Patient & Staff Safety
SnapIT Lite
May 8, 2013 9:46 am | by Cincinnati Surgical | Cincinnati Surgical Co. | Product Releases | CommentsCincinnati Surgical introduces SnapIT Lite, a revolutionary new product that eliminates sharps injuries from opening glass ampoules. The SnapIT Lite opens and stores the severed ampoule lid until it can be ejected into a proper waste receptacle, protecting medical staff against the risk of painful lacerations.
Certain Bladder-Cancer Patients May Be At Risk Of Recurrence Despite Bladder Removal
May 7, 2013 10:46 am | News | CommentsThe five-year international study led by researchers at UT Southwestern validates the use of a marker panel to predict which patients are more likely to have a recurrence of cancer after bladder removal, thereby identifying those patients as good candidates for follow-up chemotherapy.
Left Wondering
May 7, 2013 9:15 am | by Mike Schmidt, Editor, Surgical Products | Blogs | CommentsNo recent internet headline or cleverly-worded web teaser caused me to click my computer mouse on it faster than one that linked to a video discussing a Consumer Reports study on hospital safety. Strangely enough, it wasn’t the subject matter that grabbed my attention. It was the tone of the headline: “Hospitals Get Low Safety Scores In New Study.”
Lung Transplant: Jump To Top Of List May Carry Risk
May 7, 2013 9:02 am | by Salynn Boyles | Articles | CommentsAn acute increase in lung allocation score (LAS) of more than five units in the month before lung transplant is a strong and independent predictor of post-transplant death according to a new study. The lung allocation score has been used in the U.S. since 2005 to determine which patients in need of lung transplants will get them.
Robotic Angioplasty Achieves 97.6 Percent Clinical Success Rate
May 6, 2013 1:51 pm | News | CommentsCorindus Vascular Robotics announced that the Journal of American College of Cardiology published the results from its CorPath PRECISE (Percutaneous Robotic-Enhanced Coronary Intervention) study in the April 2013 issue. Results of the trial demonstrate the CorPath System is safe and feasible for patients, with significantly lower harmful radiation exposure to the operator.
Is A Board-Certified Surgeon A Safer One?
May 6, 2013 9:28 am | by Chris Porter, M.D. | Blogs | CommentsAm I safe surgeon, or merely a board certified one? I usually spend Tuesdays fixing elective hernias. But the other day I was asked to clear a c-spine, handle an unexpected gynecologic finding, manage a pediatric trauma, resuscitate a septic ICU patient, and opine on a neck dissection. No, I wasn’t in Africa or 1985; I was sitting in front of a computer monitor.
Anesthesia Selection Impacts Outcomes In Patients With Sleep Apnea Undergoing Joint Replacement
May 3, 2013 10:54 am | News | CommentsUsing regional anesthesia instead of general anesthesia in patients with sleep apnea undergoing total joint replacement decreases major complications by about 17 percent, according to a recent study published online. Currently, up to 25 percent of patients presenting for surgery in the United States have sleep apnea.
Study: Survival From Cardiac Arrest Highest In OR, Post-Anesthesia Care Unit
May 1, 2013 10:56 am | News | CommentsUniversity of Michigan study from the “Online First” edition of Anesthesiology found cardiac arrest was associated with improved survival when it occurred in the operating room (O.R.) or post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) compared to other hospital locations. The findings offer evidence that the presence of anesthesia providers in these locations may improve outcomes for certain patients.
Lawsuit Accuses Surgeon Of Operating On Wrong Side Of Woman's Brain
April 30, 2013 10:49 am | by Jim Doyle | News | CommentsThe patient, Regina Turner, 53, of St. Ann, was scheduled on April 4 for a “left-sided craniotomy bypass” at St. Clare Health Center in Missouri, according to a complaint filed in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County in Clayton. Instead, she received a “right-sided craniotomy surgical procedure,” the suit alleges.
Antidepressants Linked With Increased Risks After Surgery
April 30, 2013 10:40 am | News | CommentsSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) – among the most widely prescribed antidepressant medications – are associated with increased risk of bleeding, transfusion, hospital readmission and death when taken around the time of surgery, according to an analysis led by researchers at UC San Francisco and Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Mass.
Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative Announces Addition of Six Hospitals
April 26, 2013 3:34 pm | News | CommentsThe Connecticut Surgical Quality Collaborative (CtSQC), a statewide group of 20 hospitals, meets regularly to share quality outcomes including successes and best practices for the benefit of all patients in the state. The CtSQC announced that six additional hospitals are joining this effort.
