Re-excision rates after breast-conserving surgery pose ongoing challenges in the US: UTHealth Houston study unveils high reoperation rates and costs

Rates of re-excision after initial breast-conserving surgery in women with breast cancer remain high across the United States, leading to an increased cost of care and a higher risk of postoperative complications, according to new research from UTHealth Houston.

Surgeons’ choice of skin disinfectant impacts infection risk, Canadian-American study shows

Researchers of the PREPARE trial, which enrolled nearly 8,500 participants at 25 hospitals in Canada and the United States, found the use of iodine povacrylex in alcohol to disinfect a patient’s skin could prevent surgical site infection in thousands of patients undergoing surgery for a closed fracture each year.

Jersey Shore University Medical Center is the First New Jersey Hospital Utilizing the Leading-Edge ARTIS icono Angiography Imaging System

The Hackensack Meridian Neuroscience Institute at Jersey Shore University Medical Center recently added the new Siemens Healthineers ARTIS icono biplane system to its interventional imaging services thanks to an extraordinarily generous gift from Mrs. Mary Ellen Harris and the Golden Dome Foundation.

MD Anderson Research Highlights: ESMO 2023 Special Edition

This special edition features upcoming oral presentations by MD Anderson researchers at the 2023 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress focused on clinical advances across a variety of cancer types.

Opioid use disorder treatment associated with decreased risk of overdose after surgery, suggests first-of-its-kind study of over 4 million surgeries

Although people with opioid use disorder (OUD) are significantly more likely to overdose or have a complication after major surgery than those without the disorder, using medications for the treatment of OUD before surgery may eliminate that extra risk, suggests a large, first-of-its-kind study presented at the ANESTHESIOLOGY® 2023 annual meeting.

Opioid limits didn’t change surgery patients’ experience, study shows

Worries that surgery patients would have a tougher recovery if their doctors had to abide by a five-day limit on opioid pain medication prescriptions didn’t play out as expected, a new study finds.
Instead, patient-reported pain levels and satisfaction didn’t change at all for Michigan adults who had their appendix or gallbladder removed, a hernia repaired, a hysterectomy or other common operations after the state’s largest insurer put the limit in place, the study shows.

The Latest in Science and Medical Advancement in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery to be Presented at AAO-HNSF Annual Meeting

The latest research and advances in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery will be presented in Nashville, Tennessee, during the AAO-HNSF 2023 Annual Meeting & OTO Experience, September 30 – October 4.

When Blood Is a New Alternative Medicine for Pain Relief at Chula Pain Clinic

Chula Medicine researchers have successfully published an article on the injection of patient’s own platelets rich plasma into the shoulder ligaments resulting in pain reduction, heal torn ligaments and restore torn muscles as an alternative to surgery while reducing the side effects of prolonged use of pain medications.

Most pancreatic cancer patients don’t get lifesaving surgery

Only 22% of Texas patients with early-stage pancreatic cancer received standard-of-care surgery to remove their tumors, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center report in a new study. The findings, published in the Journal of Surgical Oncology, are a call to action to improve treatment in the Lone Star State for this deadly disease, the authors say.

Plastic surgery goes to the movies: Journal of Craniofacial Surgery looks at facial disfigurement

Characters with facial disfigurement have long been a recurring theme in films. Their characteristics and outcomes lend insights into perceptions of facial deformities and the effects of plastic surgery, reports a study in The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery under the guidance of Editor-in-Chief Mutaz B. Habal, MD, FRCS, FACS of Tampa, Florida. The journal is published in the Lippincott portfolio by Wolters Kluwer.

Patients Taking Popular Medications for Diabetes and Weight Loss Should Stop Before Elective Surgery, ASA Suggests

With the growing popularity of medications like Ozempic® (semaglutide), Trulicity® (dulaglutide), and other glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for the treatment of type 2 diabetes and weight loss, the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) suggests withholding the medication before elective surgery to reduce the risk of complications associated with anesthesia in adults and children.

Amitabh Goel, MD, FACS, Named Verified Surgeon of Quality by Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative

Hernia Awareness Month occurs each year in June, and this year the Abdominal Core Health Quality Collaborative (ACHQC) is celebrating with the launch of its new Verified Surgeon of Quality Program. Amitabh Goel, MD, FACS, Chair of the Department of Surgery at University Hospitals (UH) Geneva Medical Center, and clinical professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, has been recognized by the organization as a Verified Surgeon of Quality.

Cancer Experts at Jersey Shore University Medical Center Implanting First Targeted Liver Tumor Treatment Pumps in Patients

A team of surgical experts led by Gregory J. Tiesi, M.D., FACS, FSSO, began implanting hepatic artery infusion pumps in patients at Hackensack Meridian Jersey Shore University Medical Center in June. They are among the first in New Jersey to provide the pump for patients.

UTHealth Houston study on repeated radiofrequency ablation in combination with chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer supported with $3.3M HHS grant

A combination strategy of endoscopic ultrasound-guided radiofrequency ablation (EUS-RFA) with chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer will be studied at UTHealth Houston through a $3.3 million grant from the National Cancer Institute by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

UT Southwestern researchers discover critical protein for common bone growth disorder

A team led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers has discovered a protein that appears to be pivotal for traumatic heterotopic ossification (HO), a condition in which bone forms in muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues after traumatic injury or surgery. The findings, published in Science Advances, could yield new ways to prevent this common complication, the researchers say.

Cataract surgery reimbursements may not be enough for some patients

Research suggests that Medicare reimbursements for complex cataract surgery cover less than two minutes of operating time, and an increase to reimbursements for the procedure may be justified. Complex cataract surgery requires more time and resources than simple cataract surgery, and this study indicates that the incremental reimbursement for the complex surgery is not enough to offset the increased costs.

New Guideline Introduces Recommendations for Optimal Timing of Elective Hip or Knee Arthroplasty

The ACR and the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons (AAHKS) released a summary of its new guideline titled “the Optimal Timing of Elective Hip or Knee Arthroplasty for Patients with Symptomatic Moderate to Severe Osteoarthritis or Osteonecrosis Who Have Failed Nonoperative Therapy.”

First-of-its-Kind Study Examines the Impact of Cannabis Use on Surgical Patients’ Post-Procedure Healthcare Needs

In patients who underwent non-cardiac surgery in Boston between 2008 and 2020, those with a diagnosed cannabis use disorder more often required advanced postprocedural healthcare compared to non-users. However, patients whose use of cannabis was not classified as a disorder had lower odds of requiring advanced healthcare after surgery compared to patients who never use cannabis.