Reconstruction After Partial Laryngectomy Improved With Donor Aortic Graft
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) surgeons have developed a new technique for reconstructing the larynx after surgery for advanced cancer. In the May Annals of Otology, Rhinology and Laryngology, they describe how this approach - which uses cryopreserved aortas from deceased donors to replace removed larynx tissue - allowed patients to avoid a permanent tracheotomy and maintain voice and swallowing function with no need for immunosuppressive medications... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)

Short 'Tarantula' Therapy Helps People With Spider Phobia
A single brief therapy session for adults with a lifelong debilitating spider phobia resulted in lasting changes to the brain's response to fear. The therapy was so successful, the adults were able to touch or hold a tarantula in their bare hands six months after the treatment, reports a new Northwestern Medicine study. This is the first study to document the immediate and long-term brain changes after treatment and to illustrate how the brain reorganizes long-term to reduce fear as a result of the therapy... (Source: Health News from Medical News Today)