A recent research review compared the results of various studies on rehabilitation treatments, including immobilization, exercise and cold therapy, for patients with carpal tunnel syndrome after surgery. The authors concluded that little evidence supports the effectiveness of rehabilitation techniques, and many of the studies reviewed have similar limitations…
Researchers Describe Controversial Study of Surgeon Training
(Reuters Health)—Whether surgical trainees should be able to work long shifts is a matter of fierce debate, and the methods of a controversial study aimed at answering that question were outlined in a top surgical journal. The results won’t be available until February. In the meantime, critics of the study say it exposed residents and…
Hospital Safety Culture Key to Improving Surgical Results
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—The “safety culture” of a hospital may be just as important in delivering high-quality surgical patient care as more technical issues like surgeon skill and operating room equipment, according to a new study. “The study supports what many surgeons have known for a long time, and that is that the organizational culture…
Knee Replacement Surgery Works, but So Can Nonsurgical Techniques
(Reuters Health)—Total knee replacement can usually relieve pain and improve function, but a nonsurgical regimen can also be effective in some people without posing the complication risks of surgery, according to a new study. The study found that while 85% of patients who underwent surgery showed clinically-significant improvement after one year, so did 67% assigned…
Rheumatologist Nathan Wei, MD, Focuses on Alternatives to Surgery for Athletes
Nathan Wei, MD, FACP, FACR, admits that he didn’t exactly agree with the amount certain things were encouraged in his family. “Aspects such as academics and music were focused on so much,” he says. “I wanted to break out from that upbringing. I wanted to add in more of what I wanted to do.” And…
Surgeon Performance Unaffected by Fatigue from Overnight Work
(Reuters Health)—Going without sleep the night before does not affect the performance of doctors doing elective surgery the next morning, according to a new Ontario study that runs contrary to research demonstrating that sleep-deprived physicians pose a hazard to patients. The odds of having a surgery-related problem were 22.2% when the doctor had been treating…
Knee Surgery for Pain May Not Be Worthwhile
(Reuters Health)—Middle-aged and older adults with torn cartilage or painful arthritis in their knee are not likely to benefit from arthroscopic surgery, and could be harmed by it, a review of past studies hints. Researchers reviewed nine previous studies with a combined 1,270 patients and found the surgery no better than other options like exercise…
Listen Now: Remembering Medicine’s Past
Collector Donah Zack Crawford talks about early surgical instruments, medical techniques, and leeches too!
Hip-Resurfacing Arthroplasty an Alternative to Total Hip Replacement
Resurfacing procedure preserves bone, lasts longer, allows patients higher level of functionality
Google Glass Has Potential for Rheumatology, Orthopedic Surgery
Wearable smart-glass device could enable untethered access to electronic health records, be conduit for clinical decision making