Join the 'Surgery' group to help and get support from people like you.
Surgery News
FDA Medwatch Alert: Sterile Drug Products by Cantrell Drug Company: Recall - Lack of Sterility Assurance
Posted 19 hours ago by Drugs.com
[Posted 07/25/2017] ISSUE: Cantrell Drug Company is voluntarily recalling all lots of unexpired sterile drug products to the hospital and user level due to lack of sterility assurance. The recalled products were distributed to health care facilities nationwide, except to the states of Connecticut, Hawaii, South Carolina and Vermont. Administration of a drug product intended to be sterile that is not sterile could result in serious infections that may be life-threatening. BACKGROUND: The affected products include all lots distributed February 16, 2017, to July 19, 2017, remaining within expiry, and they would be packaged in a syringe or IV bag. Administration of a drug product intended to be sterile that is not sterile could result in serious infections that may be life-threatening RECOMMENDATION: Cantrell Drug Company is notifying its customers by email and phone, and is arranging for t ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery
'Nipple-Sparing' Mastectomies Don't Raise Odds of Cancer's Return: Study
Posted 8 days ago by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, July 19, 2017 – Surgeons performing mastectomies can offer a form of the procedure that allows women to retain the nipple for use in breast reconstruction. Now, a reassuring study finds that this type of mastectomy doesn't raise a woman's risk for breast cancer recurrence. "More women are requesting nipple-sparing mastectomy because of the superior cosmetic results. But doctors don't want to take any chances with breast cancer patients' safety for the sake of cosmetic improvement," explained lead researcher Dr. Barbara Smith. She's a surgical oncologist and director of the breast program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. "Our study, which has one of the longest reported follow-ups after therapeutic nipple-sparing mastectomy in the United States, provides additional support that it's safe to leave the nipple intact during mastectomy with only a few exceptions," she ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer - Adjuvant, Breast Cancer, Prevention, Surgical Prophylaxis, Breast Cancer - Male, Osteolytic Bone Metastases of Breast Cancer
'Observation' Best Option for Most Low-Risk Prostate Cancer
Posted 14 days ago by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, July 13, 2017 – Men with early stage prostate cancer who have surgery to remove their tumor do not live longer than those who receive no treatment at all, a long-running clinical trial has concluded. At the same time, nearly one in three men who had the surgery wound up with long-term complications, such as urinary incontinence and erectile dysfunction, said lead researcher Dr. Timothy Wilt. He is a clinical investigator with the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System. Based on these findings, cancer experts should revise clinical guidelines so most men with low-risk prostate cancer receive no treatment, Wilt said. Instead, doctors should simply track the progress of their patient's slow-growing cancer by asking about signs and symptoms of disease progression. "Our results demonstrate that for the large majority of men with localized prostate cancer, selecting ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Prostate Cancer, Diagnosis and Investigation, Genitourinary Surgical and Other Conditions
JFK's Long, Silent Struggle With Back Pain
Posted 16 days ago by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, July 11, 2017 – Contrary to his youthful, vibrant public image, former President John F. Kennedy privately battled chronic, debilitating back pain much of his life. A new report chronicles JFK's pain issues and the many treatments he received throughout the years. The report includes private details – from multiple failed spinal surgeries and narcotic injections, to use of a back brace that some believe may have played a role in his death. "He went through the wringer visiting different surgeons and physicians and experts in their field – well-known people," said study co-author Dr. Justin Dowdy. He is a neurosurgeon and partner at Hot Springs Neurosurgery Clinic in Arkansas. While Kennedy's care would be different today due to advances in surgery and imaging technology, Dowdy doesn't see reason to second-guess clinicians' recommendations at the time. "They did the best they ... Read more
Related support groups: Pain, Suboxone, Surgery, Back Pain, Percocet, Vicodin, Norco, Lortab, Chronic Pain, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, Meloxicam, Sciatica, Advil, Diclofenac, Voltaren, Aleve, Mobic, Motrin, Herniated Disc
Trump Taps Indiana's Health Commissioner as Next Surgeon General
Posted 30 Jun 2017 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, June 30, 2017 – Dr. Jerome Adams, Indiana's Health Commissioner and an advocate for needle-exchange programs with a tough stance on the opioid crisis, has been nominated by President Donald Trump to be the next U.S. surgeon general. Leaders in health and medicine applauded the nomination. "From everything I've seen, Dr. Adams is a very serious and capable physician and public health official," said Dr. Joshua Sharfstein, an official at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration during the Obama era. Sharfstein said that a state health officer typically works outside of politics. "This is an opportunity to speak to the problems as they are, and not as they are viewed through an ideological prism," he told The New York Times. "Dr. Adams has a proven track record to make public health a priority despite political hurdles," echoed Charles Rothberg, president of the Medical Society of ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Opiate Dependence, Drug Dependence
New Microscope Scans Breast Tumors During Surgery
