IVF blunder couple left devastated

A couple who underwent fertility treatment have spoken of their devastation at their last embryo being accidentally implanted in another woman. The couple said they had been excited about trying for a second child with their only remaining embryo when the IVF Wales clinic, in Cardiff, admitted the mistake.

The Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust has apologised to the pair, from south Wales, and said changes have been made in a bid to prevent such a mistake happening again.

A heavy staff workload is understood to have been a factor in the human error being made.

The woman, a 38-year-old hospital worker, said nine embryos were created using IVF in 2000 and she gave birth to a son three years later.

The remaining embryos were stored until 2007 when she and her husband, a 40-year-old printing plant manager, decided to try for a second child. One of the embryos had survived and they travelled to the clinic for treatment only to be told the devastating news.

"In less than ten seconds our wonderful world was shattered when the senior embryologist stood in front of us and said, 'I'm very sorry to tell you, but there's been an accident in the lab. Your embryo has been destroyed'," the woman told the Mail on Sunday.

"We were both rooted to our seats. We were stunned and trembling. We held each other tightly, and sobbed and sobbed. It was like water from a tap. I kept thinking, "They've killed our baby! Killed our baby!"

She said it was not until later they discovered the embryo had been implanted in another woman who elected to have a termination when she found out what had happened.

The Trust has admitted liability and the couple have been paid an undisclosed sum of money. Ian Lane, the Trust's Medical Director, said: "We apologise unreservedly for this mistake."

SimMan 3G Patient Simulator Is One Creepy Way to Learn Medicine

The SimMan 3G is a robot that can cry, bleed, convulse, go into cardiac arrest and do any number of other things that humans do when their bodies are malfunctioning. Also, it's super creepy looking.

This is one crazy robot. Here's just a partial list of features:

Quality CPR Feedback Laerdal's Q-CPR technology measures the quality of CPR providing real time feedback on compression rate, depth, release, and hands-off time as well as generating palpable pulses , blood pressure wave forms and ECG artefacts.

Convulsions
Degrees of seizures and convulsions can be created from minor effect through to a full convulsion through the Instructor Mode.

Bleeding and Wounds
Wound models can be connected to an internal blood reservoir which will bleed both from arterial and venous vessels. Connected to the simulator's physiological modeling, SimMan 3G will react appropriately according to treatment.

Wireless Monitor
Part of the complete wireless simulation solution, the wireless monitor enables you to observe the patient simulator's vital signs while moving around freely during training.

Secretions
The new eye secretions feature has multiple scenario applications such as responsive reactions to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear agents.

Drug & Event Recognition
The new and advanced Drug Recognition System allows students to administer drugs simultaneously. It registers the amount, speed and type of drug automatically and applies the appropriate physiological responses, saving the instructor time and improving the overall intelligent debrief.

Eye Signs
Include pupillary responses to light, blinks at slow, normal and fast rates, winks and open, partially open and closed reactions.

Vascular Access
In addition to the standard vascular access in the right arm, the new intraosseous access via the tibia and sternum allows for procedure accuracy

Chest Decompression & Chest Drain
Students can now perform a needle Thoracentesis and insert a chest drain bi-laterally.

It's not quite as good as practicing medicine on a hobo that you hunted and caught yourself, but I guess that's not always an option.

