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Low-Mortality Hospitals Better With Heart Surgery Complications
Low-mortality hospitals are better at managing complications after cardiac surgery
Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Aspirin Post Hip Replacement OK for Extended Prophylaxis
Aspirin for 28 days non-inferior and as safe as dalteparin for preventing venous thromboembolism
Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Few Physicians Meeting Meaningful Use in Early 2012
Managing patient populations with electronic systems not easy for many physicians
Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Blood Transfusions in Cardiac Surgery May Up Infections
Each unit of RBCs transfused linked with 29 percent increase in risk of major post-op infection
Tuesday, June 04, 2013

CDC: Small Drop in Those With Difficulty Paying Medical Bills
Decrease in adults (<65 years) and children in families with difficulty paying medical bills
Tuesday, June 04, 2013

Health of Nation Reviewed With Focus on Emergency Care
Twenty percent of people reported visiting emergency department at least once in last year
Monday, June 03, 2013

Standard VTE Prevention Supported for Bariatric Surgery
Review looks at both intravascular filters and augmented pharmacologic dosing strategies
Friday, May 31, 2013

New Statement Released by Anticoagulation Forum
Consensus statement to help organizations develop better systems to cut medication errors
Friday, May 31, 2013

Patients Who Share in Care Decisions May Up Costs of Care
Hospitalized patients who preferred to be involved in care decisions had longer stays and higher costs
Thursday, May 30, 2013

One-Third of Medical Students Have Implicit Anti-Fat Bias
Most are unaware of their significant implicit bias, although it could affect quality of care
Thursday, May 30, 2013

Odds of Mortality Up With Elective Surgery on Friday, Weekend
Significantly increased risk of mortality within 30 days for Friday, weekend versus Monday surgery
Thursday, May 30, 2013

Doc Passengers Assist in Half of In-Flight Medical Emergencies
Most common in-flight medical problems syncope, respiratory symptoms, nausea and vomiting
Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Modified Genes Present After Maternal Bariatric Surgery
Modifications consistent with reduced cardiometabolic risk
Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Transparency Key to Improving Value Care for Patients
Data on price, utilization, and quality should be made publicly available to ensure greater value
Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Morbid Obesity Complicates Treatment of Spine Trauma
Challenges during surgery include patient positioning, surgical access, instrument length
Tuesday, May 28, 2013

HHS: End-of-2013 Targets for EHR Use Already Reached
>50 percent of doctor offices, 80 percent of eligible hospitals using electronic health records
Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Docs Anticipating Changes Ahead As ACA Progresses
Most expect ACA to continue as planned; expect further integration for themselves, hospitals
Monday, May 27, 2013

Bulletin Provides Guidelines for Second-Trimester Abortion
Guidelines based on review of scientific evidence and expert opinion
Friday, May 24, 2013

About One in Four Uninsured Could Be Excluded From ACA
Twenty-seven percent of those eligible for assistance tax credits do not have checking account
Friday, May 24, 2013

Data Support Basing Health Decisions on Both Benefit, Cost
Health care cost varies from $2 to $224 per month of health status-adjusted life expectancy
Friday, May 24, 2013

Three Reports Discuss Issues Surrounding Blood Transfusion
Best practices for transfusion, alternatives to blood, management of blood supply discussed
Friday, May 24, 2013

ATS: Early Parenteral Nutrition Doesn't Reduce Day-60 Death
For critically ill patients, early PN results in fewer days of ventilation, less muscle wasting
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

ATS: Injured Women Receive Less Trauma Care Than Men
Findings point to consistent gender gap regardless of mechanism of injury or income
Tuesday, May 21, 2013

CT Radiation Risk Less Than Risk of Examination Indicator
The most common non-cancer indications for body CT are trauma and abdominal pain
Monday, May 20, 2013

Digital Divide Exists With Physician EHR Adoption
Adopters found to be optimistic about IT's potential, while non-adopters remain skeptical
Monday, May 20, 2013

Changes in Organ Allocation Helped Kids in Past Decade
From 2001 to 2010, increase seen in pediatric transplantation, decrease in wait-list deaths
Monday, May 20, 2013

Little Evidence for Prediction Rules for Low Back Pain
Trials are of low quality and provide insufficient support of clinical prediction rules
Friday, May 17, 2013

Surgeon Variation Affects QoL After Prostatectomy
Significant associations seen in men's urinary and sexual function based on surgeon
Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Half of Plastic Surgeons Use Social Media Professionally
Social media use highest among those who primarily perform cosmetic plastic surgery
Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Simulator-Based Robotic Sx Curriculum Hones Skills
Significant improvements seen in effectiveness of surgery skills, instrument handling
Monday, May 13, 2013

New FDA Survey to Assess Doc Attitudes on DTC Advertising
New survey will examine attitudes among non-physicians, including nurses, physician assistants
Monday, May 13, 2013

User Satisfaction With Electronic Health Records Down
Twelve percent decrease in user satisfaction since 2010; increase in very dissatisfied users
Friday, May 10, 2013

Poor Service, Bedside Manner Top Patients' Online Complaints
Review of 'rate-your-doctor' websites reveals patients' most common gripes
Friday, May 10, 2013

Antidepressants Benefit Post-CABG Mental Health Recovery
Escitalopram doesn't affect mortality, morbidity, but improves depression, mental health
Thursday, May 09, 2013

HRS: No Need to Stop Warfarin for Pacemaker, ICD Surgery
Fewer significant pocket-device hematomas for continued warfarin versus bridging heparin
Thursday, May 09, 2013

Smartphones, Smartphone Apps Increasingly Used by Docs
Two reports show use of smartphones and apps for professional purposes is increasing
Thursday, May 09, 2013

HHS Releases Data on Inpatient Charges for Hospital Services
HHS is also providing funding to data centers to collate, analyze, publish data to assist consumers
Thursday, May 09, 2013

Skin Cancer Tx Mostly Surgical, Regardless of Life Expectancy
For nonmelanoma skin cancer, treatment choice unaffected by patient prognosis
Wednesday, May 08, 2013

Application for Health Coverage Has Been Simplified, Shortened
First-time consumers will be able to complete one three-page application, see all available options
Wednesday, May 08, 2013

LAP-BAND Safe, Effective for Obese With BMI <40 kg/m²
Improvements in weight loss, quality of life, and comorbidities through two years
Tuesday, May 07, 2013

Genetic Variant May Explain Weight Loss Post-RYGB Surgery
Locus identified at 15q26.1, which is linked to weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
Tuesday, May 07, 2013

In-Hospital Mortality No Different at Critical Access Hospitals
Mortality similar at CAHs, non-CAHs for eight common procedures; costs higher at CAHs
Friday, May 03, 2013

Potentially Toxic Metals Present in Lip Cosmetics
Researchers estimate risk based on detected concentrations and estimated daily use
Friday, May 03, 2013

Patients Most Annoyed by Long Waits, Unclear Test Results
Survey regarding doctor's office grievances identifies patients' top pet peeves
Friday, May 03, 2013

For Living Donor, Liver Transplant Mortality Rate at 0.2 Percent
Higher experience tied to lower rates of aborted hepatectomies and near-miss events in donors
Friday, May 03, 2013

AHA: Lifestyle Changes May Reduce Blood Clot Risk
Ideal levels of physical activity, body mass index most significantly linked to risk
Friday, May 03, 2013

Medicaid Coverage Doesn't Lead to Better Physical Health
After two years, no reductions noted in measured BP, cholesterol, or glycated hemoglobin levels
Thursday, May 02, 2013

Health Industry Payment Details to Be Publicly Available
New CMS website will detail financial ties between drug, device manufacturers and docs, hospitals
Thursday, May 02, 2013

Breast Implants May Impair Breast CA Diagnosis, Prognosis
Increased odds of diagnosis at non-localized stage of disease; worse breast cancer survival
Wednesday, May 01, 2013

Novel System Proposed for Accountable Cancer Care
Cancer Care Groups proposed, which would be compensated under bundled payment system
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Comprehensive Analysis Supports SERMs for Cutting Breast Cancer
Meta-analysis shows reduced incidence of breast cancer, especially in first five years of follow-up
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Renewed Efforts From AAFP to Repeal OTC Provision in ACA
Provision will increase costs to health care system; add to burden on physician offices
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Multicenter Study Links Peri-Op SSRI Use to Adverse Outcomes
Increased odds of in-hospital mortality, bleeding, 30-day readmission, after adjustment
Tuesday, April 30, 2013

FDA Announces New Network to Focus Exclusively on Patients
Interactive tool designed to educate patients and advocates about processes of drug development
Monday, April 29, 2013

FDA: Purveyors of Phony Botox Targeting U.S. Practices
Products advertised through fax; not FDA approved
Monday, April 29, 2013

Medical Interns Spending Less Time With Patients
More time being spent at a computer since work hours were limited in 2011
Friday, April 26, 2013

Physicians Less Empathetic in Talking to Heavy Patients
Patient weight plays no role in quantity of physicians' biomedical communications
Thursday, April 25, 2013

Breast CA Tx Delays Still More Common for Poor, Uninsured
And, women with early-stage breast cancer with Medicaid are more likely to receive mastectomy
Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Diagnostic Errors Are the Leading Type of Malpractice Claim
Diagnosis-related payments from 1986 to 2010 totaled $38.8 billion
Wednesday, April 24, 2013

Peri-Noncardiac Op Exposure to β-Blockers Improves Outcome
Exposure tied to lower mortality for patients with two or more Revised Cardiac Risk Index factors
Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Outcomes No Worse With Home Call for Surgical Interns
Overall unadjusted morbidity and mortality rates no worse with home call versus in-hospital call
Monday, April 22, 2013

TEDMED: Patients Can Become Leaders on the Health Team
Communities can raise their own leaders; may be key approach to change at community level
Monday, April 22, 2013

TEDMED: Get the Joy Back Into Health and Wellness
Surgeon General talks about importance of bringing joy back into movement and medicine
Monday, April 22, 2013

Patient-Centered Decision Making Ups Health Outcomes
Health care outcomes improved for 71 percent of contextual factors that were addressed by PCDM
Friday, April 19, 2013

Patient Satisfaction Poor Indicator of Quality Surgical Care
Link between patient satisfaction and teamwork climate, safety climate, stress recognition
Friday, April 19, 2013

Racial Disparity in Head and Neck Cancer Outcomes
Black Medicaid beneficiaries less likely to get surgical treatment, more likely to die than whites
Friday, April 19, 2013

Family-Centered Teaching Rounds Good for Patients, Students
Higher patient satisfaction with exam room presentations; many residents have concerns
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Relative Proportion of MRSA Increasing in S. aureus Isolates
Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus becoming more resistant to antibiotics
Thursday, April 18, 2013

Community Benefit Spending Varies for Tax-Exempt Hospitals
Most spent on charity care, patient services; less spent on community health improvement
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Glutamine, Antioxidants No Benefit to Critically Ill Patients
Glutamine linked to increase in 28-day mortality among critically ill adults with multiorgan failure
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Effect of Surgical Complications on Hospital Finances Analyzed
Complication reduction efforts could improve financial performance of safety-net hospitals
Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Endocrine Therapy Often Incomplete after Breast Cancer
Study examines factors associated with initiation and persistence of treatment
Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Review Addresses Need for 'Sharps' Injury Prevention Efforts
Fatigue, inexperience play critical role; health and cost impact can be significant
Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Transgastric Appendicectomy Is Feasible for Select Patients
No problems with gastric access, damage to neighboring organs or other complications
Friday, April 12, 2013

Topical Treatment Effective for Toenail Fungal Infection
Mycologic cure rate significantly higher with 48 weeks of efinaconazole versus placebo
Friday, April 12, 2013

Surgeons Support Nonphysician Screens for Low Back Pain
Canadian survey finds most support clinicians' standards in assessing discomfort
Friday, April 12, 2013

ACS: Room for Improvement in Cancer Prevention, Detection
American Cancer Society stresses need to cut tobacco use, obesity; expand screening test use
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Speech Details Practices to Improve U.S. Health Systems
Mayo Clinic CEO outlines key steps to create high-quality, low-cost care in America
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Readmission Rates ID'd After Spine Stenosis Decompression
Surgery with fusion is seen at 9.7 percent after one year; 7.2 percent for decompression alone
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Fusion Doesn't Up Reoperation Risk With Spinal Stenosis
Duration of pretreatment symptoms is only factor predictive of re-op after spinal stenosis surgery
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Calorie Reduction, Not Bypass Surgery, Ups Diabetes Control
Reduced calorie diet in absence of surgery has larger effect than after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass
Thursday, April 11, 2013

Teens With Gynecomastia Have Lower Psychosocial Well-Being
Abnormal development of breast tissue in males associated with poorer health, social functioning
Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Radiation-Linked Heart Disease Ups Death in Cardiothoracic Sx
Increasing Euro score and lack of beta-blockers also independently tied to higher mortality
Tuesday, April 09, 2013

"Never Events" Rare After Bladder Cancer Surgery
Rate of ten conditions considered to be reasonably preventable 2.42 percent after radical cystectomy
Thursday, April 04, 2013

Tonsillectomy Benefits Adults With Recurrent Pharyngitis
Study patients report improved quality of life, fewer days absent from work or school
Wednesday, April 03, 2013

Preoperative Warming Does Not Appear to Be Beneficial
Two studies show no difference in patients' post-op temperature; no decrease in post-op hypothermia
Monday, April 01, 2013

Many Uninsured Vets Will Be Eligible for Medicaid Under ACA
But most of uninsured will have new coverage options only if their state expands Medicaid
Friday, March 29, 2013

Using Internet Search Logs Can Help Identify Drug Interactions
Tool may alert authorities to potential problems and aid in surveillance of adverse events
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Study: Primary Care Extension Program Should Be Funded
Authors say PCEP important to improving public health, translating research into practice
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Experience-Related Data Limited in Children's Surgery
Wide variation seen in studies on methodology, outcomes, exposure definitions
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Regional Variation Noted in Prevalence of Delayed Care
Populations in counties with high prevalence likely to be Hispanic, have low income, chronic disease
Thursday, March 28, 2013

Inpatient Deaths Fell by 8 Percent in Last Decade
But total number of hospitalizations increased by 11 percent
Wednesday, March 27, 2013

AHA: Active Docs More Likely to Advise Patients to Be Active
Review sees link between health care providers' physical activity level, counseling offered
Friday, March 22, 2013

Mobility Impaired May Have Difficulty Accessing Docs
Inability to transfer patient from wheelchair to examination bed most commonly reported issue
Friday, March 22, 2013

Impact of Budget Sequestration on Health Care Discussed
Cuts will not be equal: Medicaid protected; 2 percent cut for Medicare; 8.2 percent cut for NIH
Thursday, March 21, 2013

Heart-Healthy Lifestyle Can Also Reduce Cancer Risk
Adherence to six or seven ideal health metrics linked to 51 percent lower risk of cancer
Thursday, March 21, 2013

Effect of Immigration Status on Medicaid Eligibility Discussed
Seventeen percent of low-income, uninsured nonelderly are unauthorized or recently legal
Wednesday, March 20, 2013

ER Discharge Dx/Disposition Discordant With Chief Complaint
Presenting complaints don't differ amongst patients needing primary care, urgent care, hospital admission
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Conflict-of-Interest Disclosures Common at 2011 AAOS Meeting
All featured symposia at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons disclosed conflicts
Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Final Rule in Notice of Benefit, Payment Parameters Issued
Rule expands on existing standards for risk adjustment, reinsurance, risk corridors
Friday, March 15, 2013

Robotic Surgery Not Best for Hysterectomy, ACOG Says
ACOG says direct-to-consumer marketing may lead women to believe robotic is best choice
Friday, March 15, 2013

Pharmaceutical Companies Are Reducing Promotional Spending
Much less spent to promote biologics compared with small molecule drugs, study finds
Friday, March 15, 2013

Health Insurance Exchanges Will Mainly Be Run by Feds
Federal government will establish exchanges for 26 states; state-run exchanges for 17 states, D.C.
Friday, March 15, 2013

Stimulated Reporting Accounts for High Dabigatran Bleeding
Analysis of FDA Mini-Sentinel database shows bleeding rates no higher than for warfarin
Thursday, March 14, 2013

FDA Approves Lymphoseek to Help Locate Lymph Nodes
For use among people with certain cancers
Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Post-PCI Bleeding Linked to Increased In-Hospital Mortality
An estimated 12.1 percent of deaths were related to bleeding complications
Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Wide Variation in Cesarean Rates Across U.S. Hospitals
Even wider variation seen among women with lower-risk pregnancies
Wednesday, March 13, 2013

$120 Million to Be Sequestered From Health Centers in 2013
Losses likely to be more severe for health centers that are especially grant dependent
Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Da Vinci Robot Used in Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion
Case report describes enhanced visualization inside disc space and surrounding areas
Tuesday, March 12, 2013

ACC: PCI Outcomes No Worse Without On-Site Cardiac Surgery
Rates of major adverse cardiac events noninferior with treatment at hospital without on-site surgery
Monday, March 11, 2013

Shelf Life of Blood Appears Shorter Than Thought
Decreased membrane deformability not readily reversible after transfusion, small study finds
Friday, March 08, 2013

Risk Factors ID'd for Massive Blood Loss in Scoliosis Surgery
Include pre-op Cobb angle larger than 50 degrees, osteotomy, or fusion of more than six levels
Friday, March 08, 2013

ACC: Gastric Artery Embolization Viable in Humans
First-in-man study shows weight loss and decrease in BMI up to six months post-procedure
Friday, March 08, 2013

Study Compares Procedures for Postmastectomy Reconstruction
Latissimus flaps have significantly fewer complications than other autologous methods
Wednesday, March 06, 2013

In U.S., Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae Increasing
Vast majority of CRE episodes occur in patients with considerable health care exposure
Wednesday, March 06, 2013

Clinical Trials Published Almost Two Years After Completion
Funding source, number of participants, and journal impact factor all affect time to publication
Wednesday, March 06, 2013

U.K. Health Performance Worse Than Comparable Countries
Tobacco, high blood pressure, high BMI leading risk factors for disability-adjusted life-years
Tuesday, March 05, 2013

Exercise Tied to Mental Health in Bariatric Sx Candidates
Physically active bariatric surgery candidates are less likely to have depression and anxiety
Monday, March 04, 2013

Panel Recommends 10 Patient Safety Strategies
Ten strategies strongly encouraged for adoption; a further 12 strategies encouraged
Monday, March 04, 2013

CMS Reports on Progress Toward Improved Health Care
Progress includes slowing of growth in health care spending, decrease in readmissions
Monday, March 04, 2013

Computerized Provider Order Entry System Cuts Rx Errors
Given effect size, CPOE use, estimated reduction of 12.5 percent in medication errors each year
Monday, March 04, 2013

Irradiation Shows Lasting Results for Prostate Cancer Control
Study finds longest time to recurrence 15.5 years, with containment up to 25 years of follow-up
Monday, March 04, 2013

Patients Increasingly Sue Over Botched Laser Hair Removals
Physicians commonly named as defendants, even when they did not personally do procedures
Friday, March 01, 2013

AAD: Complications of Tattoos and Tattoo Ink Discussed
Complications include allergic reactions, serious infections, and reactions that mimic skin cancer
Friday, March 01, 2013

Sequestration to Impact Health Care-Related Programs
Medicare providers and medical researchers brace for cuts from fiscal impasse
Friday, March 01, 2013

Hyperbaric Oxygen No Benefit for Diabetic Foot Ulcers
No improvement in healing or prevention of amputations with hyperbaric oxygen
Thursday, February 28, 2013

Glycemic Control Not Linked to Adverse Outcomes After TKA
No increased risk of revision, deep infection, DVT, or PE with controlled or uncontrolled diabetes
Thursday, February 28, 2013

Bariatric Surgery Outcomes No Better at Centers of Excellence
CMS policy restricting coverage to hospitals designated as COE not tied to improved outcomes
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Preparation Underway for Implementation of ACA in 2014
Medicaid and CHIP are still main source of insurance coverage for children, pregnant women
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

List of Five Unnecessary Vascular Tests Released
Tests and procedures may be unnecessary or even harmful
Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Bariatric Surgery Does Not Appear to Cut Health Care Costs
Over a six-year period, costs are not significantly lower for patients undergoing bariatric surgery
Monday, February 25, 2013

Study Examines Botox Dose Disparity in Aesthetic Face Tx
Electromyography data show onabotulinum toxin B has similar effect on upper, lower facial muscles
Friday, February 22, 2013

Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits Expanded
New rule from HHS outlines standards for essential health benefits
Friday, February 22, 2013

CMS Proposes Payment and Policy Updates for 2014
Suggested changes will increase value and protection for beneficiaries
Thursday, February 21, 2013

FDA: Codeine After Surgery Puts Children At Risk
Food and Drug Administration urging use of alternative pain reliever
Thursday, February 21, 2013

Higher Risk of Hip Implant Failure for Women Than Men
After adjustment, women have 29 percent increased risk of all-cause revision
Thursday, February 21, 2013

ASPS: Plastic Surgery Procedures Increasing in U.S.
Number of total cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery procedures up in 2012
Thursday, February 21, 2013

Faster Adoption of Electronic Health Records Needed
Penalties under 2009 law start in 2015
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Opioids Involved in Most Medical Overdose Deaths
Frequently involve drugs prescribed for mental health conditions
Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Multimodality Approach Needed to Reengineer Health Care
Rethinking, redesign, and application of necessary tools suggested for health care value reform
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

CMS: Unnecessary Medicare Regulations to Be Reformed
Proposed rule aims to increase ability of health care professionals to improve patient care
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Artificial Intelligence Can Improve Patient Care
Modeling shows that computers can improve medical decisions and outcomes at lower costs
Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Mycobacterial Infection Seen After Laser Resurfacing
Papules, pustules after fractionated CO₂ resurfacing may indicate nontuberculous mycobacteria
Monday, February 18, 2013

Health Care-Associated Infections Decreased in 2011
Largest drop in central line-associated bloodstream infections; surgical site infections also down
Friday, February 15, 2013

General Anesthesia Ups Knee Replacement Complications
Superficial wound infections, blood transfusions, overall complications down after spinal anesthesia
Friday, February 15, 2013

Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery Not Needed for All Skiers
Reevaluation at six to 12 weeks after injury can identify patients who do not need surgery
Thursday, February 14, 2013

IOM Urges International Action to Eradicate Fake Drugs
Falsified and substandard meds are ineffective; may trigger resistance and cause illness, death
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Psychological, Sexual Impact of Female Breadwinners Explored
Men who are outearned by their wives more likely to use erectile dysfunction medications
Thursday, February 14, 2013

Oregon Experiment Will Provide Insight Into ACO-Based Reform
Program centered on coordinated care organization highlights challenges of contracting with ACOs
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Health Insurance Exchanges Are Top Priority on U.S. Agenda
Fifty-five percent view establishment of insurance exchange as top policy priority for their state
Wednesday, February 13, 2013

Obtaining Price Estimate for Hip Arthroplasty Found Difficult
Considerable variation in complete price in both top-ranked and non-top-ranked U.S. hospitals
Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Increasing Patient Activation Tied to Lower Health Care Costs
Having a higher score on the Patient Activation Measure linked to improved outcomes, lower costs
Monday, February 11, 2013

Electroacupuncture Reduces Duration of Post-Op Ileus
After laparoscopic surgery for colorectal cancer, electroacupuncture also shortens hospital stay
Friday, February 08, 2013

Anesthesia Assistance Used in 8.7 Percent of Colonoscopies
Anesthesia assistance use varies widely among regions; not linked to patient risk, outcomes
Friday, February 08, 2013

Less Benefit for Obese With Lumbar Disc Herniation Tx
Surgery beneficial versus non-operative treatment for obese and non-obese patients
Thursday, February 07, 2013

One Hospital Night OK for Robotic Partial Nephrectomy
Readmission rate of 2.7 percent with discharge on postoperative day one
Thursday, February 07, 2013

Risk Factors ID'd for Cervical Spinal Surgery Complications
Cardiac and pulmonary complications linked to increased risk of death within two years
Thursday, February 07, 2013

Pre-Op Physiatry Consultation Reduces Spinal Surgery Rates
Mandatory consultation before surgical consultation reduces spinal surgeries, cuts costs
Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Cancer Mortality Decreasing for African-American Men, Women
Despite progress, five-year survival still lower for African-Americans at each stage of diagnosis
Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Alternative PSA Screening Strategies Could Reduce Harm
Use of biennial strategy with longer interval for low PSA levels reduces tests, false-positive results
Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Breast CA Diagnostic Errors Major Cause of Malpractice Suits
Interpretative errors more common in radiologist malpractice suits versus communicative/procedural
Monday, February 04, 2013

More Complications for Inpatient Lumbar Discectomy
Thirty-day post-op complications significantly lower in outpatient surgeries
Monday, February 04, 2013

July Residency Influx Doesn't Impact Spinal Surgery Outcomes
Similar mortality, implant reactions, and post-op wound dehiscence after spine surgery
Friday, February 01, 2013

Knowing Cost of Imaging Tests Doesn't Cut Utilization
Provider cost transparency alone does not significantly impact use of inpatient imaging
Friday, February 01, 2013

Long-Term Outcomes Similar With Prostatectomy, Radiation
Functional outcomes significantly different at two and five years, but not at 15 years after diagnosis
Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Physicians Commonly Report Unsafe Hospital Workloads
Findings from an online survey of hospitalists show excess workload affects patient outcome
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Pedicle Subtraction Osteotomy Better With Two Surgeons
Two-surgeon strategy reduces operative time, blood loss, and major postoperative complications
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Brain Scans Show Doctors Empathize With Patients
Regions associated with pain relief and reward activated
Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Prehospital Antiplatelets Improve Graft Intervention Outcomes
Linked to fewer major adverse cardiac events after saphenous vein graft intervention
Monday, January 28, 2013

Breast-Conserving Therapy Beats Mastectomy in Early Breast CA
Both overall, disease-specific survival improved with breast conserving therapy versus mastectomy
Monday, January 28, 2013

FDA Panel Votes for Tougher Restrictions on Hydrocodone
Panel votes in favor of moving hydrocodone combo products into Schedule II category
Friday, January 25, 2013

Predictors of Dissatisfaction With Midface Rejuvenation ID'd
Rate of dissatisfaction not linked to age; correlates with malar hypoplasia, loss of elasticity
Friday, January 25, 2013

Surgeon Volume, Prognosis Post-Esophageal Cancer Op Linked
Surgeon, but not hospital, volume influences prognosis after esophageal cancer surgery
Thursday, January 24, 2013

Back Pain Intensity Most Influential in Fusion Decision
After adjustment, acceptance also linked to a history of spinal injections and being white
Thursday, January 24, 2013

Care Transition Initiative Decreases Rehospitalizations
However, no significant reduction in 30-day rehospitalization as percent of hospital discharges
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Large Teaching Hospitals Face More Readmission Penalties
After adjustment, likelihood of being penalized highest for safety-net hospitals
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

New Guidelines Issued for MCS Device Use in Heart Failure
ISHLT has developed new practice guidelines for the use of mechanical circulatory support devices
Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Increase in Proportion of Livers Not Used for Transplantation
Donation after cardiac death, older donor age, greater BMI, and increased diabetes to blame
Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Early Predictors of Occupational Back Reinjury Identified
Reinjury in 25.8 percent of those who return to work, especially if male, prior similar injury
Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Pregnancy Advised 12 to 18 Months After Bariatric Surgery
Pregnancy is safe after bariatric surgery, with fewer complication than for morbidly obese
Monday, January 21, 2013

Efforts Failed to Up Primary Care, Rural Resident Training
Net growth in primary care training, but outpaced by growth in non-primary care training
Friday, January 18, 2013

BCIS Myocardial Jeopardy Score Predicts Post-PCI Death
British Cardiovascular Intervention Society score can assess degree of revascularization
Friday, January 18, 2013

EAST: Stand-Your-Ground Law Linked to More Gun Injuries
Pediatric firearm assault injuries higher in states with a Stand-Your-Ground law
Friday, January 18, 2013

Post-Laminectomy Spine Strength Can Be Predicted
Loss of shear stiffness and strength tied to bone measures, disc geometry, and degeneration
Thursday, January 17, 2013