Posted 28 Jun 2017 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, June 28, 2017 – A new microscope could help surgeons remove breast tumors completely, reducing the number of women who must undergo repeat surgeries to remove cancer cells that were missed the first time. The microscope, developed by scientists and engineers at the University of Washington, effectively scans tumors and examines cells in three dimensions in under 30 minutes, researchers report. "Pathologists are currently very limited in how much they can look at on a glass slide," study co-author Adam Glaser, a postdoctoral fellow in the UW Molecular Biophotonics Laboratory, said in a university news release. "If we can give them three-dimensional data, we can give them more information to help improve the accuracy of a patient's diagnosis." When removing a breast tumor, known as a lumpectomy, surgeons attempt to remove the cancer but spare as much healthy tissue as ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Breast Cancer, Breast Cancer - Adjuvant, Breast Cancer, Prevention, Breast Cancer - Palliative, Surgical Prophylaxis
FDA Medwatch Alert: Potassium Phosphate and Succinylcholine Chloride by PharMEDium Services: Recall - Lack of Sterility Assurance
Posted 27 Jun 2017 by Drugs.com
[Posted 06/27/2017] ISSUE: PharMEDium Services is conducting a limited, voluntary recall due to Hospira Inc.’s (“Hospira”) June 15, 2017 recall announcement that microbial growth was detected during a routine simulation of the manufacturing process and therefore there was a lack of sterility assurance. The products being recalled by PharMEDium Services were compounded using certain Hospira products. The recalled products are specific lots of Potassium Phosphate and Succinylcholine Chloride. This is a secondary recall based on a Hospira's recent recall: https://www.fda.gov/Safety/Recalls/ucm563383.htm. Per Hospira, in the event that impacted product is administered to a patient, there is a reasonable probability that the patient may experience adverse events ranging from fever, chills and malaise, to severe adverse events including systemic invasive mycoses or systemic bacterial sepsis. ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Succinylcholine, Anectine, Neutra-Phos-K, Quelicin, Quelicin Chloride, Anectine Flo-Pack, Potassium Phosphate
FDA Approves Gleolan (aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride) as an Optical Imaging Agent in Patients with Gliomas
Posted 22 Jun 2017 by Drugs.com
June 6, 2017 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gleolan [aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride (ALA HCl)] as an optical imaging agent indicated in patients with gliomas (suspected World Health Organization Grades III or IV on preoperative imaging) as an adjunct for the visualization of malignant tissue during surgery. The approved recommended reconstituted oral dose of Gleolan is 20 mg/kg administered 3 hours (range 2 to 4 hours) prior to induction of anesthesia. During neurosurgery, Gleolan is used with an operating microscope adapted with a blue emitting light source and filters for excitation light of wavelength 375 to 440 nm, and observation at wavelengths of 620 to 710 nm. Due to the risk of phototoxic reactions, do not administer phototoxic drugs for 24 hours during the perioperative period. Reduce exposure to sunlight or room lights for 24 hours ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Brain Tumor, Diagnosis and Investigation, Aminolevulinic Acid, Gleolan
Gut Bacteria Changes After Some Weight-Loss Surgeries
Posted 26 May 2017 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, May 26, 2017 – A type of weight-loss surgery – called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass – triggers major changes in the microbial population of the digestive tract, a new study finds. Specifically, the procedure leads to increased diversity of bacteria in the gut, and a microbial population distinct from obese and normal-weight people, researchers found. "Diversity is good," said study co-author Rosa Krajmalnik-Brown of Arizona State University. She and her colleagues said the findings may prove important in the understanding and management of obesity. "One of the key findings of the paper confirms what we had already observed in earlier research," said Krajmalnik-Brown. Compared to gastric banding – another type of weight-loss surgery – Roux-en-Y gastric bypass "had a huge effect on the microbial community structure," she said in a university news release. Obesity, which affects ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Obesity, Weight Loss, Gastric Bypass Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery
Taking Opioids Before Knee Surgery Could Raise Pain Later
Posted 23 May 2017 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, May 23, 2017 – If you're planning on having knee replacement surgery at some point in the future, it's a good idea to start talking to your doctor now about your options for controlling pain. That's because new research found that when people had taken powerful opioid painkillers before knee replacement surgery, they had greater pain after the procedure. Knee replacement is used to treat knee osteoarthritis. But patients spend an average of 13 years before surgery using non-surgical treatments such as physical therapy, injections and painkillers, the study authors noted. "Although each patient case is different, patients and physicians should discuss the potential impact of using opioids in patients with knee osteoarthritis who are likely to consider total knee replacement within the next two years," said lead author Elena Losina. She is co-director of the Orthopaedic and ... Read more
Related support groups: Oxycodone, Surgery, Hydrocodone, Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin, Norco, Osteoarthritis, Lortab, Roxicodone, Knee Joint Replacement, Endocet, Acetaminophen/Hydrocodone, Percocet 10/325, Vicoprofen, Acetaminophen/Oxycodone, Hydromet, Roxicet, Tussionex Pennkinetic, Lorcet 10/650
