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Results for search "Anesthesia".

Health News Results - 22

Insurer Anthem Rescinds Anesthesia Policy Change After Backlash

After facing weeks of pushback, health insurer Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield said Thursday it will not go ahead with a policy change that would have limited reimbursements for anesthesia during medical procedures.

If the proposed policy had taken effect, it would have only reimbursed doctors based on time limits set by the insurer.

When the change was first announced last month, t...

1 in 3 Surgery Patients Suffer Complications

More than a third of surgical patients develop complications as a result of their procedure, a new study shows.

About 38% of adult patients suffer an adverse event during or following their surgery, researchers reported Nov. 13 in the BMJ.

Nearly half of these complications result in serious, life-threatening or ...

Most Patients Can Keep Using GLP-1 Weight Loss Meds Before Surgeries

A new guidance issued jointly by groups representing U.S. surgeons, anesthesiologists and gastroenterologists affirms that most people taking popular GLP-1 weight-loss meds can keep taking them in the weeks before a surgery.

Concerns had arisen because the drugs, which include semaglutide (Ozempic...

How Wildfire Smoke Could Be Harming Surgical Patients

Wildfire smoke could interfere with the safety of surgeries, a new study warns.

Inhaling the smoke could complicate the effects of anesthesia on surgical patients, and it also might hamper their recovery, researchers reported Aug. 6 in the journal Anesthesiology.

“Wildfire smoke poses significant health risks, particularly in people with preexisting heart and lung dis...

Study Supports Safety of High-Dose General Anesthesia

Older adults who avoid surgery because they fear general anesthesia will cause thinking declines need not worry, researchers report.

A study of more than 1,000 patients who had heart surgery at four hospitals in Canada found that the amount of anesthesia used did not affect the risk of delirium after surgery. Post-surgery delirium may contribute to cognitive decline.

How much anesth...

Epidurals Linked to Better Outcomes After Childbirth

Women who get an epidural during delivery appear to have a marked reduction in serious complications the first few weeks after giving birth, a new study shows.

A painkilling epidural can reduce risk by 35% in women for complications like heart attack, ...

Precautions Needed When Folks Taking Ozempic, Wegovy Undergo Anesthesia

Nurses who specialize in anesthesia have issued new guidelines to reduce the risk that patients taking weight-loss drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy throw up during surgery.

"These medications have exploded in popularity," said

  • Carole Tanzer Miller HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 13, 2024
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  • Wegovy, Ozempic Use Could Complicate Your Surgery

    Weight-loss drugs like Wegovy and Ozempic can increase a person's risk of throwing up during surgery while under anesthesia, a new study reports.

    People are typically asked to fast prior to surgery because general anesthesia can cause nausea, and they might inhale and choke on their own vomit.

    Unfortunately, part of the way that these drugs, called GLP-1 receptor agonists, help prom...

    Could General Anesthesia in Pregnancy Raise Behavioral Issues in Kids?

    Children exposed to anesthesia in the womb when their pregnant mom has surgery are more likely to suffer from behavioral issues later, a new study finds.

    Exposure to general anesthesia before birth was associated with a 31% increased risk of diagnosis with a behavioral disorder as a child, researchers reported Feb. 29 in the

  • Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
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  • March 4, 2024
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  • 'High Altitude' Simulations Might Shield Patients Ahead of Surgery

    Surgery coming up? Mimicking the high-altitude breathing of mountaineers might make your procedure safer, a tiny study suggests.

    It's a form of what surgeons call "prehabilitation:" Making a patient's body a bit fitter beforehand to withstand the risks and rigors of surgery.

    Investigators found that exposing patients to reduced oxygen levels ("hypoxia") for a week spurred a rise in ...

    No Sign That Anesthesia in Pregnancy Affects Child's Later Development

    Moms who have had emergency surgery during pregnancy can rest assured that exposure to anesthesia is not linked to developmental issues in their children, a new study reveals.

