Risk of Infection, Death From MRSA Persists in Long-Term Carriers
People who harbor methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) for more than 1 year remain at substantial risk of MRSA-related illness or death, according to a single-center retrospective cohort study published in the July 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.
Targeted Exercise Improves Function, Lessens Pain in Head and Neck Cancer Survivors
Progressive resistance exercise training following surgery helps reduce upper extremity pain and dysfunction in certain head and neck cancer survivors, according to Canadian researchers.
Increasing Global Surgery Volume Mandates Improved Safety, Availability
Surgery now occurs at a tremendous volume worldwide, resulting in a great need for public health efforts to improve the safety and availability of surgical services, according to the results of a study reported in The Lancet, published online June 25.
Cord Traction Best for Placenta Removal With C-Section
As a method of placenta removal following cesarean delivery, cord traction is associated with fewer complications and a shorter hospital stay than is manual removal, according to a systematic review by Cochrane researchers.
Laparoscopy-Assisted Colectomy Improves Survival in Single-Center Trial
Laparoscopy-assisted colectomy (LAC) for colon cancer is more effective than open colectomy, according to a report in the July Annals of Surgery.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration Needed to Incorporate Genomics Into Clinical Care
Multidisciplinary collaboration is needed to incorporate genomics into clinical care, according to scientists who have launched a new initiative to investigate potential uses of genetic testing in primary care. Their commentary on the topic, published in the July 29 issue of Nature Genetics, addresses the gap between research on gene–disease associations and the use of […]
Obese Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis Benefit From Knee Replacement Surgery
After total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for osteoarthritis of the knee, obese patients fare nearly as well as their normal-weight peers, a British research team reports in the July 24 online issue of the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.
Percutaneous Thrombectomy an Option in Some Cases of Pulmonary Embolism
Combined clot fragmentation and thrombus aspiration appears to be beneficial in certain patients with massive angiographic pulmonary embolism (PE), according to Mexican researchers.
Adding PAND to Radical Gastrectomy Does Not Improve Survival in Gastric Cancer
Radical gastrectomy with extended (D2) removal of regional lymph nodes is the standard treatment for patients with potentially curable gastric cancer in Japan. However, adding para-aortic nodal dissection (PAND) to standard gastrectomy with D2 lymphadenectomy did not improve survival, report Japanese researchers in the July 31 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Postoperative Complication Rate May Be Higher in Patients With Mental Illness
Patients with schizophrenia or depression may be more prone to postoperative complications than patients without mental illness, according to a review of the literature — such as it is. "The knowledge base on clinical outcomes of surgery for patients with comorbid serious mental illness is extremely small, although we know the mentally ill carry a […]
