Category Archives: Articles From Our Experts

Lyme disease is a systemic infection caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi. The bacterium enter the skin by a tick bite. The tick is almost always of the genus Ixodes. The full spectrum was identified in 1975, when a cluster of statistically improbable cases of juvenile arthritis occurred in Connecticut. This outbreak stimulated intensive clinical […]

Acute angle-closure glaucoma (AACG) is an ocular emergency and receives distinction due to its acute presentation, need for immediate treatment, and well-established anatomic pathology. Rapid diagnosis, immediate intervention, and referral can have profound effects on patient outcome and morbidity. Acute angle closure is defined as at least 2 of the following symptoms: ocular pain, nausea/vomiting, […]

In the United States, reports of severe envenomations by brown spiders began to appear in the late 1800s, and today, in endemic areas, brown spiders continue to be of significant clinical concern. These bites are not uncommon, and the complications that result are not insignificant. Of the 13 species of Loxosceles spiders in the United […]

Salicylates are ubiquitous agents found in hundreds of over-the-counter (OTC) medications and in numerous prescription drugs including topical preparations used for the treatment of pain, warts, and acne. Pepto- Bismol, a common antidiarrheal agent, contains 131 mg of salicylate per tablespoon. The prevalence of aspirin-containing analgesic products makes these agents, found in virtually every household, […]

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a relatively common, potentially life-threatening condition. It has a wide spectrum of presentations and should be considered in the differential diagnosis for a number of symptoms. AAA is usually the result of degeneration in the media of the arterial wall, resulting in a slow and continuous dilatation of the lumen […]

A large number of reports have been produced on HP and its pathogenetic potential. In fact, although peptic ulcer disease is the most studied disease related to HP infection, this bacterium is seemingly involved in the pathogenesis of several extragastric diseases, such as mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphomas (MALTomas), coronaritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, iron deficiency anemia, […]

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for approximately 500,000 deaths each year. More women in the United States die of heart disease than of any other cause, and one form of heart disease, myocardial infarction, is responsible for the majority of these deaths. In every year since […]

In 1911, Hammond and Sutton of Philadelphia performed the first human-to-human kidney transplant with transient success. Since then the techniques and indications have evolved. The first wholly successful human transplant took place on December 23, 1954, in Boston, Massachusetts. Surgeon Joseph Murray performed a kidney transplant between identical twin brothers. Although this and subsequent twin […]

Stroke is the third most common cause of death in the United States. Stroke also results in substantial health-care expenditures; according to the American Heart Association (AHA), the mean lifetime cost resulting from an ischemic stroke is estimated at $140,000 per patient. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimate that direct and indirect […]

By: Mark Schnitzer, MD – Neurosurgery Persistent neuropsychiatric impairment following head injury is a significant public health problem. From 400,000 to 500,000 are hospitalized in the United States every year from head injury; many more people are injured and do not require admission. Head injury is the third most likely cause of dementia, after infection […]