Latest news with #MassGeneral
Medscape
3 days ago
- Health
- Medscape
Medscape 2050: Renee Salas
Medscape 2050: The Future of Medicine 'Indirect impacts of climate change on healthcare delivery are broad and insidious,' says Renee Salas. MD, an emergency room physician at Mass General whose work has focused on the climate crisis. 'They can range from supply chain disruptions to power outages to more patients displaced from their home healthcare system.' As the lead author of the Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change U.S. Brief since 2018, founder of its Working Group, and co-director for the Climate Crisis and Clinical Practice Initiative in partnership with The New England Journal of Medicine, Salas has a breadth of knowledge on how climate change is impacting healthcare worldwide. But she has also seen the damage in her own practice. When Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern US, it caused IV saline shortages, forcing Salas to hand out Gatorade to patients in need of fluids. By 2050, the global temperature is forecasted to be 2 °C above preindustrial levels. 'Extreme heat events that would only occur twice a century without climate change are predicted to be nearly 14 times more likely to occur with increased intensity,' Salas warns. The 2021 Pacific Northwest heat wave in British Columbia caused over 900 excess deaths as emergency rooms were not used to accommodating the heat. The hotter world will also bring more wildfires, droughts, destructive hurricanes, and floods. 'Right now,' says Salas, 'healthcare is reactive and unprepared.' Health outcomes will be increasingly impacted by what happens outside the doors of a hospital or a clinic room. And Salas urges healthcare systems to embrace preventative models, including more flexible and nimbler care delivery. We need 'individual heat wave plans, income-based energy assistance, protective cooling, home weatherization, and even home biosensors for patients who are at high risk.' Facing this issue can be a unifier, Salas believes. 'Healthcare can be that bridge that works across silos for an integrated health centered response, embedding cross sector collaboration with entities like the energy sector or urban planning to create a healthcare system in 2050 that is ready for what climate change brings.'
CBS News
28-06-2025
- Health
- CBS News
19-year-old suffers broken neck after diving into wave at Hampton Beach
A young man was seriously injured after an accident while swimming at Hampton Beach in New Hampshire. Aiden Sloan, 19, is hospitalized in Boston after breaking his neck on a sand bar. The recovery has been devastating for Aiden and his mother, who says this could have happened to anyone. "This morning, I came in and I woke him up with a forehead rub like I usually do. He said 'good morning, Mom. What do you got in that bag?' I said, 'it's a chocolate chip muffin.' He said, 'I'd like a bite of that,'" said Melina Burton smiling, of her son in his hospital bed at Mass General. That simple request meant the world to Burton, who for days, has been desperate to do anything for her son Aiden: feed him, help him, make him smile. Aiden Sloan suffered a broken neck after diving into a wave at Hampton Beach. CBS Boston "He has fractures in his neck, his spine is bruised. He had a concussion. They've got his neck stabilized. Not being able to move his legs and his hands. It's getting to him," the mother explained. Everything changed on Monday, when the 19-year-old jumped in to cool off at Hampton Beach. "He went to the beach with his cousins. They were up to their mid-thigh. He went to dive through a wave and there was a sandbar on the other side of it. He hit it head on," she said. Overwhelmed by generosity After being flown to surgery at MGH in Boston, this mother and son family is bracing for the journey ahead at Spaulding Rehab. Burton said her passionate cook is overwhelmed by generosity from his restaurant friends and New Hampshire neighbors. "We set the goal for $8,000. Never in a million years did I think we'd be at $30,000 which is absolutely amazing and so overwhelming. I tell Aiden and he's like 'shoot I didn't know that many people liked me!'" That part, she understands. Nobody likes Aiden - loves Aiden - more than her. "Being his mom has been my greatest accomplishment," she said. "He is my everything. And I just need him to be OK."
