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Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Doctor Admits Giving Patients the Wrong Radiation Doses
A Philadelphia doctor, who has been accused of botching dozens of prostate cancer surgeries at a Veterans Administration hospital, admitted Monday that he sometimes missed his target when implanting radioactive seeds, leaving patients with incorrect dosages.
Dr. Gary Kao said these mistakes are commonplace when you are aiming seeds at the walnut-sized prostate, which sits near the bladder and rectum. In a statement made by Kao, he stated, “I did not believe our procedures were botched. I’ve always acted in the best interest of the patient. I refuse to become a scapegoat for the scandal at the VA Medical Center.” After being questioned by Senator Arlen Specter, Kao acknowledged that he never informed patients when he missed the prostate or delivered insufficient doses. However, he maintains that the mistakes did not necessarily amount to substandard care.
The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has found that 92 of 115 men treated in the brachytherapy program at the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia received incorrect doses of the radiation seeds, often because they landed in nearby organs or tissue surrounding the prostate. Kao performed the majority of these procedures while under a contract with the University of Pennsylvania.
The brachytherapy program at the VA Medical Center has been suspended. A review of 12 other VA hospitals where the procedure is performed showed a handful of problems, but none on the same magnitude as the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia.
Kao has stopped performing the surgeries and last week took a leave from the University of Pennsylvania.
For more information see: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/health/30veterans.htm?partner+rss&emc=rss
Dr. Gary Kao said these mistakes are commonplace when you are aiming seeds at the walnut-sized prostate, which sits near the bladder and rectum. In a statement made by Kao, he stated, “I did not believe our procedures were botched. I’ve always acted in the best interest of the patient. I refuse to become a scapegoat for the scandal at the VA Medical Center.” After being questioned by Senator Arlen Specter, Kao acknowledged that he never informed patients when he missed the prostate or delivered insufficient doses. However, he maintains that the mistakes did not necessarily amount to substandard care.The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has found that 92 of 115 men treated in the brachytherapy program at the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia received incorrect doses of the radiation seeds, often because they landed in nearby organs or tissue surrounding the prostate. Kao performed the majority of these procedures while under a contract with the University of Pennsylvania.
The brachytherapy program at the VA Medical Center has been suspended. A review of 12 other VA hospitals where the procedure is performed showed a handful of problems, but none on the same magnitude as the VA Medical Center in Philadelphia.
Kao has stopped performing the surgeries and last week took a leave from the University of Pennsylvania.
For more information see: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/30/health/30veterans.htm?partner+rss&emc=rss
Labels: doctors, prostate, radiation, University of Pennsylvania, VA Medical Center
posted by
Chavon Williams
at
12:26 PM
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Flomax May Cause Eye Damage if Used within Two Weeks of Cataract Surgery
According to a study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), Flomax, a drug used to treat prostate enlargement, may cause serious eye damage if it is used within two weeks before cataract surgery.
The study showed that men who used Flomax within the two weeks prior to their cataract surgery were 2.3 times more likely to suffer an eye injury than those not using Flomax. These men suffered injuries such as detached retinas or lost lenses, which require subsequent surgeries.
The possible reason for this association is that Flomax, which works by relaxing the muscles along the urinary tract, has a similar effect on the muscles around the iris of the eye.
A 2005 study found similar results. Following that study, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, the Ridgefield, Connecticut-based maker of Flomax, issued a letter to healthcare providers warning them of the association between Flomax and eye injuries. No such letter has been issued with regard to this study. The 2005 letter is available here: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2005/Flomax_dearhcp_nov22_PI.pdf
The study showed that men who used Flomax within the two weeks prior to their cataract surgery were 2.3 times more likely to suffer an eye injury than those not using Flomax. These men suffered injuries such as detached retinas or lost lenses, which require subsequent surgeries.
The possible reason for this association is that Flomax, which works by relaxing the muscles along the urinary tract, has a similar effect on the muscles around the iris of the eye.
A 2005 study found similar results. Following that study, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, the Ridgefield, Connecticut-based maker of Flomax, issued a letter to healthcare providers warning them of the association between Flomax and eye injuries. No such letter has been issued with regard to this study. The 2005 letter is available here: http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/safety/2005/Flomax_dearhcp_nov22_PI.pdf
Labels: Boehringer, cataract, detached retina, eye, Flomax, floppy iris, iris, prostate, retina
posted by
Beth Wilkins
at
10:47 AM