http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. In a long-term study, Prof. Dr. Jürgen Margraf, Alexander von Humboldt Professor for Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy at the RUB, investigated the psychological effects of plastic surgery on approximately 550 patients in cooperation with colleagues from the University of Basel. Patients demonstrated more enjoyment of life, satisfaction and self-esteem after their physical appearance had been surgically altered. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2013-03-people-knife-psychologists-long-term-positive.html Psychology & Psychiatry Mon, 11 Mar 2013 10:40:02 EST news282215051 (HealthDay)—In patients who have undergone spinal fusion surgery with intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance and have no postoperative problems, postoperative radiographs do not provide additional clinical information and are not cost-effective, according to a study published in the July issue of The Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-radiography-unnecessary-spinal-fusion-surgery.html Surgery Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:14:30 EST news267095648 (HealthDay)—An electrosurgical bipolar vessel sealing procedure during vaginal hysterectomy leads to less pain during the evening after surgery and shorter operating time than conventional clamping and suturing, according to research published online Aug. 24 in BJOG: An International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-09-pain-hysterectomy-vessel.html Obstetrics & gynaecology Fri, 07 Sep 2012 13:30:02 EST news266238401 Postoperative complications are the most significant independent risk factor leading to 30-day hospital readmissions among general surgery patients, according to a new exploratory study published in the September issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-surgeons-postoperative-complications-posing-strongest.html Surgery Tue, 28 Aug 2012 01:00:01 EST news265309052 (HealthDay News) -- The potential for a stroke is far more common after a bypass than after angioplasty, new research reports, even though the risk after either heart procedure is still relatively low. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-higher-bypass-angioplasty-analysis.html Cardiology Tue, 21 Aug 2012 06:20:01 EST news264741558 (HealthDay) -- In the three years following spinal fusion surgery, the incidence of stroke is similar to or insignificantly lower than that of controls, according to a study published in the June issue of The Spine Journal. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-spinal-fusion-surgery.html Cardiology Thu, 09 Aug 2012 17:00:04 EST news263745468 (HealthDay) -- For patients undergoing face-lift surgery, perioperative use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) seems safe and does not adversely affect outcome, according to a study published in the July/August issue of the Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-peri-op-antidepressant-safe-face-lift-surgery.html Surgery Fri, 20 Jul 2012 13:15:12 EST news262008811 (HealthDay) -- Claims data can be used to accurately identify rates and risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) following spinal surgery, according to a study published in the July 1 issue of Spine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-reveals-patients-post-op-infection.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Fri, 13 Jul 2012 18:40:01 EST news261419494 A drug designed to shield the heart from injury during bypass surgery failed to reduce deaths, strokes and other serious events among patients at high risk of complications, according to a large, prospective study lead by researchers at Duke University Medical Center. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-drug-curb-heart-bypass-complications.html Cardiology Tue, 10 Jul 2012 16:00:01 EST news261152602 (Medical Xpress) -- A blood test can predict whether patients are likely to die of a heart attack in the month after surgery, according to an international study involving thousands of patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-07-blood-death-heart-problems-surgery.html Surgery Wed, 04 Jul 2012 09:12:15 EST news260611919 (HealthDay) -- Inferior vena cava (IVC) filters are safe for use in patients at higher risk for venous thromboembolic events (VTEs) while undergoing major spinal surgery, according to research published in the June issue of the Journal of Spinal Disorders & Techniques. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-06-ivc-filters-effective-patients-embolism.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 21 Jun 2012 16:30:01 EST news259513870 (HealthDay) -- Patients with esophageal cancer who receive chemotherapy and radiation before surgery have better outcomes, Dutch researchers report. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-pre-op-treatments-boost-survival-esophageal.html Cancer Wed, 30 May 2012 17:40:02 EST news257616900 Oxidative stress may put obese patients at increased risk of developing kidney damage after heart surgery, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). Effective antioxidants or other therapies that reduce oxidative stress might help lower this risk, particularly among obese patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-obese-patients-kidney-heart-surgery.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 24 May 2012 17:00:01 EST news257094057 One type of open heart surgery is likely safer than the other for chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-05-heart-surgery-kidney-disease-patients.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Thu, 17 May 2012 17:04:30 EST news256493007 Ten years ago, a landmark clinical trial in Canada demonstrated the unequivocal effectiveness of brain surgeries for treating uncontrolled epilepsy, but since then the procedure has not been widely adopted—in fact, it is dramatically underutilized according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-brain-surgery-epilepsy-underutilized.html Neuroscience Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:41:43 EST news254418084 (Medical Xpress) -- Oesophageal cancer is a very serious form of cancer that, if not fatal, requires extensive surgery. A new study from Karolinska Institutet shows that when serious complications arise after surgery for oesophageal cancer, many patients suffer other health problems, such as breathlessness, fatigue, insomnia and eating problems, for five years afterwards. