Surgery/Specialties Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on September 28 identified the recall by DePuy Synthes (a Johnson & Johnson company) of its Adaptor and Light Adaptor for Small Battery Drive and Small Battery Drive II as Class I, the most serious. The recall is due to the potential…
Editor's Note In the first 21 months of the Bundled Payments for Care Improvement (BPCI) initiative for total hips and knees, Medicare payments declined more for BPCI participating hospitals than nonparticipating hospitals, without a significant change in quality outcomes, this study finds. For the analysis, 31,700 total joints at 176…
Editor's Note Postoperative outcomes in the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system have consistently improved for the past 15 years, this study finds. In this analysis of nearly 705,000 patients undergoing noncardiac surgical procedures at 143 hospitals, absolute rates and likelihood of complications, mortality, and failure to rescue significantly decreased 40%…
Editor's Note In this study of patients having transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), younger age, male gender, history of diabetes, and moderate to severe residual aortic regurgitation were significantly associated with an increased risk of infective endocarditis. Patients who developed endocarditis had high rates of in-hospital and 2-year mortality. Of…
Editor's Note Despite significant challenges in their careers, cardiothoracic surgeons report a very high level of job satisfaction in a survey published online September 13 in The Annals of Thoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons reports. The 63-question survey was administered to more than 4,300 members of the Society…
Editor's Note Hospitals that care for the oldest, sickest, and most complicated patients could suffer financially under Medicare’s Comprehensive Care for Joint Replacement (CJR) bundled payment program, this study finds. The study analyzed data from more than 23,000 Michigan patients who had hip or knee replacements at 60 hospitals in a…
Editor's Note The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) on September 8 announced the launch of its new patient website that offers resources for individuals facing heart, lung, and esophageal surgery. The site allows patients and their families to research their conditions and gather information on treatment options and recovery. …
Editor's Note This study found a strong association between spinal anesthesia and lower 30-day mortality along with a shorter length of stay after total hip and knee replacements. Of 10,868 patients analyzed, 8,553 had spinal anesthesia and 2,315 had general anesthesia. The 30-day mortality rate was 0.19% in the spinal…
Editor's Note Bariatric surgical patients in the Veterans Administration health care system lost substantially more weight than nonsurgical patients and sustained most of the weight loss in the long term, this study finds. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) induced significantly more weight loss than sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or adjustable gastric banding…
Editor's Note The global orthopedic implant market is predicted to hit $6.2 billion by 2024, the August 26 Becker’s Spine Review reports. Factors that will impact the market: A growing number of geriatric patients and sports injuries will drive market growth. The cost and unfavorable reimbursements of implants will hinder…
