Post-CABG cardiac shockwave therapy shows promise in early study
Editor's Note Using a device they call a โspace hairdryer,โ researchers in Austria applied gentle shockwaves to regenerate heart tissue after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABG) in a study with potential implications for millions of patients, BBC News reported June 20. Researchers are now seeking larger trials, European regulatory…
Reassessing colonoscopy surveillance: Early- vs average-onset colorectal cancer
Editor's Note Early-onset colorectal cancer (EO-CRC), diagnosed before age 50, is increasing in incidence worldwide. Despite existing postoperative colonoscopy surveillance strategies, the optimal intervals for EO-CRC patients are unclear due to limited long-term data. This study, titled โEarly-onset Colorectal Cancer Patients Do Not Require Shorter Intervals for Post-surgical Surveillance Colonoscopyโ…
Breaking down the anesthesia workforce imbalance, strategies to address crisis
Editor's Note Increased demand for anesthesia services, especially in non-operating room (non-OR) sites, has outpaced the growth of anesthesia clinicians, a June 2024 special article published by the journal Anesthesiology reports. The imbalance in the anesthesia workforce supply and demand, the article argues, was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and…
Study finds no link between anesthesia dose, postop delirium
Editor's Note Higher doses of anesthesia did not affect risk of postoperative delirium in a study of more than 1,000 heart surgery patients, according to a June 10 United Press International (UPI) article on study findings published in JAMA. The research included 1,140 heart surgery patients, half of whom had…
AI outperforms radiologists in detecting clinically significant prostate cancer
Editor's Note In a recent study, an artificial intelligence (AI) system detected more clinically significant prostate cancers and fewer indolent cancers than human radiologists reading MRIs, MedPage today reported June 13. The MedPage report covers a study published in Lancet Oncology that, according to researchers, โprovided evidence that AI systems,…
New COVID variants drive nationwide rise in cases; illnesses expected to be milder
Editor's Note COVID infections are rising nationally, with cases increasing in 39 states and none showing a decline, NBC news reported June 24. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tracks Covid transmission through emergency department visits, which, along with deaths and hospitalizations, have recently increased, NBC reports. California…
FBI, HHS issue healthcare cybersecurity warning
Editor's Note A June 24 advisory from the FBI and Department of Health and Human Services warns healthcare organizations about attempts to steal payments through phishing and social engineering tactics, according to a post from the American Hospital Association (AHA). The attackers target employee email accounts to access login information…
Leadership survey: Operational demands overwhelming hospitals
Editor's Note Nearly half of hospital executives report that their hospitals are not fully prepared to cope with patient volumes, Beckerโs Hospital Review reported June 13. Citing the June 12 Hospital Operations Outlook Survey from FTI Consulting, Beckerโs reports that nursing and mental and behavior health specialists represent the greatest…
Study highlights CMS hospital star rating limitations
Editor's Note CMS hospital star ratings may not be a reliable tool for assessing surgical quality, according to a study published June 18 in JAMA Surgery. Researchers acknowledge that higher ratings are generally associated with improved postoperative outcomes, including fewer complications and lower 30-day mortality rates. However, as reported by…
Kidney transplant performed on awake patient
Editor's Note In a first for Northwestern Medicine, surgeons performed a kidney transplant on an awake patient, CBS News reported June 24. John Nicholas, 28, of Chicago, experienced no pain during the May 24 procedure, in which he received an organ from a childhood friend. He was discharged the next…