Henry Ford News Feed

Department of Pathology in Top Seven Percent at Conference

March 11, 2010
CONTACT: Liz Trudeau
etrudea1@hfhs.org
(313) 874-6283

Henry Ford Department of Pathology in Top Seven Percent at Research Conference

DETROIT - Henry Ford Hospital's Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine has been ranked in the top seven percent of first-authored scientific abstracts at the 2010 Annual Meeting of the United States and Canadian Academy of Pathology (USCAP).

The USCAP, a premier academic society of anatomic, surgical pathology and general medicine, ranked Henry Ford in the top 30 of 400 world-wide medical schools and academic institutions in academic productivity. Their annual meeting is the largest gathering of physician-pathologists in the world.

The abstracts presented at the meeting, held in Washington, DC later this month, will be published in Modern Pathology and Laboratory Investigation, two of the top five general pathology journals in the world.

Richard J. Zarbo, M.D., D.M.D., senior vice president of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Henry Ford Health System leads the team of 42 senior staff pathologists and clinical and research scientists and 735 technical staff, who annually perform more than 11 million clinical laboratory tests.

Henry Ford Hospital has one of the largest hospital-based clinical laboratories in the nation. The professional staff is subspecialty-trained to provide all pathology services required in the tertiary care practice and serve as expert consultants across six acute care hospitals of the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine service line of the Henry Ford Health System.

Dr. Zarbo has written more than 200 scientific publications in the fields of surgical pathology and quality assurance. He serves on the editorial review boards of Modern Pathology, the American Journal of Clinical Pathology, the American Journal of Surgical Pathology, Applied Immunohistochemistry and the International Journal of Surgical Pathology.

Henry Ford Health System, one of the country's largest health care systems, integrates primary and specialty care with research and education. It includes the 1,000-member Henry Ford Medical Group, seven owned hospitals, the 500,000-member Health Alliance Plan, 27 primary care centers and many other health-related entities located throughout southeastern Michigan.

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Skin Transplant Offers New Hope to Vitiligo Patients

March 9, 2010
CONTACT: David Olejarz
dolejar1@hfhs.org
313.874.4094

Skin Transplant Offers New Hope to Vitiligo Patients

Before and After Photos available at www.flickr.com/photos/hfwbh/

DETROIT - In the first study of its kind in the United States, Henry Ford Hospital showed that skin transplant surgery is safe and effective for treating vitiligo.

Henry Ford researchers followed 23 patients for up to six months after surgery and found that the treated area regained on average 52 percent of its natural skin color. In eight patients with a specific type of vitiligo, the treated area regained on average 74 percent of its natural skin color.

The surgery involves using skin cells taken from normally-pigmented areas of the body and transferring them to the damaged area of skin. It is performed under local anesthesia.

"This surgery offers hope to vitiligo patients," says Iltefat Hamzavi, M.D. a senior staff physician in Henry Ford's Department of Dermatology and the study's senior author and principal investigator. "The results achieved in our study were of obvious significance to our patients."

The study will be presented Tuesday, March 9 at the 68th annual American Academy of Dermatology meeting in Miami.

While the initial results are preliminary and the procedure is still investigational, Dr. Hamzavi says Henry Ford hopes to offer the surgery as part of its treatment portfolio this fall. He says for some patients the surgery is more effective than standard treatments like light therapy and topical medications.

"Patients of color and those with vitiligo on one side of the body and in one area of the body may benefit most from this procedure," Dr. Hamzavi says.

Vitiligo is a skin disease that causes the skin to lose color and develop white patches that vary in size and location. It affects about 1 in every 200 people in the United States, and is more noticeable in people with darker skin.

Vitiligo develops when cells called melanocytes are killed by the body's immune system, causing the area of skin to turn white because the cells no longer make pigment. While there is no cure, vitiligo can be treated and managed with light therapy, creams and topical medications.

The surgery is known as melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation or MKTP, and is performed in Europe, Asia and Middle East. It was performed at Henry Ford using the same technique developed by MKTP pioneer Sanjeev Mulekar, M.D., of the National Vitiligo Center in Saudi Arabia. Henry Ford is the first to perform MKTP in North America.

In Henry Ford's study, 32 patients (18 male, 14 female) underwent surgery and ranged in age from 18 to 60. A total of 40 MKTP procedures were performed and researchers analyzed the outcomes of 29 of them. A procedure lasted 30 minutes to two hours and patients returned home the same day.

