Articles
Risk Model May Optimize ICD Placement
October 1, 2012 10:00 am | by Chris Kaiser | CommentsA risk model comprised of seven clinical and demographic characteristics may help identify the 10 percent to 20 percent of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) patients at highest risk of death, researchers said. The predictive covariates are chronic kidney disease, age 75 or older, COPD, diabetes, NYHA class III, left ventricular ejection fraction ≤20 percent, and atrial fibrillation, according to Kenneth C.
Knee Replacements -- New Rite Of Passage For Boomers
October 1, 2012 7:00 am | by Lindsey Tanner | CommentsJust like age-defying baby boomers, older folks have seen a surge in knee replacement surgeries, driven partly by a desire to stay active and by joint-damaging obesity. The findings are in a study of more than 3 million Medicare patients, aged 65 and older, who got artificial knees from 1991 through 2010.
No Bleeding Risk From Steroid In Tonsillectomy
September 28, 2012 6:37 am | by Michael Smith | CommentsDexamethasone to control nausea and vomiting after tonsillectomy is not associated with higher rates of serious postoperative bleeding, researchers reported. In a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, the corticosteroid was non-inferior to saline in the risk of bleeding that required inpatient care, according to Christopher Hartnick, MD, of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary in Boston, and colleagues.
Dip Molded Products Play Critical Role In Medical Equipment Design
September 26, 2012 7:18 am | CommentsDip molding may not be a term that readily comes to mind when surgeons begin complicated procedures. Yet without this sophisticated, highly controllable process, many medical devices used daily in hospitals could not meet stringent certification requirements. Dip molding defines any process where a mold is dipped into a polymer for molding a part.
Man's Failing Heart Heals Itself On Day Of Emergency Transplant
September 25, 2012 5:50 am | Commentsby Erin McLaughlin A miraculous thing happened the day Michael Crowe was set to receive a potentially life-saving heart transplant. Doctors had determined the surgery would be ineffective — but his heart suddenly started beating again. Crowe, a 23-year-old pharmacy student from Omaha, had been diagnosed with acute myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle, likely caused by a viral infection.
As-Needed Catheter Change Works Well
September 24, 2012 6:11 am | by Charles Bankhead | CommentsReplacing venous catheters only when clinically indicated did not increase the risk of phlebitis compared with a routine replacement protocol, a randomized trial showed. The two catheter-replacement strategies resulted in identical 7 percent rates of phlebitis. Secondary outcomes also did not differ between treatment groups, according to an article published in the Sept.
Joint Commission Praises 620 Hospitals For Quality
September 21, 2012 6:16 am | by Jordan Rau | CommentsThe Joint Commission, the nation’s major hospital accreditation board, is releasing its annual list of hospitals that have excelled at adhering to basic procedures for treating common illnesses such as heart attacks and strokes. The commission is recognizing 620 hospitals – 18 percent of those it accredits — as “top performers” for following recommended protocols at least 95 percent of the time.
Conjoined Twins Separated In Saudi Arabia
September 20, 2012 5:49 am | CommentsA team of surgeons in Saudi Arabia recently separated a pair of twin girls during a 13-hour operation. The babies shared the same urinary and reproductive systems, and had partially shared digestive systems. NBCNews.com's Dara Brown reports.
Preop MRI No Help In Breast Cancer Outcomes
September 19, 2012 5:46 am | by John Gever | CommentsAdditional surgeries were just as frequent in breast cancer patients who underwent MRI scans prior to full or partial mastectomy as in those who did not have the preoperative imaging, a retrospective analysis found. Among patients who had preoperative MRI scans on the basis of breast density and biopsy results, 19.
Trauma Teaching For Surgeons May Hurt Patient Care
September 18, 2012 5:26 am | by Michael Smith | CommentsIn the era of the 80-hour workweek, having surgical residents involved in trauma care might have an adverse effect on patient outcomes, researchers reported. In a retrospective study, admission to teaching trauma centers was associated with an increased rate of major complications compared with centers that do not teach resident physicians, according to Marko Bukur, MD, and colleagues at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Baby Needs Surgery After Swallowing Expanding Ball
September 17, 2012 4:42 am | by Chandani Patel, M.D. | CommentsLittle kids have been in the news for swallowing magnetic "Bucky Balls" and detergent pods. And now there's a case report of an 8-month-old baby girl named Aunraya, who was brought to Texas Children's Hospital because she swallowed a new toy: a superabsorbent polymer ball. Her great grandmother and legal guardian, Freida Deweese, thought Aunraya had swallowed a "piece of candy.
Regenerative Medicine Helps Rebuild Wounded Warriors
September 14, 2012 5:48 am | by Katie Moisse | CommentsRon Strang lay helpless in the dirt as the hole in his leg was packed with gauze and swathed in bandages. The Marine sergeant was on foot patrol in Afghanistan's Helmand Province when an improvised explosive device tore through his left thigh, shredding his muscle and draining half his blood. "I'm sure I would've died without the quick actions of my fellow Marines," said Strang, 28, who endured more than a dozen surgeries and painful skin grafts to close the gaping wound.
600,000 Americans Have Back Surgery Each Year
September 13, 2012 6:26 am | CommentsEighty to 90 percent of Americans experience debilitating back pain at some point in their lives. For many, it will go away with rest and conservative treatments, but for some, like NBC’s Tom Costello, surgery is the only option. Visit NBCNews.
