Prof Paul Myles receives award from Liverpool Society of Anaesthetists

Prof Paul Myles (left) being presented with the T.Cecil Gray BJA
Medal by Dr Frank Potter after giving the 6th T.Cecil Gray lecture.

Congratulations to Professor Paul Myles who was invited to give the prestigious biennial T. Cecil Gray BJA lecture by the Liverpool Society of Anaesthetists. His lecture topic was 'Defining and Measuring the Quality of Recovery after Surgery'.

Prof Myles said, "It was an honour to be invited to give this lecture, and I guess I was being acknowledged for my role in large clinical trials and outcomes research in anaesthesia."

See Prof Myles' review article on the topic:

Myles PS. More than just morbidity and mortality - quality of recovery and long-term functional recovery after surgery. Anaesthesia. 2020 Jan;75 Suppl 1:e143-e150. doi: 10.1111/anae.14786.

Congratulations to CCS researchers named in The Australian's top 250

L-R: Professor Natasha Lannin has been nominated a global leader in
Rehabilitation Therapy, Professor Paul Myles a top researcher in the field of
Anesthesiology and Emeritus Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld in Neurosurgery
in The Australian's RESEARCH 2021 List.

The Australian’s Research magazine takes a deep dive into Australian research, revealing its excellence in The List (published November 10, 2021). Congratulations to our researchers - see detail below.

The authors, Tim Dodd and Paul McCarthy, write, "Not for many decades has the value of research been so clear. Less than two years after the appearance of a new and dangerous virus, and thanks to countless researchers in infectious disease, immunology, epidemiology and other fields, we now have many effective vaccines in mass production, and numerous tests and treatments for Covid-19.

"In The Australian’s annual Research magazine, we acknowledge the talent and dedication of our researchers. And again, as we have for the previous four years, we present The List – a roll call of the best researchers and the best research institutions in Australia in 250 individual fields of research."

Can delirium after major surgery be reduced by tranexamic acid?

ANZCA funded study will look at whether tranexamic acid can
reduce confusion and delirium after major surgery.

Congratulations to Professor Paul Myles on his grant from the Australia and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) of $120,000 over two years for the project "Tranexamic acid to reduce delirium after gastrointestinal surgery: the TRIGS-D trial".

Delirium is a devastating complication of medical and surgical care, associated with increased morbidity and mortality, dementia and impaired long-term cognition, and loss of independence. 

Congratulations to CCS NHMRC Investigator Grant recipients

L-R: Professor Paul Myles, Dr Shalini Arunogiri, Dr Andrew Neal, Dr Margaret Lam, Professor Mark Fitzgerald

Congratulations to our five successful National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Investigator Grant recipients! Commiserations to our many researchers whose grants were ranked highly, but nonetheless missed out. See detail below of CCS recipients. 

 

Overall, Monash University was awarded over $43 million to support 30+ researchers, and our Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences won 26 Investigator grant fellowships worth $37.4M. See Faculty and Monash lists here. See detail of NHMRC funding round outcomes released 14 September.

Dexamethasone treatment safe in surgery

Profs Tomas Corcoran, Allen Cheng, Paul Myles,
A/Prof Trish Peel and Ms Karen Goulding explain the

research which has shown that dexamethasone is safe in
surgery. See NEJM study & webinar video 

The steroid drug, dexamethasone, is often given by anaesthetists during surgery.  However, because of its effects on the immune system there has been growing concern that it may increase the risk of wound infections, particularly in vulnerable populations such as patients with diabetes.

PADDI Trial results webinar: 6 May, 7-8 am

The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists Clinical Trials Network (ANZCA CTN) and Monash University are delighted to invite you to a virtual public webinar announcing the results of the Perioperative Administration of Dexamethasone and Infection (PADDI) trial. The webinar will be held on Thursday 6 May, 2021 at 7-8am AEST. (Note, flyer with international times here). More information and register here.

Elective surgery patients screened for COVID-19

Prof Paul Myles in theatre

A recent COVID-19 research project involving Monash University, ANZCA’s Clinical Trials Network and Australian National University has seen elective surgery patients in 14 Australian hospitals screened for COVID-19 in hospital to establish infection rates and manage surgical risk.

Breast cancer surgery pain relief trial awarded $4.3 million MRFF grant

Prof Paul Myles CIB

Prof Tomas Corcoran CIA

The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) Clinical Trials Network (CTN) has secured funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF) to perform a clinical trial in 4400 patients undergoing breast cancer surgery.

The project received $4.3 million, the highest amount awarded in the recent MRFF neurological disorders grant initiative announced by the Australian Federal Minister for Health Greg Hunt on 25 June.

It is estimated that nearly half of breast cancer patients experience some chronic pain after surgery. The five year LOLIPOP (Long-term Outcomes of Lidocaine Infusions for persistent Postoperative Pain) study will administer lidocaine intravenously to patients during and up to 24 hours after breast cancer surgery.

CCS wins $9M of MRFF Neurological Disorders grants

L-R: Prof Terry O'Brien, Dr Mastura Monif,
Prof Tomas Corcoran (UWA/SPHPM) and Professor Paul Myles

Congratulations to Central Clinical School researchers, Professor Terry O'Brien, Dr Mastura Monif and Professor Paul Myles, who jointly with School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine researcher Professor Tomas Corcoran have won approximately $9M of grants under the 2019 MRFF RCRDUN Neurological Disorders Mission 2020. The initiative had a total of $21.8M on offer nationwide as announced by Minister for Health Greg Hunt on 25 June 2020. See detail below.

