Medicine.org - Medical/Surgical Care Complications & Dangers

40,000 Patients Potentially Exposed to Hepatitis, HIV due to Clinic's Re-Use of Syringes in Unsafe Injection Practices

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 14:42:26 -0500

About 40,000 patients of the Endoscopy Center of Southern Nevada in Las Vegas are being urged to get tested for bloodborne diseases like hepatitis and HIV. It is reported that anesthesiologists exposed patients to infection by using multiple-dose vials of medications and re-using syringes between individuals.

Patients were exposed to these unsafe injections between March 2004 and January 2008. So far, doctors have found six acute cases of hepatitis C in patients from the center.

HealthGrades Names America’s 50 Best Hospitals based on independent analysis of 27 different procedures and diagnoses

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:11:25 -0500

HealthGrades has released its 2008 rankings of America’s 50 Best Hospitals -- hospitals that have demonstrated superior clinical outcomes for the most consecutive years. Hospitals cannot apply for this independent analysis, and they cannot opt-in or out of being rated.

To identify the top hospitals for 2008, HealthGrades researchers analyzed approximately 100 million hospitalization records from nearly 5,000 hospitals, from the years 1999 to 2006.

You Can Survive Your Kidney's Death; But Not Well

Mon, 12 Nov 2007 16:03:22 -0500

Do your kidneys ever die, independently of the rest of your body? Yes, and it happens frequently. It is estimated that 26 million people in America have kidneys which are dying (or chronic kidney failure). This is almost 13% of all Americans. This number represents a significant increase over the past 10 years. It is anticipated that the number of people with diseased kidneys will continue to rise in the future: The data system predicts that by 2020 nearly 785,000 people will be receiving treatment for kidney failure, costing $53.6 billion.

Acetaminophen Overdoses

Tue, 06 Nov 2007 11:13:06 -0500

Your liver is one of the most important organs in your body, and the largest in your abdomen. Its reddish color is due to its ability to contain a pint of blood at any one time. Every time we eat, breathe, drink or absorb anything, the liver is responsible for detoxifying, integrating, secreting, storing, digesting and many other processes to provide a homeostasis or balance to the rest of your body.

Gall Bladder Removed Through the Vagina

Thu, 18 Oct 2007 21:20:59 -0400

No muss, no fuss, no bother: gall bladder removed through the vagina. After making progress in maximally invasive surgery, we now have arrived at a day where surgery is painless and blood-less. Removing or performing surgery on internal organs through natural pathways is new, but hardly a trend. True, the surgery leaves no scar and no post-op surgical pain. However, in so doing, the vagina has been surgically cut. It may not repair well, leaving painful internal scar tissue in the future. It may even rip open, or perforate. When an organ perforates, it usually leads to serious complications, including death. Additionally, the body is now open for another area of infection.

If Your Doctor Asks, Can You Tell Him the Meds You Take Accurately?

Mon, 15 Oct 2007 21:44:42 -0400

Have you ever tried to pronounce the name of the medications you take? With such names as Ezetimide, Irbesartan, and Acetaminophen. Who among us is so skilled in linguistics that we can pronounce these foreign-sounding names? Yet, these are all very common medications which are taken for cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetic problems. So how can we remember, when we can’t pronounce? In a recent study, 50% of outpatients could not remember their medications. When a lower literacy level was reviewed, the number jumped to 65%. No doubt, a problematic situation exists.

Hot Peppers May Completely Eliminate Pain of Childbirth, Dental Procedures and Surgery

Fri, 05 Oct 2007 16:20:58 -0400

Did you realize that within a very small section of skin, you have various nerve cells. Some cells only ‘light up’ or work when you apply pressure. Some are sensitive to temperature. Some are sensitive only to pain. The nerve cells which are sensitive to pain are called nociceptor cells.

Currently, no drug works directly on nociceptor cells; but on nerve pathways which lead to the nociceptor cells. Or a drug may work on all the different types of cells, not solely nociceptor pain cells. Or a drug may totally anesthetize you, in which case you are paralyzed, unconscious, and pain free.

