Anesthetists
1-year mortality after major surgery in older adults
Editor's Note In this study, researchers from Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, find that mortality after major surgery is elevated in older adults who are frail or who have probable dementia. A total of 1,193 major surgical procedures in 992 Medicare beneficiaries were analyzed. Among the findings: Overall,…
FDA: Exela Pharma Sciences, LLC, expands recall of Sodium Bicarb
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 29 posted Exela Pharma Sciences’ expansion of its recall of Sodium Bicarbonate Injection, USP, 8.4%, 50 mEq/50 mL vial, 20-count carton. The product poses a safety concern because of vial breakage with flying glass when pressurized while preparing the product for…
Bypassing PACU after hip, knee arthroplasties
Editor's Note This prospective Danish study finds that transfer to a postanesthesia care unit (PACU) immediately after elective hip and knee arthroplasty might be unnecessary in low-risk patients. A total of 696 total knee (274), total hip (287), and unicompartmental knee (135) arthroplasty patients were analyzed. Of those, 307 bypassed…
Healthcare employment up in November
Editor's Note Overall healthcare employment in the US was up in November to a seasonally adjusted 16,623,800 workers, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on December 2. That’s up 44,700 since October. Hospital employment also was up by 11,000 jobs. The overall unemployment rate for November was 3.7%, for a…
A success story: Coordination, teamwork, and collaboration in aerodigestive procedures
The Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital in Chicago has a mission: to successfully serve children with complex airway disorders requiring pulmonary, upper digestive tract, sleep, voice, and swallowing evaluations. As a 360-bed facility ranked among the country’s top children’s hospitals by US News & World Report and housing more than 1,800…
Operationalizing a robotics program for evenings, weekends
The St Elizabeth Healthcare organization in northern Kentucky has eight facilities, including two surgery centers. The flagship hospital on the Edgewood campus has 534 beds and 22 ORs and typically performs some 14,000 surgical procedures per year. Robots help manage the volume. The Edgewood, Florence, and Ft Thomas hospitals have…
Challenges and best practices with strategizing flip rooms
Consider the following requests posed to OR scheduling staff by surgeons: • “I need two blocks in different rooms to accommodate my daily case volume.” • “Can’t I just use that empty room to start my next case while the first case is wrapping up?” Surgeon requests like these are…
Negotiating contracts with anesthesia: Set clear expectations and hire who you know
David Shapiro, MD, who is a risk manager/medical director at several ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) near Tallahassee, Florida, has seen his fair share of contracts with anesthesia services. Navigating these types of contracts at a time when anesthesiology is suffering from a workforce shortage and high costs for services is…
Partial COVID-19 vaccination tied to decreased postop mortality, infection
Editor's Note This study from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, finds that full and partial COVID-19 vaccination reduced postoperative complications. Researchers analyzed data from patients having surgery at 1,283 VA medical facilities nationwide. Of 87,073 surgical patients, 20% were fully vaccinated, 15% were partially vaccinated, and 65% were unvaccinated. Among…
FDA: Class I recall of Teleflex Iso-Gard Filter S
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on November 1 identified the recall of Teleflex’s Iso-Gard Filter S as Class I, the most serious. Iso-Gard filters are breathing circuit bacterial filters that are connected to respiratory equipment or breathing systems in operating rooms and ICUs. The recall was initiated…
Free Daily News
- Study: Thrombectomy beneficial in high-risk acute stroke patients with large infarct
- Majority of American adults have CKM syndrome, at risk for heart disease
- FDA announces class 1 recalls for heart devices, ventilators
- Carbon-conscious health systems phase out desflurane anesthesia gas to reduce emissions
- Joint Commission releases annual Sentinel Event Data Report
- Study: Surgical team diversity improves patient outcomes
- Colorectal cancer rates declining in older adults, rising among children, teens
- Industry leaders share main growth opportunities for ASCs
- US News & World Report best ASCs ranking now available
- Study: Standard preoperative fasting instructions sufficient for diabetic patients