N.J. Athletic Trainers Urge Youth Sports Programs To Protect Concussed Players

Oct. 20, 2008 - The Athletic Trainers' Society of New Jersey is urging interscholastic and recreational youth sports programs to take specific measures to prevent further injury to young athletes who sustain a concussion or have sustained a concussion in the past.

The ATSNJ's announcement is precipitated by news reports that a 16-year-old Montclair High School football player had sustained a concussion during a game three weeks before suffering a fatal brain hemorrhage.

The ATSNJ is encouraging players, coaches, and parents to pay attention to lingering signs and symptoms of concussion, and for sports programs to adopt formal written policies requiring the removal from a game or practice any player suspected of having a concussion and prohibiting that player from returning to activity until cleared by a physician.

"Athletes are often eager to return to play following injury, and concussions are no different," said Dr. Robb Rehberg, president of the ATSNJ. "Athletes need to acknowledge concussion symptoms and not try to hide them. Coaches, parents, and athletes need to know that returning to play before concussion symptoms subside predisposes the athlete to increased risk of brain injury and death."

Rehberg also advocates that sports programs develop formal policies for players who sustain concussions, which include keeping athletes out of games and practices until medically cleared to resume sports activity.

For collision sports, like football, lacrosse, rugby and ice hockey, baseline cognitive testing has become more prevalent in some high school, college, and professional programs. Results of baseline cognitive tests, which are conducted in the pre-season, are stored and later used to compare against the results of a second cognitive test taken after player has sustained a possible concussion.

By comparing the pre-season results with the second test results, athletic trainers and physicians can evaluate the severity of the suspected concussion and measure the athlete's recovery.

"Preseason cognitive testing is a very important tool that we can use to ensure that a player is ready to return to sports activity after sustaining a concussion," said Rehberg.

For coaches and athletic trainers to be prepared for medical emergencies, all sports programs should require player medical history forms. These forms, which are already required to participate in interscholastic sports, would require listing any concussions a player may have sustained in the past, and should be completely and accurately completed and submitted by parents before a player is permitted to participate in any league sports activity.

Coaches and parents should also be trained to detect signs of concussion and taught to follow certain procedures if they suspect a player may have sustained a concussion.

"It is vital that coaches and parents know that if they think there's a chance a player may have sustained a concussion, the safest thing to do is to remove that player from the game or practice," said Rehberg. "The consequences of a second impact on a concussed player can be catastrophic, including brain swelling and death."

Sports programs interested in learning more about what they can do to prevent further injury to concussed athletes are encouraged to contact the ATSNJ at 201-535-4477.

ABOUT THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS' SOCIETY OF NEW JERSEY

ATSNJ, Inc. consists of Licensed Athletic Trainers, physicians and other allied health care professionals whose goal is to promote quality healthcare for athletes in any setting.

Patient Advocacy Groups Join To Protect New Jerseyans From Recycled Single-Use Medical Devices

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Contact: Ernest Landante, Jr., Novita Issue Communications, 609-989-1000

NEWARK, N.J., September 20, 2006 — Twenty-two New Jersey patient-advocacy organizations and the HealthCare Institute of New Jersey today announced the formation of PatientGUARD, Patient Groups United Against Reprocessing Dangers, a coalition to raise awareness among physicians and the public about the risks surgical patients face from reprocessed single-use medical devices.

Single-use devices (SUDs) are medical instruments specifically designed,manufactured and approved to be used one time, then thrown away. Despite their intended use and expected disposal, used single-use devices are being picked from the medical waste stream, recycled by third parties and used again on different patients. This practice puts patients at risk for infection and injury.

Federal regulation concerning reprocessed SUDs is lax and does not include a review for safety or functionality. “The Food and Drug Administration hasn’t done enough to either protect or inform the public of the dangers of reprocessed single-use devices,” said Bob Franks, president of the Institute. “Lacking adequate federal oversight, states need to step in to ensure the public’’s safety.”

PatientGUARD looks forward to educating the public about this secretive practice. The coalition is seeking the following:

• Requiring written patient consent prior to using a reprocessed SUD;
• Requiring healthcare facilities to inform physicians that they may be using reprocessed SUDs;
• Providing physicians with the opportunity to reject using reprocessed SUDs;
• Requiring that patient records include an inventory of reprocessed SUDs used in their treatment;
• Establishing registration, tracking, and reporting procedures to monitor the distribution and use of reprocessed SUDs; and
• Establishing liability among reprocessors for reprocessed SUD failures and injury.

