Havels Blog

Havel’s Incorporated exhibited our line of ultrasound needles at the Midwest Anesthesia Residents Conference (MARC) at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio on February 19th through 21st. Currently, Havel’s is the only company with an ultrasound needle line on the market. As first time exhibitors at MARC, Havel’s displayed the EchoStim and EchoBlock products which generated a lot of excitement. 650 attendees got a chance to see the EchoStim and EchoBlock product lines, and we received many sample requests from many of the well-respected institutions represented at the conference. We relished the opportunity and anticipate a great deal of success from our time at the MARC show.

Read relevant articles and useful information by clicking on the “Publications of Interest” link in the lower right hand corner of the www.havels.com homepage.

Ultrasound for Regional Anesthesia is a wealth of information for practioners interested in using ultrasound for nerve blocks/regional anesthesia. Besides a very thorough list of Educational Resources, the website has released a “Pick of the Lit” from 2009. Take a look at the articles they’ve gathered.

To read more about Ultrasound for Regional Anesthesia, click here.

Swedish researchers have developed a blood test that can predict the likelihood of developing rheumatoid arthritis.  The test measures cytokines and chemokines, which increase significantly in the years prior to the onset of rheumatoid arthritis.

People identified with the risk of developing the disease can receive early treatment and lead active lifestyles, which decreases the likelihood of joint damage that leads to joint replacement.

The findings appear in the recent issue of Arthritis & Rheumatism.

For more info, click here.

For a good look at the pros and cons in the current debate regarding the use of ultrasound in pain medicine, take a look at the January 2010 issue of Pain Medicine News. Read the article “Ultrasound Demonstrations Fuel Debate On Clinical Role in Pain Medicine” by Donald M. Pizzi.

Pizzi speaks to several doctors who are currently using ultrasound in their practice, as well as doctors who are more hesitant to do so. Pizzi presents the reasons why doctors are hesitant and speaks to practitioners who can address the doubts that currently exist.

To read the article, register for free here.

Recognize the Nurse Anesthetists in your facility this January 24th through 30th by taking some time to learn more about the profession. Started in 2000, CRNAs across the country promote the week with posters and billboards to build awareness of the profession.

It’s cold and snowing in many parts of the US right now.  Here’s something sunny to think about: The International Spine Intervention Society is hosting its 18th Annual Scientific Meeting in Maui, Hawaii in July, 2010 at the Wailea Resort.  According to ISIS president Way Yin, MD, the ”…plenary sessions will highlight many commonly encountered and controversial clinical scenarios including disease specific interventions for cervical, thoracic, and lumbar disc disease, spinal stenosis, and spondylosis.”

For more information, click here.

New research shows that the core needle biopsy procedure is as effective in diagnosing breast cancer as open surgical procedure.  Fewer complications arise with core needle biopsy, which is less invasive.  Also, women who received their diagnosis after having had the core needle biopsy were “more likely to be treated with just one surgical procedure.

The study will be published in the January 5th issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.  To read more, click here.

A technique that may lower side effects and improve patient satisfaction during continuous nerve blocks is discussed in the recent issue of Journal of Anesthesia.  The procedure is reported to “…provide better analgesia and motor function for lower-extremity pain.” 

To read the abstract, click here.

A recent JAMA study reveals that two of three older adults experience chronic pain, and that chronic pain may be more hazardous than previously thought.  Pain is not considered a normal part of the aging process, but is found to be undertreated. 

To learn more, click here.