Editor's Note Patients exposed to radiation during cardiac computed tomographic angiography had evidence of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage that was associated with cell death, DNA damage in cells, and activation of genes involved in DNA repair, in this study. Most cells damaged by the CT scan were repaired, but a…

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Editor's Note A report by Q2 Metrics predicts the US market for spinal implants will reach $6.4 billion by 2024, up from $5 billion this year. The largest product segments include posterior thoracolumbar pedicle screw fixation and traditional anterior cervical plating. There is also strong momentum in hospital and physician…

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Editor's Note The use of hybrid coronary revascularization is safe and effective, with faster recovery and similar outcomes compared to conventional coronary artery bypass grafting, this study finds. The 30-day composite of mortality, myocardial infarction, or stroke was similar for both procedures, as was mortality during a 3-year follow-up period.…

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Editor's Note In a response to the July 13 Washington Post article questioning whether cell phones belong in the OR, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists (AANA) applauded the Post for covering the pros and cons of the issue. AANA president, Sharon Pearce, CRNA, MSN, notes that the AANA supports…

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Editor's Note Medtronic has agreed to buy RF Surgical Systems for $235 million. The technology embeds radio frequency tags in surgical sponges, towels, and other products to help track and prevent them from being retained in the patient after surgical procedures.   Medtronic agreed to pay $235 million to buy…

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Editor's Note There are no federal regulations or quality measures that address cell phone use in the OR, but some say the time for clear-cut guidelines has come. They cite errors and lax safety procedures that have resulted from physicians and nurses distracted by cell phone use. But others point…

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Our Take The University of Cincinnati Medical Center invested $6 million to upgrade an OR into a hybrid OR for heart and vascular procedures. The cost was about three times the cost of a non-hybrid OR. The 854 sq ft room includes $2.6 million in equipment and advanced medical imaging devices.…

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Clearing a patient for surgery is no easy feat, and a completely paper-based workflow can be very inefficient. Switching to a paperless tracking system has cut labor and costs in the preanesthesia screening services (PASS) department at Sinai Hospital, LifeBridge Health, Baltimore, and nurse leaders there hope to integrate the…

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Disinfection robots are first on the ECRI Institute’s 2015 Top 10 Hospital C-Suite Watch List, which includes new and emerging technologies healthcare providers should know about. Hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) are a persistent problem, and a recent study supports the efficacy of disinfection robots. However, the technology is expensive, and experts…

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 17 published a final guidance on reprocessing reusable medical devices. This guidance, which provides manufacturers with recommendations to validate their reprocessing instructions, comes on the heels of a host of “superbug” bacteria outbreaks related to reprocessing of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) duodenoscopes.…

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