Tag: medical devices

Rethinking OR routines reduces waste, costs while protecting environment

Editor's Note For some surgeons, treating patients goes hand-in-hand with healing the environment. Consider an April 23 report in Medical Xpress. Detailing sustainability efforts at Chicago’s Rush University Medical Center by pediatric surgeon Ami Shah, MD, and her colleague Brian Gulack, MD, the article showcases how rethinking everyday surgical routines…

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By: Matt Danford
April 23, 2025
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Borescope inspections reveal widespread contamination in lumened surgical instruments

Editor's Note Conventional cleaning protocols fail to remove visible soil and debris from lumened surgical instruments, raising urgent concerns about patient safety and sterilization efficacy. That’s the central finding of a study published February 11 in The American Journal of Infection Control, which used borescopes to inspect the lumens of…

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By: Matt Danford
April 21, 2025
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FDA issues early alerts for intravascular catheters

Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned of safety risks resulting from manufacturing issues with two varieties of intravascular catheter—Conavi Medical’s Novasight Hybrid line and BD’s PowerPICC intravascular devices—in separate early alerts April 18. In one reported incident, the sheath of a Novasight Hybrid catheter—a device used…

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By: Matt Danford
April 21, 2025
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Tariffs strain supply chains, split medical manufacturing community

Editor's Note President Donald Trump’s latest round of tariffs—especially steep duties on Chinese imports—has sharply divided the medical community, with device manufacturers urging exemptions while some US-based PPE producers cheer the protectionist move. CNBC reported the news April 16. The tariff rate on China is 145%, the outlet reports, while…

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By: Matt Danford
April 17, 2025
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Literature review: Endoscope disinfection failures highlight need for stronger sterilization practices

Editor's Note High-level disinfection (HLD) fails to reliably eliminate harmful microbes from flexible endoscopes in real-world healthcare settings, according to a review of endoscope processing effectiveness published April 8 in the American Journal of Infection Control. The review highlights routine breaches in cleaning protocols and links contaminated endoscopes to numerous…

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By: Matt Danford
April 16, 2025
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Dissolvable pacemaker delivers temporary cardiac support without wires, surgery

Editor's Note Researchers have developed a fully dissolvable, needle-injectable pacemaker that regulates heart rhythms without requiring surgical removal. As detailed in an April 2 article in Scientific American, the miniature device—just millimeters in size—can deliver electrical stimulation for days to weeks before safely breaking down in the body, potentially reducing…

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By: Matt Danford
April 9, 2025
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Study: Pulse oximeters may misestimate oxygen saturation in darker skin tones

Editor's Note Pulse oximeters may overestimate blood oxygen levels in critically ill patients with darker skin tones, according to a March 30 article in HCP Live. The article focuses on the EquiOx study, conducted at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital between 2022 and 2024. Presented at the American College…

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By: Matt Danford
April 1, 2025
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Study: Arthroplasty implants linked to metal accumulation in cerebrospinal fluid

JAMA (healthcare publication) Network logo

Editor's Note Arthroplasty implants may release metals that accumulate in the central nervous system (CNS), potentially contributing to neurotoxic effects, according to a study published March 28 in JAMA Network Open. Researchers found that patients with large joint replacements had significantly higher levels of cobalt, chromium, titanium, niobium, and zirconium…

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By: Matt Danford
March 31, 2025
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FDA announces Class 1 recall for implantable ports

Editor's Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed Smiths Medical’s recall of Proport Plastic Implantable Ports a Class 1, the most severe designation indicating serious risk of injury or death. The devices are designed for repeated venous access for injections, infusions, and/or blood samples. According to the…

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By: Matt Danford
March 20, 2025
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Study: Miniature pacemakers for neonates, infants perform reliably for two years

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…

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By: Matt Danford
March 17, 2025
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