Editor's Note Engaging colon cancer patients in a prehabilitation program 4 weeks before surgery modified exercise behaviors and improved physical function, which improved postoperative outcomes, finds this study. Researchers randomized 116 patients to either a prehabilitation program (57 patients) or a control group (59 patients). After 4 weeks, compared with…

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Editor's Note Mount Sinai Health System (New York City) on December 6 announced its Medical Modeling Core, a collaboration led by the neurosurgery department, where clinicians can order 3D models for their cases. Virtual reality, simulation, and 3D printing services will be provided with quick turnaround times and at significant…

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Editor's Note Early discharge of patients after total joint replacement did not increase readmission rates in this study. Of 174 patients discharged after 1 day and 285 discharged after 2 days, the readmission rates for both groups were similar−2.3% vs 2.5% at 30 days and 1.1% for both groups at…

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Editor's Note Despite guidelines from professional societies, significant variation exists in the management of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), especially for AAA size at repair, use of endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR), and the treatment of elderly patients, this study finds. In countries with a private health care system and fee-for-service reimbursement,…

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Editor's Note Communication patterns and needs vary between members of the surgical team and by specialty during simulated operative emergencies, and the effect of directed communication in eliciting a response (ie, closed loop communication) depends on the clinical status of the patient, finds this study. Surgeons and nurses initiated fewer…

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Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) and Surgical Infection Society (SIS) on December 1 announced their newly released guidelines for the prevention, detection, and management of surgical site infections (SSIs). The guidelines give clinicians step-by-step ways to address SSIs and educate patients on ways to contribute to their…

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Editor's Note Overlapping surgical procedures are safe and provide the same outcomes for patients as non-overlapping procedures, this study finds. The analysis of 10,614 overlapping surgical procedures performed at the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, found no difference in the rates of postoperative complications or deaths within a month after surgery,…

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Editor's Note Chicacgo-area hospitals are using apps to help patients prepare for and recover from surgery and communicate their symptoms, the November 30 Chicago Tribune reports. Amita Health is now using the TapCloud app with good results−of 309 orthopedic patients who have used the app, none have had to be…

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Editor's Note Implementation of a frailty screening initiative for preoperative patients was associated with reduced mortality, this study finds. In 9,153 patients screened, postoperative mortality decreased significantly at 30, 180, and 365 days, and improvements were noted in both frail and nonfrail patients. Multivariate analysis showed a three-fold survival benefit…

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Editor's Note Chlorhexidine is the best antiseptic for skin prep when a prolonged effect is needed, such as when implanting medical devices or performing surgical procedures, this study finds. Of 135 healthy volunteers tested, at 24 hours: unscrubbed control bacterial counts were 288 CFU/cm2 scrubbed control counts were 96 CFU/cm2…

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