Archive for the ‘Surgical News’ Category

The journal Cancer reports on a new study which shows that women previously treated for breast cancer have a higher risk of cancer recurrence if they have highly dense breasts. Women who were classified as having highly dense breasts had a 21% chance of cancer recurrence, compared to 5% among women with low-density breasts. Because of this the study authors suggest that women with highly dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies, such as radiation, after breast and lymph node surgery. [via Medical News Today]

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Dr. Bahman Guyuron, Chair of Plastic Surgery at University Hospitals Case Medical Center and Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine noted a decade ago that many patients who underwent forehead rejuvenation saw a disappearance in migraine symptoms after surgery. It was this astute observation which gave him the idea to use surgery as a means to alleviate the pain of migraines. By detecting superficial trigger sites on the muscles of the head and then removing or diminishing their affects on nerves, Dr. Guyuron has shown strong evidence that surgical manipulation of one or more migraine trigger sites can successfully eliminate or reduce the frequency, duration, and/or intensity of migraine headaches with lasting results. [via Science Daily]

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Stanford University researchers have found that regions with high concentrations of MRI machines also have increased rates of back surgery among patients who present with new back pain. Is there a problem with this? Well, perhaps, especially since we know that increased surgery rates doesn’t necessarily improve patient outcome. In fact, surgery has its risks and often times will not completely cure back pain. Between 2000 and 2005, the MRI availability in the U.S.  more than tripled, from 7.6 to 26.6 machines per 1 million people. Each machine costs more than $2 million and one low-back scan costs $1,500. Increased rates of scans and surgeries increase the total health care dollars spent on treatment of back pain, one of the most common reasons for physician visits today. [via Medical News Today]

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New research published in the obstetrics and gynecological journal BJOG shows that giving women sugarless chewing gum after cesarean section seemed to help them recover normal bowel function and shorten their time in the hospital. After abdominal surgeries intestinal function often become sluggish and may require a few days to return to normal. However, researchers say that chewing gum may help because the act of chewing sets off a nervous system response and release of digestive hormones which stimulate bowel activity. The cost and time savings should not be underestimated, especially in countries with limited health care resources. [via MSNBC]

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A former employee at Northern Westchester Hospital in New York state was arrested earlier this month and accused of knowingly exposing numerous surgical patients to hepatitis C.  Kristen Diane Parker was apparently injecting herself with painkillers meant for patients, then refilling the syringes with saline solution for subsequent use, even though she knew she was infected with hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is a blood-borne disease that can cause serious liver problems, including cirrhosis and liver cancer. Northern Westchester Hospital is notifying approximately 2,800 patients who had surgery there to come in for testing. The hospital has set up a patient help line at 914-666-1902 for more information. [via CBS news]

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Johns Hopkins University transplant surgeons have successfully completed what is believed to be the world’s first kidney transplant involving a kidney that was removed from the donor through her vagina and then transplanted into her niece. Removing the kidney through the vagina avoided the need to make a 5 to 6 inch incision in the donor’s abdomen and, instead, left only three pea-size scars, one of which is hidden in the navel. More about minimally invasive surgery.

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The Heart Hospital of Austin just became the first hospital in the world to use a new technique, approved by the FDA in August 2008, to successfully treat a patient with peripheral artery disease (PAD).  Called Stereotaxis RF Power Assert Magnetic Guidewire, the technique employs the use of magnets for better control and improved accuracy in removing plaques from clogged vessels, in this case the patient had a 100% blockage in the main artery of one of his legs. Once the blockage is reached, the tip of the guidewire can burn a small passage through the blockage, allowing physicians to then use existing techniques to open up the blockage further. Peripheral artery disease affects 12 million Americans, and if left untreated, it can cause ulcerations and gangrene that significantly increase the risk of losing a limb.

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A German woman became the mother of a new baby girl last week. What makes this story special is that baby Maja, named after the Roman goddess of fertility, was born as a result of the world’s first successful whole-ovary transplant. Susanne Butscher received her ovary from her sister, making Maja genetically her niece. The transplant procedure required microsurgery to connect the blood vessels to the ovary then positioning the ovary precisely so that eggs released from it could properly travel down the fallopian tube to be fertilized.

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“TOGA” is the acronym for transoral gastroplasty, a new type of weight loss surgery that involves making the stomach smaller by stapling it – by way of the mouth, rather than through incisions on the outside of the body. The procedure has now been performed on 98 individuals in Europe and and Mexico and, on average, those who have passed the one year mark have lost about 40% of their excess body weight. Only a few patients have tried it so far in the US as part of a study funded by Satiety, Inc., the company which makes the staplers. They are hoping to get FDA approval for the procedure, which falls in line with a current trend to make surgery less invasive and less painful. By not making incisions, you minimize many of the risks and side effects of surgery.

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A new study published in the journal Archives of Surgery suggests that chewing gum can aid recovery after gastrointestinal surgery. Some believe that the increased amounts of saliva produced from gum chewing helps to “jump start” the gut by stimulating gut function. The researchers believe more studies are needed, especially since this intervention has the potential for substantial cost savings. Full story.