Study: Tubal ligation surgeries surged after abortion restrictions
Editor's Note Tubal ligation procedures increased after the 2022 overturn of Roe v. Wade and were particularly concentrated in states with abortion bans, according to a September 11 Associated Press (AP) report on a study published in JAMA. Researchers analyzed insurance claims for approximately 4.8 million women across 36 states…
Congressional hearing exposes US organ transplant system failures
Editor's Note Lost organs, widespread fraud, and live donors mistakenly presumed deceased are among the alarming issues with the US organ transplant system detailed in a recent Congressional hearing, MedPage Today reported September 11. As part of the House Energy & Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee, the hearing aimed to…
Researchers in Zurich, Hong Kong celebrate remote surgery milestone with successful pig endoscopy
Editor's Note Surgeons used a remote control to perform a magnetic endoscopy on a live pig more than 9,300 km (nearly 6,000 miles) away, Medical Xpress reported August 26. According to the article, researchers at ETH Zurich and The Chinese University of Hong Kong collaborated in the procedure, with the…
Study: Preoperative depression boosts risk of postoperative delirium
Editor's Note Patients with depressive symptoms are nearly twice as likely to experience delirium after major surgery, according to a meta-analysis published September 4 in the journal Anaesthesia. The evaluation of the link between preoperative depression and postoperative delirium included data from 42 studies involving more than 4.6 million patients.…
Trump-Harris debate highlights contrast on abortion, Affordable Care Act
Editor's Note The healthcare portion of the September 10 debate between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris focused on two issues: abortion and the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Becker’s Hospital Review published key takeaways from the exchange September 11. According to the article, Trump reiterated that the…
Countdown to OR Manager Conference: Robotics in the ASC—Technology trends and what you need to know
Editor's Note A panel discussion at last year’s OR Manager Conference highlighted the benefits and challenges of introducing robotics into ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), particularly for joint replacement surgical procedures. Hosted by Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA) and Stryker leaders, the session emphasized how robotic technology can help improve surgical outcomes,…
Odin Medical’s AI-powered device for colonoscopy receives FDA clearance
Editor's Note Odin Medical, a subsidiary of Olympus Corporation, received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance for its cloud-based AI technology, the CADDIE™ computer-aided detection device, PRNewswire September 5 reports. Designed to assist gastroenterologists in detecting colorectal polyps during colonoscopy, the AI-powered system analyzes real-time video footage and alerts…
First outpatient TCAR procedure in the US performed at Oklahoma clinic
Editor's Note The CardioVascular Health Clinic in Oklahoma made history by performing the first outpatient trans carotid artery revascularization (TCAR) procedure in the US, Fox 25 September 9 reports. The procedure, which aims to treat carotid artery disease that can lead to strokes, helped the patient in question address a…
Study: Postoperative potassium risk overstated for cardiac bypass patients
Editor's Note The common practice of administering potassium after bypass surgery can be safely abandoned in patients with normal blood levels, according to results of the randomized TIGHT-K trial. According to a September 3 report in Medscape, potassium supplementation is a widely accepted means of reducing the risk of postoperative…
World’s first whole-eye, partial-face transplant patient returns to daily life
Editor's Note Aaron James says he’s “pretty much back to being a normal guy, doing normal things” a year after undergoing the world’s first whole-eye and partial-face transplant at NYU Langone Health, according to a September 9 report from the academic medical center. The transplant restored essential facial functions, and…