David A. Arnall, PT, PhD, is not what one would call an early adopter. A self-proclaimed professional skeptic, he is a believer in evidence-based medicine who, under most circumstances, puts no stock in fledgling therapies until their efficacy has been validated through rigorous scientific study.

The use of infrared light therapy for peripheral neuropathy is not what one would call evidence-based medicine-certainly not if one works for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. In an October decision memorandum, CMS ruled that the handful of studies were sufficient to conclude that the therapy was neither reasonable nor necessary for that indication. Most of the studies were retrospective or had other limitations; the single well-designed randomized, controlled trial found no significant benefit.

New treatments close swollen veins without pain

Ed Garabedian of Mount Airy was 20 years old when he first noticed the unsightly bulges on his legs.

More of these gnarled bumps gradually appeared throughout the years until they covered most of his legs, with large clusters bulging behind his knees."Forget the cosmetic part - they look ugly, but I didn't really care much about it," said Garabedian, now 48.What bothered him, he said, was the swelling and aching that accompanied them.The increasing pain eventually led him to seek treatment for what are known as varicose veins, a problem that affects 25 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health.They develop from leaky valves in the veins, which prevents the blood from flowing back up to the heart, said Dr. Garth Rosenberg, a vascular surgeon in Frederick who has treated Garabedian for four years.The blood then flows backwards and pools inside the vein, causing it to become enlarged, twisted and often painful - in some cases it can lead to skin ulcers, Rosenberg said.Varicose veins occur most frequently in the legs, because the blood has to fight gravity, he said.

In Tomorrow's Paper

Prostate surgery at the Royal Alexandra Hospital is about to get a lot more accurate, thanks to a large white octopus-looking robot, which is the first of its kind in Western Canada.

At a total cost of $2.5 million, the da Vinci S is the most technically advanced surgical robot on the market today.

Although the robot could be used for other surgeries, this device is specifically intended for removing malignant prostate glands.

Urologist Mike Hobart has been fiddling with the robot since it arrived a week ago and is excited about trying the device out on a patient.

He and another doctor will take formal training in Ohio at the end of August. .

Add a lopsided face to list of Lincoln's ailments

CHICAGO – Artists, sculptors and photographers knew Abraham Lincoln's face had a good side. Now it's been confirmed by science.

Laser scans of two life masks, made from plaster casts of Lincoln's face, reveal the 16th president's unusual degree of facial asymmetry, according to a new study.

The left side of Lincoln's face was much smaller than the right, an aberration called cranial facial microsomia. The defect joins a long list of ailments – including smallpox, heart illness and depression – that modern doctors have diagnosed in Lincoln.

Lincoln's contemporaries noted his left eye at times drifted upward independently of his right eye, a condition now termed strabismus. Lincoln's smaller left eye socket may have displaced a muscle controlling vertical movement, said Dr.

TLCVision Creates New Refractive Centers Medical Director Position; Louis Probst, M.D., Named to Role

ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI--(CCNMatthews - July 23, 2007) - TLC Vision Corporation (TSX:TLC - News; NASDAQ:TLCV - News) today announced the appointment of Louis Probst, M.D., to the key role of Refractive Centers Medical Director. This newly created position will provide expanded clinical focus and leadership to the Company's growing refractive centers business.

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Read our interview with funnyman Chris Tucker, star of the Rush Hour franchise, in the pages of Ticket

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Bausch & Lomb Inc., which has agreed to a US$3.67 billion buyout by a private equity firm, yesterday reported a US$15-million profit in the second quarter on higher sales of contact lenses, eye-care medicines and lens cleaners.

The stock fell US18 cents to US$62.36 yesterday.