Medical Industry Feature

Could metformin reduce risk of wet AMD development? Maria Berrocal, MD, speaks with Dimitra Skondra, MD, PhD, about a study published in Ophthalmology Retina finding that metformin exposure was associated with up to 30% lower odds of new-onset wet AMD. They discuss what the findings mean for patients with and without diabetes, where the protective effect appears to break down, and what a prospective trial could tell us next.

Surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine are advancing the use of single-port robotics for complex thoracic surgery. While multiport robotic surgery requires 4-5 incisions around the ribs, the single-port platform uses one incision through the diaphragm, improving surgery success and reducing recovery time. By being an early adopter, the center at NewYork-Presbyterian and Weill Cornell Medicine has become one of the highest volume single-port thoracic surgery programs in the U.S. The cardiothoracic team has successfully performed surgery for a range of thoracic malignancies, including late-stage lung cancer, mediastinal masses, and esophageal cancer. Their commitment to evolving robotic surgery and training the next generation is helping to expand access to minimally invasive thoracic procedures.

© 2026 NewYork-Presbyterian

How aggressively should you manage a vitreous hemorrhage after a PVD when you can't see the retina underneath it? Barton Blackorby, MD, moderates a discussion with Matt Starr, MD, and Kyle Kovacs, MD, about a study published in Ophthalmology by Hasbolat et al examining 366 patients with PVD-related vitreous hemorrhage initially managed with observation. The panel discusses how exam technique and B-scan reliance may affect detachment detection rates, debates follow-up intervals given that most retinal detachments in the study occurred within the first 3 weeks, and shares their own thresholds for moving to early vitrectomy versus continued observation, including how they counsel patients eager for faster visual recovery.

On this episode of Advances in Care, Erin Welsh speaks with Dr. Lawrence Lustig, otolaryngologist-in-chief at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia. Dr. Lustig has spent decades working to advance various interventions to treat genetic deafness and after years of research, his team was the first to show that gene therapies could be effective at reversing hearing loss in mouse models.

Dr. Lustig focused his initial study on otoferlin, a gene that is missing in people with a rare form of genetic deafness, and how to safely deliver it back to patients. Starting with mouse models and solving for the uniquely large size of the gene, they discovered that packaging otoferlin with an adeno-associated virus and injecting it into the ear completely reversed deafness. From there, they began the process of trialing this approach in humans at NewYork-Presbyterian and Columbia. The trials were successful, leading to natural hearing restoration in most patients, and in April 2026 the work culminated with an FDA approval of the first ever gene therapy for genetic deafness based on the research pushed forward by Dr. Lustig and his team.

Dr. Lustig’s team has trialed the therapy in patients across a range of ages, from six years old to …

What happens when vitreous hemorrhage (VH) secondary to non-tractional PDR doesn't clear on its own? And does preoperative anti-VEGF actually change surgical outcomes? Maria Berrocal, MD, speaks with Sumit Sharma, MD, about a retrospective case series of 360 patients who underwent vitrectomy for non-clearing VH without tractional elements, examining whether preoperative anti-VEGF injection affects the risk of postoperative rebleeding, when to consider repeat vitrectomy, and how both physicians approach these cases in their own practices.

On this episode of Advances in Care, Erin Welsh is joined by Dr. Leonardo Lopez, a psychiatrist at NewYork-Presbyterian and vice chair for inpatient services in the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine. Dr. Lopez and his team are at the forefront of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and have built one of the largest programs of its kind in the country dedicated to treating severe psychiatric illness through this revolutionary method. Though it is one of the most effective therapies available for certain psychiatric conditions like treatment resistant depression and schizophrenia, ECT isn’t widely adopted or accessible. However, Dr. Lopez hopes to change that. In the episode, he describes the history of this treatment, how it has evolved since its inception to become one of the safest procedures done under general anesthesia, and the dramatic response rates.

