Study associates shorter second than fourth digit with independent risk for knee osteoarthritis, especially among women.

This is link to Archives of Surgery journal. The original research articles and reviews are free to access after one year of publication.

Most cardiothoracic surgeons (80%) do not believe thoractomy is required for an optimal operation - a contrasting viewpoint from that reflected in existing guidelines from the British Thoracic Society. Recent evidence suggests that the time might be right for a revision of the 2003 BTS guidelines on this specific point.

A woman in France had her gall bladder successfully removed via her vagina - no outer incisions were made - according to an article published in Archives of Surgery (JAMA/Archives).

Infants and children receiving artificial heart-valve replacements face several repeat operations as they grow, since the replacements become too small and must be traded for bigger ones. Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston have now developed a solution: living, growing valves created in the lab from a patient's own cells.