General Surgery News

11/26/2019

Many Surgeons Shy Away From Breast Cancer Cost Discussions

Financial hardship has been associated with bilateral #mastectomy compared with #BreastConserving #surgery, and with greater out-of-pocket costs, incurred debt, disrupted employment and higher risk for treatment nonadherence. Duke University School of Medicine

http://bit.ly/33lvuVW

Dallas—The cost of breast cancer treatment can present a significant financial burden for patients, and many say it influences some of their treatment choices.

11/25/2019

As Vaping Cases, Deaths Continue to Rise, CDC Offers Guidance

As the number of cases and deaths from #vaping-related lung injuries increase, the CDC updated its clinical guidance for U.S. health care providers caring for these seriously ill patients.

http://bit.ly/2KSaSyq

Among the interim guidance for the managing people with symptoms related to lung injury associated with the use of e-cigarette or vaping products, the CDC recommended that providers closely follow patients who present with mild symptoms, because some symptoms rapidly worsen within 48 hours

11/21/2019

Opioid Use Less Using TAP Catheters Rather Than Epidural Catheters for Colorectal Surgery

#Opioid use less using TAP catheters rather than epidural catheters for #ColorectalSurgery. Albany Medical Center

http://bit.ly/34bizqR

Washington—Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) catheters were associated with significantly less use of morphine milligram equivalents (MMEs) compared with epidural catheters in patients undergoing open colorectal surgery who were part of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) program, accord...

11/19/2019

Making the Cut: Dr. Tugertimur on Mentorship

“Where I am today is thanks to all my mentors and teachers, and to my parents. I don’t have a specific mentor because I feel that a lot of people I work with are my mentors on a daily basis.” #Mentorship. #MakingTheCut
Northwell Health Upper East Side Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

http://bit.ly/2QzCtIm

“Where I am today is thanks to all my mentors and teachers, and to my parents. I don’t have a specific mentor because I feel that a lot of people I work with are my mentors on a daily basis.” 

11/18/2019

Making the Cut: Dr. Pearlstein on Mentorship

“I think one of the most important qualities is to maintain the balance between guiding but not guiding too much. A mentor should be open to what the resident or student’s goals are.” #Surgery #Mentorship #MakingTheCut Northwell Health Upper East Side Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

http://bit.ly/2OoKJbm

“I think one of the most important qualities is to maintain the balance between guiding but not guiding too much. A mentor should be open to what the resident or student’s goals are.” 

11/14/2019

Older Adults With Cancer at High Risk for C. diff Infection

Older adults with cancer have a higher risk for developing #ClostridioidesDifficile infection than those without a #cancer diagnosis.

The risk is particularly high for those with hematologic malignancies and those with recently diagnosed solid tumors and distant metastasis. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

http://bit.ly/2XeCnHa

Older adults with cancer have a higher risk for developing Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) than those without a cancer diagnosis, according to a new study.

11/13/2019

Quiet Please! High Noise Levels Pose Health, Safety Risks in the OR

A nursing initiative to assess noise in the OR has exposed the dangerous decibel levels encountered by surgical staff and patients on a daily basis.

http://bit.ly/2KjBQyG

Nashville, Tenn.—A nursing initiative to assess noise in the OR has exposed the dangerous decibel levels encountered by surgical staff and patients on a daily basis, according to data presented at the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses 2019 Global Surgical Conference & Expo.

11/12/2019

Decision for Opioid Prescribing Varies by Appointment Time

“Physicians play a pivotal role in the #OpioidCrisis, so it is important to understand the factors that drive #opioid prescribing.” Unniversity of Minnesota

http://bit.ly/2KfVcob

The decision-making process for opioid prescribing among primary care physicians is influenced by the time of day and lateness of the appointment, according to a new study.

10/23/2019

Robots and Magnets With Scopes, Oh My!

A flexible endoscope guided by an external magnet could allow for hands-free, or nearly so, navigation of the colon from the anus to the cecum.

http://bit.ly/35SXSRM

A flexible endoscope guided by an external magnet could allow for hands-free, or nearly so, navigation of the colon from the anus to the cecum, according to the gastroenterologists developing the device.

10/22/2019

Industry-Funded Research Is on the Rise for Surgical Oncologists

Results of a new study highlight the expanding role of #surgical #oncologists in industry-sponsored clinical trials. Society of Surgical Oncology

http://bit.ly/31A3I7h

Results of a new study highlight the expanding role of surgical oncologists in industry-sponsored clinical trials.

10/08/2019

Early Results Hint at Link Between Neuroinflammation and Cognition

Early results from an ongoing trial suggest there may be a link between neuroinflammation and postoperative delirium/cognitive dysfunction in older people undergoing #surgery.

http://bit.ly/35h3h4X

Montreal—Early results from an ongoing trial suggest there may be a link between neuroinflammation and postoperative delirium/cognitive dysfunction in older people undergoing surgery.

