Study: Increase in operative variability among surgical residents since 80-hour workweek
Editor's Note In this study of surgical residents after implementation of the 80-hour workweek in 2003, researchers found a significant increase in operative variability, including an increase in the variability of total major cases between the resident completing the most and fewest cases per class. This may suggest a growing disparity…
FDA: Hospira recalls one lot of Sodium Bicarbonate Injection
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 21 announced the recall by Hospira, Inc (Lake Forest, Illinois) of one lot of 8.4% Sodium Bicarbonate Injection, USP (NDC: 0409-6625-02, Lot 56-148-EV, Expiry August 1, 2017). The recall was initiated because of the presence of a particulate in a single-dose…
Peripheral nerve blocks linked to better total joint outcomes
Editor's Note Peripheral nerve blocks were associated with fewer complications and lower costs in total hip and knee patients in this study, which was presented March 23 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine. In this analysis of more than 1 million patients…
AHRQ’s Patient Safety Chartbook shows 17% decline in HACs
Editor's Note Patient safety in hospitals improved from 2010 to 2014 as the overall rate of hospital-acquired conditions (HACS) declined 17%, according to the new National Healthcare Quality and Disparities Report Patients Safety Chartbook from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The overall HAC rate declined from 145/1,000…
FDA proposes ban on most powdered gloves
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 21 announced a proposal to ban most powdered gloves in the US. The proposed ban applies to powdered surgeons' gloves, powdered patient examination gloves, and absorbable powder for lubricating surgeons' gloves. Powdered gloves pose an unreasonable and substantial risk of…
Patient factors strongly predict 30-day readmissions
Editor's Note The patient’s clinical condition responsible for admission, age, comorbidities, and socioeconomic factors such as race, income, and payer status were strong predictors of readmission within 30 days in this study. The analysis included some 15 million patients at 611 hospitals from Premier healthcare alliance over a 2-year period.…
Joint Commission approves new, revised NPSGs for CAUTIs
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on March 21 approved a new National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) on catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) for accredited nursing care centers. Also approved were revisions for the existing CAUTI NPSG for accredited hospitals and critical access hospitals, which were made to bring the NPSG…
FDA: Class I recall of GlideScope Titanium Single-Use Video Laryngoscope
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 18 announced the Class I recall of the GlideScope Titanium Single-Use Video Laryngoscope by Verathon (Bothell, Washington). Class I is the most serious. The recall was initiated because of a potential disruption in the video feed from the laryngoscope blade…
Hospital variation in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy complications
Editor's Note In this study of Michigan hospitals, overall complications in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy patients varied widely, and serious complications were infrequent. The analysis included 8,693 patients who underwent laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy from 2013 to 2014 in 40 hospitals in the Michigan Bariatric Surgery Collaborative. Overall, 5.4% experienced complications, and…
Study: Use of self-filled vs prefilled syringes during anesthesia
Editor's Note In this work system analysis, the inclusion of prefilled syringes into medication delivery by anesthesia providers simplified work processes and reduced the number and associated risks of system vulnerabilities. Eight system vulnerabilities were found in the prefilled syringe system versus 21 in the self-filled syringe system. An example…
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