Editor's Note According to results from a randomized trial, titled KEYNOTE-689, adding pembrolizumab (Keytruda) to surgery and standard adjuvant therapy significantly prolongs event-free survival (EFS) in patients with resectable, locally advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), MedPage Today April 28 reports. Experts are calling the findings a major…

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Editor's Note Segmental spinal anesthesia (SSA) has emerged as a safe and effective anesthetic technique for high-risk obstetric patients, particularly those with underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD). A recent case series published on April 29 by Medical Dialogues highlights the successful use of SSA in five parturients undergoing cesarean sections, emphasizing…

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Editor's Note Same-day discharge following catheter ablation is both safe and increasingly standard in appropriately selected patients, according to a new joint scientific statement from the Heart Rhythm Society and the American College of Cardiology, TCTMD April 24 reports. The statement reflects growing evidence and clinical experience suggesting that, with…

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Editor's Note Tenet Healthcare and HCA Healthcare delivered robust first-quarter (Q1) earnings, bolstered by steady inpatient demand and operational discipline—but both hospital giants are treading carefully amid policy and market uncertainties, according to earnings reports covered by Healthcare Dive on April 28 and Trading View on April 29. Tenet reported…

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Editor's Note OR Manager is onsite for the 2025 ASCA Conference & Expo, which is reportedly bringing more than 2,200 ambulatory surgery center (ASC) professionals to the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colorado, for 4 days of education and networking.  Next week, ASC Leader Weekly will offer…

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In the OR, precision and focus can mean the difference between life and death. However, surgical patient outcomes hinge on more than the competence of those working in these inherently intense environments. Every procedure also depends on the laborious, behind-the-scenes efforts of the people responsible for ensuring every surgical instrument…

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Becoming a perioperative nurse generally does not require certification. However, expectations can change quickly for those hoping to climb the career ladder. For some, expectations are also changing for how knowledge and skills should be assessed. Rather than taking an exam, this subset of specialty nurses earn certification by submitting…

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Editor's Note Helping patients taper opioids preoperatively before deploying multimodal care strategies can help prevent instances of patients already with prescriptions going home with even higher doses. That’s the main takeaway from an April 22 MedCentral interview with Marie N. Hanna, MD, division chief for regional anesthesia and acute pain…

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Editor's Note Augmented reality (AR) guidance keeps surging in perioperative practice: Pixee Medical just secured FDA 510(k) clearance for its Knee+ NexSight system for total knee arthroplasty, while Augmedics’ xvision platform has already guided 10,000 US spine surgical procedures and is rolling out a new CT-Fluoro registration upgrade. According to…

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Editor's Note Ambulatory surgery center (ASC) leaders elevate safety by treating patient selection as a clinical gatekeeper, then prop that rigor with data-driven workflows, advanced monitoring, and targeted robotics to bring complex spine cases safely into the outpatient space. An interview with Glenn Snyders Jr, MD, medical director and head…

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