Recent Blog Articles
Could imaging scans replace biopsies during prostate cancer screening?
Celiac disease: Exploring four myths
Does drinking water before meals really help you lose weight?
Which migraine medications are most helpful?
Want a calmer brain? Try this
Do tattoos cause lymphoma?
PTSD: How is treatment changing?
Concussion in children: What to know and do
Ever hear of tonsil stones?
Midlife ADHD? Coping strategies that can help
Surgery Archive
Articles
Is it time for a knee replacement?
Annually, about 790,000 Americans (about 60% women) undergo knee replacement surgery. Women are more likely to have arthritis, the main culprit leading to most knee replacements. Before surgery becomes an option, people first need to try conservative treatments such as pain relievers, injectable medications, and physical therapy. Signs a knee replacement may be necessary include pain that hinders people from doing basic activities, unstable walking, and needing multiple medications to function.
Low-dose aspirin now the preferred agent to help prevent blood clots after knee replacement
A 2024 study found that low-dose aspirin therapy was more effective than taking anticoagulants for reducing the risk of blood clots following a total knee replacement surgery. Aspirin therapy also caused fewer bleeding complications.
Why choose bypass surgery over stents?
People who have stable angina despite taking medications can be treated with stents or bypass surgery. The best choice depends on the location and complexity of the artery blockages and other health conditions.
Upcoming surgery? You may not need any heart tests beforehand
Getting an electrocardiogram (ECG) prior to undergoing noncardiac surgery should be the exception rather than the rule. About half of surgeries are low-risk and pose very little danger for the heart. Asking about a person's symptoms during physical activity—for example, whether they can walk up a flight of stairs without feeling winded—is a better gauge of their risk than the findings from an ECG. But presurgical ECGs make sense for older, inactive people with heart disease. The results can reveal signs of reduced blood flow to the heart or an unstable electrical heart rhythm that may require treatment before surgery.
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
One condition affecting the hands and fingers is Dupuytren's contracture, where one or more fingers become curled, making it difficult to perform everyday activities. Dupuytren's affects one in 20 Americans, so what do people need to know about it?
What complications can occur after prostate cancer surgery?
Minimally invasive surgery to remove the prostate gland is generally very well tolerated, but there can be complications, as in the case of Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier this year. A Harvard-affiliated urologist answers questions about the possibility of such complications.
What is dropless cataract surgery?
Dropless cataract surgery is a new innovation. It enables eye surgeons to administer a medication into a patient's eye during surgery that eliminates the need to use expensive, inconvenient eye drops for several weeks after surgery.
Recent Blog Articles
Could imaging scans replace biopsies during prostate cancer screening?
Celiac disease: Exploring four myths
Does drinking water before meals really help you lose weight?
Which migraine medications are most helpful?
Want a calmer brain? Try this
Do tattoos cause lymphoma?
PTSD: How is treatment changing?
Concussion in children: What to know and do
Ever hear of tonsil stones?
Midlife ADHD? Coping strategies that can help
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