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-04-complications-oesophageal-surgery-health-problems.html Cancer Tue, 03 Apr 2012 06:35:06 EST news252653692 Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), also known as coronary angioplasty or angioplasty, is a procedure used to treat acute coronary syndromes. PCI involves opening a blocked blood vessel by threading and inflating a balloon-tipped tube into the vessel. Sometimes a stent is also inserted to keep the blood vessel open. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-complications-patients-percutaneous-coronary-intervention.html Cardiology Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:01:40 EST news251834480 Patients who have undergone sinus surgery can safely take an alternative pain medication that does not cause the side effects of narcotics such as fentanyl and Vicodin, a Loyola University Health System study has found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-non-narcotic-pain-medication-safe-effective.html Surgery Fri, 23 Mar 2012 11:27:11 EST news251720814 The first national treatment guideline for sudden hearing loss, a frightening condition that sends thousands in the U.S. to the emergency room each year, was published this month in the journal Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-national-guideline-sudden-loss-published.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:42:32 EST news251379741 Coronary artery bypass surgery performed whilst the heart is still beating may carry an increased likelihood of death, according to a systematic review by Cochrane researchers. The researchers suggest beating heart surgery should not be recommended except in specific cases where stopping the heart might be risky. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-heart-surgery-patients.html Cardiology Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:30:28 EST news250943414 (Medical Xpress) -- Oxford University experts have called for better monitoring of knee replacement surgery to improve outcomes for patients. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-knee.html Surgery Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:20:17 EST news250330810 Among obese individuals, having bariatric surgery was associated with a reduced long-term incidence of cardiovascular deaths and events such as heart attack and stroke, according to a study in the January 4 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-01-bariatric-surgery-reduction-cardiovascular-events.html Cardiology Tue, 03 Jan 2012 16:24:10 EST news244830226 More than half of the older, anemic patients in a New England Journal of Medicine study did not need blood transfusions as they recovered from hip surgery, according to new research co-authored by University of Maryland School of Medicine scientists. The findings could immediately change the way such patients are treated. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-restricting-post-surgery-blood-transfusion-safe.html Surgery Wed, 14 Dec 2011 17:24:45 EST news243105878 Contrary to current guidelines, Mayo Clinic researchers have found that angioplasties performed at centers without on-site cardiac surgery capabilities pose no increased risk for patient death or emergency bypass surgery. Results of the study were published in today's Journal of the American Medical Association and have implications for how care can be delivered to heart attack victims and for performance of angioplasties at centers without on-site surgery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-12-angioplasties-centers-on-site-surgery-safe.html Surgery Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:00:01 EST news243004490 (Medical Xpress) -- Nearly one-quarter of privately insured colon surgery patients are readmitted to the hospital within three months of discharge at a cost of roughly $9,000 per readmission, according to Johns Hopkins researchers, who’ve identified a major area for quality improvement and cost reduction in health care. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-hospital-readmissions-colon-surgery-common.html Other Thu, 17 Nov 2011 06:38:43 EST news240734315 Spine surgery patients who got a bone growth stimulating agent as part of a clinical trial were three to five times more likely to develop cancer two to three years after being implanted with the product, according to a new analysis. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-cancer-bone-growth-product.html Cancer Fri, 04 Nov 2011 16:20:01 EST news239637919 A new study indicates that many patients undergoing spine surgery have low levels of vitamin D, which may delay their recovery. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-vitamin-d-common-spine-surgery.html Health Thu, 03 Nov 2011 05:19:05 EST news239516307 A technique developed by Johns Hopkins surgeons is providing a new route to get to and remove tumors buried at the base of the skull: through the natural hole behind the molars, above the jawbone and beneath the cheekbone. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-scarless-surgery-tumors-natural-skull.html Other Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:59:45 EST news238845579 Family members of patients who have undergone surgery for weight loss may also shed several pounds themselves, as well as eat healthier and exercise more, according to a new study by researchers at Stanford University School of Medicine. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-halo-effect-family-members-gastric-bypass.html Other Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:00:05 EST news238080759 (Medical Xpress) -- In the ongoing quest to find the exact way that anesthetics interact with the central nervous system, anesthesiology researchers have been examining whether the state induced by anesthetics resembles natural sleep. One way to measure this is to determine whether undergoing general anesthesia results in a sleep debt for patients. Previous research has shown that the injected anesthetic propofol does not cause a sleep deficit. Now, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania have shown in animal models that another group of anesthetics, commonly used in the operating room, do not substitute for natural sleep and may cause complications for surgery patients already at-risk for sleep-related issues. The new research is published in the October 2011 issue of the journal Anesthesiology. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-10-anesthetics-affects-ways.html Sleep apnea Tue, 04 Oct 2011 08:25:00 EST news236935493