Editor's Note Starting blood thinners within 72 hours of hospital arrival significantly lowers the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in traumatic brain injury patients and does not increase risk of intracranial hemorrhage, this study finds. A total of 2,468 patients were divided into two groups: early prophylaxis (started within 72…

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Editor's Note Children who have surgery before primary school age are at increased risk of early developmental vulnerability, but the difference between exposed and unexposed children is small, finds this study. The analysis included 28,366 children (age 5-6 years) who had surgery and 55,910 children who did not have surgery…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on July 22 categorized the recall of Stryker Sustainability Solutions' (Tempe, Arizona) Angiodynamics Soft Vu Omni Flush Angiographic Catheters as Class I, the most serious. The recall was issued because of reports of separation of the catheter tip from the main body.…

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Editor's Note Surgeons who were less likely to follow national guidelines for disclosure of adverse events to patients were more likely to be negatively affected by the events, this study finds. A survey of 67 surgeons at Veterans Affairs medical centers found that most used five of eight recommended disclosure…

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Editor's Note A program for analyzing processes associated with catheter placement and removal for surgical patients decreased urinary tract infections (UTIs) for all hospitalized patients in this study presented at the 2016 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Conference in San Diego. The STOP UTI quality assessment…

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Editor's Note The number of new cases of men with metastatic prostate cancer in the US has increased 72% in the past decade, this study finds. The largest jump was in men aged 55 to 69 years (92% increase), the age group who benefits the most from prostate cancer screening…

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Editor's Note An automated text and voice messaging system improved communication about preventive steps orthopedic patients should take a week before surgery and the postoperative signs of infection to report in the 2 weeks after surgery. The system reminds patients to fill their prescriptions for antibiotic ointment and body wash…

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Editor's Note Patients who received high-quality discharge planning were less likely to be readmitted within 30 days, finds this study from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study of 2.1 million patients in 16 states, who were treated for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia, and total hip or…

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Editor's Note A survey by the Joint Commission, American Hospital Association, and Federation of American Hospitals, finds that Medicare's new Hospital Inpatient Quality Reporting program requirements for electronic clinical quality measures (eCQMs) are achievable, but organizations will need to address education, process, and technology hurdles to meet the deadline of…

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Editor's Note Implementing strategies to reduce the number of OR door openings during total hip and knee procedures helped lower surgical site infections (SSIs) in this study presented at the 2016 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program Conference in San Diego. Strategies included stopping all traffic in…

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