Medication Errors Are Your Fault, and Could Be Deadly

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 21:05:25 -0400

1.5 Million medication errors occur annually. Some of those errors are caused by the labeling process itself.

How many times have you gone to take your evening medication, and been confused by an array of bottles which look just a like, and names of medications hard to discern (or if you can find the name of the medication, the font size is too small to read).

All material for patient education should be a size 12 font. Otherwise, even with glasses, many people will not be able to read the information.

This Patient Is Having Brain Surgery....Or.....Is He Checking His E-Mail?

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 20:54:29 -0400

The patient on the operating table is having brain surgery. As currently, he has become bored; he is also checking his e-mail. A picture out of sci-fi? No, not at all. Many craniotomy’s (brain surgery) are now performed while the patient is awake. It is preferred that the patient is awake.

In the above scenario, the patient had a glioblastoma (deadly cancerous tumor in brain). As the patient was awake, the surgeon could keep cutting out the tumor without damaging critical brain mass.

Genital Mutiliation Is Not Only a Concern in Underdeveloped Countries; But in the United States

Thu, 13 Sep 2007 13:52:37 -0400

While the World Health Organization strives to eliminate genital mutiliation in underdeveloped countries, who is 'minding the store' in America.

Seems vaginal cosmetic surgery has become an obsession, as women become more aware of how their vagina looks. Bikini waxes, small G-string bikinis, and a spouse's desire are all part of why women want their vagina's to be tighter, their G-spot plumper, and their labia lips smaller.

Hip Replacements: New Technology Will Aid Complications

Fri, 31 Aug 2007 13:32:43 -0400

Hip replacement surgery occurs approximately 300,000 times a year in the American population. One needs hip replacement when the ball and joint of the hip joint and upper thigh bone no longer fit, causing severe disruption and pain in ambulation. Conversely, the knee joint also requires replacement at about the same number, 300,000 times a year. The adverse conditions necessitating replacements is caused usually by osteoarthritis, a disease affecting most older Americans.

Burping: Not a Laughing Matter

Thu, 16 Aug 2007 21:39:39 -0400

Heart burn or Acid Reflux affects millions of Americans. If severe, the person may go to the physician to obtain a prescription medication. Otherwise, over the counter drugs such as “pepsid’ are widely available.

For the most part, we ignore it. May even laugh about it when we burp, or others belch. This condition is not a laughing matter.

Pills alone may not be sufficient to stop the esophagus from being permanently damaged. The effect of acid reflux is similar to taking hydrochloric acid and pouring it on your hand. The question becomes “how do I know whether my esophagus is OK or not”. The only way of currently knowing is to have a small scope inserted down your throat to your stomach. If anything peculiar or abnormal is noted, a biopsy will be taken.

Xolair Blackboxed by FDA

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 21:22:23 -0400

Omalizumab, marketed as Xolair, is BlackBoxed by FDA

This Alert highlights important revisions to the full prescribing information for Xolair. The updated full prescribing information for Xolair (July 2007) includes a new Boxed WARNING, updated WARNINGS, PRECAUTIONS, and ADVERSE REACTIONS--Postmarketing Spontaneous Reports.

A New Medication Guide [PDF] about the risk of anaphylaxis following administration of Xolair is to be distributed with each dose of Xolair.

New Ceramic Hip Prosthesis

Fri, 13 Jul 2007 21:15:11 -0400

What is it?

The NOVATION™ Ceramic Articulation Hip System is an alumina ceramic artificial hip replacement system, surgically implanted to completely replace a diseased or damaged hip joint.

For a picture of a hip implant, go to: http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/kids/html/total_hip.htm.

How does it work?

The system has four parts that that work together to allow the hip joint to move:

Acute Eye Inflammation Follows Cataract Surgery

Sat, 07 Jul 2007 21:43:45 -0400

Toxic Anterior Segment Syndrome (TASS) After Cataract Surgery — Maine, 2006

Prevention of TASS depends on careful attention to all solutions, medications, and ophthalmic devices used in anterior segment surgery as well as appropriate protocols for cleaning and sterilizing surgical equipment.

An outbreak of toxic anterior segment syndrome (TASS) following cataract surgery occurred in eight individuals at a Maine hospital in October 2006. The specific cause of the outbreak was not identified and no additional cases occurred after two series of changes were made to the materials and equipment used for surgery.