Perioperative News and Research

RSS

Study spotlights postoperative delirium as a preventable and high-impact complication

A new large-scale study spotlights postoperative delirium as a preventable and high-impact complication, which is driven by patient frailty and surgical stress-and one that can be addressed through low-cost, evidence-based interventions.

9 Jul 2025

FDA approval of pembrolizumab marks major shift in head and neck cancer treatment

Pembrolizumab, an immune checkpoint inhibitor, has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of patients with resectable locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma whose tumors express PD-L1 [Combined Positive Score (CPS) ≥1] as determined by an FDA-approved test.

15 Jun 2025

Study shows survival benefit of surgical ablation during CABG in patients with atrial fibrillation

A new study published in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, a journal from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, finds that Medicare patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who undergo surgical ablation during isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) live longer than those who do not, offering compelling support for clinical guidelines that recommend this procedure but are too often not followed in practice.

4 Jun 2025

New plant-derived therapy shows promise for cancer pain relief

RTX is a non-addictive pain therapy derived from a cactus-like plant.

29 May 2025

Coordinated referral and team-based care models show promise in cutting surgical wait times

How can we reduce wait times for much needed hip and knee replacement surgery in Canada? Coordinated referral and team-based care models show promise, according to research published in CMAJ.

20 May 2025

VR-guided meditation helps hospital parents manage stress

Parenting in the hospital is stressful. Moms and dads naturally focus on their ill child, sometimes to the neglect of their own mental health.

2 May 2025

Mindfulness and CBT provide long-term relief for chronic back pain

The list of treatments for low back pain is endless, but few offer relief for the one in four Americans who suffer from this persistent pain and leading cause of disability globally. More than 80% of those with chronic low back pain wished there were better treatment options.

7 Apr 2025

Study reveals nursing care gaps in Black-serving hospitals

A new study – just published in Nursing Research – has uncovered concerning disparities in patient outcomes, specifically related to nursing care, within hospitals that predominantly serve Black communities.

4 Apr 2025

Macular thickness could predict postoperative delirium in older patients

Thickening of the macular layer of the eye's retina is associated with a greater risk of postoperative delirium for older patients undergoing surgery under general anaesthetic, reveals a study published online in the open access journal General Psychiatry.

2 Apr 2025

Hydrogel-based drug delivery offers hope for post-traumatic osteoarthritis

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a condition that affects joints after an injury. Current treatments focus on relieving symptoms but do not prevent or stop the progression of the condition.

1 Apr 2025

Study shows artificial intelligence can improve intravenous nutrition for premature babies

Artificial intelligence can improve intravenous nutrition for premature babies, a Stanford Medicine study has shown.

25 Mar 2025

Understanding the mechanisms of postoperative cognitive dysfunction in chronic kidney disease patients

Announcing a new article publication for Cardiovascular Innovations and Applications journal. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) often encounter cardiovascular complications, most commonly coronary heart disease.

7 Mar 2025

Strong synthetic opioids linked to poor postoperative pain experience

The use of powerful synthetic opioids, such as sufentanil and remifentanil, during surgery is linked to a subsequent poor 'pain experience'---a composite of emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of pain- suggests research published in the open access journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine.

26 Feb 2025

Liver graft preservation methods alter microbiota composition after transplantation

End-stage liver disease is associated with disruptions in gut microbiota composition and function, which may facilitate gut-to-liver bacterial translocation, impacting liver graft integrity and clinical outcomes following liver transplantation.

7 Feb 2025

Fewer anesthesiology residents applying to US pain medicine fellowships

The study highlights a concerning 45% decline in pain medicine fellowship applications, pointing to workforce issues and gender disparities in anesthesiology.

28 Jan 2025

Medicaid insurance, socioeconomic disadvantage linked to poorer survival after heart transplant

A new study led by UCLA Health highlights the link between socioeconomic disadvantage, Medicaid insurance, and poorer survival rates after heart transplantation.

24 Jan 2025

Prehabilitation may improve surgical recovery and reduce complications

A new study published in The BMJ suggests that prehabilitation (also called prehab) may be able to reduce complications and length of hospitalization after surgery, while also improving quality of life and physical recovery.

23 Jan 2025

RNA nanoparticles offer dual action against prostate tumors

Yang Zhang, PhD, and Jinjun Shi, PhD, both of the Center for Nanomedicine and Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital, are co-senior authors of a paper published in ACS Nanoscience Au, "Lipid Nanoparticle Delivery of mRNA and siRNA for Concurrent Restoration of Tumor Suppressor and Inhibition of Tumorigenic Driver in Prostate Cancer."

10 Jan 2025

Breakthrough pig kidney transplant ends dialysis for Alabama woman

An Alabama woman is free from dialysis and in better health after surgeons at NYU Langone Health performed a gene-edited pig kidney transplant last month.

17 Dec 2024

PROSPECT-Lung trial aims to improve treatment for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer

The highly anticipated PROSPECT-Lung trial has officially opened, marking a significant step forward in the quest to improve treatment strategies for patients with resectable non-small cell lung cancer.

11 Dec 2024