Of the 32 surgery patients, 23 were followed for up to six months after surgery. Eighteen patients received one treatment, four patients received two and one patient received three. The ethnicity of patients was Caucasian, South Asian, African American and Hispanic.

During MKTP, melanocyte cells, which produce pigment in the skin, hair and eyes, are harvested from an area of healthy skin and separated to make a skin cell mixture. This mixture then is applied to the treatment area and covered with a specially developed adhesive biologic dressing.

Treated areas included the hands, arms, legs, feet, face and stomach. The average size of the treated area during each procedure covered an area of 46 cm2, or roughly the size of a credit card.

The study was a collaboration with the National Center for Vitiligo, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and funded by the Shahani Foundation based in Michigan.

Electromagnetic Pulses Provide Pain Relief

March 6, 2010
CONTACT:   Maria Seyrig
mseyrig1@hfhs.org
313-874-4039

Electromagnetic Pulses Provide Pain Relief for Osteoarthritis

DETROIT - Electromagnetic pulses significantly decrease pain and inflammation associated with osteoarthritis of the knee, according to Henry Ford Hospital researchers.

In the double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled study, 34 patients used a portable battery-operated device that emits a low-intensity pulsating electromagnetic frequency and experienced more than 40 percent pain relief on their first day.

"Our results show pulsed electromagnetic fields caused a significant decrease in pain" says Fred Nelson, M.D., associate program director for research and director of the Osteoarthritis Center, Department of Orthopaedics, Henry Ford Hospital.

Dr. Nelson will present the results this week at the Orthopaedic Research Society's annual meeting in New Orleans.

Dr. Nelson explains that in the laboratory, electromagnetic signals have been shown to decrease calcium in cartilage cells. This sets off a series of chemical events that can lead to reduced inflammation. Previously, the electromagnetic fields have been used to control pain related to cosmetic surgery.

"We are really fine-tuning what we are doing to the cell environment with a very specific pulse sequence and frequency," says Dr. Nelson.

Patients strapped the small, ring-shaped plastic device around their knees for 15 minutes, twice daily for six weeks. The device was lightweight and patients could position the device directly over clothing. All participants were given a device with a coil that appeared to work but some were assigned active coils and others were given non-active coils. The electromagnetic device was developed by Ivivi Health Sciences of Montvale, New Jersey.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a leading cause of disability and loss of independence. It is a slow, progressively degenerative disease in which the joint cartilage gradually wears away due to trauma, aging or infection. As the cartilage thins, the surrounding bone thickens and often bones rub against one another, causing additional wear. Normal activity becomes painful and difficult.

Current treatments include drug therapies like anti-inflammatory medication or pain relievers; physical therapy; support devices; health and behavioral modifications such as weight loss; surgery and joint replacement.

Dr. Nelson explains that medications often have variable success and can produce considerable side effects such as changes in kidney and liver function, a reduction in the ability of blood to clot as well as abdominal pain, nausea and indigestion.

"The exciting thing about this new approach is that it has been found to have no side effects, it is relatively low-cost in the long-run and the onset of pain relief is immediate," says Dr. Nelson. "We look at electromagnetic pulses as a potential way to improve quality of life and independence for those who suffer from osteoarthritis of the knee."
Dr. Nelson says researchers will continue to look at the consistency of the relief, how long the pain relief lasts and if electromagnetic pulses might affect other joints.

Funding for the study: Ivivi Health Sciences.

Study: Shoulder Function Not Fully Restored After Surgery

March 6, 2010
Maria Seyrig
mseyrig1@hfhs.org
313-874-4039

Henry Ford Hospital Study: Shoulder Function Not Fully Restored After Surgery

DETROIT - Shoulder motion after rotator cuff surgery remains significantly different when compared to the patient's opposite shoulder, according to Henry Ford Hospital researchers.

In the study, researchers used X-rays providing a 3D view of motion of the arm bone in relation to the shoulder blade, to compared motion in the shoulders of 14 patients who had arthroscopic surgical repair of tendon tears and no symptoms in their other shoulders.

Researchers analyzed the motion of both shoulders at three, 12 and 24 months after surgery, looking at changes in shoulder motion and shoulder strength.

"Although patient satisfaction is generally very high after surgical repair of a torn rotator cuff, the data suggest that long-term shoulder function - in particular, shoulder strength and dynamic joint stability - may not be fully restored in every patient," says Michael Bey, Ph.D., director of the 3,000-sq.-ft. Herrick Davis Motion Analysis Lab at Henry Ford Hospital.

