Search Tag: Surgery
Study-medication-errors-common-in-surgery
2015 27 Oct
Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have found that some sort of mistake or adverse event occurred in 1 out of 2 surgeries studied and in 5 percent of observed drug administrations. Their study of 277 operations at MGH also found that a third of the errors resulted in adverse drug events or harm to patients. The findings were presented...Read more
Engaging-patients-in-anaesthesia-pain-relief-choice
2015 27 Oct
Shared decision making helps create a more patient-centred process. Now a new study finds that patients became more engaged in their anaesthesia and pain relief options after receiving "decision aids" in the form of informational brochures. The results were presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY ® 2015 annual meeting held in San Diego, California. Surgery...Read more
Perioperative-surgical-home-better-outcomes-lower-costs
2015 27 Oct
In its second year of implementation, the Perioperative Surgical Home (PSH) model of care led to improved quality of care and more cost savings for knee or hip replacement patients at the University of California, Irvine School of Medicine. The findings, presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY ® 2015 annual meeting, show that the PSH is a viable and beneficial...Read more
Sexism-in-surgery
2015 06 Oct
Clare Marx, the first female president of the Royal College of Surgeons (RCS) believes that significant gender inequality exists in surgery. However, she pointed out that this culture is changing and the change is reflected in the growing number of women entering the field of medicine. Ms. Marx pointed out that one cannot change a culture by telling...Read more
Ct-follow-up-after-lung-cancer-surgery-improves-survival
2015 01 Oct
A Danish study finds improved survival rates in lung cancer patients after surgery if their management includes a follow-up programme based on computer tomography (CT) of the chest. The findings were presented at the ERS International Congress 2015 in Amsterdam. "Our results show a significant improvement for survival rates for patients post-surgery...Read more
Blood-saving-surgery-drug-cuts-costs
2015 13 Sep
The use of an economical drug for hip or knee replacements since 2013 has helped St. Michael's Hospital in Ontario, Canada reduce the number of transfusions performed during these surgeries by more than 40 percent without negatively affecting any patients. “Having a coordinated blood management program is a very great value in limiting unnecessary...Read more
Better-way-to-monitor-anaesthesia-depth
2015 13 Sep
Researchers have tested a new more nuanced form of investigating the subtle clues sent out by the human body during anaesthesia — particularly the cardiovascular signals that can indicate the state of the pain-monitoring autonomous nervous system. The results have proved more reliable than existing methods in monitoring depth of anaesthesia, according...Read more
Music-reduces-breast-biopsy-anxiety
2015 21 Aug
New research shows that listening to live or recorded music reduces anxiety for women undergoing surgical breast biopsies for cancer diagnosis and treatment. The findings are from a two year study conducted with 207 patients. "We discovered that anxiety levels dropped significantly from pre-test to post-test in patients who heard one preferred song...Read more
Joint-incentives-for-surgical-savings
2015 02 Aug
There are significant cost-saving opportunities in the management of operating room inventory if surgeons agree to standardise supplies used to perform surgical procedures. However, since there is very little incentive for surgeons to participate in such decisions as the benefits of such cost-saving is realised by the hospital and not the practitioner,...Read more
New-tool-helps-predict-surgical-patients-pulmonary-risk
2015 30 Jul
A new analytical tool developed at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital can help identify surgical patients at risk for respiratory complications. Using data from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP ® ), the Jefferson researchers devised a scoring system to identify risk factors for ventilator dependence...Read more
Treatment-delay-for-lung-cancer-patients
2015 30 Jul
According to researchers, patients suspected of having lung cancer may wait too long to receive treatment, and too many patients skip vital diagnostic steps that are needed to help determine the best possible treatment. They encourage patients undergoing surgery for lung cancer to ask questions (eg, what treatment is best for them) and take active role...Read more
Ratings-sites-enable-online-surgeon-comparison
2015 18 Jul
Two new web sites provide "ratings" of surgeons based on analysis of data on surgical complications rates and patient outcomes. These ratings are intended to help patients and their families in finding the right surgeon for an operation. SurgeonRatings.org , run by the nonprofit Consumers' Checkbook/Center for the Study of Services, only lists surgeons...Read more
Resident-duty-hour-limits-don-t-improve-surgical-patient-safety
2015 14 Jul
A retrospective study published online in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons shows that work hour restrictions for resident physician, revised in 2011 mainly to reduce fatigue-related errors, have not decreased postoperative complication rates in several common surgical specialities. "Our finding suggests the ACGME reform is not meeting...Read more
Some-preoperative-tests-still-common-despite-low-value
2015 14 Jun
While guidelines from professional associations have sought to discourage use of certain preoperative tests considered to be of low value and high cost, there have been no significant changes over a 14-year period in the rates of several kinds of these pre-surgical tests. The findings are from a new study by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center...Read more
Abdominal-aortic-aneurysm-men-benefit-from-ultrasound-screening
2015 13 Jun
Men benefit from one-time ultrasound screening for abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in terms of reduced risk of dying, fewer abdominal aorta ruptures and avoidance of emergency surgery, according to a systematic review of worldwide data on AAAs. No such evidence is available for women, say researchers from the German Institute for Quality and Efficiency...Read more
Post-operative-atrial-fibrillation-increases-risk-of-heart-attack-stroke
