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Ursodeoxycholic Acid May Prevent Gallstones After Gastrectomy

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) reduced gallstone formation after gastrectomy in a randomized, controlled study in Korea.

Dr. Do Joong Park of Seoul National University randomized 521 patients to 300 mg UDCA, 600 mg UDCA or placebo after total, distal or proximal gastrectomy. Gallstone formation was assessed with abdominal ultrasonography every three months for one year post-surgery.

As reported in JAMA Surgery, the full analysis dataset included 465 patients (median age 50; 69% men). The proportion of patients developing gallstones within 12 months after gastrectomy was 5.3% in the 300-mg group, 4.3% in the 600-mg group, and 16.7% in the placebo group.

Compared with placebo, odds ratios for gallstone formation were 0.27 for 300 mg UDCA and 0.20 for 600 mg.

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FDA OKs Implantable Neurostimulator(ReActiv8) for Intractable Low Back Pain

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved an implantable neurostimulation system (ReActiv8, Mainstay Medical) to treat intractable chronic low back pain associated with multifidus muscle dysfunction found on imaging or physiologic testing in adults who have failed other therapies and are not candidates for spine surgery.

“ReActiv8 provides bilateral electrical stimulation of the L2 medial branch of the dorsal ramus nerve as it crosses the transverse process at L3. This nerve supplies the lumbar multifidus muscle, a key stabilizing muscle of the low back. Reactiv8’s stimulation of the nerve elicits contraction of the muscle, which can lead to improvement in chronic low back pain and its disabling effects,” Mainstay Medical said in a release.

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