https://medicalxpress.com/surgery-news/ en-us Latest medical news and research in General surgery Heart transplant surgeon Raymond Lee, MD, explains what patients can expect after a heart transplant—including how long the heart will last. The average lifespan of a transplanted heart is about 10 years, though outcomes vary from patient to patient. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-transplanted-heart.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 08:20:01 EDT news695628121 Advances in cancer treatment mean more people are living longer after a cancer diagnosis. But some survivors develop lymphedema—long-term swelling in the arms, hands, legs or feet that can cause pain, limit movement and raise the risk of serious infections. The condition can also affect body image and mental health. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-surgery-relieves-chronic-leg-arm.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 07:00:05 EDT news695618461 UPMC and University of Pittsburgh clinician-scientists have weaned and kept multiple liver transplantation patients off of all immunosuppressant drugs for more than three years through a first-in-human clinical trial of a unique "immune priming" therapy. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-human-trial-primes-immune-donor.html Fri, 17 Apr 2026 05:00:05 EDT news695548141 Gallbladder cancer (GBC) is a rare form of cancer with no signs or symptoms in the early stages. In the U.S., approximately 2,000 people die annually from this condition, with only 20% diagnosed at an early stage. Surgery remains the most effective treatment. Although minimally invasive approaches—laparoscopic and robotic—are increasingly used in gastrointestinal oncology, their use in GBC is limited and comparing robotic surgery to laparoscopic and conventional surgery approaches remains limited and controversial. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-robotic-laparoscopic-surgery-successful-gallbladder.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 16:20:06 EDT news695572611 Using data from hospitals and emergency medical service providers to map out areas with the greatest need for trauma care and prehospital whole blood transfusions can enable hospital systems to deploy scarce blood resources quickly and minimize waste, according to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons (JACS). https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-cities-efficiently-deploy-blood-resources.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 11:00:06 EDT news695543553 Researchers have developed a compact camera that captures ultraviolet, near-infrared, and visible images using a single chip. Inspired by the multiwavelength vision capability of the mantis shrimp, the camera could help surgeons identify lymph nodes connected to a tumor and assess whether cancer has spread to them, making cancer surgery safer and less invasive. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-shrimp-camera-hidden-cancer-surgeons.html Thu, 16 Apr 2026 10:00:04 EDT news695547541 Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) researchers have developed a flexible optical fiber that can be threaded through a medical endoscope and steered into the larynx to destroy hard-to-reach tumors on the vocal folds, an advance that could expand outpatient laser treatment options for patients whose only other choice might be surgery under general anesthesia. The team's work is published in the Journal of Medical Devices. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-flexible-optical-fiber-technology-laser.html Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:00:05 EDT news694881602 Many patients with firearm injuries are treated at hospitals with violence intervention programs, but only about 1 in 5 ultimately receive these services, according to a national analysis published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. The study is the first national, multicenter analysis of patient characteristics and participation in violence intervention programs among trauma patients with firearm injuries. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-firearm-injury-patients-hospitals-violence.html Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:40:01 EDT news694777928 Biomedical researchers have designed an injectable microgel to help reduce bleeding in infants who require surgical care. In an animal model, the engineered microgel reduced bleeding by at least 50%. The paper, "Hemostatic B-Knob Triggered MicroGels (BK-TriGs) to Address Bleeding in Neonates," is published in the journal Science Advances. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-particle-surgery-safer-infants.html Fri, 03 Apr 2026 14:00:02 EDT news694280882 It is safe for patients to receive a donor liver that has been intentionally preserved overnight using machine perfusion to enable a daytime transplant. This is shown by a study performed at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in the Netherlands, including transplants using all types of donor organs. The post-transplant outcomes are at least as good as those for livers that were not treated with machine perfusion, or were treated for only a short time, prior to transplantation. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-overnight-machine-perfusion-liver-transplants.html Fri, 03 Apr 2026 11:00:04 EDT news694350601 Researchers at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and the Mount Sinai Tisch Cancer Center have found that adults aged 80 and older with early-stage lung cancer can safely undergo surgery and achieve outcomes comparable to younger patients, challenging longstanding assumptions about age and cancer treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-04-lung-cancer-surgery-safe-patients.html Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:20:03 EDT news694353661 For patients with allergic rhinitis and chronic rhinosinusitis, the addition of vidian neurectomy to endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) is associated with superior improvements in symptoms and nasal function, according to a study published online Feb. 15 in the American Journal of Translational Research. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-outcomes-superior-endoscopic-sinus-surgery.html Wed, 01 Apr 2026 01:40:01 EDT news694183057 You're scheduled for surgery next week. You've likely looked up your surgeon's credentials, years of experience, and perhaps even patient reviews. You want reassurance that your surgeon has steady hands, deep expertise, and a thorough command of the procedure. Technical skills feels like the thing that matters most. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-surgery-doctor-leadership-skills-play.html Sat, 28 Mar 2026 15:30:01 EDT news693580865 For patients undergoing body contouring surgery to remove excess abdominal skin after massive weight loss, use of GLP-1 weight-loss medications may have mixed effects on complication risks, suggests a study in the April issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-weight-loss-medications-affect-complications.html Thu, 26 Mar 2026 19:50:03 EDT news693753082 A new Concordia-led study has found that many Canadian surgery residents scored below the threshold of adequate pain knowledge on a validated, widely used measure. Researchers surveyed 110 general and orthopedic surgery residents from 27 residency programs across Canada. Residents are licensed physicians who practice under the supervision of an attending physician while completing their medical training. