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Most forms of major surgery require the patient to be sedated, both for their own comfort and to make the operation easier for the surgical team. General anesthesia uses very powerful drugs, and administering anesthesia is a medical specialty in itself. As much as...
If you are a fan of any of the dozens of medical dramas on television, you have probably seen that surgeons are often portrayed as a distinct breed of physicians. Television tends to show surgeons as fiercely competitive, arrogant and focused on problem-solving rather...
Tort reform has been legislated or at least heavily debated in every state, including here in Oregon. Proponents of tort reform (specifically related to medical malpractice) have argued that healthcare costs are out of control and doctors are practicing defensive...
Medicine is not a perfect science. Physicians have the difficult job of observing symptoms, talking to patients and using that information to correctly diagnose the problem. Because symptoms often overlap, it can be tough to make a correct diagnosis quickly and on the...
Should surgeons be permitted to bring their mobile devices into your surgical procedure? A recent article shows that surgeons and other health care professionals are increasingly distracted by their smartphones and other devices during medical procedures. The...
According to the Merck Manual, birth injuries are defined as any injury that occurs during the process of birth -- many babies experience minor injuries such as abrasions or bruises when passing through the birth canal. Some babies even experience minor damage to...
There is a difference between a birth injury and a birth defect. But as we pointed out in our previous post, both can cause similar chronic health problems that can challenge an Oregon family for the remainder of everyone's life. Whether the issue is cerebral palsy,...
Birth injuries and defects are not something that any expectant parent wants to think about. It's understandable that they would rather focus on the joy of bringing a new life into the world. Unfortunately, not every child comes out of the womb in perfect shape....
A hospital is not the place most people want to be. If you are a patient and hospitalization is required it usually means that your condition is dire and the specialized tools, equipment and higher level of staffing provided in the hospital setting are needed to...
Despite the amazing strides of the past several hundred years, there are so many things we still do not know about anesthetics. We have written about this topic on several occasions. Back in March we offered a post on new research getting underway into the possible...