Red Meat May Hinder Fatherhood

A diet rich in steak and other red meat might hinder a man's chances of
conceiving a child, say Spanish researchers. According to their study
published in the journal 'Fertility and Sterility', a healthy
antioxidant-rich diet might be the key to sperm quality and motility. Men
who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, in particular peppers, spinach and
citrus fruits, have higher quality and faster swimming sperm.
'A healthy diet is not only a good way of avoiding illness, but improves
the quality of semen' said Professor Jaime Mendiola, the leading researcher.
'We saw that, among couples with fertility problems coming to the
[fertility] clinics, men with good semen quality ate more vegetables and
fruit, which means more vitamins, folic acid and fibre, and fewer proteins
and fats.'
The study, undertaken at the University of Murcia in Spain, was prompted
by the gradual decline in sperm counts across Europe in the last few
decades. Male patients at two Spanish fertility clinics took part, and
scientists concentrated on the possibility that exposure to contaminants in
the workplace and diet might be reducing chances of successful conception.
They hypothesised that antioxidants could potentially improve sperm
concentration and motility by reducing or slowing the oxidation of other
molecules which harms sperm.
Sixty-one men with fertility problems were enrolled into the study, 30
of whom had problems specifically with sperm count. Interviews with the
participants showed that those with good sperm quality ate significantly
more fruit and vegetables than those whose diets were rich in meat and
full-fat dairy products.'People who eat more fruits and vegetables are ingesting more
antioxidants, and this is the important point' said Professor Mendiola. In
his next study, he will investigate whether there is a difference in sperm
count between men who get their antioxidants via food or from vitamin
supplements.

The Indian Cow

The only cow in a small town in Australia stopped giving milk.
The townsfolk found they could buy a cow in India quite cheaply.

They brought the cow from India and it was wonderful, produced lots of milk
every day and everyone was happy.
They bought a bull to mate with the cow to get more cows, so they'd never
have to worry about their milk supply again.

They put the bull in the pasture with the cow but whenever the bull tried
to mount the cow,the cow would move away.
No matter what approach the bull tried, the cow would move away from the
bull and he was never able to do the deed.

The people were very upset and decided to go the Vet, who was very wise to
tell him what was happening and ask his advice.
"Whenever the bull tries to mount our cow, she moves away. If he approaches
from the back, she moves forward, they saidWhen he approaches her from the
front, she backs off. If he attempts from the one side, she walks away to
the other side."

The Vet rubbed his chin thoughtfully and pondered this before asking, "Did
you by chance, buy this cow in India?"
The people were dumbfounded, since no one had ever mentioned that they have
bought the cow over from India.
"You are truly a wise Vet," they said. "How did you know we got the cow in
India ?
The Vet replied with a distant look in his eye,
"My wife is from India.........."

The "Mag" Shoe

The Israelis did it again !!
Watch and see - - no more taking off shoes at the airport.
Another great idea from Israel!

Step Into My Crimson Glow, And You Will Be Young Again

This looks like an android receiving an energy blast and new personality protocols, but it's actually a woman being bombarded with high-energy light-emitting diodes, the latest skin treatment. (And her personality is getting reprogrammed, too.)

The picture was taken at Tokyo's Beautyworld Japan Expo, and it shows a woman undergoing the ReGen Light Treatment system, made by U.K.-based Energist. Says Energist:

This versatile ReGen™ system is a breakthrough in LED technology, delivering a constant stream of rejuvenating light which is proven to have beneficial bio-stimulation effects on the skin to alleviate the damage caused by acne, ageing, and the sun. Powered by an array of high intensity LED's using red and blue light, ReGen™ has the power and flexibility to initiate new collagen production and speed up skin repair, effectively stimulating cellular mechanisms to regenerate the skin.

Cancer Meds Wiped Off Man's Fingerprints

A 62-year-old tourist was trying to enter the United States when he was stopped at customs to have his fingerprints scanned. This was a problem for both him and the customs agents, for he had no fingerprints.

The man, dubbed Mr. S in news reports, was detained for hours as agents checked to make sure he wasn't some sort of sneaky criminal or terrorist. But no, it turns out his fingerprints were removed without his knowledge.

He was taking capecitabine, a follow-up drug for chemotherapy for cancer of the head and neck. One of its side effects is inflammation of the palms and soles of the feet, which can cause peeling and bleeding of the skin and, eventually, can cause fingerprints to vanish.

Mr. S had been taking capecitabine for three years when he decided to visit relatives in the States, at which point his prints were gone. Luckily, he was eventually allowed to enter the country and visit his relatives once the officials determined that he wasn't dangerous.