ECT works by restructuring neurotransmitter release and promoting neuronal growth. Patients with conditions like psychotic depression and catatonia can sometimes see upwards of 90-95% response rates. To illustrate the power of ECT, Dr. Lopez shares the story of a pediatric patient who was referred to his team after being diagnosed with catatonia caused by another condition. Although the other condition was treated, the …

CAR T cell therapy has been established as a standard-of-care option in the second-line setting for appropriate relapsed/refractory patients with large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL).1 Some outcomes data suggest more favorable outcomes when CAR T is used in the second-line setting compared with subsequent lines of therapy.2,3 That’s why it’s important to not wait to refer and to consult with a CAR T specialist for all on-label patients—early evaluation gives patients the best opportunity to optimize outcomes.3,4

In this episode of Project Oncology, Drs. Loretta Nastoupil and Manali Kamdar sit down to discuss the evolving role of CAR T-cell therapy in relapsed or refractory LBCL, including patient eligibility, referral timing, and care coordination between referring and treatment centers.

Dr. Nastoupil is an oncologist with Southwest Oncology and CommonSpirit Mercy in Durango, Colorado. Dr. Kamdar is a Professor of Medicine and Clinical Director of the Lymphoma Program at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and the UCHealth Blood Disorders and Cell Therapies Center in Aurora, Colorado.

Dr. Nastoupil and Dr. Kamdar were compensated by Bristol Myers Squibb for their participation.

References:

1. Referenced with permission from the NCCN Clinical Practice Guidelines in Oncology (NCCN Guidelines®) for B-Cell Lymphomas V.4.2026. © …

Severe hypertriglyceridemia (sHTG) affects more than 3 million people, but it often flies under the clinical radar.1-3 When triglycerides are at or above a 500 mg/dL threshold, it’s no longer just an isolated lab value—it’s a level of hypertriglyceridemia where the clinical implications change, and where a more careful evaluation for underlying causes and risk becomes important.4 That’s why Dr. Charles Turck sits down with Dr. Erin Michos to discuss what sHTG is, why it’s so important to identify, and how we can effectively manage this condition to improve patients’ overall health and reduce complication risk. Dr. Erin Michos is a Professor of Medicine, Director of Women’s Cardiovascular Health, and Associate Director of Preventive Cardiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

References:

1. Saadatagah S, Larouche M, Naderian M, et al. Recognition and management of persistent chylomicronemia: a joint expert clinical consensus by the National Lipid Association and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology. Am J Prev Cardiol. 2025;22:100978. doi:10.1016/j.ajpc.2025.100978
2. Sanchez RJ, Ge W, Wei W, Ponda MP, Rosenson RS. The association of triglyceride levels with the incidence of initial and recurrent acute pancreatitis. Lipids Health Dis. 2021;20(1):72. doi:10.1186/s12944-021-01488-8
3. Sikora Kessler A, Baum SJ, Kutrieb E, et al. Rates …

Pediatric influenza carries a significant clinical burden, with children under four experiencing one of the highest rates of influenza-related illness, healthcare visits, and hospitalization.1,2 Seasonal influenza vaccination remains an evidence-based strategy to reduce illness and severe outcomes, with a well-established safety profile and continued support from leading U.S. health authorities.3,4 Joining Dr. Jennifer Caudle to share her perspective on the importance of influenza vaccination in children is Dr. Laura Sass. Dr. Laura Sass is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Eastern Virginia Medical School and a board-certified Pediatric Infectious Diseases specialist at Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters.

References:

1. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Laboratory-confirmed influenza hospitalizations. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://gis.cdc.gov/grasp/fluview/FluHospChars.html#virusTypeDiv.
2. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Influenza Activity in the United States during the 2024–25 Season and Composition of the 2025–26 Influenza Vaccine. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/whats-new/2025-2026-influenza-activity.html.
3. US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Flu Vaccine Effectiveness for Children and Older Adults. Updated August 14. 2024. Accessed March 31, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/flu-vaccines-work/risk-groups/index.html.
4. Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for Prevention and Control of Influenza in Children, 2025-2026: Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2025;156(6)doi:10.1542/peds.2025-073620

How much money are retina surgeons losing on secondary IOL procedures? In this episode of Clinical Minute: Retina, host Maria Berrocal, MD, speaks with Nimesh "Nemo" Patel, MD, whose research uncovered how many cases are unprofitable under current Medicare reimbursement rates, and assess how much cash surgeons burn per case. Dr. Patel discusses the implications for patient access, the advocacy efforts underway through the ASRS Health Economics Committee, and why closing the gap between reimbursement and operative complexity will require direct engagement with policymakers.