Sustained Surgery Risk
Even when all goes well, surgery patients may carry an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and possibly cancer for weeks or even years. Dr. Steffen E. Meiler, vice chair for research in the Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, discussed the need for postoperative vigilance as guest editor of the June issue of Anesthesiology Clinics of North America and during the 53rd annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists.
Mounting evidence of short- and long-term risks point to the role of inflammation and other altered immune responses after surgery. Drugs and other measures can help protect against these risks, Dr. Meiler said. “The challenge will be to incorporate measures consistently across the health care process so that all eligible patients benefit from these insights.”