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26 Oct
Pot Users Experience More Pain After Surgery: New Study
Post-operative pain is worse for pot users who often need more opioid drugs during recovery, researchers find.
Health News Results - 389
Surgery Soon? Use These 3 Tips to Manage Post-Surgical Pain
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- September 10, 2023
- Full Page
When someone has surgery, pain may be top of mind.
An expert in managing post-op pain offers three tips for keeping it under control, safely.
“Pain can inhibit recovery, but good pain control can be an accelerator of a patient’s recovery,” said
More American Men Now Opting for Vasectomy
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 31, 2023
- Full Page
Vasectomies are becoming more common in the United States, with rates surging by more than one-quarter during the past decade, a recent study reveals.
The U.S. vasectomy rate increased by 26% between 2014 and 2021, according to an analysis of commercial health claims dat...
Female Surgeons Bring Better Outcomes for Patients, Two Studies Show
- Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
- August 30, 2023
- Full Page
The field of surgery has long been dominated by men, and still is today.
But two new studies show that if patients want safe, effective long-term results, picking a female surgeon might be key.
In one study involving more than 1 million Canadian surgical patients w...
Should Folks Get Hip Replacements in Their 90s?
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 29, 2023
- Full Page
If you are in your 90s, is hip replacement surgery too dangerous for you?
That depends, new research shows: While elderly patients have more complications and higher death rates after such a procedure, the surgery can be “appropriately considered."
That's because...
Opening All Arteries Best When Heart Attack Strikes in Old Age: Study
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- August 28, 2023
- Full Page
After a heart attack, elderly adults have better odds for improved health and survival if all major heart vessels are cleared, not just the one that caused the heart attack.
Because these patients often have other medical conditions and may be frail, doctors frequen...
U.S. Gender-Affirming Surgeries Nearly Tripled in 3 Years
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- August 23, 2023
- Full Page
The number of Americans undergoing gender-affirming surgery is on the rise, new research reveals, almost tripling between 2016 and 2019 alone.
During that period, more than 48,000 patients -- about half of them between 19 and 30 years of age -- underwent some form of gen...
Skipping Radiation May Be Safe for Some With Early Breast Cancer
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- August 17, 2023
- Full Page
Many women with early breast cancer undergo breast-conserving surgery along with radiation to kill any errant cancer cells, but some may be able to safely skip radiation, new research suggests.
“If the tumors are low-risk, as defined in part by being caught early/small...
Study Finds Good Long-Term Outcomes for Appendicitis Treated Without Surgery
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- August 10, 2023
- Full Page
Most people with appendicitis who are given antibiotics — instead of having their appendix removed — fare well over the long haul, new research indicates.
The conclusion follows roughly two decades spent tracking patient outcomes in Sweden.
The study found that...
Surgeons Are Finding Microplastics in Human Hearts
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 10, 2023
- Full Page
Microplastics appear to be everywhere, including within the tissues of the human heart.
A new Chinese report describes doctors finding microplastics in heart tissue both before and after heart surgery. The researchers also noted there is evidence suggesting that micropla...
Few Regret Undergoing Gender-Affirming Mastectomies
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 10, 2023
- Full Page
For people who are transmasculine or nonbinary, getting a gender-affirming mastectomy can be life-changing.
Now, a new study finds there are high levels of satisfaction and low levels of regret for patients years after the procedure is performed.
Researchers from ...
'Walking Miracles': Born With Lungs Reversed, They Suffered Until Getting Double-Organ Transplants
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- August 8, 2023
- Full Page
Dennis Deer woke from surgery in utter disbelief that he was breathing normally.
He'd been on supplemental oxygen for two years, and “I didn't know what it was like not to have something on my face,” said Deer, 51, a Chicago-area politician and psychologist.
�...
Spotting Heart Defects While Baby Still in Womb Is Crucial, Study Shows
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 7, 2023
- Full Page
Diagnosis of congenital heart defects while a baby is still in the womb offers opportunities for earlier corrective surgery. And that can mean better outcomes for an infant's neurodevelopmental and physical health,
Surgery May Help Advanced Cancer Patients With Obstructed Bowel
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- August 2, 2023
- Full Page
Malignant bowel blockages are common in patients who have advanced abdominal tumors, especially cancers of the ovaries or colon, and a new clinical trial suggests surgery should be offered to them sooner rather than later.
