Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on July 20 identified the recall by Smiths Medical of certain Medfusion 3500 and 4000 Syringe Infusion Pumps as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of eight software malfunctions that affect different serial numbers and software versions. There have…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 6 identified the recall by Getinge USA Sales Inc of its Flow-c and Flow-e Anesthesia Systems as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated after reports of cracked or broken on/off switchs on the systems’ suction units. If…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 28 identified the recall by GE Healthcare of its CARESCAPE R860 Ventilator as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because the ventilator backup batteries, including replacement backup batteries, may run out before they are expected to do…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 23 identified the recall by Baxter Healthcare Corporation of its Volara system with in-line ventilator adaptor as Class I, the most serious. The Volara system is used to clear mucus out of airways, expand lungs, and treat or prevent pulmonary…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 21 identified the recall by Draeger, Inc, of one lot (LT2103) of its SafeStar 55 Breathing System Filters as Class I, the most serious. The Breathing System Filter is used as part of a ventilator when a patient is under…
Editor's Note In this study, researchers from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, find that the use of eye protection by health care workers (HCWs) is important in preventing patient-to-HCW transmission of COVID-19. Of 345 HCWs who had a significant occupational exposure to patients with COVID-19, nurses accounted for 55.8%,…
Editor's Note The American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) announced on March 8 that it had joined with 14 leading medical specialty organizations to establish seven guiding principles to address the treatment of acute perioperative pain in complex surgical patients. The new principles were developed during a second landmark pain summit…
Editor's Note Reducing OR time availability at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital, Pittsburgh, by 15% helped address a 30% staffing shortage caused by COVID-19, according to a study presented January 29 at the American Society of Anesthesiologists’ ADVANCE 2022, the Anesthesiology Business Event in Dallas. A five-phase approach was used, which included:…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 26 updated the Class I recall of certain Trilogy Evo ventilators and repair kits for Trilogy Evo muffler assembly, which are manufactured by Philips Respironics. According to the update, the FDA has asked the company to have an independent laboratory…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA), on September 23, identified the recall by Armstrong Medical of certain lots of its Amsorb Plus Prefilled G-Can 1.0L canisters as Class I, the most serious. Amsorb Plus is a chemical substance used in anesthesia machines to absorb carbon dioxide the patient…