Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Surgery for November 2016. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Improved Cognitive Status Seen Following TAVR
TUESDAY, Nov. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is associated with global improvement in cognitive status, according to a study published in the Nov. 15 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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Optimal MELD Threshold for HCV Tx Pre-Liver Transplant 23 to 27
TUESDAY, Nov. 29, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients with decompensated cirrhosis who are eligible for liver transplant (LT), the optimal model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) threshold below which they should receive HCV treatment is 23 to 27, according to a study published online Nov. 5 in Hepatology.
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Decision Aid Ups Rate of Knee Replacement Surgery for Blacks
MONDAY, Nov. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- A decision aid can increase the rate of total knee replacement (TKR) surgery among black patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA), according to a study published online Nov. 23 in JAMA Surgery.
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Link Found Between Surgery and Development of Guillain-Barré
MONDAY, Nov. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Patients who've recently undergone surgery -- especially those with cancer or autoimmune diseases -- experience slightly higher risks of developing Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) soon afterward, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in Neurology: Clinical Practice.
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Out-of-Pocket Cancer Costs High for Patients With Medicare Only
MONDAY, Nov. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Medical bills for older U.S. cancer patients can cost one-quarter of their income or more if they have Medicare without supplemental insurance, according to a study published online Nov. 23 in JAMA Oncology.
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Long-Term Improvement in Insulin Sensitivity After RYGB
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Despite weight regain, Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) is associated with long-term improvement in insulin sensitivity and adipose phenotypes, according to a study published online Nov. 16 in Diabetes Care.
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Lean Six Methodology Can Cut Health Care-Linked Infections
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 23, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Application of the Lean Six Sigma (LSS) methodology can reduce the risk of health care-associated infections (HAI) among patients undergoing surgical procedures, according to a study published online Nov. 18 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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Rising Rx, ER Prices Pushing U.S. Health Care Spending Up
TUESDAY, Nov. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Privately insured Americans spent nearly 5 percent more on health care last year than in 2014; this increase was significantly more than that seen in previous years and reflects higher costs for prescription drugs, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, according to a report published Nov. 22 by the Health Care Cost Institute.
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Computer Order Entry System Ups Antimicrobial Policy Compliance
TUESDAY, Nov. 22, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Use of a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system can improve compliance with antimicrobial restriction policies, according to a study published online Nov. 16 in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice and Research.
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Local Anesthetic As Safe As General Anesthetic for TAVR
MONDAY, Nov. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), local anesthetic (LA) is as safe as general anesthetic (GA), with shorter procedure time and number of days in the hospital, according to a study published in the Dec. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Metabolic Benefit Same With Similar Weight Loss After Surgery
MONDAY, Nov. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Early metabolic differences following laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB) and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) in obese individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) disappear when weight loss reaches 20 percent, regardless of surgery type, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in Diabetes Care.
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Updated Index Predicts Survival in NSCLC With Brain Metastases
MONDAY, Nov. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- An updated index incorporating gene and molecular alterations can predict survival in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with brain metastases, according to a study published online Nov. 17 in JAMA Oncology.
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Single-Incision Laparoscopic Appendectomy Preferable
FRIDAY, Nov. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with acute appendicitis, single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) is preferable to conventional three-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (CTLA), according to a review published online Nov. 15 in the Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine.
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Urgency, Incontinence Improve After Anterior Urethroplasty
FRIDAY, Nov. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Many males undergoing anterior urethroplasty experience improvement in urgency and urge incontinence, according to a study published in the December issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Barriers Identified in Current Knee Osteoarthritis Care
FRIDAY, Nov. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- In current knee osteoarthritis care, both personal factors and factors related to health care professionals play a role in treatment nonadherence, according to a study published online Nov. 14 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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Ablative Fractional Laser Beneficial for C-Section Scars
TUESDAY, Nov. 15, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Ablative fractional laser (AFXL) treatment is beneficial for patients with cesarean section (C-section) scars, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine.
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Guidelines Updated for Management of PAD
MONDAY, Nov. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- In a Clinical Practice Guideline published online Nov. 13 in Circulation, evidence-based recommendations are presented for the management of peripheral artery disease (PAD), focusing on lifestyle modification as well as medical treatment.
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HR Capabilities Positively Linked to Quality of Patient Care
FRIDAY, Nov. 11, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Human resource (HR) capabilities are positively associated with quality of patient care, with the relationship mediated by proactive work, according to a study published recently in Human Resource Management.
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Better Teamwork Linked to Improved Outcomes for CABG
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 9, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), surgical outcomes are better for health systems with physicians who have higher teamwork levels, according to a study published online Nov. 8 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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Long-Term Health Not Improved for Childhood Cancer Survivors
TUESDAY, Nov. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Despite three decades of advancements in treating children with cancer, patients who survive into adulthood don't report better physical or mental health than their counterparts who were treated years ago, according to research published online Nov. 8 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Guideline Adapted for Surgical Antimicrobial Prophylaxis
TUESDAY, Nov. 8, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- An adapted clinical practice guideline (CPG), published online Nov. 3 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, has been developed for surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis (SAP), using two validated tools.
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School Grades May Be Affected by Anesthesia Before Age 4
MONDAY, Nov. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Children exposed to surgical anesthesia before the age of 4 may have slightly lower school grades and IQ scores in their late teen years, according to a study published online Nov. 7 in JAMA Pediatrics.
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Second Opinions Seldom Change Prostate Cancer Decisions
MONDAY, Nov. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Second opinions have little impact on prostate cancer patients' treatment decisions, according to findings published online Nov. 7 in Cancer.
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Five Strategies Can Reduce Risk of Medical Lawsuits
MONDAY, Nov. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Five strategies can be employed by physicians in order to help reduce the risk of lawsuits, according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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Experience of Spouses Explored in Pre-Heart Transplant Period
FRIDAY, Nov. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- In a review published online Nov. 2 in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, six themes are identified among spouses of heart transplant recipients, some of which are associated with high levels of stress.
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Robotic Surgery Faster for Laparoscopy in Endometrial CA
THURSDAY, Nov. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with endometrial cancer, robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery is faster than traditional surgery, according to a study published in the November issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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ASCO Updates Guidelines on Integration of Palliative Care
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- The American Society of Clinical Oncology Clinical Practice Guideline on the integration of palliative care into standard oncology care has been updated. The update was published online Oct. 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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In-Hospital Mortality Down With Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Sx
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) lobectomy is associated with lower in-hospital mortality and shorter length of hospital stay versus open thoracotomy, according to a study published online Oct. 25 in the Annals of the American Thoracic Society.
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Patient Age Linked to Survival in Papillary Thyroid Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Nov. 2, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), patient age is associated with death in a linear fashion, with no apparent age cut point demarcating survival difference, according to a study published online Oct. 28 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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