Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Surgery for October 2014. 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.
Spinal Surgery Varies by Region in the United States
FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery for low back pain caused by spinal stenosis varies depending on where in the United States you live, according to a Dartmouth Atlas Project report.
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Surgeon Type Doesn't Affect Spinal Surgery Complications
FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Complication rates are similar for single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusions, whether the procedure is performed by a neurosurgeon or orthopedic surgeon, according to a study published in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine.
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Almost One in Five Americans Plagued by Constant Pain
FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Almost one-fifth of Americans suffer from chronic pain, a large new survey reveals, with the elderly and women suffering the most. The findings were published in the October issue of the Journal of Pain.
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Two Bariatric Surgery Techniques Compared
THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A comparison of two of the most common types of weight loss surgery indicates that laparoscopic gastric bypass helps patients shed more excess pounds than adjustable gastric banding, but carries a higher risk of short-term complications and long-term hospitalizations. The study was published online Oct. 29 in JAMA Surgery.
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Fewer Malpractice Claims Paid in the United States
THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The number of medical malpractice payments in the United States has dropped sharply since 2002, according to a new study. And compensation payment amounts and liability insurance costs for many doctors declined in recent years. These findings were published online Oct. 30 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Would Alternative Payment Plan Cut Medical Bills?
THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- New research supports replacing the traditional way of reimbursing doctors for care -- paying for each service provided -- with an alternative system that gives a set amount of money to health care organizations for patient care. The study was published in the Oct. 30 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Oral Bisphosphonate Use Cuts Risk of Post-Implant Revision Sx
THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing total joint replacement, oral bisphosphonate use is associated with a reduction in the risk of revision surgery, according to a study published in the November issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology.
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Microscope Use Doesn't Up Infection Risk in Spine Surgery
THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Use of an operating microscope does not appear to have much impact on risk of infection or operating room times in spine surgery, according to research published in the Oct. 15 issue of Spine.
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AMA Code of Ethics Offers Guidance for Physicians
THURSDAY, Oct. 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The American Medical Association (AMA) Code of Ethics and other articles provide guidance for physicians in relation to public health emergencies, according to a report from the AMA.
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Depression Influences Post-Op Satisfaction in Older Patients
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For older patients undergoing revision lumbar surgery, preoperative depression influences patient satisfaction two years after surgery, according to research published in the Sept. 1 issue of Spine.
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Voters' Views on Affordable Care Act Split Along Party Lines
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Americans' opinions about the Affordable Care Act (ACA) are sharply divided along political lines, according to research published online Oct. 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The findings come from 27 public opinion polls conducted by 14 organizations.
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Less Competition Among Docs = Higher Medical Costs
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Competition between medical practices helps keep health care costs lower, according to a study published in the Oct. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Noneconomic Damages Caps Cut Malpractice Payments by 15%
TUESDAY, Oct. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Adoption of noneconomic damages caps reduces average malpractice payments by 15 percent, according to research published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
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'Prehabilitation' Before Surgery May Aid Recovery
TUESDAY, Oct. 28, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Exercising, eating a healthy diet, and learning relaxation techniques before colorectal cancer surgery appear to speed a patient's recovery, according to a small study published in the November issue of Anesthesiology.
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Cadavers Beat Computers As Med School Teaching Tool
MONDAY, Oct. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Cadavers are better than a computer simulation of the human body for teaching anatomy to college students, according to research published in the September/October issue of Anatomical Sciences Education.
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New York, New Jersey Ease Ebola Quarantines
MONDAY, Oct. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Faced with pressure from the White House and criticism from infectious disease experts, the governors of New York and New Jersey have eased their quarantine measures that required all medical workers returning from West Africa who had contact with Ebola patients to be forced into isolation.
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CDC Issues Revised Interim U.S. Guidance on Ebola
MONDAY, Oct. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Today, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a revision of their Ebola guideline document -- Interim Guidance for Monitoring and Movement of Persons with Ebola Virus Disease Exposure.
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Suboptimal Staging Linked to Mortality in Bladder Cancer
MONDAY, Oct. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with bladder cancer, the omission of muscle in the specimen or its mention in the pathology report is associated with increased mortality, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in Cancer.
