Here are what the editors at HealthDay consider to be the most important developments in Surgery for April 2020. This roundup includes the latest research news from journal articles, as well as the FDA approvals and regulatory changes that are the most likely to affect clinical practice.
Symptomatic Health Care Staff in U.K. Screened for COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Screening symptomatic health care workers for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is feasible during the pandemic, according to a research letter published online April 22 in The Lancet.
Study Explores Outcomes Valued by Glomerular Disease Patients
THURSDAY, April 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with glomerular disease and their caregivers give highest priority to outcomes of kidney function, mortality, and need for dialysis or transplant, but they also prioritize life participation and fatigue, according to a study published online April 30 in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
David Shulkin, M.D., on COVID-19 Financial Consequences for Health Care System
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Health care organizations are facing hard financial decisions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but an end is in sight as some are beginning to slowly open back up around the country, according to David Shulkin, M.D. Shulkin, who served as ninth secretary for Veterans Affairs and is former president and CEO of Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, spoke with HealthDay during a live stream on the HealthDay YouTube channel and live blog.
Recommendations Developed for Anesthesia Use During COVID-19
TUESDAY, April 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Recommendations have been developed for use of anesthesia during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a joint statement issued by the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine and the European Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Therapy.
U.S. Surgical Residents Report Racial/Ethnic Discrimination Common
TUESDAY, April 28, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Racial/ethnic discrimination is experienced by a large proportion of nonwhite residents in general surgery training, according to a research letter published online April 15 in JAMA Surgery.
Roadmap Developed for Resuming Elective Surgery During COVID-19
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A roadmap for resuming elective surgery after new cases of COVID-19 begin to wane is presented in a joint statement published by the American College of Surgeons and other societies.
Joint Statement
Surprise Billing Found for Visits to Ambulatory Surgery Centers
MONDAY, April 27, 2020 (HealthDay News) — After insurer payment, potential surprise bills to patients for out-of-network providers occur in 8 percent of episodes at in-network ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), according to a report published online April 15 in Health Affairs.
Survey Finds Anesthesiologists Prepared for COVID-19 Patients
FRIDAY, April 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Anesthesiologists on the front lines of treating surgical COVID-19 patients in Turkey are generally knowledgeable about airway management, according to the results of a national survey published online April 6 in Surgical Infections.
Scoring System Helps Guide Surgical Care During COVID-19
WEDNESDAY, April 22, 2020 (HealthDay News) — A scoring system for medically necessary time-sensitive (MeNTS) procedures can facilitate decision making and triage in the setting of COVID-19, according to a study published online April 9 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Cardiac Cath Lab STEMI Activations Drop During Pandemic
TUESDAY, April 21, 2020 (HealthDay News) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a 38 percent reduction in U.S. cardiac catheterization laboratory ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) activations, according to a research letter published online April 10 in the Journal of the American College of Cariology.
Benefit of Social Distancing Outweighs Economic Impact
MONDAY, April 20, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The economic benefits of lives saved through social distancing substantially outweigh the value of the projected losses to the U.S. economy, according to a study to be published in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Benefit-Cost Analysis.
Surgery Department Outlines Rapid Response to COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a comprehensive rapid response plan, published online April 9 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons, surgeons from the University of California San Francisco present a strategy to triage surgeries to help manage health care resources during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Guidance Issued for Breast Cancer Care During COVID-19
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In guidance issued by the COVID-19 Pandemic Breast Cancer Consortium, recently accepted for publication in an upcoming issue of Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, recommendations are presented for prioritizing care for breast cancer patients during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Quality Improvement Effort Cuts Blood Clots in Brain Injury Patients
THURSDAY, April 16, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Implementation of an anticoagulation protocol reduces blood clots in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a study published in the April 1 issue of The Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety.
SARS-CoV-2 Contamination of Air, Surfaces Examined in ICU, Wards
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Considerable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) contamination of air and object surfaces is reported in intensive care units (ICUs) and general coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) wards (GW), according to a study published online April 10 in Emerging Infectious Diseases, a publication of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Preoperative Metformin Tied to Better Surgical Outcomes
WEDNESDAY, April 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Preoperative metformin prescriptions may be associated with decreased postoperative mortality and readmission among patients with diabetes undergoing a major surgical procedure, according to a study published online April 8 in JAMA Surgery.
Medical Masks May Be Sufficient During COVID-19 Routine Care
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Use of medical masks, such as surgical or procedural masks, does not increase the risk for viral infection or respiratory illness, and their use may serve as a protective measure in instances of N95 respirator shortages, according to the results of a meta-analysis published online April 4 in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses.
Being Born Via C-Section May Up Risk for T2DM in Adulthood
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Women born by cesarean delivery may have a higher risk for being obese and developing type 2 diabetes during adult life than women born by vaginal delivery, according to a study published online April 13 in JAMA Network Open.
Kidney Transplants From, to Extreme Elderly Feasible in ESRD
TUESDAY, April 14, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Kidney transplantation among elderly people with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can be successful, allowing them to live dialysis-free, according to a study recently published in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation.
High Rates of Appropriate E-Consults Seen Across Specialties
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — The rates of appropriate electronic consultations (e-consults) are high across specialties, according to a study published online April 14 in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Ergonomic Risk Factors Identified for Surgeons
MONDAY, April 13, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Most surgeons report being in physical pain after performing surgery, according to a study published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Prognosis Poor for Pediatric, Adolescent Patients With Colon Cancer
TUESDAY, April 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Patients with colon cancer who are younger than 25 years have a higher risk for death compared with older adults, according to a retrospective review published in the April issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.
Recommendations Issued for GI Procedures During COVID-19
TUESDAY, April 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) — In a document issued by the American Gastroenterological Association, published online April 1 in Gastroenterology, recommendations are presented for gastrointestinal (GI) procedures during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.
Majority of Physicians Report Serious Concerns About COVID-19
MONDAY, April 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — According to a national survey conducted by Harvard Medical School, the RAND Corporation, and Doximity, practicing physicians currently report substantial concerns about supplies, the government response, and availability of testing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Model Shows Hep C-Infected Kidney Transplants Beneficial, Cost-Effective
MONDAY, April 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Transplanting hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected kidneys into uninfected recipients and then treating patients with antiviral therapy leads to a higher quality of life and is less costly than waiting for transplantation with an uninfected kidney, according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Kidney Diseases.
Rivaroxaban Prevents VTE After Lower-Limb Surgery
FRIDAY, April 3, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Following nonmajor orthopedic surgery of the lower limb, rivaroxaban is superior to enoxaparin for prevention of major venous thromboembolism, according to a study published online March 29 in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Unemployed Workers Less Likely to Be Uninsured Post-ACA
THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Following implementation of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), unemployed workers were less likely to be uninsured, and uninsurance rates decreased more in states with Medicaid expansion, according to a report from the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
Risk Factors for Missed Appendicitis Diagnosis Identified
THURSDAY, April 2, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Certain patient and presentation factors increase the likelihood of a missed appendicitis diagnosis in the emergency department, according to a study published online March 9 in JAMA Network Open.
Low Vitamin D May Reduce Mobility After Hip Fracture Surgery
WEDNESDAY, April 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Vitamin D deficiencies are associated with a lower likelihood of older patients regaining independent walking ability following hip fracture surgery, according to a study recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
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