"Patients are entitled to decide what risks to take. Withholding the facts about the risks these devices pose, or even that they may be used, erodes the public’s trust,” said Franks. “And it isn’t only the public that’s unaware that these devices are being reused. Physicians are also surprised that this is being done.”

“Medical device regulation in the United States does not provide the same level of assurance of safety and effectiveness for single-use devices and SUDs that are reprocessed for additional use,” Philip J. Phillips, former deputy director for Science and Regulatory Policy in the Food and Drug Administration’s Center for Devices and Radiological Health’s Office of Device Evaluation. “While Federal law has been amended in an attempt to address the public health and safety issues associated with the practice of reprocessing SUDs, the challenges created by the practice have not been completely addressed through the existing regulatory framework. FDA regulation must continue to evolve if the risks associated with reprocessing are to be truly mitigated.”

"Patients should be routinely informed that reprocessed single-use devices will be used in their surgery," said Dr. Neil Kahanovitz of the West Orange-based Center for Orthopaedics, and who is board certified in orthopedic surgery and a member of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, Scoliosis Research Society, North American Spine Society and Orthopedic Research Society. "There is a moral obligation to inform patients about this practice and provide them with an opportunity to accept or reject the use of these devices in their surgery."

“We ask that patients be informed when reprocessed devices are to be used, and given a choice between reprocessed SUDs and devices that are new, unused, and guaranteed to be safe and uncontaminated,” said Kelly Rosso Leight, executive director of the CARES Foundation, Inc. of Union, NJ. “There’s nothing extraordinary about this –– patients are routinely informed about the risks medical treatments may involve. Reprocessed SUDs present additional risks and should be dealt with the same way.”

In previous testimony before a congressional subcommittee, news conference participant Dr. John N. Fielder, professor of philosophy at Villanova University and an ethics consultant, pointed out that patients are normally informed of both significant and small risks associated with a particular medical procedure:

In cases where patients are exposed to a significant risk, ethics requires that they be informed of the benefits of treatment, the risks, and the alternatives. This is true even for common, low-risk procedures. Last October I got a flu shot at the Villanova University Health Center. Vaccines have a small probability of triggering an immune reaction that can cause serious illness or death. Because of this I was asked to read and sign a consent form that informed me of the benefits of the injection, the risks, and alternatives. The form is appended to this document.

Since patients treated with reprocessed single-use devices are also exposed to a significant risk, it is enlightening to construct a consent form for this procedure.Imagine that you are being asked to consent to the use of a reprocessed device in your treatment instead of an otherwise identical new, single-use device.

The form would have to state that the potential harms include the possibility of transmission of TB and hepatitis C, very serious diseases, and possible functional changes or failures. While some studies suggest that the probability of these events occurring is low, we do not really know how likely they are.

Patient GUARD (Patient Groups United Against Reprocessing Dangers) comprises the following organizations: Action CF, Advanced Medical Technology Association Arthritis Foundation - New Jersey Chapter, Autism Family Services of New Jersey, Brain Injury Association of New Jersey, Caregivers of New Jersey, CARES Foundation, Community Health Charities of New Jersey, Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Foundation, Diabetes Foundation, Epilepsy Foundation of New Jersey, Family Resource Network, HealthCare Institute of New Jersey, Hyacinth AIDS Foundation, Latino Leadership Alliance of New Jersey, LUPUS Foundation of America - New Jersey Chapter, Multiple Sclerosis Association of America - New Jersey Chapter, New Jersey 2-1-1 Partnership, New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute, New Jersey Association of Mental Health Agencies, New Jersey Pharmacist’’s Association, and Spina Bifida Association Tri-State Region.

# PatientGUARD.org #

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Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Recognized as an ABIOMED Center of Excellence

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NEW BRUNSWICK – ABIOMED, a leading developer and manufacturer of medical products that assist the pumping function of failing hearts, has selected Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick as a “Center of Excellence” for its cardiac program.

As a Center of Excellence, RWJUH will help set standards for physician training on ABIOMED’s Ventricular Assist Devices (VADs), which provide temporary circulatory support for patients in acute heart failure, and will share best practices related to VAD implantation and patient care. The recognition also extends the ongoing research between Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and ABIOMED.

“It is a testimony to the excellence of our entire cardiac team,” said Mark Anderson, MD, chief of cardiac surgery at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and associate professor of surgery at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. “Our high-quality nurses, perfusionists, cardiologists and cardiac surgeons have helped us to gain this Center of Excellence designation.”