Checklists Up Performance in Operating-Room Crises
Failure to adhere to lifesaving processes of care less common in simulations when checklists are used
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Even Brief Interruptions Dramatically Increase Errors
Error rate doubled or tripled in response to brief interruptions of only 2.8 to 4.4 seconds
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Family Docs Are Early Adopters of Electronic Health Records
Sixty-eight percent currently use EHR systems; likely to surpass 80 percent by 2013
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Racial Disparities Exist in Child's Risk of Ruptured Appendix
Hospital type also a variable for appendiceal perforation among children in California
Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Improved Driving Reaction Times After Lumbar Disc Sx
Increased reactions times seen for patients with radiculopathy, which decrease after surgery
Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Certain Online Behaviors of Docs Warrant Investigation
Consensus in seven of ten vignettes; outcome less clear for other doc online behavior scenarios
Monday, January 14, 2013

AAN: Cognitive Decline With Early-Age Surgical Menopause
Increased duration of hormone replacement therapy use linked to slower global decline
Monday, January 14, 2013

Top Five Issues for Docs and Patients Identified for 2013
Issues include access to care, physician shortages, preparation for 30 million new patients
Monday, January 14, 2013

National U.S. Health Care Spending Relatively Stable
But during 2011, personal health care spending growth accelerated
Friday, January 11, 2013

Rate of Non-Medical Use of Rx Pain Meds 4.6 Percent
Considerable variation seen between states, from 3.6 percent in Iowa to 6.4 percent in Oregon
Thursday, January 10, 2013

Hospital Stays Shorter for Prostatectomy, Cystectomy
Increased use of home care accompanies decreases in length of hospital stays
Thursday, January 10, 2013

SPIRIT 2013 Clinical Trial Protocol Guidelines Issued
Thirty-three-item SPIRIT checklist will serve as guideline for the minimum content of clinical trial
Thursday, January 10, 2013

Multiple Stressors Contribute to Readmission Within 30 Days
Sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, pain and discomfort contribute to post-hospital syndrome
Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Acetaminophen Cuts Post-Op Morphine Use in Infants
Significant reduction in morphine requirements over 48 hours after major surgery
Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Reduced Penile Size Linked to Prostate Cancer Treatment
Low incidence, but more likely after surgery or radiotherapy plus ADT versus radiotherapy alone
Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Health Care Use Dropped Among All During Recession
Little evidence of racial or ethnic disparities, except for fewer physician visits for Hispanics
Tuesday, January 08, 2013

Shared Savings May Promote Care Coordination Entity Use
Sharing savings with dually eligible patients may foster enrollment in coordinated care entities
Monday, January 07, 2013

Prior Brain Injury Linked to Re-Injury Later in Life
Higher re-injury risk in elderly with history of traumatic brain injury/loss of consciousness
Thursday, January 03, 2013

Association Between Health Care Cost, Quality Inconsistent
Review of 61 studies shows inconsistent evidence for the direction of the association
Thursday, January 03, 2013

Smoking Impairs Saphenous Vein Conduits in CABG Surgery
Increased expression of MMP2, MMP9 in smokers, even among long-term quitters
Thursday, January 03, 2013

Urodynamic Studies Affect Diagnoses, but Not Treatment
For women with stress urinary incontinence, changes due to pre-op studies not tied to outcome
Thursday, January 03, 2013

House Joins Senate to Avert Medicare Cuts
U.S. health care could be significantly affected by failure to reach 'fiscal cliff' agreement
Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Surgery Consultation Common After MRI of the Spine
Patients in primary setting are often referred for consultations but rarely undergo surgery
Wednesday, January 02, 2013

Surgical Never Events Costly, Cause Considerable Harm
Payment increases based on severity of harm to patient, for docs with multiple malpractice reports
Friday, December 28, 2012

Prophylactic Options Compared for Women With BRCA1/2
Salpingectomy with delayed oophorectomy OK alternative when considering quality of life
Thursday, December 27, 2012

Study Provides More Data for Ovarian Cancer Risk Prediction
High-risk categories ID'd for asymptomatic women with abnormal CA125, transvaginal US, or both
Thursday, December 27, 2012

Understanding of Infantile Hemangiomas Is Improving
New treatment options are available to minimize functional deformity, but risks need to be assessed
Thursday, December 27, 2012

Imaging Widely Used in Presumed Pediatric Appendicitis
Children evaluated at community, not children's, hospital more likely to have preop CT scan
Thursday, December 27, 2012

Adalimumab Relieves Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Once-weekly adalimumab reduces pain, inflammation in moderate-to-severe disease
Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Surgery, Exercise Long-Term Outcomes Equal for Back Pain
More operated patients use pain meds, are out of work versus cognitive intervention plus exercise
Monday, December 17, 2012

Health Care Satisfaction Rated As High by Unacculturated Hispanics
Unacculturated or biculturated Hispanics give higher ratings for health care experiences
Monday, December 17, 2012

Risk Factors ID'd for Revision of Total Hip Replacement
Younger, taller, heavier patients at greater risk of revision of primary total hip replacement
Monday, December 17, 2012

Omega-3 Supplements Don't Increase Surgical Blood Loss
For patients taking n-3FA, no difference in peri-op blood loss during spinal fusion procedures
Friday, December 14, 2012

Changes in Penile Length After Radical Prostatectomy Studied
Penile shortening of 1 cm seen in first three months; length reestablished after 48 months
Friday, December 14, 2012

HCV-Related Transplants Most Needed By Those Born 1941-60
Demand for liver transplants driven by HCV-associated hepatocellular carcinoma
Thursday, December 13, 2012

Teduglutide Seems Effective, Safe for Short Bowel Syndrome
Leads to a significant reduction in parenteral support compared with placebo
Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Degeneration Similar With, Without Disc Prosthesis Surgery
No difference in development of adjacent level degeneration; facet arthropathy up post-surgery
Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Readmission Seen in ~7 Percent of Elective Spine Surgeries
Significant predictors include older age, greater comorbidity, larger number of fused levels
Monday, December 10, 2012

Spinal Fusion Surgery Not Associated With Stroke
Study examines risk up to three years after posterior lumbar spinal fusion surgery
Monday, December 10, 2012

Obese Patients Require More Operating Room Time
For patients undergoing lobectomy, operating time increases with increasing BMI
Friday, December 07, 2012

Liver Transplant Outcomes No Worse With Echo Abnormalities
Intracardiac shunts or pulmonary hypertension on echocardiogram don't affect mortality
Friday, December 07, 2012

Evidence Supports Premise: OR Distractions Up Surgical Errors
Simulation study of surgical trainees finds interrupting questions, sidebar conversations most disruptive
Thursday, December 06, 2012

Reports Raise Concerns About Antiseptic Product Contamination
Outbreaks can cause localized injection site infections, systemic infections, death
Thursday, December 06, 2012

FDA: Public-Private Venture Set to Improve Regulatory Science
Medical Device Innovation Consortium will collaborate with FDA to better evaluate new devices
Thursday, December 06, 2012

SABCS: Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy Less Likely in Black Women
Black women significantly less likely to undergo SLNB, more likely to have lymphedema
Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Breath Test Shows Potential for Detecting Colorectal Cancer
Accuracy of more than 75 percent for pattern of 15 volatile organic compounds in exhaled breath
Wednesday, December 05, 2012

Collaborative Program Cuts Colorectal Sx Site Infections
Implementation of modified and optimized practices linked to >60 percent drop in infection
Monday, December 03, 2012

Increasing Number of Workers in Self-Insured Health Plans
In 2011, 58.5 percent with health coverage self-insured; increase driven by large employers
Monday, December 03, 2012

Worse Outcomes for Total Joint Arthroplasty in RA Versus OA
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have increased risk of dislocation after THA, infection after TKA
Friday, November 30, 2012

Wait Time to Breast Cancer Surgery Up in Medicare Patients
From 1992 to 2005, wait time increased from 21 days to 32 days, with median of 29 days
Thursday, November 29, 2012

Political Leaders Face Voter Opposition to Medicare Cuts
Voter poll analysis portends conflict in ACA implementation
Wednesday, November 28, 2012

ASCO: Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy Is Overused
Seventy percent of those who undergo CPM have very low risk for contralateral breast cancer
Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Warfarin D/C Within 180 Days Post-Surgery May Up Mortality
CV death risk up with warfarin discontinuation within six months of valve replacement
Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Doc Earnings Growth Lags Behind Other Health Professionals
Adjusted physician earnings dropped by 1.6 percent from 1996-2000 to 2006-2010
Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Obama Administration Moving Forward With Health Care Law
From 2014, insurance companies prohibited from discrimination based on pre-existing conditions
Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Uninsured With Brain Tumors Have Higher Post-Op Mortality
Insurance coverage affects in-hospital mortality for brain tumor patients undergoing craniotomy
Wednesday, November 21, 2012

~40% of Post-Op Complications Occur After Discharge
Patients with post-discharge complications have increased rates of reoperation, 30-day death
Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Novel Device Benefits Type 3 Osteogenesis Imperfecta
Thoracic elongation with device viable for children with type 3 OI, thoracic insufficiency syndrome
Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Nephron Sparing Surgery Has Excellent Lasting Outcomes
Excellent oncological, function outcomes at 10+ years for patients with bilateral renal masses
Monday, November 19, 2012

Mental Illness, Job Stress Both Factors in Physician Suicides
Docs more likely to have antipsychotics, barbiturates, not antidepressants on toxicology testing
Friday, November 16, 2012

Tests Don't Predict Outcome After Spine Fusion for Back Pain
Current tests don't have prognostic accuracy for selection of patients with chronic low back pain
Thursday, November 15, 2012

Efficacy of Corticosteroid Injection for Sciatica Reviewed
Meta-analysis shows small short-term relief for leg pain, disability; however, little long-term benefit
Tuesday, November 13, 2012

AAO: Sound Therapy Reduces Anxiety in Cataract Surgery
Systolic blood pressure also down with binaural beat, musical intervention versus control
Monday, November 12, 2012

Fractional, Ablative Er:YAG Laser Akin for Skin Resurfacing
But, epidermal and elastic tissue changes more pronounced after ablative laser resurfacing
Friday, November 09, 2012

Disc Disease Severity Doesn't Predict Surgical Outcomes
Measures of disc degeneration not linked to patient's outcome after total disc replacement
Thursday, November 08, 2012

QoL Up for Live Liver Donors Versus General Population
Correlates of reduced health-related quality of life include length of recovery, comorbidity
Tuesday, November 06, 2012

Rates, Causes of Spinal Surgery-Tied Mortality Quantified
Overall rate of 1.8 per 1,000; varies based on factors including patient age, indication for surgery
Friday, November 02, 2012

Revision Hip Replacement Risk Highest During First 18 Months
Risk also higher in patients 65 to 75 years old at surgery
Friday, November 02, 2012

Playing Videos Reduces Anxiety Before Pediatric Surgery
Video reduces anxiety during induction of inhaled anesthesia before ambulatory surgery
Friday, November 02, 2012

Obesity Ups Complications After Total Knee Arthroplasty
Increase in odds of infection, deep infection requiring surgical debridement, revision for any reason
Thursday, November 01, 2012

Neuraxial Anesthesia Beneficial for Bilateral Knee Arthroplasty
Lower rate of blood transfusions compared with general anesthesia
Thursday, November 01, 2012

Anticoagulation Therapy Appears to Be Safe After TAVI
No increased risk of bleeding or other adverse outcome after receiving anticoagulant therapy
Thursday, November 01, 2012

Scoliosis Surgery Improves Adolescents' Quality of Life
Six- and 12-month QOL significantly better, independent of curve correction or instrumentation
Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Fascia Lata Can Substitute for Nasal Lining in Reconstruction
Case series of five patients shows viability in total and subtotal nasal reconstruction procedures
Wednesday, October 31, 2012

U.S. Medicare Spending on Elderly Has Outpaced Canada's
Growth three times faster in the U.S., while Canada offers more comprehensive benefits
Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Evidence-Based Practices to Prevent Peri-Op VTE Identified
Review of the literature identified key practices, although lack of consensus on other issues
Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Surgery Center Influences Outcomes in Spinal Surgery
Outcomes vary by center choice for lumbar stenosis, degenerative spondylolisthesis surgery
Thursday, October 25, 2012

Outpatient Urological Services Costs Up When Done in a Hospital
Wide variation in costs, but significantly lower at ambulatory surgery centers, physician offices
Thursday, October 25, 2012

Decrease in CRC Resections Tied to Medicare-Covered Screening
Medicare payment for screening colonoscopy in 2001 linked to decreases in proximal resection
Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Safety, Efficacy of At-Home Laser for Periobital Wrinkles Studied
Handheld nonablative fractional laser can be used safely with good compliance; well tolerated
Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Genuine Very Large Effects in Trials Rare in Medicine
Very large effects typically seen in small trials and diminish subsequently; seldom address mortality
Tuesday, October 23, 2012

Effects of Bariatric Surgery on Heart Function, Structure ID'd
Improvement/resolution of HTN, hyperlipidemia, diabetes; ups myocardial mass, diastolic function
Monday, October 22, 2012

Prognostic Factors Identified for Intramedullary Tibial Nailing
Baseline fracture, surgical factors up risk of adverse outcome after surgery for tibial shaft fx
Friday, October 19, 2012

Procedure Can Treat Stiff-Knee Gait in Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Distal rectus femoris transfer effective for stiff-knee gait with reduced peak knee flexion in swing phase
Friday, October 19, 2012

Intracranial Tumors Can Be Resected Safely in Elderly
Short-term outcomes no worse with advanced age after craniotomy for malignant brain tumors
Friday, October 19, 2012

Post-Bleed Hydrocephalus Risk Up in Low-Income Preemies
Patients from families with public insurance, low income likely to visit ER more frequently
Thursday, October 18, 2012

Surgery Linked to Cardiac Death in Cancer Patients
Cardiovascular death significantly more common among cancer patients who undergo surgery
Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Increased Substance Use Seen After Weight Loss Surgery
Frequency of alcohol use up 24 months after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery
Tuesday, October 16, 2012

ASA: Ocular Injuries Up With Robotic-Assisted Prostatectomy
Higher rate of ocular injuries, including corneal abrasions, in surgeries using the robotic approach
Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Coffee Speeds Time to First Bowel Action Post Colectomy
Nonsignificant trend seen toward quicker tolerance of solid food, time to first flatus
Monday, October 15, 2012

Cell Saver Not Cost-Effective in Single-Level Lumbar Surgery
Incremental cost-effectiveness ratio of $55,538 per allogeneic transfusion averted
Monday, October 15, 2012

Study Supports Costoplasty for Rib Hump Deformity Correction
Findings in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients treated with pedicle screws/vertebral derotation
Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Prompt Kyphoplasty Not Crucial for Osteoporotic Vertebral Fx
Three-week trial of conservative treatment beneficial; treatment outcomes similar at one year
Monday, October 08, 2012

Pre-Op Factors Predict Post-Gastric Op Glycemic Response
Independent predictors include diabetes duration, BMI, fasting C-peptide concentrations
Monday, October 08, 2012

Dysphagia Not Tied to Post-Anterior Cervical Op Swelling
No correlation between degree of prevertebral soft-tissue swelling and postoperative dysphagia
Friday, October 05, 2012

Variety of Techniques Effective for Treating Spinal Synovial Cysts
Fusion surgery reduces risk of spinal synovial cyst recurrence, but may trigger complications
Thursday, October 04, 2012

Risk Factors for Tracheostomy in Spinal Cord Injury Identified
Forced vital capacity, age, neurological impairment predict need for tracheostomy in acute care
Thursday, October 04, 2012

Limiting the Problem of Missing Data Urged for Clinical Trials
Special report: analysis methods can not compensate for missing data, simple fixes ruled out
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Lasting Efficacy for Minimally-Invasive Spinal Fusion
Results based on two-year follow-up of patients undergoing lateral lumbar interbody fusion
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

ProDisc-C Device Doesn't Change Facet Joint Pressures
Implantation of device at C5 to C6 level increases angular rotations during sagittal bending
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Severe Anemia Linked to Poorer Heart Surgery Outcomes
Higher risk of stroke, major morbidity, operative mortality with severe, moderate pre-op anemia
Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Observation Units Could Save $3.1 Billion Nationally Per Year
Hospital observation units could save $1,572 per patient; $4.6 million annually per hospital
Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Mortality Up With 80 Percent Oxygen in Abdominal Surgery
Peri-op use of 80 percent oxygen significantly increases long-term mortality for cancer patients
Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Hip Resurfacing Shows Higher Failure Rate Than Replacement
Use of smaller head sizes linked to higher failure rates in both men and women
Tuesday, October 02, 2012

History of Sexual Abuse Slows Response to Bariatric Surgery
Systematic review suggests less initial weight loss, but increased weight loss seen over time
Friday, September 28, 2012

Risk of Post-Cesarean Infection Up for Overweight, Obese
About 10 percent of U.K. women develop surgical site infections after cesarean section
Wednesday, September 26, 2012

IV Acetaminophen Eases Post-Spinal Op Pain for Children
Improves analgesia versus placebo but does not cut oxycodone consumption in children, teens
Friday, September 21, 2012

Skin Cancer Incidence Up After Pancreas Transplantation
Nonmelanoma skin cancers common after transplant, especially in recipients with prior skin cancer
Friday, September 21, 2012

Leaving Balloon in Is Safe in Urinary Sphincter Revision
Original pressure-regulating balloon can be left in place during artificial urinary sphincter revision
Friday, September 21, 2012

Safe for Intravenous Catheters to Be Replaced As Needed
No difference in phlebitis incidence with clinically-indicated versus routine third-day replacement
Friday, September 21, 2012

Radiography Unnecessary After Spinal Fusion Surgery
Radiographs do not provide additional clinical information and are not cost effective
Friday, September 14, 2012

Lung Transplant for CF Less Likely for Medicaid Recipients
For adults with CF, low socioeconomic status ups odds of not being accepted for transplant
Friday, September 14, 2012

Evidence Lacking for Weight Trends After Joint Arthroplasty
Review of low-quality studies shows some weight loss in 14 to 49 percent of patients at one year
Friday, September 14, 2012

Higher Mortality Risk With Preoperative Hyponatremia
Also linked to more complications, including coronary events, wound infections, and pneumonia
Friday, September 14, 2012

Thermal Sensation Spared in Nerve-Sparing Prostatectomy
Findings suggest that thermal sensation may indicate damage to cavernous nerves
Thursday, September 13, 2012

AAO: Younger Age Predicts Weight Gain After Tonsil Removal
Younger age predicts weight gain after adenotonsillectomy for sleep apnea, tonsillitis
Thursday, September 13, 2012

For Obese, Body Habitus, Not BMI Impacts Op Site Infection
Thickness of subcutaneous fat, skin to lamina distance impact SSI risk post-lumbar spine fusion
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

BCS: MarginProbe Reduces Re-Excision Rate Post-Lumpectomy
Device reduces re-excision rate with no significant difference in volume of breast tissue removed
Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Not All Docs/Nurses Want to Be Asked About Hand Hygiene
Few were asked in the past month; more than a quarter do not want patients to remind them
Friday, September 07, 2012

Bolus Epidural Fentanyl Cuts Post-Spinal Decompression Pain
Intraoperative bolus epidural fentanyl improves early pain without significant side effects
Thursday, September 06, 2012

Elderly Discharged Home Do Well After Heart Valve Surgery
Poorer one- and two-year survival for octogenarians who are not discharged home
Tuesday, September 04, 2012

In RA, Hand Surgery Improves Function, Appearance
Benefit seen for severe hand deformities treated with silicone metacarpophalangeal joint arthroplasty
Monday, September 03, 2012

Colpocleisis Deemed Safe for Advanced Pelvic Organ Prolapse
Colpocleisis is safe and effective in select patients, but frequency and urgency often persist
Friday, August 31, 2012

National Test Identifies Barriers to Organ Donation
For health care providers, use of standard referral criteria lacking; differences ID'd for ER, ICU docs
Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Stress Causes Lower INR in VTE Patients Not on Blood Thinners
Direction of effect on specific clotting factors varies with anticoagulation status in previous DVT patients
Friday, August 24, 2012

New Decision Aid for Treatment of Herniated Disc Beneficial
Instrument meets high-quality patient-reported survey criteria of acceptability, reliability, validity
Thursday, August 23, 2012

Bariatric Surgery Cuts Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in Obese
Surgery especially effective for those with impaired fasting glucose
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

At-Home Diode Laser Effective for Permanent Hair Reduction
Eight treatments with diode laser effective and safe for permanent hair reduction at one year
Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Factors Tied to Photoprotection ID'd for Organ Recipients
Patient features and health care provider advice linked to sunscreen use and sun avoidance
Tuesday, August 21, 2012

2012 Indicators of Well-Being for Older Americans Issued
Indicators of population, economics, health status, health risks, and health care described
Monday, August 20, 2012

Considerable Variation in Outcomes for Cleft Lip/Palate
Outcomes result from environmental and biological factor interaction; vary by developmental stage
Friday, August 17, 2012

FDA: Codeine May Be Fatal in Subset of Children
Some children genetically predisposed to convert codeine to dangerous levels of morphine
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Hospital Deaths From Head Trauma Higher on Weekends
Elderly admitted at the weekend are significantly more likely to die after traumatic brain injury
Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Poor Follow-Up of Hospital Tests Often Due to Late Orders
Tests performed on day of discharge represent 6.8 percent of all tests, 46.8 percent of missed results
Tuesday, August 14, 2012

No Increased Risk of Stroke After Spinal Fusion Surgery
Incidence of any, hemorrhagic, ischemic stroke down, but difference not statistically significant
Thursday, August 09, 2012

'Surgeon-Tailored' Mesh Repair Resolves Urinary Incontinence
Mesh repair using midurethral sling procedure effective with/without pelvic organ prolapse repair
Thursday, August 09, 2012

After Bariatric Op, Controlled Diet Can Aid CaOx Supersaturation
Diet with normal calcium, moderate protein, reduced oxalate beneficial after bariatric surgery
Thursday, August 09, 2012

Bariatric Surgery Cuts MI Incidence in Obese With T2DM
No effect on stroke incidence seen for obese with type 2 diabetes undergoing bariatric surgery
Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Donor Obesity Ups Risk of Poor Pediatric Transplant Outcome
Severe obesity in donor increases risk of graft loss, mortality in pediatric liver transplant recipients
Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Unit-Based Safety Program Cuts Surgical Site Infections
Implementation of multidisciplinary safety program and its interventions can reduce infections
Monday, August 06, 2012

Clinicians Can Unintentionally Prompt Nocebo Effect
Negative expectations, being informed about complications up likelihood of adverse effects
Thursday, August 02, 2012

Manufacturer's Cleaning Ineffective for Suction Tips
Debris found where it should not be, indicating that recommended cleaning methods ineffective
Wednesday, August 01, 2012

Cataract Surgery Tied to Lower Hip Fracture Risk in Elderly
Findings based on one-year incidence of hip fracture in Medicare Part B patients with cataract
Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Pre-Op Statin Use Ups Insulin Resistance in Heart Surgery
Increased insulin resistance seen in dyslipidemic patients without diabetes taking statins pre-CABG
Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Anesthesia Regimen Linked to Post-Orthognathic Op Pain
More pain in first four hours after surgery for patients receiving propofol and remifentanil
Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Good Long-Term Limb Salvage for Diabetic Foot Patients
Fewer major amputations; survival remains poor, especially with comorbid PAD, renal insufficiency
Friday, July 27, 2012

Quality of Life Good After Salvage Nasopharyngectomy
Social functioning is lowest of five functioning scales after surgery for residual, recurrent cancer
Friday, July 27, 2012

InteguSeal Does Not Reduce Scoliosis Surgery Infections
No reduced risk of surgical site infection for pre-op cyanoacrylate sealant-treated patients
Thursday, July 26, 2012

Peri-Op Antidepressant Use Safe for Face-Lift Surgery
Serotonin reuptake inhibitor use in perioperative period safe; does not adversely affect outcome
Friday, July 20, 2012

Poorer Patient Experience at Safety-Net Hospitals
Worse performance on nearly every measure of patient experience; discrepancy persisted over time
Thursday, July 19, 2012

~12,000 Preventable Deaths in English Hospitals Annually
Main causes are poor clinical monitoring, diagnostic errors, and inadequate drug/fluid management
Thursday, July 19, 2012

Social Network Analysis IDs Informal Physician Networks
Geographic variation in network characteristics; similar physician, patient features within networks
Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Macromastia Has Substantial Negative Impact on Teens
Survey finds detrimental effects on self-esteem, quality of life, and eating habits
Monday, July 16, 2012

Hypertrophy Common in Older Patients With Port-Wine Stains
Median age of onset 31 years; 71 percent of patients older than 50 years have hypertrophy
Friday, July 13, 2012

Claims Data Reveals Patients at Post-Op Infection Risk
Both patient-based and surgical procedure factors identified that significantly increase infection risk
Friday, July 13, 2012

Study Supports Chemo After Periampullary Cancer Surgery
Benefit only seen after adjusting for prognostic variables, not in primary analysis
Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Lateral Transpsoas Approach Difficult in Lumbarized Sacra
Preoperative axial MRI, advanced neuromonitoring needed for patients with transitional vertebrae
Tuesday, July 10, 2012

GI Cancer Resection OK With Mild Cirrhotic Liver Dysfunction
For patients with cirrhosis, moderate-to-severe liver dysfunction linked to post-op mortality
Tuesday, July 10, 2012

Infection Rates Unaffected by Time to Debridement of Open Fx
Review of the literature shows no difference for early or late operative debridement of open fractures
Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Ovarian Grafts Restore Endocrine Function Long Term
In five cancer survivors, function restored within 12 to 20 weeks of heterotopic transplantation
Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Factors ID'd for Outcome of Percutaneous Nephrolithotomy
Increasing stone size, upper pole stones associated with lower rates of stone clearance
Tuesday, July 03, 2012

Six Sigma Techniques Improve Operating Room Patient Flow
Other consequences include reducing workflow stress, elimination of redundancy and waste
Friday, June 29, 2012

Survivorship of Uncemented Acetabular Parts Compared
In hip arthroplasty, risk of revision for aseptic loosening up with beaded, down with metal design
Friday, June 29, 2012

Few Retears After Partial-, Full-Thickness Rotator Cuff Repair
No significant differences in retear rates, post-op stiffness for repair of partial-, full-thickness tears
Friday, June 29, 2012

Supreme Court Upholds Health Care Reform Law
'Individual-mandate' insurance requirement deemed constitutional
Thursday, June 28, 2012

Exercise Training After Lung Transplant Found Beneficial
Three-month supervised exercise training program improves participation in daily activity
Thursday, June 28, 2012

Early Surgery Ups Outcomes in Infective Endocarditis
Rate of composite end point of death or embolic events down with surgery versus standard therapy
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Nomogram Developed to Estimate Early Breast Cancer Survival
Able to predict mastectomy-free survival in older women treated with conservative surgery
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Duplicate Payments by Federal Government Increasing
Dually enrolled patients in the VA and Medicare account for substantial, duplicate costs
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

iPad May Alter Programmable Shunt Valve Settings
Settings changed in 58 percent of valves exposed to tablet with cover at distance less than 1 cm
Wednesday, June 27, 2012

AHA: Vorapaxar Reduces Limb Ischemia in PAD
Does not reduce risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, stroke; ups bleeding risk
Friday, June 22, 2012

Similar Outcomes for Robot-Aided, Conventional Nephrectomy
Post-op complication rates, distributions similar for laparoscopic partial nephrectomy techniques
Friday, June 22, 2012

Deep Brain Stimulation Aids Motor Function in Parkinson's
Stable improvement seen with stimulation of the globus pallidus interna, subthalamic nucleus
Thursday, June 21, 2012

Half of Residents Report Working While Sick
Most frequent reasons for presenteeism include feeling obligation to colleagues and to patient care
Thursday, June 21, 2012

AHA: Concentrates Promising for Reversal of Apixaban
In vitro testing of three clotting agents demonstrates ability to reverse some effects of apixaban
Thursday, June 21, 2012

IVC Filters Confirmed Effective for Patients at Embolism Risk
No complications related to filter use in case series of patients undergoing major spinal surgery
Thursday, June 21, 2012

Smoking Increases Risk of Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Smoking ups risk of squamous cell carcinoma, but not basal cell carcinoma, nonmelanoma skin cancer
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

ASMBS: Bariatric Surgery Helps Resolve Diabetic Nephropathy
Remission of diabetic nephropathy for 55 percent of patients five years after bariatric surgery
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Surgical Interns Concerned About Duty-Hour Restrictions
Most feel restrictions will decrease continuity with patients, coordination of care, time spent operating
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

ASMBS: Alcohol Use Disorder Up Post-Bariatric Surgery
Increase in second year post-surgery; linked to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, male sex, younger age
Monday, June 18, 2012

