For many in the healthcare industry, imagining surgery without onsite sterile processing seems unthinkable. Then again, performing total joints in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) was unthinkable 10 years ago. ASC sterile processing departments (SPDs) are generally not designed to handle the high volumes of instrument trays, vendor trays, and…

Read More

Editor's Note A newly developed biomaterial could treat crippling arthritis by prompting the growth of new cartilage, according to an animal study conducted at Northwestern University and published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. According to an August 6 article by U.S. News and World Report, the…

Read More

Editor's Note A recent study led by the University of Bristol reveals nearly 9 months of joint replacement surgeries, amounting to approximately 160,000 procedures, have been lost since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, News Medical Life Sciences July 31 reports. Published in The Bone & Joint Journal, the study…

Read More

Editor's Note Lumbar spinal fusion procedures are significantly more likely to fail in individuals with diabetes, according researchers at The University of Toledo. According to a July 9 EurekAlert! report on the study, published in JBMR Plus, diabetic patients are already known to have a higher risk of infection from…

Read More

Takeaways Transmitting health metrics directly from a surgical implant reduces the need for in-person followup and offers more objective data on recovery than patient-reported measures. This technology’s potential extends beyond knees. Whatever the nature of the treatment, postop monitoring is critical. Patient education is essential for setting up the data…

Read More

Some 800,000 knee replacements and 550,000 hip replacements are performed in the US each year. Factoring in the ever-expanding aging population, projections show the figure for knee replacements alone will explode to 3.5 million procedures being done annually by 2030—and that is just one type of procedure within a single…

Read More

Editor's Note An increasing number of young and middle-aged adults are opting for knee and hip replacements earlier in life, breaking the stereotype that such surgeries are primarily for seniors aged 65 or older. That is according to a July 24 article in U.S. News & World Report. Citing research…

Read More

Editor's Note New findings from health consultant Sg2’s 2024 Impact of Change report projects a 21% increase in ambulatory surgery center (ASC) volume, to reach 44 million by 2034, ASC Focus July 8 reports. An aging population, better diagnostics, and epidemiological factors are driving this demand, Tori Richie, senior consulting…

Read More

Editor's Note A study published May 7 in JAMA Open found no significant risk of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) when colonoscopy is performed within one year of total joint arthroplasty (TJA), whether the colonoscopy was done before or after the surgery. However, certain comorbidities such as kidney and pulmonary disease,…

Read More

Editor's Note Popular weight-loss \ drug semaglutide could significantly increase risk for repeat operations patients with diabetes who undergo lumbar surgery. According to a May 8 report in Medscape Medical News, the findings are pending review for publication and reportedly provides the first evidence on the impact of semaglutide on…

Read More