Study: Single-syringe pump reduces OR propofol waste
Editor's Note Research published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia suggests that switching to a single syringe pump for both induction and maintenance of anesthesia could significantly cut propofol waste in operating rooms. EurekAlert! published the news October 29. Propofol waste accounts for up to 45% of medication waste in…
Music therapy reduces opioid use, anxiety in surgical patients
Editor's Note Music-based interventions administered preoperatively, intraoperatively, and postoperatively can significantly reduce postoperative opioid use and improve mood in patients undergoing same-day surgeries, according to research published October 15 in the Journal of Clinical Medicine. The single-center, prospective, randomized controlled trial evaluated 75 patients aged 18 to 80 who received…
Outpatient, ASC clinicians share perspectives on upcoming NOPAIN Act implementation
Editor's Note On October 14, Anesthesiology News published a monograph featuring clinical perspectives on how “those working in the trenches of postsurgical pain management” are preparing for the Non-Opioids Prevent Addiction in the Nation (NOPAIN) Act, which outlines new, separate Medicare reimbursement for certain non-opioid analgesics in outpatient and ambulatory…
Statistical models aim to improve surgical patient pain management
Editor's Note Researchers at MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed statistical models to improve how anesthesiologists manage unconscious pain, or nociception, during surgery, according to a September 23 report in News Medical. Derived from over 18,000 minutes of surgery data across 101 abdominal procedures, the models aim to…
Countdown to OR Manager Conference: Key strategies for success adding complex spine procedures to ASCs
Editor's Note At last year’s OR Manager Conference, healthcare leader Karen Reiter, RN, CNOR, RNFA, CASC, shared her expertise on integrating complex spine procedures into ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). As the former administrator at DISC Surgery Center at Newport Beach and vice president of operations and payer management at TriasMD,…
Kidney transplant performed on awake patient
Editor's Note In a first for Northwestern Medicine, surgeons performed a kidney transplant on an awake patient, CBS News reported June 24. John Nicholas, 28, of Chicago, experienced no pain during the May 24 procedure, in which he received an organ from a childhood friend. He was discharged the next…
Two-question survey could help improve pain management, reduce opioid use
Editor's Note A simple, two-question survey could help identify patients most likely to develop chronic pain during recovery from surgery or injury and direct them toward proactive, holistic services that reduce reliance on opioids. NEJM Catalyst published the findings on March 20. Conducted by a research team from Duke University,…
Procedural sedation analgesia considerations for ASC leaders
The promise of quicker recovery and fewer complications from sedation, anesthesia, and pain management have drawn clinicians and patients alike to procedures performed in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) and other outpatient settings. However, sedation, anesthesia, and analgesia add their own risks to those of the procedure itself. Understanding the latest…
Safe postop patient recovery: A day in the PACU leader role
Critical assessment and rapid response are essentials skills for perioperative staff members, and that goes double for perioperative leadership. Patient-centered leadership is a must. Like the OR, the postanesthesia care unit (PACU, formerly referred to as the “recovery room”) is a critical care area plagued by an influx of new…
Study: Microglia help awaken the brain from anesthesia, protect neurons from aftereffects
Editor's Note A new study finds that the same cells that are involved in preventing damage to the central nervous system – called microglia – help to awaken the brain following anesthesia. The findings appeared January 4 in the journal Nature. Using electron-microscopy-based synaptic reconstruction, the researchers could see the…
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- Survey: Burnout, rigid schedules push nurses to leave
- UCLA surgeons perform world’s first bladder transplant
- AHA urges HHS to cut regulations that burden hospitals and staff
- Commentary: Overlooking, underfunding perioperative mental health threatens patients
- Study: Fewer men undergo unnecessary prostate cancer surgery amid rise in active surveillance
- OpenAI benchmarking tool tests healthcare LLMs
- Healthgrades recognizes top 15% of hospitals for patient experience in 2025
- Q1 reports show climb in outpatient surgical volume, diverging trends at Surgery Partners, Ardent Health
- Study: SGLT2 inhibitors raise postop euglycemic ketoacidosis risk but lower mortality