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Surgery News
Taking Opioids Before Knee Surgery Could Raise Pain Later
Posted 1 day 12 hours ago 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: Surgery, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin, Osteoarthritis, Norco, Lortab, Roxicodone, Knee Joint Replacement, Endocet, Acetaminophen/Hydrocodone, Percocet 10/325, Vicoprofen, Hydromet, Roxicet, Acetaminophen/Oxycodone, Tussionex Pennkinetic, Lorcet 10/650
U.S. Transgender Surgeries Up 20 Percent in 2 Years
Posted 2 days 12 hours ago 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
Don't Give Kids Medicines With Codeine, Tramadol: FDA
Posted 20 Apr 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, April 20, 2017 – Parents shouldn't give their children any medications containing the narcotics codeine or tramadol, because they can cause life-threatening breathing problems, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday. Warning labels on medications with codeine or tramadol will be strengthened to reflect these potential dangers, the FDA said in a statement. Nursing mothers should also avoid using these drugs, since they can pass unsafe levels of opioids to their babies through their breast milk, the agency said. Children's bodies tend to process opioids more quickly than most adults, due to their smaller size. That can cause the level of narcotics in their bloodstream to rise too high and too quickly, risking overdose, the agency explained. Tramadol is a prescription drug that is only approved for adults to treat pain, the agency noted. Codeine products are ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Obesity, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, Tramadol, Methadone, OxyContin, Fentanyl, Morphine, Codeine, Opana, Subutex, Dilaudid, Butrans, Nucynta, Opana ER, Roxicodone, MS Contin, Ultram, Hydromorphone
Americans Are Spending Billions Nipping and Tucking
Posted 12 Apr 2017 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 12, 2017 – Are Americans actually trying to keep up with the Kardashians – the celebrity family focused on looking good? Maybe, because people are spending more than ever before in the quest to look younger and more attractive. A new report from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) found that Americans spent $16 billion on cosmetic plastic surgery and minimally invasive procedures in 2016. The most popular surgical procedures and their national average costs were: Breast augmentation – more than 290,000 procedures at a cost of about $3,700 each; Liposuction – about 235,000 procedures at $3,200; Nose reshaping – 223,000 procedures at $5,000; Tummy tuck – almost 128,000 procedures at around $5,800; Buttock augmentation – nearly 19,000 procedures at about $4,400. But what if you're lacking that Kardashian cash? Are there ways you can boost your looks ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Facial Wrinkles, Facial Lipoatrophy, Myobloc, Botulinum Toxin Type B, Lip Augmentation
Surgery May Be Best for Advanced Melanoma
Posted 5 Apr 2017 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, April 5, 2017 – Surgery to remove melanoma – the deadliest form of skin cancer – can extend the lives of patients whose disease has spread to the abdomen area, new research suggests. Patients who get drug therapy and surgery to remove their cancer live twice as long – 18 months on average – as those who only get medication, researchers found. "Now that there are better options systemically, the decision-making about treatment has become more complex. Having this data available could potentially impact discussions about treatment and benefit patients long-term," said study leader Dr. Gary Deutsch, a cancer surgeon at Northwell Health in Great Neck, N.Y. "I think the combination of immunotherapy with surgical therapy ... could potentially lead to curing more patients," he said in a health system news release. Immunotherapy prompts a patient's immune system to destroy ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Melanoma, Melanoma - Metastatic
How Doctors Decide to Treat a Ruptured Achilles
Posted 27 Mar 2017 by Drugs.com
SATURDAY, March 25, 2017 – Whether your doctor recommends surgery for a ruptured Achilles tendon may depend partly on your age and activity level, foot experts say. The Achilles tendon is a band of tissue that runs down the back of the lower leg and connects the calf muscle to the heel bone. A rupture is a complete or partial tear of the tendon that leaves the heel bone separated or partially separated from the knee. Length of recovery from this type of injury varies depending on whether a patient undergoes surgical or nonsurgical treatment. "Treatment processes are dependent upon a patient's overall health, activity level and ability to follow a functional rehabilitation protocol," said Dr. Jeffrey McAlister, a foot and ankle surgeon in Sun City West, Ariz. Advances in treating Achilles tendon rupture were discussed by McAlister and other specialists at a recent meeting of the ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Tendonitis, Fracture, bone, Orthopedic Surgery
Many Doctors Get Payments From Drug Companies, Study Shows
Posted 21 Mar 2017 by Drugs.com