Patient-Rated Elbow Evaluation Most Responsive Instrument
Comparison of five assessment tools shows PREE best identifies changes pre-, post-arthroplasty
Monday, June 18, 2012

Coexistent Lumbar Disorders Complicate Hip Arthroplasty
Patients with coexistent disorders have less improvement in function, pain; increased costs
Monday, June 18, 2012

Mental Imagery Doesn't Improve Surgeon Performance
Does improve self-confidence of junior gynecology residents performing vaginal hysterectomies
Monday, June 18, 2012

Increase in Visceral Fat Noted After Liposuction
Exercise training effectively counteracts this compensatory increase
Friday, June 15, 2012

Factors ID'd in Healing Failure of Diabetic Foot Ulcers
Patients have increased inflammation and aberrant growth factor levels
Friday, June 15, 2012

Trend Shows Early Menopause Linked to Cerebral Aneurysm
Each five-year increase in the age of menopause lowers the risk of cerebral aneurysm by 21 percent
Thursday, June 14, 2012

Pregnancy Deemed Feasible After Liver Transplant
Rates of obstetric complications higher than average; better than kidney transplant recipients
Thursday, June 14, 2012

Genital Reconstruction Reduces Pain, Restores Pleasure
Most women report clitoral pleasure, less pain, one year after surgery for genital mutilation repair
Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Higher Risk of VTE in CKD Surgical Patients on Enoxaparin
Compared to desirudin, VTE risk up for enoxaparin-treated CKD stage 3B patients after THR
Friday, June 08, 2012

Three Percent of Hip, Knee Replacements Need Critical Care
Older patients, general anesthesia, post-op complications increase odds of critical care services
Friday, June 08, 2012

Early Physical Therapy Beneficial for Low Back Pain
Significant reductions in health care and costs for patients with newly diagnosed low back pain
Thursday, June 07, 2012

Procedure Restores Pigmentation for Patients With Vitiligo
Melanocyte-keratinocyte transplantation procedure effectively improves skin pigmentation
Wednesday, June 06, 2012

Troponin T May Help Predict Death After Noncardiac Surgery
Increasing troponin T levels during first three days post-op linked to increased 30-day mortality risk
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Aspirin Ups Risk of Bleeding in All But Diabetes Patients
Patients with diabetes have increased risk of major bleeding, independent of aspirin use
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Circulating Nurses Recover Errors in Cardiovascular OR
Circulating perioperative nurses reduce surgical errors/incidents and improve patient safety
Tuesday, June 05, 2012

Morbid Obesity Ups Complication Rate in Spinal Fusion Surgery
Hospital charges, length of stay, mortality all up in morbidly obese patients undergoing spinal fusion
Monday, June 04, 2012

Spondylolisthesis Linked to Spinous Process Fractures
Post-interspinous process spacer surgery, fracture rate 52 percent for those with spondylolisthesis
Friday, June 01, 2012

Acellular Dermal Matrix Safe, Useful in Breast Reconstruction
Good outcomes; seroma complications higher with AlloDerm human matrix than porcine Strattice
Friday, June 01, 2012

Repeat CT Scan Urged for Head Trauma Patients on Warfarin
Patients on warfarin, with initial INR higher than 3, at greater risk of delayed hemorrhage
Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Pathologic Response Prediction of Survival Aided by Tumor Type
When specific tumor type is considered, pathologic complete response more predictive of survival
Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Post-Transplant, eGFR Impacts Cardio Risk Independently
In stable transplant recipients, improved kidney function linked to reduction in CVD events, death
Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Transvaginal Mesh Op Restores Pelvic Organ Prolapse at Price
Women who undergo anterior, total transvaginal mesh surgery have post-op sexual impairment
Friday, May 25, 2012

Common Therapies for Basal Cell Carcinoma Offer Similar Survival
Long-term tumor-free survival similar for imiquimod, photodynamic therapy
Friday, May 25, 2012

Pancreatectomy OK Without Downstaging From Therapy
Radiographic downstaging rare even after neoadjuvant therapy in pancreatic cancer patients
Friday, May 25, 2012

Characteristics of STEMI Reperfusion Systems Identified
Common characteristics found in successful regional care systems can be benchmark standards
Wednesday, May 23, 2012

ATS: Benefits/Harms of Low-Dose CT Screening Assessed
Screening may benefit individuals at high-risk of cancer, but concerns remain about potential harms
Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Instrumented Spinal Fusion Method Impacts Infection Rate
Infection rate up for posterior lumbar interbody fusion versus posterior, posterolateral fusion
Monday, May 21, 2012

Neurally Controlled Arm Lets Tetraplegics Reach, Grasp
Study of two individuals shows small sample of neural signals can direct robotic arm
Thursday, May 17, 2012

Predictors of Length of Hospital Stay After Spine Surgery ID'd
Several factors contribute to increased length of stay for patients undergoing minimally invasive TLIF
Thursday, May 17, 2012

Better Outcomes at High-Volume Stroke Centers
Faster times to treatment; patients more likely to have good clinical outcome, successful reperfusion
Tuesday, May 15, 2012

New Technique Removes Inoperable Abdominal Tumors
Multivisceral ex vivo surgical procedure used to remove unresectable tumors in three patients
Friday, May 11, 2012

Sun Protective Behavior on the Rise in U.S. Adults
But sunburn still prevalent, as is the use of indoor tanning
Thursday, May 10, 2012

Lowest Fused Vertebral Level Linked to Motion in Scoliosis
More lateral bending, summed motion at L3 to S1 with a more distal instrumented vertebrae
Thursday, May 10, 2012

Lack of Sleep Not Necessarily Detrimental to Surgical Skills
However, sleep deprivation ups mental workload for medical students performing surgical task
Wednesday, May 09, 2012

ACOG: Menstrual Dysfunction Improved Post-Bariatric Surgery
Marked improvement in menstrual dysfunction and signs of hyperandrogenism
Monday, May 07, 2012

Hospitals Lack Hand Surgeons for Emergencies
Only 7 percent of Tennessee hospitals have a hand specialist on call 24/7 to handle emergencies
Monday, May 07, 2012

ASBS: Breast Cancer Survival Significantly Lower for Men
In men with breast cancer, tumors likely to be larger, higher grade, metastasized
Friday, May 04, 2012

ASBS: Mammography Beats Infrared Screening for Breast CA
No Touch Breast Scan has poor sensitivity or specificity depending on the mode
Friday, May 04, 2012

Training Helps OR Nurses Manage Disruptive Physician Behavior
Post-communication training, peri-op nurses feel more confident in handling disruptive behavior
Friday, May 04, 2012

CMS Policy Helping Hospitals to Prevent Targeted Infections
Despite positive impact, less time spent on nontargeted infections, especially in large hospitals
Friday, May 04, 2012

Low Vitamin D Linked to Poorer Outcomes in Lung Recipients
Vitamin D deficiency linked to increased rates of acute rejection, infection, death at one year
Thursday, May 03, 2012

Office Evaluation Comparable to Pre-Op Urodynamic Testing
For women with stress incontinence, treatment success noninferior with pre-op office evaluation
Thursday, May 03, 2012

TAVI Is a Reasonable Option for High-Risk Elderly Patients
Transcatheter aortic valve implantation benefits patients with severe symptomatic aortic stenosis
Thursday, May 03, 2012

Perioperative Interruptions Lead to Miscommunication
Miscommunications during surgery also increase when teams haven't worked together long
Thursday, May 03, 2012

No Adverse Effect of Weekend, Nighttime Liver Transplants
Patient and graft survival not significantly different from daytime, weekday procedures
Wednesday, May 02, 2012

Methodological Heterogeneity Seen in Clinical Trials
Trials registered with ClinicalTrials.gov from 2007 to 2010 mainly small, single-center
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Electronic Records Show Variation in Blood Usage
Significant variability seen among surgical services, procedures, and individual providers
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Index Identifies Clot Risk in Outpatient Surgery Patients
High-risk outpatient surgery patients have blood clot rates of 1.18 percent
Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Sunscreen Use May Lead to Vitamin D Deficiency
Amount and SPF of sunscreen recommended by the WHO suppresses vitamin D production
Friday, April 27, 2012

Heart Surgery Safe for Compensated Cirrhosis Patients
No increased risk of perioperative complications in patients with Child-Pugh score less than 8
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Adjuvant Therapy Shows Promise in Biliary Tract Cancer
Nonsignificant improvement in unselected patients, but significant benefit for high-risk patients
Thursday, April 26, 2012

AHA: Hemoglobin Index IDs Brain Ischemia During Bypass
HVx, glial fibrillary acidic protein detect impaired autoregulation during cardiopulmonary bypass
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Subtype Best Predictor of Basal Cell Carcinoma Invasion Depth
Subtype superior to age, contours, necrosis, and solar elastosis as depth predictor
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Age, Life Expectancy Influence Termination of PSA Screening
Barriers to discontinuation of screening include patient expectations, time constraints
Thursday, April 26, 2012

Low-Dose CT Noninferior for Diagnosing Appendicitis
For young adults, negative appendectomy rates similar with low-dose and standard-dose CT
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Botox Modestly Improves Chronic Headaches, Migraines
But is not associated with reduction in frequency of episodic migraine or tension-type headaches
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

High Survival With Surgery in Low-Risk Neuroblastoma
Patients with low-risk stage 2a/2b neuroblastoma have high survival rates with surgery alone
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Bone Metabolism, Vitamin D Key in Postkyphoplasty Breaks
Bone metabolism, 25(OH)D levels associated with postkyphoplasty vertebral compression fractures
Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Lasting Benefit for Rotating-Platform Knee Arthroplasty
Active patients benefit from second-generation, rotating-platform, total knee prosthesis
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Oxiplex Improves Outcomes After Lumbar Discectomy
Gel treatment linked to greater reductions in pain, symptoms; satisfaction with surgical procedure
Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Gritti-Stokes Amputations Beneficial for Trauma Patients
Better long-term functional outcomes with Gritti-Stokes compared to transfemoral amputation
Monday, April 23, 2012

Angiotensin Receptor Blockers Reduce No-Reflow Post-PCI
For patients with acute MI, ARB pretreatment is significant predictor of reduced no-reflow
Monday, April 23, 2012

New Fat Grafting Procedures Improve Breast Reconstruction
Enhanced stromal vascular fraction and platelet-rich plasma grafting maintain volume, 3D contour
Friday, April 20, 2012

Bariatric Surgery Effective Therapy for Diabetes in Obese
Most patients experience diabetes remission, improvements in hypertension, dyslipedemia
Thursday, April 19, 2012

Lower Small-Bowel Obstruction Risk With Laparoscopy
Laparoscopic procedures associated with at least a four-fold lower incidence of small-bowel obstruction
Thursday, April 19, 2012

FDA: Clinicians Urged to Stop Using Certain Ultrasound Gel
Specific lots found to have been contaminated by bacteria; 16 patients known to be affected
Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Basal Cell Carcinoma on Ear Significantly More Aggressive
BCC on ear primarily occurs in men, but aggressive phenotype seen in both men and women
Wednesday, April 18, 2012

2001 to 2006 Saw Increase in Mohs Surgery for Skin Cancer
For Medicare beneficiaries, rate of micrographic surgery for nonmelanoma skin cancer doubled
Tuesday, April 17, 2012

TAVI Beneficial in Severe Aortic Stenosis
Myocardial function and exercise capacity improve in surviving patients
Friday, April 13, 2012

Report Highlights Child Deaths From Post-Surgery Codeine Use
Genetic variants produce ultra-rapid metabolizer phenotypes tied to respiratory arrest
Monday, April 09, 2012

Infection May Be Trigger for Venous Thromboembolism
Older adults at risk of blood clots in three months following infection
Monday, April 09, 2012

Targeted Exercise Relieves Sciatica Pain
Symptom-guided therapy relieves back pain and improves outcomes for severe sciatica patients
Monday, April 09, 2012

Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Lowers Health-Related QoL
Effects of lumbar spinal stenosis on health-related quality of life compounded by comorbidities
Friday, April 06, 2012

Antibiotics Safe and Effective to Treat Appendicitis
Meta-analysis indicates initial treatment with antibiotics may reduce the need for appendectomy
Friday, April 06, 2012

Esophageal Cancer Surgery Has Lasting Effects on QoL
Major postoperative complications predictive of parameters of poor health-related quality of life
Thursday, April 05, 2012

Medical Malpractice Claims Incur Substantial Defense Costs
Costs higher for claims resulting in indemnity payments; significant variation by specialty
Wednesday, April 04, 2012

More Complications After Thyroid Surgery in Elderly
Elderly thyroid patients have higher rates of cardiac, pulmonary, and infectious complications
Monday, April 02, 2012

Liver Cancer Patients Less Likely to Die on Transplant List
Non-HCC patients have higher mortality risk; suggests need for revaluation of organ allocation
Friday, March 30, 2012

Lasers Remove Inches From Fat Trouble Spots
Significant circumferential reductions throughout the body after two weeks of low-level laser therapy
Friday, March 30, 2012

Change in Health Insurance Status Linked to ER Use
Greater emergency department use for adults with recent change in health insurance status
Wednesday, March 28, 2012

New Guidelines Issued for Red Blood Cell Transfusions
Restrictive approach recommends transfusion at hemoglobin threshold of 7 to 8 g/dL in stable patients
Monday, March 26, 2012

ACC: Bariatric Surgery Improves Glycemic Control in Diabetes
Significantly more patients achieve glycemic control with surgery plus medical therapy than with medication alone
Monday, March 26, 2012

Living Donor Age Has Little Impact on Kidney Survival
Except for recipients aged 18 to 39 years, who do best with an organ from a similarly-aged donor
Friday, March 23, 2012

Health Care Team Members Key for Antimicrobial Stewardship
Epidemiologists, preventionists help stop infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms
Thursday, March 22, 2012

EBCC: Long-Running Screening Program Cuts Breast CA Deaths
Breast cancer screening program in Netherlands shows limited harms and reasonable costs
Thursday, March 22, 2012

Anesthesia During Endoscopy, Colonoscopy on the Rise
Increase among Medicare, commercially-insured patients; services mainly used in low-risk patients
Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Most California Hospitals Implementing Infection Control
Hospitals with certified infection control officer have lower rate of MRSA blood stream infections
Friday, March 16, 2012

Poorer Health Literacy Linked to Increased Mortality
About one-third of older adults in England have medium or low functional health literacy
Friday, March 16, 2012

Analgesic Use After Surgery Linked to Long-Term Use
Prescription of opioids, NSAIDs within seven days of low-risk surgery increases risk of long-term use
Thursday, March 15, 2012

Higher Spending by Hospitals Improves Outcomes
Lower mortality, readmission for acute patients admitted to hospital in highest tercile of spending
Tuesday, March 13, 2012

U.S. Mortality Rates Dropped 60 Percent From 1935 to 2010
For every year, heart disease, cancer, and stroke are among the five leading causes of death
Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Aggressive Care Improves QoL in Traumatic Brain Injury
Yields better outcomes and reduces costs, regardless of patient age
Monday, March 12, 2012

Flu Vaccine Up Among Medical Staff When They Believe It Works
Hospital health care workers more likely to get vaccinated when committed to preventing flu
Friday, March 09, 2012

Surrogates Tend to Misinterpret Poor Prognosis Information
Statements about low risk of death interpreted accurately; poor prognosis viewed optimistically
Friday, March 09, 2012

Buprenorphine Maintenance Therapy Not Recommended
Abstinence-based therapy recommended instead for opioid-addicted health care professionals
Thursday, March 08, 2012

Double Gloving Prevents Exposure to Pathogens in OR
Double gloving can reduce needle-stick injuries and infection risks for surgeons and patients
Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Financial Burden of Medical Care Affects One in Three
More than one in five poor or near-poor adults younger than 65 have bills they are unable to pay
Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Surgery Helps Reduce Epileptic Seizures When Drugs Fail
Result should be interpreted with caution due to small number of enrollees
Tuesday, March 06, 2012

PISQ-12 Validated for Patients With Pelvic Organ Prolapse
For patients with pelvic organ prolapse, PISQ-12 questionnaire is useful measure of sexual function
Friday, March 02, 2012

Biomarkers Gauge Kidney Injury After Heart Surgery
Three biomarkers significantly improve risk classification for acute kidney injury progression
Friday, March 02, 2012

Bariatric Surgery Risks Up in Patients With Kidney Disease
Approximately 30 percent increase in complications with each higher chronic kidney disease stage
Friday, March 02, 2012

Secondhand Smoke Shortens Transplant Survival in Mice
Research unveils novel immunologic mechanism behind smoke-related allograft rejection
Thursday, March 01, 2012

Incidence, Risk Factors ID'd for Proximal Junctional Kyphosis
No significant differences in outcomes for adults with idiopathic scoliosis with and without PJK
Thursday, March 01, 2012

Low Back Pain Counseling Strategy Ups Return to Work
Early interventions for Belgian workers with low back pain improve return-to-work rates
Monday, February 27, 2012

Heartburn Controlled With Step Down to Once Daily Therapy
Once-daily dexlansoprazole improves quality of life for gastrosophageal reflux disease patients
Monday, February 27, 2012

Aspirin and Clopidogrel Improve Claudication Distance
Similar improvement in patients with intermittent claudication due to peripheral arterial disease
Thursday, February 23, 2012

Stability Predicts Treatment Success for Vitiligo
Melanocyte transplantation more successful in patients with longer clinical stability
Thursday, February 23, 2012

Family History Ups Risk of Differentiated Thyroid Cancer
Patients with first-degree relative, especially sibling, with thyroid cancer have elevated risk
Thursday, February 23, 2012

Skin Cancer Frequency in Chronic Leg Ulcers >10 Percent
Frequency high enough to consider systematic wound biopsy for treatment-refractory ulcers
Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Medtronic Stent Approved to Treat Coronary Artery Disease
Including people with diabetes
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Plastic Surgery Gives Younger Appearance to Aging Face
Effect of lowering of perceived age greater for those undergoing multiple procedures
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Alcohol Dependence Significant Problem for U.S. Surgeons
Surgeons who report major medical error more likely to exhibit alcohol abuse, dependence
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Transplanted Leg Hair Can Soften Hairline Appearance
Results from two patients undergoing leg hair transplant sustained at three and four years
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

MRSA Screening Protocol Aids in Peds Open Airway Surgery
Postoperative infection rate similar for protocol-treated MRSA-colonized and noncolonized patients
Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Surgical Spinal Cord Monitoring May Predict Paralysis
Use of electrical motor evoked potentials called for during spinal and some chest surgeries
Monday, February 20, 2012

CT Myelography More Accurately Detects CSF Leakage
In spontaneous intracranial hypotension, CTM better than radioisotope cisternography
Monday, February 20, 2012

High Uric Acid Level Predictive of Adverse Cardiac Events
Found to be an independent predictor for STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI
Friday, February 17, 2012

2002 to 2008 Saw Increase in Partial Nephrectomy Use
For patients with renal masses, use of partial nephrectomy increased from 15.3 to 24.7 percent
Friday, February 17, 2012

Female Sexual Function Improves After Lesion Surgery
Improved sexual satisfaction after laparoscopy, oral contraceptive therapy for endometriosis
Thursday, February 16, 2012

Age, Nerve Sparing Tied to Post-Prostatectomy Sexual Function
Younger age and bilateral nerve sparing surgery improve orgasmic outcomes after RALP
Thursday, February 16, 2012

AHA: Knowledge Gap Identified for Peripheral Artery Disease
Total population burden of PAD appears higher in women; campaigns to raise awareness advised
Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Topical Corticosteroids Impair Restoration of Skin Barrier
Corticosteroids OK for acute atopic dermatitis, but calcineurin inhibitors better for long-term treatment
Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Racial Disparity at Many Steps of Renal Transplant Process
Even after accounting for socioeconomic variables, blacks still have lower rate of transplant
Wednesday, February 15, 2012

New Staging System IDs cSCC Risk in Transplant Patients
Predicts risk of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma recurrence in heart and lung recipients
Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Four-Factor Model Predicts Post-Heart Transplant Mortality
Risk-prediction model has good prediction for in-hospital mortality for pediatric heart transplant
Monday, February 13, 2012

Radiation Not Tied to Improved Survival in Advanced NSCLC
Postoperative radiation confers no survival benefit for elderly with N2 non-small-cell lung cancer
Monday, February 13, 2012

AAOS: Prevalence of U.S. Total Knee Replacements ~5 Percent
More than 4.5 million Americans currently have an intact primary total knee replacement
Friday, February 10, 2012

SMFM: Cesarean Not More Protective for Small Preemies
C-section linked to increased odds of respiratory distress syndrome for preterm SGA neonates
Friday, February 10, 2012

Robotic Surgery Repairs Urinary Tract Obstruction
Robot-assisted surgery safe and efficacious for ureteropelvic junction obstruction
Friday, February 10, 2012

AAOS: Defensive Medicine Prevalent in Orthopedics
National costs estimated at $2 billion annually for orthopedic surgery
Thursday, February 09, 2012

Males With ACL Injury, Females Share Lateral Knee Geometry
Both have short, steeply convex tibial articular surface, increased convexity of femoral surface
Thursday, February 09, 2012

Casts for Fractures Linked to Development of Osteopenia
Bone density drops in area of cast immobilization for leg or ankle injuries in adolescents
Wednesday, February 08, 2012

Epilepsy Surgery Improves Long-Term Outcomes
Eighty percent of patients who underwent surgery report better quality of life 26 years later
Wednesday, February 08, 2012

AAOS: Unemployment Rate Tied to Orthopedic Trauma Volume
Inverse correlation between orthopedic trauma surgical volume, unemployment for previous year
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Polyethylene Glycol Repairs Severed Nerves in Rats
Two studies show PEG-induced sealing of axons after transaction or cut- or crush-severance
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Patients Desire Involvement in Planning Breast CA Treatment
Preferences shift to wanting more say in decisions following breast cancer treatment consultation
Tuesday, February 07, 2012

Exercise Test May Predict Post-Liver Transplant Survival
Pre-op submaximal cardiopulmonary exercise testing predicts 90-day post-transplant survival
Monday, February 06, 2012

Noroviruses Are Leading Cause of Hospital Infections
Particularly in nonacute care setting; often leading to unit closure
Monday, February 06, 2012

Increased ADHD Rates in Children Exposed to Anesthesia
Multiple anesthesia exposures before the age of 2 increase ADHD incidence
Friday, February 03, 2012

AHA: Incidence of Repeat Blockage of Carotid Artery Low
Re-blockage rates similar for both stented and surgically-opened arteries
Thursday, February 02, 2012

Live Liver Donation Doesn't Impact Long-Term Mortality
Risk of early death 1.7 per 1,000 donors, but long-term mortality similar to healthy controls
Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Repeat Flexible Sigmoidoscopy Increases Detection of CRC
Rescreening increases yield of colorectal cancer or advanced adenomas by 32 percent
Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Breast Reexcision Rates Vary With Surgeon, Institution
For women who undergo partial mastectomy and have negative margins, significant variation seen
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Similar Morbidity for Robotic, Laparoscopic Hysterectomy
But, robotic treatment significantly more costly for treatment of endometrial cancer
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Laparoscopy Acceptable for Staging Uterine Cancer
Only small differences in recurrence rates for laparoscopy compared to laparotomy
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Warm Saline Enhances Shoulder Tendinitis Treatment
Warm solution improves dissolution of calcium deposits during therapy for rotator cuff tendonitis
Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Hemi-CC7 Transfer Poor Option for Brachial Plexus Injury
Shoulder motor, median nerve function not regained following traumatic brachial plexus injury
Monday, January 30, 2012

Antiretroviral Medications Linked to Cleft Deformities
Drugs to keep HIV-infected women from transmitting virus to fetus may trigger cleft defects
Monday, January 30, 2012

Disc Degeneration More Likely in Overweight, Obese Adults
Higher body mass index linked to greater severity in lumbar degenerative disc disease
Monday, January 30, 2012

Self-Rated Health Status Predicts Mortality Among CVD Patients
Risk highest in patients with asymptomatic atherosclerotic disease
Friday, January 27, 2012

No Complications From Using Stored Red Blood Cells
Short-term complication status similar in fresh versus standard issue red blood cell transfusions
Friday, January 27, 2012

New PCR-Based Assay Better Predicts Lung Cancer Survival
Assay identifies which early-stage NSCLC patients are at high risk of death after surgical resection
Friday, January 27, 2012

Polypectomy Outcomes Similar to Surgical Resection
For management of malignant colonic polyps in patients with comparable clinical characteristics
Friday, January 27, 2012

Decline in Rate of Diabetic Lower-Extremity Amputation
But rate of amputation still higher for patients with diabetes than for those without the disease
Thursday, January 26, 2012

Radiation Benefits Mixed After Breast-Preserving Surgery
Radiation therapy slightly improves survival, but may increase likelihood of eventual mastectomy
Thursday, January 26, 2012

Sildenafil Shows Potential for Lymphatic Malformations
Regression of congenital vascular anomalies seen in three children treated with oral sildenafil
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Adrenalectomy Rates Remain High in Radical Nephrectomy
Small decrease in rate of adrenalectomy despite evidence to support preservation of adrenal gland
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Imaging May Spare Nerves in Prostate Cancer Surgery
Preoperative MRI led to a change in surgical plan in 27 percent of robot-assisted prostatectomies
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Sex Differences Exist in Disease-Linked Pain Intensity
Women report higher pain intensity in musculoskeletal and other disorders
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Overuse of Health Care Services Understudied
Research limited primarily to unnecessary antibiotic use and a few cardiovascular procedures
Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Unemployed Have Poorer Mental and Physical Health
And are less likely to receive needed medical care and prescriptions
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Recent Shift in Indication for Total Elbow Arthroplasty
Change from 48 percent due to inflammatory arthritis in '97 to 69 percent due to trauma in '06
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

HealthGrades IDs Notable Hospitals for Clinical Excellence
If all hospitals performed at this level, thousands of Medicare deaths, complications could be averted
Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Chlorhexidine Erases More of Preoperative Skin Markings
Greater change in contrast level, less letters identifiable with chlorhexidine-based solution
Monday, January 23, 2012

Gender, Family, Ambivalence Impact Live Liver Donation
Ambivalence affects motivation for donating, decision to be tested, and post-donation concerns
Monday, January 23, 2012

Retroperitoneal Sarcoma Loses Prognostic Factors Over Time
Only tumor grade predicts outcomes for long-term retroperitoneal sarcoma survivors
Friday, January 20, 2012

Matted Lymph Nodes ID Poor Oropharyngeal SCC Prognosis
Patients with matted nodes have worse survival, independent of other known prognostic factors
Friday, January 20, 2012

Warfarin Patients With Head Trauma Need Second CT Scan
For patients on warfarin, 24-hour observation and repeat CT scan detects delayed bleeding
Friday, January 20, 2012

Rates of Post-Arthroplasty Symptomatic VTE Identified
Venous thromboembolism rate is one in 100 for knee and one in 200 for hip arthroplasty
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Peds Liver Transplant Patients Tolerate Drug Withdrawal
For pediatric living donor liver transplant recipients, immunosuppression withdrawal possible
Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Comorbidities Affect Hospital Costs After Hip Fracture
Largest cost increase due to weight loss or malnutrition, then pulmonary circulation disorders
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Tool Predicts Improved Function After Hip Arthroplasty
Preoperative characteristics and radiographic assessment predict functional improvement
Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Patients With Breast Cancer Lack Knowledge of the Disease
Overall treatment concordance with goals high, but lower for women preferring mastectomy
Monday, January 16, 2012

Endovascular Graft Approved for Tears of Aorta
Gore Tag Thoracic Endoprosthesis first sanctioned in 2005 to treat aortic aneurysms
Monday, January 16, 2012

Increased Pathologic Fracture Risk in Staph Osteomyelitis
Staphylococcus aureus osteomyelitis tied to fractures, associated complications in children
Monday, January 16, 2012

Surgery Beats Non-Op Care for Intervertebral Disc Herniation
Marital status, absence of joint symptoms, and worsening symptoms affect treatment effect
Friday, January 13, 2012

Thromboprophylaxis Rate Low for Knee Arthroplasty in Taiwan
Prophylaxis rate of 2.2 percent may be related to low incidence of post-op venous thromboembolism
Friday, January 13, 2012

Surgical Techniques Affect Outcome in Scoliosis Surgery
Eight factors found to correlate with kyphosis maintenance in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Friday, January 13, 2012

U.S. Health Care Expenditure Still Unevenly Distributed
In 2008 and 2009, 1 percent of population account for ~20 percent of spending
Friday, January 13, 2012

