"travesty and a sham and a mockery!"

[Herb]

Hi Bernard,

:doh:

"This whole thing is a travesty and a sham and a mockery! It's a traveshamockery!"

http://z4.invisionfree.com/VNS_Messa...showtopic=1430

Maybe you could explain just exactly what is a “travesty and a sham and a mockery?”

Warmly,
Herb

[Bernard]

I'm guessing you never saw the commercial then? The use of quotes should have tipped you off that I was making a reference. In these cases, Google is always your friend.

Hyperbole

[Herb]

Bernard,

Thank you and thanks for the enlightenment. No I wasn’t aware of the commercial or the program humor.

Naturally, individual tastes and interests vary as illustrated also by this very current article (hyperbole):

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060719/...t_hoffa_game_1

Once again, thanks.

Herb


.

[Herb]

Bernard,

You’re mentioning the word “hyperbole” also brought to mind you’re proactive sharing of a chart entitled

“Non-Drug Epilepsy Treatments - An Overview”

http://www.coping-with-epilepsy.com/...sy-treatments/

Amongst a number of thoughts I have relating to the contents of the chart one field especially caught my eye. I don’t know whether this was “hyperbole” or just incorrect information. The field stated “VNS = no MRI” which I’m sure you must know by now is incorrect as stated or you've been misinformed.

Warmly,
Herb

[Bernard]

I understand that there are some possible methods for obtaining MRI scans around the VNS, but I have not fully investigated what it entails. To my limited understanding, it requires some special equipment and is still not possible to get a full MRI using the standard MRI equipment found in most hospitals.

[Herb]

Bernard,

May I suggest the following information for your chart which eliminates the incorrect statement?

“MRI w/qualifications*” or “MRI w/warnings*”

*Read patient manuals carefully and consult with a knowledgeable, trained and licensed physician before proceeding.

In response to your understanding there is special equipment recommended especially for the scanning of the brain.

Other body parts have been scanned successful without adverse events to my personal knowledge. Again, caution is strongly advocated.

Herb

[Bernard]

I made an update.

[Birdbomb]

May I make a suggestion, that your update of information regarding MRI be taken from the Cyberonics Web site? Why not get right from the source, in fact, here is the direct quote

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) should not be performed with a magnetic resonance body coil in the transmit mode. The heat induced in the bipolar lead by an MRI body scan can cause injury. If an MRI should be done, use only a transmit and receive type of head coil. MRI compatibility was demonstrated using a 1.5T General Electric Sigma Imager. When other MRI systems are used, adverse events may occur because of different magnetic field distributions.

No scan in which the radiofrequency (RF) is transmitted by the body coil should be done on a patient who has the VNS Therapy System. Thus, protocols must not be used which utilize local coils that are RF-receive only, with RF-transmit performed by the body coil. Note that some RF head coils are receive only, and that most other local coils, such as knee and spinal coils, are also RF-receive only. These coils must not be used in patients with the VNS Therapy System.

The information contained in this Brief Summary for Physicians represents partial excerpts of important prescribing information taken from the Physician’s Manual. The information is not intended to serve as a substitute for a complete and thorough understanding of the material presented in all of the Physician’s Manuals for the VNS Therapy System and its component parts nor does this information represent full disclosure of all pertinent information concerning the use of this product, potential safety complications, or efficacy outcomes.

And I'd like to add, the Physicians' Depression manual says do NOT get a full body MRI.

[Bernard]

I had a look and there is no way to link to the page and have that passage appear prominently in the browser window. Do you know if they have the same text on another page?

[Birdbomb]

I'm not sure and I don't have time at the moment to check, if there is it may not state it verbatium. Linking to the PDF file is sufficent IMO.