As the largest resource of information specific to women's brain health, we are sure you will find what you are looking for, and promise that you will discover new information.
Published on: April 20, 2012
They also spend less in the hospital after neurosurgery, study finds
by U.S. News
Men are twice as likely as women to have complications after brain or spinal surgery, and also spend more time in the hospital after the operation, a new study finds.
The findings suggest that a patient’s gender, along with other factors, should be taken into account to provide the best possible estimates of risk for patients scheduled for neurosurgery, the University of Michigan Medical School researchers said.
The researchers analyzed data on more than 900 people who had brain or spinal surgery between 2006 and 2009. The overall complication rates within 30 days after surgery were 18.6 percent for brain surgery patients and 10.8 percent for spinal surgery patients.
The complication rate for men was 20.3 percent, compared to 11.3 percent for women. The rate for men remained twice that of women even after the researchers adjusted for other factors such as age, tobacco and alcohol use, and health problems such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease and diabetes.
Complications also were more common in older patients and in those with coronary artery disease.
Men spent an average of 7.5 days in the hospital, compared with 5.7 days for women. But gender did not affect the average length of stay in the intensive care unit after surgery.
Multiple factors likely contribute to the different complication rates in men and women, including “psychosocial, hormonal or underlying disease differences,” the researchers said.
For example, the lower complication rate in women could be due to better social support, “neuroprotective” effects of estrogen or lower rates of cardiovascular disease.
The study appears in the April issue of the journal Neurosurgery.
Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD) are a growing health concern for Indigenous populations in Canada. Rates of ADRD are on the rise in Indigenous communities, and are higher among Indigenous individuals than non- Indigenous...
While millennials are often perceived as “selfish,” “entitled,” and “lazy” compared to other generations, there is a hidden group of individuals within this segment of the population that is far from these stereotypes – young...
A study analyzing the DNA of more than 300,000 individuals has uncovered three new genes associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Two of the genes are already targeted by drugs used to treat other conditions, paving...
The material presented through the Think Tank feature on this website is in no way intended to replace professional medical care or attention by a qualified practitioner. WBHI strongly advises all questioners and viewers using this feature with health problems to consult a qualified physician, especially before starting any treatment. The materials provided on this website cannot and should not be used as a basis for diagnosis or choice of treatment. The materials are not exhaustive and cannot always respect all the most recent research in all areas of medicine.