“We knew enrolling patients in the hospital wi...
Hip Replacements No Riskier for Folks Living With HIV
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- July 31, 2023
- Full Page
Hip replacement surgery is safe for HIV patients, a new study shows.
Some surgeons are reluctant to perform total hip replacement surgery on patients with HIV or AIDS, because of concerns about complications, including higher risk of infection, need for repeated surgery ...
Could Metformin Help Seniors Bounce Back After Surgery?
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- July 28, 2023
- Full Page
The diabetes drug metformin might also benefit older patients after an injury or illness, a small study suggests.
Researchers found that metformin -- a drug that has been around for more than a half-century to regulate blood sugar -- may have a different ability: It can ...
AI Tool 'Reads' Brain Tumors During Surgery to Help Guide Decisions
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- July 11, 2023
- Full Page
Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) tool capable of deciphering a brain tumor's genetic code in real time, during surgery — an advance they say could speed diagnosis and personalize patients' treatment.
The researchers trained the AI tool to recog...
Strong Marijuana Habit Could Raise Odds for Complications During Surgery
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- July 11, 2023
- Full Page
Using marijuana regularly might increase the risk for complications during and after surgery, and doctors should address this when planning operations, a new study suggests.
People with a cannabis use disorder are 20% more likely to have serious complications, such as s...
Frailty Greatly Lowers Survival in a Surgical Crisis
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- July 6, 2023
- Full Page
When frail patients go into cardiac arrest and need cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during surgery, they're more likely to die than those who are stronger, a new study shows.
Researchers from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston studied the impact of frailty on sur...
Taking Ozempic, Wegovy? Stop Before Surgery, Anesthesiologists Say
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- July 3, 2023
- Full Page
The trendy weight-loss drug Ozempic could be dangerous for a patient undergoing anesthesia for an operation, according to a new warning from the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and other drugs of their class known as GLP-1 receptor ag...
Sarah Ferguson Reveals Breast Cancer Diagnosis, Mastectomy
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 26, 2023
- Full Page
Sarah Ferguson has undergone treatment for breast cancer, she announced on her podcast.
The Duchess of York, 63, had a mastectomy after the diagnosis and the surgery was successful, her rep confirmed Sunday, People magazine reported.
"The Duchess is rece...
When Your Child Has Scoliosis: Symptoms & Treatments
- Mandi Harenberg HealthDay Reporter
- June 23, 2023
- Full Page
The future for a child diagnosed with scoliosis, an abnormal curvature of the spine that typically occurs just before puberty, can feel uncertain.
As a parent, you want answers to your questions about scoliosis and how it can affect your child's development. Here's what ...
Tough-to-Diagnose Hip Condition Caused Her 'Excruciating Pain' Until She Got a New Type of Surgery
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- June 22, 2023
- Full Page
New York-based physical therapist Brittany Garrett, now 33, was sidelined by excruciating hip pain for close to eight years before she got an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment.
She tried physical therapy to improve her flexibility, among other treatments, but no...
Cutbacks on Opioids Around Surgery May Do More Harm Than Good
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 20, 2023
- Full Page
Many doctors have stopped giving opioids for pain, even during surgery, because of the opioid addiction crisis in the United States. But a new study questions the wisdom of this approach.
Restricting the drugs during surgery may do more harm than good, researchers report...
Pope Francis Leaves Hospital 9 Days After Surgery
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 16, 2023
- Full Page
Pope Francis is now “better than before” after his release from a Rome hospital Friday following surgery on June 7 to repair a hernia and remove scarring.
The 86-year-old pope joked that he was “still alive," as he was met by reporters while leaving the Gemelli Pol...
Many Hospitals Ignore Directives of Organ Transplant Waiting Lists: Study
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 12, 2023
- Full Page
Many transplant centers routinely practice “list-diving,” when the top candidate among potential organ recipients is skipped in favor of someone further down the list, new research shows.
