Editor's Note Researchers at NYU Langone Health combined advanced optical imaging with an artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm to produce accurate, real-time intraoperative diagnosis of brain tumors in this study. Compared with the accuracy of pathologists’ interpretation of conventional histologic images, the results for both methods were comparable. The AI-based diagnosis…
Editor's Note The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) on January 2 identified the recall by LivaNova of its VNS Therapy SenTiva Generator System as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of an unintended reset error that causes the system to stop delivering vagus nerve stimulation therapy…
Editor's Note In this study from Israel, researchers found that surgical scrubs worn outside the OR were contaminated with a low bacterial load and only a small number of pathogenic bacteria. For the study, specimens were collected at the entrance to the OR from surgical scrubs worn by 133 surgeons.…
Editor's Note Johnson & Johnson’s Depuy Synthes and Israel-based Zebra Medical Vision have partnered to develop artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms for use in preoperative orthopedic surgical planning, the January 2 BioWorld reports. The algorithms would enable the creation of 3D models from x-ray images so that radiation risks and costs…
Editor's Note In this first-year analysis of a data capture system called the OR Black Box, frequent intraoperative errors, events, variation in surgeons’ technical skills, and a high amount of environmental distractions were identified. In 132 patients having elective laparoscopic general surgery: auditory distractions occurred a median of 138 times…
Editor's Note In this study from Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, a first case on-time starts (FCOTS) improvement initiative was linked to a higher frequency of FCOTS, which was independently associated with last case on-time ends (LCOTE) and decreased OR overtime costs. Of 12,073 cases (6,095 pre- vs…
Editor's Note Surgery patients overwhelmingly prefer pre-surgical safety checklists to be completed in front of them, contrary to what is thought by anesthesiologists, this Swiss study finds. In this trial, which included 110 anesthesiologists and 125 non-premedicated ear-nose-throat or maxillofacial surgery patients, the patients overwhelmingly agreed that anesthesiologists should use…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on December 17 identified the recall by Cook Medical of its CrossCath Support Catheters as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of a manufacturing error that may cause the radiopaque marker bands on the catheters to dislodge or…
Editor's Note In this study, researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital, designed, implemented, and assessed the effect of the first surgery-specific peer support program in the US. The program uses five steps: creation of a conceptual framework choice of peer supporters training of peer supporters multifaceted identification of major adverse…
Editor's Note In this study, active cannabis use disorder was linked to an increased risk of postoperative myocardial infarction (MI). Researchers retrospectively analyzed 4,186,622 elective surgery patients in the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Of 27,206 patients in the propensity-score matched-pairs cohort, there was no statistically significant difference between those with (400…