Effect of shift-related sleep deprivation on heart function
Editor's Note Twenty-four hour, shift-related, short-term sleep deprivation leads to a significant increase in cardiac contractility, blood pressure, heart rate, and stress hormone secretion, finds this study presented December 2 at the Radiological Society of North America's annual meeting. The study included 20 healthy radiologist volunteers. Their heart function was…
Treatment of AAA differs by country, reimbursement
Editor's Note Despite guidelines from professional societies, significant variation exists in the management of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), especially for AAA size at repair, use of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), and the treatment of elderly patients, this study finds. In countries with a private health care system and fee-for-service reimbursement,…
Study: OR team communication varies during emergencies
Editor's Note Communication patterns and needs vary between members of the surgical team and by specialty during simulated operative emergencies, and the effect of directed communication in eliciting a response (ie, closed loop communication) depends on the clinical status of the patient, finds this study. Surgeons and nurses initiated fewer…
ACS, SIS issue new SSI guidelines
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and Surgical Infection Society (SIS) on December 1 announced their newly released guidelines for the prevention, detection, and management of surgical site infections (SSIs). The guidelines give clinicians step-by-step ways to address SSIs and educate patients on ways to contribute to their…
Variation in hospital and surgeon payments for general vs orthopedic procedures
Editor's Note Hospital and surgeon payments for routine general and orthopedic surgical procedures vary greatly, this study finds. Hospital payments averaged $12,744 for general surgery procedures and $22,386 for orthopedic procedures. Orthopedic surgeon reimbursement on average was twice as high as general surgeon payments ($2,349 vs $1,191). Postoperative complications resulted…
House passes legislation impacting ASCs
Editor's Note The US House of Representatives on November 30 passed the 21st Century Cures Act that includes two provisions benefiting Medicare patients and physicians in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs), the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association reports. The first provision creates a public website that allows Medicare patients to compare differences…
Mayo Clinic study finds overlapping surgeries safe
Editor's Note Overlapping surgical procedures are safe and provide the same outcomes for patients as non-overlapping procedures, this study finds. The analysis of 10,614 overlapping surgical procedures performed at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, found no difference in the rates of postoperative complications or deaths within a month after surgery,…
Apps helping patients before, after surgery
Editor's Note Chicacgo-area hospitals are using apps to help patients prepare for and recover from surgery and communicate their symptoms, the November 30 Chicago Tribune reports. Amita Health is now using the TapCloud app with good resultsโof 309 orthopedic patients who have used the app, none have had to be…
Joint Commission announces Medicare-deemed ASC survey changes
Editor's Note The Joint Commission on November 30 announced that to better align with Medicare surveyor guidelines, ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) electing to use the Medicare-deemed option may receive adjustment to the length of time for the survey and number of surveyors. The Life Safety Code component of the survey…
Frailty screening tied to improved postop outcomes
Editor's Note Implementation of a frailty screening initiative for preoperative patients was associated with reduced mortality, this study finds. In 9,153 patients screened, postoperative mortality decreased significantly at 30, 180, and 365 days, and improvements were noted in both frail and nonfrail patients. Multivariate analysis showed a three-fold survival benefit…