ACPE Names Brigham And Women's Hospital Winner Of 2013 Leape Ahead Award
April 26, 2013 1:47 pm | News | CommentsThe annual Leape Ahead Award honors the dedication of Dr. Lucian Leape toward the advancement of efficient, effective, and caring delivery of medicine in the U.S. It also underscores ACPE's strong commitment to patient safety and quality, as well as the lifelong development and support of physician leaders.
AllSkin Plus
April 17, 2013 10:15 am | by Viscot Medical | Product Releases | CommentsViscot Medical’s new AllSkin Plus+ is the first prep-resistant ink marker that offers maximum visibility and prep resistance on all skin tones. Its specially-formulated VIXL brilliant blue ink provides enhanced visibility even after prepping with common alcohol-based antiseptics.
Copper Surfaces Reduce The Rate Of Healthcare-Acquired ICU Infections
April 9, 2013 10:49 am | News | CommentsPlacement of copper objects in intensive care unit (ICU) hospital rooms reduced the number of healthcare-acquired infections (HAIs) in patients by more than half, according to a new study. The proportion of patients who developed HAI and/or colonization with MRSA or VRE was significantly lower among patients in rooms with copper surfaces.
At Your Own Risk
April 3, 2013 3:20 pm | by Mike Schmidt, Editor, Surgical Products | Articles | CommentsOccupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens from needle stick injuries and other sharp objects remains a serious problem for all the wrong reasons.
Q&A: Playing It Safe With Sharps
April 3, 2013 2:52 pm | Articles | CommentsAvailable information is being gathered, but when we talk about reporting needle sticks and sharps injuries, many aren't reported. It’s happening on a daily basis in every facility, in a lot of different departments, and the OR is being impacted a lot more because we’re around so many sharp pieces of equipment and patients.
Neutray Sharps Passing Tray
April 3, 2013 10:16 am | by Advanced Medical Innovations | Advanced Medical Innovations (Ami) | Product Releases | CommentsAdvanced Medical Innovations unveiled the Neutray Sharps Passing Tray for hands-free transfer of sharps during a surgical procedure. It has been specifically designed to handle many of the different styles of sharps used in today’s operating room.
Cost Of Sharps Injury Can Range From $375 To $2,500
April 2, 2013 12:46 pm | News | CommentsInjuries caused by needles and other sharp instruments are a major occupational hazard for surgeons—with high costs related to the risk of contracting serious infectious diseases, according to a recent article.
Surgical Smoke: Is It Dangerous To Your Health?
April 2, 2013 9:10 am | by Skeptical Scalpel | Blogs | CommentsSome groups, particularly nursing organizations, are calling for the placement of smoke evacuators in all operating rooms. As you might suspect, these efforts are being vigorously supported by the manufacturers of smoke evacuators. I attempted to find some real evidence about all this, but it is hard to come by.
Doctors Working Less Leads To More Hours
March 27, 2013 1:28 pm | by CBS News | Videos | CommentsA rule that keeps young doctors from working around the clock may be backfiring. Here's a look at two new studies that say the changes are leading to more errors.
Study: Hospitals Get Low Safety Scores
March 21, 2013 10:10 am | by CBS News | Videos | CommentsA new Consumer Reports study rates hospitals with a safety score and most are not making the grade. Dr. John Santa, director of the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center, talks to Charlie Rose and Norah O'Donnell about the scores.
Transfer & Lift Device
March 20, 2013 10:16 am | by HoverTech International | HoverTech International | Product Releases | CommentsHoverTech International introduces a next generation patient handling solution: the HoverSling Combination Transfer & Lift Device for lateral transfers, repositioning, turning, and vertical lifting.
Q&A: Handle With Care
March 18, 2013 3:07 pm | Articles | CommentsIf addressed properly, patient transfer can have major effects on patient experience and help reduce preventable nurse injuries.
Proper Prep Prevents Poor Performance
March 18, 2013 2:21 pm | by Mike Schmidt | Articles | CommentsThe busier the environment at your hospital or medical facility, the more difficult it is to track all the steps of surgical prepping with manual processes.
Microscope Drapes
March 13, 2013 9:53 am | by Ecolab | Ecolab | Product Releases | CommentsEcolab Inc. announced the availability of the Vari-Lens2 line of microscope drapes that help optimize visual accuracy for surgeons while maintaining an effective sterile barrier. The design enhancements of the Vari-Lens2 products include an easier to maneuver objective lens cover and an angled, glass lens that provides durable scratch resistance and improved light transmission to enhance definition while at the same time reducing glare.
