FDA announces Class 1 recalls for patient return electrodes, intra-aortic balloon catheters, anesthesia systems
Editor's Note The US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) has announced Class 1 recalls—the most severe category, indicating risk of serious injury or death—for three products: MEGA SOFT Pediatric Patient Return Electrodes from Megadyne, Vaporizer Sevoflurane Maquet Filling from Getinge; and Arrow FiberOptix Intra-Aortic Balloon Catheter Kit and Arrow UltraFlex…
Patient files stolen in Ascension cyberattack
Editor's Note Personal patient data could have been compromised in the May 8 cyberattack on Ascension, according to the latest update from the St. Louis-based healthcare system. Posted June 12, the update reveals that attackers accessed files from seven out of 25,000 file servers used for routine tasks, potentially containing…
Health systems focus on long-term growth, outpatient care amid construction challenges
Editor's Note Health systems are increasingly focusing on construction projects aimed at long-term growth and outpatient care, often renovating existing facilities, Modern Healthcare June 10 reports. According to Modern Healthcare's 2024 Construction and Design Survey, 60% of respondents see growth in the healthcare construction industry despite inflation, high material costs,…
Endotracheal tube component failures prompt FDA Class I recall
Editor's Note The US Food & Drug Administration has designated Medline Industries’ recall of the Sub-G Endotracheal Tube with Subglottic Suction, which is used to keep a patients’ airway open, as a class 1, the most severe category indicating risk of serious injury or death. According to the agency’s June…
Tech giants announce plans to bolster rural hospital cybersecurity
Editor's Note Microsoft and Google announced they will offer free or discounted cybersecurity services to rural hospitals in the U.S. to help protect against cyberattacks, CNN reported on June 10. According to the article, Microsoft will provide free security updates, assessments, and staff training, while Google will offer free cybersecurity…
Glowing dye could improve detection, removal of prostate cancer cells
Editor's Note A fluorescent marker dye that attaches to a protein specific to prostate cancer cells could help surgeons identify and remove them in real time, BBC News reported June 9. Developed by researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK, the dye reportedly performed promisingly in a trial…
3D-printed stem cell patches show promise as heart surgery alternative
Editor's Note Using a patient’s stem cells to 3D-print patches to place over damaged areas of the heart could provide an alternative to invasive surgery, according to new research detailed in a June 9 report from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Although the technology has yet to be tested on…
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…
AI analysis suggest breast cancer surgery “may do more harm than good” for middle-aged patients
Editor's Note Artificial intelligence (AI)-fueled analysis of electronic health records suggests that clinical guidelines for de-escalating surgery should be extended to younger breast cancer patients. Conducted by University of Pittsburgh and UPMC Hillman Cancer Center researchers and published in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics, the analysis suggests that “surgery involving sentinel…
AI promises to eliminate unnecessary breast cancer biopsies
Editor's Note An AI model that outperformed MRI and ultrasound in identifying patients with axillary breast cancer metastasis shows the technology’s potential to reduce the need for needle or surgical biopsies, according to developers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. In a May 21 report on their new AI model, researchers…
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