Perioperative News and Research

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RF Surgical introduces new RF Assure Detection platform

RF Surgical Systems, Inc., the market leader in the prevention and detection of retained surgical sponges, today announced the availability of the RF Assure™ Detection System Model 200.

4 Nov 2010

Gender-related disparity in outcomes of lower extremities peripheral arterial disease continues: Study

Researchers from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine report that despite overall improvement, there is still gender-related disparity in outcomes of lower extremities peripheral arterial disease (PAD). Details of their study appear in the November issue of the Journal of Vascular Surgery®, published by the Society for Vascular Surgery®.

4 Nov 2010

Arthritis drugs also prevent post-operative cognitive decline: Study

Anti-inflammatory drugs currently used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis may also help prevent cognitive problems after surgery, according to a new study by researchers at Imperial College London and University of California, San Francisco (UCSF).

2 Nov 2010

New Canadian Cardiovascular Society guidelines support clinicians in practicing evidence-based medicine

Summaries of a number of new Canadian Cardiovascular Society guidelines and position statements offering the most up to date information to support clinicians in practicing evidence-based medicine were released at the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010 this week.

25 Oct 2010

PolyMedix plans PMX-60056 Phase 2 clinical trial in interventional cardiology

PolyMedix, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing new therapeutic drugs to treat infectious diseases and acute cardiovascular disorders, has announced plans for a Phase 2 clinical trial of PMX-60056 in interventional cardiology, and the establishment of a focused Heptagonist Clinical Advisory Board (CAB). PMX-60056 is a synthetic small-molecule designed to reverse the anticoagulant activity of heparin and low molecular weight heparins (LMWH).

21 Oct 2010

Cardinal Health Foundation to award $1 million grant to help U.S. hospitals

The Cardinal Health Foundation today announced that, for the fourth consecutive year, it will award more than $1 million in grant funding to help U.S. hospitals, health systems and community health clinics improve the efficiency and quality of care.

21 Oct 2010

Elsevier / MC Strategies partners with AORN to develop latest module for Perioperative Collection

Elsevier / MC Strategies a pioneer in providing e-learning solutions to more than 1,300 healthcare organizations, has partnered with the Association of periOperative Registered Nurses (AORN) to develop the latest module for Mosby's Nursing Skills Perioperative Collection, the only perioperative-specific set of nursing skills approved by AORN to be consistent with the Standards and Recommended Practices.

20 Oct 2010

Study finds massive blood transfusion associated with severe complications

A study presented at this year's American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting indicates that massive blood transfusion is associated with a significant increase in perioperative risk for mortality, cardiopulmonary complications, and wound-related and infectious complications in the long term.

20 Oct 2010

STOP-BANG questionnaire on sleep apnea syndrome helps identify patients' risk for surgical complication

A research team from the Jefferson Sleep Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital has utilized a simple, eight-item pre-operative questionnaire about obstructive sleep apnea syndrome that could help identify patients at risk for complications following surgery, according to a report in the October issue of Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Individuals prone to the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome as determined by the questionnaire appear to have an increased risk of heart, lung and other complications following elective surgery.

19 Oct 2010

Study reinforces need for physicians to screen obstructive sleep apnea prior to surgery

As Americans get heavier and heavier, the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea increases, and results from two clinical studies presented at ANESTHESIOLOGY 2010 reinforce the need for physicians to screen for the disorder prior to surgery in order to appropriately manage the patient in the operating room.

18 Oct 2010

Yoga exercises may combat fibromyalgia: Research

According to new research conducted at Oregon Health & Science University, yoga exercises may have the power to combat fibromyalgia a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain. The research is being published in the November 10 online edition of the journal Pain and will appear online Thursday, Oct. 14.

14 Oct 2010

Study finds wide variability in use of blood transfusions for coronary artery bypass graft surgery

A study that includes data on more than 100,000 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery finds that there is wide variability among hospitals in the U.S. on the use of blood transfusions, without a large difference in the rate of death, suggesting that many transfusions may be unnecessary, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA. Another study in this issue of JAMA examines the effect of a restrictive transfusion strategy on outcomes after cardiac surgery.

13 Oct 2010

Drugs may prevent temporary combativeness in children after surgery

Temporary combativeness after surgery-a complication affecting up to half of anesthetized children-may be preventable with drugs that decrease epinephrine production, according to a Medical College of Georgia pediatric anesthesiologist.

11 Oct 2010

Covidien to showcase innovative surgical products at 96th ACS Clinical Congress

Covidien, a leading global provider of healthcare products, will preview new devices and showcase some of the Company's most innovative products at the 96th Annual Clinical Congress of the American College of Surgeons.

5 Oct 2010

Best P.A.D. Research Awards honor investigators for research on peripheral arterial disease

The Peripheral Arterial Disease (P.A.D.) Coalition presented the Coalition's second annual Best P.A.D. Research Awards to the top three research papers on P.A.D. published in 2009 at the organization's Seventh Annual Meeting in Alexandria, VA last week. The Best P.A.D. Research Awards honor the work of investigators and acknowledge the creation of new clinical research relevant to the understanding and/or treatment of peripheral arterial disease.

30 Sep 2010

PFO repair may increase odds of postoperative stroke, shows no clear benefit: Study

Patients who have a heart defect known as patent foramen ovale incidentally discovered and repaired during surgery for a different condition may have an increased odds of postoperative stroke, along with no clear benefit on short-term outcomes or long-term survival, according to a study in the July 15 issue of JAMA.

27 Sep 2010

FDA approves Abreu BTT 700 System for temperature monitoring

Brain Tunnelgenix Technologies Corp. announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted the company clearance to market its Abreu BTT 700 System for continuous temperature monitoring.

10 Sep 2010

3M to acquire Arizant for $810M

3M announced today it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Arizant Inc. for a purchase price of $810 million in cash. Based in Eden Prairie, Minn., Arizant is a leading manufacturer of patient warming solutions designed to prevent hypothermia in surgical settings.

9 Sep 2010

UCI receives grant to promote patient-centered care

UC Irvine's Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Care has been awarded a Picker Institute/Gold Foundation Challenge Grant to change how anesthesiologists are trained, emphasizing the skills necessary to treat patients with compassion and empathy under difficult conditions.

31 Aug 2010

Medical errors cost hospitals $19.5 billion in 2008, says SOA report

A recent report from the Society of Actuaries (SOA) found that medical errors cost hospitals $19.5 billion in 2008. According to the SOA report, the top three most costly medical errors were pressure ulcers, postoperative infections, and mechanical complications of device, implant or graft.

26 Aug 2010