Surgical/Operations News

Repairing damaged nerves in days

American scientists believe a new procedure to repair severed nerves could result in patients recovering in days or weeks, rather than months or years.

Crab-like robot to remove cancer

Inspired by Singapore's famous chili crab dish, researchers have created a miniature robot with a pincer and a hook that can remove early-stage stomach cancers endoscopically.

Insurers to cover obesity surgery?

Device manufacturers are pushing the US government and health insurers to cover weight-loss surgery, an effort that could give millions more obese Americans access to treatments.

Iodide dye tied to thyroid problems

The iodide dye used in heart scans and other medical imaging, such as CT scans, may damage patients' thyroid glands, possibly leading to health problems such as thyroid disease.

Wound-care breakthrough at UCT

A UCT researcher has made a significant advance in the field of wound care by developing a self-regulating vacuum dressing for wounds.

Docs can miss abnormalities

Capsule endoscopy (using a 'camera-pill') can capture views deep within the small intestine, but the doctors who read the results may fail to spot abnormalities, a study suggests.

Autopsies and 'virtopsies'

Autopsies are still seen as a better procedure when identifying a cause of death. But with technology advancing, pathologists are more inclined to use virtual image autopsies.

Extra oxygen harms patients

Researchers say their meta-analysis found no support for routinely giving critically ill patients high-dose oxygen, a common practice among paramedics and emergency physicians.

Camera-pill takes pics inside body

Researchers have created a controllable endoscopic capsule, that is swallowed like a pill and has the ability to "swim" through the body and take photos inside the human body.

90kg tumour removed

A man left unable to walk by a tumour on his right leg that weighs more than the rest of his body went under the knife in Vietnam to have it removed, hospital officials said.