Editor's Note Skipping sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) in patients with clinically node-negative early breast cancer provides noninferior outcomes compared to undergoing the procedure, MedPage Today reported December 13. Presented at the San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the INSEMA trial found…

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Editor's Note Perioperative immunotherapy is reshaping treatment strategies for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without actionable mutations, according to Dr. Roy S. Herbst of Yale Cancer Center. In a recent interview with OncLive, the oncology expert highlighted the promise of neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapies to improve outcomes for these…

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Editor's Note Using virtual reality glasses (VR-G) to watch immersive 360-degree nature videos significantly reduces preoperative surgical fear in patients undergoing open-heart surgery, according to a randomized controlled study published November 29 in the Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing. However, anxiety levels were not markedly affected, suggesting targeted efficacy in fear…

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Editor's Note A quality improvement protocol at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical campus resulted in a 48.8% decrease in the number of pediatric urology patients returning to the emergency department (ED) unnecessarily within 30 days of surgery. According to a December 2 university report, the initiative has significantly reduced…

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Editor's Note The US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized a new rule establishing the Increasing Organ Transplant Access Model, a 6-year, mandatory initiative to enhance access to kidney transplants, improve care quality, and reduce disparities. Managed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the program…

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Editor's Note Non-operative management (NOM) with antibiotics for pediatric uncomplicated appendicitis is both less expensive and slightly more effective than urgent laparoscopic appendectomy over a one-year period, according to a study published November 19 in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. The findings support the viability of NOM…

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Editor's Note Curious to learn how hurricane-impacted health organizations are navigating supply chain challenges? What about the latest trends in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), AI-driven scheduling software, or the workings of the hospital C-suite? Designed specifically for perioperative business leaders seeking to optimize efficiency and increase profitability, the 2025 OR…

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Editor's Note Early surgical intervention should be prioritized over endoscopy-first treatment in managing chronic pancreatitis with dilated pancreatic ducts, according to the results of a follow-up study of the ESCAPE randomized clinical trial. Published November 20 in JAMA Surgery, the findings specifically highlight pain relief, patient satisfaction, and need for…

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Takeaways • The 3A Strategic Thinking Framework and the GOST Framework are examples of tools that can help make the abstract process of strategic thinking more concrete for perioperative leaders. • Carving out dedicated time for planning and fostering strategic thinking in others are important to achieve optimal results. •…

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When a speaker at a recent conference asked if anyone had achieved a first-case on-time start (FCOTS) rate above 90%, Jay Parker, BSN, RN, could have been the only one in the room with his hand up. However, Parker was not inclined to call attention to himself. As director of…

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