News from NYU Langone Health
NY Medic Gets First-Ever Double Lung Transplant Done By Robot. (Reuters)
Reuters (11/20) NYU Langone Health Center has successfully completed the first fully robotic double lung transplant, with Stephanie H. Chang, MD, associate professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, surgical director, Lung Transplantation Program, saying, the robotic transplant consisted of a two-inch incision and small ports for the robot, resulting in “significantly less trauma on the chest wall, so [there is] better healing for the patient and less post-operative pain.”
HealthDay (11/22) Ralph S. Mosca, MD, professor, Departments of Cardiothoracic Surgery, and Pediatrics, the Henry H. Arnhold Chair of Cardiothoracic Surgery, chief, Division Pediatric and Adult Congenital Card Surgery, said, “This latest innovation is a watershed moment in lung transplantation surgery worldwide and just the beginning of a new era in patient care.”
The New York Post (11/21) Stephanie H. Chang, MD, associate professor, Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, surgical director, Lung transplantation Program, said, “It was a very huge milestone for us, but the reason why double-lung transplant is different is that’s what a majority of patients get. So we needed to improve the single technique where it was short enough and efficient enough for us to be able to do two in a short setting without any damage to the new organs.”
Also reporting are People (11/21), Quartz (11/21), the Globe and Mail (CAN) (11/21), BBCNews (11/21), CBS News New York (11/21), USA Today (11/21), Vice (11/21), WNYW-TV (11/22), NY1-TV (11/22), and WTEN-TV (11/22).
NYU Langone Health’s Sustainability Report: 6 Things To Know. (Becker's Hospital Review)
Becker’s Hospital Review (11/21) NYU Langone Health’s 2024 sustainability report outlines its progress towards carbon neutrality by 2050, revealing that the U.S. healthcare sector contributes 8.5% of national greenhouse gas emissions, with hospitals as the main source; NYU Langone Health has utilized $3 million in federal and city grants to introduce two lithium-ion battery ambulances, plans to add five more, and diverted 111,735 pounds of single-use devices from landfills in 2023 through FDA-regulated sterilization and reuse, while setting a goal to cut emissions intensity by 50% by 2030, already achieving a 16% reduction in scope 1 and 2 emissions intensity despite a 24% increase in square footage, employing 51,000 people across 300 locations.
Will Ozempic Put An End To Weight Loss Surgery? (The Checkup With Doctor Mike)
The Checkup With Doctor Mike (11/21) Christine J. Ren-Fielding, MD, professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Bariatric Surgery, division chief, Bariatric Surgery, appeared on “The Checkup With Doctor Mike” to discuss the science and interventions in weight loss, addressing challenges in losing weight, the benefits and risks of bariatric surgery, its success rates, and its impact compared to GLP-1 medications like Ozempic, as well as topics such as BMI, food addiction, misconceptions, and the long-term effects of various weight-loss methods.
100 Hospitals And Health Systems With Great Orthopedic Programs. (Becker's Hospital Review)
Becker’s Hospital Review (11/21) NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital is recognized among the top three orthopedic programs in the nation by U.S. News & World Report, offering comprehensive care for musculoskeletal conditions with over 34,000 surgeries performed annually across locations in New York, Westchester County, Long Island, New Jersey, and Florida; the program includes the Center for Children, Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital, which prioritizes nonsurgical care, and NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, which has facilitated over 1,500 total joint replacement surgeries without an overnight stay, reflecting the institution’s commitment to advancing orthopedic treatments through innovations in joint replacement, rehabilitation therapy, and workplace injury care.
Adding Just Minutes Of Exercise To Your Daily Routine Could Help Prevent An Irregular Heartbeat. (HealthDay)
HealthDay (11/21) A study conducted by NYU Langone Health suggests that incorporating less than 10 minutes of moderate exercise daily can help prevent atrial fibrillation, with Sean P. Heffron, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, the Leon H. Charney Division of Cardiology, saying, atrial fibrillation “places individuals who suffer from it at risk for a number of conditions, in particular, heart failure and stroke.” Souptik Barua, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Precision Medicine, added that during the study, they found “that getting just getting an hour or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity every week was associated with an 11% reduction in the risk of atrial fibrillation.”
It’s Time To Hold Corporations Accountable For The Plastics Crisis – And The Bill Could Exceed $20 Billion In The US Alone. (Fortune)
Fortune (11/21) In a health commentary, Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, the Jim G. Hendrick, M.D. Professor of Pediatrics, Department of Pediatrics, and professor, Department of Population Health, said, “Plastic is a threat to human health,” noting there is a “lack of transparency around the plastics industry” and that “only 6%” of the 16,000 chemicals used in plastics are “currently subject to international regulation.”
