Editor's Note The Perioperative Nutrition Screen (PONS) identifies patients at greater risk of complications following pancreatic cancer surgery, according to a retrospective analysis published August 27 by Research Square. The study found that patients flagged for nutrition risk by PONS experienced longer hospital stays, higher complication rates, and were more…

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Editor's Note NDM-producing carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales are climbing fast and straining treatment choices, according to a September 23 release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The agency warns NDM-CRE infections rose more than 460% in the US from 2019 to…

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Editor's Note Sterile processing departments (SPDs) face chronic staffing shortages and underinvestment that put surgical patients at risk, according to a Surgical Directions September 18 report. It emphasizes that sterile processing technicians, who decontaminate, inspect, and sterilize every surgical instrument, remain under-recognized despite their central role in surgical safety. Per…

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Editor's Note Medication management in the perioperative period is often made without robust evidence, requiring clinicians to balance surgical safety with the risks of interrupting treatment, according to expert guidance presented at the annual Perioperative Medicine Summit. Paul Grant, MD, of the University of Michigan Medical School, noted most medications…

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Editor's Note DermaRite Industries has voluntarily recalled multiple lots of healthcare products nationwide due to contamination with Burkholderia cepacia, a bacterium that poses serious infection risks to immunocompromised individuals, according to an August 10 article in Newsweek. The recall affects four product lines commonly used in healthcare settings for handwashing…

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Editor's Note Hospitals achieved a substantial reduction in mortality risk for surgical inpatients between 2019 and 2024, even as patients grew sicker and stayed longer, according to a report released August 5 by the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Vizient. In the first quarter of 2024, hospitalized surgical patients were…

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Editor's Note AI-enabled sensors, smart surveillance systems, and predictive analytics are advancing perioperative workflows while helping prevent breaches that can lead to surgical site infections (SSIs). This is the primary takeaway of a July 15 Q&A with Herman DeBoard, PhD, CEO of Huvr Inc., in Infection Control Today. As detailed…

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Editor's Note Zimmer Biomet is taking a strategic step to dominate the ambulatory surgery center (ASC) market by partnering with Getinge to distribute surgical and infection control products, broadening its offering beyond implants and robotics, MedTech Dive July 14 reports. The partnership would provide ASCs with a single-source solution for…

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Editor's Note A study published July 9 in the American Journal of Infection Control found that clean paper towels are as effective—and in some cases more efficient—than sterile alternatives for surgical hand antisepsis. The results support their use as a cost-saving and safe alternative to sterile hand-drying products in surgical…

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Editor's Note Mayo Clinic researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that detects surgical site infections (SSIs) from patient-submitted wound photos. According to the July 7 announcement, the model achieved 94% accuracy in detecting surgical incisions and an 81% area under the curve (AUC) in identifying infections. According to…

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