Nonacademic factors more strongly predict attrition than do than academic variables among surgery residents, according to findings reported in the July issue of the Archives of Surgery. Reuters Health Information
Use of recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) reduces the need for blood transfusion in patients without hemophilia and may also reduce mortality, according to pooled data from randomized placebo-controlled trials involving more than 3000 participants, Canadian researchers report. Reuters Health Information
Most patients who undergo surgery for Ebstein anomaly have good long-term survival and functional outcomes, according to a report in the August 5th issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Reuters Health Information
Delaying axillary node dissection for a few weeks does not appear to be detrimental in breast cancer patients with positive sentinel nodes, according to a report in the July 20th Journal of Clinical Oncology. Reuters Health Information
Findings from a small study suggest that topical interferon or surgical therapy are both effective treatments for primary ocular surface squamous dysplasia or carcinoma. Reuters Health Information
Elevated free plasma DNA is a reliable indicator of recurrent esophageal cancer, more so than carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and is able to detect recurrent disease in most patients before clinical evidence emerges. These findings come from a study by researchers at the University of Southern California, published in the July issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Reuters Health Information
Laparoscopic surgeons who play video games requiring spatial skills and dexterity are faster and less prone to error when performing advanced surgical procedures, researchers reported on Sunday at the Annual Convention of the American Psychological Association in Boston. Reuters Health Information
In addition to confirming previously identified risk factors for cardiovascular complications after total joint replacement (TJR) surgery, researchers have shown that bilateral and revision operations are associated with increased risk. Reuters Health Information
Varicocelectomy is just as effective for infertility in older men as it is for younger men, according to a report in the July issue of Urology. Reuters Health Information
Use of a chemofluorescence technique may allow surgeons to visualize, in real time, cancerous tissue, thereby increasing the precision of their resections, according to animal study findings presented Tuesday at the National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia. Reuters Health Information
