Editor’s note: Media around the world, including social media, frequently report on American College of Surgeons (ACS) activities. Following are brief excerpts from news stories covering research and activities from the ACS Clinical Congress 2018, held in Boston, MA, October 21–25. To access the news items in their entirety, visit the online ACS Newsroom.
Age of liver transplant donor might not matter
HealthDay, October 23, 2018
“Those who accepted an older organ had a 61 percent lower risk of death during the study period than those who declined an older organ, the investigators found.
“The study was scheduled for presentation Monday at an American College of Surgeons meeting, in Boston [MA]. The research should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.”
Canadian researchers take scalpel to opioid prescribing for surgical patients
CBC News, October 24, 2018
“In a study presented Wednesday at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Boston, researchers from Western University [London, ON] showed that the STOP Narcotics protocol halved the amount of opioids prescribed after two types of outpatient surgery, while still adequately treating most patients’ post-operative pain.”
Communities with mass shootings share 4 common traits, study shows
Inverse, October 24, 2018
“Mass shootings are senseless tragedies, but doctors suspect these events aren’t as random as they appear. And they’re wielding data to back up their claims.
“In a presentation on Tuesday at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2018, Stephen Markowiak, MD, presented an independent analysis of national data on the communities affected by mass shootings—shootings in which four or more people were killed—since 2005.”
London, [ON], researchers develop protocol to drastically reduce opioid prescriptions
Global News Online, October 24, 2018
“The study involved 416 patients at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and St. Joseph’s Health Care London who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy or open hernia repair and is being presented Wednesday at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress. It’s also published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.”
STOP Narcotics protocol takes scalpel to opioid prescribing for surgical patients
Vancouver Sun, October 24, 2018
“In a study presented Wednesday at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress in Boston, researchers from Western University showed that the STOP Narcotics protocol halved the amount of opioids prescribed after two types of out-patient surgery, while still adequately treating most patients’ post-operative pain.”
UT researcher links public health of communities to likelihood of mass shootings
University of Toledo News, October 25, 2018
“‘The communities that have suffered through mass shootings tend to be much less healthy than the national average, both from a standpoint of physical health and mental health,’ [Stephen] Markowiak [MD] said. ‘We need to think about this problem through the lens of public health and encourage more objective research.’
“He presented his research findings Oct. 23 at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2018.”
Cleveland Clinic hospital shortens stay for major surgery by not using opioids
Becker’s Hospital Review Online, October 25, 2018
“Cleveland Clinic Akron (Ohio) General Hospital surgeons created a treatment protocol that sends patients home after colorectal operations without any opioids, which led to shorter hospital stays, researchers reported at the American College of Surgeons [C]linical [C]ongress.”
American College of Surgeons honors 5 surgeons for humanitarian, volunteer efforts: 5 details
Becker’s ASC Review Online, October 29, 2018
“The American College of Surgeons recognized five surgeons at the 2018 American College of Surgeons/Pfizer Surgical Humanitarian and Volunteerism Awards for their efforts to serve medically underserved patients Oct 23.”
Scientists pinpointed factors that put a community at risk of a mass shooting–and found 2 gun laws that could make a difference
Business Insider, November 10, 2018
“Because these deadly events have become so common in the U.S., a team of researchers from the University of Toledo in Ohio set out to look for patterns or similarities among communities that have dealt with a mass shooting.
“They looked at 155 mass shootings in the U.S. (defined as an event with four or more fatalities, excluding the shooter). Their research, which was presented at the American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress last month, found several factors that are clearly associated with a higher risk of a mass shooting.”
