Editor's Note Using powerful synthetic opioids remifentanil and sufentanil during surgery increases risk of patients suffering during recovery, according to a study in the journal Regional Anesthesia & Pain Medicine. HealthDay reported the news February 27. According to the article, researchers analyzed data from 971 patients who underwent surgery—37% orthopedic…

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Editor's Note For the first time in Canada, surgeons aim to restore a patient’s sight by gluing a lens into a removed tooth, temporarily implanting the structure into the cheek to develop a tissue lining, then sewing it onto the front of eye three months later. CTV News reported on…

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Editor's Note A cohort study published February 24 in JAMA Pediatrics found that prophylactic antibiotics reduced the odds of surgical site infections (SSIs) by 72% in children undergoing cholecystectomy for uncomplicated cholelithiasis. However, extended-spectrum antibiotics offered no additional benefit over cefazolin, suggesting that simpler prophylaxis protocols could optimize outcomes while…

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Editor's Note Nearly 5,000 healthcare workers at Providence Health in Oregon secured substantial wage increases and improved staffing plans, ending a historic six-week strike that began January 10, according to a February 25 article in MedPage Today. According to the article, the strike involved eight RN bargaining units and marked…

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Editor's Note A February 21 article in Modern Healthcare details how surgical robots are delivering faster procedures, improving patient outcomes, and boosting hospital profits. As detailed in the article, the global surgical robotics market has quadrupled since 2015, growing from $800 million to approximately $3 to $3.5 billion in 2023…

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Editor's Note US hospitals face a growing risk of bed shortages as an aging population drives up hospitalization rates, according to research published February 19 in Jama Network. Leveraging COVID-19-era occupancy data, the study projects national hospital occupancy could reach 85% by 2032 for adult beds and by 2035 for…

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Editor’s Note The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has designated Boston Scientific Corporation’s recall of Accolade Pacemaker devices a Class 1, the most severe category indicating serious risk of injury or death. According to the agency’s February 21 announcement, the recall was motivated by a manufacturing issue that could…

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Editor’s Note Backdoors in Chinese-made medical monitors could put patients at risk and compromise hospital networks across the US, according to security agencies quoted in a February 23 report from CNBC. The article cites the popular Contec CMS8000 patient monitor as an example. Both the US Food and Drug Administration…

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Editor’s Note Preoperative use of sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) does not increase the risk of postoperative diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) in patients undergoing emergency surgery, according to a study published February 19 in JAMA Surgery. These findings challenge the current FDA recommendation to withhold SGLT2i medications for at least three…

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Editor's Note Investor interest in ambient AI clinical documentation is surging, with venture funding for AI scribe companies reaching $292 million in 2024—more than triple the $87 million seen in 2023, according to a February 11 article in Modern Healthcare. Attributing the $292 million figure to a report from research…

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