Rheumatologists Worldwide Pulling Together in Face of Coronavirus Pandemic

Rheumatologists have a critical role to play in optimizing the response to COVID-19 and outcomes for our patients with rheumatic diseases. In just the past few weeks, rheumatologists at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and around the world have joined forces for this purpose.

“I’ve been very impressed by how quickly the rheumatology community has come together,” said rheumatologist Susan Y. Ritter, MD, PhD, associate medical director of the Brigham’s Arthritis Center. “I’ve seen multiple people communicating via email, Twitter and Facebook to get the word out to rheumatologists and make sure we have as much data as possible.” Read More

ACR President Ellen Gravallese, MD, on the Organization’s Response to COVID-19

Last fall, Ellen M. Gravallese, MD, was named chief of the Division of Rheumatology, Inflammation and Immunity at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and president of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). In these roles, she is overseeing the response of the division and the ACR to the alarming spread of the novel coronavirus.

“The ACR has taken a very proactive stance to try to address COVID-19,” Dr. Gravallese said. “We understand how difficult this pandemic has been for rheumatologists in caring and making the best decisions for their patients while at the same time limiting community exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus as much as possible. We hope the work we are doing at the ACR will provide immediate assistance to physicians in these efforts.” Read More

COVID-19 Test Results in 24 Hours

Team clinicians and researchers in Clinical Molecular Pathology and Microbiology

Brigham and Women’s Hospital successfully validated a COVID-19 test for admitted patients, offering results within 24 hours. A team of experts from the Department of Pathology have been racing against the clock in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

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ED Diabetes Rapid-Referral Program Leads to Improved Mortality and Other Benefits

Picture a woman with acute diabetes arriving at the emergency department at 2 a.m. Her blood glucose level is extremely high and she is experiencing chest pain. Upon ruling out a heart attack and seeing no sign of hyperglycemic crisis, the ED physician concludes the patient does not require acute care. He then pages the doctor on call to request that outpatient care be arranged.

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Making the Case Against Using Intranasal Steroids and Antihistamines for Otitis Media With Effusion

 

illustration of eustachian tubeShould allergy medications such as intranasal steroids and oral antihistamines be used to treat isolated otitis media with effusion (OME)? The answer is a resounding no, according to a review of previously collected data published in October’s Current Allergy and Asthma Reports. Rachel E. Roditi, MD, of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is lead author of the paper.

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Scott A. Shikora, MD, Elected President of IFSO

Scott Alan Shikora, MD, FACS, FASMBS

Scott Alan Shikora, MD, FACS, FASMBS, director of the Center for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, was recently named president-elect of the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO). Dr. Shikora’s official appointment will begin in July at the 25th IFSO World Congress in Miami. He is the first Brigham physician to serve as President of IFSO.

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Improving Diagnosis and Treatment of Appendiceal Cancers

close up of cells

Appendiceal cancers are rare, with an estimated 1,500 people diagnosed per year in the United States. The rarity of these cancers and their diverse manifestations can make accurate diagnosis challenging.

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Strong Progress Made in Kidney Replacement Therapy Program

Three panel image of stereolithographic 3D bioprinting of a dog kidney
Stereolithographic 3D bioprinting (left two panels) of a dog kidney nephron (right panel).

The once-long road to developing a viable alternative to kidney dialysis has become a little shorter thanks to strides made by a unique public-private partnership.

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New Skull Base Surgery Technology Designed to Eliminate Postsurgical Complications

Illustration of organs

A duo at Brigham and Women’s Hospital has developed a new intraoperative, image-based guidance system to help surgeons more accurately visualize anatomical structures. The technology uses augmented reality to precisely register operative endoscopy views with preoperative CT or MRI images, allowing for real-time adjustment and fine-tuning based on the operator’s changing visual field.

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