Similar Wound Complication Rates After TJR With Betadine Wash Vs. Vancomycin Powder. (Healio)
Healio (11/21) Results from a study presented at the American Association of Hip and Knee Surgeons Annual Meeting in Dallas showed that there were no clinically significant differences in wound complication rates, local superficial infections, and deep periprosthetic joint infections three months post-surgery among patients who underwent total joint replacement with betadine wash, vancomycin powder, or a combination of both, compared to a saline-controlled group, according to Ran Schwarzkopf, MD, professor, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, site chief, NYU Langone Orthopedic Hospital, who said, “The study ran for many years and at this point, we presented our data of 3 months infection wound complication rate.”
Scientists Uncover How The Infant Brain Rewires Itself At Birth. (SciTech Daily)
SciTech Daily (11/21) A study led by Lanxin Ji, postdoctoral research fellow, and Moriah E. Thomason, PhD, the Barakett Associate Professor of Child and Adult Psychiatry, Department of Child and Adult Psychiatry, associate professor, Department of Population Health, vice chair, research, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, reveals that brain-imaging data from fetuses and infants shows a rapid increase in functional connectivity between brain regions globally at birth, suggesting neural processes that enable adaptation to the external environment, with the subcortical network identified as a central hub for communication efficiency, while the sensorimotor and parietal-frontal regions gradually increase in global efficiency, potentially reflecting the establishment or strengthening of connections and the elimination of redundant ones.
Are You Eligible For Ozempic? New Study Suggests Over Half Of US Adults Qualify. (Health)
Health (11/21) New research indicates that over half of U.S. adults, nearly 137 million people, are eligible for semaglutide, a type 2 diabetes and weight loss drug marketed as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Rybelsus, surpassing the 82 million eligible for statins; Eliud Sifonte, MD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Medicine, the Holman Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, said the higher eligibility is due to the fact that “not all individuals with excess adiposity suffer from elevated cholesterol levels.”
Who’s Coming Up Short On Sleep? New Research Reveals A Large-Scale Look. (Chicago Daily Herald)
The Chicago Daily Herald (11/21) A new study involving 13,204 participants using fitness trackers, presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions, shows most U.S. adults sleep less than the recommended 7 to 9 hours, with racial disparities in sleep duration, according to Adeep Kulkarni, data analyst, who said, “Around 65% of the cohort actually slept below the recommended time of seven hours a night”; Souptik Barua, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Precision Medicine, said the study’s use of wearable devices offers unprecedented insights, calling the data “a game-changer” compared to traditional methods reliant on brain wave measurements.
Navigating Career Uncertainty: The Role of Flexibility. (Psychology Today)
Psychology Today (11/21) With the traditional path from education to career becoming more complex, health experts including, Ilana Grunwald, PhD, clinical assistant professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, advise on how to reduce career anxiety.
8 Tips To Help You Master The Art Of Relaxed Running. (Runner's World)
Runner’s World (11/21) Experts shared tips on running relaxed, with Heather Milton, MS, clinical exercise physiologist, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sports Performance Center, saying, “It’s important to remain relaxed in terms of not recruiting muscles that don’t need to be recruited, because that can increase the energy you’re using for the run and cause you to fatigue and slow down more quickly.”
Why People Won’t Shut Up About Raw Milk. (The Cut (NY))
The Cut (NY) (11/21) Raw milk has become a focal point in political discussions as advocates claim health benefits, but Rabia A. De Latour, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, said that while raw milk may contain some “good” bacteria, “it also has some dangerous ones that could make you extremely ill.”
NYU Langone Health Physician Discusses Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome. (WNYW-TV New York)
WNYW-TV (11/21) Rabia A. De Latour, MD, assistant professor, Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology discussed cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, a rare condition affecting long-term, frequent cannabis users, which causes severe dehydration, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, potentially leading to ER visits; she mentioned that the condition is often alleviated by hot showers, and although the increasing THC concentration in cannabis is suspected to be a factor, the exact cause remains unknown.
News from NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island
Not All Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapies Are Created Equal. (Men's Health)
Men’s Health (11/21) Scott A. Gorenstein, MD, associate professor, Department of Surgery, Division of General Surgery, NYU Langone Hospital—Long Island, says hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has long been used for medical treatments such as decompression sickness and is increasingly applied for conditions like diabetic foot ulcers, with success rates reaching 70 to 80 percent for radiation injuries; however, it is crucial that HBOT is administered in accredited facilities under physician supervision to avoid risks such as ear barotrauma, oxygen poisoning, and fire hazards, and it should not be used for individuals with certain health conditions, including uncontrolled heart failure or those undergoing chemotherapy.