2015 22 May
A Loyola University Medical Center study has found that post-operative atrial fibrillation (POAF) can increase the risk of heart attack or stroke during the first 12 months after surgery. The findings have been reported in the Journal of Urology. While previous studies have found that POAF occurs in around 3 to 12.3 percent of major non-cardiac surgeries,...Read more
5-billion-people-lack-access-to-surgery
2015 29 Apr
According to a major international study published in The Lancet , two thirds of the world's population have no access to basic surgery and anaesthesia — more than double the number in previous estimates. This means millions of people are dying from treatable conditions like appendicitis, fractures, or obstructed labour. The study shows that five...Read more
Software-improves-accuracy-of-spinal-surgery
2015 14 Apr
A software program that can be easily integrated with current procedures allows surgeons to better distinguish between vertebrae during spinal surgery. The first clinical evaluation of the LevelCheck software, which won an award from the North American Spine Society for Spine Technology of the Year, indicate that it achieves 100 percent accuracy in...Read more
Lab-tests-and-ultrasound-improve-appendicitis-diagnosis
2015 22 Feb
According to researchers, combining data from two standard diagnostic tests commonly obtained in children evaluated for abdominal pain can help physicians to identify those patients who need surgery for appendicitis; those who may be admitted for observation; and those who may safely be discharged home. The findings are published online in the Journal...Read more
Tool-predicts-risk-of-chronic-pain-after-surgery
2015 22 Feb
A study has developed a new scoring system that helps physicians identify patients’ risks of chronic pain after surgery. Researchers needed to predict this risk at the time when surgery is being planned. Hence, they created a new planning tool that they could use prior to surgery. This is a crucial stage when doctors plan measures to be taken to prevent...Read more
Geriatric-consultations-improve-outcomes-for-elderly-er-patients
2015 19 Feb
Patients over the age of 65 who need surgical treatment for traumatic injuries benefit from early consultation with a geriatrician, according to an article in press in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons . Since older patients struggle with different difficulties following traumatic injury, including cognitive functioning, family support...Read more
Patient-questionnaire-helps-measure-postoperative-disability
2015 18 Feb
An international study suggests that a simple-to-use patient questionnaire can help doctors measure the risk of disability in patients following surgery and should be used as an outcomes measure in perioperative studies. Results of the multicentre study are reported in Anesthesiology , the official medical journal of the American Society of Anesthesiologists...Read more
Accessory-lens-for-google-glass-expands-visual-field
2015 17 Feb
Medical professionals who use Google Glass for training and surgical applications may soon have an expanded visual field, thanks to an accessory lens which is awaiting US patent approval. The “Google Lens” device was developed by professors Jibo He and Barbara Chaparro at Wichita State University (WSU) in Kansas, with the help of WSU graduate student...Read more
Surgical-site-infection-tops-list-of-reasons-for-unplanned-readmissions
2015 08 Feb
Hospital readmissions present a major challenge for administrators working to reduce costs and improve care quality metrics. It is not only chronic medical conditions which can be problematic for hospitals wishing to avoid financial penalties for readmissions: many patients are readmitted with complications following surgical procedures. According...Read more
Better-postoperative-outcomes-not-tied-to-metrics-reporting
2015 06 Feb
Improved surgical outcomes are not related to the use of systems which capture and report postoperative metrics. Hospitals which participate in the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) did not differ from non-NSQIP hospitals in terms of better surgical outcomes, according to Mayo Clinic researchers. The report appears in the Journal...Read more
Ultrasound-can-id-breast-cancer-patients-who-need-lymph-nodes-removed
2015 02 Feb
A Mayo Clinic-led study shows that not all women with lymph node-positive breast cancer treated with chemotherapy before surgery need to have all of their underarm nodes taken out. Researchers say that ultrasound is a useful tool for judging before breast cancer surgery whether chemotherapy eliminated cancer from the underarm lymph nodes. The findings...Read more
Older-breast-cancer-patients-can-safely-avoid-radiotherapy
2015 01 Feb
Based on an international study, some older women with breast cancer could safely avoid radiotherapy, without harming their chances of survival. Researchers found that older women with early breast cancer who were given breast-conserving surgery and hormone therapy gained very modest benefit from radiotherapy. These findings suggest that a carefully...Read more
New-therapies-have-not-reduced-anaesthesia-risks-for-pht-patients
2015 24 Jan
While new treatments for pulmonary hypertension (PHT) have reduced mortality, children with PHT are still a high-risk group for serious complications and death related to anaesthesia and surgery, according to a study appearing in Anesthesia & Analgesia . Younger children and those with more severe disease are at higher risk, according to researchers,...Read more
Imaging-system-improves-effectiveness-of-cancer-surgery-1
2015 22 Jan
Scientists have invented a new imaging system that will make it easier for surgeons to detect malignant tissue during surgery and hopefully reduce the rate of cancer recurrence. The inventors say the imaging system causes the tumours to “light up” when a hand-held laser is directed at them. “A surgeon’s goal during cancer surgery is to remove the...Read more
Asa-explains-how-patients-can-make-surgery-safer
2015 14 Jan
According to studies conducted by the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), most people are unaware of the role the physician anaesthesiologist has in taking care of patients before, during and after surgery. While surgery and anaesthesia are safer than ever, most patients do not know about the steps they can take to make their experience safer...Read more