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-surgery-residents-fall-short-key.html Wed, 25 Mar 2026 01:40:01 EDT news693574408 Women who are treated with a mastectomy for breast cancer often choose to have surgery to reconstruct the breast using an implant. But hard, painful scar tissue can form around the implant, especially when women have radiotherapy as part of their treatment. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-breast-reconstruction-polyurethane-coated-implants.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 19:10:06 EDT news693560762 Deep cuts from accidents or surgeries require stitches, typically followed by oral anti-inflammatory medications like ibuprofen. While these medications help with pain, they don't act specifically on the wounds. Consequently, the site of the stitches can get inflamed, which could slow healing and lead to scarring. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-surgical-anti-inflammatory-drugs-wound.html Tue, 24 Mar 2026 05:00:02 EDT news693473461 Recent research provides robust evidence for the use of a digital visualization and decision support tool in colorectal (bowel) surgery. This is the first time that a digital decision support tool has been conclusively proven to significantly improve outcomes in this type of surgery. The study is published in The Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-digital-decision-tool-proven-bowel.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 19:30:01 EDT news693219001 Scientists from Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) and University College London (UCL) have created the first lab‑grown esophagus—the food pipe—shown to safely replace a full section of the organ and restore normal function, including swallowing, in a growing animal without the need for immunosuppression. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-tissue-children-born-esophagus.html Fri, 20 Mar 2026 06:00:01 EDT news693131341 A widely used fracture risk calculator may help guide surgical decisions to treat patients with an endocrine disorder called primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) that causes progressive bone loss, according to a study led by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers. The findings, published in JAMA Network Open, suggest the Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) could be used to identify patients who may benefit from a parathyroidectomy to potentially prevent fractures. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-fracture-patients-benefit-parathyroid-surgery.html Thu, 19 Mar 2026 16:00:03 EDT news693150781 When someone is diagnosed with colorectal cancer—which includes both colon and rectal cancers—many people immediately think "surgery." And it's true that surgery plays a central role in treatment for most patients. But whether it comes first, and what it entails, depends on several factors, especially where the cancer is located, how far it has grown into surrounding tissues, and whether it has spread, explains Eric Dozois, M.D., chair of colon and rectal surgery at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-surgery-plays-central-role-treatment.html Wed, 18 Mar 2026 13:40:02 EDT news693055741 An international research team led by the Levenberg Laboratory in the Faculty of Biomedical Engineering at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology has succeeded in developing a first-of-its-kind, three-dimensional implant that combines muscle and fat tissues, a lymphatic network, and a hierarchical blood vessel network. The researchers' findings are published in Cell Biomaterials. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-implant-treatment-significant-tissue-loss.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 17:30:01 EDT news692985244 A new study led by University of Toronto researchers finds that post-surgical recovery time in older adults is much longer than expected, with data showing nearly 20% still have impairments in activities of daily living. This lengthy recovery experience poses significant stress for patients and their caregivers, creating an increased risk of negative post-surgical outcomes, including infections, ED visits and hospital readmission. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-older-adults-longer-recover-surgeries.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 15:00:04 EDT news692977981 Researchers have unlocked the possibility of creating smart wound dressings that enable real-time monitoring while also being able to deliver healing agents in one simple, scalable platform. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-smart-bandage-wounds.html Tue, 17 Mar 2026 07:10:01 EDT news692949181 If you're carrying extra weight, smoke, or have a cough or sneeze that won't go away, you may be at higher risk for a condition many people don't think about: A hernia. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-gauge-personal-hernia.html Sat, 14 Mar 2026 15:00:04 EDT news692704080 Biomaterials are specifically engineered to support tissue, nerve and muscle regeneration across the body, yet physicians and researchers have limited control over the size and connectivity of the internal pores that transfer oxygen and vital nutrients to where they are most needed. To solve this problem and better support tissue regeneration, a team at Penn State has designed a new class of tunable biomaterials. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-qa-gassing-bioengineered-materials-wound.html Sat, 14 Mar 2026 14:00:04 EDT news692373640 A new, national analysis published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal suggests the future growth of aesthetic surgery may lie far from traditional luxury markets. UC Davis Health researchers found that southern, Midwestern and rural regions of the United States are growing as high-demand areas, despite limited access to board-certified plastic surgeons. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-high-demand-aesthetic-surgery-southern.html Thu, 12 Mar 2026 19:00:04 EDT news692522536 Washington University in St. Louis researchers and clinicians have been incorporating data from Fitbit wristbands into machine-learning models that could predict surgical outcomes, pain after surgery and potential mental health issues, among other uses. While working with clinicians to predict pancreatic surgery outcomes, WashU researchers encountered an unexpected factor that changed their prediction model: the COVID-19 pandemic. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-pandemic-era-patients-broke-surgical.html Thu, 12 Mar 2026 18:00:01 EDT news692522520 The rise in invasive cosmetic procedures demands tighter regulation, better consumer protection, and greater awareness to protect patient safety and reduce cosmetic tourism, argue experts in The BMJ. The global market for cosmetic procedures is growing rapidly and is projected to exceed $180bn by 2033, note Danielle Griffiths at the University of Liverpool and colleagues. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-cosmetic-procedures-tighter-experts.html Wed, 11 Mar 2026 18:30:01 EDT news692445062 Blood thinners are a common medication for much of the older adult population, prescribed to prevent blood clots that can cause adverse events like heart attack or stroke. They are often stopped prior to most surgeries because of the risk of bleeding. However, according to a new study from the University of Missouri School of Medicine, holding blood thinners for too long could jeopardize the surgery's success. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-03-blood-thinners-higher-free-surgery.html Tue, 10 Mar 2026 18:30:04 EDT news692363364