Patients Give High Marks to Ankle Replacement Surgery
STAR procedure for end-stage ankle arthritis improves impairment, pain, function, quality of life
Thursday, January 12, 2012

CDC: 2010 Saw Decrease in Age-Adjusted Death Rates
Homicide no longer in top 15 causes of death; replaced by pneumonitis due to solids and liquids
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Surgeons Aged 35 to 50 Years Perform Best Thyroidectomies
Concave association seen for surgeons' performance with their length of experience, age
Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Conscious Sedation Feasible for Ambulatory Spine Procedures
No significant difference in adverse event rates with conscious sedation or local anesthesia alone
Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Ped Heart Surgery Deaths Higher at Low Volume Centers
But no association found between center volume and rate of post-op complications
Monday, January 09, 2012

New Criteria ID Fewer Cases of Post-Op Diabetes Remission
Significantly lower remission rate after gastric bypass with use of new definition of remission
Friday, January 06, 2012

In-Hospital, 30-Day Standardized Mortality Measures Differ
In-hospital risk-standardized mortality rates vary between hospitals; linked with length of stay
Thursday, January 05, 2012

Spinal Manipulation Superior to Medication for Neck Pain
Spinal manipulation and home exercises better than medication for relieving neck pain
Thursday, January 05, 2012

Cancer-Related Mortality Continues to Decrease
From 1999 to 2008, overall annual decrease of 1.6 percent in men, 1.8 percent in women
Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Vasoepididymostomy Ups Patency in Obstructive Azoospermia
Epididymal fullness, bilateral surgery, distal anastomosis, fluid with motile sperm up success
Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Bariatric Surgery Tied to Reduced CVD Events, Mortality
Significantly fewer cardiovascular deaths and events for obese who undergo bariatric surgery
Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Prostatic Urethral Lift Relieves Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms
Minimally invasive procedure to treat LUTS from BPH preserves sexual function
Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Standardized Count Practices Reduce Retained Surgical Items
Count discrepancies and incorrect counts reduced by 50 percent; estimated $12,500 saved
Monday, January 02, 2012

Use of Propofol Saves Time Compared to Midazolam/Ketamine
Procedural sedation with propofol expedites patient management in emergency departments
Friday, December 30, 2011

Anesthesia Boosts Colonoscopy Price Tag
In asymptomatic adults having colonoscopy, use of anesthesia significantly raises price
Thursday, December 29, 2011

Enoxaparin Doesn't Reduce Death Rate for Acutely Ill
Death from any cause at 30 days and rates of major bleeding similar with enoxaparin, placebo
Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Irradiation of Left Breast Linked to Coronary Stenosis Risk
Radiotherapy of left-sided breast cancer tied to elevated high-grade coronary artery stenosis risk
Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Perceptions of Inappropriate Care Prevalent Among ICU Staff
For ICU staff in Europe, Israel, perceptions independently linked to higher intent to leave job
Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Norway Shows Rise in Gastro-Oesophageal Reflux Symptoms
Sex and age associated with incidence and spontaneous symptom remission
Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Risk Factors for Post-Spinal Fusion Visual Loss Identified
Include gender, obesity, Wilson frame use, anesthesia time, blood loss, percent colloid given
Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Study Compares Onset of Action of Two Types of Botulinum Toxin
AbobotulinumtoxinA yields more significant improvements in crow's feet at day 4
Monday, December 26, 2011

Correcting Anemia Reduces Odds of Renal Transplant Failure
Complete anemia correction reduces progression to chronic allograft nephropathy post-transplant
Thursday, December 22, 2011

Aflibercept Shows Clinical Activity for Malignant Ascites
Ups time to paracentesis in advanced chemo-resistant ovarian cancer with recurrent ascites
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Trauma Quality Indicators Linked to Clinical Outcomes
In-hospital mortality, major complications strongly linked with ACSCOT quality indicators
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Medical Team Training Program Cuts Surgical Morbidity Rate
Significantly steeper decline in the annual surgical morbidity rate for facilities in MTT program
Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Initial Wound Debridement Faster With Maggot Therapy
Benefit over conventional therapy during first week of treatment loses significance by day 15
Tuesday, December 20, 2011

Physician Opinions on Benefits of Open Visit Notes Vary
And, 79 percent of patients are interested in sharing their personal health record information
Monday, December 19, 2011

Patient Isolation During Hospitalization Tied to Delirium
But no increased risk for patients who start their hospital stay under contact precautions
Friday, December 16, 2011

ASH: Catheter-Directed Thrombolysis Cuts DVT Risks
CDT lowers post-thrombotic syndrome frequency, ups iliofemoral patency in deep vein thrombosis
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

PCI Outcomes No Worse in Centers Without On-Site Surgery
Similar in-hospital death, emergency bypass for PCI at centers with/without on-site surgery
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Hispanic Race, Obesity Tied to Pediatric Gallbladder Disease
Hemolytic disease is no longer predominant risk factor for pediatric gallbladder disease
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Infection Prevention Up in VA, Non-Federal Hospitals
But catheter-associated urinary tract infection prevention practices remain low
Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Chemo, Radiation Worsen Cognition in Breast CA Survivors
However, hormonal therapy does not predict changes in cognitive functioning over time
Monday, December 12, 2011

Post-Mastectomy Reconstruction Feasible for Older Women
For older women, breast reconstruction after mastectomy is safe and well tolerated
Friday, December 09, 2011

Factors Affecting Micro-RNA Detection Accuracy Identified
Include variations in plasma samples, collection method, anticoagulant used, inhibitors in plasma
Friday, December 09, 2011

SABCS: Post-Mastectomy Reconstruction Factors ID'd
Reconstruction rates higher with commercial insurance, those younger than 50 years
Thursday, December 08, 2011

BRCA1/2 Mutations Up Risk of Contralateral Breast Cancer
For mutation carriers, age at diagnosis and triple-negative first tumor also impact risk
Thursday, December 08, 2011

SABCS: Adjuvant Bevacizumab Ups Progression-Free Survival
Statistically significant improvement seen in Independent Review Committee assessment
Thursday, December 08, 2011

Similar Prognosis for BRCA1 Carriers, Sporadic Breast Cancer
For BRCA2 carriers, outcomes worse in univariable but similar in multivariable analyses
Thursday, December 08, 2011

SABCS: Long-Term Benefits for Zoledronic Acid in Breast Cancer
And, for postmenopausal women, immediate ZOL therapy reduces risk of disease-free survival events
Wednesday, December 07, 2011

FDA and FTC Crack Down on Homeopathic Weight Loss Drug
Marketers of off-label HCG issued warning letters
Tuesday, December 06, 2011

1 in 5 Limb Fractures in Children Receive Delayed Care
Minority, lower limb injury, no external injury sign, continued extremity use all delay medical care
Tuesday, December 06, 2011

Transplant Patients Want a Role in Liver Quality Decisions
Patients want organs with low risk of failure, but risk tolerance influenced by presentation
Tuesday, December 06, 2011

LV Dyssynchrony Has Prognostic Value After Acute MI
Prognostic value found for patients admitted with ST-segment elevation AMI treated with primary PCI
Tuesday, December 06, 2011

C. difficile Infection Ups Duration of Hospital Stay
In survival analysis, median length of stay is increased by six days in patients with C. difficile
Monday, December 05, 2011

Medical Students Fail to ID Hand Hygiene Indications
Preclinical phase medical students lack knowledge about hand disinfection indications
Monday, December 05, 2011

Quality of Life Up in Obese A-Fib Patients Post-Ablation
Baseline quality of life, high BMI independently predict better QoL post-catheter ablation
Friday, December 02, 2011

Time of Operation Not Linked to Postoperative Mortality
Time of day, day of week, month of surgery, moon phase do not affect 30-day post-op mortality
Friday, December 02, 2011

Portal Thrombosis Preventable in Islet Transplantation
Heparinization, ablation of portal catheter tract, limiting packed cell volume prevent thrombosis
Friday, December 02, 2011

Early Post-Op Complications Identified in Rett Syndrome
Respiratory, gastrointestinal post-op complications common after spinal fusion for scoliosis
Friday, December 02, 2011

Most Non-Mobile Spinal Mets Patients Walk Post-Surgery
Resumption of ambulation significantly affected by motor grade, occurrence of a major complication
Friday, December 02, 2011

Risk Factors ID'd for Pressure Ulcers in Prolonged Surgery
Use of foam pads in surgery, having a lower day-one Braden score predictive of pressure ulcers
Thursday, December 01, 2011

Anticoagulant Self-Monitoring Safe Option for Suitable Patients
Self-monitoring, self-management associated with significant reduction in thromboembolic events
Thursday, December 01, 2011

Learning Assessment Tool IDs R.N. Educational Needs
Pediatric procedural sedation education needs identified through questionnaire
Thursday, December 01, 2011

Metal, Ceramics on Par With Traditional Hip Implants
Limited comparative evidence shows no advantage of metal on metal, ceramic on ceramic bearings
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

U.S. Patients Highly Satisfied With Outpatient Medical Care
Patient satisfaction scores tied to waiting time, time spent with provider, and age category
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Risk Factors ID'd for Radiation-Induced Hypothyroidism
Female gender, neck surgery up risk; Caucasians at higher risk than African-Americans
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Young Adult Back Pain Severity Tied to Spinal Disc Degeneration
Association with low back pain is independent of other degenerative findings
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Crash Injuries of Children in Restraints Not Tied to Weight
No correlation between weight and clinically significant injuries across broad age, weight range
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Small Cell Carcinoma of Urinary Bladder Incidence Up
Elderly Caucasian men at highest risk; age, race, marital status, TNM staging impact prognosis
Monday, November 28, 2011

Nearly One in 10 Patients With PCI Readmits Within 30 Days
Patients readmitted within 30 days have significantly increased risk of one-year mortality
Monday, November 28, 2011

High-Performing Docs Learn Equally From Success, Failure
High performers learn from successes, failures; low performers have asymmetric learning rates
Monday, November 28, 2011

Pathologist Case Volume Affects Thyroid FNA Reading
But clinicians' case volume does not influence thyroid fine needle aspiration's diagnostic yield
Monday, November 28, 2011

AAP Issues Infant Positional Skull Deformity Guidelines
Pediatricians should diagnose, counsel parents, manage, and refer to specialists, as necessary
Monday, November 28, 2011

Autoimmune Disorders Tied to Pulmonary Embolism Risk
High risk of pulmonary embolism during first year after admission; risk decreases over time
Monday, November 28, 2011

Home Birth Imposes Higher Risks for First-Time Mothers
However, overall risk of perinatal adverse outcomes is low for all birth locations
Monday, November 28, 2011

Substance Abuse Health Programs Benefit Surgeons
Recovery, completion, and extension of monitoring period similar for surgeons, non-surgeons
Friday, November 25, 2011

Stem-Cell-Seeded Bioartificial Tracheal Transplant Feasible
First-in-man bioengineered artificial tracheobronchial airway transplantation successful
Thursday, November 24, 2011

Dabigatran Poses Challenge in Treating Injured Patients
Due to lack of readily available methods to assess degree of anticoagulation, and reverse effects
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Long-Term Survival Factors ID'd for Head, Neck Cancer
Older age, advanced stage, pain, poor quality of life, smoking up mortality in two-year survivors
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Recent Drop Seen in Oral, Pharyngeal Cancer Mortality
Largest decrease seen in black men and women with 12 years of education
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Carbon Dioxide Laser Feasible in Primary Lentigo Maligna
Recurrence rate of 6.7 percent during a mean follow-up of 77.8 months
Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Valvular Surgery Tied to Reduced Mortality in Endocarditis
Tied to lower in-hospital, one year mortality in infective endocarditis complicated by heart failure
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Black Patients Have Worse Diverticulitis Surgery Outcomes
Blacks undergoing diverticulitis surgery have more emergency procedures, higher mortality risk
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Radial Fracture Type Doesn't Impact Volar Plate Outcome
Similar outcomes for extra-articular, single sagittal intra-articular distal radial fractures
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

BMI Predicts 30-Day Post-Surgery Mortality Risk
BMI of less than 23.1 tied to the highest 30-day mortality risk, irrespective of surgery type
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Oliguria in Bariatric Surgery Not Tied to Intra-Op Fluids
Oliguria in laparoscopic bariatric surgery persists regardless of intra-op fluid administered
Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Adverse Effects of Pediatric Acupuncture Usually Mild
Mild adverse effects include pain, bruising, bleeding, and worsening of symptoms
Monday, November 21, 2011

Nonpunitive Method Improves Medical Error Reporting
Most common errors: misfiled or incorrectly entered patient info
Monday, November 21, 2011

Pain, Function Key Factors in Elective Amputation Decision
Satisfaction with outcome linked to patient's expectation of life after amputation
Monday, November 21, 2011

Survival Up With Posterior Cruciate-Retaining TKR
Significantly lower risk of revision with posterior-cruciate-retaining total knee replacement
Monday, November 21, 2011

Hospital Readmission Common Post-Colorectal Surgery
With 30- and 90-day readmission rates of 11.4 and 23.3 percent, respectively
Friday, November 18, 2011

Minoxidil Foam Is Effective in Androgenic Alopecia
Once-daily 5 percent MTF is as effective as twice-daily 2 percent topical solution
Friday, November 18, 2011

Evidence-Based Spine Surgery Recommendations Issued
Recommendations based on review of six spine surgery studies
Friday, November 18, 2011

Factors Impacting Assignment to Triage Risk Level 2/3 ID'd
Age, vital signs, need for timely intervention, resources affect level 2 or 3 assignment
Friday, November 18, 2011

Ovary Sparing Hysterectomy Tied to Early Ovarian Failure
Risk of ovarian failure up in women undergoing hysterectomy without bilateral oophorectomy
Thursday, November 17, 2011

AHA: Drug-Eluting Balloons Promising Alternative to Stents
And, PCI with drug-eluting balloons also feasible in patients at risk of bleeding complications
Wednesday, November 16, 2011

AHA: Most Major Post-Op Infections Occur Post-Discharge
And, skin preparation before and during implant procedures reduces the risk of infections
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Patients Without Insurance Have Shorter Hospital Stays
Uninsured have shorter stays for ambulatory care-sensitive conditions, or non-ACSCs
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Extended TNM Colon Cancer Staging Ups Prognostic Accuracy
Extended staging includes tumor grade, number of collected metastatic lymph nodes, age, gender
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Family History, Alcohol Tied to Benign Breast Disease Risk
Consuming seven alcoholic drinks per week more than doubled risk for those with family history
Monday, November 14, 2011

Rivaroxaban Improves Acute Coronary Syndrome Outcomes
Apixaban thromboprophylaxis better than enoxaparin; adjuvant vorapaxar not effective/safe
Monday, November 14, 2011

Anterior Cervical Surgery Ups GERD Incidence, Severity
Anterior cervical decompression, fusion surgery patients require an average 1.2 antacid doses
Friday, November 11, 2011

Evidence Shows Certain Dietary Fiber Intake Lowers CRC Risk
High dietary fiber intake, particularly cereals and whole grains, reduces risk of colorectal cancer
Friday, November 11, 2011

Brain Hypoxia Tied to Poor Post-Traumatic Injury Outcome
Indicative of poor prognosis independent of intracranial, perfusion pressures, severity of injury
Friday, November 11, 2011

FDA: Manufacturer Recalls Operating Room Tables
Recall based on reports of patient injury
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Minimally Invasive Osteoid Osteoma Surgery Viable Option
Emerging as an alternative method to conventional excision of osteoid osteoma in the mobile spine
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Glove Use Linked to Reduced Hand Hygiene Compliance
Gloves often worn when not indicated, and not worn when indicated
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Pre-Knee Replacement Use of Opioids Tied to Complications
Significantly higher complication rate and greater need for pain management referral
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Similar Cuff Repair Outcomes With, Without Acromioplasty
But higher reoperation rate for patients with arthroscopic cuff repair alone
Thursday, November 10, 2011

Alcoholic Hepatitis Combo Meds Don't Help Six-Month Survival
But early liver transplant improves survival in medically unresponsive severe alcoholic hepatitis
Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Improved Breast CA Outcomes Affect Older Women Less
Increasing disparity in breast cancer outcomes by age; outcomes for younger women better
Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Wait-and-See Policy Feasible for Some With Rectal Cancer
Using strict selection criteria and follow-up, wait-and-see results in promising outcomes
Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Biolimus Stents Noninferior to Sirolimus Stents
Biolimus-eluting stents are noninferior to sirolimus eluting stents in coronary artery disease
Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Spinal Subdural Hemorrhage Linked to Abusive Head Trauma
High incidence in children with abusive head trauma who underwent thoracolumbar imaging
Wednesday, November 09, 2011

Adjuvant Bevacizumab Feasible in Ovarian Cancer
Progression-free survival similar to IP, IV therapy; higher risk of bowel perforation/obstruction
Wednesday, November 09, 2011

No Added Benefits of Cranial Bypass in Stroke Prevention
For patients with atherosclerotic internal carotid artery occlusion, surgery doesn't cut stroke risk
Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Guidelines Released
HCM management must be tailored to the patient and varies for symptomatic/asymptomatic patients
Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Neuromuscular Warm-Up Cuts Lower Extremity Injury
Coach-led neuromuscular warm-up effectively lowers non-contact injuries in female athletes
Tuesday, November 08, 2011

NASS: Low Vitamin D Common in Spinal Surgery Patients
With vitamin D inadequacy and deficiency in 57 and 27 percent of patients, respectively
Tuesday, November 08, 2011

Great Achievement at Young Age Function of Time, Not Field
Age dynamics tied to proportion of theoretical work, age of attainment of foundation knowledge
Monday, November 07, 2011

Gender Difference in Failure Patterns for Hip Resurfacing
Femoral remnants from females have lower likelihood of fracture, presence of osteonecrosis
Monday, November 07, 2011

Evidence Shows Robot-Assisted Cystectomy Safe, Effective
Longer-term, controlled studies needed to evaluate the procedure in management of bladder cancer
Monday, November 07, 2011

Statin Use in BAV Stenosis Tied to Ascending Aortic Size
Significantly reduced ascending aortic size in patients treated with statins versus untreated
Friday, November 04, 2011

Renin-Angiotensin Systems Tied to Obesity
SRAS overactivated in animal, human obesity; RAS blockade improves insulin sensitivity
Friday, November 04, 2011

Receptionists Contribute to Safety of Repeat Prescriptions
Clinicians often unaware of input of receptionists and administrative staff in repeat prescribing
Friday, November 04, 2011

Perceived Distortion in Scoliosis Tied to Quality of Life
Non-braced patients perceive their body appearance to be significantly less distorted
Friday, November 04, 2011

Rooms of Patients With A. baumannii Often Contaminated
Supply carts, floors, infusion pumps, ventilator touch pads are most commonly contaminated
Friday, November 04, 2011

No Medicare Savings From Disease-Management Hotline
Modest improvement in quality of care, but no reduction in costs of care or acute care utilization
Thursday, November 03, 2011

Risks for C. difficile Infection, Colonization Identified
Host, pathogen factors differentially affect this health care-associated infection, colonization
Thursday, November 03, 2011

Graft Loss Higher With Kidneys Donated by Older Live Donors
But comparable to graft loss for recipients of a kidney from a deceased younger donor
Thursday, November 03, 2011

CDC: Opioid Overdoses Have Reached Epidemic Proportions
Overdose death rates, sales, OPR-related treatment admissions increased between 1999 and 2008
Wednesday, November 02, 2011

Solid Organ Transplantation Tied to Increased Risk of Cancer
Kidney, heart, liver, lung transplants tied to higher infection-related and unrelated cancer risk
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Over 30 Percent Survival With Allogeneic Cell Transplant
Five-year overall, progression-free survival of 35, 32 percent in elderly with blood cancers
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Gender Not an Independent Mortality Predictor Post-PCI
Female gender not independently predictive of mortality after percutaneous coronary intervention
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Yoga Beats Usual Care for Pain-Related Back Function
However, back pain and general health scores similar with yoga and usual care intervention
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Anesthesia Type Impacts Aortic Aneurysm Repair Outcome
General anesthesia tied to higher pulmonary morbidity, length of stay than other anesthesias
Tuesday, November 01, 2011

Exparel Approved for Post-Surgery Pain
Provides relief up to 72 hours
Monday, October 31, 2011

Noncarriers of BRCA Do Not Have Increased Breast CA Risk
Noncarriers of BRCA with familial breast cancer are not at increased risk of breast cancer
Monday, October 31, 2011

Transvestibular Approach to Middle Cranial Base Feasible
Allows safe exposure, exploration, resection of infratemporal fossa, parapharyngeal space lesions
Monday, October 31, 2011

Pre-Op Erythropoietin Reduces Need for Peri-Op Transfusion
Also reduces the number of units of erythrocytes transfused during and after surgery
Monday, October 31, 2011

Disc Herniation Symptom Duration Tied to Outcome
Longer symptom duration tied to worse outcomes, regardless of surgical versus nonsurgical treatment
Monday, October 31, 2011

Proportion of MELD Exceptions Up From 2002 to 2010
Since April 2005, HCC and other exceptions associated with decreased risk of wait-list mortality
Monday, October 31, 2011

Switching From IV to Oral Meds Cuts Health Care Costs
In patients eligible for oral intake, switch from IV to oral equivalents cuts hospital costs
Monday, October 31, 2011

Self-Reported Knee Function, Pain Worse Than Doc-Assessed
Self-reported American Knee Society scores worse than clinician-assessed; Oxford Knee score similar
Friday, October 28, 2011

ATA: Thyroidectomy Improves Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Significant decrease in snoring frequency; lower scores in question of snoring bothering others
Friday, October 28, 2011

Nipple-Sparing Mastectomy Safe for Selected Patients
Subareolar biopsy useful in identifying cancerous nipple-areolar complexes
Friday, October 28, 2011

Cartilage Reshaping With Laser Safe for Protruding Ears
Technique offers reasonable patient satisfaction; all patients would undergo procedure again
Friday, October 28, 2011

Nonclinical Factors Impact Back Pain Treatment Decisions
Patient presentation, socioeconomic status, gender influence physician treatment decisions
Friday, October 28, 2011

Ovarian Stimulation Ups Risk of Ovarian Tumors in Later Life
Increased risk of ovarian stimulation for IVF seen in particular with borderline ovarian tumors
Thursday, October 27, 2011

ACS: Timed Walking Predicts Post-Op Recovery in Elderly
Slow walking in elderly ups risk of postoperative complications, lengthens hospital stay
Thursday, October 27, 2011

ACS: Drug-Resistant Infections Rise but Mortality Declines
Surgical ICU drug-resistant infections rise between 2000 and 2010, but mortality drops by 4 percent
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Ghost Authorship Prevalent in About One-Fifth of Articles
Prevalence of honorary, ghost authorship, down from 29.2 to 21.0 percent from 1996 to 2008
Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Clinical, Genetic Factors Linked to Early Stent Thrombosis
Independent association for three genes, two clopidogrel-related factors, clinical factors
Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Breast Reconstruction Ups Psychosocial, Sexual Health
However, improvements are offset by abdominal donor site physical well-being deterioration
Monday, October 24, 2011

Excision Margin of 2 cm Safe in Melanoma Thicker Than 2 mm
Overall five-year survival in cutaneous melanoma similar with 2-cm, 4-cm resection margins
Monday, October 24, 2011

High Rate of Elevated BP Post Pediatric Liver Transplant
Age at transplant, cGFR, steroid use predict elevated BP five to 10 years after liver transplants
Friday, October 21, 2011

IBD Increases Risk of Post-Op Thromboembolism
Risk of post-op deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism higher after nonintestinal surgery
Thursday, October 20, 2011

Platelet-Rich Fibrin Matrix Shots Induce Cellular Changes
PRFM injection induces fibroblast activation, collagen deposition, angiogenesis, adipogenesis
Thursday, October 20, 2011

3-D CT Useful for Classification of Ligament Ossification
Combining 3-D CT with MRI useful for detecting spinal cord compression
Thursday, October 20, 2011

Drug-Eluting Stents With Abnormal ABI Tied to Mortality
Predictive of one-year all cause, cardiovascular mortality after drug-eluting stent implantation
Thursday, October 20, 2011

High Resource Use Ups Congenital Heart Surgery Risk
Higher mortality for high-resource-using adults going for congenital heart surgery in peds hospital
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Adjuvant S-1 Improves Five-Year Outcomes in Gastric Cancer
Oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, S-1, improves overall, relapse-free survival at five years
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

H. pylori Not Detected in Hyperplastic Adenoids
H. pylori, other Helicobacteraceae family members not major cause of enlarged adenoids in children
Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Readmission Risk Models Display Poor Predictive Ability
Current hospital readmission risk models for comparative or clinical purposes perform poorly
Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Bariatric Surgery Offers Health Benefits to Patients' Family
Family members experience weight loss, increased activity levels, improved eating habits
Tuesday, October 18, 2011

ASA: Obesity Ups Peri-Op Peds Respiratory Complications
And, significantly lower effective dose of propofol causes loss of consciousness in obese children
Monday, October 17, 2011

ASA: Blood Type Affects Bleeding, Death After Heart Surgery
Lowest risk among AB blood group possibly attributable to high levels of blood clotting proteins
Monday, October 17, 2011

Single Kidney Outcome Similar With Nephrectomy, Ablation
Short-term renal function outcomes similar with nephrectomy, ablation for tumors in solitary kidney
Monday, October 17, 2011

No Effect of Prophylaxis Type on Pulmonary Embolism Rate
Prophylaxis agent, anesthesia type do not affect pulmonary embolism rate post hip arthroplasty
Friday, October 14, 2011

Same Cognition With Cerebral Perfusion, Hypothermic Arrest
Similar cognitive benefit for antegrade cerebral perfusion, deep hypothermic circulatory arrest
Friday, October 14, 2011

Patients Remain Seizure-Free Long After Epilepsy Surgery
Seizure recurrence varies with the type of surgical treatment
Friday, October 14, 2011

Increased Travel Time to Trauma Centers in 2007
Increased distance has mainly affected African-Americans, uninsured, poor, those in rural areas
Thursday, October 13, 2011

Rare Disorders ID'd by NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Program
Integrated high-density SNP arrays, whole exome or genome analyses used to aid diagnosis
Thursday, October 13, 2011

Financial Conflicts of Interest Prevalent, Under-Reported
Conflicts of interest prevalent; under-reported by members, chairs of panels developing guidelines
Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Children More Likely to Have SLN Mets Than Young Adults
Thickness, ulceration strongly predict sentinel lymph node biopsy use in children, young adults
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

ICD Deactivation Knowledge Lacking in End-of-Life Care
Patient, provider knowledge of implantable cardiac devices lacking, preventing timely discussion
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Good Long-Term Outcomes With Selective Thoracic Fusion
Stable lumbar spinal balance and correction of lumbar curve in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Septicemia Most Costly Reason for Hospitalization in 2009
Almost one in 23 patients had septicemia; average of 4,600 new patients treated each day
Monday, October 10, 2011

Electronic Records Enhance Care Transitions for Elderly
Complete and accurate transfer of information necessary to maximize patient care
Monday, October 10, 2011

Infliximab Improves Clinical Outcome in Ulcerative Colitis
Early mucosal healing with infliximab improves long-term outcome, reduces need for colectomy
Friday, October 07, 2011

UVA1 Induces Thymine Dimers in DNA of Human Skin in Vivo
UVA1 induces thymine dimers but not pyrimidine (6-4) pyrimidone photoproducts in skin epidermis
Friday, October 07, 2011

Uterine Artery Embolization Beats Surgery in Short Term
Uterine artery embolization has better short-term outcome than surgery for women with fibroids
Friday, October 07, 2011

Adding HLA-C Matching Cuts Cord Blood Transplant Death
HLA-C matching lowers transplant-related mortality after umbilical-cord blood transplantation
Friday, October 07, 2011

Many Elderly in U.S. Undergo Surgery in Last Year of Life
Rate of surgery varies with age, region, availability of hospital beds, Medicare spending
Thursday, October 06, 2011

More Minority Patients in Low-Quality, High-Cost Hospitals
More elderly black, Hispanic, Medicaid patients consult worst rather than best hospitals
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Pre-Op Anemia Ups Mortality After Non-Cardiac Surgery
Even mild preoperative anemia independently associated with 30-day mortality, morbidity risk
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Early ID of Morbidly Obese Improves Surgical Care
Improves perioperative care and postoperative outcomes for patients with BMI of 35 or more
Thursday, October 06, 2011