Time of India
21-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Kidney transplant turns dangerous after parasite found in donor organ
A routine kidney transplant meant to save a man's life nearly cost him everything—because of a parasite no one saw coming. Two months after undergoing what should have been a life-improving surgery, a 61-year-old man was rushed back to the hospital in distress. He wasn't just feeling unwell—he was vomiting, severely fatigued, constantly thirsty, and urinating excessively. As his symptoms escalated, his oxygen levels dropped and fluid began to accumulate in his lungs. Despite being placed on a feeding tube, his condition worsened. Doctors transferred him to intensive care and began a frantic search for answers. According to a detailed case report in the New England Journal of Medicine, physicians at Massachusetts General Hospital suspected an infection but were faced with a daunting challenge: the man was on powerful immunosuppressive drugs following his transplant, which meant nearly any infectious agent could be the cause. What did they find? Dr. Camille Kotton, Clinical Director of the Transplant and Immunocompromised Host Infectious Diseases division at Mass General, was part of the team trying to find the cause. As reported by Ars Technica, she began by ruling out likely viral infections, since the patient was already on preventative medications. But when she noticed two unusual signs—a significant rise in eosinophils (a type of white blood cell linked to parasitic infections) and a reddish-purple rash on the patient's abdomen—her attention turned toward a lesser-considered threat: a parasitic roundworm called Strongyloides. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo This worm typically infects the gastrointestinal tract and can become deadly when undiagnosed in immunocompromised individuals. To follow her hunch, Dr. Kotton contacted the organ-procurement organization and learned that the donor had lived in the Caribbean, a region where Strongyloides is endemic. The donor's blood hadn't been tested for the parasite prior to organ recovery, but stored samples later revealed antibodies against it. Meanwhile, the transplant recipient's pre-transplant blood was negative—confirming that the infection had come from the donor. What was the path to recovery? T ests soon uncovered worm larvae in the patient's lungs and stool. The treatment required ivermectin, a deworming medication approved by the FDA only for oral use in humans. With special approval, doctors administered the drug subcutaneously. Slowly, the patient began to recover. Then came another shock: the recipient of the donor's other kidney had also fallen critically ill. When doctors exchanged notes, they found the same parasite at work. Fortunately, both patients survived. In response to the case, the United Network for Organ Sharing has since revised its transplant screening guidelines, now recommending universal Strongyloides testing for donors from high-risk regions. The case serves as a stark reminder that even life-saving procedures can carry hidden dangers—and that vigilance doesn't end with the operating room. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Daily Mail
17-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Eric Dane issues major ALS battle update as he promises fans 'I'm fighting as much as I can'
Eric Dane has given a huge update on his battle with incurable degenerative neurological disorder, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). 'I'm fighting as much as I can,' the 52-year-old Grey's Anatomy alum told Good Morning America 's Diane Sawyer on Tuesday. 'There's so much about it that's out of my control.' Eric is currently taking medication to slow the symptoms and he's also participating in a research study. 'I will fly to Germany and eat the head off a rattlesnake if [doctors] told me that that would help,' Dane stressed. 'I'll assume the risk.' The SAG Award winner was joined by his neurologist Dr. Merit Cudkowicz, who admitted: 'It's a hard diagnosis to hear, but I want [patients] to hear that there's hope. I never want anyone to hear that there's nothing to do because there's a lot to do.' 'That's what I got from Merit when I met her. There was a sense of hope I didn't get from other doctors that I met with,' Eric noted, adding prior doctors were just 'there to monitor my decline and that's not very helpful.' There are currently 5K people diagnosed with ALS annually, according to the CDC. 'But those numbers are going up moderately fast,' the Chief of Neurology at Mass General warned. 'It's really predicted by, like, 2040 [that] the numbers of people with ALS in the world will be increased by about 40%.' Dr. Cudkowicz listed off some of the ALS risk factors including plastics, bacteria in lakes, head trauma in sports, pesticides, military service, and 'there's many more we don't know about.' 'There's people all over the world working on this,' the Harvard Medical School professor encouraged. 'Between artificial intelligence and other imaging technology - to really be able to to subtype people - that's what gets me excited. That's all coming in the next, I think, one to two years, if not faster.' Back in 2014, the viral ice-bucket challenge raised $200M for ALS research 'in the US alone and it was spent quickly.' 'I'm very hopeful, yeah, I don't think this is the end of my story. I'm pretty resilient,' Eric beamed. 