Please note RCSEd is not responsible for the content of external news sources and the views reflected in them may not reflect the views of The Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.
18 April
Understanding why the kidneys are injured after cardiac surgery
"We provide robust evidence that cardiac surgery deprives the kidneys of oxygen during and well after the operation. We found that oxygen deprivation persisted over 4 weeks after cardiac surgery and was associated with inflammation, cell death and scarring in kidney tissue.”
17 April
Toothpaste widely contaminated with lead and other metals, US research finds
About 90% of toothpastes contained lead, 65% contained arsenic, just under half contained mercury, and one-third had cadmium. Many brands contain a number of the toxins.
16 April
British hospitals introduce treatment for heart failure that cuts deaths by 62%
Clinical staff likened the approach – known as “rapid titration” – to how cancer patients are given a full dose of chemotherapy medication from the start of their treatment to improve their chances of recovery.
ASA bans Brazilian liquid butt lift ads from six UK cosmetic treatment providers
“Choosing to undergo a cosmetic procedure is a serious decision, so ads that trivialise this, exploit insecurities, or pressure consumers can cause real harm.”
Significant variation in kidney transplant decision-making revealed among clinicians and centers
"Insights into center- and doctor-specific decision-making are increasingly relevant, since currently about a fifth of kidneys are now offered to transplant hospitals as 'open offers,' in which the on-call surgeon uses their discretion to determine the most clinically suitable patient to receive the kidney,"
Risky surgery after a stroke due to carotid artery stenosis may no longer be necessary in most patients
"For the vast majority of these patients, in the Netherlands perhaps up to about 75%, medication alone is probably sufficient to reduce the risk of another stroke.”
Robotic technology may improve accuracy of screw placement in adult spinal deformity
“It is important for surgeons to understand that the technology can be used as a check method instead of as deliberately trying to utilize the technology for every single part of placing the screw…”
Disposable vape use falling in UK ahead of ban
Before the ban, between January 2022 and January 2024, vaping among those aged 16 and over went up from 8.9% to 13.5%. In young adults aged 16-24, usage increased more sharply, from 17% to 26.5%.
15 April
UK cancer care system is facing a 'critical breaking point', experts warn
"Now, more than ever, we must learn from each other, acknowledge the scale of the challenge, and implement data-driven solutions and achieve efficiencies, some of which may be contentious in the short term, but are essential for long-term cancer control within financial constraints."
Heart valve abnormality is associated with malignant arrhythmias, study reveals
"We have been able to show that people with MAD have a significantly higher risk of suffering from ventricular arrhythmias, a dangerous type of heart rhythm disorder that, in the worst case, can lead to cardiac arrest in a subset of patients,"
Blood test firm blamed for 'catalogue of disasters'
"It would [previously] never cross our minds that a blood test might not be reliable. This is now an everyday concern.
Nerve blocks reduce complications and opioid use in hip surgery
These techniques are not only effective—they're precise. A small volume of local anesthetic, delivered with ultrasound guidance, can significantly reduce a patient's need for opioids during and after surgery.
Past patient outcomes could help single-ventricle surgery decisions
"All organs can be affected, including the kidneys, but impacts on liver functions—toxin clearance, protein production, metabolism—manifest earlier than others."
FDA OKs trial of pig livers as dialysis-like treatment for liver failure
The new study, which is expected to get underway later this spring, is a twist on the quest for animal-to-human organ transplants. Researchers won't transplant the pig liver but instead will attach it externally to study participants.
14 April
Skin cancer patients to join ‘revolutionary’ NHS vaccine trial Paywall [The Times]
The needle-free injection works by boosting the immune system’s response
https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/skin-cancer-vaccine-trial-nhs-3ptrt0tvs
Rise in CT scans causing thousands of cancer cases, experts warn Paywall [The Times]
A new study by the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London estimated that 103,000 cases of cancer in the US were caused by CT scans in 2023, including 10,000 cases in children.
Cheap drug could prevent thousands of heart attacks Paywall [The Times]
Giving patients ezetimibe in addition to the usual statins to lower their cholesterol significantly improves outcomes, British and Swedish researchers found
Young professionals go private for MRI scans and cancer checks Paywall [The Times]
Experts said this reflects a desire to get “peace of mind” for worrying symptoms quickly and on demand.
Lab-grown teeth might become an alternative to fillings
"Fillings aren't the best solution for repairing teeth. Over time, they will weaken tooth structure, have a limited lifespan, and can lead to further decay or sensitivity. Implants require invasive surgery and good combination of implants and alveolar bone. Both solutions are artificial and don't fully restore natural tooth function…”
13 April
Electric ‘swimming cap’ could combat brain tumours Paywall [The Times]
The NHS is trialling a headset that emits electrical fields that disrupt cell division, and it may improve survival rates if used early in treatment
Three million child deaths linked to drug resistance, study shows
"These findings should serve as a wake-up call for global health leaders. Without decisive action, AMR could undermine decades of progress in child health, particularly in the world's most vulnerable regions."
Yoga is as effective as strengthening exercises for knee osteoarthritis pain relief, study finds
Pain management in patients with knee OA improved over 12 weeks, and yoga was just as beneficial as conventional strength exercises, according to the results published in JAMA Network Open.
12 April
Award for surgeon's sewing machine-inspired device
Prof Angelini and his team at the Bristol Heart Institute then pioneered a new technique to perform coronary artery bypass surgery on a beating heart using his device.
Alternative to hip replacement keeps aging athletes in the game
Birmingham hip resurfacing… often is preferred by young, very active patients over total hip replacements, because it has a proven track record of returning patients to highly competitive levels of athletic activity.
Pig kidney removed from US transplant patient, but she set record
Doctors have had to remove the pig kidney implanted in an American woman after her body rejected it, but her four months living with the animal's organ set a record…
Extraordinary outcomes for robot-assisted, minimally invasive esophagectomy
The surgery is associated with serious complications and a typical mortality rate of 3%–5%, even at centers that perform a high number of procedures—a characteristic usually linked to better outcomes. But the Roswell Park team [Buffalo, NY] achieved 30-day and 90-day mortality rates of only 0.7% and 1.3%, respectively.
VR-haptic simulators improve preclinical endodontic training, study finds
In the study, 40 dental students enrolled in preclinical endodontic training were randomly divided into two groups. One group trained with VR haptic simulators before practicing on artificial teeth, while the other practiced on artificial teeth first, followed by a VR simulator… Students who started their training with VR haptic simulators demonstrated significantly higher manual dexterity scores and self-assessed proficiency…
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