Keeping tabs on the brain could help prevent awareness during surgery
Anesthesia wears off in roughly 0.2% of surgeries worldwide, and indirect signs of consciousness (heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle tone) do not provide certainty that a patient is unconscious. A team of researchers from MIT utilized an EEG cap with 64 electrodes and attached it to the head of 10 adults. This allowed the team to measure brain activity, which helped identify patterns that corresponded to different levels of consciousness.
Wii-playing surgeons perform better on laparoscopic surgeries
According to recent research, laparoscopic surgeons may improve their surgical performance by regularly playing the Nintendo Wii. The research looked to both improve training for surgeons and measure the effects video games have on hand-eye coordination. A 4-week training regimen on the Wii was implemented for half of the surgeons (post-graduate residents in their first or second year), while the other half did not receive this training. The results showed significant improvement in those that were trained with the Wii.
Bariatric surgery is not necessarily safer at centers of excellence
A new study shows that there is no significant difference between centers of excellence and other hospitals regarding the rate and severity of surgery-related complications and repeat surgeries. Researchers from the University of Michigan took data from over 20,000 Medicare patients that had bariatric surgery between 2004 and 2009. When compared to 200,000 non-Medicare patients, the data showed a similar decline in surgery complications for both groups.
3D-printed skull implant ready for surgery
Oxford Performance Materials (OPM) has received FDA approval for OsteoFab, a new 3D-printed cranial device. The device is a cranial maxilla-facial plate, which is designed for skull reconstruction, and can replace up to 75% of the skull. OsteoFab is made from PEKK (polyetherketoneketone), which has considerable compressive strength. This makes the implant ideal for any bone replacement operations that highly prioritize user protection. OPM is looking to print 3D bones for all other parts of the human body in the future.
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Preparing for your patient’s liver resection
By Phyllis A. Tarallo, DNP, DCC and Janice Smolowitz, DNP, EdD, DCC Earn 2.3 Contact Hours
Restoring function for children with brachial plexus birth palsy
By Melissa Miller, MSN, RN, Allison Allgier, OTR/L, and Emily Louden, MPHEarn 2.1 Contact Hours
Taking the heat out of malignant hyperthermia
By Lenora Woolsey, MSN, RN, CNOR
Meeting regulatory requirements for tissue tracking
By Mary C. Catalano, BS, CASC
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