FDA: Recall of potassium phosphate and succinylcholine chloride by PharMEDium Services
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration on June 27 announced the recall by PharMEDium Services of specific lots of potassium phosphate and succinylcholine chloride because of a lack of sterility assurance. The products being recalled were compounded using certain Hospira products, which were recalled on June 15 because microbial…
Study characterizes ED visits after total joint procedures
Editor's Note Emergency department (ED) visits after total joint procedures were numerous and mostly for pain-related diagnoses, and Medicaid patients had almost double the risk of an ED or pain-related ED visit, this study finds. Of 152,783 patients analyzed, 3.42% returned to the inpatient setting and 5.81% visited the ED…
FDA announces new digital health resources
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the creation of a new centralized Digital Health Unit in its Center for Devices and Radiological Health, which together with draft guidance on software as a medical device, is designed to support technological innovation and advance digital health, the June…
US News & World Report lists top pediatric hospitals
Editor's Note For the third straight year, Boston Childrenโs Hospital tops the US News & World Reportโs Best Childrenโs Hospitals Honor Roll. Childrenโs Hospital of Philadelphia was second, and Cincinnati Childrenโs Hospital Medical Center was third. US News bases its honor roll on how hospitals rank in each of 10…
Alcohol fixation of bacteria to instruments increases cleaning difficulty
Editor's Note Treating contaminated surgical instruments with alcohol, allowing them to dry, or allowing them to soak in water for extended periods of time increases cleaning difficulty and may contribute to sterilization inefficacy, this study finds. Soaking or spraying instruments with alcohol significantly reduced viable bacterial numbers, but significantly increased…
New study sheds light on how night-shift work damages health
Editor's Note A new Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center study finds that the body repairs DNA damage more efficiently if workers sleep during the night than if they sleep during the day. Unrepaired DNA damage can lead to cancer and other health problems. Using urine specimens collected during night work…
Joint Commission: HLD, sterilization top challenges for ambulatory health care
Editor's Note Leading the Joint Commissionโs Top Ten Challenging Standards for accredited ambulatory health care organizations during the past year was infection control standard IC.02.02.01, EP 2: The organization reduces the risk of infections associated with medical equipment, devices, and supplies by performing a high-level disinfection and sterilization. In 2016,…
New combination of tests identify patients with benign pancreatic cysts
Editor's Note The combination of two molecular biology tests is the first to distinguish, with near certainty, pancreatic lesions that mimic early signs of cancer but are completely benign, this study finds. The vascular endothelial growth factor-A test alone singled out benign serious cystic neoplasms with a sensitivity of 100%…
Researchers call for end to legal mandates for MRSA, VRE contact precautions
Editor's Note Despite widespread adoption of contact precautions for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE), there is no strong clinical trial evidence to support the mandated use of these precautions, three noted infection prevention researchers say. Without the support of evidence, policy makers from 2000 to 2010 passed…
FDA: Fagron Sterile Services recalls three lots of succinylcholine
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 23 posted the recall by Fagron Sterile Services (Wichita, Kansas) of three lots of succinylcholine chloride 20 mg/mL 5 mL syringes because of microbial growth detected during a simulation of the manufacturing process. This is a secondary recall of products…