Wednesday, October 30, 2013

SMOKING AND FACIAL AGING

Arlington Heights, Ill. (October 29, 2013) - Twins who smoke show more premature facial aging, compared to their non-smoking identical twins, reports a study in the November issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
The study finds significant differences in facial aging between twins with as little as five years' difference in smoking history, says a new report by ASPS Member Surgeon Dr. Bahman Guyuron, Professor and Chairman, Department of Plastic Surgery, University Hospital Case Medical and Case School of Medicine, Cleveland. The results also suggest that the effects of smoking on facial aging are most apparent in the lower two-thirds of the face.

Friday, October 11, 2013

COMPLICATIONS HIGHER IN GERIATRIC BLACKS AND HISPANICS

Researchers say pre-existing medical conditions make a difference.

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Older black and Hispanic patients are more likely than white seniors to have complications after surgery, and pre-existing medical conditions are a major reason for that difference, a large new study suggests.
Researchers examined the rates of 13 common types of complications among more than 587,000 white, black and Hispanic patients aged 65 and older who had general, orthopedic or vascular surgery in 600 hospitals in the United States.
The investigators found that black patients were nearly three times more likely than white patients to develop 12 of the 13 complications. Hispanic patients were twice as likely as white patients to develop nine of the 13 complications but less likely to develop two of the complications.
However, the number of complications among black and Hispanic patients dropped significantly when the researchers accounted for hospital and patient characteristics, according to the study published in the September issue of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.
"The risk of developing a postoperative complication may be attributed to a number of factors. Most pronounced, however, was the effect of pre-existing medical conditions," study lead author Dr. J. Margo Brooks Carthon, at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, said in a journal news release.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

COMPLICATIONS INCREASE WITH HIGH BLOOD SUGARS

Arlington Heights, Ill. - A new study released today shows that among patients undergoing surgery for chronic wounds related to diabetes, the risk of wound-related complications is affected by how well the patient's blood sugar levels are controlled before surgery. These findings appear in the October issue of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery®, the official medical journal of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS).
The risk of serious wound complications is more than three times higher for patients who have high blood glucose before and after surgery, and in those with poor long-term diabetes control, according to the study by ASPS Member Surgeons, Drs. Mathew Endara and Christopher Attinger of the Center for Wound Healing at Georgetown University, Washington, DC. The researchers emphasize the need for "tight control" of glucose levels before surgery for diabetic patients at high risk of wound complications.

Board Certified - Make Sure the Board is Recognized by the ABMS

2013 Legislative Session Delivers a Victory for "Name Your Board" Legislation in Nevada

Posted June 17, 2013 -- As session wrapped up, Nevada joined the growing list of states that limit physician advertising of board certification.   On June 1, Gov. Brian Sandoval signed Assembly Bill 456 into law.  The bill requires physicians who advertise as "board certified" to disclose the full name of the medical specialty board from which they receive their certificate. The legislation also implements criteria that medical specialty boards must meet in order for physicians to be permitted to advertise as "certified." ASPS worked with stakeholder physician groups and Nevada ASPS member Michael Edwards, MD to champion the proposal as it moved through the legislature.  Dr. Edwards worked tirelessly the past two legislative sessions to seek passage of this important measure and was a key player in this victory.  The law becomes effective Jan. 1, 2014. 

Board certification is an important part of a doctor's credentials. The American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) is the only recognized organization in designating which boards are legitimate and meet rigorous criteria for their members.  Any doctor can advertise as being "board certified" - without being recognized by a legitimate board designated by The American Board of Medical Specialties. A doctor can take a course or undergo abbreviated training and be issued a piece of paper stating they are "board certified"- this means absolutely nothing and is misleading to the public.  More states should enact legislation to protect patients from misleading advertising of credentials. Unfortunately, the attorneys and lobbyists many times prevent good legislation.

The American Board of Plastic Surgery is the only board recognized by the ABMS in certifying Plastic Surgeons.