Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Surgery for October 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.
Few Changes in Employer-Sponsored Insurance 2013-2014
MONDAY, Oct. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Private sector employer-sponsored health insurance offerings were similar in 2013 and 2014, with <3.5 percent of employers dropping coverage and 1.1 percent adding coverage, according to a report published online Oct. 26 in Health Affairs.
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Older, Younger Women Equally Benefit From Breast Recon
MONDAY, Oct. 31, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Older breast cancer patients who have undergone mastectomy benefit as much as younger women from breast reconstruction, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
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Useful Tips Offered for Addressing Negative Patient Reviews
FRIDAY, Oct. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- In an article published in Medical Economics, five tips are presented to address negative patient reviews.
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Study Duration Affects Rate of Diabetes Remission Post-RYGB
FRIDAY, Oct. 28, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- After Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery, variations in rates of diabetes remission are primarily related to differences in the definition of remission and study duration, according to a review published online Oct. 13 in Diabetes Care.
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Review: Reduced Risk of Death for Left-Sided Colon Cancer
THURSDAY, Oct. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- The side of origin of colon cancer (CC) impacts prognosis, with reduced risk of death for left-sided CC (LCC), according to a review published online Oct. 27 in JAMA Oncology.
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Mohs Effective for Melanoma in Situ of Trunk, Extremities
THURSDAY, Oct. 27, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Mohs micrographic surgery is efficacious for melanoma in situ (MIS) on the trunk and proximal extremities, with a margin of 9 mm needed to excise 97 percent of MIS, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Bariatric Surgery May Be Cost-Effective in Severely Obese Teens
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 26, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Bariatric surgery not only helps severely obese teens lose weight, it may pay for itself in health care savings over time, according to a study published online Oct. 26 in JAMA Surgery.
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Factors ID'd for Recurrence After Radical Cystectomy
TUESDAY, Oct. 25, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing robot-assisted radical cystectomy, predictors of recurrence include mainly tumor characteristics, according to a study published in the October issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Smoking Still Responsible for Many U.S. Cancer Deaths
MONDAY, Oct. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one-third of cancer deaths among Americans aged 35 or older are caused by smoking, and the rate is much higher in the South, according to research published online Oct. 24 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
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Improved Leg Ulcer Healing With Hair Follicle Punch Graft
MONDAY, Oct. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with venous leg ulcers, ulcer healing is significantly increased using hair follicle punch scalp grafts, according to a study published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.
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Five-Year Outcomes Similar for Off-, On-Pump CABG in CAD
MONDAY, Oct. 24, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Five-year outcomes are similar for patients with coronary artery disease who undergo off-pump or on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), according to a study published online Oct. 23 in the New England Journal of Medicine to coincide with the annual Canadian Cardiovascular Congress, held from Oct. 22 to 25 in Montreal.
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Nasal Chondrocytes Used to Repair Damaged Knee Joints
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- A new approach to the treatment of articular cartilage injuries has been developed and appears promising, according to a report published in the Oct. 22 issue of The Lancet.
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Surgeon Experience Influences Post-Op Mobilization Orders
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Patient characteristics and surgeon factors influence surgeons' postoperative weight-bearing orders after hip fracture repair, according to research published online Oct. 6 in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice.
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Higher Grade Disease at Prostatectomy With Surveillance
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For men with low-risk prostate cancer, those who enter active surveillance have higher grade of disease at prostatectomy, but no difference in other adverse pathological outcomes, compared to those undergoing immediate surgery, according to a study published in the November issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Multiple Factors Tied to Spinal Op Fulfillment of Expectations
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing lumbar and cervical spine surgeries, multiple variables are associated with fulfillment of expectations after surgery, according to a study published in the October issue of The Spine Journal.
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Bundled-Payment Program Deemed Better for Breast CA Care
FRIDAY, Oct. 21, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For breast cancer care, a bundled-payment program is associated with better adherence to quality indicators and better outcomes over time compared with a fee-for-service (FFS) program, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in JAMA Oncology.
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Pregnancy Soon After Bariatric Surgery May Raise Risks
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Infants born to mothers who've had bariatric surgery have a higher risk for complications, and the risks are greatest for those born within two years of the surgery, according to a study published online Oct. 19 in JAMA Surgery.
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Superior Morbidity Profile for Robotic Partial Nephrectomy
THURSDAY, Oct. 20, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Compared with laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, robotic partial nephrectomy is associated with a superior morbidity profile, according to a meta-analysis published in the November issue of The Journal of Urology.
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Prevalence of Employment Does Not Change Post Bariatric Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Patients undergoing bariatric surgery maintain their employment status and have reduced prevalence of presenteeism after surgery, according to a study published in the Oct. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
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Financial Toxicity Is a Relevant Cancer Outcome Measure
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 19, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Financial toxicity is a clinically relevant outcome for patients receiving treatment for advanced cancer, according to a study published online Oct. 7 in Cancer.
