Surgery/Specialties Editor's Note Cataract surgery remains among the most frequent surgeries at a rate of 26 million procedures each year globally, and surgical robotics could soon be used to support these procedures. Recently a robotic surgical system for cataract surgeries developed by UCLA engineers and physicians was used to complete the…
Editor's Note A prospective, multi-center randomized trial comparing opioid use and patient reported outcomes following isolated partial meniscectomy with needle versus standard arthroscopy resulted in less postoperative pain and opioid use, according to a February 2026 article published ahead of print in the Journal of Orthopedics. The trial was designed…
Editor's Name Over 80% of surgeons suffer work-related injury or illness due to poor ergonomics in the OR. By spending long hours in static positions performing repetitive, highly precise tasks over many years, musculoskeletal pain involving the neck, back, shoulders, and arms is an unfortunate reality that can influence early…
Editor's Note Researchers have created surgical suture to help surgeons find just the right balance in tying a knot that is tight enough to heal a wound but not so tight that tissue is damaged, according to a November 26 news article in Nature. The surgical suture technology was described…
Editor's Note Among patients at increased risk for postoperative pulmonary complications undergoing intraoperative ventilation, using driving pressure–guided high positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and recruitment maneuvers did not reduce postoperative pulmonary complications compared to using standard low PEEP without recruitment maneuvers for patients undergoing open abdominal surgery under general anesthesia. This…
Editor's Note A novel preoperative vaccine using a biodegradable scaffold system has proved effective in a mouse model to prevent infection associated with orthopedic devices. The investigators noted this vaccine approach could help prevent surgical site infection in patients undergoing joint replacement surgery, according to a December 1 news release…
Editor's Note A surgeon’s cognitive biases, such as those influencing memory and information processing, were directly associated with surgical complications and patient harm, including death. These findings from a systematic review published in the December issue of Annals of Surgery. Among 21 reviewed studies, 38 cognitive biases and heuristics (mental…
Editor's Note Delayed muscle healing and preoperative muscle atrophy, such as in patients with osteoporosis can negatively affect total joint replacement surgery. It can increase the risk of complications, prolong recovery, and impair long-term function. But a new study published online in Current Biology shares how researchers at Cincinnati Children’s…
Editor's Note The US government has launched a new Autonomous Interventions and Robotics (AIR) program to develop autonomous robotic systems that can improve access to remote surgical interventions for thrombectomy in stroke patients and other time-sensitive procedures that not every patient has adequate and immediate access to, according to a…
Editor's Note Almost half of Americans shared concerns that they won’t be able to afford necessary healthcare in the coming year, and 20% of Americans reported that they or someone they live with couldn’t pay for prescription medications, according to findings from the State of the States 2025: Insights on…
