Monthly media digest: August/September 2024

30 September 2024

A digest of college news coverage for August/September 2024

Multiple surgeries could lead to cognitive decline

Nuffield Chair of Anaesthetics at the University of Sydney, Professor Robert Sanders, was interviewed by Channel Nine news on 26 September about the findings of a surgery and cognitive decline study.

"With each surgery, you might gain five months of ageing," Professor  Sanders explained.

"From our most recent study with UK Biobank we estimate that about one in 50 patients are at risk of significant cognitive decline after surgery."

Chronic pain in New Zealand

FPM New Zealand National Committee chair Dr Chris Rumball spoke with Radio New Zealand on 26 September for an article about chronic pain.

He said chronic pain affected every part of someone's life: their relationships, education, career, earning potential and general enjoyment.

"There's a term, which has been used in the past, which is 'pain is the cancer of the soul'.

"It's a really difficult thing for individuals and then there's the cost to the system - often they may present to emergency departments, GPs, outpatients, attending other specialists, often getting interventions or more investigations."

FPM New Zealand National Committee members Dr Karen Joseph, Dr Paul Vroegop and Dr Yvonne Murray were also interviewed for the story, which in addition to being broadcast on Radio New Zealand, also appeared on the organisation’s website as well as the New Zealand Herald and Newstalk ZB.  

IV fluid shortage

ANZCA President Professor Dave Story provided an update to ABC news about the IV fluid shortage for an online article and radio and TV news reports on Sunday 22 September.

He said while shortages were stabilising, doctors were still being careful. 

"We are giving patients a lot of patients less fluid than we'd like to, particularly those having day surgery, where it probably doesn't dramatically change their outcome but may undermine how well they feel when they leave 
hospital," he explained.

The news broadcasts were aired on radio news bulletins and in nightly TV news "voice over" reports in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Adelaide, Hobart, Brisbane, Perth and Darwin.

Spinal implant device registry 

FPM's Director of Professional Affairs A/Professor Michael Vagg was interviewed for an Aus Doc (paywalled) article on 30 August about spinal cord stimulator implants and the need for a national registry.

“It is technically legal for a doctor with no particular qualifications beyond their basic medical degree to just wake up one morning and decide to start implanting devices.

“If you’re doing it with the best of intentions, but not with the best training or experience, then your good intentions may well hurt people.”

He said a “responsible” reaction would be a registry of procedures and accredited providers.

Phantom limb pain

FPM's Director of Professional Affairs A/Professor Michael Vagg was interviewed for a Sydney Morning Herald article on 30 August about a new clinical trial into drug free treatments for phantom limb pain.

“There is an urgent need to improve our treatment of phantom limb pain,” A/Prof Vagg said.

“We do a lot of things that have got a little bit of evidence, and it would be really nice to have a systematic hierarchy of treatments.”

IV fluid shortage

ANZCA President Professor Dave Story has featured prominently in national media commenting on the Australian IV fluid shortage.

He was interviewed by Herald Sun health reporter Sarah Booth for a page 1 article on Saturday 24 August. The article was syndicated to 14 other news sites.

Professor Story was interviewed for ABC Radio's flagship AM program on 15 August, ABC Radio Sydney's Afternoons program, ABC online and WIN TV News (syndicated to news feeds in Canberra, Hobart , Orange, Toowoomba, Rockhampton and Wagga Wagga).

Professor Story was interviewed for ABC TV's Afternoon Briefing program and segments from the interview were used in ABC nightly news bulletins in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Hobart, Brisbane and Canberra.

NSW anaesthetist Dr Mark Priestley was also interviewed on ABC Radio Sydney's Mornings program (starts at 1:47) on 15 August for a 10 minute segment explaining why IV fluid solutions are used.

ANZCA Councillor Assoc Prof Stu Marshall featured in The Conversation on 20 August with an article explaining what IV fluids are used for and how the shortage is affecting surgeries in Australia. 

FPM pelvic pain statement

FPM's new persistent pelvic pain statement was featured in a 5 August online and print article in The Age (paywalled) and in Australian Doctor (paywalled) on 1 August.

The Age article also referred to the faculty's submission to the Victorian Inquiry into Women's Pain.