Fractional Lasers Effective, Safe in Dark-Skin Acne Scars
Non-ablative fractional 1,550 nm, ablative fractional CO₂ lasers effective, safe in ethnic skin
Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Membrane Oxygenation Reduces Mortality in H1N1-Related ARDS
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation referral lowers hospital mortality in H1N1-related ARDS
Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Lower Overall Survival for Men Than Women With Breast Cancer
However, men have better relative survival, adjusted for age, treatment, and stage, than women
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Advance Directives Linked to Regional Medical Expenditures
High-spending areas have lower end-of-life costs, in-hospital death, and increased hospice care
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Alcohol-Impaired Driving Down by 30 Percent in U.S.
Number of episodes, however, still quite substantial
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

MRI Safe, Feasible in Some With Implanted Cardiac Devices
Electrophysiologic monitoring required during MRI due to changes in device variables, programming
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Breast Cancer Deaths Falling in United States
But economic disparities persist in terms of screening, mortality
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

HPV 16 Diagnostic Tests Vary in Accuracy, Prognostic Value
p16 IHC/DNA qPCR proves to be best predictor of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma outcome
Tuesday, October 04, 2011

Risk Factors ID'd for Post-Spine Surgery Death, Morbidity
Complication predictors include older age, cardiac disease, neuro-abnormalities, corticosteroid use
Monday, October 03, 2011

Early Anesthesia Exposures Tied to Learning Disabilities
Multiple exposures before age 2 does not increase need for individualized education programs
Monday, October 03, 2011

Sevoflurane Anesthesia Does Not Up Incident Cancer Risk
New cancer within five years of surgery not tied to duration, time of sevoflurane anesthesia
Monday, October 03, 2011

Smoking Complicates Joint Replacement Outcomes
Smokers undergoing total hip or knee replacement should be counseled to quit
Monday, October 03, 2011

Spinal MRI Reviewer Accuracy Equal Across Training Levels
Posterior ligamentous complex integrity interpreted with accuracy irrespective of training level
Friday, September 30, 2011

High Risk of Salvage Transplant Failure Post Liver Resection
Microscopic vascular invasion, nodules, tumor size, liver cirrhosis predict nontransplantability
Friday, September 30, 2011

Doctors, Patients Identify Tacit Clues in Their Interactions
Non-verbal tacit clues most common, but interpretation differs for doctors and patients
Friday, September 30, 2011

Three Weekly Hyaluronate Shots Improve Ankle Arthritis
Three weekly intra-articular hyaluronate injections improve pain, function, balance, patient satisfaction
Thursday, September 29, 2011

Stratified Care May Be Best Option for Back Pain Patients
Study finds that patients fare better and that care costs less
Thursday, September 29, 2011

Elderly Recover Adequately After Cervical Laminoplasty
No significant difference in mean achieved JOA scores for elderly, young-old, and old-old
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Fear of Childbirth Tied to Higher Odds of Cesarean Section
Elective and emergency cesarean sections more frequent despite psychological counseling
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Calcineurin-Inhibitor-Sparing Regimens Improve Outcomes
Use of calcineurin-inhibitor-sparing regimens immediately after kidney transplant ups outcomes
Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Operator Experience Tied to Carotid Stenting Mortality Risk
Operator's annual volume, experience at time of procedure impact 30-day mortality risk in elderly
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Colorectal Cancer Subsite Risk Tied to Fruit/Vegetable Intake
Fruit/vegetable intake affects proximal colon, distal colon, rectal cancer risk differently
Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Updated Guides Compare Treatments for GERD
Both drug therapies and surgeries considered effective
Monday, September 26, 2011

Generic Tacrolimus Safe for Liver, Kidney Recipients
No change in liver, kidney function; no rejection seen after substitution for reference product
Monday, September 26, 2011

ASPS: Education Ups Breast Reconstruction in Uninsured
More than half of uninsured women with breast cancer don't know about reconstruction options
Friday, September 23, 2011

Stereotactic Radiosurgery Reasonable for Brain Mets
Overall survival >9 months after brain mets treated with salvage SRS in breast cancer
Friday, September 23, 2011

Study Compares Great Saphenous Vein Insufficiency Therapies
More adverse events with laser, but advantages in hemodynamics, recovery, cosmetic outcome
Thursday, September 22, 2011

Stroke Outcomes Similar With CT-Perfusion, Time Criteria
Outcomes comparable when using CT-perfusion criteria for endovascular stroke treatment
Thursday, September 22, 2011

Videos Prior to Spine Surgery Aid, Strengthen Patient Choices
Patients make balanced, unbiased decision after watching evidence-based video decision aid
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Mortality Up in Hospitals With More Minority Trauma Patients
Trauma patients' odds of mortality linked to the proportion of minority patients in the hospital
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Soft Tissue Sarcoma Therapy Limb Salvage Rate 81 Percent
Tumor necrosis factor-α, melphalan-based isolated limb perfusion benefits amputation candidates
Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Model Predicts Erectile Function After Prostate Cancer Therapy
Patient, treatment characteristics used to predict erectile function two years post cancer treatment
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Platelet Reactivity Status Predicts Ischemic Event Risk
High residual platelet activity after clopidogrel loading predicts post-PCI risk of ischemic events
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Treatment Delays Identified in Regional STEMI Systems
Delays most frequently occur at referral hospital, PCI center, and during transport process
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Chronic Total Occlusion PCI Improves Outcomes in Diabetes
PCI for chronic total occlusions tied to reduced long-term mortality, coronary bypass artery graft
Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Cold Ischemia Time Tied to Delayed Kidney Graft Function
But, no effect on kidney graft survival among expanded criteria donor kidney transplants
Monday, September 19, 2011

Racial Disparities in Radical Prostatectomy Decreasing
Improved minimally invasive radical prostatectomy rates in African-Americans versus Caucasians
Monday, September 19, 2011

Posterior Shoulder Dislocation Has Low Prevalence
Recurrent instability predicted by age, dislocation during seizure, large reverse Hill-Sachs lesion
Monday, September 19, 2011

Thrombomodulin Gene Variants Up Post-CABG Mortality Risk
Homozygote minor allele of rs3176123 independently predicts all-cause mortality
Friday, September 16, 2011

Liver X Receptor Agonist Ups Glioblastoma Cell Death
LXR agonists inhibit LDL receptor upregulation, promote cholesterol efflux transporter
Friday, September 16, 2011

Pre-Liver Transplant Serum Ferritin Level Predicts Mortality
High serum ferritin, low transferrin saturation before transplant ups post-transplant mortality
Friday, September 16, 2011

AACR: Genetic Data ID Breast Cancer Progression Pathways
Identification of pathways, driver genes leads to novel targeted therapy for breast cancer
Thursday, September 15, 2011

New Tiered Sharing Policy Suggested for Liver Transplants
Public forum recommends that changes be implemented in small steps to prevent disruption
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Surgery Effective for Subaxial Cervical Synovial Cysts
Surgical resection effective with no deaths, and minimal postoperative complications
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Glare Disability Predicts Post-Cataract Surgery Visual Gains
Pre-op corrected distance visual activity, changes in CDVA, not tied to post-surgery visual gains
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Global Rates of Breast, Cervical Cancer Up Over Last 20 Years
Increase in breast cancer mortality, decrease in cervical cancer mortality rates during same period
Thursday, September 15, 2011

Congenital Heart Disease Ups Endotoxemia Risk in Children
Higher levels of intestinal fatty acid binding protein, endotoxin with congenital heart disease
Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Mammography Screening Ups Breast Cancer Surgery Rates
From 1993-1995 to 1996-2004, mastectomies up for some, down for others
Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Aortic Dissection Incidence Higher in Individuals With BAV
Incidence low but significantly higher in patients with bicuspid aortic valves than in general population
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Number of Lymph Nodes Tested for Colon CA Up 1988 to 2008
But no significant increase in lymph node positivity during the same period
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Venlafaxine, Clonidine Reduce Hot Flashes in Breast Cancer
Immediate reduction in hot flash scores with venlafaxine; lower week 12 scores with clonidine
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Supply Chain Optimization Feasible in Pediatric Hospitals
Includes product standardization, logistical efficiency, inventory management and control
Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Earlier Cancer Onset in Second Generation BRCA Carriers
Second generation more likely to be diagnosed with cancer at an earlier age
Monday, September 12, 2011

Arterial Calcification Tied to Vascular Brain Disease
Intra-, extracranial carotid calcification tied to white matter lesion volume, infarcts, respectively
Friday, September 09, 2011

HPPH-Photodynamic Therapy Safe in Precancerous Barrett's
Photodynamic therapy with 2-[1-hexyloxyethyl]-2-devinyl pyropheophorbide-a is safe, promising
Thursday, September 08, 2011

Post-Breast Reduction Weight Loss Tied to Shape Discontent
Initial satisfaction with breast appearance after reduction mammaplasty lower after weight loss
Thursday, September 08, 2011

Stenting Inferior to Aggressive Medical Management in Stroke
Medical therapy alone superior at preventing stroke in patients with intracranial arterial stenosis
Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Many Hospital Staff Uniforms Contaminated With Bacteria
More than 60 percent of uniforms are contaminated, with similar rates between nurses, physicians
Wednesday, September 07, 2011

BCS: Low Breast CA Recurrence Rate in Women ≤40 Years
BCT, mastectomy reveal similar survival rates in young women with early-stage breast cancer
Wednesday, September 07, 2011

BCS: Mammography, Self Examination Benefit Under-50s
Annual mammography and self-breast exams validated for over-50s, and women aged 40 to 49
Wednesday, September 07, 2011

No Reduction in Infections With Immediate Adenoidectomy
Similar number of respiratory infections in children who have immediate surgery, watchful waiting
Wednesday, September 07, 2011

Training Protocols Do Not Affect Ventilation Knowledge
No association of training in a high-intensity protocol environment with mechanical ventilation exam score
Tuesday, September 06, 2011

More Weight Loss for Duodenal Switch Than Gastric Bypass
Greater reduction in weight, total and LDL cholesterol, but more adverse events
Tuesday, September 06, 2011

MRI Tumor Assessment Predicts Rectal Cancer Survival
Tumor regression grade, circumferential resection margin predict survival in good, poor responders
Friday, September 02, 2011

Fewer Male Infants Being Circumcised in U.S. Hospitals
Rates influenced by such factors as Medicaid coverage
Thursday, September 01, 2011

NPe6 May Beat Photofrin Photodynamic Therapy in Lung CA
Individualized approach based on Bcl-2/BCRP expression may improve PDT efficacy in lung cancers
Thursday, September 01, 2011

Traumatic Brain Injury Deaths Tied to Life Support Removal
Majority of deaths linked to life-support withdrawal, with variation between medical centers
Thursday, September 01, 2011

Dexamethasone Dose of >0.1 mg/kg Reduces Post-Op Pain
More consistent analgesic effects seen with preoperative administration of dexamethasone
Thursday, September 01, 2011

Predictors of Child Ventricular Assist Device Mortality ID'd
Congenital etiology, norepinephrine need, CRP, central venous pressure predict in-hospital death
Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Composition of ICU Team Affects Professional Burnout
Having an increased proportion of female nurses on the team linked to decreased burnout risk
Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Lower Early Restenosis Rate With Drug-Eluting Balloons
DEB is effective for treating long infrapopliteal lesions in terms of restenosis, clinical outcome
Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Increasing BMI Ups Atonic Uterus Hemorrhage Risk
But no association between obesity and risk of postpartum hemorrhage with retained placenta
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

ESC: Addition of IABC to PCI Doesn't Reduce Infarct Size
Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation plus primary PCI does not reduce infarct size more than PCI
Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Public Sector Funds Large Part of State Obesity-Related Costs
State medical expenses would be nearly 7 to 11 percent lower in the absence of obesity
Monday, August 29, 2011

High Demand, But Minority of Ob-Gyns Provide Abortions
Obstetrician-gynecologists with high religious motivation less likely to perform abortions
Friday, August 26, 2011

Complementary Medicine Used More by Health Care Workers
U.S. health care providers use complementary, alternative medicine more than support workers
Friday, August 26, 2011

Pharmaceutical Ads Often Don't Adhere to U.S. FDA Guidelines
Only 18.1 percent of advertisements fully adhere to FDA guidelines, over half do not quantify serious risks
Thursday, August 25, 2011

EMR Language Analysis Identifies Post-Op Complications
Higher sensitivity, lower specificity than patient safety indicators based on discharge coding
Tuesday, August 23, 2011

CDC: 2010/2011 Flu Vaccination Coverage Studied
Coverage in health care personnel and pregnant women remained stable versus previous season
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Majority of DVT Cases After Surgery Linked to Catheter Use
Overall incidence of DVT after general surgery low; higher in patients with upper extremity catheter
Thursday, August 18, 2011

Bispectral Index Guided Anesthesia Not Superior
Fewer cases of intraoperative awareness with standard end-tidal anesthetic-agent concentration
Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Obstructive CAD Detection Rates Vary Between Hospitals
Considerable variation in coronary artery disease detection at elective coronary angiography
Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Knowledge, Beliefs Affect Judgment of Hand Hygiene Risk
Health care workers perceive lower risk in touching objects than patient skin
Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Cost of Interacting With Payers Higher in U.S. Than Canada
U.S. physicians and nursing staff spend more time and money interacting with health plans
Friday, August 05, 2011

Gastric Bypass Tied to Reduced Fat Intake in Humans, Rats
Humans consume less dietary fat six years post-op; rats eat more low-fat chow after surgery
Thursday, August 04, 2011

Endoscopic Instrumentation Linked to Insulation Failures
After 10 uses, robotic instrumentation has higher rate of insulation failures than laparoscopic
Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Infection Incidence After Spinal Tumor Surgery ~10 Percent
Risk factors include previous surgery, comorbidities, prior infection, longer hospital stay
Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Causes of Failure to Prevent Retained Surgical Sponges ID'd
Common causes found to be distraction, multitasking, not following procedure, time pressure
Tuesday, August 02, 2011

Infrastructure Tied to Most U.K. Obesity-Related Safety Events
But majority of obesity-associated safety incidents in U.K. are classified as low or no harm
Monday, August 01, 2011

Hemolysis Products Impair Nitric Oxide Function on Infusion
Rat study demonstrates vasoconstriction after infusion of plasma from stored red blood cell units
Monday, July 25, 2011

HCC Surgery Depends on Race, Socioeconomics, Hospital Type
Race, socioeconomic status, and hospital type predict surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma
Friday, July 22, 2011

Liver Resection Score IDs Susceptibility to Complications
Score predicting the morbidity of liver resections helps identify most susceptible patients
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Decrease in Rate of Surgical Adverse Events in VHA Centers
From 2006 to 2009, rate of adverse events decreased but rate of close calls increased
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Medical Students Support Right to Conscientious Objection
Nearly half of medical students believe in right to conscientiously object to any procedure
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Best Performing Hospitals for Women in 19 U.S. States ID'd
Ratings based on in-hospital complications for gynecologic surgery, maternity care
Thursday, July 21, 2011

Surgeons Constitute Risk Factor for Infection After Colon Surgery
Surgeons can be an independent risk factor for surgical site infections after colon surgery
Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Chemo, Trastuzumab, Surgery Up Survival in HER2-Positive MBC
After adjustment, only chemo, trastuzumab linked to survival for patients with CNS metastases
Monday, July 18, 2011

Post-Surgery VTE Prophylaxis Use Varies Among Hospitals
Wide variation in venous thromboembolism prophylaxis use after spinal fusion surgery in U.S.
Friday, July 15, 2011

Timely Surgery in Traumatic Brain Injury Halves Death Rate
Shorter time from ER arrival to surgery reduces hospital mortality and length of hospital stay
Thursday, July 14, 2011

'Rule of Rescue' Trumps Societal Benefits in ICU
More than a third of clinicians prioritize critically ill patients over potential organ donors
Thursday, July 14, 2011

Year-End Changeovers Linked to Decreased Quality of Care
Mortality and efficiency of care tend to worsen during trainee academic year-end changeovers
Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Cardiac Transplants Tied to Increased Risk of Skin Cancer
Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma risk is much higher than in general population
Monday, July 11, 2011

Factors in Acinetobacter Infection Transmission ID'd
Interventions suggested to prevent multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter infections in war injuries
Friday, July 08, 2011

Obesity Tied to Higher Risk of Breast Surgery Complications
Odds of post-breast surgery complications are nearly 12 times higher for obese women
Thursday, July 07, 2011

Nurses' Calls Decrease Day-of-Surgery Cancellations
Preoperative calls result in decrease in cancellation rate, increased patient satisfaction
Thursday, July 07, 2011

PCIs Done for Acute Indications Almost Always Appropriate
But a higher proportion of PCIs for nonacute indications are inappropriate or uncertain
Wednesday, July 06, 2011

Fewer Clinical Capabilities in Critical Access Rural Hospitals
Rural CAHs have fewer clinical capabilities, poorer performance, and higher mortality rates
Tuesday, July 05, 2011

Blood Pressure Variability Tied to Heart Surgery Mortality
Systolic blood pressure deviations outside the normal range predict 30-day mortality rates
Friday, July 01, 2011

Pain Is a Public Health Issue and Economic Burden in U.S.
Integrated approach and research needed to treat, manage, and prevent chronic pain
Thursday, June 30, 2011

Black Patients Have Slower Transfer for Revascularization
Black patients have a significantly slower transfer time to a revascularization hospital after AMI
Thursday, June 30, 2011

E-Alerts Found to Help Prevent Thromboembolism
Electronic alerts reduce the incidence, cost of venous thromboembolism in hospitalized patients
Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Integrated Care Linked to Lower Door-In-Door-Out Time
Emergency medical services tied to reduced treatment time in STEMI patients needing transfer
Wednesday, June 29, 2011

U.S. Territories Have Higher Mortality Rates Than States
Hospitals in territories have increased 30-day readmission rates for AMI and pneumonia
Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Normal CT Scan Tied to Favorable Head Trauma Result
Low risk of neurosurgical intervention for children with normal CT scan after minor head trauma
Monday, June 27, 2011

Induction of Labor May Not Raise Emergency Cesarean Risk
From week 39 onward, C-section rates not different in women with induced and later spontaneous labor
Monday, June 27, 2011

Guideline-Concordance High for Surgical Cancer Patients
But concordance with guidelines is low in some areas, including nodal management
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Vessel Sealing System May Be Superior Tonsillectomy Method
Significantly shorter operative time, less bleeding and pain with vessel sealing system
Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Physical Therapy Post Lumbar Discectomy May Be Ineffective
Does not change range of movement, overall impairment, disability or back pain
Friday, June 17, 2011

SVS: HRT May Reduce Risk of Peripheral Arterial Disease
Significant reduction also seen for postmenopausal women with atherosclerosis risk factors
Friday, June 17, 2011

ASMBS: Gastric Bypass More Effective in Less Obese
More weight lost in patients with a BMI less than 35, with significant remission of diabetes
Thursday, June 16, 2011

Unequal Care Access for Children With Public Insurance
Disparities exist in providers' acceptance of public insurance compared to private insurance
Thursday, June 16, 2011

ASMBS: Gastric Bypass Tied to Improved Conception Rate
Excellent postoperative conception rates, symptom relief achieved in obese women with PCOS
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

Life Expectancy in U.S. Counties Below Many Nations
Women, and black men and women have lower life expectancy in all U.S. counties
Wednesday, June 15, 2011

EAC: Hypnosis, Local Anesthesia Combo Beneficial
Compared to post-general anesthesia, stays shorter after breast surgery and thyroidectomy
Monday, June 13, 2011

Intraoperative Noise Linked to Surgical-Site Infection
High sound levels may affect surgeon behavior and increase occurrence of surgical-site infection
Friday, June 10, 2011

New Safety Recommendations for Warming Head Drapes in OR
Venting, lifting the drape often, and using a blower may reduce fire risk in patients during anesthesia
Friday, June 10, 2011

NSAID Use Linked to Increased Venous Thromboembolism Risk
Increased risks for VTE, unprovoked VTE, deep venous thrombosis, and pulmonary embolism
Wednesday, June 08, 2011

VHA System in United States Provides Better Cancer Care
VHA provides earlier diagnosis, more curative surgery, and better cancer therapy than Medicare
Wednesday, June 08, 2011

Youth Bear Large Burden of Global Death, Disease
Higher rates of disability-adjusted life-years in Africa compared to high-income countries
Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Patients' Mobile Phones Carry Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria
Noticeably more multidrug-resistant bacteria on phones of patients than of health care workers
Tuesday, June 07, 2011

Late-Onset GI Complications Tied to Childhood Cancers
Survivors of childhood cancers have increased risk of late gastrointestinal complications
Monday, June 06, 2011

Appendectomy, Tonsillectomy May Increase AMI Risk
Higher myocardial infarction risk in those who undergo appendectomy, tonsillectomy before age 20
Friday, June 03, 2011

Occupancy Smoothing May Reduce Hospital Crowding
Smoothing can be achieved by rescheduling an average of 2.6 percent of admissions
Friday, June 03, 2011

Hospital Volume May Affect Surgical Mortality Rate
Increasing hospital volume contributes to decreased mortality for certain procedures
Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Fibroblast Growth Factor Not Effective in Limb Ischemia
Non-viral 1 fibroblast growth factor does not reduce amputation or death risk in limb ischemia
Wednesday, June 01, 2011

Effect Estimates May Be Inflated in Biomarker Studies
Highly cited studies overestimate biomarker effect compared to meta-analyses
Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Team Communication Vital to Avoid Health Care Errors
Inconsistent information and incorrect monitoring also identified as causes of near misses
Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Most Intracerebral Hemorrhage Patients Develop Anemia
Packed red blood cell transfusion linked with improved outcome for intracerebral hemorrhage
Friday, May 27, 2011

Robotic Surgery Claims on Hospital Sites Not Balanced
U.S. hospital Web sites rely on text and images provided by manufacturer, do not mention risks
Friday, May 27, 2011

Majority of U.K. Hospitals Offer Child Head Trauma Care
But most child ER visits are to hospitals that lack on-site care for critically ill children
Friday, May 27, 2011

Lateral Violence Affects Health Care Work Environment
Education, effective leadership, and appropriate strategies help eliminate lateral violence
Thursday, May 26, 2011

Surgical Delay Associated With Worse Prostatectomy Outcome
Men who meet D'Amico low-risk criteria may have worse prostatectomy outcome after delay
Thursday, May 26, 2011

Contact With Drug Industry Linked to Positive Attitudes
Substantial proportion of medical students believe gifts from drug industry affect prescribing
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

More Scans for Back Pain by Doctors Who Bill for MRI
Having an MRI increases likelihood of surgery in orthopedic patients with low back pain
Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Nurses Working Overtime May Increase Post-Discharge Costs
More non-overtime nursing care improves discharge preparation and decreases ER use, costs
Friday, May 20, 2011

Free Gracilis Transfer in Children Improves Smile
Free gracilis muscle excursion in children has lower failure rates than in adults
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Cardiac Rehabilitation May Lower All-Cause Mortality Rate
But CR after percutaneous coronary intervention does not lower MI or revascularization rates
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Propranolol Effectively Treats Infantile Hemangiomas
Also effective in treating recurrences of head and neck hemangiomas
Wednesday, May 18, 2011

Hospital Phlebotomy Costs Reduced by Raising Awareness
Making health care providers aware of phlebotomy hospital costs for 11 weeks saved $54,967
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Tele-ICU Tied to Lower Mortality, Shorter Hospital Stay
Improved rates of best clinical practice adherence seen during tele-ICU intervention
Tuesday, May 17, 2011

AUA: Surgery for Apnea May Help Resolve Enuresis
Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy may resolve enuresis in children with sleep apnea
Monday, May 16, 2011

Surgical Catheter Complications Affect Health Outcomes
Increased length of stay, urinary tract infections in patients with catheter-related complications
Monday, May 16, 2011

QCOR: Inability to Understand English Delays MI Treatment
Symptom onset to presentation time significantly longer in patients who do not speak English
Friday, May 13, 2011

Laser Saves at Least One Twin in Twin-Twin Transfusion
Survival of one twin independent of Quintero stage after laser photocoagulation of communicator
Friday, May 13, 2011

Firearm Homicide Rates Higher in Metropolitan Areas
And rate in youths usually higher than all-ages rate; suicide rate often lower in cities
Thursday, May 12, 2011

Poor Cardiovascular Outcomes for U.S. Women
Women less likely than men to have cardiac surgical interventions and less likely to survive
Thursday, May 12, 2011

Medical Education Participants Recognize Funding Bias
Yet most are unwilling to pay more for continuing medical education registration to overcome bias
Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Optimal Medical Therapy Often Not Applied Before PCI
Less than half of stable angina patients receive OMT before percutaneous coronary intervention
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

AATS: High-Volume Transplant Centers Tied to Lower Mortality
Mortality improved in high-risk recipients who undergo heart surgery at high-volume centers
Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Self-Image Impacts Pain Perception in Scoliosis Patients
Lower deformity perception linked to greater pain reduction in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis
Monday, May 09, 2011

Anesthesia in Infancy Not Linked to Poor Academic Scores
Ninth-grade test scores of youth unaffected by anesthesia during hernia repair in infancy
Friday, May 06, 2011

Cardiac Catheterization Useful for Children but Has Risks
Cardiac catheterization mainly recommended for children with congenital heart disease
Thursday, May 05, 2011

Obstructive Sleep Apnea Better After Adenotonsillectomy
Heart rate variability decreased after adenotonsillectomy in children
Thursday, May 05, 2011

Condition-Specific Comorbidity Index May Improve Accuracy
Condition-specific index may give more sensitive hospital results than Deyo Comorbidity Index
Thursday, May 05, 2011

Mortality Drops Despite Lack of Emergency Medical Team
Researchers question the limitations of before-and-after studies
Tuesday, May 03, 2011

ASBS: Women Content With Mastectomy Decision
20 years after surgery, vast majority of women would undergo prophylactic mastectomy again
Monday, May 02, 2011

Weight Linked to Post-Hysterectomy Complications
Bleeding, infections more likely in women with low or high body mass index after abdominal hysterectomy
Friday, April 29, 2011

ASBS: New Mammography Screening Guidelines Evaluated
May lead to more presenting with advanced disease, disproportionately affect non-whites
Friday, April 29, 2011

ASBS: More False Negatives After Breast Augmentation
False negative mammography rate higher in women who have had augmentation mammoplasty
Friday, April 29, 2011

Increasing Cancer Burden Projected for Ethnic Minorities
Need for improved understanding of risk factors, progression, and outcomes in U.S. subpopulations
Thursday, April 28, 2011

Flu Vaccination Safe for Post-Transplant Patients
Vaccination in the year after renal transplant linked to reduced risk of allograft loss, death
Thursday, April 28, 2011

Low-Dose Aspirin Affects Post-Surgery Blood Drainage
Increased blood drainage, complications in patients who stop taking aspirin a week pre-surgery
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Preoperative MRI Doesn't Affect Scoliosis Surgery Outcomes
MRI for scoliosis in adolescents may not impact outcomes even if abnormality detected
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Specialist Transfer to Patients With MI Improves Outcome
Transfer of specialists to patients makes balloon angioplasty within 90 minutes of MI possible
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Oophorectomy May Not Adversely Affect Health
Also tied to lower risk of ovarian cancer than hysterectomy plus ovarian conservation
Wednesday, April 27, 2011

More MI Treatments Tied to Decreased Mortality in Sweden
Patients with STEMI have reduced mortality linked to increased use of evidence-based treatments
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Black Cancer Patients More Willing to Pay to Extend Life
Minority patients more willing than whites to expend their financial resources to prolong life
Tuesday, April 26, 2011

New Weight-Based Guide for Moving Surgical Patients
Manual or assisted movement of a patient into surgical position depends on patients weight
Friday, April 22, 2011

Ectopic Pregnancy Rates Increased in Recent Period
Rate per 1,000 pregnancies rose from 19.2 to 26.2 during the 15-year period
Friday, April 22, 2011

High BNP Post-CABG Predicts Worse Physical Function
Peak B-type natriuretic peptide predicts worse physical function up to two years post surgery
Thursday, April 21, 2011

Multilevel Surgery Improves Outcomes in Cerebral Palsy
Children's functional and dynamic positioning improve, but not grasp-release ability
Thursday, April 21, 2011

New Hemoglobin Sensor May Help in Transfusion Decisions
Noninvasive spectrophotometric hemoglobin sensor performs well with time, at high perfusion
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Uremic Patients Risk Spinal Surgery Complications
Higher complication rate emphasizes need for attention to pre-, peri-, and postsurgical care
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

