.

Notwithstanding this latest battle, Zsa Zsa continues to embody venerable strength.

“I always need to be very strong and the only time I really cry is when I tell people closest to me [about my condition] and they break down. That’s when I feel weak. Kung iisipin mo kasi parang, ‘O, namatayan ka ng asawa, may cancer ka ngayon.’ Pero naisip ko, it could happen to anyone. So I’m just very lucky and very grateful na naagapan. Stage 1 nalaman na na cancer para matanggal,” she related.

She is likewise buoyed by optimism, inspired by the ups and downs she had triumphantly weathered with Dolphy.

“Si Zia naga-assess. Sabi niya, ‘Mama, I think it’s because we’re still in a phase wherein we can take it.’ So I can’t… not see the brighter side to things. That’s how Dolphy and I would survive our relationship.

“We have been through the best and the worst of times, so lahat ng pinagdaanan namin, lalong-lalo na nu’ng umpisang-umpisa pa lang ng relasyon namin, sobra na ‘yung test. Na parang ‘yung mga susunod pang trials namin totoo namang nakayanan namin lahat...,” said Zsa Zsa.

article source: mb.com.ph

Robin Roberts Friday Is My Last Day at 'GMA'

Robin Roberts will begin her medical leave from "Good Morning America" on Friday ... so she can undergo bone-marrow transplant surgery.

Earlier this year, Roberts announced she was was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) ... a disease that attacks the blood and bone marrow.

Roberts says her sister is the bone marrow donor ... explaining, "[she] is a perfect match and she’s been spending a lot of time with me. She’s been taking shots to help her prepare."

Roberts says the procedure is scheduled for Tuesday ... and says she plans to return to work following her recovery.

"I know I’m going to have a job when I come back."


As TMZ previously reported, "GMA" is planning to use a roster of star-studded subs to fill in for Roberts during her absence.

source: tmz.com

Tributes pour in for 'man on the moon' Armstrong

WASHINGTON -- Tributes poured in Sunday following the death of Neil Armstrong, the humble US astronaut whose "small step" on the moon captivated the world and came to embody the wonder of space exploration.

Armstrong, who died Saturday at the age of 82 from complications following heart surgery earlier this month, inspired generations to reach for the stars and etched his name next to one of the great milestones of human discovery.

The grainy black-and-white broadcast of Armstrong's moon walk on July 20, 1969 was seen by some 500 million people, his words capturing the promise of the still-young space age and briefly uniting a planet split by the Cold War.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," the earthbound heard Armstrong say, though he later claimed that an "a" before the word "man" had been lost in transmission.

US President Barack Obama, who was just two weeks short of his eighth birthday when the historic mission succeeded, said Armstrong had "delivered a moment of human achievement that will never be forgotten."

Armstrong's family praised him as a "reluctant American hero," saying they hoped his legacy would encourage young people "to be willing to explore and push the limits and to selflessly serve a cause greater than themselves."

The lunar pioneer was decorated by 17 countries and received a slew of US honors, but was never comfortable with his worldwide fame and shied away from the limelight.

In a rare television interview in 2005, Armstrong said he did not deserve the attention he received for being the first man on the moon, just steps ahead of fellow Apollo 11 astronaut Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin.

"I wasn't chosen to be first. I was just chosen to command that flight. Circumstance put me in that particular role," he said.

Armstrong even stopped signing memorabilia after learning his autographs were being sold at exorbitant prices.

John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth, recalled Armstrong's legendary humility, telling CNN that the astronaut "didn't feel that he should be out huckstering himself."

Aldrin said he had hoped that he, Armstrong and Michael Collins, the third astronaut on the mission, would have met up in 2019 for celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11.

"Whenever I look at the moon, it reminds me of the moment over four decades ago when I realized that even though we were farther away from Earth than two humans had ever been, we were not alone," Aldrin said.

On Sunday, more praise poured in from world leaders and fellow astronauts, with French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault saying that Armstrong's "small step" had "realized the dream of generations of inventors, scientists, artists, poets or simply amateurs, of the beauties of space."

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said he "vividly" remembered the night Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the "Sea of Tranquility," saying Armstrong had "left an eternal footprint on our memories."

Richard Branson, the British tycoon who is launching a space tourism program, hailed Armstrong as "an extraordinary individual."

Born in Wapakoneta, Ohio on August 5, 1930, Armstrong had an early fascination with aircraft and worked at a nearby airport when he was a teenager. He received his pilot's license on his 16th birthday.

A US Navy aviator, he flew 78 missions in the Korean War.

Armstrong joined NASA's predecessor agency, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, in 1955.

As a research pilot at NASA's Flight Research Center in Edwards, California, he flew on many pioneering high-speed aircraft, eventually flying over 200 different models, including helicopters, gliders, jets and rockets.

He reached astronaut status in 1962, and was assigned as command pilot for the Gemini 8 mission, during which he performed the first successful docking of two vehicles in space.

