Study: Repeated fasting for multiple surgeries risks malnutrition, mortality
Editor's Note Research shows repeated fasting for multiple surgeries during a single hospital stay significantly raises the risk of protein-calorie malnutrition, leading to longer recovery times, increased healthcare costs, and a higher likelihood of death. HealthDay covered the news October 21. Presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists annual meeting,…
Study quantifies link between preoperative depression, postoperative delirium
Editor's Note Individuals with preoperative depression are at significantly higher risk of developing postoperative delirium, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis of 42 studies involving a total of 4.6 million patients. Published September 4 in Anaesthesia, the study is first review to quantify the incidence and risk of postoperative…
GLP-1 agonists linked to food retention in EGD, but not combined EGD-colonoscopy
Editor's Note Patients using GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have a higher risk of food retention during esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) when performed alone, but not when combined with a colonoscopy, according to a retrospective study from Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. MedPage Today reported the news October 1. The study included 70 patients…
How perioperative staff can combat human trafficking—Part 2
Human trafficking (HT) is a hidden-in-plain-sight crime—victims walk among the public at large, yet they remain essentially invisible. Lack of education and knowledge on HT and anti-trafficking measures is particularly egregious in healthcare. In fact, the literature shows the majority of people being trafficked access the system without being identified…
Study: Preoperative depression boosts risk of postoperative delirium
Editor's Note Patients with depressive symptoms are nearly twice as likely to experience delirium after major surgery, according to a meta-analysis published September 4 in the journal Anaesthesia. The evaluation of the link between preoperative depression and postoperative delirium included data from 42 studies involving more than 4.6 million patients.…
Bleeding risk should dictate strategy for managing patients on direct oral anticoagulants
Editor's Note Clinicians managing surgical patients on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) should adopt a different approach depending on the procedure, according to research published August 12 in JAMA Network. Used to treat patients with atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism, DOACs must be managed effectively to minimize risks of bleeding, researchers…
‘Surgical pause’ saving lives, expanding beyond VA hospitals
Editor's Note The “surgical pause”—a means of validating whether surgery is truly safe for patients deemed to be “frail” before starting a procedure—significantly reduces mortality rates and is changing practices at more than 50 Veterans Administration (VA) hospitals, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported August 18. Developed by VA surgeons Daniel Hall…
Countdown to OR Manager Conference: Key strategies for success adding complex spine procedures to ASCs
Editor's Note At last year’s OR Manager Conference, healthcare leader Karen Reiter, RN, CNOR, RNFA, CASC, shared her expertise on integrating complex spine procedures into ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs). As the former administrator at DISC Surgery Center at Newport Beach and vice president of operations and payer management at TriasMD,…
State of the huddle: The barriers to and benefits of preop meetings
Complex problems do not always require complex solutions. Consider the surgical safety checklist. In 2020, more than a decade after the World Health Organization (WHO) started advocating that every hospital use the checklist, research from PSNET found that more than 90% of ORs in countries with a high human development…
Study: standard preoperative fasting guidelines safe for GLP-1 patients
Editor's Note Preoperative use of GLP-1 receptor agonists (RA) medications such as Ozempic and Wegovy is safe, according to a study published in the June issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology. Controversy has swirled around these drugs due to the risk of slowed stomach emptying increasing a patient’s odds…
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