The world wide web and robotic heart surgery.

Purpose: The primary goal of this study was to (1) determine patients' access to and use of the Internet for healthrelated information before and after endoscopic atraumatic coronary artery bypass (Endo-ACAB) surgery, (2) investigate patients' methods of searching for such information, and (3) suggest future improvements for Internet-based patient education. The secondary goal of this study was to determine (1) patients' health-related quality of life and (2) degree of satisfaction following the Endo-ACAB procedure.

Methods: A follow-up study was conducted of 50 consecutive patients who had undergone Endo-ACAB procedures at the Center for Less Invasive Cardiac Surgery and Robotic Heart Surgery in Buffalo, New York.

A pediatric surgery study: parent usage of the Internet for medical information.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to (1) determine parents access to and use of the Internet for information relating to their child's health; (2) investigate parents methods of searching for such information; and (3) evaluate the information found in relation to its readability, accuracy, and influence.

Methods: A study was conducted of 150 parents of outpatients in the Pediatric Surgery Clinic of a local Children's Hospital. Parents completed study surveys over a 6-week time frame.