Dr. Bey will present the results Saturday at the Orthopaedic Research Society's annual meeting in New Orleans.

"We found that the motion pattern of the repaired shoulder is significantly different than the patient's opposite shoulder," says Dr. Bey. "These differences in shoulder motion seem to persist over time in some patients."

According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, rotator cuff tears are a common cause of pain and disability among adults, especially among those over age 40. The rotator cuff is comprised of four muscles and several tendons that create a covering around the top of the upper arm bone. The rotator cuff holds the bone in and enables the arm to rotate.

The rotator cuff can be torn from a single injury but most tears result from overuse of the muscles and tendons over years. Those at especially high risk are those who engage in repetitive overhead motions. Common treatments include anti-inflammatory medication, steroid injections, physical therapy and surgery.

Dr. Bey explains that the study findings suggest that restoring normal joint mechanics may not be necessary in order to achieve a satisfactory clinical outcome.

"Our study suggests that surgery may restore normal shoulder strength but doesn't necessarily restore normal shoulder motion," says Dr. Bey. "It could be, however, because the shoulder pain goes away, there is value in surgery."

The study was done using a high-speed biplane X-ray system, one of only three in the country, which allows researchers to measure the position of bones and joints in the body during motion to within half a millimeter.

"The biplane X-ray system allows us to investigate subtle nuances of shoulder function that cannot be detected with conventional laboratory techniques," explains Dr. Bey.

Next steps for Henry Ford researchers include looking at physical therapy vs. surgery, and investigating improved or different techniques for treating rotator cuff tears.

Dr. Bey is also presenting results from another study at the conference which looks at the condition of the shoulder prior to surgery.

"What further complicates our understanding of rotator cuff tears is that we have also shown that there are subtle yet important differences in shoulder function between the dominant and non-dominant shoulder of healthy volunteers," says Dr. Bey. "These ongoing studies are aiding in our understanding of both the origin and treatment of rotator cuff tears."

Funding: National Institutes of Health and Henry Ford Hospital.

Study Shows Link Between Vitamin D, Skin Cancer

March 4, 2010
David Olejarz
dolejar1@hfhs.org
313.874.4094

Henry Ford Hospital Study Shows Link Between Vitamin D, Skin Cancer

DETROIT - A Henry Ford Hospital study has shown a link between Vitamin D levels and basal cell carcinoma, a finding that could lead researchers to better understand the development of the most common form of skin cancer.

In a small study, researchers at Henry Ford and Wayne State University found elevated levels of Vitamin D enzymes and proteins in cancerous tissue taken from 10 patients compared to normal skin tissue taken from them.

Previous studies have linked Vitamin D deficiency with certain cancers but this is believed to be the first time researchers looked at Vitamin D and basal cell carcinoma.

"This finding may help us in future research to determine whether vitamin D plays a causative or reactive role in the development and progression of skin cancer," says Iltefat Hamzavi, M.D., senior staff physician in Henry Ford's Department of Dermatology and the study's lead author.

The study will be presented at the Photomedicine Society's annual meeting in Miami, one day before the American Academy of Dermatology's annual meeting.

Basal cell carcinoma, which affects about 1 million Americans a year, is the most common form of skin cancer. This cancer forms in the basal cells of the deepest layer of the skin. Mohs micrographic surgery is one of the most effective treatments for removing skin cancer.

The 10 patients enrolled in the study were diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma and ranged in age from 43 to 83. All had biopsies taken of cancerous tissue and surrounding normal skin tissue. Researchers found a 10-fold increase in Vitamin D enzyme levels and a two-fold increase in Vitamin D protein levels. The enzymes and proteins help regulate levels of Vitamin D in the skin. Two genes that play a role in DNA and tumor repair also had elevated levels of Vitamin D in cancerous tissue compared to normal tissue.

The study was funded by the American Society of Dermatologic Surgery, Wayne State University and Henry Ford Hospital.

Henry Ford Hosts Between-Season Bootcamp

Feb. 18, 2010
CONTACT: Liz Trudeau
etrudea1@hfhs.org
(313) 874-6283

Henry Ford Center for Athletic Medicine Hosts Between-Season Bootcamp

DETROIT - Henry Ford Hospital's Center for Athletic Medicine is offering a bootcamp for athletes of all sports to help them prepare for the upcoming spring season.

