In 2014, a big eye health study called the National Eye Survey II (NES II) was done in Malaysia. It used a method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) to check how many people were blind or needed cataract surgery. The results showed big differences in eye care across the country. Some places had more people with blindness or who needed surgery, while o...
Let's talk about something important in surgery: goals of care (GOC) discussions. These chats are key to making sure patients get the treatment they truly want. But how well are we doing this? And how can we get better? First, let's think about why GOC talks matter. They help doctors and patients agree on what's best. But right now, these talks aren't always happeni...
Sam Nivola, a rising actor from "The White Lotus, " has sparked a debate with his thoughts on Hollywood's obsession with staying young. He believes that older actors are holding back new talent by using plastic surgery to look younger and take on roles meant for younger performers. This, he argues, leaves little room for new stars to shine. Nivola admires actors lik...
Tummy tucks have come a long way in the last decade. Surgeons have been fine-tuning their techniques to make the procedure safer and more effective. One key change is the focus on preserving something called the Scarpa fascia. This is a layer of tissue under the skin that plays a big role in how the body heals and looks after surgery. Liposuction has also gotten mor...
Researchers wanted to see which surgery works better for kids born with a rare eye condition called aniridia that often leads to glaucoma. They looked at two common surgeries: trabeculectomy and glaucoma drainage device (GDD) implantation. First, they gathered data from many studies. They found that both surgeries can help lower eye pressure, but they don't always w...
Robots are now helping doctors fix hernias. This is big news because it means less pain and faster healing for patients. But not all robot techniques are the same. Three main methods are being used: rTAPP, rRives, and rTARUP. Each has its own pros and cons. A big study looked at these methods. It checked how well they work, how long they take, and how safe they are....
Patients about to undergo brain surgery often feel overwhelmed and confused. This is because they don't always understand what's happening or what they need to do. Doctors and nurses usually explain things, but sometimes it's not enough. Printed materials can help, but they're not always easy to understand or personal enough. This is where AI chatbots might come in ...
High myopia, or severe nearsightedness, can make cataract surgery a bit trickier. One common issue after this surgery is posterior capsular opacification (PCO), where the lens behind the iris becomes cloudy again. What causes this in people with high myopia? Researchers decided to look into the role of cytokines, which are tiny proteins in the eye's fluid that help r...
Unions are common in many jobs, even in healthcare. Nurses, for example, often have unions to help them. Lately, resident doctors have been forming unions too. They want better work conditions and benefits. But will this help or hurt neurosurgery training? That's what this study wanted to find out. Neurosurgery is a tough field. It takes a lot of training and hard w...
Medicare has been experimenting with new ways to pay for medical services. One of these experiments is called Bundled Payments for Care Improvement Advanced, or BPCI Advanced for short. This program started in 2018 and includes spine surgery done outside of the hospital. The idea is to pay a set amount for the entire procedure, rather than paying for each part separa...