 |
According to the first study to examine long-term clinical outcomes with surgeon skill, when surgeons were rated as highly skilled, five-year survival rates for their colon cancer patients improved. Published online in JAMA Oncology, the study indicates that not only were there fewer postoperative complications but there also was longer survival in the patients of the more highly skilled surgeons.
In addition to reading our e-newsletter, be sure to visit Today’s Geriatric Medicine’s website at www.TodaysGeriatricMedicine.com, where you’ll find news and information that’s relevant and reliable. We welcome your feedback at TGMeditor@gvpub.com. Follow Today’s Geriatric Medicine on Facebook and Twitter, too.
— Kate Jackson, editor |
 |
 |
Surgical Experience Improves Survival
Colon cancer patients achieve better five-year survival rates when the surgeons who treat them are rated as highly skilled, according to findings from what authors say is the first study to link a surgeon’s technical skills with improved long-term clinical outcomes. The study is published online in JAMA Oncology and virtually presented as part of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) Commission on Cancer’s Annual Research Paper Competition.
“In the last few years, studies have shown that patients of more highly skilled surgeons have fewer immediate postoperative complications. This study moves to the next level and shows that patients of more highly skilled surgeons not only have fewer complications in the short term, they survive longer,” says Brian C. Brajcich, MD, a clinical scholar with the ACS, research fellow at Northwestern University School of Medicine, and lead study author.
The study was conducted by the Illinois Surgical Quality Improvement Collaborative (ISQIC), a group of 56 hospitals that perform 80% of the complex surgical operations across the state. The ISQIC is a collaborative partner with the ACS National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.
“A previous study done by our group found that lapses in surgical technique can result in a complication within a few days of surgery. This study is striking because no one has looked directly at the relationship between surgical skill and improved survival at the five-year mark, and, yes, surgeons with better skill achieve considerably better survival rates for their patients,” says Karl Y. Bilimoria, MD, MS, FACS, director of the Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center at Northwestern Medicine in Chicago, and an ACS faculty scholar.
Excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common type of cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States. The American Cancer Society estimates nearly 105,000 cases of colon cancer and 45,000 cases of rectal cancer will be newly diagnosed in 2021. Surgery is a mainstay of treatment. The type of surgery depends on the extent and location of the cancer and the goal of treatment. During a laparoscopic colectomy, for example, the surgeon removes the cancerous area of the colon, a small segment of normal colon on either side, and nearby lymph nodes.
Full story » |
|
 |
Eating Disorders in Older Adults
Clinicians often overlook eating disorders in their older patients. Read more »
COVID-19’s Effect on Kidney Health
This common complication in hospitalized COVID-19 patients can be life-threatening. Read more »
Make Frailty Part of Discussions About Surgery
To help prevent poor outcomes, review the patient’s frailty risk. Read more » |
|
 |
Have a product or service you want to market to geriatricians, other physicians and the geriatric care team of professionals who treat aging patients? Are you a recruiter looking to fill the many geriatric professional openings within a facility, physician practice, or academic institution? Then utilize the reach of Today's Geriatric Medicine to accomplish your marketing goals and fill any open positions.
A resource for professionals looking for new opportunities, as well as those physicians just curious to see what's out there, our Physician Recruitment Center gives physician recruiters a powerful tool to fill partnership opportunities, academic appointments, and hospital staff positions. To support your product marketing or recruiting needs, e-mail our experienced account executives today at sales@gvpub.com for more information or call 800-278-4400! |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
 |
The Ongoing Low-Fat, Low-Carb Debate
At the National Institutes of Health, a small but highly controlled study published in Nature Medicine found that individuals who follow a low-fat, plant-based diet, even though they consumed fewer calories, had higher insulin and blood glucose levels than did those who ate a low-carbohydrate, animal-based diet. While both diets produced weight loss, significant body fat loss occurred only in those on the low-fat diet.
Suing for Wrongful Life
Malpractice and negligence are typically the cause for lawsuits related to medical care. Now, some families are suing providers who fail to follow patients’ documented desires and prevent them from dying. The New York Times reports that patient documentation of end-of-life instructions has been boosted by the pandemic.
Medications to Treat Addictions Are Becoming Increasingly Important
According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, as the opioid addiction crisis worsens, it’s becoming increasingly clear that medications can help save lives. The paper reports on two studies funded by the National Institutes of Health, one looking at the use of buprenorphine to treat opioid addiction, with care provided at a community pharmacy. The other looked at the use of a combination of buproprion, an antidepressant, and naltrexone, an opioid-blocking drug, to treat methamphetamine addiction.
Fried Foods Increase Stroke and Heart Attack Risk
Science Daily reports on a study published online in the journal Heart demonstrating a link between consumption of fried foods and increased incidence of cardiovascular disease including heart failure, heart attack, and stroke. Among the proposed causes are trans fats, a higher sugar content in many fried foods, and an increased production of inflammatory chemical by-products associated with the frying process. |
|
 |
Easing Foot Pain
Soul Insole’s area bubble orthotic memory gel insole is designed to guide the foot into proper alignment while relieving pain in patients with conditions such as plantar fasciitis, over-pronation, metatarsalgia, and fat pad atrophy. They’re made from nonporous, skin-friendly, soft medical-grade memory gel. Learn more »
Creating Smart Wheelchairs
Braze Mobility is the world’s first blind spot sensor that can be added to any wheelchair, turning it into a “smart wheelchair” with intuitive lights, sounds, and vibrations. It increases peace of mind while reducing the amount of time and support needed from caregivers. Learn more » |
|
 |
 |
A Secure, Anonymous Résumé Bank
Job Alerts Sent to Your E-mail |
|
|
 |
Set up Job Alerts and create your online Résumé
to let potential employers find you today! |
|
|
