Ledes, 1/29/09

CNN story helps surgeon perform 'lifesaving' op

http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/29/tumor.surgery.lifesaving/index.html
Miracle surgery saves a kid life. Dr. Thomas Ellis performed brain surgery on a 19 year-old boy named Brandon to remove a brain tumor. Dr. Thomas came across an article just three days earlier on CNN.com that gave him information on a groundbreaking surgery tool. Dr Ellis believes that "at the least, this device will become a valuable new tool for surgeons. But it may actually usher in a new generation of neurosurgeons who do microsurgery very differently."

Nearly 2,000 people warned of possible beryllium exposure
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/29/los.alamos.beryllium/index.html?iref=nextin
Wednesday Los Alamos National Laboratory announced that previous workers and visitors may have been exposed to beryllium and could be at risk of disease. They expressed that risk to visitors is very low because they were not exposed as long as the workers. Beryllium is used in nuclear weapons, bike frames and gold clubs. It can interfere with lung function. "Letters went out to all of them today," said Kevin Roark, a spokesman for the New Mexico laboratory.

FDA: Peanut plant knew product was tainted with salmonella
http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/28/salmonella.outbreak/index.html?iref=nextin
FDA stated Wednesday that the peanut butter shipped nationwide tested positive for salmonella. In 2007 the peanut corporation traced 12 cases of salmonella and 2008. Laboratory inspectors have found from FDA have found more infection this month. "The inspection also revealed no steps were taken in terms of cleaning or cross-contamination" said the FDA’s director.

Octuplets doing 'very well' one day after birth- http://www.cnn.com/2009/HEALTH/01/27/octuplets.update/index.html?iref=nextin
The octuplets that were born on Monday had a very successful first night. They are breathing on there own except for a few have oxygen coming through their noses. "They had a very good night," Gupta said of the babies -- six boys and two girls, ranging in weight from 1 pound 8 ounces to 3 pounds 4 ounces. "Their vitals remain stable. They were sleeping comfortably." Their mother is recovering from her C section with be able to visit her babies soon, mean while she is getting pictures of them from the hospital.