Dr. Anderson led a national study on the use of ABIOMED’s VADs entitled “Mechanical Circulatory Support Improves Recovery Outcomes in Profound Cardiogenic Shock Post Acute Myocardial Infarction.” The study found patients who suffered a heart attack followed by cardiogenic shock could recover the natural function of their heart when given AB5000 circulatory support for an average of 31 days. Of the patients who were able to survive this traumatic coronary event, 67 percent were able to recover.

The AB5000 was FDA approved in September 2003 to provide temporary support for one or both sides of the natural heart in circumstances where the heart has failed, giving the patient’s heart the opportunity to rest and potentially recover - and giving surgeons the therapeutic flexibility necessary to determine the best endpoint for treatment. The AB5000 and the BVS 5000 are the only devices approved by the FDA for the recovery of the natural heart.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a 600-bed academic medical center providing state-of-the-art care across a wide range of health care services. Specialties include cardiac care from screening to heart surgery and transplantation, cancer care, emergency medicine, pediatrics and maternal-fetal medicine. The hospital has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety. Consumers Digest magazine ranked the hospital fifth in the nation in patient safety initiatives. Harvard University researchers, in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund, identified RWJUH as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. New Jersey Monthly and New York magazine report that RWJUH has more top physicians than any other hospital in New Jersey. RWJUH is also a three-time recipient of the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence.

About ABIOMED

Based in Danvers, Massachusetts, ABIOMED, Inc. is a leading developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical products designed to assist or replace the pumping function of the failing heart. ABIOMED currently manufactures and sells the AB5000™ Circulatory Support System and the BVS® 5000 Biventricular Support System for the temporary support of all patients with failing but potentially recoverable hearts. In Europe, ABIOMED offers the IMPELLA® RECOVER® minimally invasive cardiovascular support systems under CE Mark approval. The IMPELLA® 2.5 is an investigational device limited by Federal Law solely to investigational use in the United States. Other IMPELLA devices are not yet available for sale in the United States. The Company’s AbioCor® Implantable Replacement Heart was the subject of an initial clinical trial under an Investigational Device Exemption from the United States Food and Drug Administration. The AbioCor has not been approved for commercial distribution, and is not available for use or sale outside of the initial clinical trial. For additional information please visit: www.abiomed.com.

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Contacts:

Liza Heapes
ABIOMED, INC.
Media Relations
978-646-1668
mediarelations@abiomed.com

Kristen Walsh
Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
Media Relations Manager
732-937-8519
kristen.walsh@rwjuh.edu

Deal Struck for Allied Junction Site

Hackensack, N.J. — Marc Joseph, president and chief executive officer of Allied Junction Corp., today announced a landmark agreement with a national office property developer for the development rights to build a billion-dollar mixed-use commercial construction project atop the NJ TRANSIT Frank R. Lautenberg Rail Station at Secaucus Junction.

Under the agreement the office property developer will develop the project according to the general plan previously approved by the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission

“This is the final piece of a dynamic puzzle more than 25 years in the making,” said Marc Joseph, who is also a trustee for the George W. Newman Irrevocable Trust, which owns the rail station property. “Commercial development of this site will jump-start the North Jersey economy and provide residents here and throughout the state with our very own Rockefeller Center.”

Completed in 2003, the rail station serves commuters as the interconnecting hub for all NJ TRANSIT rail lines serving northern New Jersey. And just last year, the new Secaucus interchange on the New Jersey Turnpike was finished, alleviating traffic in the local area as well as from Routes 1 & 9 and from turnpike interchanges farther north.

According to Joseph, the office complex could not be built until the highway interchange was complete.

“The Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission stipulated that we had to wait,” said Joseph. “We used this time to identify a developer that could not only get this project done right, but also understands its importance to the people of New Jersey.

The project fits perfectly in NJMC’s desire for transit-driven development around the station. It will draw people to Allied Junction and become a stopping point for thousands of other people who otherwise may drive into Manhattan for daytime meetings or shows. The original plan for the site includes:

* four 20 to 40-story office towers
* a 600-room hotel and conference center
* a 112,000 sq. ft. retail concourse
* a new six-level 4,400-car parking garage

The new office and hotel conference center complex will also bring thousands of temporary and permanent job opportunities to the region. From construction to retail, the transit village will become an economic engine for North Jersey.

“Today, we are one step closer to realizing the vision George W. Newman held for not only this property, but for North Jersey,” said Joseph.

Newman, founder of Allied Outdoor Advertising, purchased the property in 1982. He died last year.

