Study: Postoperative potassium risk overstated for cardiac bypass patients
Editor's Note The common practice of administering potassium after bypass surgery can be safely abandoned in patients with normal blood levels, according to results of the randomized TIGHT-K trial. According to a September 3 report in Medscape, potassium supplementation is a widely accepted means of reducing the risk of postoperative…
Study: Uterus transplant associated with high birth rates, but significant risks
Editor's Note Uterus transplants are feasible, but the procedure is associated with considerable risks for both patient and organ donor, according to a study published August 15 in JAMA. Conducted at a large US tertiary care center, the study involved 20 women with absolute uterine-factor infertility—a condition that prevents…
Study reveals how OR ventilation, patient positioning impact surgical site infection risk
Editor's Note Optimizing patient positioning can help reduce the risk of surgical site infections due to airborne contaminants in positive-pressure ORs, according to a study published August 12 in Nature: Scientific Reports. Maintaining higher pressure than adjacent spaces prevents entry of contaminants from environments external to the OR. For this…
Study: Spinal fusion failure more likely for diabetic patients
Editor's Note Lumbar spinal fusion procedures are significantly more likely to fail in individuals with diabetes, according researchers at The University of Toledo. According to a July 9 EurekAlert! report on the study, published in JBMR Plus, diabetic patients are already known to have a higher risk of infection from…
Study: Intraoperative DEX infusions effectively manage diabetes in cardiac surgery patients
Editor's Note Intraoperative infusion of dexmedetomidine (DEX) could help improve glycemic control and reduce insulin requirements in diabetic patients undergoing cardiac surgery, according to a July 25 article in Medical Dialogues. The article focuses on a prospective observational study published in the journal Annals of Cardiac Anesthesia. The study included…
Study: Robot surgery outcomes superior to laparoscopic metabolic, bariatric procedures
Editor's Note Two new studies show robotic surgery outperforming laparoscopic approaches to metabolic and bariatric procedures in terms of operating times, length of hospital stay, and complication rates, according to a June 11 report in Medical Xpress. Both studies were presented at the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery…
Surface disinfection: How to play your cards right with UVC light
Approximately one in 31 hospital patients has at least one infection on any given day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In surgical settings, the risk is even higher, with up to 7% of patients developing an infection during surgery. These infections can lead to a…
Study: 10% of deaths after PCI preventable
Editor's Note New data show 10% of deaths from percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), a common and minimally invasive procedure to unclog arteries, are preventable. The study appeared in PLOS ONE on March 27. PCI is one of the most common surgical procedures. More than 500,000 Americans undergo the procedure each…
Study: Weight loss drugs could increase risk of surgical complications
Editor's Note Popular weight-loss drugs like Ozempic and Mounjaro could lead to complications in surgical procedures, according to study published March 6 in the journal JAMA Surgery. The study focused on drugs known as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) which are used to treat diabetes and obesity. The drugs, which…
Study data supports less radical cervical cancer surgery alternative
Editor's Note New research supports fertility preservation with cone biopsy as a viable, less radical option for to surgery in patients with early, low-risk cervical cancer, according to a report published March 18 in MedPage Today. Presented at the Society of Gynecologic Oncology annual meeting, the findings from the Gynecologic…
Free Daily News
- Airborne bacteria pose hidden threat in cardiac ORs, study warns
- Simulation-based training boosts scrub nurses’ confidence in OR non-technical skills
- New AHRQ toolkit empowers OR teams to cut MRSA, SSI risk
- Study: Long working hours alter brain regions tied to emotion, cognition
- 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