TUESDAY, March 21, 2017 – Many American doctors receive payments from drug companies, but few patients know about those financial ties, a new study finds. Researchers surveyed 3,500 adult patients and then checked on their doctors in Open Payments, a government website that reports drug and medical device company payments to physicians. The study found that within the previous year, 65 percent of patients visited doctors who got payments or gifts from drug or medical device companies, but only 5 percent of the patients were aware of those doctor-industry links. Patients who visited certain types of specialists were even more likely to have seen a doctor who had been paid. For example, the rates were 85 percent among patients who saw an orthopedic surgeon and 77 percent among patients who saw an obstetrician or gynecologist. The study was published recently in the Journal of General ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Gynecological Conditions, Labor and Delivery including Augmentation
With Nips, Tucks and Fat Transplants, Americans are Reshaping Their Bodies
Posted 2 Mar 2017 by Drugs.com
THURSDAY, March 2, 2017 – From face-lifts to fat grafts, Americans are increasingly turning to cosmetic procedures to look their best. The number of these procedures in the United States rose 3 percent last year from 2015, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That's 17.1 million surgeries, Botox injections, chemical peels and other minimally invasive procedures. "A decade ago plastic surgeons might have seen a patient every seven to 10 years when they needed a major procedure like a face-lift or tummy tuck. Now patients have ongoing relationships with their plastic surgeons and feel more comfortable discussing all areas of their body that they may be interested in rejuvenating," ASPS President Dr. Debra Johnson said in a society news release. Removing fat from places where it is unwanted (say, the abdomen) and injecting it to shore up a sagging chin, buttock or breast ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Facial Wrinkles, Gastric Bypass Surgery, Facial Lipoatrophy, Myobloc, Botulinum Toxin Type B, Orbicularis Oculi, Lip Augmentation
Is Surgery Always Needed for Kids' Appendicitis?
Posted 17 Feb 2017 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Feb. 17, 2017 – Skipping surgery and treating appendicitis with antibiotics alone may be a safe approach for many children, a new analysis suggests. Reviewing 10 studies on more than 400 young patients, researchers found that nonsurgical treatment for an inflamed appendix appeared effective overall. But, appendicitis recurred in 14 percent of patients, and the study authors urged more research to inform doctors' decision-making. "It may in the future be appropriate to offer nonoperative treatment, with antibiotics, as an alternative to children with acute uncomplicated appendicitis," said study author Dr. Nigel Hall. He's an associate professor of pediatric surgery at the University of Southampton in England. "However, at this stage we would not recommend that nonoperative treatment is offered as treatment outside of a carefully designed research study," Hall added. "This is ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Appendicitis, Appendectomy
Rude, Disrespectful Surgeons May Also Be More Error-Prone: Study
Posted 15 Feb 2017 by Drugs.com
WEDNESDAY, Feb. 15, 2017 – Surgeons with a history of patient complaints regarding their personalities or attitude are also more likely to make mistakes in the operating room, a new study finds. Researchers compared surgical outcomes with patient reports of unprofessional behavior by their doctors at several health systems in the United States. The investigators found that people treated by surgeons who had the most complaints had nearly 14 percent more complications in the month after surgery than patients treated by surgeons viewed as more respectful. Complications included surgical-site infections, pneumonia, kidney conditions, stroke, heart problems, blood clots, sepsis and urinary tract infections, according to the study led by Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) researchers. Lead author Dr. William Cooper said surgeons who are rude and disrespectful to patients might also ... Read more
Related support groups: Infections, Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, Surgical Prophylaxis, Gastrointestinal Surgery
U.S. Doctors Trained Overseas Have Slightly Better Patient Outcomes
Posted 6 Feb 2017 by Drugs.com
FRIDAY, Feb. 3, 2017 – Death rates are lower for older Americans treated by doctors trained in other countries than by those who went to a U.S. medical school, a new study reports. That finding held true even though foreign-trained doctors are more likely to care for patients with more chronic health problems. The results of this study should dispel Americans' concerns about the quality of care provided by doctors trained in other countries, the researchers said. The study included information from more than 1.2 million Medicare patients aged 65 and older. All had been admitted to the hospital between 2011 and 2014. The 30-day death rate was 11.2 percent for patients treated by foreign-trained doctors and 11.6 percent for those treated by U.S.-trained doctors, the investigators found. There was no difference in patient hospital readmission rates. But the cost of care was slightly ... Read more
Related support groups: Surgery, Hip Replacement, Orthopedic Surgery, Head & Neck Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery
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Surgical Prophylaxis, Ophthalmic Surgery, Neurosurgery, Head & Neck Surgery, Gastrointestinal Surgery, Postoperative Albumin Loss, Orthopedic Surgery, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Genitourinary Surgical and Other Conditions, Biliary Tract Surgery, Extracorporeal Perfusion
