FDA clears AI platform for real-time surgical measurements
Editor's Note What is reportedly the first technology to allow dynamic, 3D, segmental visualization of anatomy during surgery earned a second 510(k) clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration, according to an April 8 press release from developer Proprio. Designed to let surgeons measure progress during surgery without scrubbing…
Study: MRI contrast agent causes harmful metal buildup in some patients
Editor's Note New research offers a potential explanation for why some patients retain toxic metals long after undergoing an MRI. Published in the journal Magnetic Resonance Imaging, the findings show that gadolinium contrast agents used in MRI scans may react with common dietary compounds to form harmful metal nanoparticles in…
Dissolvable pacemaker delivers temporary cardiac support without wires, surgery
Editor's Note Researchers have developed a fully dissolvable, needle-injectable pacemaker that regulates heart rhythms without requiring surgical removal. As detailed in an April 2 article in Scientific American, the miniature device—just millimeters in size—can deliver electrical stimulation for days to weeks before safely breaking down in the body, potentially reducing…
CSA taps Milagro’s AI coding to accelerate revenue cycle across ASC network
Editor's Note Constitution Billing and Financial Services (CBFS), the revenue‑cycle arm of Constitution Surgery Alliance (CSA), has signed a commercial agreement with health tech startup Milagro to deploy its autonomous medical‑coding platform across CSA’s 26 partnered and managed ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). The partnership was announced in an April 4 CSA press…
Study: Cannabis use complicates sedation, cancer care
Editor's Note Cannabis users may require higher doses of anesthetics during sedation and experience worse physical and psychological symptoms during cancer treatment, according to an April 7 announcement from the University of Oklahoma (OU). Publishing in the journal Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, a multidisciplinary team of university researchers found that cannabis users…
Medication vial coring incidents prompt patient safety concerns
Editor's Note Safety organizations are raising concerns amid increased reports of improper needle use causing vial coring, leading to potential contamination and patient risk. Published April 4 by the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) and ECRI/Institute for Safe Medicine Practices (ISMP), the alert offers interim guidelines to reduce risks associated…
First single-port robotic renal vein transposition surgery treats nutcracker syndrome
Editor's Note Sidney Barbier, a University of Denver senior and competitive cross-country skier, became the first person worldwide to undergo single-port robotic renal vein transposition, marking a breakthrough in treating nutcracker syndrome, The Cleveland Clinic reported April 3. As detailed in the article, the robotic surgery ended a competitive skier’s…
Study: Mortality prediction models fail to recognize severe patient injuries
Editor's Note Machine learning (ML) models designed to predict patient mortality are falling short when it comes to identifying severe injuries that could lead to death, according to a March 27 report in TechTarget. The article focuses on research published in Nature Communications Medicine found that ML mortality prediction models…
Nurse-coordinated care reduces long-term heart risks after acute coronary syndrome
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,…
Study: Preoperative VR reduces ICU sedation, ventilator time
Editor's Note A recent study shows potentially significant promise for preoperative virtual reality (VR) simulation to improve surgical patient outcomes. Published March 1 in the American Journal of Critical Care, the research details how VR reduced ICU sedation and ventilator time for patients undergoing elective cardiothoracic surgery. Although the program…
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