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Neurophysiological Assessment Aids in Identifying Back Injury
FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with lumbosacral disc herniation, neurophysiological tests together with neuroimaging and clinical examination allow for accurate preoperative assessment of injury, according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of Spine.
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Risk-Adjusted Readmission Rates Similar After Colorectal Sx
FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- There is little variation in risk-adjusted hospital readmission rates after colorectal surgery, according to a study published online Oct. 22 in JAMA Surgery.
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Breast Cancer Markers Commonly Used for Routine Surveillance
FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Breast cancer tumor markers are frequently used for routine surveillance in nonmetastatic breast cancer, and their use has been found to increase the number of diagnostic procedures performed as well as the total cost of care, according to a study published online Oct. 20 in the Journal of Clinical Oncology.
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New York City Health Officials Confirm First Ebola Case
FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- New York City health officials said Thursday that a health care worker who recently returned from West Africa has tested positive for Ebola. The patient, identified as Craig Spencer, M.D., by city officials, had been working with Doctors Without Borders helping to treat Ebola patients in Guinea, one of three West Africa countries hit hard by the disease.
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Airborne Transmission of Ebola Highly Unlikely
FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- People face no threat of airborne transmission of Ebola, according to a panel of Ebola experts gathered by the New England Journal of Medicine for an issue briefing Wednesday.
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Use of BMP Doesn't Impact Nonunion Rates Post Spine Fusion
THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The use of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) is not associated with operative nonunion rates after spinal fusion, according to a study published in the Oct. 15 issue of Spine.
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Coworker Response 'Crucial' in Workplace Bullying Resolution
THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Targets of workplace bullying can offer chaos, report, or quest narratives about their experiences, and coworker response plays a role in narrative development, according to a study published online Sept. 25 in Management Communication Quarterly.
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Mortality Declines for Aortic Dissection Patients
THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Over the last decade, mortality rates for patients undergoing surgical repair for aortic dissection have improved, according to a study published online Oct. 21 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.
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Doctors Often Unaware Their Patients Have Catheters
THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors don't always know about the presence of a central venous catheter in their patients, according to research findings published in the Oct. 21 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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U.S. Ranks Last Among Wealthy Nations in Health Care Access
THURSDAY, Oct. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. health care system ranks last compared to other industrialized nations when it comes to affordability and patient access, according to a new survey published in the Oct. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Americans Report Distrust of Medical Profession
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Americans are less trusting of the medical profession than people in many other countries -- even though they often like their own doctor, according to a new report. The findings were published in the Oct. 23 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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U.S. Residents Back From Ebola-Affected Areas to Be Tracked
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Public health officials plan to actively monitor all U.S. residents returning home from one of the three Ebola-affected nations in West Africa, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.
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APIC Provides Resources for Ebola Management
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Resources are available to increase protection against Ebola transmission, according to a report from the Association for Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC).
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Depression Tied to Worse Lumbar Spine Surgery Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Depressive symptoms are associated with poorer long-term outcome in patients undergoing surgery for lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Hospital Conversion to For-Profit Status Ups Financial Margins
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital conversion to for-profit status is associated with improvements in financial margins, but has no effect on process quality metrics or mortality rates, according to a study published in the Oct. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Surgical Site Infections Up for Medicaid Patients With Spine Sx
TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with Medicaid undergoing spine surgery have increased odds of having a surgical site infection, according to a study published in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine.
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Price Transparency Platform Linked to Lower Claims Payments
TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Access to an employer-sponsored private price transparency platform is associated with reduced total claims payments, according to research published in the Oct. 22/29 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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CDC: 'Think Ebola' and 'Care Carefully'
TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued updated guidelines for the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) by health care workers when caring for patients with Ebola, along with a reminder to health care workers to "Think Ebola" and to "Care Carefully."
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Law Requiring Release of Health Information Upheld
TUESDAY, Oct. 21, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A state law that requires plaintiffs to release relevant protected health information before proceeding with allegations of medical liability has been upheld by a federal appeals court, according to the American Medical Association (AMA).