The class is designed to improve athletic performance and decrease the risk of injury.

Henry Ford certified athletic trainers and performance enhancement specialists take participants through a series of exercises in a circuit training format. The 60-minute classes consist of a dynamic warm-up, two times around the circuit and a cool-down session.

These functional exercises will improve core power, strength, speed and stability.

The four-day class will be held 6 - 7 p.m., March 8, 9, 11 and 12 at University of Michigan Dearborn Fieldhouse, 4901 Evergreen Road, in Dearborn.

The cost to participate is $50.

For more information or to register, call (313) 972-4167.

West Bloomfield Hospital Celebrates First Year

February 25, 2010
CONTACT: Sally Ann Brown
(248) 514-8687 (cell)
sbrown2@hfhs.org

Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital Celebrates First Year

WEST BLOOMFIELD - Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital is celebrating its first anniversary with five days of events and activities. Every day, March 15 - 19, the community is invited to complimentary coffee, tea and snacks on Main Street from 7-9 a.m. (while supplies last). The public may also take advantage of free special events, and discounts in the café, shops, and Vita, the wellness center, all week. Tuesday through Friday, complimentary five-minute massages will be available, 10 a.m. - 3:00 p.m., from Vita.

Monday, March 15 - Music and Healing
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Neuroacoustic Sound Therapy Chair at Vita
(50-minute sessions by appointment, call (248) 325-3870)
6 p.m. Detroit Symphony Orchestra Concert, Ravitz Foundation Main Atrium
Reservations are required. Please call (248) 325-1521. (Space is limited; first come, first served.)

Tuesday, March 16 - Health and Wellness
10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Health Screenings on Main Street
2 p.m. Yoga for Wellness at Vita - for newcomers (Space limited, call (248) 325-3870 to reserve.)
5 p.m. Horst Rechelbacher, founder of Intelligent Nutrients, will speak on Environmentalism and Green Business Practices, based on his book "Minding Your Business", in the Demonstration Kitchen. (Space is limited; first come, first served.)

Wednesday, March 17 - Michigan Made
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Michigan-made products and produce will be available at the Farmers' Market on Main Street.
Noon Cooking Demo in the Demonstration Kitchen, featuring Michael Geiger from Eastern Market
3 - 4 p.m. Monte Nagler will sign his book, "Monte Nagler's Michigan", on Main Street

Thursday, March 18 - Family Fitness
4 p.m. Chefs Michelle Bommarito and Andrea McNinch in the Demonstration Kitchen cook up family fun.
6 p.m. Zumba at Vita - for new students (Space limited; call (248) 325-3870 to reserve.)

Friday, March 19 - State of the Hospital
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Neuroacoustic Sound Therapy Chair at Vita
(50-minute sessions by appointment, call (248) 325-3870)

The week of celebration will culminate at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 19, with a 10-minute "State of the Hospital" online address by President and CEO Gerard van Grinsven. See it live at http://www.ustream.tv/henryfordhealth.

For more information, please call (248) 325-1000 or visit www.henryfordwestbloomfield.com.

Henry Ford Appoints Vice President of Total Rewards

March 4, 2010
CONTACT: Liz Trudeau
etrudea1@hfhs.org
(313) 874-6283

Henry Ford Appoints Vice President of Total Rewards

DETROIT - Noel R. Baril has joined Henry Ford Health System as vice president of Total Rewards, with responsibility for system-wide compensation, benefits, employee health, retirement and savings programs and safety and wellness programs.

In this capacity, Baril and his team are responsible for developing and implementing innovative rewards strategies to ensure that Henry Ford Health System attracts, retains and engages the highest caliber talent in the health care industry. In addition, he and his team are charged with ensuring operational excellence in the delivery of day-to-day rewards programs and services.

Beyond the traditional elements that the employer provides to employees in exchange for their contributions to the organization, Total Rewards encompasses other monetary and non-monetary elements that offer value. These rewards range from work environment to wellness support, affiliate discounts in the marketplace, paid time off, on-site child care and other rewards.

Baril brings nearly 25 years of human resources experience to Henry Ford. He previously served in various human resources capacities at Chrysler Group LLC.

He holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a master's degree in Industrial Relations from Wayne State University.

Researcher Discusses Novel Ways to Limit Stroke Damage

CONTACT: Dwight Angell
Feb. 24, 2010
Dwight.Angell@hfhs.org
(313) 876-8709


Researcher Discusses Novel Ways to Limit Stroke Damage

SAN ANTONIO - Can using a simple blood-pressure cuff limit damage from strokes caused by decreased blood supply to the brain?

