You don't train during a race, but before! In the Amsterdam Skills Center, surgeons and other operators from all over the world practice their surgical skills. "The training of surgeons, both during and after their training, must be faster and more efficient," says initiator and surgeon Jaap Bonjer, during the ASC's first lustrum. The essence of the Amsterdam Skills Center is that you can practice your surgical skills 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, without the need for a patient.
Social activities can prevent cognitive decline in care facility residents Social activities such as interactions with others and participation in organised events can prevent cognitive decline in long-term care facility. Research from Amsterdam UMC, carried out among 3600 patients in 42 Dutch and Belgian care homes, shows that participation in social activities offers a protective effect for those with no, or little, cognitive impairment. These results are published today in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease.
Less is more: Not placing a drain improves distal pancreatectomy outcomes Research led by Amsterdam UMC across ten Dutch hospitals and two Italian hospitals has found that not placing a drain during surgery improves outcomes in patients undergoing a left-sided pancreatic resection, also known as ‘distal pancreatectomy’. The study, today published in Lancet Gastroenterology & Hepatology, set out to confirm the safety of drainless surgery, as compared to the current routine practice of leaving a surgical drain. Ultimately, the study not only confirmed the safety of ‘drainless surgery’ but, in addition, demonstrated that this approach reduced the rates of postoperative pancreatic leaks and overall morbidity and hospital stay.
Sustainable Collaboration in Global Health: Amsterdam UMC signs MoU with AIGHD and Makerere University Today, Amsterdam UMC, Makerere University (Uganda) and the Amsterdam Institute for Global Health and Development (AIGHD) signed a letter of intent to consolidate their collaboration. Amsterdam UMC and the AIGHD have been working with Makerere University on rs for a long time in terms of research and the exchange of knowledge. This is in line with Amsterdam UMC's focus on sustainable collaborations in the field of Global Health.
No persistent cough in four out of five with Tuberculosis More than 80% of patients with tuberculosis, the world’s most deadly infection, do not have a persistent cough, despite this being seen as a key symptom of the disease. The infection is predominantly transmitted by coughing, but probably also through simply breathing. Research, led by Amsterdam UMC and the Amsterdam Institute for Global Heath and Development, analysed data on more than 600,000 individuals in Africa and Asia and found that 82.8% of those with tuberculosis had no persistent cough and 62.5% had no cough at all. These results are published today in the Lancet Infectious Diseases.
Tuberculosis bacteria also present in those who are not diagnosed with TB Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the bacteria that causes a tuberculosis infection, is present in exhaled breath of 90% of those presenting with suspected tuberculosis. This includes those who were negative on conventional sputum testing and not diagnosed with TB. This raises the possibility that those who have tested negative may be unknowingly transmitting the infection. Researchers from the University of Cape Town and Amsterdam UMC analysed results from over 100 patients who presented themselves to clinics in South Africa. These findings are published today in PNAS.
Progesterone protects babies from preterm birth Women with a short cervix around 20 weeks of pregnancy have an increased risk of preterm birth. Preventing preterm birth in pregnant women with a short cervix is a crucial step in protecting the health of the child. Research from Amsterdam UMC now shows that, in pregnant women with a short cervix around 20 weeks, Progesterone (a hormone) is better than a cervical pessary at reducing the risk of severe preterm birth. This study was published today in the BMJ.
Improving access to early-stage lung cancer care in Europe There are stark differences between European countries when it comes to both the reimbursement of, and access to, new treatments for patients with early-stage lung cancer. There are also differences in reimbursement times and indications between the European Medicines Agency (EMA) and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Researchers from Amsterdam UMC Cancer Center Amsterdam analysed the landscape, and their results are published today in The Lancet Regional Health Europe as part of a series on the latest developments in the treatment of this lung cancer.
Loneliness increases the risk of health deterioration in older adults The loneliness often experienced by older people in our society has a negative effect on their physical health, according to researchers from Amsterdam UMC and the University of Glasgow. Emiel Hoogendijk, epidemiologist at Amsterdam Public Health, analysed research results from more than 130 studies and found that loneliness led to an increase in physical frailty, which in turn increases the risk of adverse health outcomes such as depression, falls and cognitive decline. These results are published today in The Lancet Healthy Longevity.
Ovulation in a third of trans masculine individuals on testosterone One-third of trans masculine individuals taking testosterone have recently ovulated. This means that they can still get pregnant. If they are sexually active, they should be mindful of this and use contraception. This research by Amsterdam UMC, conducted in collaboration with LUMC, was published today in Cell Reports Medicine.
