Editor's Note Segmental spinal anesthesia (SSA) has emerged as a safe and effective anesthetic technique for high-risk obstetric patients, particularly those with underlying cardiovascular disease (CVD). A recent case series published on April 29 by Medical Dialogues highlights the successful use of SSA in five parturients undergoing cesarean sections, emphasizing…

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Editor's Note Taking GLP-1 receptor agonists before anesthesia increases the risk of residual gastric contents, but evidence is lacking for a corresponding increase in perioperative pulmonary aspiration risk, according research published April 15 in the journal Anaesthesia. The systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed 28 observational studies involving over 466,000 patients…

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Editor's Note A low-cost blood test for troponin, a protein released during heart muscle damage, significantly improves long-term risk prediction for heart attacks and strokes—especially in patients with intermediate cardiovascular risk, according to an April 7 report from News-Medical.Net. The findings, based on a large-scale international study led by the…

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Editor's Note A nurse-coordinated prevention program significantly lowered the long-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in adults recovering from acute coronary syndrome (ACS), according to an April 2 article in Healio. The program, which focused on lifestyle and behavioral changes, led to a 30% reduction in adverse events,…

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Editor's Note A large-scale study of over 50,000 ambulatory surgery center (ASC) procedures shows a strikingly low rate of 24-hour unplanned postoperative hospital admissions, offering a benchmark that other ASCs can strive to match, General Surgery News March 26 reports. Over a 7-year period from 2016 to 2022, researchers at…

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Editor's Note Preoperative use of GLP-1 receptor agonists was not significantly associated with an increased risk of aspiration pneumonia or acute respiratory failure after surgery, according to a March 4 report in MedPage Today. The article focuses on a retrospective cohort study of over 366,000 surgical patients found no meaningful…

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Editor's Note Misdiagnosis, delayed treatment, and a breakdown of trust in healthcare can all result from time and resource constraints preventing proper engagement with patients—a concern that tops ECRI’s list of the most significant patient safety risks for 2025. As detailed in the global healthcare safety nonprofit’s March 10 announcement,…

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Editor's Note A March 4 study in JAMA Network Open underscores the persistence of the “weekend effect,” a surgical care phenomenon in which the risk of postoperative complications, readmissions and mortality rises immediately before the weekend. The research suggests variations in staffing, resource availability, and care coordination may contribute to…

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Takeaways • The prevalence of needlesticks and other sharp object injuries to OR team members is 42.8%, an increase of 16% over the past decade. • New research and perspectives are shaping the discourse around sharps safety, such as new and expanded evidence-based practices presented in AORN’s 2025 update to…

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Reduced costs, faster recovery, and other advantages can make outpatient surgical procedures more convenient for providers and patients alike. Ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) are incredibly safe, but a lot of work goes into infection control. Cross-trained staff often wear many hats, and limited budgets may not leave room for dedicated…

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