Long travel distances are still a significant obstacle to breast reconstruction after surgery, according to a new study. The research was reported in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS). “While greater patient awareness and insurance coverage have contributed to breast reconstruction rates in the United… Continue reading Travel Distance Affects Reconstructive Breast-Cancer Surgery
Tag: surgery
Medication Errors & Adverse Drug Events in 1 out of 2 Surgeries
The first study to measure the incidence of medication errors and adverse drug events during the perioperative period – immediately before, during and right after a surgical procedure – has found that some sort of mistake or adverse event occurred in every second operation and in 5 percent of observed drug administrations. The study of… Continue reading Medication Errors & Adverse Drug Events in 1 out of 2 Surgeries
Breast Cancer Treatments: An Overview
Researchers are constantly working to find new and better ways to diagnose and treat breast cancer. Here, from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), is an overview of what the existing treatments are. Some treatments are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment clinical trial is a research… Continue reading Breast Cancer Treatments: An Overview
Hospital Practices Can Make Patients Sicker
Up to half of seriously ill patients are sickened further by avoidable and risky bouts of food and sleep deprivation, according to a Johns Hopkins surgeon and prominent patient safety. researcher is calling on hospitals to reform emergency room, surgical and other medical protocols that sicken up to half of already seriously ill patients —… Continue reading Hospital Practices Can Make Patients Sicker
Good Communication in the OR Prevents Patient Complications
In a study by psychologists and surgeons concerning elective, open abdominal surgeries conducted in 167 patients, communication by the surgical team that was relevant to the procedure was linked with a reduced risk of the development of surgical site infections. On the other hand, irrelevant communication during the closing phase of the procedure was linked… Continue reading Good Communication in the OR Prevents Patient Complications
Getting Ready for Surgery
Have you been told by your doctor that you need surgery? If so, you’re not alone. Millions of older Americans have surgery each year. Here, from the National Institue on Aging, is what you need to know before an operation: For most surgeries, you will have time to find out about the operation, talk about… Continue reading Getting Ready for Surgery
This is Why Ulcerative Colitis Surgery May be Better than Drugs
Patients over 50 who have ulcerative colitis live longer if they undergo surgery rather than taking drugs This according to a new study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, the finding was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. “Most physicians opt to treat [ulcerative colitis] with medications, as opposed… Continue reading This is Why Ulcerative Colitis Surgery May be Better than Drugs
The Debate About Surgery for Stress Urinary Incontinence
A Cochrane systematic review published in July 2015 makes an important contribution to an ongoing debate about surgery for stress urinary incontinence. The paper will help women make more informed choices about treatment, according to a release from the publisher. Inserting a “mid-urethral sling”, a type of tape, to support the muscles of the bladder… Continue reading The Debate About Surgery for Stress Urinary Incontinence
What You Need to Know About Dry Eye
The condition known as dry eye is painful and inconvenient. Here, from the experts at NIH SeniorHealth, is what you should know about it: Dry eye occurs when the eye does not produce tears properly, or when the tears are of poor quality and dry up quickly. The eyes need tears for overall eye health… Continue reading What You Need to Know About Dry Eye
A “Game Changing” Treatment for Stroke
Researchers have discovered that removing a clot, in combination with standard drug therapy, can be a “game changer” in treating some kinds of stroke. The findings of the Swift Prime trial (Solitaire With the Intention For Thrombectomy as PRIMary Endovascular treatment) were reported April 17 in the online edition of the New England Journal of… Continue reading A “Game Changing” Treatment for Stroke
Risky Procedure May Not Benefit Nursing-Home Patients
Revascularization procedures, designed to preserve limbs, benefit only a few U.S. nursing home residents, according to new research. Investigators from the University of California San Francisco published the finding in JAMA Internal Medicine. They said that even those patients who survived gained little, if any, function. “Our findings can inform conversations among physicians, patients and… Continue reading Risky Procedure May Not Benefit Nursing-Home Patients
The Dangers of Some IV Lines
Physicians need to more carefully consider the type of IV they use on patients, researchers say. One kind of IV, known as a PICC line, is used to deliver medicines or have blood drawn over the course of days or weeks. But while they’re popular, PICC lines also raise the risk of potentially dangerous blood… Continue reading The Dangers of Some IV Lines
Are Costlier Prostate Treatments Really Better?
The cost to treat a benign prostate condition can vary as much as 400 percent, researchers say, and the results were no different. The finding has important implications for health-care costs. Investigators from UCLA analyzed the cost of treatment for a common condition benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). “The rising cost of health care is unsustainable,… Continue reading Are Costlier Prostate Treatments Really Better?
Ultrasound Helps Show Which Breast Ca Patients Need Lymph Nodes Removed
Which breast cancer patients need to have underarm lymph nodes removed? Mayo Clinic-led research is narrowing it down. A study published in the February 2015 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology finds that not all women with lymph node-positive breast cancer treated with chemotherapy before surgery need to have all of their underarm nodes… Continue reading Ultrasound Helps Show Which Breast Ca Patients Need Lymph Nodes Removed
Patient’s Age Isn’t A Factor in Ear Surgery
A patient’s age isn’t a factor in a procedure to improve the quality of a cochlear implant, according to researchers from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. The finding was published in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery. According to a news release from the university, a cochlear implantation improves speech perception, but a… Continue reading Patient’s Age Isn’t A Factor in Ear Surgery
Study: Shorter Doctors’ Hours Don’t Affect Patient Outcomes
A new study has found that there is no difference in the rate of death or rehospitalization of Medicare patients following a mandated reduction in the number of continuous hours a medical resident can work. The study, published in JAMA, was conducted by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania… Continue reading Study: Shorter Doctors’ Hours Don’t Affect Patient Outcomes
People Want To Learn About Medical Risks As Soon As Possible
The higher their risk of certain illnesses, the more people are inclined to take action, ranging from seeking information to undergoing surgery, a new study shows. The investigation by researchers from Yale and Syracuse universities reveals the attitudes that so many consumers have in an age of “surveillance medicine.” The findings were published in the… Continue reading People Want To Learn About Medical Risks As Soon As Possible
How to Have A Good Recovery after Hip Surgery
According to the latest statistics, more than 2.5 million people in the United States have had hip replacements. A successful hip replacement can make life easier by maximizing mobility and maintaining independent living. It’s crucial that you know how to make a good recovery so you can maximize the effects of the procedure. Here, experts… Continue reading How to Have A Good Recovery after Hip Surgery