    While surgery and anesthesia are typically avoided during pregnancy, up to 1% of pregnant women may require it for unexpected health

  • Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter
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  • October 28, 2022
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  • Quieter ORs May Make for Happier Kids After Surgery

    The key to better child behavior after surgery may be a more peaceful operating room.

    "The period before, during and after surgery is a particularly unpredictable time for parents,"explained Nguyen Tram, a research scientist at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

    "By implementing some small measures in the OR, we found we were able to markedly improve some of this unc...

    Marijuana Users May Feel More Post-Surgery Pain: Study

    Folks who regularly use weed could be in for a rocky road if they ever require major surgery, a new study reports.

    Frequent marijuana users tend to experience more pain as they recover from surgery, and they require more opioid drugs (like morphine) to deal with that pain, the researchers found.

    "I...

    Overworked Anesthesiologists Can Put Surgical Patients at Risk

    Harried, overworked anesthesiologists could be raising hospital patients' risk of death and complications, a new study reports.

    It's not uncommon to have one anesthesiologist directing the anesthesia care for multiple surgeries at the same time, overseeing the work of lower-ranking anesthesia clinicians assi...

    What Anesthesia Works Best for Hip Fracture Surgery?

    Patients who have spinal anesthesia while doctors repair a broken hip have more pain and need more prescription painkillers afterward than those given general anesthesia, a new study finds.

    Spinal anesthesia i...

    'Mental Resilience' May Give Holocaust Survivors an Edge After Surgery

    Holocaust survivors have a lower risk of delirium after surgery than others their age, and a new study suggests it may owe to mental resilience developed in response to their horrific experiences.

    "Given that Holocaust survivors are at increased risk of a range of physical and psycholo...

    Use Pot? You May Need More Sedation During Endoscopies

    If you use pot, you may need more sedation than normal during a gastric endoscopy, according to a new study.

    "Patients didn't have increased awareness or discomfort during procedures, but they did require more drugs," lead author Dr. Yasmin Nasser said in a news release from the American Gastroenterological Association. Nasser is an assistant professor in the Institute for Chronic Disease...

    Medical Marijuana May Offer Safe Pain Relief for Cancer Patients

    Cancer patients who use medical marijuana experience less pain and a better quality of life, Israeli researchers report.

    And, their new study found, these patients were able to rely less on opioid painkillers, with minimal side effects.

    "I hope people pay attention to the results of thi...

    President Biden to Undergo Routine Colonoscopy

    President Joe Biden is undergoing a routine colonoscopy Friday, and will briefly transfer power to Vice President Kamala Harris while he's sedated for the procedure, the White House said.

    The colonoscopy will be part of Biden's first routine physical exam as president, and will take place at Walter Reed National Military Center.

    "As was the case when President George W. Bush had the...

    Routine Ventilation of Surgical Patients Won't Raise COVID Transmission Risk

    Routine face mask ventilation during an operation doesn't increase the surgical team's risk of coronavirus infection, according to a new study.

    Face mask ventilation is typically used for surgical patients under general anesthesia. However, its designation as an "aerosol-generating procedure" by the World Health Organization has altered operating room procedures and efficiency during the ...

    Epidurals Not Linked to Autism in Children

    Pregnant women who receive an epidural to ease their pain during labor aren't any more likely than others to have kids with autism, two new studies show.

    Earlier research suggested this practice may increase autism risk in offspring, but the pair of studies should put this concern to rest for good, experts say.

    "Parents can be reassured that there is no link between using epidurals ...

    How Did New 'Surprise Medical Bill' Laws Affect Your State?

    Anesthesia is a vital part of almost every surgery, but unexpected bills for the service can cause a lot of pain. Now, a new study finds that these costs fell in several states that introduced legislation targeting "surprise" billing.

    "These price declines show that state surprise billing laws both directly lower out-of-network prices and indirectly lower in-network prices, providing evid...