Editor's Note Metrics derived from smartphone accelerometer data can capture differences in postoperative physical recovery in surgical patients, this study finds. In this analysis of 62 patients, smartphone accelerometer data showed decreases in daily exertional activity in 17 who experienced a postoperative event (eg, complication, reoperation) up to 6 weeks…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration on February 14 announced that it is an active partner in the coronavirus (COVID-19) response. It is working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services and international counterparts to help diagnose, treat, and prevent the disease as well as surveil the…
Editor's Note The use of an artificial intelligence (AI) early warning system, compared with standard care, resulted in less intraoperative hypotension in this preliminary study. This single-center, preliminary study from the Netherlands, which included 68 patients (intervention group, 34 and control group, 34) having elective noncardiac surgery, found that application…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on February 7 authorized marketing of software to assist in the acquisition of cardiac ultrasound images. The software, named “Caption Guidance,” uses artificial intelligence (AI) to help capture images of a patient’s heart from different angles, which are used to diagnose various…
Editor's Note The use of an intravascular microaxial left ventricular assist device (LVAD) vs an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) complicated by cardiogenic shock was associated with worse in-hospital clinical outcomes in this study. Of 3,360 propensity-matched patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention for AMI,…
Editor's Note The implementation of an aviation-style computerized surgical safety checklist displayed on a large, centrally located screen and operated by the anesthesia provider improved checklist performance in this study. A total of 671 cases were observed before and 547 cases after implementation of the computerized checklist system. The proportion…
Editor's Note The ECRI Institute on February 5 announced the launch of its Coronavirus Outbreak Preparedness Center, which was developed to help hospitals protect healthcare workers and patients as the coronavirus spreads across the world. Included in this free compendium of resources are: Preparation and patient handling checklists Equipment and…
Editor's Note The US healthcare industry should prepare for a disruption in the supply chain for disposable medical-surgical devices and high-tech therapeutic and diagnostic products from China amid the coronavirus outbreak, the January 31 Modern Healthcare reports. Data show that devices and diagnostic products from China account for about 3%…
Editor's Note Medline Industries has not operated its Waukegan, Illinois, sterilization facility since December 13, 2019, when it was temporarily closed because it couldn’t meet Illinois’ new state standards for ethylene oxide, the January 21 MedTech Dive reports. A Lake County Health Department update on January 17 says Medline began…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on January 16 announced that Cardinal Health has alerted it customers to potential quality issues affecting some of its Level 3 surgical gowns and PreSource procedural packs that contain the gowns. Cardinal Health and the FDA recommend that customers immediately discontinue use…