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Post-Op Mortality for Elective Surgeries No Higher on Fridays
TUESDAY, Oct. 18, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Patients having elective surgery on Fridays are no more likely to die than patients who undergo procedures any other weekday, according to research published online Oct. 17 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
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Outcomes Up for Seniors With Hip Fx in Large Teaching Hospitals
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Seniors with hip fractures may be more likely to die if they're treated in smaller community hospitals than in large teaching hospitals, according to a study published online Oct. 17 in CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.
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New Recs for RBC Transfusion, Optimal RBC Storage Length
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- In a clinical practice guideline published online Oct. 12 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, recommendations are presented for the target hemoglobin level for red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and optimal duration of RBC storage.
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Lower Monthly Premiums for Narrow-Network Plans
MONDAY, Oct. 17, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Narrow-network health insurance plans have lower monthly premiums than larger-network plans, according to a study published in the October issue of Health Affairs.
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CDC: Possible Contamination of Open-Heart Surgery Devices
FRIDAY, Oct. 14, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Some LivaNova PLC (formerly Sorin Group Deutschland GmbH) Stockert 3T heater-cooler devices might have been contaminated with Mycobacterium chimaera during manufacturing, according to a press release from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Late-Pregnancy Zika Infection Can Still Affect Fetal Brain
THURSDAY, Oct. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- The Zika virus may harm a infant's brain even if the mother is infected just before giving birth, according to a study published online Sept. 6 in Clinical Infectious Diseases.
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Computerized Ordering Tool Cuts Imaging Cardiac Stress Tests
THURSDAY, Oct. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- A computerized order entry tool can increase the use of nonimaging cardiac stress tests among hospitalized patients, according to a study published in the Oct. 15 issue of The American Journal of Cardiology.
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Ovarian Preservation Doesn't Impact Prognosis in Cervical CA
THURSDAY, Oct. 13, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For women with early-stage cervical adenocarcinoma, ovarian preservation does not impact survival, according to a study published in the October issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology.
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Cryoablation May Be Alternative to Breast Cancer Surgery
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Cryoablation can successfully treat the majority of small breast cancers with few side effects or complications, according to a small study published recently in the Annals of Surgical Oncology.
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Late Mortality Mainly Noncardiac for TAVR Patients
WEDNESDAY, Oct. 12, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), late mortality is mainly related to noncardiac causes, according to research published in the Oct. 11 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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U.S. Health Care System Is One of the Least Efficient Worldwide
MONDAY, Oct. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. health care system is one of the least efficient worldwide based on a Bloomberg index that assesses life expectancy, health care spending per capita, and relative spending as a share of gross domestic product, according to a report published by Bloomberg.
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Eight Pre-Op Variables Linked to Post-Op Kidney Function
MONDAY, Oct. 10, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For adults undergoing surgery, eight preoperative variables, including low preoperative mean arterial blood pressure, are associated with postoperative kidney function, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in Anaesthesia.
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Strategies Presented for Managing Physician Burnout
FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Effective strategies for managing physician burnout include mindfulness and stress-management training, according to a review published online Sept. 28 in The Lancet.
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Frailty Under-Recognized in Older Thoracic Surgery Patients
FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Frailty often goes unrecognized in older thoracic surgery patients, according to a study published online Oct. 6 in the Annals of Thoracic Surgery.
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Variation in Medicare Payments for Peri-Op Complications
FRIDAY, Oct. 7, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients undergoing four selected inpatient operations, there is considerable variation across hospitals in Medicare payments for those rescued from perioperative complications, according to a study published online Oct. 5 in JAMA Surgery.
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Delay in Post-Mastectomy Reconstruction May Fuel Anxiety
TUESDAY, Oct. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Breast reconstruction immediately after breast removal surgery due to cancer may help reduce a patient's mental distress, according to a study published in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
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Absent Pulses Up Risk of Major Vascular Outcomes in T2DM
TUESDAY, Oct. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- For patients with type 2 diabetes, absent dorsalis pedis and/or posterior tibial pulses are associated with increased risk of major vascular outcomes, according to a study published online Sept. 27 in Diabetes Care.
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Doctors Spending in Excess of $32,000 on Health IT
TUESDAY, Oct. 4, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- Doctors are spending more than $32,000 per year on health information technology (IT), according to an article published in Medical Economics.
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New AMA Module Helps Identify Physician Distress
MONDAY, Oct. 3, 2016 (HealthDay News) -- A new resource has been developed to help physicians identify distressed colleagues and help them to access care, according to a report published by the American Medical Association (AMA).
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