After retiring from NASA in 1971, Armstrong taught aerospace engineering at the University of Cincinnati for nearly a decade and served on the boards of several companies, including Lear Jet, United Airlines and Marathon Oil.

In announcing his death, Armstrong's family said they had a simple request to people in memory of Armstrong's life.

"Honor his example of service, accomplishment and modesty, and the next time you walk outside on a clear night and see the moon smiling down at you, think of Neil Armstrong and give him a wink," it said.

source: interaksyon.com

Trend in genital cosmetic surgery alarms US gynecologists

LOS ANGELES -- Trained as a gynecologist and reconstructive surgeon, Dr. John Miklos calls himself a "medical tailor," specializing in surgery to reshape a woman's private parts.

The Atlanta surgeon, who has performed gynecological surgery for nearly 20 years, cites cases of patients who say their sexual response improved after vaginoplasty, a procedure to surgically tighten a vagina stretched by childbirth or aging.

"Women come to me and say they don't have the urge to have sex anymore because they don't feel anything," Miklos said. "I guarantee that if a man didn't feel anything, he wouldn't have sex either."

Female genital cosmetic surgery is a small segment of the US plastic surgery market, but it is growing, with thousands of women estimated to undergo such procedures every year. That growth comes despite a warning from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists in a 2007 notice to member physicians that strongly questioned the medical validity and safety of female genital cosmetic surgery. Earlier this year the group debated the trend at its annual meeting in San Diego.

"None of these procedures have proven effectiveness, and there is potential for harm," Dr. Cheryl Iglesia, a Washington, D.C., gynecologist and former ACOG committee member, wrote in an editorial published in the June issue of Obstetrics and Gynecology. "Women are being misled or are confused about what is normal," she wrote -- and about what constitutes a condition that can actually be helped through treatment.

Critics say the trend is the latest service aimed at women pursuing an impossible ideal of physical perfection, hyped by Internet pornography and advertising by surgeons who may not explain all the risks, such as infections, scarring, pain and the loss of the very sensations some patients seek to enhance.

"Even when women are told of potential complications, like insensitivity of the clitoris ... they still may be unstoppable if they have the notion that they need a younger-looking or more perfect or more desirable vulva," said Harriet Lerner, a psychologist specializing in women's issues.

More than 2,140 U.S. women underwent "vaginal rejuvenation" last year, according to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery. The International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons put the U.S. total at nearly 5,200 in 2010. Experts note such figures do not include the many procedures done by gynecologists.

ACOG not only points to the risks of genital surgery but also emphasizes that female sexual response is driven by psychological factors rather than genital appearance. The group has asked its members to be aware of how they might unwittingly influence a patient to consider surgery.

In practices across the country, doctors say more women, from teenagers to those in their late 70s, want to discuss the procedures, which can cost between $2,500 and $12,000 and are usually not covered by insurance.

"I tell every patient you are normal the way you are," said Miklos, who each year performs as many as 180 labiaplasties to cut back the skin flaps surrounding the vaginal opening. "I would never suggest that they get one. What is the right size of a nose, or a chin? That's up to the individual. It's her right to decide."

From repair to aesthetics

Corrective gynecological surgery has been available for decades, including procedures to alleviate incontinence or sagging of the vaginal canal after childbirth. In the 1990s surgeons began offering procedures that promised the improved aesthetics, self-esteem and confidence associated with nose jobs or other plastic surgeries.

"One side was longer than the other side. ... It was something that bothered me," said Kari, a 36-year-old labiaplasty patient of Beverly Hills, California, plastic surgeon Fardad Forouzanpour. (She did not want to give her last name.) "It makes me more comfortable. I like the way that it looks."

She said her boyfriend was not involved in her decision, but she did "look at a few Playboys here and there."

One patient, who did not want to use her name, said she had surgery because she hated the look of her labia, even though her husband had no problem with her appearance.

Other procedures include creating a new hymen for "revirgination" and "G-spot amplification," which involves injecting the area in the front wall of the vagina with collagen or another filler to enhance sexual gratification. In some cases, patients may not leave satisfied. One way Miklos seeks clients is by running a website called botchedlabia.com, where women who have already experienced complications can get advice on revisions.

Undue influence

Surgeons say many patients have been influenced by images of the waxed, buffed or surgically altered genitals of porn actresses.

"They see these porn stars who have things done, and they look so nice and clean-cut," said Forouzanpour, who does 15 to 25 labiaplasties a month. "It is normal to have some extra skin, or some discoloration."

While studies have shown some social advantages to plastic surgery that improves a person's overall appearance in public, like a nose job or face-lift, there is no data showing the benefits of altering one's genitals.

"The ethical question is: How much are you playing on women's insecurities?" Dr. Iglesia said. "Women are getting very much duped into thinking there is a standard look for the vulva."

By all measures, Miklos has thrived on his expertise. Along with partner Dr. Robert Moore, he now has practices in Atlanta, Georgia and Beverly Hills. He says he tries to stay away from procedures with more dubious outcomes.