U.S. Transgender Surgeries Up 20 Percent in 2 Years
Posted 22 May 2017 by Drugs.com
MONDAY, May 22, 2017 – Until Gearah Goldstein fully transitioned her gender, being female housed in a male body felt like a hunger she couldn't satisfy. A vital part of Goldstein's transition involved multiple gender confirmation surgeries several years ago that aligned her appearance with the person she's always felt like inside. Goldstein's experience highlights a growing trend among transgender people in the United States, who increasingly opt for various surgeries not only to alter their genitalia, but other sex-specific features, such as chest and facial contours. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) reports a nearly 20 percent jump in transgender-related surgeries in the first two years of collecting data on these procedures. "The findings highlight how important this type of corrective surgery really is," said Goldstein, 49, who lives in Chicago and works as an ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Sexual Deviations or Disorders, Gender Dysphoria
Artificial Hand 'Sees' Objects
Posted 4 May 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, May 4, 2017 – An artificial hand that "sees" is being tested for the first time. The "bionic hand" allows the wearer to reach for objects automatically, without thinking, just as a real hand would, British researchers report. The hand has a camera that instantaneously takes a picture of an object in front of it, to determine the shape and size of the object. Muscles in the arm are then stimulated to prompt the artificial hand to grasp the object. The study authors said that the hand is being tested in a small number of amputee patients. "Prosthetic limbs have changed very little in the past 100 years – the design is much better and the materials are lighter weight and more durable, but they still work in the same way," said study co-author Kianoush Nazarpour. He is a senior lecturer in biomedical engineering at Newcastle University in England. "Using computer vision, we have ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Diagnosis and Investigation
Women Fare Poorly With Aortic Aneurysm: Study
Posted 26 Apr 2017 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2017 – Women with abdominal aortic aneurysms have far worse outcomes than men, and their treatment needs to be dramatically improved, British researchers report. An abdominal aortic aneurysm occurs when there is weakening and ballooning of the wall of the aorta – the largest artery which carries blood from the heart through the abdomen to the rest of the body. Patients with the condition are at risk for a potentially life-threatening rupture. The researchers reviewed international studies conducted since 2000 and found that women with abdominal aorta aneurysm fare worse than men at every stage of treatment. Women are less likely to be offered surgery to repair the problem, including keyhole surgery, which is linked with better outcomes. The keyhole technique, considered to be minimally invasive, involves inserting a tube-like graft through the leg artery to repair ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Aortic Aneurysm, Vascular Surgery
Women More Sensitive to Metal Joint Implants Than Men: Study
Posted 26 Apr 2017 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 26, 2017 – One reason women are more likely than men to have complications after hip or knee replacement surgery may be because they're more sensitive to the metals in joint implants, a new study suggests. Researchers reviewed the cases of more than 2,600 patients who were evaluated for unexplained pain after total hip and/or knee replacement. All had metal implants. None had signs of infection, inflammation or other conditions that would explain their pain. Sixty percent of the patients were women. They had higher average pain scores than men – 6.8 vs. 6.1 on a scale of 0-10, according to the study. Blood tests showed signs of immune sensitization to implant metals in 49 percent of the women and 38 percent of the men. The gender difference remained even after researchers used a stricter definition of sensitization – 25 percent versus 18 percent. "These findings may ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Allergic Reactions, Allergies, Knee Joint Replacement, Hip Replacement, Orthopedic Surgery
Blood Test May Gauge Death Risk After Surgery
Posted 25 Apr 2017 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, April 25, 2017 – A highly sensitive blood test can identify patients with a raised risk of death in the month after surgery, a large study suggests. On average, 1 percent of patients die within 30 days after noncardiac surgery – most from a heart attack, said researcher Dr. P.J. Devereaux, a professor at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada. Testing for a protein called troponin that's found in heart muscle can help identify those post-op patients most at risk, Devereaux and an international team of researchers reported. However, the study could not prove a direct cause-and-effect relationship between troponin levels and death risk. Surgery is a major stress to the body's organs. Troponin is released into the blood when the heart muscle has been damaged, Devereaux explained. "Most of the heart injuries happen in the first day-and-a-half after surgery, when most patients are ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Heart Attack, Myocardial Infarction, Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease, Cardiovascular Risk Reduction, Surgical Prophylaxis, Cardiothoracic Surgery
Ask a Question
Further Information
Related Condition Support Groups
Surgical Prophylaxis, Ophthalmic Surgery, Head & Neck Surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Postoperative Albumin Loss, Vascular Surgery, Genitourinary Surgical and Other Conditions, Biliary Tract Surgery, Extracorporeal Perfusion