More Than Five Million Youth Treated for Football Injuries
Significant increase in the annual number of football-related injuries from 1990 to 2007
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Low-Cost Thromboprophylaxis by Electronic Alerts Effective
Both incidence and cost of treating venous thromboembolism may be reduced by e-alerts
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Perioperative MI Common and Usually Asymptomatic
Mortality rates elevated and similar in those who have a perioperative myocardial infarction
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

People With Anosmia Attach Less Importance to Olfaction
Those with olfactory disorders consider smell less important than those with normal sense of smell
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Off-Label Use of Recombinant Factor VIIa High
No mortality reduction found for off-label indications; may raise thromboembolism risk
Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Decreased Length of Stay in Hospital for Hip Arthroplasty
Patients undergoing total hip arthroplasty had decreased hospital stay in 2008 compared to 1991
Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Airway Exam Rare in Infants With Life-Threatening Events
Need for otolaryngologic surgical intervention also quite uncommon
Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Alcohol Intake Affects Surgeon Performance the Next Day
Previous evening alcohol intoxication affects surgeons time, diathermy, and error scores
Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Do-Not-Resuscitate Order Linked to Increased Surgical Mortality
Increased complications, longer hospital stay in patients with do-not-resuscitate orders
Monday, April 18, 2011

Effective Method to Prevent Diabetic Foot Ulcers Lacking
Foot temperature-guided avoidance therapy found beneficial in high-risk cases only
Monday, April 18, 2011

Self-Rated Health Predicts Outcomes of Joint Replacement
Health outcomes after surgery predicted by mental well-being and self-rated health
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Spinal Fusion Well Tolerated in Idiopathic Scoliosis
Most adolescents show new disc pathology but fewer degenerative changes at junctional level
Thursday, April 14, 2011

Anesthesia Complications Twice As Likely in Obese
Airway management events more likely to occur in the intensive care unit, emergency department
Thursday, April 14, 2011

MRSA Prevention Programs Have Conflicting Results
Stepped-up efforts fall short in one study, succeed greatly in another
Wednesday, April 13, 2011

First-Procedure Delays Linked to Tardy Surgeons
Timely arrival of surgeons increases initial on-time start rate from 24 to 80 percent
Tuesday, April 12, 2011

FDA OKs Rapid Test to Spot C. difficile Infection
Detects toxin gene sequences associated with the epidemic 027/NAP1/BI strain of the bacterium
Friday, April 08, 2011

'Global Trigger Tool' Identifies 10 Times More Errors
New tool identifies many more adverse events in hospital admissions compared to other methods
Thursday, April 07, 2011

Community-Associated MRSA Infections Are Seasonal
Seasonal variation of hospital-associated methicillin-resistant S. aureus in children
Monday, April 04, 2011

Breast Cancer Survival Factors for Underserved Identified
Limited awareness that breast cancer is treatable hinders survival in low-income countries
Monday, April 04, 2011

Risks for Complications After Scoliosis Surgery Identified
Complications after scoliosis surgery more likely in nonambulatory patients, large pre-op curve
Friday, April 01, 2011

Cancer Rates, Cancer Mortality Rates Falling in U.S.
Lung cancer mortality falls in women after decades of rising
Friday, April 01, 2011

Autoimmune Diseases Number Two Cause of Chronic Illness
Major burden on all U.S. health care costs, patient expenses, and loss of earnings
Friday, April 01, 2011

Areas With More Surgeons Have Fewer Car Crash Deaths
Study highlights need for treating surgery as primary care, developing inclusive surgical systems
Thursday, March 31, 2011

Online Health Records Less Used by Minorities, Poor
Low-income patients, blacks, and Hispanics less likely to use Internet personal health record
Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Decline Seen in Global Youth Mortality Over Last 50 Years
Smaller decline seen for young men aged 15 to 24, with injury being the main cause of deaths
Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Room Cleaning Linked to Lower Drug-Resistant Infections
Enhanced cleaning interventions may lower drug-resistant infection risk from previous occupant
Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Disclosing Agent Determines If Operating Rooms Are Clean
Results show that only 25 percent of tested surfaces in operating rooms were cleaned
Monday, March 28, 2011

Bariatric Surgery Linked to Bone Density Loss in Teens
Further study needed to determine type of weight loss and consequences of changes in bone mass
Monday, March 28, 2011

Safety Programs Boost Staff Perception of Safety Culture
Obstetrics safety program improves staff attitudes toward teamwork, safety, job satisfaction
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Reduced Hours for Trainees Has Had Little Effect in U.S.
Shorter work week for doctors in training has had little impact, positive or negative, on patient safety
Thursday, March 24, 2011

Bariatric Surgery in Youth Warrants Caution
Studies suggest surgery may be effective in older children but long-term data are still lacking
Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Dalteparin Not Superior to Unfractionated Heparin
No difference in proximal DVT incidence in critically ill; but fewer pulmonary emboli
Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Professional Values of U.S. and U.K. Doctors Examined
Nearly one-third of doctors fail to report inadequate colleague, often for fear of retribution
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Decontamination of Autologous Bone Fragments Evaluated
Povidone-iodine and saline wash provide best decontamination with minimal cellular toxicity
Thursday, March 17, 2011

Short Nurse Staffing Linked to Higher Patient Mortality
More deaths seen when shifts fall eight or more hours below target
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

U.S. Death Rate Reaches All-Time Low
In 2009, death rate hits 741 per 100,000 population, a 2.3 percent decline
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Smokers Advised to Stop Even Just Before Surgery
Quitting smoking in the eight weeks before surgery does not increase post-op complications
Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Sharps Injuries Continue to Increase in Surgical Settings
Suture needles, scalpel blades, and syringes account for most of the sharps injuries
Monday, March 14, 2011

Automated Propofol and Remifentanil Delivery Effective
Closed-loop coadministration of propofol and remifentanil maintains Bispectral Index values
Friday, March 11, 2011

Socioeconomic Factors Predict Risk of Amputation
Ischemic limb amputation more likely in low-volume center for minority or low-income patients
Thursday, March 10, 2011

Nitrous Oxide May Up Risk of Myocardial Infarction
Nitrous oxide anesthesia linked to increased long-term risk of myocardial infarction, not death
Thursday, March 10, 2011

HealthGrades Finds Rates of Patient Safety Events Vary
Patients have 46 percent lower risk of safety error in top versus bottom-ranking hospitals
Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Ethnic Differences Seen in Academic Measures for U.K. Docs
Gap exists in academic performance of white versus nonwhite medical students and doctors
Wednesday, March 09, 2011

Pharmacological Meta-Analyses Rarely Report Disclosures
Meta-analyses of pharmacological interventions rarely disclose funding or conflicts of interest
Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Majority of Pediatric Burn Admissions Due to Scalding
Annual 2.3 percent decrease in hospitalization rate for children under 5 in Western Australia
Tuesday, March 08, 2011

Physical Activity Tied to Mortality in Kidney Recipients
Increased physical activity associated with decrease in cardiovascular and all-cause mortality
Friday, March 04, 2011

Racial Disparity in Deceased Donor Kidney Transplant Rate
Highest rates in whites and Asians, lowest rates in American Indians/Alaskan Natives and blacks
Friday, March 04, 2011

Rule Predicts Ability to Walk After Spinal Cord Injury
New prediction rule gives accurate early prognosis of ability to walk after spinal cord injury
Friday, March 04, 2011

Depression Tied to Lower Priority of Care in Heart Attack
Patients with documented history triaged to longer waits for care
Thursday, March 03, 2011

Corneal Graft Survival Associated With Its Indications
Poor graft survival in children younger than 5, whereas grafts in teens show good survival
Thursday, March 03, 2011

Women Underrepresented in Cardiovascular Device Trials
Lack of sex-specific safety and efficiency data for high-risk cardiovascular devices
Wednesday, March 02, 2011

Type of Health Care-Associated Infections Is Falling
Central line-associated blood stream infections decline in ICUs; still high elsewhere
Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Risk of Death From Heart Attacks Not Linked to Gender
After adjusting for age and comorbidity, female gender is no longer associated with mortality
Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Helmets Protect Motorcyclists From Cervical Spine Injury
Riders are 20 percent less likely to suffer cervical spine injury if wearing a helmet
Tuesday, March 01, 2011

Tranexamic Acid Lowers Post-Op Blood Loss in Neck Surgery
Reduced perioperative bleeding following cervical laminoplasty limits total surgery blood loss
Monday, February 28, 2011

Necrotizing Fasciitis Pathogen Can Predict Urgency
Vibrio vulnificus causes more rapidly progressing, fulminant infection than Staphylococcus aureus
Monday, February 28, 2011

Green Practices Could Reduce Surgical Waste, Cost
Researchers suggest five recommendations for environmentally friendly surgical practices
Friday, February 25, 2011

Early Appendectomy Favored in Youths
Those who have surgery weeks after appendix rupture spend more time away from activities
Thursday, February 24, 2011

Gastric Bypass, Duodenum Exclusion Effective in Diabetes
And, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass risk-benefit profile may beat that of laparoscopic gastric banding
Tuesday, February 22, 2011

New U.S. Report on the Nation's Health 2010 Released
The 34th annual CDC report includes a special feature on death and dying
Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Most Recalled Medical Devices Given Lenient Approval
Over 70 percent of the medical devices recalled were considered low or moderate risk
Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Researchers Explore Nature of Difficult Clinical Encounters
Patients, physicians both contribute characteristics; difficult patients have worse outcomes
Monday, February 14, 2011

Public Sector Plays Big Role in Drug Research
Role of public-sector research institutions larger than previously thought
Wednesday, February 09, 2011

Prenatal Myelomeningocele Surgery Improves Outcomes
Prenatal repair lowers need for shunting, improves motor outcomes compared with postnatal repair
Wednesday, February 09, 2011

More Radiation in Minimally Invasive Than Open Surgery
Standing in a substerile room during X-ray screening in open cases is only partially protective
Monday, February 07, 2011

Improved Care Needed for Elderly in Trauma Centers
Outcome-based review identifies trauma centers that provide above-average care for the elderly
Friday, February 04, 2011

Tonsillectomy, Adenoidectomy Tied to Weight Gain
Normal and overweight children gain greater amount of weight than expected post-operation
Tuesday, February 01, 2011

Face Transplant Costs Similar to Multiple Reconstructions
Surgery, nursing, and anesthesia account for bulk of face transplant cost
Monday, January 31, 2011

Aortic Dissection Rare in Pregnancy With Bicuspid AV
Few pregnant bicuspid aortic valve patients have aortic valve replacement, ascending aortic surgery
Friday, January 28, 2011

Electronic Health Records May Not Improve Care Quality
Use with clinical decision support not tied to better quality of care
Wednesday, January 26, 2011

False-Positive Mammogram Results Affect Quality of Life
Women should be warned of the potential emotional side effects of breast cancer screening
Tuesday, January 25, 2011

New Practice Guidelines for Pediatric Tonsillectomy Patients
New guidelines provide clinicians evidence-based guidance for improved care of tonsillectomy patient
Monday, January 17, 2011

Poor Pre-Op Nutrition Tied to Mortality Risk After Cystectomy
Nutritional deficiency linked to poor overall survival after radical cystectomy for bladder cancer
Friday, January 14, 2011

CDC Report Highlights Important Health Disparities
Outlines disparities by sex, race/ethnicity, income, and other social characteristics
Thursday, January 13, 2011

Organ Donors From Mortalities in Neonatal ICUs Identified
Eight percent of mortalities identified as potential candidates for donation after cardiac death
Thursday, January 13, 2011

Burnout Levels Particularly High in Residents
High percentage of anesthesiology chairs also meet criteria for high or moderately-high burnout
Monday, January 10, 2011

Prehospital Intravenous Fluids May Harm Trauma Patients
Mortality highest in patients with penetrating injuries, hypotension, or severe head injury
Monday, January 10, 2011

Male Circumcision Reduces HPV Transmission
Circumcision lowers the prevalence and incidence of HPV infection in female partners
Friday, January 07, 2011

Minorities May Be Operated on by Lower-Performing Surgeons
African-American, Asian CABG patients may have surgeons with higher risk-adjusted mortality rates
Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Surgical Team Training Can Improve Communication
Surgical team training interventions appear to improve outcomes in operating room settings
Thursday, December 30, 2010

Transfer Time Above Two Hours Not Tied to Adverse Effects
Trauma patient outcomes do not appear to suffer as a result
Thursday, December 23, 2010

Burnout Driving Away Many Emergency Physicians
French study finds work-family conflicts, poor teamwork associated with burnout
Thursday, December 02, 2010

Surgery to Remove Ingested Foreign Bodies Safe But Costly
Procedures to remove deliberately ingested items result in minor complications in only a few cases
Friday, November 26, 2010

Patient Harm Found Common, Unchanged in Hospitals
Rate during six-year period in North Carolina didn't drop substantially
Wednesday, November 24, 2010

MetHb Detection Accurate Using 'Pulse CO-Oximeter'
Unlike earlier model, noninvasive finger monitor readings precise even with hypoxemia
Friday, November 19, 2010

U.S. Health Insurance Compared to 10 Other Nations
U.S. adults spend more time, money on insurance; have more coverage denials
Friday, November 19, 2010

ASN: Moderate Alcohol Intake Benefits Transplant Patients
However, obesity in dialysis patients under 65 years of age increases risk of dying
Thursday, November 18, 2010

Intra-Abdominal Fat Predicts Hepatectomy Complications
Is a better measure of risk of complications than outer-abdominal fat, BMI
Thursday, November 18, 2010

Fraud in Scientific Literature Appears Intentional
Characteristics of articles retracted for fraud versus error suggest deliberate effort
Thursday, November 18, 2010

Longer Surgery, Night Duty Tied to Stress Among Surgeons
Longer surgery linked to higher mental workload scores; night duty linked to stress marker
Wednesday, November 17, 2010

AHA: Revascularization May Be Best for CAD Plus Diabetes
Improves blood flow more effectively than intensive medical management alone
Tuesday, November 16, 2010

AHA: Single Epoetin Alfa Infusion May Not Help in STEMI
Does not reduce infarct size; increases number of adverse cardiac events
Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Foreign Bodies Increase Cost, Length of Stay, Not Mortality
Pediatric procedures in which most foreign bodies are left behind are gynecologic
Tuesday, November 16, 2010

AHA: Moderate Alcohol Intake Tied to Good Health Outcomes
Found to reduce adverse cardiac events after CABG and to lower women's total stroke risk
Monday, November 15, 2010

Patients Treated for Severe Acne Have Higher Suicide Risk
Those treated with isotretinoin have increased risk up to six months after treatment
Friday, November 12, 2010

ED in Spinal Stenosis Worsens After Decompression Surgery
Incidence of erectile dysfunction is high before surgery, even higher afterward
Friday, November 12, 2010

AAGL: Laparoscopic or Vaginal Hysterectomy Preferred
Obesity not considered contraindication to laparoscopic approach
Friday, November 12, 2010

Physician-Industry Financial Ties Decreased Since 2004
But 83.8 percent of physicians still have some type of industry financial relationship
Friday, November 12, 2010

Surgery Checklist Linked to Lower Complications, Mortality
Safety checklist required input from variety of personnel; hospitals had high standard of care
Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Heart Rate Over 90 Poor Prognostic Factor After CABG
Resting heart rate at two-month post-op visit predicts risk of adverse outcome
Thursday, November 04, 2010

Obese Children Getting New Liver Face Long-Term Risk
Risk of late mortality is higher in these patients; thin patients have increased risk of early mortality
Thursday, November 04, 2010

Protocols Help With Finding Missing/Retained Objects in OR
Team implements work practices to enhance collaborative efforts
Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Very Elderly Women at Risk for Unneeded Catheter Placement
Those aged 80 and older more likely than those 50 and under to receive inappropriate catheter in ER
Wednesday, November 03, 2010

Electronic Tracking Ups Capture of Endoscopy Complications
Complications requiring hospital visit found to be higher than standard reporting estimates
Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Primary Care Trails Other Specialties in Hourly Wages
In other study, physicians point to Medicare reimbursement problems, differ on reforms
Tuesday, October 26, 2010

HealthGrades: Lower Mortality Seen at High-Ranked Hospitals
Patients in five-star hospitals have much lower death risk than those at one-star hospitals
Monday, October 25, 2010

Elective Bilateral Salpingo-Oophorectomy Has Decreased
Rate of elective procedure fell from 2002 to 2006 after increasing from 1998 to 2001
Monday, October 25, 2010

Sleep Apnea Increases Risk of Post-Surgery Complications
'STOP-BANG' pre-op sleep apnea questionnaire IDs patients at risk for sleep apnea
Thursday, October 21, 2010

Infusion Ups Risk of Organ Failure in Trauma Patients
In critically injured patients, FFP, but not platelets, found to be independent risk factor
Thursday, October 21, 2010

Psychiatric Comorbidity Ups 30-Day Surgical Mortality
Individually, patients with either anxiety or depression pre-admission are at risk
Thursday, October 21, 2010

Hospital Compare Web Site May Offer Limited Patient Guidance
Hospitals' compliance to surgical processes of care not linked to several adverse outcomes
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

VHA Training Program Cuts Surgical Mortality
Program includes two month training program plus quarterly 'coaching' interviews
Wednesday, October 20, 2010

ASA: Pre-Surgical Aspirin Tied to Fewer Cardiocerebral Events
Another study finds statin therapy before cardiac surgery reduces mortality rates
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Study Seeks Factors in 'Never-Event' Medical Errors
Communication errors, lack of time-out linked to wrong-person/wrong-site procedures
Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Transfusion Policies for Cardiac Surgery Vary in U.S.
Outcomes of transfusion at hematocrit of 30 percent not better than at hematocrit of 24 percent
Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Peripheral Artery Disease Procedures Recurrent, Costly
PAD patients often require additional hospitalizations and repeated intervention
Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Word Choice Influences Patient Perception of Prognosis
Degenerative explanations of back pain may have a negative impact
Monday, October 11, 2010

Stress Testing Common in Years After Revascularization
Most PCI, CABG patients have cardiac stress test within two years; repeat revascularization rate low
Friday, October 08, 2010

Cesarean Rates in England Vary Considerably
Variation remains after adjusting for maternal characteristics, particularly for emergency cases
Thursday, October 07, 2010

Increasing Catheter Size Tied to Greater Thrombosis Risk
Prior deep vein thrombosis also tied to risk of peripherally inserted central catheter-linked DVT
Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Watchful Waiting Shows Cost Advantage in Prostate Cancer
Approach with active surveillance in low-risk cases may offer big savings versus radical prostatectomy
Thursday, September 30, 2010

Tissue Oxygenation Test Predicts Surgical Site Infection
Subcutaneous oxygen measured with near-infrared spectroscopy may identify at-risk patients
Thursday, September 30, 2010

RA May Raise Complication Risk After Ankle Arthroplasty
Those with inflammatory connective-tissue disease have 14-fold higher risk for additional surgery
Monday, September 27, 2010

Low-Volume Hysterectomy Surgeons Tied to Higher Risk
Patient morbidity, mortality higher with these surgeons; minimally invasive surgeries less likely
Friday, September 24, 2010

Adverse Pathology Not Seen in Deferred Prostatectomy
Extent of disease not worsened in men who defer surgery for surveillance
Friday, September 24, 2010

Salpingo-Oophorectomy Recommendations Released
New recommendations are specific to a woman's individual risk for developing ovarian cancer
Friday, September 24, 2010

Obstetric/Gynecologic Inpatient Procedures Declining
But still comprise over one-quarter of female inpatient surgical procedures in the United States
Thursday, September 23, 2010

Venous Thromboembolism Seen After 1% of Hip Replacements
Factors linked to higher risk include osteoarthritis, history of CVD, prior thromboembolism
Thursday, September 23, 2010

Disc Batteries Can Cause Severe Esophageal Damage
Article reviews cases involving ingested batteries in children, offers protocol for managing cases
Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Elevated Post-Op Glucose Ups Risk of Surgical Site Infection
Vascular surgeries also carry higher infection risk, but risk factors differ
Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Trends Noted in Adolescent Bariatric Surgery in California
Disproportionate majority are white, female; gastric banding rates increasing
Monday, September 20, 2010

FDA Issues Label Change for Valganciclovir Hydrochloride
New pediatric dosing recommendation issued in an effort to prevent overdosing in children
Thursday, September 16, 2010

Sacrifice Makes Industry Gifts Seem More Acceptable
Residents reminded of med school sacrifices tend to perceive gifting more favorably
Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Re-Consent Important Before Secondary Use of Genetic Data
Research participants want to be asked before their data are added to federal database
Monday, September 13, 2010

Perioperative Stroke Rare but Deadly in Joint Replacement
Non-coronary heart disease, urgent surgery, general anesthesia, arrhythmia among risk factors
Thursday, September 09, 2010

Minorities, Uninsured Struck by Cars Have Higher Death Risk
Mortality rate higher for these pedestrians than for whites, those with private insurance
Thursday, September 09, 2010

Annual Medical Liability Costs Surpass $50 Billion
Account for more than 2 percent of total health care spending in the United States
Thursday, September 09, 2010

Novel Risk Score Predicts Long-Term Mortality After PCI
Study, involving nearly 7,000 patients, included post-procedural complications to create score
Wednesday, September 08, 2010

Discrepancies Seen Between Docs, Patients on PCI Beliefs
Most patients think percutaneous coronary intervention will reduce risk of MI
Tuesday, September 07, 2010

ERS: Questionnaire IDs Youths' Anesthetic Complications Risk
Those found at high risk for respiratory events could benefit from tailored management
Friday, September 03, 2010

QRS Infarct Scoring Is Good Prognostic Indicator
Using discharge ECG, score predicts outcomes in STEMI patients treated with PCI
Friday, September 03, 2010

Protocol Guides Wound Closure Timing for Open Fractures
Relies on wound culture results after irrigation and surgical debridement
Thursday, September 02, 2010

ESC: With MI, Non-Cardiac Surgery, Statins Lower MI Risk
For CABG, MI risk not decreased by pre-procedure drugs, but atrial fibrillation risk lower
Thursday, September 02, 2010

Costs of Vehicle-Related Injury Exceeded $99 Billion in 2005
$58 billion attributed to fatalities, $28 billion to nonfatal injuries resulting in hospitalization
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Nearly One in Three Deliveries in U.S. Is Cesarean Section
Repeat pre-labor C-sections due to uterine scar account for about one-third of these surgeries
Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Post-Op Delirium Linked to Cerebral Vascular Disease
Also associated with low post-op hemoglobin and hematocrit, poor nutrition in elderly fusion patients
Monday, August 30, 2010

Surgery for Undescended Testes Often Occurs After Age 2
Though orchidopexy is recommended by age 1, fewer than half of patients have surgery by age 2
Monday, August 23, 2010

Surgery in Developing Countries Has Low Mortality
Study finds 0.2 percent operative mortality in programs in 13 countries
Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Mortality Lower for Hip Surgery Patients With Home Care
But most elderly hemiarthroplasty patients discharged home don't receive home care
Monday, August 16, 2010

Screening, Eradication Curtail Post-Surgery Staph Infections
Studies demonstrate high prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus, effectiveness of screening
Friday, August 13, 2010

ICBM: Caregiver Relationship Predicts Post-Transplant Anxiety
Depression, anxiety reduced after liver transplant, but improvement is attenuated by emotional distance
Thursday, August 12, 2010

Patients, Doctors Often Have Communication Discrepancies
Hospital surveys find relatively few patients can name doctor in charge; many don't know diagnosis
Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Menstrual Phase Linked to Tracheal Intubation Response
Study compares rate pressure product values in women in follicular or luteal phase of cycle
Monday, August 09, 2010

Few Procedures Account for Most Ortho Adverse Events
Hip fracture repair, total knee arthroplasty lead list for adverse events linked to orthopedic surgery
Monday, August 09, 2010

Nurse Liaisons Smooth Perioperative Experience
Liaison activity increases patient satisfaction regarding communication, eases relatives' anxiety
Friday, August 06, 2010

Podiatric Care Reduces Amputation Risk in Diabetes
Lowers foot amputation risk 18 percent for Medicare, 15 percent for non-Medicare patients
Friday, August 06, 2010

Specific Factors Sway Nurses' Smoke Evacuation Compliance
Age, education, training among factors influencing compliance with surgical smoke recommendations
Friday, August 06, 2010

Cost to Train Personnel in Sterile Processing Has Doubled
Training an employee in processing of surgical instruments may cost over $40,000
Friday, August 06, 2010

ASA Survey Finds Exaggerated Anxiety About Anesthesia
One in four respondents said they might postpone surgery out of anxiety about anesthesia
Thursday, August 05, 2010

Sponges Do Not Prevent Surgical-Site Infections
Instead, gentamicin-collagen sponges may result in more infections after colorectal surgery
Thursday, August 05, 2010

Smoking Tied to Increased Risk for Breast Abscesses
And nipple piercing linked to higher risk of subareolar breast abscesses
Thursday, August 05, 2010

Nurse Anesthetists Give Safe Care Without Supervision
Study finds no increased risk of death or complications when nurse anesthetists work alone
Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Industry-Funded Clinical Trials Yield More Positive Outcomes
Also less likely than government-, nonprofit-funded trials to be published within two years
Tuesday, August 03, 2010

Continuous Morphine Plus Injection Preemptive Pain Option
Approach compares favorably with continuous subcutaneous morphine alone after lumbar fusion
Friday, July 30, 2010

General Anesthesia May Up Surgical Site Infection Risk
After total hip or knee replacement, risk higher with general than epidural/spinal anesthesia
Thursday, July 29, 2010

Bariatric Complications Found Relatively Low in Michigan
Complication rate inversely related to surgery volume; Center of Excellence status not a factor
Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Direct Trip to Intervention Center Improves STEMI Outcomes
Pre-hospital diagnosis plus direct transport linked to quicker time to balloon, lower mortality
Friday, July 23, 2010

ACOG Guidelines Call for More Vaginal Births After Cesarean
Recommending that women with two prior low-transverse cesareans be candidates for VBAC
Thursday, July 22, 2010

Post-Op, Sepsis More Common Than MI, Pulmonary Embolism
Age over 60, emergency surgery, and comorbid conditions are risk factors for sepsis
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Transfusion of Recovered Blood Is Cost-Efficient Strategy
Appears to be an effective alternative to allogeneic blood transfusion in trauma surgery
Tuesday, July 20, 2010

C-Section Scar Appearance Similar With Staples, Sutures
Subjective, objective cosmetic outcomes do not differ between the two methods
Monday, July 12, 2010

H1N1 Tied to Death, Serious Illness in Transplant Patients
But early treatment with antivirals associated with reduced rate of ICU admissions
Friday, July 09, 2010

Improper Anesthesia Practice Causes Hepatitis Outbreak
Anesthesiologist reused contaminated single-use propofol vial on multiple patients
Friday, July 09, 2010

Lung Transplantation Survival Varies Among Centers
Variation in survival after transplant found to be only partly associated with procedure volume
Tuesday, July 06, 2010

2.2 Billion People Worldwide Lack Access to Surgical Services
Low-income regions have fewer than two operating theaters per 100,000 individuals
Thursday, July 01, 2010

Doctors Agree Malpractice Fears Drive Overuse of Tests
Almost all surveyed physicians say more tests and procedures are ordered than needed
Monday, June 28, 2010

Updated Recommendations for Endometriosis Released
ACOG committee says treatment should progress from conservative to more invasive therapies
Friday, June 25, 2010

Surgical Infection-Prevention Program Has Mixed Results
Composite adherence scores may predict post-op infection risk; scores on individual items don't
Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Spinal Surgical Site Infections Usually S. Aureus
Single debridement, hardware retention, IV antibiotics work for deep surgical site infections
Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Surgical Residents Critical of Work-Hour Restrictions
Most Swiss surgical residents say 50-hour week has negative effect on training, patient care
Monday, June 21, 2010

Nurses and Surgeons Perceive Teamwork Differently
Survey finds surgeons usually have more favorable perception of OR communication, collaboration
Thursday, June 10, 2010

S. aureus Infections a Greater Risk After Certain Procedures
Cardiothoracic and neurosurgical procedures linked to higher risk of invasive infections
Thursday, June 10, 2010

Hand Hygiene Practices Low Among Health Care Providers
Study at oncology hospital finds overall hand hygiene compliance at only 34.3 percent
Wednesday, June 09, 2010

