Surgery/Specialties 
Editor's Note Hiring for spinal procedures are tightening and consolidation is accelerating, reshaping where and how ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) secure talent, Becker’s Spine Review October 3 reports. A mounting orthopedic shortage exceeding 5,000 by year-end is making spine one of the hardest specialties to recruit, with timelines stretching and…
Editor's Note Elective surgical procedures such as cholecystectomy and hernia repair can be performed safely in carefully selected patients with cirrhosis, but high-risk individuals still need alternatives, according to an updated American College of Gastroenterology guideline, Medscape October 3 reports. The guideline emphasizes individualized risk stratification that integrates liver disease…
Editor's Note Surgeons across multiple disciplines are confronting a distinct wound pattern tied to xylazine-contaminated opioids and adapting management to avoid unnecessary amputations, the American College of Surgeons October 1 reports. These wounds can resemble necrotizing soft tissue infection at first glance, yet the clinical picture and trajectory differ, calling…
Editor's Note The American College of Surgeons (ACS) has launched a new online tool that helps patients and families locate hospitals recognized for delivering high-quality surgical care, according to an August 26 ACS announcement. The “Find a Hospital” tool highlights facilities that have earned ACS accreditation or verification through an…
Editor's Note Early blood pressure augmentation did not improve neurologic outcomes and was linked to more complications, according to a JAMA Network study published on September 18. In this multicenter randomized clinical trial at 13 US trauma centers, 92 adults with acute cervical or thoracic spinal cord injury were assigned…
Editor's Note Sports medicine surgical procedures for Medicare patients cost significantly less in ambulatory surgery centers (ASCs) compared with hospital outpatient departments (HOPDs), according to a study published by the Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine on August 29. Researchers analyzed Medicare Procedure Price Lookup data for 62 commonly billed outpatient…
Editor's Note Bariatric surgery delivers greater weight loss and lower long-term costs than GLP-1 medications, Ambulatory Surgery Center News September 18 reports. A new JAMA Surgery study of more than 30,000 patients found that surgical patients lost nearly three times as much weight as those on medication while generating meaningful…
Editor's Note Older adults with a body mass index (BMI) in the overweight range had significantly lower odds of death after major elective surgery compared with those in the normal BMI category, an August 26 study published by JAMA Network reports. The cohort study followed 414 adults aged 65 years…
Editor's Note The Perioperative Nutrition Screen (PONS) identifies patients at greater risk of complications following pancreatic cancer surgery, according to a retrospective analysis published August 27 by Research Square. The study found that patients flagged for nutrition risk by PONS experienced longer hospital stays, higher complication rates, and were more…
Editor's Note Surgery and advanced implantable devices can give patients with drug-resistant epilepsy a far greater chance of seizure freedom than medication alone, UCSF News September 25 reports. While about 30 anti-seizure medications exist, one-third of patients do not achieve seizure control, and fewer than one in five seek care…
