Fewer Medicare Patients Dying after High-Risk Surgeries

Here's some good news to kick off your weekend: A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine has found that more Medicare patients are surviving high-risk surgeries.

The researchers took a look at data related to eight different cancer and cardiovascular surgeries over the course of 10 years: abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs), coronary artery bypass grafting, aortic valve replacement, carotid endarterectomy and surgeries to treat cancer of the esophagus, pancreas, lung and bladder.

The researchers saw the steepest decline in death in AAAs (down 36 percent between 2000 and 2008), which they attributed to improved imaging technology. They also noted that while fewer hospitals are performing these surgeries, the ones that are performing them are doing them more often and gaining valuable experience in treating high-risk patients. Other improved patient safety measures, such as operating-room checklists, outcomes-measurement and feedback programs were also hailed for their contributions.

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