Handheld, powered surgical tools combine advantages of traditional laparoscopy, robotics
Editor's Note Combining dexterity and cost-effectiveness, handheld robotic devices offer potential to bridge the gap between traditional laparoscopy and more expensive robotic platforms, researchers concluded August 8 in the journal Surgery. The mini-review of clinical trials covered clinical applications of three handheld robotic devices: the HandX powered laparoscopic instrument from…
Studies highlight success strategies for combatting handoff communication failure, care inequity
Editor's Note Recent research sheds new light on addressing two of the most pressing problems for surgical care: handoff communication failures and care bias and inequities leading to adverse—and preventable—events. These problems are the subjects of two separate success stories in the August issue of The Joint Commission Journal…
Study links patient mortality to low nurse staffing, overreliance on temporary hospital staff
Editor's Note A recent study conducted across 185 hospital wards in England highlights the significant impact of nurse staffing levels and staff composition on patient mortality. Published August 19 in JAMA, the study analyzed data from over 626,000 hospital admissions between 2015 and 2020. It found that low staffing levels…
Antibiotics gaining acceptance as potential alternative to pediatric appendectomy
Editor's Note Evidence is mounting for the use of antibiotics as a valid alternative to surgery for acute appendicitis, including in pediatric cases, the Washington Post reported August 17. The article details how this treatment—described as a “dark secret” by one expert testifying to its use in the 1950s, prior…
Study: Starting adjuvant chemotherapy more than 6 weeks after surgery worsens colorectal cancer survival
Editor's Note A post hoc analysis of the SCOT phase 3 randomized clinical trial reveals that initiating adjuvant chemotherapy more than 6 weeks after surgery is linked to worse disease-free survival (DFS) in patients with high-risk stage II and stage III colorectal cancer. Published June 12 in JAMA Surgery, the…
Injectable “goo” could eliminate joint surgery, treat osteoarthritis, animal study shows
Editor's Note A newly developed biomaterial could treat crippling arthritis by prompting the growth of new cartilage, according to an animal study conducted at Northwestern University and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. According to an August 6 article by U.S. News and World Report, the…
Study: Healthcare workers more susceptible to debt than those in other industries
Editor's Note Extensive training and lower wages lead healthcare workers to accrue more debt than those in other industries, according to a recent analysis published in JAMA Health Forum. Findings were based on 2018-2021 data from U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Income and Program Participation. According to an August 5…
Propofol study shows how consciousness research could improve anesthesia safety
Editor's Note Propofol research published in the journal Neuron has broader implications for enabling more precise, safer doses of anesthesia, according to an August 14 report in Anesthesiology News. According to the article, anesthesiologists tend to use higher doses of anesthetics because they rely on indirect measures, such as heart…
Study: Uterus transplant associated with high birth rates, but significant risks
Editor's Note Uterus transplants are feasible, but the procedure is associated with considerable risks for both patient and organ donor, according to a study published August 15 in JAMA. Conducted at a large US tertiary care center, the study involved 20 women with absolute uterine-factor infertility—a condition that prevents…
Study compares renoprotective effects of metabolic bariatric surgery, GLP-1RA
Editor's Note For diabetic patients with obesity and chronic kidney disease (CKD), metabolic bariatric surgery could protect the kidneys better than therapy with glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RA), according to research published in the September issue of the Annals of Surgery. Conducted at a large US health system, the study…
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- Standardized pathways cut costs, hospital days in pediatric surgery without raising complication rates
- UC Davis secures $2M to study bone health in prostate cancer, prevent post-injury arthritis
- Artificial disc replacement proves safe, efficient, cost-saving in outpatient spine surgery
- Hospital-affiliated doctors drive highest costs by avoiding lower-cost sites
- Imposter syndrome widespread among surgical trainees, disproportionately affects women
- Global nursing workforce grows but inequities jeopardize health progress
- Largest US healthcare fraud case reveals billions in false Medicare, Medicaid claims and vast schemes nationwide
- Hospital margins improve as outpatient revenue accelerates, but costs loom
- Breast cancer surgery delays tied to higher upstaging, faster tumor growth
- Exercise programs ease stress and burnout for nurses, review finds