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Viewpoint: Getting United States Prepared for Ebola Outbreak
MONDAY, Oct. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A case of delayed Ebola diagnosis in Dallas and subsequent infection of health care workers has highlighted the lack of preparedness for a U.S. outbreak of the disease, according to a viewpoint piece published online Oct. 17 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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New MCAT Shifts Focus, Will Include Humanities
MONDAY, Oct. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) has been revised, and the latest changes, including more humanities such as social sciences, are due to be implemented next April, according to a report from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).
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Equation Helps Assess Blood Flow to Breast Reconstruction Flaps
FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A simple formula can reliably predict whether there will be sufficient blood flow to deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap pedicles in women undergoing breast reconstruction using the advanced DIEP technique, according to a study published online Oct. 3 in Plastic Reconstructive Surgery Global Open.
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Obama Appoints Ron Klain As 'Ebola Czar'
FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- President Barack Obama on Friday appointed Ron Klain, a former chief of staff to Vice President Joe Biden, as Ebola "czar" to oversee the federal government's response to the presence of virus in the United States.
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Specialized Care Centers May Be Needed to Contain Ebola
FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Specialized medical centers may be necessary to adequately treat and contain the Ebola virus in the United States, according to an ideas and opinions piece published online Oct. 16 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Many Docs Believe Mobile Health Apps Can Improve Patient Care
FRIDAY, Oct. 17, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A Manhattan Research survey recently found that many physicians believe digital communication technologies, including mobile apps, can be used to improve patient outcomes, according to an article published Oct. 8 in Medical Economics.
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Surgery May Not Fix Long-Term Palsy of Spine Disease
THURSDAY, Oct. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Duration of palsy should be considered when selecting candidates for surgical management of painless foot drop in patients with degenerative lumbar disorders, according to research published in the October issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques.
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Ebola Workshop Scheduled for Nov. 3 in Washington, D.C.
THURSDAY, Oct. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- At the request of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Institute of Medicine and the National Research Council will host a workshop to discuss research needed to prepare for handling the occurrence of Ebola virus disease in the United States, according to a press release from the National Academies.
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Limiting Malpractice Claims May Not Curb Costly Medical Tests
THURSDAY, Oct. 16, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Malpractice reform may not keep physicians from ordering unnecessary and expensive tests, according to a study published in the Oct. 16 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
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Change in Doc, Public Attitudes Needed to Cut Overtreatment
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Reform of malpractice laws as well as inclusion of patients in medical decision making may help reduce overdiagnosis and overtreatment, according to an article published online Oct. 14 in The BMJ.
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Allergy to Some Metal Implants Linked to Rare Skin Cancer
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A rare type of skin cancer has been linked to allergic reactions to metal implants, according to research published online Oct. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
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Second Health Care Worker in Dallas Tests Positive for Ebola
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A second health care worker who helped treat a patient who died of Ebola last week at a Dallas hospital has tested positive for the disease, health officials said Wednesday morning.
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CDC Takes Steps Toward Hospital Preparedness for Ebola
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sent new resources to Dallas to support the highest standard of infection control, according to a news release issued by the organization Tuesday.
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Resident Proficiency in High-Value Care Is Hard to Test
TUESDAY, Oct. 14, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The high-value care (HVC) subscore on the Internal Medicine In-Training Examination (IM-ITE) helps assess resident knowledge of HVC, but additional tools are needed to measure proficiency in practice, according to research published online Oct. 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Health Officials Reviewing Ebola Procedures at Dallas Hospital
MONDAY, Oct. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Federal and local health officials said Monday that they were re-examining infection-control efforts at the Dallas hospital where a nurse contracted Ebola while caring for America's first diagnosed victim of the deadly disease.
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Texas Hospital Worker Tests Positive for Ebola
MONDAY, Oct. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A health care worker who helped treat the Liberian man who died of Ebola in a Dallas hospital last week has tested positive for the virus, public health officials reported Sunday.
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Yoga Pose May Help Reduce Spinal Curve of Scoliosis
MONDAY, Oct. 13, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Asymmetric strengthening with yoga may reduce abnormal spinal curvature in patients with scoliosis, according to research published in the September issue of Global Advances in Health and Medicine.
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FDA: Akynzeo Approved for Chemo-Related Nausea/Vomiting
FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The combination drug Akynzeo (netupitant and palonosetron) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat nausea and vomiting among people undergoing chemotherapy, the agency said Friday in a news release.
