Surgery Archive

Today, most surgeries to remove the prostate gland in men with prostate cancer are performed with robotic assistance, which ostensibly offers quality-of-life advantages. But how does this method compare with traditional open surgery? A recent study provides some clarity.

If you need surgery, does the sex of the surgeon matter? A study reviewed procedures done in Canada over a 12-year period involving more than a million adults, and found that in general, people operated on by female surgeons were less likely to experience complications. But why?

The FDA recently moved to help make certain that women considering breast implants have a clear picture of what implants involve before moving ahead with surgery. The agency announced a series of changes in October 2021. These include new labeling requirements for breast implant manufacturers, a requirement that facilities provide patients with a checklist outlining potential risks and benefits related to breast implants, and updated screening recommendations to detect leaks in silicone breast implants.

When hospitals fill with COVID-19 patients, elective surgeries need to be postponed. If your elective surgery is temporarily derailed, what steps can you take to help yourself cope and be prepared for when the surgery is rescheduled?

It's common for doctors to prescribe opioid pain medications for their patients after surgery; however, prescribing large numbers of pills increases the possibility of dependence and overdose. Writing prescriptions for smaller quantities of pills while still monitoring people's pain is one way to reduce the likelihood that a person develops a problem.