The top candidate is ranked that way based on an objective algorithm using age,...
New Approach to Transplants Could Boost Supply of Donor Hearts
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- June 8, 2023
- Full Page
A new transplant method that "reanimates" donor hearts appears safe and effective, a new clinical trial has found — in an advance that could substantially expand the supply of donor hearts available in the United States.
The trial tested an approach that allows doctors...
CDC Raises Alarm About Meningitis Threat to Patients Visiting Mexican Surgical Clinics
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 8, 2023
- Full Page
U.S. health officials are urgently trying to reach people who've recently had medical procedures at clinics in Matamoros, Mexico, because they may be at risk of potentially fatal fungal meningitis.
Those at risk had procedures done under epidural anesthesia between Jan....
Pope to Have Hernia Surgery, Stay in Rome Hospital for Several Days
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 7, 2023
- Full Page
Pope Francis will be hospitalized for several days after a planned surgery to repair a hernia that is causing him “recurrent, painful and wor...
Patients With Bladder Cancer May Avoid Removal of Extra Lymph Nodes, Study Finds
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- June 7, 2023
- Full Page
For years, doctors have thought that a more extensive surgery that removes a wider swath of lymph nodes was the best option for certain patients with bladder cancer. Now, a new clinical trial is upending that belief.
Researchers found that the strategy — known as exte...
No Need to Avoid Exercise After Prolapse Surgery, Study Finds
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- June 2, 2023
- Full Page
It may not be necessary for people who have prolapse surgery for pelvic floor disorders to wait to get started exercising again.
A new study challenges standard restrictions, finding that those who resume exercising soon after the procedure do just as well as those who w...
More 'Height-Challenged' Men Are Getting Leg-Lengthening Surgeries
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- May 30, 2023
- Full Page
Some short men really struggle with their lack of height, feeling that they are both literally and figuratively looked down upon by others.
That's why an increasing number of height-challenged men are turning to limb-lengthening surgery -- an expensive, potentially painf...
Minimally Invasive Surgery May Be Good Option for People With Pancreatic Cancer
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- May 26, 2023
- Full Page
Minimally invasive surgery works just as well as full-scale open surgery in removing early-stage pancreatic cancers, allowing patients a faster recovery with less infection risk, a new clinical trial has found.
The ability to remove all the cancer and the rate of cancer ...
Large Study Supports Less Invasive Way to Treat 'Leaky' Heart Valves
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- May 24, 2023
- Full Page
When one of the heart's valves springs a big leak, that can spell big trouble.
The good news: The condition, known as degenerative mitral regurgitation (DMR), is treatable using a minimally invasive intervention known as TEER (transcatheter edge-to-edge repair), a proced...
VA Hospitals Offer Quality Surgical Care: Review
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- May 11, 2023
- Full Page
While the U.S. Veterans Affairs health system has been criticized for long appointment wait times and limited access to specialists, the quality of care and access to a range of surgical services is as good as or better than at non-VA health centers on several measures, new re...
Obesity Can Raise Odds for Post-Surgical Complications
- Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter
- May 8, 2023
- Full Page
Here's one more reason to watch your weight: Obesity can increase your odds for serious complications after surgery.
Compared with patients of normal weight, those who are obese are at greater risk for developing blood clots, infections and kidney failure after surgery, ...
Doctors Perform First In Utero Brain Surgery
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- May 5, 2023
- Full Page
For the first time, doctors have successfully performed fetal brain surgery to treat a rare blood vessel abnormality that can be fatal to newborns.
Experts said the accomplishment, for a condition known as a vein of Galen malformation (VOGM), is "exciting." But they also...
How to Ease Back Into Exercise After Surgery
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 29, 2023
- Full Page
Patients who've had surgery should ease back into movement and exercise.
These efforts may be small, but they're better than nothing, according to one surgeon who emphasized the importance of listening to your body.
“The most important thing is patient comfort. ...
Lymph Node Removal During Breast Cancer Mastectomy: Is It Overdone?
- Amy Norton HealthDay Reporter
- April 27, 2023
- Full Page
Women having a mastectomy for earlier-stage breast cancer may be overtreated if doctors evaluate their lymph nodes while they are still on the operating table, a preliminary study suggests.
