Postanesthesia Care
Continuum-based protocol offers new strategy for preventing PONV after thyroidectomy
Editor's Note Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) remain a significant concern in thyroidectomy patients, with incidence rates reaching up to 80% in high-risk groups, Medical Dialogues April 25 reports. Despite effective intraoperative and postanesthesia care unit (PACU) protocols, gaps often arise during patient transitions to wards or intensive care units,…
Pembrolizumab sets new standard in advanced head and neck cancer surgery, trial shows
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…
Subarachnoid spinal anesthesia offers safe, effective option for high-risk obstetric patients
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…
Same-day discharge after catheter ablation gains backing from top cardiology societies
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…
Personalized perioperative pain management reduces opioid use
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…
Postop opioid prescriptions following outpatient surgery see steep, sustained fall
Editor's Note US surgeons are helping to slash postoperative opioid use, which has driven opioid prescription fills for common same-day procedures down from 43% to 16% over 13 years, Physician’s Weekly April 22 reports. The data were retrieved from a study published in the April 2025 issue of the Journal…
Study: Hospital same‑day knee replacements match ASC outcomes, even in higher‑risk patients
Editor's Note A recent Duke University analysis challenges the long‑held assumption that ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) inherently deliver superior results for outpatient joint replacement, Orthopedics This Week March 18 reports. In the February 2025 Journal of Arthroplasty, researchers report that same‑day discharge total knee arthroplasty (TKA) performed in a tertiary‑care hospital…
Pulse oximetry monitoring at home found to save lives of high-risk opioid surgery patients
Editor's Note Intermountain Health researchers have uncovered a practical solution for reducing the risk of opioid-induced respiratory depression (OIRD) in same-day surgery patients, showing that a basic monitoring device—specifically, a pulse oximeter—can save lives, News Channel Nebraska March 27 reports. The study, published in the Respiratory Care Journal, focused on…
New data suggest same-day discharge is safe for joint replacement patients with atrial fibrillation
Editor's Note According to a study presented at the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons 2025 Annual Meeting, same-day discharge for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF) is both feasible and safe, Medscape March 31 reports. This finding challenges the common assumption that patients with…
Introducing New Leader Toolkit: Your guide to OR leadership success
Editor's Note Stepping into a leadership role in the OR is both exciting and demanding. From budgeting and performance metrics to staffing and scheduling, there is a lot to navigate right from day one. To help new leaders step into their roles with confidence—and to offer fresh insights for seasoned…
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