Editor's Note Researchers at UC Davis have developed a brain-computer interface (BCI) implant that has successfully restored speech in a patient with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), whose ability to speak had deteriorated, Fierce Biotech reported August 15. The breakthrough was achieved using neural sensors from Blackrock Neurotech and AI-driven text-to-speech…

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Editor's Note Human trials may begin soon on patients in the UK using tiny, folding brain implants that could improve epilepsy surgery, according to an article published August 12 in The Telegraph. Developed by scientists at Oxford and Cambridge, who published their research in the journal Nature Communications, the implants…

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For many in the healthcare industry, imagining surgery without onsite sterile processing seems unthinkable. Then again, performing total joints in an ambulatory surgery center (ASC) was unthinkable 10 years ago. ASC sterile processing departments (SPDs) are generally not designed to handle the high volumes of instrument trays, vendor trays, and…

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Editor's Note Clinicians managing surgical patients on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) should adopt a different approach depending on the procedure, according to research published August 12 in JAMA Network. Used to treat patients with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism, DOACs must be managed effectively to minimize risks of bleeding, researchers…

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Editor's Note A 13-year study at US Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers found a decline in both hospital-associated infections (HAIs) and antimicrobial resistance for common pathogens, MedPage Today August 15 reports. From 2007 to 2019, the overall infection rate of nine pathogens decreased, with an average annual percentage change (AAPC)…

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Editor's Note The “surgical pause”—a means of validating whether surgery is truly safe for patients deemed to be “frail” before starting a procedure—significantly reduces mortality rates and is changing practices at more than 50 Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported August 18. Developed by VA surgeons Daniel Hall…

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Editor's Note Combining dexterity and cost-effectiveness, handheld robotic devices offer potential to bridge the gap between traditional laparoscopy and more expensive robotic platforms, researchers concluded August 8 in the journal Surgery. The mini-review of clinical trials covered clinical applications of three handheld robotic devices: the HandX powered laparoscopic instrument from…

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Editor's Note Recent research sheds new light on addressing two of the most pressing problems for surgical care: handoff communication failures and care bias and inequities leading to adverse—and preventable—events.   These problems are the subjects of two separate success stories in the August issue of The Joint Commission Journal…

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Editor's Note The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has approved immunotherapy durvalumab for perioperative treatment of resectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), according to an August 15 announcement. The approval is for durvalumab (Imfinzi, AstraZeneca) in combination with platinum-based chemotherapy as a neoadjuvant treatment, followed by durvalumab alone as…

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Editor's Note MD Anderson Cancer Center shared insights on overcoming OR capacity challenges during a session at last year’s OR Manager Conference that highlighted creative solutions to staffing shortages and capacity constraints. With the ongoing pressures exacerbated by COVID-19, which is hitting a peak this summer, MD Anderson has implemented…

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