Jan 23, 2013

Using a comprehensive surgical safety checklist and a structured team training curriculum appears to result in significant reductions in 30-day morbidity, according to a study from researchers in Conn...

Jan 23, 2013

The Particulars: Patients who suffer a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and make it to the hospital alive often undergo either open surgical repair or endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR). Data...

Jan 22, 2013

The Particulars: Reducing the standard dose during CT-guided targeted biopsy reduces patient exposure to radiation. However, the effect of this approach on diagnostic accuracy and major complication r...

Jan 22, 2013

The Particulars: Blood thinners are typically prescribed to treat DVT, but these agents tend to be only partially effective at removing clots. Rheolytic pharmacomechanical thrombectomy is a treatment ...

Jan 22, 2013

The Particulars: Women with an abnormal placenta sometimes undergo cesarean section to reduce risks of hemorrhage during pregnancy. These women, however, are still at risk for excessive blood loss and...

Jan 17, 2013

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Octaplas, a pooled plasma (human) blood product for the replacement of clotting proteins (coagulation factors) in certain medical conditions where ...

Jan 17, 2013

Post-mastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) to the chest wall and supraclavicular fossa is beneficial in breast cancer patients with four or more positive nodes, according to findings from the International B...

Jan 17, 2013

Researchers at Columbia University have found that intraoperative blood loss, as indicated by transfusion use, appears to be the most important predictor of intraoperative cardiac arrest (ICA) among a...

Jan 17, 2013

The rate of lower extremity amputations appears to have decreased significantly between 2000 and 2008 among patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), according to findings from a review of CMS da...

Jan 17, 2013

Patients undergoing total hip replacement (THR) have 4.7-fold and 4.4-fold increased risks of ischemic stroke and hemorrhagic stroke, respectively, during their first 2 postoperative weeks, according ...

Jan 17, 2013

Among patients undergoing cardiac surgery, perioperative supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids does not appear to reduce the risk of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). An international investi...

Jan 16, 2013

Studies have shown that using surgical simulators to improve skills in the operating room (OR) can be effective for surgeons in training. To maximize the effectiveness of simulation training, a profic...

Jan 16, 2013

Studies indicate that sedation during bronchoscopy makes the procedure more comfortable for patients and provides better working conditions for physicians when compared with no sedation. Sedation can ...

Jan 15, 2013

According to recent estimates, about 400,000 pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs) are surgically implanted each year in the United States. In 2008, the American College of Car...

Jan 14, 2013

Pain management is a critical component medical care for patients undergoing surgery, but studies suggest that up to 70% of individuals undergoing surgery complain of moderate-to-severe pain after the...

Jan 10, 2013

Among patients being considered for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair, moderate and severe chronic kidney disease (CKD) appears to be associated with significantly increased mortality. Mortality ...

Jan 09, 2013

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are the most common complication facing colorectal surgery patients, occurring in 15% to 30% of cases. SSIs prolong hospitalization, increase readmissions, require subs...

Jan 09, 2013

More than 50,000 thyroid operations are performed in the United States annually, and postoperative hypoparathyroidism can occur in up to 30% of cases. To protect against the development of symptomatic...

Jan 09, 2013

Most patients who undergo aortic valve replacement (AVR) appear to have pulmonary hypertension that remains following AVR, according to a Cleveland Clinic investigation. Any improvement in initial rig...

Jan 09, 2013

Performing routine needle biopsy of suspicious lung nodules in surgical candidates appears to have several benefits, according to Canadian investigators. With routine needle biopsy, 16% of patients av...