M. Alexander Otto began his reporting career early in 1999 covering the pharmaceutical industry for a national pharmacists' magazine and freelancing for the Washington Post and other newspapers. He then joined BNA, now part of Bloomberg News, covering health law and the protection of people and animals in medical research. Alex next worked for the McClatchy Company. Based on his work, Alex won a year-long Knight Science Journalism Fellowship to MIT in 2008-2009. He joined the company shortly thereafter. Alex has a newspaper journalism degree from Syracuse (N.Y.) University and a master's degree in medical science -- a physician assistant degree -- from George Washington University. Alex is based in Seattle.
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‘Watch and wait’ good for most – but not all – rectal cancers
BOSTON – Who needs upfront surgery?
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How to slash colorectal surgery infection rates
BOSTON – Change perioperative routines.
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How, and when, to use fat grafting for scars
BOSTON – For scar surgeons, fat grafting is useful tool in the armamentarium.
News
Two novel approaches for infected ventral hernia mesh
BOSTON – Mesh salvage and hybrid reconstitution considered.
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Needle aspiration comes first for most breast abscesses
Septic, deteriorating patients, and the immunocompromised, need a larger incision and drainage.
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'Liver first' for select stage IV colon cancer gaining traction
BOSTON – Patients and some surgeons not embrace the logic of going after metastases first.
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How to use transgastric necrosectomy for midline pancreatitis
Transgastric necrosectomy is the go-to when pancreatic lesions are toward the midline.
Article
Daptomycin/fosfomycin: A new standard for MRSA bacteremia?
Better survival was seen for MRSA bacteremia at 7 days using the combo vs. monotherapy.
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Swollen knee in a kid? Above 9, treat for Lyme
SAN FRANCISCO – Rule out septic arthritis in hours, not days.
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FFR by wire may soon be obsolete
SAN DIEGO – “A big breakthrough.”
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In C. difficile, metronidazole may not benefit ICU patients on vancomycin
SAN FRANCISCO – Try fecal transplant instead.
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ICU infections: Chlorhexidine wipes tame MRSA, CRE
SAN FRANCISCO – Decolonization tops precautions.
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DAAs top PEG/RBV for reducing HCV cardiovascular risk
SAN FRANCISCO – Sustained virologic response also associated with lower risk.