Category: surgery

Ergonomics: How to live pain-free and have a long surgical career 

Ergonomics is the study of how humans and machines interact. More specifically, it addresses the interplay between humans and machines through an examination of optimal positioning of equipment and personnel to allow for the most efficient work play an…

A gastric bypass might help some people bypass cancer

In an exciting recent study, researchers found that for adults with obesity, weight loss through bariatric surgery lowered their risk of cancer by 35% and reduced their risk of cancer-related death by 43%. This was true of both gastric bypass and gastr…

2 questions you should ask when choosing a surgeon

If you or a loved one needs surgery, you’re very likely terrified. You also may be shopping around to find a surgeon. Of course, you’ll want the best. (I’ve never heard someone say, “I’d like the most average surgeon I can…

Every intern encounters moments of patient care that become poignant memories

“I am so sorry …” My apology diffused as I stood adjacent to the IV pole, triangulated between Ms. S, her husband, and her daughter. Ms. S, who was congenitally deaf and capable of lip-reading save for my N95, nevertheless immediately…

Bringing brain health awareness into the operating room

A guest column by the American Society of Anesthesiologists, exclusive to KevinMD. “I am so ashamed. I am truly sorry to anyone I hurt or offended.” These were the first words Beverly said when I met her in the preoperative holding area bef…

The cost of cosmetic procedures resulting in short-term disabilities

In a viral video shared on Twitter in 2021, we see a line of women waiting to board a flight from Santo Domingo to Atlanta. Airline staff in safety vests stand around the women, all of whom are sitting—in wheelchairs. These women had recently undergone…

A small intern in a big hospital

I am a gopher. See my tiny paws. See them furiously digging and digging and digging. Little puffs of dirt and soil are thrown haphazardly over my little shoulders. My tiny brain was completely absorbed in the digging of that very inconsequential, very …

A surgeon’s favorite stomach surgery patient

High on my list of favorite operations was surgery on the stomach: The anatomy is neat, the re-plumbing alternatives clever, technical challenges rewarding, and, because it’s well-supplied with blood, complication-free healing is pretty predictable. Al…

The doctor as a patient: a view from the other side

I had my very first surgery ever, just last year.  Despite being cut upon, it was a remarkable experience, and the staff cracked jokes at my expense, even as I was going under.  In the mood for some inappropriate medical humor?  Well, perhaps not in th…

Robotics, automation, and the future of remote health care

As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care innovation has been occurring at an unprecedented rate. A growing focus on technology – and the ways that it can help improve patient care and the provider experience – is now at the forefront, and many…