Five historical innovations that have shaped modern otolaryngological surgery.

Throughout history, many innovations have contributed to the development of modern otolaryngological surgery, improving patient outcomes and expanding the range of treatment options available to patients. This article explores five key historical innovations that have shaped modern otolaryngological surgery: Operative Microscope, Hopkins Rigid Endoscope, Laryngeal Nerve monitoring, Cochlear implants and Laser surgery. The selection of innovations for inclusion in this article was meticulously determined through expert consensus and an extensive literature review. We will review the development, impact and significance of each innovation, highlighting their contributions to the field of otolaryngological surgery and their ongoing relevance in contemporary and perioperative practice.

An overview of bone cement: Perioperative considerations, complications, outcomes and future implications.

Polymethyl methacrylate is commonly known as bone cement and is widely used for implant fixation in various orthopaedic arthroplasty and trauma surgery. The first bone cement use in orthopaedics is widely accredited to the famous English surgeon, John Charnley, who in 1958, used it for total hip arthroplasty. Since then, there have been many developments in cementing techniques in arthroplasty surgery. This overview aims to cover the perioperative considerations of bone cement, including cementing techniques, current outcomes and complications such as bone cement implantation syndrome. The overview will additionally consider future developments involving bone cement in orthopaedic arthroplasty.

Five historical innovations that have shaped modern orthopaedic surgery.

Throughout history, many innovations have contributed to the development of modern orthopaedic surgery, improving patient outcomes and expanding the range of treatment options available to patients. This article explores five key historical innovations that have shaped modern orthopaedic surgery: X-ray imaging, bone cement, the Thomas splint, the Pneumatic tourniquet and robotic-assisted surgery. We will review the development, impact and significance of each innovation, highlighting their contributions to the field of orthopaedic surgery and their ongoing relevance in contemporary and perioperative practice.

Does perioperative use of tranexamic acid in hip fracture patients increase the risk of venous thromboembolism and reduce the need for postoperative transfusions?

Perioperative tranexamic acid use is a popular choice among many surgeons for reducing surgical blood loss and its sequelae. While there is evidence in the literature that tranexamic acid use is effective in reducing blood loss in surgery for patients with hip fractures, there is less information on whether it leads to thromboembolic complications. We undertook a retrospective study in patients with hip fractures at two local hospitals to investigate if there was an increased risk of venous thromboembolism in patients who received tranexamic acid, and whether it reduced perioperative blood loss and the need for transfusion. We found that tranexamic acid used in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery reduced the drop in postoperative haemoglobin and the need for postoperative blood transfusion but was not associated with an increased risk of venous thromboembolism.