an. 4, 2017 -- Scientists say they've identified a new organ in the body -- a swath of tissue dubbed the mesentery that connects the intestine to the abdomen and holds everything in place. For years, anatomical experts have thought the organ was composed of several different segments of tissue, as opposed to being one single structure, according to Discover magazine. Since an organ must be one structure that performs a vital function, it was not deemed worthy of organ status. But recent research from doctors at the University Hospital Limerick in Ireland shows that the mesentery is actually one single band of tissue, the magazine reported Tuesday. It begins at the pancreas and wraps around the small intestine and colon. Its purpose: to hold these organs in position so they can perform their respective functions. "Without it you can't live," lead researcher Dr. J. Calvin Coffey, a colorectal surgeon at Limerick, told the magazine. "There are no reported instances of a Homo sapien living without a mesentery." "Understanding how and why our digestive system is arranged the way it is could be crucial to our understanding of diseases like Crohn's and irritable bowel syndrome," Coffey added. "There are a lot of diseases that we are stalled on, and we need to refresh our approach to these diseases," Coffey said. "Now that we've clarified its [the mesentery's] structure, we can systematically examine it. We're at a very exciting place right now." The discovery was published recently in the Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology journal.

Surfactant. Surfactants are compounds that lower the surface tension (or interfacial tension) between two liquids or between a liquid and a solid. Surfactants may act as detergents, wetting agents, emulsifiers, foaming agents, and dispersants.

Trisomy 18, also called Edwards syndrome, is a chromosomal condition associated with abnormalities in many parts of the body. Individuals with trisomy 18 often have slow growth before birth (intrauterine growth retardation) and a low birth weight. Affected individuals may have heart defects and abnormalities of other organs that develop before birth. Other features of trisomy 18 include a small, abnormally shaped head; a small jaw and mouth; and clenched fists with overlapping fingers. Due to the presence of several life-threatening medical problems, many individuals with trisomy 18 die before birth or within their first month. Five to 10 percent of children with this condition live past their first year, and these children often have severe intellectual disability.

Rheum is made up of mucus, skin cells, oils and dust. The rheum that comes from the eyes and forms eye boogers is called gound, which you may know as eye sand, eye gunk, sleep dust, sleep sand, sleep in your eyes, or eye shnooters. When you're awake, gound doesn't cause any problems.

A pneumothorax can be caused by a blunt or penetrating chest injury, certain medical procedures, or damage from underlying lung disease. Or it may occur for no obvious reason. Symptoms usually include sudden chest pain and shortness of breath. On some occasions, a collapsed lung can be a life-threatening event.

They are the leaders of the pack when it comes to minimally invasive surgeries. Laparoscopic and robotic. Different techniques with the same benefits.

"There's significantly less blood loss, it's a quicker procedure, quicker recovery, less scarring, less chance for post operative wound complications or infections," says Dr. Darren Miter, laparoscopic surgeon with Lee Memorial Health System.

In a laparoscopic procedure surgeons operate through a series of poke holes, manually inserting thin cutting tools and a camera to provide magnified vision. It's used in a variety of surgical specialties.

"The vast majority of gallbladder surgeries are performed laparoscopically. A single incision in the belly button, one up under the breastbone and either one or two in the right upper side of the belly. Using long skinny instruments and looking up at a TV monitor, remove the gallbladder that way," says Dr. Miter.

While laparoscopic is a hands-on approach, robotic procedures are surgeon-controlled. Working at a console, surgeons direct the robotic arms, which have super-human capabilities and 3D, hi def vision.

"I mean you have to see it to believe it, that's a great tool to have. You got a very good depth perception. Plus the other thing when you're working with your hands it's more intuitive," says Dr. Nagesh Ravipati, colorectal surgeon with Lee Memorial Health System.

The robotic system performs maneuvers the human hand can't.

"Especially if you have to do any suturing, it is so much simpler with the robots because you can just turn around 360 degrees," says Dr. Ravipati.

Robotic surgery is gaining momentum in precise procedures, including the field of cancer.

"The robot is good when you're going to operate on just one field. For rectal surgery you're in one place, it's docked. It gives you the best 3 dimensional vision," says Dr. Ravipati.

Robotic and laparoscopic. Both cutting edge options, with less cutting.

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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we've been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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What's helping me become a better doctor

This video demonstrates a boatload of excellent teaching points on how to perform a peritoneal tap to remove ascites fluid from the peritoneum.

Watch that video to know How to Treat Pimples on Your Face?

Bone tumors develop when cells in the bone divide without control, forming a mass of tissue. Most bone tumors are benign, which means they are not cancer and cannot spread. However, they may still weaken bone and lead to fractures or cause other problems. Bone cancer destroys normal bone tissue and may spread to other parts of the body (called metastasis). Benign Bone Tumors Benign tumors are more common than malignant tumors of the bones. These are a few common types of benign bone tumors: Osteochondroma is the most common benign bone tumor. It is more common in people under age 20. Giant cell tumor is a benign tumor, typically affecting the leg (malignant types of this tumor are uncommon). Osteoid osteoma is a bone tumor, often occurring in long bones, that occurs commonly in the early 20s. Osteoblastoma is a single tumor that occurs in the spine and long bones, mostly in young adults. Enchondroma usually appears in bones of the hand and feet. It often has no symptoms. It is the most common type of hand tumor.

Laparoscopic surgery is now commonly used as a type of minimally invasive surgery, but what is it and why is it used?

Interested in learning more about minimally invasive techniques, or having surgery planned? Visit https://www.topdoctors.co.uk/doctor/charles-imber

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Comedone Extraction Video

Cushing's disease is a serious condition of an excess of the steroid hormone cortisol in the blood level caused by a pituitary tumor secreting adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). ACTH is a hormone produced by the normal pituitary gland. ACTH stimulates the adrenal glands (located on top of the kidneys) to produce cortisol, commonly referred to as the stress hormone.

The cell cycle or cell-division cycle is the series of events that take place in a cell leading to its division and duplication of its DNA (DNA replication) to produce two daughter cells.

New-born baby having a bath

How to Check Cervical Mucus

CPAP is a treatment that uses mild air pressure to keep your breathing airways open. It involves using a CPAP machine that includes a mask or other device that fits over your nose or your nose and mouth, straps to position the mask, a tube that connects the mask to the machine’s motor, and a motor that blows air into the tube. CPAP is used to treat sleep-related breathing disorders including sleep apnea. It also may be used to treat preterm infants who have underdeveloped lungs.

Visualization of the larynx by direct or indirect means is referred to as laryngoscopy and is the principal aim during airway management for passage of a tracheal tube. This paper presents a brief background regarding the development and practice of laryngoscopy and examines the equipment and techniques for both direct and indirect methods. Patient evaluation during the airway examination is discussed, as are predictors for difficult intubation. Laryngoscope blade design, newer intubating techniques, and a variety of indirect laryngoscopic technologies are reviewed, as is the learning curve for these techniques and devices.

Video-assisted thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis is a highly effective technique to manage recurrent pneumothorax or pleural effusion.Surgical treatment using thoracoscopy may hasten postoperative recovery and reduce hospital stay.

Gastroparesis -- literally “paralyzed stomach” -- is a serious condition manifested by delayed emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine after a meal. There is no cure for gastroparesis, but treatment can speed gastric emptying and relieve gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.