Editor's Note Orlando Regional Medical Center treated 44 of the Pulse nightclub shooting victims; nine died, the June 14 Modern Healthcare reports. A total of 26 surgical procedures were performed early Sunday morning, June 12, six more were performed on Monday, and eight were performed on Tuesday, June 14, with…

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Editor's Note A 16-hour delay from emergency department (ED) admission or a 12-hour delay from hospital admission to performance of an appendectomy was not associated with an increased risk of surgical site infections (SSIs), in this study. Of 1,338 patients included in the study, 70% had a diagnosis of simple…

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Editor's Note Healthcare disparities are widely established and include differential access, care, and outcomes stemming from factors such as minority group and socioeconomic status, finds this meta-analysis. In this examination of 328 studies of healthcare disparities, researchers identified five major themes for causes of surgical disparities: patient factors−demographic, physiologic, and…

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Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 1 issued a safety alert that the agency had received reports of US patients infected with Mycobacterium chimaera after undergoing cardiothoracic surgery that involved the use of the Stockert 3T Heater-Cooler System by Sorin Group Deustchland GmbH. Efforts are underway…

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Editor's Note Many total hip and knee patients are still taking opioid pain medication up to 6 months after surgery, finds this study. The study identifies several predictors for persistent opioid use: Of patients taking opioids before surgery, 53% of total knee and 35% of total hip patients were still…

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Editor's Note As part of the drive to reduce opioid use, rotator-cuff repairs are becoming a testing ground for alternative approaches to pain management, the May 23 Wall Street Journal reports. Because rotator-cuff surgery is one of the most painful procedures to recover from, physicians hope that if alternative painkilling…

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Editor's Note This study found that implementation of a clinical practice guideline for management of pediatric complicated appendicitis standardized practice patterns among surgeons and was associated with reduced resource use and improved patient outcomes. Compared with the pre-guideline group, patients in the post-guideline group were less likely to: receive a…

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Editor's Note In this study, patient factors, hospital case volume, and practice patterns were found to be associated with in-hospital mortality after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair. Of 166, 443 AAA repairs performed at 1,207 hospitals, in-hospital mortality was 0.7% for endovascular AAA repair and 3.8% for open AAA…

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Editor's Note Fast-track total hip and knee arthroplasties with a median length of stay of 3 days and discharge to home are feasible in most patients 85 years of age or older, this study finds. Of 13,775 procedures included in the analysis: median age was 87 years and median length…

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Editor's Note Medical chart review for surgical site infections (SSIs) that were identified through administrative data is an efficient supplemental SSI surveillance strategy following total hip and knee arthroplasty, this study finds. Of 162 patients with potential SSIs identified by diagnosis or procedure code, 46 (28%) were confirmed as an…

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