An emerging field of study is working to see whether using this blood-pressure cuff or other methods of "training the brain" could help reduce damage from a stroke as it is occurring while a patient is being transported to the hospital.

An up-to-date review of the research - called stroke ischemic preconditioning - will be presented by Brian Silver, M.D., a Henry Ford Hospital neurologist and stroke specialist, at the International Stroke Conference held in San Antonio.

"Ischemic preconditioning is a novel technique for potentially improving tissue survival following acute stroke," says Dr. Silver. "Human trials in a variety of conditions, including stroke, are underway to assess the efficacy and safety of this intervention."

Ischemic preconditioning has been tested as a way to limit harmful effects of reduced blood flow to the heart and liver, as well as a potential means to improve performance in competition swimmers. The goal of preconditioning is to prepare the brain to tolerate reduced blood flow without lasting damage.

Ischemic preconditioning is an intervention whereby reduction of blood supply to an organ is applied in order to produce tolerance to reduced blood supply in that organ or a remote organ. The intervention should not produce tissue damage when applied but rather stress the organ so that it can adapt to a lower level of blood supply.

The National Institutes of Health list 53 human studies of ischemic preconditioning to date, most targeting conditions other than stroke.

In an ongoing study in Denmark, Dr. Silver says a blood-pressure cuff is inflated above the patient's normal pressure for five minutes, than released for a five-minute rest period. This is repeated four times. The ischemic intervention is applied to the arm with the aim of limiting the damage occurring in the brain.

"All of this research is driving us to re-think how we can develop new ways to limit the damage caused by stroke, one of the leading causes of disability in the U.S.," says Dr. Silver. "Even though precondition is still in its infancy, it's a field that shows great promise."

Vitamin B3 Shows Early Promise in Treatment of Stroke

CONTACT:   Dwight Angell
Feb. 24, 2010
Dwight.Angell@hfhs.org
313-876-8709

Vitamin B3 Shows Early Promise in Treatment of Stroke

DETROIT - An early study suggests that vitamin B3 or niacin, a common water-soluble vitamin, may help improve neurological function after stroke, according to Henry Ford Hospital researchers.

When rats with ischemic stroke were given niacin, their brains showed growth of new blood vessels, and sprouting of nerve cells which greatly improved neurological outcome.

Now research is underway at Henry Ford to investigate the effects of an extended-release form of niacin on stroke patients. Henry Ford is the only site nationally conducting such a study.

"If this proves to also work well in our human trials, we'll then have the benefit of a low-cost, easily-tolerable treatment for one of the most neurologically devastating conditions," Michael Chopp, Ph.D., scientific director of the Henry Ford Neuroscience Institute.

Dr. Chopp will present results from the animal model study at the International Stroke Conference in San Antonio.

According to the National Stroke Association, stroke is the third-leading cause of death in America and a leading cause of disability.

Ischemic strokes occur as a result of an obstruction within a blood vessel supplying blood to the brain. Ischemic stroke accounts for about 87 percent of all cases. One underlying condition for this type of obstruction is the development of fatty cholesterol deposits lining the vessel walls.

Niacin is known to be the most effective medicine in current clinical use for increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), which helps those fatty deposits.

Dr. Chopp and his colleagues found that in animals niacin helps restore neurological function in the brain following stroke.

In 2009, stroke physicians at Henry Ford Hospital published research which showed that HDL-C is abnormally low at the time stroke patients arrive at the hospital.

Dr. Chopp's research found that in animals, niacin increased "good" cholesterol (HDL-C), which increased blood vessels in the brain and axonal and dendritic growth leading to a substantial improvement in neurological function.

"Niacin essentially re-wires the brain which has very exciting potential for use in humans," says Dr. Chopp. "The results of this study may also open doors in other areas of neurological medicine, including brain injury."

Andrew Russman, D.O., is the principal investigator of the team at Henry Ford Hospital who will evaluate in clinical trials whether niacin improves recovery for human stroke patients.

"If we are able to prove that treating patients with niacin helps to restore neurological function after stroke, we're opening a whole new avenue of treatment for the leading cause of serious long-term disability in adults," says Dr. Russman.

Funding for animal study: National Institutes of Health.

Funding for clinical trial now underway: Harris Stroke Fund.