Infection Control Lapses Common in Surgical Centers
Improper use of single-dose vials, blood glucose monitoring equipment are common errors
Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Fatal Medication Errors Rise in July at Teaching Hospitals
Researchers say arrival of new medical residents at least partly explains the increase
Tuesday, June 08, 2010

Anesthesia During Cancer Surgery May Impact Outcomes
Choice of anesthesia may have role in long-term outcomes and risk of cancer recurrence
Monday, June 07, 2010

Smoking Cessation Approach Reduces Surgery Complications
Six-week program initiated after acute fracture surgery decreases post-surgical complications
Monday, June 07, 2010

Cost Varies by Region in Spinal Fusion for Scoliosis
Per-patient average charge ranges from $103,256 to $152,637; length of stay also varies
Thursday, June 03, 2010

Rural Residents Less Likely to Use Sunscreen
However, rural-urban differences in sunscreen use could be explained by confounding factors
Thursday, June 03, 2010

Statins May Reduce Revision Risk After Hip Arthroplasty
Statin use after surgery linked to a relative risk of revision of 0.34 compared to no statin use
Friday, May 28, 2010

Indoor Tanning Beds/Booths Increase Melanoma Risk
Greater risk with greater number of total hours, sessions, or years spent tanning
Thursday, May 27, 2010

FDA and GE Issue Class I Recall of Anesthesia Systems
Specific lots of Aisys, Avance systems have defect that may result in unexpected shutdowns
Thursday, May 13, 2010

New FDA Program Targets Misleading Drug Advertising
Aims to teach health care providers their role in recognizing, reporting untruthful ads
Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Article Lays Out Nurses' Role in Safe Handling of Chemotherapy
Perioperative nurses may be in good position to help develop best practices
Friday, May 07, 2010

Seminar Addresses State of Childhood Obesity
Authors write that bariatric surgery should be last resort; lifestyle interventions should be used
Thursday, May 06, 2010

FDA Orders Recall of Colleague Volumetric Infusion Pumps
Agency cites years of problems; Baxter Healthcare ordered to offer refunds, replacements
Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Prognosis Varies Per Glycemic Index Pre-Revascularization
Type 2 diabetes patients with HbA1c of 6 to 7 percent have lowest risk of adverse cardio events
Wednesday, May 05, 2010

Visits When Doctor Is Seated Seem Longer to Patients
Hospitalized patients perceive bedside encounters as longer when doctor sits rather than stands
Thursday, April 29, 2010

In VBAC, Epidural Doses Linked to Uterine Rupture Risk
Higher number of doses associated with increased risk of rupture
Thursday, April 29, 2010

Risk Factors for Physician Misconduct Identified
Male sex, lower socioeconomic status, and difficulty in medical school increase misconduct risk
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Head-Mounted Device May Be Helpful for Anesthesiologists
Allows them to spend more time monitoring patient, surgical field
Wednesday, April 28, 2010

FDA Changes Medical Device Advisory Committee Process
Expert panels reviewing devices for premarket approval will discuss information differently
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Some Tracheostomy Tubes Made by Covidien Recalled
Devices from certain lots fail to generate positive airway pressure
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Device Found as Effective as Heparin for Clot Prevention
And fewer major bleeding events after hip arthroplasty seen with mobile compression device
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Interruptions Increase Medication Errors by Nurses
The higher the frequency of interruptions, the greater the error severity
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Financial Ties Negatively Affect Perceptions of Research Quality
Patients believe their physicians' ties also influence clinical care
Tuesday, April 27, 2010

FDA Addresses External Infusion Pump Safety Issues
New initiative includes additional premarket requirements for manufacturers
Monday, April 26, 2010

Panel Warns of Risks Posed by Female Genital Cutting
AAP policy statement counsels physicians to dissuade families from pursuing procedure
Monday, April 26, 2010

Urologist Presence Linked to Less Urologic Cancer Mortality
But density of more than two per 100,000 people doesn't affect mortality for three cancer types
Thursday, April 22, 2010

Delaying CABG Surgery Does Not Benefit NSTEMI Patients
Risk of adverse outcomes is same in patients undergoing early, late procedure
Thursday, April 22, 2010

Taped Consult Boosts Patient Knowledge, Sense of Control
Coronary artery surgery patients who listened to tape also had less anxiety, depression
Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Non-Teaching Hospitals Found Superior for Colon Resection
Teaching, non-teaching hospitals evaluated for mortality, length of stay, costs
Wednesday, April 21, 2010

E-visits for Acne Patient Follow-Up Found Effective
Compared with conventional office visits, online follow-up results in equivalent clinical outcomes
Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Delaying Clopidogrel After Stent Placement May Be Deadly
Rate of heart attack or death is nearly doubled in patients who fill prescription after discharge day
Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Surgery Helps Improve Sex Life in Lumbar Disc Herniation
Condition can decrease desire, frequency; patients -- particularly men -- see improvements after surgery
Friday, April 16, 2010

Bariatric Surgery Linked to Lower Risk of Pregnancy Complications
Obese women who undergo surgery first may reduce risk of hypertensive disorders in later pregnancy
Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Advanced Age Affects Mortality Risk After Device Implantation
Higher mortality seen among elderly patients who undergo implantation of cardiac devices
Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Study Compares Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Types
Endovascular repair tied to lower operative mortality than open repair; long-term mortality similar
Monday, April 12, 2010

ATVB: New Drug May Be Useful in Therapeutic Hypothermia
Temperature-dependent anti-platelet drug is turned on by hypothermia and off by rewarming
Monday, April 12, 2010

Physician Ownership Linked to Higher Surgery Volume
Physicians invested in ambulatory surgery centers do twice as many procedures as non-invested peers
Thursday, April 08, 2010

Drug-Eluting Stents Effective in Critical Leg Ischemia
Stents prevent amputations and relieve symptoms, with a low limb revascularization rate
Thursday, April 08, 2010

Child's Post-Anesthesia Crying Unaffected by Parent Presence
However, children whose parents were not present were more likely to have negative behaviors later
Wednesday, April 07, 2010

FDA Issues Warning Regarding 'Lipodissolve' Procedures
Agency says the products have not been proven to be safe or effective
Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Environment Affects Quality of Life in Adolescent Scoliosis
Urban and rural residents report differences in post-surgical quality of life
Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Socioeconomic Position Affects Survival After Heart Surgery
Lower status, but not race per se, reduces survival in a 'dose-dependent' manner
Wednesday, April 07, 2010

Appropriateness Criteria May Improve Surgical Outcomes
Application is associated with improved outcomes in patients with low back pain and/or sciatica
Friday, April 02, 2010

Care Bundles May Decrease In-Hospital Mortality
Before-and-after study shows implementation reduces deaths in targeted diagnoses
Friday, April 02, 2010

Decision Aids Not Used by Most Doctors With Cancer Patients
Two-thirds of physicians are aware of the tools, but only 24 percent report using them
Thursday, April 01, 2010

Perforated Polydioxanone Foil Useful in Nasal Septum Surgery
But unperforated foil may raise the risk for saddling of the dorsum after the reconstruction procedure
Thursday, April 01, 2010

Almost One Million Safety Incidents in Medicare Patients
In-hospital incidents in three-year period result in 99,180 deaths, $8.9 billion in excess costs
Thursday, April 01, 2010

Diabetes Ups Post-Op Mortality Risk in Cancer Patients
Cancer patients with preexisting diabetes about 50 percent more likely to die following surgery
Monday, March 29, 2010

EBCC: Breast Cancer Patients May Overestimate Future Risk
Those who request contralateral prophylactic mastectomy may not understand their actual risk
Friday, March 26, 2010

Intensive Program Can Reduce Large Hospitals' MRSA Burden
French approach featured surveillance, barriers, hand hygiene; burden fell by 35 percent
Thursday, March 25, 2010

Racial Disparities in Neuro-Oncologic Care Worsen
Hispanics and blacks less likely to have access to high-quality care
Thursday, March 18, 2010

Bilateral Oophorectomy May Do More Harm Than Good
Article concludes decision to remove ovaries at time of hysterectomy should be made with caution
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Plastic Surgery Demand Drops 2 Percent From 2008 to 2009
Industry feels effects of recession, but almost 10 million cosmetic procedures were performed last year
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Staples Riskier Than Sutures After Orthopedic Surgery
Meta-analysis shows increased infection risk when staples are used for wound closure
Wednesday, March 17, 2010

AAOS: Vigorous Activity Not Found to Hurt Knee Implants
Implant durability not affected by participation in heavy manual labor or high-impact sports
Friday, March 12, 2010

Predictors of Hysterectomy Use and Satisfaction Identified
They include sexual function and attitudes regarding hysterectomy
Friday, March 12, 2010

Panel Finds Vaginal Birth After Cesarean Is Usually Safe
NIH panel says 'trial of labor' is worth considering; may be preferable for many women
Thursday, March 11, 2010

Type of Specialist Seen Affects Prostate Cancer Treatment
Data suggest primary care physicians more likely to treat the disease expectantly
Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Live Kidney Donation Considered Safe for Donor
Long-term survival unaffected; some groups have higher surgical mortality
Tuesday, March 09, 2010

Pre-Surgery C-Reactive Protein Linked to Long-Term Mortality
Study finds significantly increased mortality with C-reactive protein levels 3 mg/L and higher
Monday, March 08, 2010

Critical Thinking Training Is Key for Perioperative Nurses
But fast pace and unpredictability of perioperative environment is the place to hone skills
Thursday, February 25, 2010

Medical Checklists Needed to Improve Care and Outcomes
Johns Hopkins authors advocate medical checklist use and propose a process to develop them
Monday, February 22, 2010

Minimally Invasive Techniques Beneficial for Uterine Fibroids
Ultraminilaparotomy offers good outcomes and better recovery than laparotomy
Friday, February 19, 2010

Many Adults in Utah Report Using Opioids Incorrectly
Nearly 2 percent say they have used prescription opioids not prescribed to them
Friday, February 19, 2010

New System Aims to Improve Blood Transfusion Safety
Using national data, CDC will monitor adverse events related to transfusions
Friday, February 19, 2010

Predictors of 'Never-Event' Complications Identified
Authors say policy of denying payment for many never events is often counterproductive
Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Lumbar Fusion Linked to Improved Driver Reaction Time
Patients' driver reaction time after three months found better than preoperative driver reaction time
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Poor Sleep Linked to More Car Accidents in Teenagers
Male gender and use of tobacco also associated with a higher risk of crashes
Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Metastatic Prostate Cancer Mechanism Identified
Studies suggest that inhibition of the EZH2 enzyme may prevent suppression of oncogene
Monday, February 15, 2010

Gender Differences Seen in CABG Operative Mortality
Study finds women at higher risk than men of operative mortality after coronary surgery
Monday, February 15, 2010

2009 H1N1-Related Deaths and Hospitalizations Examined
CDC finds cases, related hospitalizations and deaths highest among 18 to 64 year olds
Monday, February 15, 2010

Stenosis Can Still Exist in Absence of Coronary Calcium
Study challenges AHA guidelines advising use of coronary calcium to assess need for intervention
Friday, February 12, 2010

Antiplatelet Therapy Approaches for PCI Evaluated
Study finds no significant difference in ischemic outcomes and mortality for two approaches
Friday, February 12, 2010

MRI Benefit in Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Questioned
Magnetic resonance imaging not considered a good use of resources in study group of patients
Friday, February 12, 2010

Mnemonic Device for Patient Decision-Making Assessed
'CURVES' approach less complex and time-consuming for emergency decisions
Friday, February 12, 2010

Vesicoureteral Reflux Treatment in Children Studied
Procedure choice driven mainly by treating hospital, but other factors play smaller role
Friday, February 12, 2010

Laparoscopic Practice Takes Physical Toll on Surgeons
Study finds that 87 percent of laparoscopic surgeons suffer discomfort or physical symptoms
Thursday, February 11, 2010

Needleless Intravenous Valve Cause of Worldwide Recall
Products containing Q-Syte Luer Access Device may cause serious complications and death
Thursday, February 11, 2010

Dietary Supplement Suspected of Causing Selenium Poisoning
Case finding study suggests liquid supplement responsible for 201 cases in 10 states
Thursday, February 11, 2010

Reducing Skin Toxicity During Cancer Treatment Studied
Skin toxicity is the most common adverse event seen with certain cancer drugs
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Better Quality of Life Linked to Hypofractionated Radiation Doses
Study finds regimen associated with fewer adverse effects in women with breast cancer
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

AHRQ: U.S. Adults Seeing Big Barriers to Specialty Care
About one in 13 who need specialty care report 'big problem' in gaining access to specialists
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

FDA Initiative Aims to Cut Medical Radiation Exposure
Focus of efforts include computed tomography, nuclear medicine studies and fluoroscopy
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Tamoxifen Treatment Linked to Worse Cognitive Function
Cognitive function not affected by exemestane treatment of hormone-sensitive breast cancer
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Bedside Blood Test Found to Detect Anticoagulation Status
Hemonox clotting time test helps identify patients poorly anticoagulated before PCI
Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Use of Feeding Tubes in Adults With Dementia Varies Widely
Review assesses tube insertion in hospitalized nursing-home residents with cognitive impairment
Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Age-Related Treatment and Outcomes in Stroke Examined
Older stroke victims more likely to die in hospital, but age-related therapy gaps improving
Tuesday, February 09, 2010

Reimbursement Changes in Office Endoscopies Studied
Study finds higher reimbursement increases in-office bladder procedures and Medicare costs
Tuesday, February 09, 2010

H1N1 Vaccination Still Highly Recommended
H1N1 activity leveling off, but CDC still recommends vaccination
Monday, February 08, 2010

Many American Adults Do Not Get Recommended Vaccines
40,000 to 50,000 die each year of vaccine-preventable diseases, per report
Monday, February 08, 2010

Coalition Launches Campaign to Limit Residents' Hours
Advocates say 30-hour workdays cause fatigue and medical errors that impact patient safety
Friday, February 05, 2010

Health Care Spending Makes Record Leap in GDP Share
GDP health share now estimated at 17.3 percent; health spending in 2019 projected at $4.5 trillion
Thursday, February 04, 2010

No Rebound Seen in Platelet Aggregation After Clopidogrel
Study finds no advantage to tapering off drug versus abrupt cessation at end of treatment
Thursday, February 04, 2010

Diversity Growth Incremental in the Medical Professions
A century after the Flexner Report, minorities still woefully underrepresented and obstacles remain
Thursday, February 04, 2010

The Lancet Retracts Study Linking MMR Vaccine, Autism
Medical panel finds several elements of the controversial study to be incorrect
Wednesday, February 03, 2010

Colorectal Cancer Screening Approach Studied in Seniors
Computed tomographic colonography found to be safe and effective in older individuals
Friday, January 29, 2010

Electrocardiogram in Field Can Benefit Heart Attack Response
'Door-to-balloon' times faster than if electrocardiogram is taken in the hospital
Friday, January 22, 2010

Tylenol Recall in Effect Includes Several Other Drugs
Motrin, Benadryl and Rolaids are also part of recall by Johnson & Johnson subsidiary
Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Biomedical Research Funding Shows Decline in 2008
The decline followed 7.8 percent annual increases in 1994 to 2003, 3.4 percent in 2003 to 2007
Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Imaging Groups Issue Breast Screening Recommendations
SBI, ACR suggest annual mammography at 40 for women at average risk; also discuss use of MRI
Monday, January 11, 2010

First Few Weeks Most Critical After Joint Replacement
Excess mortality persists but steadily decreases during first 26 postoperative days
Monday, January 11, 2010

Skin Preparations Decrease Risk of Surgical-Site Infections
Reduced risk seen with mupirocin nasal ointment and chlorhexidine soap, chlorhexidine-alcohol
Wednesday, January 06, 2010

Precautions and Training Can Reduce Scalpel Injuries
Study suggests technological innovations reduce the need for traditional blades
Thursday, December 31, 2009

Prostate-Specific Antigen Velocity Usefulness Examined
Study finds lower prostate-specific antigen velocity likely linked to insignificant disease
Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Operating Room Nurses Must Know Heart Failure Guidelines
Working knowledge of guidelines helps in care of surgical heart treatment patients
Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Low-Level Laser Therapy for Body Sculpting Assessed
Study finds approach works over short-term but long-term maintenance needs further evaluation
Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Thromboembolism Uncommon After Sling Surgery in Women
Yet, odds of event at three months are higher in women also undergoing prolapse surgery
Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Surveillance Can Reduce Treatment in Mild Hip Dysplasia
Active surveillance strategy reduces treatment rate and health care costs, with similar outcomes
Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Risk of Neurologic Deficit Right After Spinal Surgery Low
Study finds epidural hematoma and inadequate decompression to be the most common etiologies
Monday, December 21, 2009

Digital Radiography Rapidly Localizes Spine Level
Technique is faster than and as effective as conventional radiography and may reduce costs
Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Racial Disparities Seen in Breast Cancer Radiotherapy
Caucasian women more likely than women of other races to receive radiotherapy after surgery
Monday, December 14, 2009

Post-Myocardial Infarction Bleeding Risk Examined
Risk of hospital admission for bleeding increases with number of antithrombotic drugs
Monday, December 14, 2009

Lower Speed Limit Reduces Casualties in London
Introduction of 20 mph zones associated with 42 percent decrease in deaths and serious injuries
Friday, December 11, 2009

SABCS: MRI May Provide Benefit in Breast Screenings
MRI shows benefit in earlier diagnosis of breast cancer in high-risk patients
Friday, December 11, 2009

Patients Often Lack Knowledge of Their Own Medications
Study suggests incorporating them into medication management would improve safety
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Algorithm Developed for Metal-on-Metal Hip Resurfacing
Algorithm may help surgeons identify which patients are most likely to benefit
Thursday, December 10, 2009

Team Approach Best for Safe Handling of Cytotoxic Agents
Study suggests bladder cancer treatment needs special policy to promote staff safety
Tuesday, December 08, 2009

FDA Issues Recommendations to Prevent Excess CT Radiation
Interim recommendations follow news of excess radiation exposure during CT perfusion imaging
Tuesday, December 08, 2009

Depression Linked to Poorer Spinal Surgery Outcomes
Preoperative and early postoperative depression leads to lower function ability and more pain
Monday, December 07, 2009

New Cervical Spine Surgery Protocol May Reduce Delirium
Early movement and reduced methylprednisolone can decrease postoperative delirium risk in elderly
Friday, December 04, 2009

Hysterectomy Linked to Better Cervical Cancer Survival
Study finds improved survival over radiation observed in women with smaller sized tumors
Friday, December 04, 2009

RSNA: MRI May Improve Breast Cancer Detection Rate
Study demonstrates utility of MRI after three years of mammography and ultrasound
Thursday, December 03, 2009

Hospital Report Cards Seldom Lead to Improved Cardiac Care
Study discerns no significant improvement in care for heart failure or heart attack
Wednesday, December 02, 2009

RSNA: Many Abdominal/Pelvic CT Scans May Not Be Needed
Unindicated scans have no clinical benefit while exposing patients to excess radiation
Tuesday, December 01, 2009

RSNA: Remote Diagnosis Feasible for Acute Appendicitis
Use of handheld devices equipped with special software useful for emergent consultations
Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Women Researchers Lag Behind Men in Grant Awards
Study finds 36.2 percent of women researchers earn awards versus 45.6 percent of men
Tuesday, December 01, 2009

Study Finds Surgeon Burnout Associated With Medical Errors
Depersonalization, emotional exhaustion linked to higher chance of reporting recent errors
Friday, November 27, 2009

Most Medical Journals Have Conflict of Interest Policies
Still, study suggests definition of conflict and disclosure requirements of authors vary greatly
Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Remote Pacemaker Monitoring More Effective Than Standard
Remote monitoring detects clinical events more often and quickly than transtelephonic approach
Monday, November 23, 2009

Patients With Limited English Present Practice Challenges
For communication during cancer treatment, study finds use of interpreting services varies
Friday, November 20, 2009

Laser-Treated Corneas Found Suitable for Donor Tissue
No long-term change noted in age-related cell loss between treated and untreated corneas
Friday, November 20, 2009

Deformational Plagiocephaly Risk Factors Evaluated
Children's sleep position found to be predictive of location of deformational plagiocephaly
Friday, November 20, 2009

Stress-Only Heart Imaging May Be Sufficient
Study finds additional rest imaging unlikely to impact survival but increases radiation dose
Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Optical Techniques Accurately Identify Precancerous Polyps
Study suggests new techniques may be as reliable and accurate as conventional histopathology
Monday, November 16, 2009

Nervous System Cancer Linked to Cognitive Impairment
Survivors more likely to have cognitive deficits resulting in lower education and employment
Monday, November 16, 2009

Cataract Surgery Unlikely to Affect the Progression of AMD
In addition, dietary fats may have varying effects on macular degeneration risk
Monday, November 16, 2009

Risk Factors for Shoulder Redislocation Examined
Younger age, male gender and longer duration between injury and surgery increase risk
Friday, November 13, 2009

Knee Ligament Reconstruction Techniques Compared
Study finds arthroscopic double-bundle technique produces the best knee stability results
Thursday, November 12, 2009

Increased Cancer Recurrence Linked to High Breast Density
Women with high-density tissue who undergo surgery without radiotherapy at higher risk
Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Study Finds Costs of Quality Programs Burden Practices
Another study finds many clinical trials change study design outcomes without explanation
Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Medical Errors Disclosure Can Help Physicians and Patients
Second study suggests patients give higher quality ratings when staff report mistakes
Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Benefits of Steroid Use After Knee Arthroplasty Studied
Adding steroids to pain medications may shorten hospital stay but does not help pain or motion
Monday, November 09, 2009

Post-Surgical Pain in Children Can Be Effectively Managed
Use of evidence-based pain management strategies pre- and post-surgery found beneficial
Monday, November 09, 2009

Study Looks at Potential Benefits of Ligamentoplasty
Trend indicates less adjacent-segment morbidity, fewer reoperations than fusion surgeries
Monday, November 09, 2009

Drainage Alone May Be Best in Treating Children's Abscesses
Study suggests changing dressings increases risk of pain and postoperative hospitalization
Monday, November 09, 2009

Lumbar Spine Functional Restoration Program Evaluated
Program completion likely improves pain and disability associated with lumbar disorders
Monday, November 09, 2009

Fasting Glucose Changes May Predict Mortality Risk
Changes during hospitalization may aid clinicians in rating mortality risk post-myocardial infarction
Friday, November 06, 2009

Shock-Wave Therapy and Surgery for Fractures Assessed
Study finds shock-wave therapy as effective as surgery in healing long-bone fractures
Friday, November 06, 2009

Different Aortic Valves Linked to Similar Long-Term Survival
No difference seen in mortality, but bioprosthetic valves linked to more failure and reoperation
Thursday, November 05, 2009

Stats Helps Paint Picture of H1N1 Hospitalizations
Study reviews cases of flu hospitalizations and deaths in California from April to August
Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Perioperative Beta-Blocker Therapy Guidelines Updated
Treatment initiation requires careful consideration of risks and benefits to patient
Monday, November 02, 2009

Background Disease Rates Important in H1N1 Pandemic
Awareness is essential to prevent public fears that could hinder mass immunization programs
Monday, November 02, 2009

ACE Inhibitors May Negatively Impact CABG Outcomes
Study finds increased risk of mortality, inotropic support, renal dysfunction and atrial fibrillation
Thursday, October 29, 2009

Overweight Patients May Have Effect on Doctor's Attitude
Study finds that physicians may have lower respect for patients with higher body mass index
Thursday, October 29, 2009

Importance of ST-Segment Resolution Assessed
Study suggests it may be an important predictor of outcomes at four hours after fibrinolysis
Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Medical School Enrollment Continues to Expand
Number of residency slots also needs to increase to meet future demand for physicians
Monday, October 26, 2009

H1N1 Can Be Particular Threat to Transplant Recipients
Cardiothoracic surgeons need to be vigilant for signs of the virus in patients
Monday, October 26, 2009

Death After Bariatric Surgery in Extremely Obese Examined
Study finds extremely obese at higher risk of death within one year of bariatric surgery
Friday, October 23, 2009

Researchers Evaluate New Prostate Specific Antigen Test
Study suggests test provides better monitoring of recurrence after prostatectomy
Friday, October 23, 2009

Risks Associated With Thyroid Surgery in the Elderly Explored
Study finds thyroidectomy may be performed just as safely as in younger patients
Friday, October 23, 2009

Article Reviews Techniques for Idiopathic Clubfoot Correction
Study shows Ponseti slightly better than French functional method, but difference not significant
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Review Evaluates Systems of Care for STEMI Patients
State-of-the-art paper suggests organization of networks optimizes patient care, but barriers exist
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Some Hospital Staff Predicted to Be Infection Superspreaders
Hand washing compliance by staff in contact with all patients has biggest impact
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Benefit of BRCA Testing in Ovarian Cancer Examined
Testing of women with ovarian cancer based on history of cancer or ancestry likely cost-effective
Thursday, October 22, 2009

ASA: Study Finds Benefit From Treatment Before Extubation
Dexmedetomidine, an α2-receptor agonist, associated with shorter extubation time
Thursday, October 22, 2009

Sources Find Different Numbers of Active Physicians
Study compares projections of future physician work force using U.S. Census, AMA Masterfile
Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Cardiovascular Disease Linked to Hip Fracture Risk
Swedish twin study even suggests elevated risk for those whose twin had heart failure or stroke
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

ASA: IV Dextrose Found to Ease Postoperative Nausea
Patients treated after surgery had lower nausea, vomiting scores, needed less rescue anti-emetics
Tuesday, October 20, 2009

FDA Launches Drug Disposal Advice Web Page
Flushing recommended for some drugs with potentially deadly effects
Friday, October 16, 2009

Normal-Tension Glaucoma Treatment Options Explored
Study suggests treatments other than intraocular pressure-lowering agents should be considered
Thursday, October 15, 2009

Anesthesia Problems More Likely Early in Academic Year
Among anesthesia trainees, first months linked to more undesirable events, even in senior trainees
Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Breast-Conserving Surgery, Mastectomy Rates Surveyed
Breast-conserving surgery attempted in majority of intraductal, stage I and II survey cases
Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Study Evaluates Hospital Quality and Mortality Rates
Findings suggest major quality differences between hospitals, but mortality rate improving
Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Preoperative Biomarker Levels May Predict Cardiac Events
Findings suggest high levels linked to adverse outcomes one month post non-cardiac surgery
Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Cytokines Linked to Knee Pain With Meniscal Injury
IL-6, MCP-1, MIP-1β and IFN-γ higher in painful knees and correlated with pain scores
Friday, October 09, 2009

Health Care Disparities Among States Found to Be Widening
Commonwealth Fund Commission state report card emphasizes need for health care reform
Friday, October 09, 2009

Organ Donor Family Consent Request Protocols Compared
ACRE trial finds no advantage to organ donor collaborative requesting approach
Friday, October 09, 2009

Cardiac Rehabilitation Underused but Beneficial
Programs are generally cost-effective, but often under-funded and inflexible
Friday, October 09, 2009

Study Explores Thrombus Healing by Plaque Type
Patients with late-stage thrombi due to eroded plaques may benefit from different treatment
Thursday, October 08, 2009

ACS Education May Not Reduce Prehospital Delay
Education and counseling fail to decrease hospital arrival time or increase use of EMS
Thursday, October 08, 2009

Roundtable Discussion Tackles Health Care Reform
Improvements in payment, more data to guide decisions could lead to wiser health spending
Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Medical Students Want More Practice of Medicine Training
Report finds time devoted to medical economics does not adversely affect clinical training quality
Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Effectiveness and Cost Help to Make Coverage Decisions
Study suggests countries that use these two criteria can also incorporate other factors
Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Surgical Masks Found to Be Non-Inferior to Respirators
Masks may be just as effective as respirators in preventing flu in health care workers
Thursday, October 01, 2009

CDC Says States Not Meeting Fruit and Veggie Objectives
State-by-state report finds states deficient in supporting healthy food in stores and schools
Thursday, October 01, 2009

Bacterial Infections Are a Factor in Many H1N1 Deaths
Finding underscores importance of pneumococcal vaccination for those at high risk for pneumonia
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Prophylactic Mastectomy Rare Among High-Risk Women
Contralateral mastectomy for women with diagnosed breast cancer increasing
Monday, September 28, 2009

H1N1 Virus's Genetic Makeup Appears to Be Staying Stable
CDC suggests forthcoming vaccine likely to be very effective in preventing the disease
Monday, September 28, 2009

