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Doctor's knowledge might trump the advances of technology, such as CT Scans when it comes to spotting neurological complications after surgery.

Researchers found physicians conducting bedside exams did a better job than CT scans of predicting which patients would need to return to the operating room for complications like bleeding.

In the study, researchers examined the records of over 250 patients who received CT scans within 24 hours of surgery. None of the routine scans predicted which patients would need to return to the OR for complications, while physicians detected serious neurological problems in 10 cases. Three of these cases were shown to be serious enough to require additional surgery.

Of the 14 patients in the study who had complications serious enough for surgery, 13 had CT scans within four hours of surgery that appeared normal or showed only minor problems.

"The low cost, simple, but elegant neurological exam appears to be superior to a routine CT scan in determining return to the operating room," study authors wrote.

Source: Ivanhoe Newswire

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