Editor's Note HST Pathways’ most recent industry report, discussed on the Advancing Surgical Care Podcast by HST CEO David Thawley and Bill Prentice, CEO of the Ambulatory Surgery Center Association (ASCA), offers insights into cardiology and orthopedic procedures done in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) in 2024, Ambulatory Surgery Center News…

Read More

Editor's Note Miniaturized pacemakers implanted in neonates and infants have demonstrated reliable performance for up to two years, with no unexpected device failures, according to a March 11 article in Healio. The research, published in Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology, suggests that these modified pacemakers could offer a viable alternative for…

Read More

Editor's Note Surgeons recently performed open-heart surgery on an infant during a C-section to correct a congenital heart defect, according to a February 25 brief from the American College of Surgeons. Led by Dr. Sameh Said at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital, a team of specialists conducted the procedure on a…

Read More

Editor’s Note At the Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) annual meeting, experts urged cardiac surgeons to become more engaged in tricuspid valve treatment before transcatheter options gain too much traction according to a January 26 report in MedPage Today. With new transcatheter devices gaining FDA approval and the Centers for…

Read More

Editor's Note Research shows combining music with preoperative education not only reduces anxiety, but also enhances recovery outcomes in patients undergoing open cardiac surgery. Published January 21 in the Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing, the randomized controlled study involved 322 patients, evenly randomized into an experimental group (music and preoperative education)…

Read More

Editor's Note Black patients are less likely to receive surgery at hospitals with the lowest mortality rates despite living closer to these facilities, according to a new study examining Medicare patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) from 2017 to 2019. Authors suggest that physician referral patterns may play a…

Read More

Editor's Note Computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a technique historically used in engineering, is transforming pediatric cardiac surgery at Boston Children's Hospital, Healthcare IT News reported January 2. This approach aims to enhance surgical precision and reduce the need for repeat operations in children with congenital heart defects. Traditionally, pediatric heart…

Read More

Editor's Note Using virtual reality glasses (VR-G) to watch immersive 360-degree nature videos significantly reduces preoperative surgical fear in patients undergoing open-heart surgery, according to a randomized controlled study published November 29 in the Journal of Perianesthesia Nursing. However, anxiety levels were not markedly affected, suggesting targeted efficacy in fear…

Read More

Editor's Note Survival rates following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have not returned to pre-pandemic levels and continue to reflect racial disparities, according to a preliminary study set for presentation at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2024. Analyzing data from over half a million U.S. adults who experienced OHCA between…

Read More

Editor's Note Older adults face a significantly higher risk of complications including stroke and recurrent heart attacks if they undergo elective noncardiac surgeries soon after myocardial infarction, according to a University of Rochester study published October 30 in JAMA Surgery.  According to a University announcement, current guidelines from the American…

Read More