Researchers found those patients were much more likely to receive aggressive trea...
New Treatment Could Be Safer Way to Fight Brain Tumors in Kids
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- April 25, 2023
- Full Page
Each year, about 140 kids in the United States are diagnosed with a craniopharyngioma, a typically non-cancerous brain tumor that develops near the pituitary gland at the base of the brain.
Doctors treat craniopharyngiomas with surgery to remove the entire tumor or a les...
Cool Storage Could Keep Lungs Ready for Transplant Longer
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- April 24, 2023
- Full Page
Storing donor lungs at cool — but not near freezing — temperatures can markedly increase the length of time the organs can live outside the human body, a new study suggests.
Lungs stored at 50 degrees Fahrenheit remain healthy and viable for transplant up to four tim...
Is Surgery for Sciatica Really Worth It?
- Alan Mozes HealthDay Reporter
- April 24, 2023
- Full Page
Sciatica can send searing, unrelenting pain down your legs, and surgery is often recommended if other less invasive measures fail to bring relief.
Unfortunately, a new study review suggests that such operations likely only provide temporary results, with pain typically r...
What Arthritis Surgeries Help With Pain and Other Symptoms?
- Kirstie Ganobsik HealthDay Reporter
- April 20, 2023
- Full Page
Surgery may help you manage pain and other symptoms if you have certain types of arthritis or your arthritis is severe.
To help you decide if surgery is right for you, here's a breakdown of five of the most common arthritis surgeries, including what they involve, how the...
Even With Multiple Breast Tumors, Mastectomy Isn't Always Necessary: Study
- Denise Mann HealthDay Reporter
- April 19, 2023
- Full Page
Some women with multiple breast tumors can safely be spared breast removal surgery, choosing less invasive treatment instead, new research suggests.
Under certain conditions, women with two or three breast tumors in one breast can avoid mastectomy without increasing...
Knee Replacement More Challenging in People With Sickle Cell
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 19, 2023
- Full Page
While joint reconstruction surgeries are fairly common, they may be anything but routine for people with sickle cell disease.
Patients with the blood disorder who undergo total knee replacement are at a higher risk for complications than other patients, according to a ne...
Blood Donors' Gender Doesn't Affect Outcomes for Recipients
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 13, 2023
- Full Page
Whether the gender of a blood donor could affect the recipient's survival was an unanswered question in medicine. Until now.
“Some observational studies had suggested female donor blood might be linked with a higher risk of death among recipients compared to male donor...
Men With Testicular Cancer May Have New Treatment Option
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 3, 2023
- Full Page
Some patients with early testicular cancer may not need chemotherapy and radiation, researchers report.
Instead, surgery to remove lymph nodes in an area behind the abdomen lining called the retroperitoneum may be enough, according to their new study.
“We found...
Breast Reduction? Body Weight a Factor in Healing Time, Study Finds
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- April 3, 2023
- Full Page
Women who are heavier or older may take longer to heal after surgery to reduce the size of their breasts, new research indicates.
Body weight and age can affect complication risk after breast reduction, according to a report in the April 2023 edition of
Doctors Convert Veins Into Arteries to Spare Patients Amputations
- Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
- March 30, 2023
- Full Page
Cynthia Elford had recently lost her left leg to type 1 diabetes, after a sunburned big toe turned nearly black and forced an amputation.
Now, Elford was being told the same thing was happening in her right leg.
“I went to clip the toenail on the big toe of my ri...
Stress Urinary Incontinence? Know Your Surgical Options
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 21, 2023
- Full Page
A lot of women experience stress urinary incontinence, those bladder leaks that can happen when a woman is coughing, sneezing, laughing or exercising.
It's the most common type of urinary incontinence in women, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
S...
Post-Op Delirium Could Signal Faster Mental Decline
- Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
- March 21, 2023
- Full Page
Older adults often develop delirium after surgery, and new research finds this is associated with a faster rate of mental decline.
The study highlights the importance of preventing delirium to preserve brain health in older adults who undergo surgery, according to the au...