10/07/2019

Gel Staunches Surgical Wounds Quickly, Effectively

“The idea of self-healing systems was already out there, and I started looking at different materials. I needed something that would be there for a short period of time and then disappear, and end up being a building block for that tissue.”

http://bit.ly/31VcopV

All surgeons encounter bleeding from injury to blood vessels that needs to be staunched, and doctors may soon be able to do so with the application of a self-assembling material being developed by a small New England biotechnology company.

10/03/2019

Shattering the Glass Ceiling: Julie Freischlag, MD

Throughout her career, Julie Freischlag has achieved an impressive array of firsts for #WomenSurgeons: the first faculty at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA), the first and only chief of vascular surgery at UCLA, full professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin, in 2003, the first chair of surgery at Johns Hopkins Medicine.

http://bit.ly/2V8Xd9W

In 1961, Julie Freischlag’s grandfather gave her some life advice. He told her she could accomplish anything, and she should not listen to anyone who tells her otherwise.

10/01/2019

Second Victim Program Helps Health Care Workers Cope in the Aftermath of Tragedy

On Feb. 22, 2001, Cheryl Connors arrived for her shift as a pediatric nurse at Johns Hopkins Medicine. On that shift, an 18-month-old girl named Josie King, who was almost ready to go home after treatment for severe burns, died from extreme dehydration and undetected infection.

http://bit.ly/2nsOeUE

Nashville, Tenn.—On Feb. 22, 2001, Cheryl Connors arrived for her shift as a pediatric nurse at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore. The next 24 hours changed Ms. Connors and her colleagues forever.

09/30/2019

Researchers Develop Tool to Predict Colorectal Recurrence

Researchers have used a risk model for recurrence to develop an individualized web-based #ColorectalCancer risk assessment tool. Society of Surgical Oncology

http://bit.ly/2nYCBVd

Analysis of a Commission on Cancer Special Study has found that approximately 20% of patients with stage I to III colorectal cancer experience recurrence within five years of surgery in the United States, and the majority of these recurrences take place within two years.

09/26/2019

Making the Cut: Dr. Pearlstein on Autonomy

“I think that I would want more autonomy. However, I think part of it is limited by the litigious world that we live in and the culture of #residency across the U.S.”

http://bit.ly/2lQB2Iz

“I think that I would want more autonomy. However, I think part of it is limited by the litigious world that we live in and the culture of residency across the U.S.” 

09/25/2019

Safe to Extend CRC Screening Intervals in Some Cases

Our results confirm the currently recommended 10-year #colorectal screening interval, but also suggest that after a high-quality negative examination, the next screening #colonoscopy could, perhaps, be safely prolonged beyond 10 years. ESMO - European Society for Medical Oncology

http://bit.ly/2kEq9bW

Following a high-quality colonoscopy with negative findings, it may be safe to wait more than 10 years for the next colorectal screening exam, researchers in Poland have found.

09/24/2019

Operative Standards and Hospital Accreditation: Time for Alignment

A surgeon’s ability to work within the hospital setting and to support a variety of accreditation schema will be inextricably intertwined with an understanding of surgical standardization and reporting. http://bit.ly/2kTo3Fu

The concept of accreditation for a variety of hospital programs is not new. Actually, it was our surgical forefathers who foisted the principles of assessing hospital care by the early formation of the modern Joint Commission and the oversight of cancer care in hospitals through evaluation of hospit...

09/23/2019

Rectus Sheath Over Field Block for Midline Hernia Repair

#Ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block proves superior to field block with respect to perioperative #PainControl in patients undergoing midline #HerniaRepair. The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)

http://bit.ly/2mbABIg

Ultrasound-guided rectus sheath block proves superior to field block with respect to perioperative pain control and stress response in patients undergoing midline hernia repair, new research has concluded.

09/19/2019

Health Care Trends and Market Forces: What Surgeons Should Know

Four big trends are affecting the health care landscape. They include:

1) A shift to outpatient care
2) Value-based care
3) Rise of consumerism
4) Consolidation

http://bit.ly/2kuRGwE

A number of market forces including rapid adoption of digital tools will call for new ways of doing business, additional roles for surgeons, new types of training models, and a change in health care leadership styles, speakers said at the 2019 annual meeting of the Society of American Gastrointestin...

09/18/2019

Another Study Casts Doubt on Benefit of Vena Cava Filters

A new study has added to a growing body of literature that indicates no benefit for prophylactic vena cava filters to avoid venous thromboembolism in trauma patients who cannot receive anticoagulant drugs. Southeastern Surgical Congress Atrium Health

http://bit.ly/2kGNz0C

Charlotte, N.C.—For the past 20 years, prophylactic vena cava filters have been recommended to avoid venous thromboembolism in trauma patients who cannot receive anticoagulant drugs.

