Editor's Note Prolonged exposure to general anesthesia during surgery contributes to long-term cognitive decline, affecting executive functioning, selective attention, mental speed, and information processing, according to a February 18 study published in the European Journal of Anaesthesiology. This prospective longitudinal cohort study followed 1,823 adults aged 25–84 in the Netherlands…

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Editor's Note Insufficient awareness of drug interactions with hormonal contraceptives (HCs) among anesthesia providers could lead to unintended pregnancies and preventable health consequences, according to survey published in Anesthesia & Analgesia. Physician’s Weekly covered the news February 27. The article specifically cites sugammedex and aprepitant, both of which are widely…

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Editor's Note Using powerful synthetic opioids remifentanil and sufentanil during surgery increases risk of patients suffering during recovery, according to a study in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. HealthDay reported the news February 27. According to the article, researchers analyzed data from 971 patients who underwent surgery—37% orthopedic…

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Editor's Note For the first time in Canada, surgeons aim to restore a patient’s sight by gluing a lens into a removed tooth, temporarily implanting the structure into the cheek to develop a tissue lining, then sewing it onto the front of eye three months later. CTV News reported on…

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Editor's Note Nearly 5,000 healthcare workers at Providence Health in Oregon secured substantial wage increases and improved staffing plans, ending a historic six-week strike that began January 10, according to a February 25 article in MedPage Today. According to the article, the strike involved eight RN bargaining units and marked…

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Editor's Note US hospitals face a growing risk of bed shortages as an aging population drives up hospitalization rates, according to research published February 19 in Jama Network. Leveraging COVID-19-era occupancy data, the study projects national hospital occupancy could reach 85% by 2032 for adult beds and by 2035 for…

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Editor’s Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Boston Scientific Corporation’s recall of Accolade Pacemaker devices a Class 1, the most severe category indicating serious risk of injury or death. According to the agency’s February 21 announcement, the recall was motivated by a manufacturing issue that could…

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Editor’s Note Backdoors in Chinese-made medical monitors could put patients at risk and compromise hospital networks across the US, according to security agencies quoted in a February 23 report from CNBC. The article cites the popular Contec CMS8000 patient monitor as an example. Both the US Food and Drug Administration…

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Editor’s Note Preoperative use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) does not increase the risk of postoperative diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in patients undergoing emergency surgery, according to a study published February 19 in JAMA Surgery. These findings challenge the current FDA recommendation to withhold SGLT2i medications for at least three…

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Editor’s Note Large language models (LLMs) outperformed traditional methods in predicting postoperative complications, according to a study on artificial intelligence (AI) in perioperative risk assessment published February 11 in the journal Nature. Results indicate AI-driven models could enhance patient safety and streamline clinical workflows by detecting complications earlier. Researchers analyzed…

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