Study: 10% of deaths after PCI preventable
Editor's Note New data show 10% of deaths from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a common and minimally invasive procedure to unclog arteries, are preventable. The study appeared in PLOS ONE on March 27. PCI is one of the most common surgical procedures. More than 500,000 Americans undergo the procedure each…
Study: Weight loss drugs could increase risk of surgical complications
Editor's Note Popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro could lead to complications in surgical procedures, according to study published March 6 in the journal JAMA Surgery. The study focused on drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) which are used to treat diabetes and obesity. The drugs, which…
Study data supports less radical cervical cancer surgery alternative
Editor's Note New research supports fertility preservation with cone biopsy as a viable, less radical option for to surgery in patients with early, low-risk cervical cancer, according to a report published March 18 in MedPage Today. Presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology annual meeting, the findings from the Gynecologic…
Lack of primary care physicians tied to emergency surgeries
Editor's Note Research shows that Americans who live in areas with a limited number of primary care doctors and nurse practitioners are at a greater risk for emergency surgeries and complications. The findings were published March 4 in the journal Health Affairs. For the study, researchers looked at Medicare patient…
New gel protects tissue during gastrointestinal surgery
Editor's Note Researchers at MIT have developed a new gel called GastroShield to help prevent gastrointestinal bleeding during and after surgery performed during colonoscopy screenings. Advanced Materials published the findings on February 29. Colonoscopy screenings—undergone by some 20 million Americans each year—often result in doctors finding and removing polyps. These…
Physician shortages boost likelihood of emergency surgery, complications
Editor's Note Health complications and hospital readmissions are more likely for Medicare patients living in areas with primary care shortages. The findings, from a cross-sectional retrospective cohort study of data from 2015 to 2019, were published March 4 in Health Affairs. Specifically, the study showed that patients in areas with…
Flexible sticker device detects postoperative gastrointestinal leaks
Editor's Note A medical device developed by researchers at Northwestern University and Washington University School of Medicine could enable clinicians to monitor the health of a patient’s organs following surgery. The findings appeared in the journal Science on March 7. Patients who undergo gastrointestinal surgeries—including pancreatic surgery—can develop anastomotic leaks…
Patient engagement technologies improve surgical outcomes, perioperative experience
Editor's Note Patient engagement technologies (PETs) reduced length of stay (LOS), complication rates, and readmission rates among patients in a study published February 16 in the American Journal of Surgery. The retrospective cohort study consisted of more than 400 patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery from 2018 to 2022. Approximately 9…
Negative pressure wound therapy reduces SSI across surgical specialties
Editor's Note Compared with standard wound dressings, single-use negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) devices can reduce the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) in at-risk patients with closed surgical incisions across a range of surgical specialties, according to a data review highlighted in the February issue of the American Journal…
New surgical gel could promote wound healing in pelvic organ prolapse surgery
Editor's Note A new synthetic surgical gel developed by a researcher at Radboud University may one day help reduce the need for recurring surgeries for women with pelvic organ prolapse. Advanced Therapeutics published the findings September 6, 2023. According to a recent EurekAlert! report, the researcher received her PhD for…
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