Surgery/Specialties Editor's Note In this study, researchers from the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, find that the use of eye protection by health care workers (HCWs) is important in preventing patient-to-HCW transmission of COVID-19. Of 345 HCWs who had a significant occupational exposure to patients with COVID-19, nurses accounted for 55.8%,…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on June 8 identified the recall by Medtronic of its HeartWare Ventricular Assist Device (HVAD) Pump Implant Kit as Class I, the most serious. The HVAD System is used as a bridge to cardiac transplants. The Kit was recalled because of a…
Editor's Note US Representatives Madeleine Dean (D-Pa) and Larry Bucshon, MD, (R-Ind) on June 7 introduced a Bill to protect healthcare workers (HCWs) from violence that is modeled after protections for airline workers, the June 8 Becker’s Hospital Review reports. The Safety from Violence for Healthcare Employees Act would criminalize…
Editor's Note This study from the American Cancer Society, Atlanta, finds that the prevalence of breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening decreased during COVID-19. A total of 479,248 patients were included in the analysis for breast cancer screening, 301,453 for cervical cancer screening, and 854,210 for colorectal cancer screening. Between…
Editor's Note This study from the Hospital for Special Surgery, New York City, finds that halting in-person office visits and physical therapy (PT) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) because of COVID-19 did not affect complication rates or outcomes. A total of 624 study patients who had a TKA between January…
Editor's Note The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on May 27 identified the recall of the ArjoHuntleigh Polska Sara Plus floor lift as Class I, the most serious. The recall was initiated because of the risk of smoke or fire if the lift is used when the battery is low.…
Editor's Note This systematic review and meta-analysis led by researchers in the UK finds that across the world, cardiovascular (CV) services were severely disrupted, and as a result cardiac disease is expected to worsen, and repercussions will be felt for years to come. This analysis spans 2 years (2020 to…
Editor's Note National Time Out Day, June 8, draws attention to the need for everyone on the surgical team to pause before a surgical procedure begins to make sure they are doing the right procedure on the right patient at the right site. AORN created the National Time Out Day…
Editor's Note Cardiologists at the University of Washington School of Medicine (UW Medicine) in Seattle, Washington, are participating in a national clinical trial to test a device designed to control bleeding if a vessel near the heart is inadvertently perforated during a catheter-based procedure, Healthcare Purchasing News May 26 reported.…
Editor's Note This retrospective cohort study from researchers at the University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, finds that children having surgical procedures while infected with COVID-19 may be at increased risk for development of pulmonary complications. The analysis included 73 pediatric patients who had surgical procedures within…