Review Advises Hand Washing, Other Antiviral Measures
Masks, gloves, focusing on children's hygiene helpful in preventing respiratory virus spread
Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Spotlight on Social Networking Use Among Medical Students
Survey finds a minority of medical schools have policies governing online posting by students
Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Alcohol Linked to Decreased Mortality After Head Injury
However, patients are more likely to have complications
Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Scoliosis Surgery Linked to Good Long-Term Outcomes
Rates of low back pain, employment, childbearing are similar to those of general population
Monday, September 21, 2009

Mediterranean Diet More Costly to Follow Than Western
Study also finds risk of weight gain is greater for those who have higher daily food costs
Friday, September 18, 2009

Gastric Bypass Patients Need Modified Nursing Care
Complications can arise if they are treated the same as normal weight patients
Thursday, September 17, 2009

Taxes on Sugared Sodas Could Cut Consumption
Price increase would deter some from buying; money could be used for health programs
Thursday, September 17, 2009

FDA Approves Four Vaccines for H1N1 Influenza
Clinical studies have shown robust immune response in adults within 10 days
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Drug Interaction E-Alerts Show Benefit to Patient Safety
Electronic alerts reduce adverse events including death and disability, as well as costs
Monday, September 14, 2009

Mutated H1N1 Virus Resistant to Antiviral Drug Oseltamivir
Resistant H1N1 prompts new CDC advisory on prophylactic use of antviral drug
Friday, September 11, 2009

Poverty-Mortality Association Unchanged in England
Patterns from a century ago still have a significant relation with mortality today
Friday, September 11, 2009

Compensation Status Doesn't Delay Canadians' Back Surgery
Study dispels notion of longer waits for workers' compensation or personal disability patients
Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Many Orthopedic Trials Do Not Adhere to Principle for Validity
Many trials purporting to follow the intention-to-treat principle actually fail to do so
Friday, September 04, 2009

Race Not Shown to Affect Liver Transplant Outcome
Recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma is only predictor of survival after transplant
Thursday, September 03, 2009

Department Issues New HIPAA Notification Regulations
HHS regulations cover need to notify individuals after breaches of their health information
Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Panel Relaxes Restrictions on Liquids During Labor
Clear liquids are acceptable for women with uncomplicated labor, committee says
Monday, August 24, 2009

Health Care Financing Model Rewards Efficient Care
Incentives for reducing potentially avoidable costs put focus on quality
Friday, August 21, 2009

Exercise May Help Pain and Function After Lumbar Surgery
But reviewers say the evidence for exercise-based rehab is only of low and moderate quality
Monday, August 17, 2009

Difference Between Near Miss, Wrong-Site Surgery Studied
Near misses more likely to involve surgical team members who feel able to express concerns
Monday, August 17, 2009

Alarm Symptoms Often Do Not Result in Timely Diagnosis
Many evaluated for hematuria, hemoptysis, other conditions lack definite diagnoses after three years
Friday, August 14, 2009

Discharge Summaries Often Lack Pending Test Results
Also often lack provider follow-up information; can lead to medical errors
Thursday, August 13, 2009

FDA Aims to Ease Access to Investigational Drugs
New rules make the drugs more widely available to seriously ill patients outside clinical trials
Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Incontinence Treatment Trends Changed in the 1990s
Needle suspension became less common; rates of sling placements increased drastically
Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Best Treatment for Lower Extremity Sarcoma Unknown
Need for more studies comparing impact, benefit of limb salvage surgery with amputation
Monday, August 10, 2009

Fertility Preservation a Viable Option for Women With Cancer
In younger patients, neither ovarian nor uterine conservation has an effect on survival
Monday, August 10, 2009

HHS Releases Reports on Health Insurance Reform
Health and Human Services says reform would decrease costs, increase number of options
Friday, August 07, 2009

Electronic Disease Surveillance Systems Vary Widely
Lack of unified systems will increase cost of data sharing, report predicts
Friday, July 31, 2009

U.S. Health Data Network a Powerful Tool for Quality
DARTNet, a prototype for data sharing, already gives clinicians access to data on 400,000 patients
Friday, July 31, 2009

Aggressive Approach to Cervix Abnormalities Questioned
One study finds early colposcopy no more cost-effective than regular surveillance
Wednesday, July 29, 2009

New Guidelines Address Quality of Systematic Reviews
PRISMA Statement includes a checklist and flow diagram
Monday, July 27, 2009

New Method Decreased Wait Times at Urology Practice
Scheduling system has reduced month-long waits and increased quick visits for new patients
Friday, July 24, 2009

Methods to Determine Health Care Priorities Questioned
Debate over whether to base resource allocation on measures of patient or public attitudes
Friday, July 24, 2009

Camera Phones Can Help Doctors Make Rare Diagnoses
Patient captured images of transient symptoms and gave them to her doctor
Friday, July 24, 2009

Blunt Needles May Cause Less Surgical Glove Perforations
Perforations rarer than with sharp needles following C-section, but physicians less satisfied
Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Obesity Rates Highest Among African-American Population
Prevalence among African-Americans 51 percent higher than among Caucasians
Friday, July 17, 2009

Obesity Rates for American Adults Still Going Up
CDC survey finds a quarter of the population in 32 states is now obese
Thursday, July 09, 2009

FDA Requires Stronger Label Warnings About Propoxyphene
Pain reliever linked to fatal overdose; agency to study how high doses affect heart
Tuesday, July 07, 2009

Health Woes of Indigenous People Spur Call to Action
Review articles show disproportionate burden of disease and death; offer possible solutions
Monday, July 06, 2009

Priorities Set for Comparative Effectiveness Research
Best ways to spend $400 million research budget identified
Wednesday, July 01, 2009

Oncology Best Supportive Care Studies Faulted
Systematic review demonstrates need to improve studies' methodological and ethical validity
Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Licorice Gargle Can Cut Postoperative Sore Throat
Incidence, severity of sore throat reduced up to 24 hours after procedure; cough also less likely
Thursday, June 25, 2009

Americans Paying for More of Their Health Care Costs
Families with individual coverage may spend 22 to 50 percent of household income on health care
Wednesday, June 24, 2009

First-Degree Atrioventricular Block Shows Heightened Risk
Patients have elevated long-term risk of atrial fibrillation, pacemaker implantation, and death
Tuesday, June 23, 2009

President Signs Tobacco Law, Acts on Medicare Coverage
New law regulates tobacco marketing; Medicare reform to cut costs for seniors in coverage gap
Monday, June 22, 2009

Reinforced Infection Control Needed to Combat H1N1
Health care personnel are picking up infections in medical and community settings
Monday, June 22, 2009

AMA: Policy Statement Supports Health Care Reform
Association also adopts strategies to reduce medical school debt, increase supply of physicians
Thursday, June 18, 2009

Purpose in Life Affects Mortality Rates in Older Adults
Regardless of gender, race or health status, greater life purpose reduces odds of mortality
Thursday, June 18, 2009

Glove Perforation Raises Odds of Surgical Site Infection
But surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis eliminates the risk, study finds
Thursday, June 18, 2009

Individual Mandate for Health Insurance Affordable and Fair
Perspective offers that compulsory minimum health insurance would benefit health care reform
Wednesday, June 17, 2009

AMA: Air Travel Guidelines Needed to Prevent Flu's Spread
Separate policy recognizes health care facilities' role in sustainable, healthy food system
Wednesday, June 17, 2009

AMA: Guidance Offered on Medical Record Breaches
American Medical Association also addresses male breast cancer, anti-aging hormone use
Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Sweeping Medical Reforms Lack Medical Liability Element
Focus is on cost control, with other issues not yet addressed
Monday, June 15, 2009

Bill Giving FDA Authority Over Tobacco on Way to President
House of Representatives rapidly endorses Senate's version of bill passed late Thursday
Friday, June 12, 2009

NHS and Midwife Births Have Their Share of Problems
Clinical outcomes of both point to a need for review
Friday, June 12, 2009

Senate Approves Bill Giving FDA Authority Over Tobacco
Measure requires companies to list ingredients and agency to approve new products
Thursday, June 11, 2009

ADA: Medicines Compared to Surgery in Diabetic Heart Disease
Survival is the same in patients who undergo revascularization or receive medical therapy
Monday, June 08, 2009

Human-Rights Treaties Do Not Improve Health Outcomes
Wealthier states have better health status, but that is independent of U.N. treaty ratificaiton
Friday, June 05, 2009

Pre-Op Briefing May Cut Down on Surgery Disruptions
Surgical flow disruptions, trips to central supply area fell after use of preprocedural briefing
Thursday, June 04, 2009

Many U.K. Trained Doctors Stay in National Health Service
And men and women found to choose similar career paths
Wednesday, June 03, 2009

Many Children Lack Quick Access to Trauma Center
More than 17 million American children can't get to pediatric trauma center within 60 minutes
Tuesday, June 02, 2009

ASCO: Gastrointestinal Cancer Treatments Analyzed
Surgery in colorectal patients may be unnecessary; efficacy of other GI cancer treatments discussed
Monday, June 01, 2009

Careful Processing Urged for Loaner Instruments
Adherence to AAMI and AORN processing guidelines cuts costs and reduces contamination
Thursday, May 28, 2009

Postoperative Voiding Rules May Need Review
Many more surgeries now performed on outpatient basis
Thursday, May 28, 2009

Music Reduces Confusion After Hip or Knee Surgery
In older adults, listening to music for three days may be linked to improved cognitive function
Monday, May 25, 2009

Democrats Set Ambitious Goal for Health Care Reform
Physicians can take lead to get much-needed federal legislation passed
Thursday, May 21, 2009

Door-to-Balloon Delays Increase Risk of Death
Large-scale study of heart attack patients recommends short as possible time to treatment
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Transformational Learning Helps Nurses Improve
Role models can help nurses learn to reflect on current practices and revise them
Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Coronary Artery Bypass Care Quality Not Tied to Quantity
High- and low-volume cardiac centers have similar mortality rates when adherence to quality is similar
Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Nurses in Kuwait Want More Professional Opportunities
Higher educational level associated with lower job satisfaction, study finds
Monday, May 18, 2009

Exercise and Diet Support Slows Cancer Survivor Decline
Counseling and health information helps patients lose weight and slows functional decline
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Child Post-Mortem Organ Donation Procedures Vary
Study finds inconsistencies in pronouncing death, life support, and other organ donation issues
Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Simple Plastic Glasses Can Protect Orthopedic Surgeons
No need for special equipment to protect against conjunctival contamination
Friday, May 08, 2009

SCAI: Proton Pump Inhibitors Linked to Major Heart Risks
Heartburn drugs may reduce activity of clopidogrel in patients with coronary stents
Thursday, May 07, 2009

High Urine Albumin Linked to Venous Thromboembolism
Microalbuminuria risk for VTE found comparable to its risk for heart attack and stroke
Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Medical Center Press Releases Often Lacking Key Details
Many overstate importance and clinical relevance of studies but omit cautions and limitations
Tuesday, May 05, 2009

AHA: Statins Helpful in Acute Coronary Syndrome Treatment
Treatment associated with fewer cardiovascular events and hospitalizations
Friday, May 01, 2009

More Americans Reporting Disability
Arthritis, rheumatism, back and heart problems most common causes
Friday, May 01, 2009

New Web-based Information Source to Support UK Clinicians
NHS Evidence employs technology and rigorous criteria to assure relevance and quality
Thursday, April 30, 2009

NEJM Commends New Conflict of Interest Proposal
Editorialist says comprehensive recommendations could significantly impact practices, institutions
Thursday, April 30, 2009

FDA Requires OTC Pain Relievers to Display Warnings
New rule requires warnings on stomach bleeding, liver damage on NSAIDs and acetaminophen
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

China's Organ Procurement Troubles Most US Clinicians
Most US health care professionals will not recommend patients get a liver transplant in China
Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Pharmacist Involvement May Decrease Medication Errors
Two studies suggest benefits of an interdisciplinary medication reconciliation process
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Steep Copayments Increase Risk of Non-Adherence
Higher out-of-pocket drug costs delay initiation of therapy for patients with chronic conditions
Tuesday, April 28, 2009

ACP: Board Votes to Enhance Perception of Primary Care
Regents support measures including legislation to fund studies assessing value of primary care
Friday, April 24, 2009

Grafts Can Improve Outcome For High-Risk Dialysis Patients
Autologous tissue-engineered vascular grafts can help end-stage renal disease patients
Friday, April 24, 2009

Electronic Medical Records Have Proven Their Worth
System leads to fewer unnecessary tests, fewer medical errors, and better communication
Friday, April 24, 2009

Perioperative Bullying Reduces Nurses' Effectiveness
Workplace empowerment of staff and zero tolerance policy can combat lateral violence
Friday, April 24, 2009

Having Health Insurance May Not Improve Mortality Risk
Researchers say finding suggests universal coverage would not decrease US death rate
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Parents Need More Education About Child's Cardiac Surgery
Fast-track cardiac surgery milestones not clearly understood by patients' parents
Thursday, April 23, 2009

Stretches Without Health Insurance More Common
Change from early 1980s to early 2000s seen particularly in those with lowest education level
Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Continuity of Care Declining for Medicare Beneficiaries
Less than a third of beneficiaries saw their PCP when they were hospitalized in 2006
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Transplant Center Distance No Factor in Kidney Transplant
Patients in rural areas are as likely to get a kidney as those in metropolitan areas, study finds
Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Revascularization Not Linked to Long-Term Benefit
Patients had at least three cardiac risk factors before undergoing major vascular surgery
Friday, April 17, 2009

Spine Patients Choose Surgery to Improve Functioning
Patients with serious spinal deformities are less interested in pain relief, more interested in walking
Friday, April 17, 2009

Perioperative Nurses May Lack Knowledge of Hypothermia
More guidelines and education for nurses required
Thursday, April 16, 2009

Financial Rewards for Healthy Behavior Can Be Effective
But the practice can be fraught with moral dilemmas
Friday, April 10, 2009

Accelerated Care Cost-Effective After Joint Replacement
Perioperative care and rehabilitation protocol is associated with significant savings
Thursday, April 09, 2009

Electronic Prescribing Online-Learning Tools Launched
American Medical Association tools will help physicians evaluate ePrescribing systems
Thursday, April 02, 2009

Changes Needed in New-Drug Evaluation Process
Patients get 'poor return on investment'; independent evaluation and transparency needed
Wednesday, April 01, 2009

New Health Program Leads to Questions in the UK
Program calls for each primary care trust to seek a general practitioner-led health center
Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Safe Practice Scores Do Not Add Up to Fewer Patient Deaths
Safe Practices Survey data only shows how hospitals have implemented safety guidelines
Tuesday, March 31, 2009

ACC: Relaxin Beneficial in Acute Heart Failure
Natural human peptide is associated with dyspnea relief and other favorable clinical outcomes
Monday, March 30, 2009

ACC: Finger Sensor Test May Predict Cardiac Events
Peripheral arterial tonometry identifies at-risk subjects with low Framingham Risk scores
Monday, March 30, 2009

AAHPM: Wealthier Areas Have Higher Hospice Use
Hospice availability linked to higher household incomes and better-educated communities
Monday, March 30, 2009

Somatosensory Evoked Potential Monitoring Useful
Technique may help prevent position-related peripheral nerve injuries in spinal surgery patients
Thursday, March 26, 2009

Circumcision Lowers Risk of Sexually Transmitted Disease
Researchers emphasize that safe sex practices are still critical to preventing STDs
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Cost Barriers Slow Adoption of Electronic Health Records
But government intervention and funding could quickly spur improvement
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

U.S. Emergency Care Access Varies Widely
Delayed access to emergency department in rural areas could result in poorer medical outcomes, study warns
Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Pediatric Anesthesia Linked to Learning Disability Risk
Multiple early doses may be a significant risk factor for learning problems in later childhood
Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Instrument Contamination by Toner or Ink Not Significant
Study finds operating room use of printed count sheets and labels is not a cytotoxic hazard
Friday, March 20, 2009

Pressure Ulcer Prevention Important in Surgical Patients
Perioperative nurses should monitor patients and actively mitigate risks
Thursday, March 19, 2009

Hospital Quality Measure Inaccurate, May Increase Bias
Assesses mortality rates based on case mix
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Specialist Nurses Help Grieving Parents Agree to Autopsy
Almost all parents give consent after research- and bereavement-trained nurse contacts them
Friday, March 13, 2009

Transdermal Patches Pose Burn Risk During Scans
Metal in patches can cause burns during MRI
Friday, March 06, 2009

Obama Wants to Spend $630 Billion on Health Care Reform
President's plan calls for replacement of Medicare reimbursement system, increase in FDA budget
Thursday, March 05, 2009

Proton Pump Inhibitors May Reduce Benefits of Clopidogrel
Concurrent use of both drugs after acute coronary syndrome linked to higher risk of adverse outcomes
Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Vitamin K Doesn't Reduce Bleeding in Warfarin Patients
But single dose in overanticoagulated patients may help lower international normalized ratio
Tuesday, March 03, 2009

US Motor Vehicle-Related Death Rates Vary Geographically
Mortality rate in the South double that of the Northeast
Monday, March 02, 2009

AAOS: Soaring Demand for Joint Surgery May Not Be Met
Shortage of qualified surgeons may prevent many patients from receiving new hips and knees
Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Insurance Essential for Good Health, Well-Being
Report calls on policymakers, public to address uninsurance problem
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

US Health Spending May Have Hit $2.4 Trillion in 2008
Private health spending growth due to hit 15-year low
Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Procedure Significantly Improves Urinary Incontinence
Incontinence, overactive bladder symptoms improved by transobturator tape procedure
Monday, February 23, 2009

Increased Cesarean Efficiency with Improvement Program
Cesarean delivery efficiency increased after implementation of a quality improvement program
Monday, February 23, 2009

Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy Use On The Rise
Rate increased among women with unilateral ductal carcinoma in situ from 1998 to 2005
Friday, February 20, 2009

Gunshot Victims May Lie About Source of Their Injuries
Two cases show need for high level of suspicion when stories don't match clinical findings
Friday, February 20, 2009

Proposed Changes to Health Care Would Reduce Costs
Investing in health care reform will improve outcomes, save money
Thursday, February 19, 2009

Transparency, Globalization Growing in Clinical Research
Enhanced data reporting, increased globalization among recent trends in clinical trial research
Thursday, February 19, 2009

Pharmacogenetic Algorithm Improves Warfarin Dosage
Pharmacogenetic algorithm helps predict stable therapeutic dose
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Implementing a Quality Improvement Faculty Path
Criteria include broadening promotion factors, considering publication alternatives
Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Incidence of ICU MRSA Infections Declining
Central line-associated bloodstream infections decreasing over recent years
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Ads Featuring 'Drug Facts Box' Help Educate Consumers
Replacement of brief summary with 'facts box' may lead to better informed medication choices
Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Thrombolysis Window May Be Longer Than Thought
Patients with proximal arterial occlusion more likely to have lengthy diffusion-perfusion mismatch
Thursday, February 12, 2009

Care Coordination Programs Don't Benefit Medicare Patients
Few such programs reduce hospitalizations, monthly expenditures or improve quality of care
Tuesday, February 10, 2009

FDA OKs Drug Produced Using Genetically Engineered Goats
ATryn helps prevent blood clots in patients with hereditary antithrombin deficiency
Monday, February 09, 2009

ASCO Guide Addresses High Costs of Cancer Care
New guide aims to improve doctor-patient communication regarding cancer care costs
Monday, February 09, 2009

Vasopressin Improves Some Hysterectomy Outcomes
Vasopressin treatment prior to hysterectomy reduces blood loss, although pain is increased
Friday, February 06, 2009

Graded Exercise Program Improves Low Back Pain
Program emphasizes stabilizing exercises
Thursday, February 05, 2009

US Outpatient Surgeries Increasingly Common
Outpatient surgeries accounted for half of all surgeries in 1996 and nearly two-thirds of surgeries in 2006
Friday, January 30, 2009

FX06 Cuts Percutaneous Coronary Intervention Injury
Peptide reduces necrotic core zone but overall benefits need more research
Thursday, January 29, 2009

Long-Term Outcomes Favorable in Kidney Donors
Health status is similar to that of the general population, and quality of life is excellent
Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Low Mammogram Rates Among Pediatric Cancer Survivors
Many women who received chest radiation for childhood cancer do not follow recommended guidelines for mammography screening
Tuesday, January 27, 2009

AHA Supports Omega-6 for Possible Heart Protection
Getting 5 to 10 percent of calories from omega-6 fats may reduce coronary heart disease risk
Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Clinical Information Technology Leads to Safer Hospitals
Automated records associated with lower mortality, fewer complications
Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Meditation Practice Linked to Less Pain Sensitivity
Experienced Zen meditators needed higher temperature stimulation to feel moderate pain
Monday, January 26, 2009

Declaration on Medics' Role in Torture Needs Updating
Role of medical personnel in interrogation should be clarified to avoid complicity in torture
Friday, January 23, 2009

ISET: Stents Can Be Used to Treat Strokes
They can be used to unclog arteries in the brain as a stroke happens
Tuesday, January 20, 2009

ISET: For Angioplasty, Wrist Entry May Be Safer Than Groin
Less bleeding, less overall risk, especially in obese patients
Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Post-G8 Work Focuses on Strengthening Health Systems
Three policy papers address improving health work force, health finance, and health information
Thursday, January 15, 2009

Surgical Checklist Slashes Complications, Deaths
Nineteen-item checklist almost halves death rate due to non-cardiac surgery
Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Health Care Another Victim of Gaza Blockade
Restriction of movement prevents patients seeking treatment, hospital workers getting to work
Friday, January 09, 2009

Color, Style of Nurses' Uniforms Connote Professionalism
As adults age, they judge nurses more on style and color of uniform
Friday, November 14, 2008

Perioperative Efficiency Benefits Staff and Patients
Program brings improvements in room turnover, punctuality and staffing consistency
Friday, November 14, 2008

AHA: Medical Usage High Among Heart Failure Patients
Each year, those with severe disease see up to 23 clinicians
Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Premiums Up, Coverage Down for Medicare Part D Plans
Nearly all stand-alone Medicare Part D plans will have a coverage gap in 2009
Monday, November 10, 2008

Access to Primary Care Key to US Health Care Reform
Careers in primary care should be supported and promoted
Tuesday, November 04, 2008

Credit Crisis to Take Long-Term Toll on Health System
UK's National Health Service will have no real growth in funding
Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Placebo Treatments Commonly Utilized
Prescribing placebo treatments viewed as both common and ethical
Friday, October 24, 2008

Financial Bailout Puts US Health Care Reform in Jeopardy
Neither McCain's nor Obama's proposals would escape unscathed
Wednesday, October 22, 2008

ASA: Pediatric Anesthesia Studies Show Mixed Results
One links anesthesia with developmental disorders; another discounts effects of awareness
Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Simulation Can Improve Sterilization Department
Increased staff seen as key to reducing the numbers of waiting trays and dirty carts
Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Nurses Prefer That Families Don't Attend Breast Biopsies
Many feel relatives in the operating room hamper their ability to do their jobs
Monday, October 20, 2008

UK Researchers Demand Regulatory Relief
Regulatory burden of clinical research threatens to inhibit delivery of potential life-saving benefits
Friday, October 17, 2008

Workers' Comp Linked to Poor Rotator Cuff Surgery Outcome
Worse outcomes after surgery are independently predicted by a Worker's Compensation claim
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Physician Gender Doesn't Influence Hysterectomy Rates
Specialty more likely to influence hysterectomy procedure than physician gender
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Lumbar Brace of No Benefit After Spine Arthrodesis
No significant advantage or disadvantage of lumbar corset use following lumbar arthrodesis
Thursday, October 16, 2008

Endograft Procedure Promising Option for Aortic Injury
Review looks at effectiveness, risks of procedures that repair blunt aortic injuries
Wednesday, October 15, 2008

ACS: Doctors Overestimate Patients' Level of Literacy
Lack of health literacy and numeracy undermines efficacy of written screening tests
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Stroke and Heart Attack Risk of Vioxx Confirmed
Long-term data compatible with earlier findings on rofecoxib and cardiovascular events
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

ACS: Operating Room Can Be More Environmentally Friendly
Patient care not affected by greener sensitive practices
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Sick Leaves Linked to Higher Subsequent Mortality
Those with sickness absence of at least a week over a three-year period were 1.7 times more likely to die
Friday, October 03, 2008

Obesity Link to Endometrial Cancer Poorly Understood
Many women do not recognize cancer risks associated with obesity
Thursday, October 02, 2008

News Media Under-Report Drug Company Funding of Research
Few newspapers have written policy on reporting funding and using generic names for drugs
Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Bisphosphonate Infusion Linked to Ocular Complication
Case study documents orbital inflammatory disease in patient who received zoledronic acid
Wednesday, September 24, 2008

No Change to 2009 Part B Medicare Premium
First time since 2000 that premium has not been raised yearly
Monday, September 22, 2008

Physician's Office Hours Affect Time to Stroke Treatment
Delay in assessment for those who have a stroke outside office hours
Friday, September 19, 2008

Antibiotic Resistance Has Become a Global Pandemic
Major medical breakthroughs under threat from loss of antibiotic efficacy
Friday, September 19, 2008

SGM: Light-Activated Compounds Kill Bacteria
Activatable dyes, paints kill various types of bacteria
Wednesday, September 10, 2008

AAPM: Remoxy Efficacious for Pain, Prevents Dose Dumping
New sustained-release formulation of oxycodone effectively treats pain, may prevent misuse
Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Lancet Supports WHO Report on Health Inequality
Journal applauds report's call to action, will participate in conference and publish theme issue
Friday, August 29, 2008

Bunion Patients Brake Faster Six Weeks After Surgery
Six weeks appears sufficient for return to driving after first metatarsal osteotomy for bunion
Thursday, August 28, 2008

New Pain Guidelines Released
More than 200 evidenced-based recommendations for chronic pain are outlined
Thursday, August 28, 2008

Nurses Should Play Key Role in DVT Prevention
Pre-surgery assessment, using stockings and other prophylaxis can help reduce risk of thromboses
Wednesday, August 27, 2008

New Pre-Surgical Cleansing Procedure May Reduce Infections
Patients unable to have chlorhexidine shower can still be protected from site infections
Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Perioperative Care Must Be Adapted to Preschoolers' Needs
Developmentally based approach eases the trauma of preparing for surgery
Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Outlook Mixed on US Presidential Candidates' Health Plans
Commentary examines potential benefits, flaws in McCain and Obama health care proposals
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Behavioral Counseling Technique Reduces Back Pain
Involves improvement in posture and neuromuscular coordination
Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Seniors Likely to Find Medicare Health Web Site Unusable
Study of computer-savvy seniors shows the site is difficult to use and navigate
Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Older Patients Less Likely to Be Taken to Trauma Center
Rate of 'undertriage' in Maryland increased at age 50, became even more common at age 70
Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Nurses Commonly Report Adverse Job-Related Outcomes
High patient load, low number of nurses among factors leading to negative outcomes
Friday, August 15, 2008

Zimbabwe Health Care in Shambles Due to Atrocities
International medical community should help rebuild the health infrastructure
Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Over 1 Billion U.S. Doctor, Hospital Visits Logged in 2006
CDC attributes increase to aging of the U.S. population
Thursday, August 07, 2008

International Issue of Torture Complicity Analyzed
Medical community may condone torture or fail to intervene
Friday, August 01, 2008

Device May Decrease Musculoskeletal Procedure Pain
Reciprocating procedure device also found to improve outcomes, increase safety
Thursday, July 31, 2008

Use of Antibiotic Prophylaxis for Endocarditis Discouraged
Should not be given routinely for dental and other procedures
Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Medical Errors Have Impact After Hospital Discharge
They are linked to excess costs, deaths and hospital readmissions
Monday, July 28, 2008

Anesthetic Accidents More Common in Afternoon
Shortage of anesthesiologists leads to longer working hours, more fatigue
Monday, July 21, 2008

Report Finds U.S. Health System Lagging Further Behind
In Commonwealth Fund report, overall score falls from 2006; access to care, excess mortality cited
Friday, July 18, 2008

Intraoperative Radiographs Essential for Avoiding Errors
These and other precautions can prevent neurosurgery at an incorrect site
Friday, July 18, 2008

Exception Reporting Improves Pay-for-Performance Benefits
Inappropriate exclusion is rare
Thursday, July 17, 2008

Health Cash Incentives for Poor People Debated
Affirmative side says they may reduce health inequality; negative side doubts significant benefit
Wednesday, July 09, 2008

Nurse Understaffing Adversely Affects Patients
Reliance on voluntary and mandatory overtime leads to increased nurse burnout
Monday, June 30, 2008


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