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Americans Increasingly Anxious About Ebola
FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- One-quarter of Americans now view Ebola as a major public health threat to the United States, with many saying they'd change their travel plans due to Ebola fears, a new Harris Poll/HealthDay survey reveals.
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Surgeons Vary in Treatment of Recurrent Herniated Disc
FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A recent survey shows differences among spine surgeons in the United States in preferences for surgical treatment of recurrent lumbar disc herniation. The results of the survey were research published in the Oct. 1 issue of The Spine Journal.
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Specialty Drugs May Be Worth the Higher Costs
FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Despite high costs, specialty drugs may provide value that balances the price difference compared with traditional drugs, according to research published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
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Alternative Beats Conventional ABI Method for Predicting PAD
FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Ankle-brachial index (ABI) detected by an alternative method involving the lower of two systolic ankle pressures (LABI) is more sensitive and better for predicting peripheral artery disease (PAD), according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Anticoagulation Use in Urology Patients Requires Pre-Planning
FRIDAY, Oct. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Perioperative planning is needed for decisions of timing of anticoagulation therapy in patients undergoing urological procedures, according to a review published in the October issue of The Journal of Urology.
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High-Intensity Ultrasound OK for Cesarean Scar Pregnancy
THURSDAY, Oct. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) can play a role in treating cesarean scar pregnancy (CSP), according to a small study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Reducing Residency Work Hours Doesn't Affect Patient Outcomes
THURSDAY, Oct. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Duty-hour reforms have not adversely affected hospital mortality or length-of-stay of patients cared for by new attending physicians who were partly or fully exposed to reduced duty hours during residency, according to research published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
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Five Major U.S. Airports to Screen Travelers for Ebola
THURSDAY, Oct. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Five major U.S. airports will begin screening travelers entering the country from the three West African nations hit hardest by the ongoing Ebola epidemic, federal health officials announced Wednesday.
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Dallas Ebola Patient Has Died, Hospital Officials Confirm
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Thomas Eric Duncan, the Liberian national who was the first person diagnosed with Ebola in the United States, died Wednesday morning at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital in Dallas.
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CDC: U.S. Life Expectancy Hits Record High of Nearly 79 Years
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Average life expectancy in the United States reached an all-time high of 78.8 years in 2012, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. For people 65 years old in 2012, life expectancy was an additional 19.3 years, up slightly from the year before. Women age 65 and older in 2012 can expect to live another 20.5 years, while men may get around an additional 18 years.
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AAFP Urges Docs to Check Accuracy of Open Payments Data
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) urges family doctors to check the accuracy of the first set of data published by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Open Payments transparency program.
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Smoking Ups Pseudarthrosis After 2-Level Fusion of Lumbar Spine
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing posterolateral fusion (PLF) of the lumbar spine, smoking is associated with increased rate of pseudarthrosis among those undergoing two-level, but not single-level, PLF, according to research published in the Oct. 1 issue of Spine.
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Methodology Addresses 'Awakenings' Under Anesthesia
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 8, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- New methodology can be used to examine the incidence, predisposing factors, causality, and impact of accidental awareness during general anesthesia, according to research published in the October issue of the British Journal of Anaesthesia.
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About Half of All U.S. Hospital Patients Receive Antibiotics
TUESDAY, Oct. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- About half of all U.S. hospital patients receive antibiotics, and these drugs are commonly the ones more likely to promote the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, according to a new study, led by researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and published in the Oct. 8 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, a theme issue on infectious disease. The CDC also funded the study.
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Obama Considers Tighter Ebola Screening for Travelers
TUESDAY, Oct. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- President Barack Obama said Monday that his administration is preparing additional screening measures to prevent the Ebola epidemic in West Africa from gaining a foothold in the United States.
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Insulin Dependence Ups Post-Op Complication Risk
TUESDAY, Oct. 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Patients with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) have an increased risk of a number of postoperative complications after lumbar fusion compared with those who have noninsulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or no diabetes, according to a study published in the Oct. 1 issue of Spine.
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CDC Team Assisting Ebola Response in Dallas
MONDAY, Oct. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Experts from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have arrived in Texas and are working closely with Texas state and local health departments to investigate the first Ebola case in the United States, according to a news release issued by the agency.