09/11/2019

Facing Personal Adversity: Finding The ‘Why’ to Live

At the 2019 annual meeting of The American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons - ASCRS - president shares personal story of hardship, priorities, and the importance of humor.

http://bit.ly/2lKhk0w

I just finished the first year of a two-year master’s program in healthcare management at Harvard. I came home in August of last year and I noticed my neck and jaw hurt. I figured I slept funny, but it didn’t get any better. So I went to an ENT. A CT scan of the head and neck showed a 2-...

08/29/2019

New Group Aims To Give Voice to Women in Medicine

Being assertive and confident is highly valued, but these are not qualities traditionally appreciated in women. In her own practice, Dr. Salles said she struggles to present herself as both likable and competent. “There are definite penalties if you don’t” try to play by the gender rules, she said. 500 Women Scientists Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis #WomenInMedicine #ILookLikeASurgeon

http://bit.ly/349eofO

Katherine Gerull was tired. As a third-year medical student at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, she was tired of hearing comments about the career choices that she and her female colleagues had made.

08/28/2019

The ‘Sandwich Generation’: Are Gen-Xers Still Feeling the Squeeze?

Gen Xers have been called difficult, arrogant, disloyal, unfocused and selfish by older generations. However, the resistance to overmanagement, distrust of authority and demand for work–life balance directly tie in to the social structure of their youth. Gen Xers don’t respect baby boomers’ authoritative management styles because they’ve managed themselves and their households since childhood.

http://bit.ly/2zuEE69

This series explores several generations and how they are growing and changing. This conversation began almost 20 years ago as we anticipated the influx of millennials.

08/27/2019

Under-Drape Suctioning, Minimal Oxygen Delivery Decrease Risk for OR Fires

Most reported #SurgicalFires under monitored #anesthesia care involve the pooling of oxygen beneath surgical drapes. By using a vacuum suction to decrease ambient oxygen concentration physicians can decrease the occurrence of these serious events.

http://bit.ly/2ZzBbBI

Boston—Although they are rare, surgical fires can have devastating consequences. According to the results of a new study, the causes of these OR catastrophes are well known and largely preventable.

08/20/2019

Experts Describe Unique Approaches to Groin Pain After Hernia Repair

Chronic #GroinPain is a common problem after #HerniaRepair. A Swedish study, published in 2018, found 15% of nearly 22,000 patients who underwent inguinal #hernia repair were experiencing #ChronicPain within a year of #surgery.

http://bit.ly/2KKm94b

Las Vegas—Chronic groin pain is a common, challenging and poorly understood problem after inguinal hernia repair. David Krpata, MD, an abdominal core health surgeon at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, developed a unique approach to caring for these patients, opening a multidisciplinary groin pain...

08/19/2019

Bacterial Barbarians at the Gate

In his 1945 Nobel Prize acceptance speech, Dr. Alexander Fleming warned that overuse of penicillin would lead to resistant strains with catastrophic consequences. Unfortunately, his prediction turned out to be accurate, and by the late 1940s, resistant strains were already being seen.

http://bit.ly/2Mx217N

In his engaging book, “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind” (HarperCollins, 2015), Yuval Noah Harari makes the case that Homo sapiens has become the dominant species on Earth. His argument is compelling, but it disregards what I consider to be the truly dominant life form on the planet...

08/15/2019

Making the Cut: Meet Dr. Sarah Pearlstein

For the introduction of our series, we speak with Sarah Pearlstein, MD, a PGY-5 surgical resident at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Dr. Pearlstein discusses her approach to patient care, her expectations of residency, and what she likes to do in her free time.

Northwell Health Upper East Side Rehabilitation and Nursing Center

http://bit.ly/33FsHbN

For the introduction of our series, we speak with Sarah Pearlstein, MD, a PGY-5 surgical resident at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Dr. Pearlstein discusses her approach to patient care, her expectations of residency, and what she likes to do in her free time. 

08/14/2019

www.generalsurgerynews.com

#AntibioticStewardship in the #ICU should be a critical part of a patient’s care, but it is not easy to practice in this setting because the patients are so vulnerable, the need is immediate, and usually all the information needed to choose an antibiotic is not available. Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

http://bit.ly/2MjpeKc

08/13/2019

Post-op Anemia Poses Significant Risks to Patients

#Postoperative #anemia is strongly associated with serious adverse events—including myocardial infarction, acute renal failure and death—after major general and vascular operations. Baylor College of Medicine Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

http://bit.ly/2yXNHvX

Postoperative anemia is strongly associated with serious adverse events—including myocardial infarction, acute renal failure and death—after major general and vascular operations, and the effect is especially pronounced in patients who are at high cardiac risk, according to a new study.

08/12/2019

Preparing for a Natural Disaster in the Eye of Uncertainty

With hurricane season underway, hospital shares its lessons learned. New Hanover Regional Medical Center

http://bit.ly/2KN6YGe

Charlotte, N.C.—Hurricanes along the eastern seaboard of the United States have intensified in the last 20 to 30 years, and some experts predict the frequency of Category 4 and 5 storms will increase dramatically due to rising sea levels and warmer sea surface temperatures.