Neurosciences - May 2015 Archives

Embargoed Releases. See specific embargo information for each study. MEDIA CONTACT: Joe Dangor, Mayo Clinic Public Affairs, 507-284-5005, newsbureau@mayo.edu ROCHESTER, Minn. — Mayo Clinic urologists will present research findings on several topics at the American Urological Association Annual Meeting May 15–19 in New Orleans. Researchers will be available to discuss their research with reporters who are covering the conference. Mayo Clinic studies to be presented include: Holmium Laser Excision of Genitourinary Mesh Exposure Following Anti-Incontinence Surgery: Minimum Six-Month Follow-up. Embargoed until Sunday, May 17, 2015 1:00 p.m. CT The polypropylene mesh implants used in some incontinence surgeries for women can erode tissue and sometimes intrude into the bladder or urethra, often causing pain, bleeding and infection. Conventional treatment requires major open surgery. Mayo Clinic researchers have discovered they can trim mesh with an endoscopic laser and remove it without having to make incisions. “Removal of mesh with old-fashioned surgery is a big surgery,” says lead author Daniel Elliott, M.D., a Mayo Clinic urologist. “We were trying to see if there is a way to get this done easier. With certain types of mesh exposures this is very effective and others it’s not. But it presents itself as a potential option for some of these people to avoid a major surgery.”

THIS WEEK'S TOP STORIES Exercise: 7 benefits of regular physical activity Working out can improve your mood, boost your energy and help you sleep better. How many more reasons do you need to get moving? Women's health: Prevent the top threats Taking steps to avoid the leading threats to women's health is easier than you think. See what you can do today to help stave off heart disease, stroke and cancer. EXPERT ANSWERS Protein shakes: Good for weight loss? Despite what manufacturers claim, protein shakes aren't a magic bullet for weight loss. Here's why. Too much vitamin C: Is it harmful? Vitamin C is an essential nutrient, but consuming megadoses could be risky. Click here to get a free e-subscription to the Housecall newsletter.

It's National Stroke Awareness Month and one of the biggest misconceptions about stroke is that it only happens to the elderly. While age is one of the risk factors and your chance for a stroke increases with age, anyone can have a stroke. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Every 40 seconds, someone in the United States has a stroke. A stroke, sometimes called a brain attack, occurs when a blockage stops the flow of blood to the brain or when a blood vessel in or around the brain bursts. Although many people think of stroke as a condition that affects only older adults, strokes can and do occur in people of all ages. In fact, nearly a quarter of all strokes occur in people younger than age 65. Each year, almost 800,000 strokes occur in the United States. Know the signs and symptoms: Sudden weakness or numbness on one or both sides of the body Sudden loss of vision Sudden inability to speak or understand Sudden drooping of the face, arms, trouble walking “The worst headache of my life” David Miller, M.D., medical director of Mayo Clinic’s Comprehensive Stroke Center, says, "Thanks to advances in technology and medicine, we now have new treatments and therapies to treat stroke and reduce one’s risk of permanent damage – or death."