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Heart Bypass Patients May Not Need Tight Glucose Control
MONDAY, Oct. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) patients might not need to follow strict glucose control after their surgery, according to a study published in the October issue of the Annals of Thoracic Surgery. Some previous research suggested that high glucose after CABG and other types of heart surgery was associated with increased risk of health problems and death, but more recent research has found that might not be the case.
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States Encouraged to Use Physician Assistant Workforce
MONDAY, Oct. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Physician assistants (PAs) have an important role in the provision of health care and their role should be encouraged by appropriate state legislation, according to a report from the National Governors Association.
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Impact of Physician Payments Sunshine Act Discussed
MONDAY, Oct. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The Physician Payments Sunshine Act is causing concern for manufacturers and providers, as well as physicians, according to a health policy brief published online Oct. 2 in Health Affairs.
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BMP Use in Spinal Arthrodesis Doesn't Up Cancer Risk
MONDAY, Oct. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Recent use of recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) in spinal arthrodesis is not associated with increased cancer risk, according to research published in the Sept. 3 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Physician Payments Found Not to Favor Procedures
FRIDAY, Oct. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Physician Fee Schedule does not systematically provide higher valuation of physician work per unit time for procedure/test codes than for evaluation and management (E/M) codes, according to a study published online Sept. 18 in the Annals of Surgery.
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Hospital Charges for Adolescent Scoliosis Surgery Up
FRIDAY, Oct. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Over the last decade, the number of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) fusion procedures has remained constant, although hospital charges for the procedure have increased substantially, according to a study published in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine.
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VTE Prophylaxis Effect Varies for Otolaryngology Patients
FRIDAY, Oct. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing otolaryngology surgery, the effectiveness and safety of venous thromboembolism (VTE) prophylaxis vary in patient subgroups, according to research published online Oct. 2 in JAMA Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery.
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Bioprosthetic and Mechanical Aortic Valves Compared
THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new study compares two leading types of aortic valve replacements and finds they have similar performance in terms of long-term risk of stroke and death for patients. The findings were published in the Oct. 1 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Medical Errors Should Be Used to Improve Patient Care
THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Medical errors occur and should be used to help improve medical processes, according to a report from the American Medical Association.
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Remission of T2DM Without Bariatric Sx Found to Be Rare
THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For adults with type 2 diabetes, remission is possible without bariatric surgery, but rarely occurs, according to a study published online Sept. 17 in Diabetes Care.
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'High-Intensity' Hospitals Save More Elderly After Surgery
THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Failure-to-rescue rates for elderly patients after major surgery are lower at hospitals with "high care intensity" compared with hospitals that display less intensity, according to research published online Oct. 1 in JAMA Surgery.
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Program Improves Instrument Cost Efficiency of Spine Surgery
THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Applying principles of Lean management may optimize instrument utilization for spine surgery, according to research published in the Sept. 15 issue of Spine.
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Hydrocodone Combo Products Reclassified As Schedule II
THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A new rule taking effect Oct. 6 reclassifies hydrocodone combination products as Schedule II controlled substances, which will impact prescribing practices for these products, according to a report from the federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
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Providers Received Billions From Drug/Device Companies
THURSDAY, Oct. 2, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- About 546,000 doctors and 1,360 teaching hospitals in the United States received billions of dollars from drug and medical device makers in the second half of 2013, according to data released Tuesday by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The financial benefits ranged from research grants to trips, and totaled nearly $3.5 billion from August through December last year, the Associated Press reported.
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Periarticular Injection Superior to Epidural Analgesia in TKA
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, periarticular injection is superior to epidural analgesia for pain control, according to a study published in the Sept. 3 issue of The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery.
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Burnout on the Job Isn't Just About the Work
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Work, non-work, and individual factors explain a considerable part of psychological distress, depression, and emotional exhaustion, according to a study published online July 24 in Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology.
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CDC Confirms First Patient Diagnosed With Ebola in U.S.
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The first confirmed case of Ebola has surfaced in the United States, involving a man who recently flew here from Liberia, federal health officials from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced late Tuesday.
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