Damian McNamara is a journalist for Medscape Medical News and MDedge. He worked full-time for MDedge as the Miami Bureau covering a dozen medical specialties during 2001-2012, then as a freelancer for Medscape and MDedge, before being hired on staff by Medscape in 2018. Now the two companies are one. He uses what he learned in school – Damian has a BS in chemistry and an MS in science, health and environmental reporting/journalism. He works out of a home office in Miami, with a 100-pound chocolate lab known to snore under his desk during work hours.
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Systemic inflammation expands clinical challenge in IBD
ORLANDO – More targeted antibody therapies carry the potential to transform how physicians treat inflammatory bowel disease. However, management...
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Intensifying vedolizumab could counter loss of response in IBD
ORLANDO – After VICTORY Consortium investigators found that a cumulative 40% of people with IBD lose response to vedolizumab by 12 months, they...
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Why ustekinumab dosing differs in Crohn’s disease
ORLANDO – For gastroenterologists wondering why the dosing of ustekinumab is more intense in Crohn’s disease, compared with psoriasis or psoriatic...
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Initial data on biosimilars in IBD are encouraging, but more needed
ORLANDO – The rapidly evolving field of biologic and biosimilar agents can leave gastroenterologists reeling in terms of what role biosimilars...
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Sonovaginography bests negative ‘sliding sign’ in predicting deep infiltrating endometriosis
ORLANDO – Direct visualization with sonovaginography had greater success in predicting rectal/rectosigmoid deep infiltrating endometriosis than...
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Plasma energy ablation yields pregnancy rates similar to cystectomy
ORLANDO - The first study to directly compare plasma energy treatment of ovarian endometriomas to cystectomy demonstrates similar...
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Narrow band imaging could expand endometriosis detection
ORLANDO
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New-onset pain rare after Essure placement
ORLANDO – While some women report new-onset pelvic pain after placement of an Essure sterilization device, results of a retrospective study...
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PrEP adoption lagging behind awareness in high-risk population
Awareness about preexposure prophylaxis is increasing among men who have sex with men at high risk for HIV infection, but that increased knowledge...
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Ultrasound effective in diagnosing occult hernia in women
ORLANDO – Physical exam plus ultrasound is a low-cost, noninvasive way to diagnose occult hernia in women with unexplained chronic pelvic pain.
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Survey: More than half of gynecologic oncologists altered morcellation practices
ORLANDO – Following the Food and Drug Administration’s 2014 warning against use of laparoscopic uterine power morcellation, 13% of gynecologic...
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Low rate of occult uterine malignancy with vaginal morcellation
Of the 611 women who underwent morcellation during the study, five patients had an occult malignancy, for a rate of 0.82%.
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Long-acting bupivacaine offers limited benefit in hysterectomy pain
In a randomized trial, the liposomal formulation was associated with 30% less pain on postoperative day 3, a significant difference not seen on...
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Should surgeons change gloves during total laparoscopic hysterectomy?
Many gynecologic surgeons change gloves, gowns, and even surgical drapes during total laparoscopic hysterectomy to prevent bacterial infections,...
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‘Skip phenomenon’ could explain fluctuating positivity for S. aureus bacteremia
NEW ORLEANS – Some patients treated appropriately with antibiotics for Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia can generate a negative blood culture...