Abstract: A method of directing a patient to a source of health care information. The method comprises placing on a prescription sheet an address for the Internet web site, identifying an ailment of the patient and ascertaining an ICD or CPT code associated with the ailment. A key word or an ICD or CPT code associated with the ailment is placed on the prescription sheet and the sheet is given to the patient. The patient is instructed to input the key word or ICD or CPT code into a computer communicating with an Internet web site to obtain information about the ailment. The Internet web site and computer are configured in such a manner that the input of the key word or ICD or CPT code into the computer results in retrieval via the Internet web site of information about the ailment.

Abstract: A method including storing content in a computer database, the content having a plurality of components. The method further comprises associating each of at least some of the content components with at least one of a plurality of codes (such as ICD or CPT codes) in a manner so that each of the plurality of codes employed has at least one of the content components associated therewith, and providing a retrieval system accessible by a user using the Internet. The retrieval system is adapted to retrieve the content components associated with any one of the codes upon receiving a signal sent by the user. The signal corresponds to said any one of the codes. The content components associated with said any one of codes are sent to the user upon receiving the signal.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for locating hyperactive parathyroid tissue in a patient. The methods comprise providing a radiopharmaceutical which produces during a time window after administration of the radiopharmaceutical to the patient, a detectably greater radioactivity in the hyperactive parathyroid tissue than in adjacent thyroid tissue in the patient; administering the radiopharmaceutical to the patient; surgically opening an operative field in the proximity of the hyperactive parathyroid tissue; and introducing into the operative field during the time window, a probe, which detects the radioactivity produced by the hyperactive parathyroid tissue to determine the location of the hyperactive parathyroid tissue upon moving the probe within the operative field. The method is particularly applicable to radioguided parathyroidectomy using a 99mTc Sestamibi and a hand-held gamma detection probe. The gamma detection probe is also used to verify ex vivo that the resected tissue is parathyroid adenoma.

Abstract: A method for treating acute or chronic pancreatitis comprising administering an effective amount of an Interleukin-1 (IL-1) block to antagonize IL-1 production, and in one embodiment by inhibiting IL-1 production at the source, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a person who has pancreatitis. One such IL-1 block is an Interleukin-1 converting enzyme (ICE) antagonist.

Abstract: A method for treating acute pancreatitis is disclosed. The method comprises administering to a patient with acute pancreatitis an effective amount of a suitable tumor necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist such as a TNF soluble receptor or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof.

Abstract: A method for treating acute pancreatitis comprising administering an effective amount of Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof to a person afflicted with that condition.