'I just don't feel, like in my heart, [that] this is the end of me.' Dane first experienced weakness in his right hand one year ago, but he 'thought maybe I'd been texting too much or my hand was fatigued' until a hand specialist eventually referred him to a neurologist. 'I will fly to Germany and eat the head off a rattlesnake if [doctors] told me that that would help,' Dane stressed. 'I'll assume the risk' 'That's what I got from Merit when I met her. There was a sense of hope I didn't get from other doctors that I met with,' Eric noted, adding prior doctors were just 'there to monitor my decline and that's not very helpful' There are currently 5K people diagnosed with ALS annually, 'but those numbers are going up moderately fast,' the Chief of Neurology at Mass General warned 'I have one functioning arm. My left side is functioning. My right side, [which is my dominant side], has completely stopped working,' the San Francisco-born silver fox revealed Monday. '[My left arm] is going. I feel like maybe a couple, a few more months and I won't have my left hand either. Sobering. I'm worried about my legs.' Luckily, Eric has the love and support of his wife Rebecca Gayheart, who dismissed her divorce petition in March following seven years of estrangement, as well as their 15-year-old daughter Billie and 13-year-old daughter Georgia. 'I talk to her every day,' Dane emotionally said of the 53-year-old Jawbreaker alum. 'We have managed to become better friends and better parents. And she is probably my biggest champion and my most stalwart supporter. And I lean on her.' On average, ALS patients live two to five years following their first symptoms, but FDA-approved medications and physical/speech therapies might slow down the progression of the disorder. Audiences can next catch the Bad Boys: Ride or Die action star as Special Agent Nathan Blythe in Derek Haas' new 13-episode crime drama Countdown, which premieres June 25 on Amazon Prime Video. On April 14, Eric began reprising his role as the closeted real estate agent Cal Jacobs in the third season of HBO hit show Euphoria produced by and starring Zendaya as Ruby 'Rue' Bennett. Sam Levinson's drug-fueled drama will welcome newcomers Sharon Stone, Rosalía, Marshawn Lynch, and Kadeem Hardison in season three. But Dane got his big break portraying plastic surgeon Mark 'McSteamy' Sloan from 2006–2012 on the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy.
CBS News
31-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Massachusetts high school baseball player celebrates end of radiation treatment with teammates
The baseball field at North Reading High School has been getting a lot of use this season. They've made it to the playoffs after all. But their inspiration to play better and practice harder has come from a teammate who was not on the field this year. Brady Cullen is a 16-year-old sophomore at NRHS who would normally be finishing a spring season in his position on third base. Last August, he and his family got a devastating diagnosis of a brain tumor (pilocytic astrocytoma.) The non-cancerous tumor was too close to his brain stem to be operated on. After months of appointments, his medical team at Mass General Hospital recommended radiation to stop it from growing. Brady rings bell after six weeks of radiation This week, Brady finished his 30th session. Six weeks of radiation, five days a week. When Brady rang the bell in the halls of MGH he wasn't alone. "It was unbelievable. It was hard not to just break down right there in the hospital," Brady recalled. When he turned around, he found his entire baseball team lining up in the halls. Cheering him on as he left his last appointment in his months-long battle. North Reading sophomore Brady Cullen is greeted by his baseball teammates after completing treatment at Mass General Brigham. Mass General Brigham "They are my brothers and to see that combined with my family, it was so special," he said. "It just made me realize I am at peace with myself. I am at peace with my journey. I am where I want to be I am where I need to be and that will never change." Team makes trip to Boston Eric Archambault is the head coach of the North Reading High School baseball team. Coach Arch, as he's called, said it wasn't a question of whether the team would make the trip to Boston on Thursday. He said Brady never missed school and rarely missed practice or games as a team manager during his treatments. "We are seeing a kid with our very eyes attack a situation that nobody wishes for, and he takes it head on every single day," said Archambault. "Everyone wasn't supporting Brady just because of the diagnosis. We are supporting Brady because of who he is. He has touched everyone on the team throughout the years, and we look up to him." Brady said he plans to work with a physical therapist and get back out on the field. Overwhelmed and thankful for the army of support he had from his team and community. "Life is the most precious and beautiful thing, and it can be taken away so fast and I want them to realize that, embrace hardships because hardships build your character and they build who you are, and they make you stronger than ever," Brady said. "I know for damn sure I am stronger than ever from this. I am proud to say I came out on top with a whole new perspective on live and a new appreciation for it."
