Innovative technology and surgical procedures, including artificial intelligence, will be explored in depth during the OR Manager Conference, September 18-20 in New Orleans. The new OR of the Future gives attendees a unique opportunity to learn through interactive experiences, educational sessions, and discussions with leading experts: product manufacturers as well…

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The opioid epidemic has risen to alarming proportions in the United States, claiming 46,000 lives in 2018. Studies and federal reports documenting evidence of narcotics overuse and addiction in patients have built momentum to curb prescribing habits. Responding to these trends, a Midwestern orthopedic practice launched a multiphase project to…

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Editor's Note The risk of adverse events increases with each additional day of surgical antimicrobial prophylaxis, and extended duration does not lead to additional surgical site infection (SSI) reductions, finds this study. In this study of 79,058 patients having surgical procedures in the VA healthcare system, increasing the duration of…

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Editor's Note Use of opioids and benzodiazepines 6 months before surgery was associated with increased short- and long-term mortality and an increased rate of persistent postoperative opioid consumption, this study finds. In this analysis of 41,170 noncardiac surgical cases in 27,787 patients in Iceland, preoperative prescriptions for opioids only were…

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Editor's Note Oxygenation was impaired by anesthesia more often in patients with greater age or body mass index, this study finds. This retrospective analysis of data from two hospitals found key contributors to impaired oxygenation were low ventilation/perfusion ratios because of airway narrowing and closure in the elderly and atelectasis-induced…

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Editor's Note A visible-light continuous environmental disinfection (CED) system, used with manual cleaning, resulted in a significant reduction in microbial surface contamination and surgical site infections (SSIs) in an orthopedic OR, in this study. Samples were taken from 25 surfaces within two contiguous ORs sharing an air supply after manual…

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Editor's Note Risk-adjusted surgical outcomes vary widely across hospitals within networks that are on the Honor Roll of the US News & World Report, this study finds. In this analysis of 87 hospitals and 143,174 patients, outcomes were not consistently better at Honor Roll hospitals compared with network affiliates. For…

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Editor's Note Patients whose surgeons had more coworker reports about unprofessional behavior in the 36 months before their surgical procedures had a significantly increased risk of complications, this study finds. In this analysis of 13,653 patients having surgical procedures performed by 202 surgeons in two academic medical centers, 1,583 (11.6%)…

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Blood loss during labor and delivery (L&D) and surgical procedures can lead to serious complications that might be prevented with early detection; however, detection can be challenging. For example, clinicians have traditionally estimated blood loss visually—a subjective and often inaccurate process. Humans’ eyes simply aren’t good at making precise measurements,…

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Editor's Note The majority of differences in outcomes between new and experiences surgeons are associated with the context in which care is delivered and patient complexity, rather than inexperience, this study finds. A total of 694,165 Medicare patients treated by 8,503 experienced surgeons were matched to 68,036 treated by 2,119…

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