Editor's Note Since publication of the Appropriate Use Criteria for Coronary Revascularization in 2009, the number of nonacute percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs) has declined significantly (89,704 vs 59,375). The proportion of nonacute PCIs classified as inappropriate has also declined (26.2% vs 13.3%), although hospital-level variation persists. These findings indicate that…

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Editor's Note Blacks are at a significantly higher risk of having total knee revision surgery within 5 years than whites, finds a study presented at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Meeting in San Francisco. The risk of revision was 38% higher in blacks. When blacks undergo knee replacement they…

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Editor's Note More than half (56%) of 313 medical device postapproval studies ordered by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from January 1, 2007, through February 23, 2015, were for cardiovascular devices, and most are making adequate progress, according to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. Postapproval studies are ordered…

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Perioperative Nurse Week 2015 is a time to celebrate the profession, honor perioperative nurses, and educate the public on the important role of the perioperative nurse in safe patient care. Thank you to all perioperative nurses for your hard work and dedication.

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Editor's Note Referred to as the “July phenomenon,” the influx of new surgical residents and interns at the beginning of the academic year is assumed to be associated with poor outcomes. This study of nearly 1.5 million patients who had emergency general surgery either early (July-August)  or late (September-June) in…

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Editor's Note Quality improvement initiatives combined with pulsed xenon ultraviolet room disinfection reduced total knee surgical site infections (SSIs) from four to zero and total hip SSIs from three to zero for a combined prevention of seven SSIs and a savings of $290,990 in 1 year at Trinity Medical Center,…

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Editor's Note Quest Medical, Inc (Allen, Texas), on October 28 initiated a nationwide recall of its Myocardial Protection System delivery sets, Models 5001102, 5001102-AS, and 7001102 of specified lots. The sets have shown possible seal failure along the blood source channel of the main pump cassette, resulting in blood loss…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) has recognized 52 of 517 participating hospitals for achieving meritorious outcomes for surgical patient care in 2014. Recognized hospitals are deemed “meritorious” for their composite quality scores in eight surgical care outcome areas. Hospitals are required…

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Editor's Note Almost 200 healthcare organizations sent letters to Congress urging members to restore funding for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The House Appropriations Committee in June voted to eliminate the research agency, and the Senate Appropriations Committee proposed a 35% cut to AHRQ’s budget. The letters…

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Editor's Note The amount of propofol required for general anesthesia varies widely among patients, and some may be able to receive a lower dose than usually administered, according to a study presented at the Anesthesiology 2015 annual meeting in San Diego. The amount of propofol required to produce unconsciousness was…

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