New research was presented at the American College of Surgeons Annual Clinical Congress Sept. 30 to Oct. 4, 2012, in Chicago. The features below highlight just some of the studies that emerged from the conference.





ACS 2012 Feature Highlights

Falls increase the likelihood of hospitalization and mortality in older adults. However, falls have not been studied as a stand-alone risk marker for predicting surgical outcomes in this population. Read more.

Elderly patients with colorectal or bladder cancers are generally treated with chemotherapy and radiation rather than surgery because of risks associated with surgery. Advanced and minimally invasive surgical procedures may enable the elderly to experience fewer risks. Read more.

Some of the most common postsurgical complications involve the respiratory system and include pneumonia and ventilator dependency. Evidence is lacking on standard care for postoperative pulmonary complications. Read more.

News Releases from ACS 2012

Surgeons Report Progress in Tackling Initial and Recurrent Episodes of Stubborn Healthcare-Associated Infection

Improved Battlefield Triage and Transport May Raise Survival Rates for Severely Wounded Soldiers

A Form of Small Pox Virus Shows Potential for Treating Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

New Study Reports on a Viable Framework to Assess the Long-Term Impact of Facial Transplant Operations

Pedestrian Accidents are More Severe for Seniors and More Preventable for Young People

Results of New Surgical Outcomes Study Provide Insight into Reducing Patient Readmission Rates

Surgeons Recreate Eggs in vitro to Treat Infertility

Surgeons Investigate Whether Rural Colon Cancer Patients Fare Worse Than Urban Patients

Daily Coverage of ACS 2012

Additional Resources

For more information on these studies and others that were presented at the ACS 2012 Annual Clinical Congress, go to www.facs.org/clincon2012.