Gender Affirming Surgeries Nearly Tripled in the U.S. From 2016 to 2019
Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) in the U.S. nearly tripled from 2016 to 2019, a longitudinal study found. The number of gender-affirming procedures rose from 4,552 in 2016 to 13,011 in 2019, reported Jason Wright, MD, of Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City. It dropped slightly to 12,818 procedures in 2020, likely […]
I’m A Breast Cancer Survivor. I Was Slighted And Belittled Throughout My Treatment.
The author in the recovering room following her breast cancer surgery on March 28, 2023. Courtesy of Joy Jenkins I was scared as I approached the receptionist at my oncologists’ office. I had recently been diagnosed with breast cancer at age 56 after my annual mammogram. I didn’t know yet how bad things were. Was […]
Opinion | Who Is to Blame for the Rampant Overtreatment of Peripheral Artery Disease?
Hicks is an associate professor of surgery and a director of clinical outcomes research. The recent New York Times article highlighting inappropriate treatment patterns among patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) has made a serious but much needed impact on patients and physicians alike. The article is complemented by a series of ProPublica articles that […]
Can Aromatherapy Relax Post-Op Patients?
Open heart surgery patients reported better sleep and less severe pain after their operation when they inhaled peppermint essence, a small clinical trial suggested. Among 64 patients who underwent cardiac surgery, mean self-reported sleep quality scores on the first day after surgery were 20.10 in the group receiving peppermint aromatherapy and 25.76 in the placebo […]
Study Questions Relationship Between Hospital Competition and Surgical Quality
Outcomes after high-risk elective surgery did not have a clear relationship with a hospital’s local competitive landscape, a study using nationally representative Medicare data suggested. Hospitals in the highest-competition U.S. markets had mixed postsurgical outcomes compared with those in the lowest-competition markets: risk-adjusted 30-day mortality was lower for pancreatectomy (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.91-0.95), rectal […]
Primary Surgery Vs Radiation in Oropharyngeal Cancer: Does One Come Out a Winner?
MONTREAL — A study that looked at surgery versus radiation therapy (RT) for oropharyngeal cancer treatment found pros and cons with both approaches, but ultimately, surgery seemed to be the better bet. Patients with T1-T2 oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) in a database underwent primary transoral robotic surgery (TORS) versus primary RT and/or chemoRT (RT/CRT), […]
Postoperative Urinary Retention Common After Hernia Surgery
Postoperative urinary retention (POUR) was common following inguinal hernia surgery in an international cohort study. Among 4,151 adults across 32 countries, incidence of needing bladder decompression by catheterization due to inability to void after inguinal hernia repair (IHR) was 5.8% in men and 2.9% in women, reported Stefanie Croghan, MSc, of the Royal College of […]
Dexamethasone or Surgery for Chronic Subdural Hematoma?
Dexamethasone treatment failed to demonstrate noninferiority to surgery for chronic subdural hematoma and was associated with more complications and a greater risk of later surgery, according to results of a randomized study terminated early due to safety and outcome concerns. In the DECSA trial, the odds ratio of a better functional outcome score with dexamethasone […]
Danny Bonaduce Bound For Brain Surgery After Losing His Ability To Walk
Danny Bonaduce is set to undergo brain surgery after a neurological condition has left him unable to walk. Bonaduce, beloved for his role on the ’70s family sitcom “The Partridge Family,” discussed his health woes in an interview with TMZ published Friday. Advertisement The 63-year-old actor explained how it took “100 doctors” to figure out […]
‘Practice Changing’ Trial on Activity Recs After Prolapse Surgery
Telling patients who undergo pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery they can resume physical activity and work as soon as they’re able to resulted in noninferior anatomic and symptomatic outcomes compared with standard recommendations, a randomized trial showed. Of 107 women who underwent minimally invasive surgery at a single center, maximum anatomic POP support loss and […]