“While George held the vision, Congressman Robert Roe’s leadership was invaluable in securing $1 billion for the rail station’s construction,” said Joseph. “Without Congressman Roe, it is hard to imagine that this public and private partnership, the largest such partnership with the Federal government, could have happened.”

Roe, who served in the United State House of Representatives from 1969 to 1993, was chairman of the House Committee on Public Works and Transportation.

“George invested a great deal, not just financially, but of himself personally, into this project,” said Joseph in referring to George W. Newman. “While he is not here with us today, his spirit is certainly with us as we fulfill his dream.”

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Women and Heart Disease: How to Reduce Risk

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The demands of holding a job, running a household and very often doing both can leave many women feeling fatigued. While fatigue can be normal, it can also be a symptom of heart disease in women, according to experts.

"Many women typically do not exhibit what we have come to regard as the classic symptoms of coronary artery disease," said Dr. Alan K. Tannenbaum, a cardiologist at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick. "We usually associate having a heart attack with a crushing pain in the chest. In fact, many women will have only fatigue, shortness of breath or just a vague sense of not feeling
well."

About 227,000 women will die from heart disease this year, roughly the same as the number of men, yet women - and sometimes their doctors - often face a greater challenge recognizing cardiovascular disease, according to Dr. Tannenbaum.

"Heart disease isn't just a man's disease," he said. "Women are just as much at risk, but there are steps they can take to keep their hearts healthy."

Understanding risk factors is the key, he said. A woman with a strong family history of heart disease should speak to her doctor about the advisability of having a stress test as part of disease surveillance. This is especially true of women who have already experienced menopause, when the loss of natural estrogen appears to leave the body more vulnerable to cardiovascular disease.

While a woman can't control a risk factor such as family history - or age - there are some risk factors that can be controlled, such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure and unhealthy habits, most notably smoking.

"Women who quit smoking, lower their cholesterol and learn to handle life's daily stress will reduce their chances of heart disease regardless of their family history," said Dr. Tannenbaum, who is also the director of the hospital's Cardiac, Exercise and Rehabilitation Training Program. "These are the risk factors to concentrate on."

A healthy diet and exercise play an important role in keeping cholesterol and blood pressure at normal levels. Thirty minutes of physical activity most days of the week is recommended. For those with high cholesterol, a low cholesterol-low saturated fat diet helps to reduce the cholesterol level. Cholesterol medication is also sometimes necessary to supplement diet and exercise.

To decrease the risk of high blood pressure, it's important for women to maintain a healthy weight, meaning they are no more than 20 pounds heavier than the recommended weight for their height. Family history, age, oral contraceptives and pregnancy increase a woman's risk of developing high blood pressure. She should consult her doctor if any of these factors exist.

Diabetes also increases a woman’s chance of developing heart disease. Family history, poor diet and lack of exercise increase the risk of diabetes. It's important for those with diabetes to maintain control of the condition and women with a family history should be tested.

"Even women who are in good health need to eat a balanced diet and exercise regularly," noted Dr. Tannenbaum. "Doing so will not only reduce the risk of heart disease but the risk of other health problems as well."

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, one of the nation’s leading academic health centers, is the principal hospital for UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and a member of the Robert Wood Johnson Health System & Network. For more information, please call the hospital's main phone number at 732-828-3000, the RWJUH Physician Referral Line at 888-795-8411 or visit www.rwjuh.edu.

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New Jerseyans Asked For Blood Donations

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New Brunswick, NJ - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and the New Brunswick Affiliated Hospitals Blood Center are asking all those eligible in New Jersey to give the gift of life by donating blood in January, National Blood Donor Month.

Robert Wood Johnson is sponsoring a blood drive on January 5, 2006, from 9 AM to 3 PM in the hospital’s Arline and Henry Schwartzman Courtyard. Individuals can call 732-235-8100 ext. 244 to make an appointment.

CONTACT: Kristen Walsh, RWJUH (732) 937-8519

Audio News | Deidre Imus Discusses Environmental Hazards

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HACKENSACK, NJ - Deirdre Imus, President and founder of The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology®, discusses toxins in our environment and how, through education, we can help prevent exposure to those environmental factors that cause health problems.

The Deirdre Imus Environmental Center for Pediatric Oncology is part of Hackensack University Medical Center, a not-for-profit corporation, and national leader in healthcare and prevention.

For more information, please contact Kathleen M. Melli at 201-996-2815 or visit www.dienviro.com.