For example, surgery claiming to enhance the "G-spot," which may play a role in sexual arousal, raises red flags as no controlled studies have been done, or are likely to be done, to show whether it has any effect.

"I don't routinely do them. People ask for them, but I don't want someone to pay $1,000 and have high hopes," Miklos said. "People get upset when there is no response."

source: interaksyon.com

Phillip Phillips FINALLY Has Surgery For Massive Kidney Stones

Phillip Phillips finally went under the knife to remove the enormous kidney stones that almost derailed his run to the "American Idol" title ... TMZ has learned.

We're told Phillip had the 6 and a half hour long surgery in L.A. yesterday -- and he is recovering well today. The stones that were removed were so huge there was no chance he could've passed them on his own.



As TMZ first reported, Phil was scheduled to have the surgery last week ... but it was delayed because he had a fever and sinus infection.

Phillip suffered through excruciating pain during the entire season of 'Idol.' It obviously paid off.

Oh what a relief.

source: TMZ

Jessica Sanchez’s American Idol rival, Phillip, turns down surgery for now

The last man standing in Season 11 of American Idol, Phillip Phillips, has refused “desperately needed” surgery in order to compete in the sing-off with Jessica Sanchez, the last woman standing.

The two contestants made it to the AI finals – Jessica despite a sore throat, and Phillip despite kidney stone problems.

Entertainment news site TMZ reported that the 21-year-old’s kidney problems had gotten worse over months.

The 21-year-old singer intends to go under the knife after next week's finals. The report added that his ability to sing has been “affected”, resulting in his absence in several pre-recorded segments of the popular television singing contest.

Phillips has had five kidney stone removal procedures, according to his father in a report by idolator.com, which said the procedures were done since October last year.

Idolator also reported that Phillips was hospitalized in January this year, and was rushed to the hospital for severe abdominal pain in March. — Marlon Anthony Tonson, GMA News

source: gmanetwork.com

Best face forward: Chin implants surge in popularity

BOSTON - Over the last year Dr. Darrick Antell has performed up to three or four chin implants a day, reflecting a national trend that has seen chin augmentations emerge as the fastest growing plastic surgery trend of 2011.

After about a 45-minute outpatient procedure and a bill ranging from $3,500 to $7,500, New York-based Antell's patients emerge with what he said is a confidence boost: an athletic, youthful look from a more prominent chin.

"People want that leading lady, leading man look," said Antell, who is also an assistant clinical professor of surgery at Columbia University.

"If you look at people in the limelight, they all have strong chins and it's a part of the profile that has long been overlooked," he said.

Chin implants surged by 71 percent in 2011 as more than 20,600 adults went under the knife to sharpen their jaw lines, up from roughly 12,000 the year before, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Strong chins are associated with leadership, confidence and honesty, Antell said, not to mention some powerful men and women.

"Romney's got a great chin," Antell said of the presidential hopeful. "Obama has a pretty good chin. Bill Clinton has a very good chin."

Popular among men and women

Chin implants surgery increased more than breast augmentation, Botox and liposuction combined last year with both men and women opting for the procedure in nearly equal numbers, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.

Chin augmentation, or actually making the chin protrude more, increased among all patients over the age of 20, with the most significant increases in patients 40 and older, according to the society.

Facial aging tends to appear first on the chin and jaw line and surgery provides a quick change, experts said. They also point to video chat and online photo technology as driving forces behind the escalating numbers.

Posting pictures on Facebook, online dating sites and the increasingly prevalent use of video chat technology like Skype and FaceTime make it harder to hide a person's least favorite feature or perceived flaws, said Dr. Malcolm Roth, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the head of plastic surgery at Albany Medical Center in New York.

"We tend to not look at what we don't like," said Roth. "I think there is a heightened awareness to how we look to the outside world."

The surgery is even appealing to people out of work, according to Roth, who said the cost hasn't deterred some who say it gives them more confidence at job interviews.

Chin augmentation can be done by putting a semi-solid implant on top of the chin, by moving bone to reconstruct the chin or simply by using a needle and syringe for an injection to enhance the chin, Roth said.

The procedure leaves minimal scarring from a very small incision and is sometimes coupled with micro-liposuction to trim a so-called double chin, enhancing the neck and jaw line even further.

Recuperation is easy and patients can typically be back to normal routines in a matter of days, Roth said.

Despite the chin implant boom, breast augmentation still reigns as the most popular cosmetic procedure. The surgery costs about $10,000 more than 307,000 procedures were performed in 2011, statistics showed.

Antell said he expects the chin implants trend to continue, largely because of the quick recovery and low complication rate. He added that other similar, smaller scale procedures at a younger age are also likely to climb.

"This is an operation that whispers, it doesn't shout," said Antell. "Most people are not looking for huge changes, they are just hoping to look a little better, the best they can." –Reuters

source: gmanetwork.com