The HCPLive surgery page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on invasive medicine. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for surgery, and more.
November 17th 2024
An IV infusion of exenatide during cardiac surgeries involving bypass did not significantly benefit mortality or organ injury compared with placebo.
September 27th 2024
One Step Closer to Ending Cancer Pain
May 26th 2015University of Toronto researchers have found a novel role for a cell membrane-anchored mediator in cancer pain. They suggest that the serine protease TMPRSS2-a gene previously shown to play a key role in some of the most aggressive forms of androgen-fuelled cancers-appears to be the trigger behind the most severe forms of cancer pain.
Working Through Safety Concerns and the Future of Computer Assisted Propofol Sedation
While there have been some concerns raised about computer assisted propofol sedation studies have shown it to be a safe and effective method when conducted by properly trained healthcare professionals. Work is also being done to ensure better results in the future.
Measuring Patient Experience With Computer Assisted Propofol Sedation
According to research done on computer assisted propofol sedation patients see a faster recovery time by approximately 6 minutes on average. This can help not only the patients to leave the recovery area faster, but can also put less of a burden on the staff and location of their endoscopic procedure.
What is Computer-Assisted Propofol Sedation?
When undergoing endoscopic procedures it is important that patients receive the proper pain medication. A recent study looked at whether a computer can assist in the process to keep the patients comfortable allow them to continue on their day after the procedure.
FDA Okays Hep-C Investigational Combo for Post-Transplant Patients
The FDA says the investigational drug combination of daclatasvir (Daklinza/ Bristol-Myers Squibb) and sofosbuvir (Sovaldi/Gilead ) may now be given to patients who have hepatitis C infections with either advanced cirrhosis or infections that have come back after patients received a liver transplant.
Hep C Drugs: Not Always Covered
A recent study found that while most insurers are paying for the new hepatitis C antivirals, disparities exist. More than 20% of patients at the hospital studied who had private insurance were refused their prescriptions for sofosbuvir with simeprevir, the researchers found.
Hysterectomy: Operative Time Matters
May 18th 2015Historically, surgical times were tracked to help operating suite managers schedule operating rooms. For the last 25 years or so, quality managers have watched surgical times with respect to patient outcomes. They've come to a growing realization that faster is not always better and slower may not represent careful, deliberate technique.
Electronic Templates Help Family Meetings in the ICU
Holding family meetings when patients are in intensive care can benefit patients, family, and caregivers. A research team reports on the electronic templates it is developing to keep records of what happens in those meetings.
Surgical Treatment of Moderate Ischemic Mitral Regurgitation
May 14th 2015The addition of a mitral valve repair to patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation is still a source of controversy. Recent guidelines state that concomitant mitral valve repair at the time of CABG may be beneficial, but the evidence is inconclusive.
Intra-Arterial Treatment for Acute Ischemic Stroke
May 14th 2015The primary objectives of treating acute ischemic stroke are to prevent death and limit functional disability. Similar to acute myocardial infarction (AMI), timely reperfusion using systemic thrombolysis has been shown to improve outcome of acute stroke, namely functional neurologic recovery, but not mortality. But unlike AMI, the role of intra-arterial or endovascular therapy in acute stroke has not been clearly established.
The End of SGR: What Took So Long?
May 8th 2015For more than a decade, it has been an annual ritual to read headlines about a crisis brewing in Congress as it struggled to avert a looming Medicare disaster stemming from the imminent pay cut to Medicare physicians mandated by the "SGR". Like a broken record each time, spurred by warnings of physician groups of the dire consequences the slash in Medicare fees would have on medical practices and Medicare patients, Congress scrambled at the 12th hour to put off the mandated cuts for another year.
Study: Three Ablation Techniques Get Similar Results
When heart patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation do not respond to antiarrhythmic medications, physicians may turn to percutaneous catheter ablation. The unanswered treatment question has been how extensive that ablation should be. A new study indicates several techniques achieve the same results.
The Secrets to a Successful Career As a Plastic Surgeon
May 5th 2015What factors make a plastic surgeon successful? That was the research question asked by a team of researchers, and answered by an analysis of a survey sent to members of the American Association of Plastic Surgeons. The results, published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, provide insight that could help select the best candidates for careers in plastic surgery.
GIST Patients Prone to More Cancer
Approximately 1 in 6 patients suffering from gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are likely to develop malignant cancers before or after diagnosis, according to the inaugural population-based study recently conducted by researchers at the UC San Diego School of Medicine.