Elective surgery patients to be screened for COVID-19

Prof Paul Myles in theatre

by Tania Ewing

A Monash University researcher warns, in an editorial in The Lancet, that countries aiming to reintroduce elective surgery should be prepared to balance the need for surgery over the risk of a compromised patient developing COVID-19 and dying.

Professor Paul Myles, from the Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Alfred Hospital and Monash University, has written the editorial to accompany a research paper from the University of Birmingham, which looked at more than 1100 patients across 24 countries who had surgery from the 1 January to 31 March this year. More that two thirds of these patients were diagnosed with coronavirus post-operatively. One in four of these patients were dead within 30 days of the surgery.

Waist circumference rather than BMI best indicator for obesity risk in surgery

Waist circumference rather than BMI is the
best indicator for obesity risk in surgery.
The high risk 'apple belly' profile is best
picked up by measuring the waist.

by Anne Crawford

BMI (body mass index), a widely used measure of “healthy” weight and of obesity, has been the subject of controversy for some years, criticised as a flawed concept that doesn’t distinguish between weight from body fat and weight from muscle or bone, among other matters.

The concept was put to the test – and found inferior – as part of a major clinical study of almost 3000 people led by Central Clinical School’s Professor Paul Myles. Professor Myles is the Director of the Department of Anaesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, The Alfred and Monash University.

Researcher awarded $5 million by NHMRC for trial into post-surgery infection drug

Tranexamic acid (TXA) is used to reduce
 excessive bleeding. There is also evidence that
 TXA has immune-protective effects.

by Anne Crawford

Professor Paul Myles, Director of the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine in Central Clinical School and at The Alfred, has been awarded a $5.19 million Clinical Trials and Cohort Studies (CTCS) grant from the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) to conduct an international trial of a medication that could prevent infections after surgery.

2019 CCS research highlights: Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine - the RELIEF study

Professor Paul Myles, lead researcher on

the RELIEF study

Monash University's Central Clinical School is at the cutting edge of medical research in national and international arenas. We are publishing a series of our research highlights from across 2019.

In this article, we feature a highlight from the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine (APOM).

• Major international trial to benefit patients having major surgery

Monash professor recognised by major US medicine academy

Professor Paul Myles has been elected to

the US National Academy of Medicine

Professor Paul Myles, Director of the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, The Alfred and Monash University, has been honoured by an invitation to become a member of the prestigious US National Academy of Medicine (NAM). He is the first anaesthesiologist outside of North America to be elected to the Academy.

Forthcoming lectures by Alfred Hospital WTMS Visiting Professor Jocalyn Clark

Dr Jocalyn Clark, Executive Editor of the Lancet

Dr Jocalyn Clark is visiting the Alfred precinct for one week, 4-11 November 2019, and giving a number of free public talks.

• Thursday, 7 Nov, 12:30-1:30 pm
• Friday, 8 Nov, 11-12 am
• Monday, 11 Nov, 9:30-11 am

See detail about Jocalyn's background and the talks below.

Monash study reveals flawed data influenced WHO oxygen guidelines

by Anne Crawford

A study by a Monash University professor has exposed compromised data that was used by the World Health Organization (WHO) to support its guidelines on administering highly concentrated oxygen to all patients having surgery.

The WHO in 2016 recommended the practice of administering 80% supplemental oxygen to patients during and after surgery to prevent surgical wound infection – one of the most common serious postoperative complications.

However, a paper co-authored by Professor Paul Myles, Director of the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine at The Alfred Hospital and Monash University, says the WHO recommended practice may harm patients and that the evidence supporting it was false.

Recent CCS publications: 14 - 21 Oct 2018

Prof Paul Myles is a co-author on a paper
looking at standardised endpoints in peri-
operative medicine, in particular renal injury.

Recent publications for Central Clinical School affiliated authors in the following departments. Note, browse down this entry for complete publications list. Linked headings for each section are to the departments' home pages.

• Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine
• Anaesthesia and Perioperative Medicine
• Infectious Diseases
• Medicine
• Surgery

International infection protocol challenged

Professor Paul Myles

by Anne Crawford

The World Health Organization (WHO)’s recommended guidelines on surgical wound infection, one of the most common serious post-operative complications, has been questioned by Monash University researcher and Alfred Health clinician Professor Paul Myles.

Patients with surgical site infections (SSI) are twice as likely to need admission to intensive care as other post-operative patients and are twice as likely to die. Surgical site infections are estimated to require an extra two million bed days a year and are believed to add a one billion-dollar cost to health care providers in Australia.

Prof Paul Myles receives ASA Excellence in Research Award!

Professor Paul Myles, Head of 
Department, Anaesthesia and
Perioperative Medicine

Congratulations to Prof Paul Myles, who has been awarded the 2017 Excellence in Research Award by the American Society of Anesthiologists (ASA)!

The ASA says, "[Paul Myles] has to be considered among the very best physician–researchers our specialty has ever seen", for not only his capacity to build worldwide teams of researchers and create large trial networks involving thousands of patients, but to focus on meaningful patient-centred outcomes. He's interested in people's feedback to improve their experience.

Link: monitor.pubs.asahq.org/article.aspx?articleid=2654713&resultClick=3

Congratulations to A/Prof Christoph Hagemeyer & Prof Paul Myles for AMREP Research Prize!

Congratulations to A/Prof Christoph Hagemeyer & Prof Paul Myles for the award of the AMREP Research Prize! There are two categories, clinical and basic, and the prize is awarded annually for the best journal article describing original research.