News
Spinal 'Spacer' Procedure Has Fewer Complications, But Higher Risk Of Repeat Surgery
May 8, 2013 10:36 am | CommentsInterspinous spacer implantation—a less-invasive alternative surgical option for spinal stenosis—has a lower complication rate than spinal fusion, reports a study. However, patients receiving interspinous spacers are more likely to require repeated back surgery.
Surgeons Implant Magnetic Growing Rods In Treatment For Scoliosis
May 8, 2013 10:29 am | CommentsIn a revolutionary treatment for early-onset scoliosis (EOS), a team of surgeons implanted adjustable growing rods in two children from California. The pioneering surgeries — the first ever in the United States — were performed on May 7th at Rady Children’s Hospital in San Diego.
Certain Bladder-Cancer Patients May Be At Risk Of Recurrence Despite Bladder Removal
May 7, 2013 10:46 am | CommentsThe five-year international study led by researchers at UT Southwestern validates the use of a marker panel to predict which patients are more likely to have a recurrence of cancer after bladder removal, thereby identifying those patients as good candidates for follow-up chemotherapy.
Gov. Chris Christie Had Secret Weight-Loss Surgery
May 7, 2013 10:35 am | by Marc Santora | CommentsGov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, who has long struggled with obesity, underwent secret weight-loss surgery three months ago, according to a statement from his office. The surgery, which took place on Feb. 16, involved the placement of a silicone band around his stomach to reduce its size, limiting the amount of food he can take in but not altering his digestive process.
Surgeon Attitudes Shifting About Joint Replacement In Younger Patients
May 7, 2013 10:29 am | by Candace Nelson | CommentsIt's no secret that obesity remains a problem nationwide. Among the myriad risks associated with being overweight is wear and tear on joints. Extreme sports also have seen an increase in popularity, leading to more sports-related injuries.
Prostate Cancer: No Cost-Effective Way to Save Lives
May 7, 2013 10:24 am | by Charles Bankhead | CommentsAll of the current treatment strategies for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) exceed the generally accepted criteria for cost-effectiveness, according to an analysis. The least costly of the regimens exceeded the $100,000 threshold by about $60,000, and the most costly approached three times the threshold for willingness to pay per life-year saved.
Robotic Angioplasty Achieves 97.6 Percent Clinical Success Rate
May 6, 2013 1:51 pm | CommentsCorindus Vascular Robotics announced that the Journal of American College of Cardiology published the results from its CorPath PRECISE (Percutaneous Robotic-Enhanced Coronary Intervention) study in the April 2013 issue. Results of the trial demonstrate the CorPath System is safe and feasible for patients, with significantly lower harmful radiation exposure to the operator.
Major Urology Conference Sponsors Surgical Simulation Training For The First Time
May 6, 2013 1:12 pm | CommentsThe nation’s largest meeting of urologists will, for the first time, offer training courses in robotic surgery, using new, independently validated technology. The American Urological Association’s Dr. Elspeth McDougall and Mimic Technologies, the company that designed the simulation software system for the da Vinci robot, will host the training. AUA’s annual conference takes place May 4-7, 2013.
Nationwide Children's Hospital Plans To Extend Healthcare To More Children In Ohio Area Through Pilot With HealthSpot
May 6, 2013 12:53 pm | CommentsHealthSpot, a pioneer in telehealth technology, has teamed up with Nationwide Children's Hospital, one of the largest and most respected children's hospitals in the nation, to expand access to affordable healthcare to more children via four HealthSpot Station units in and around Columbus, Ohio.
Steris University Provides Scholarships For IAHCSMM Education
May 6, 2013 11:58 am | CommentsBeginning today, central services (CS) professionals can apply for Steris scholarships for International Association of Healthcare Central Service Materiel Management (IAHCSMM) certification. STERIS and IAHCSMM have joined forces to provide scholarship opportunities for certification as part of their shared commitment to those who are looking for a career in reprocessing.
Gastric Band Also Good In Less Obese Patients
May 6, 2013 11:08 am | by Michael Smith | CommentsAn adjustable gastric band, implanted laparoscopically, led to significant weight loss among moderately obese patients, researchers reported. In a prospective cohort study, more than four patients in five had lost more than 30 percent of their excess weight after a year.
Orthopedic Surgeon Performs ACI Surgery In Outpatient Setting
May 6, 2013 10:38 am | CommentsCartilage injuries in the knee have long been difficult to treat. While providing short-term pain relief, traditional therapies are often ineffective at preventing further joint damage. However, a revolutionary procedure now offers patients with certain types of cartilage damage within the knee the potential to reverse painful and debilitating joint degeneration and dysfunction.
Erythropoietin Given 2 Days Pre-Op Reduces Need For Transfused Blood
May 6, 2013 10:34 am | CommentsAnemia increases operative mortality and morbidity in non-cardiac and cardiac surgical procedures. However, a simple new protocol has been proposed that helps correcting anemia using a single, high dose of recombinant human erythropoietin (HRE) administered only two days prior to surgery.
On-Call Pay Varies Widely By Specialty
May 6, 2013 10:29 am | by Kathleen Struck | CommentsSurgeons commanded more than $1,000 a day for being on-call at the hospital, while primary care physicians reported compensation rates of around $150 a day, according to annually compiled data. Meanwhile, family physicians whose practice included obstetrics reported the lowest median daily on-call compensation.
Weight Gain Common With New Knees
May 3, 2013 10:58 am | by Nancy Walsh | CommentsPatients who undergo total knee replacement are at substantial risk for weight gain during the 5 years after the surgery, a large retrospective study showed. And the chance of that "clinically important" weight gain doubled for individuals who had a second arthroplasty during the subsequent 5 years.
