FEATURE ARTICLES

Digital technologies have the potential to transform surgery and medical device manufacturers are now evolving to advance this technology-driven revolution. So, how could ‘digital surgery’ lead to reduced variation, improved outcomes, and increased efficiency? Louise Frampton reports.

Few would disagree that busy nurses and clinical staff should be allowed to focus on patient care rather than spending time searching for stock. Materials management specialist Medstor has made it its mission to facilitate this and, with a thirty-year history of working with the NHS and private healthcare providers, has played an important part in streamlining processes in hospitals across the UK and beyond.

Against a backdrop of increasing antimicrobial resistance, Jo Shorthouse discusses the efficacy and application of photodisinfection in the prevention of healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs).

A new report finds that many nurses fear that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on the outcomes of those living with a wound. Experts warn that “going back to business as usual” is not an option.

There is a need to tackle variation across Trusts in the adoption of day case surgery. The Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust has made day case surgery its default approach and is on a mission to expand it further.

Mr Simon R Dodds, a consultant general surgeon, at University Hospitals Birmingham, provides an insight into how a successful improvement initiative achieved a sustained 80% reduction in surgical site infection using a care bundle.

Proactive surgical site infection surveillance is crucial to driving improvement, as well as to identifying patients who may be in need of rapid intervention. The development of a remote monitoring platform could have the potential to transform the way hospitals tackle this challenging issue.

In this article, Serious Hazards of Transfusion laboratory incident specialist Nicola Swarbrick and Dr. Jeni Davies focus on a specific area of transfusion science haemovigilance practice – incident investigation – that was the topic of a SHOT webinar held last year.

Mark Hitchman, managing director of Canon Medical Systems UK, highlights the exciting AI innovations in diagnostic imaging and discusses the need for home-grown data to power advancements in the future.

CMR Surgical (CMR) and Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) have announced results from their Versius Robotic Assisted Surgery (RAS) programme, with major impacts reported on recovery timelines, patient outcomes and surgical staff wellbeing. The robotics team behind the programme spoke to CSJ about their findings.

Dr. Kevin Koh offers some valuable guidance on ensuring optimum surgical lighting in operating theatres. He warns that lighting choices can have an impact on patient outcomes and highlights the potential role of in vivo lighting.

A parotidectomy is a major surgical procedure to treat cancer of the parotid gland. Using a case study approach, Emily Humphrey provides an enhanced understanding that will help the scrub practitioner anticipate surgical needs, provide instruments in a timely manner, and improve intraoperative communication between the scrub and the surgical team.

A new report shows that over half of perioperative practitioners have not received any education on the hazards of exposure to surgical smoke plume, while 72% of perioperative practitioners have experienced symptoms associated with exposure to surgical smoke plume. The AfPP are among those calling for action.

Sepsis improvement programmes have received criticism, in recent years, with some claiming that they have ‘resulted in increased hospital antimicrobial consumption’. But should we be targeting sepsis management as ‘the low hanging fruit’ or should we be looking elsewhere for solutions – including better integration of diagnostics? Louise Frampton reports.

Andrew Ready discusses the challenges of reduced laparoscopic vision and provides an insight into a solution that allows rapid and effective cleaning of condensation, tissue debris, blood and other particulate matter from the distal laparoscope lens without scope removal.

iM Med Decontamination Academy recently provided some thought-provoking insights into the importance of leadership, team working, training and communication to ensure safe, high-quality decontamination services.

Taking place at the University of York and virtually from 8-11 September, the AfPP Annual Conference 2022 is set to be one of the largest gatherings of theatre practitioners in the professional (and social) calendar. With a packed programme of education, networking, workshops and entertainment, it is guaranteed to inform, challenge and inspire.

A serious safety incident involving the use of a contaminated surgical instrument has prompted an investigation by the Healthcare Safety Investigation Branch (HSIB). Among the recommendations of this must-read report is the need for national reporting of safety incidents involving sterile services. Louise Frampton reports.

Up to 13 million nurses will be needed to fill the global shortage of nurses, while 4.7 million new nurses will have to be educated and employed just to replace those who retire. Kate Woodhead RGN DMS discusses the challenges ahead and the importance of investing in education and training

Technology is rapidly changing within the operating theatre, so what are some of the promising innovations set to transform surgery in the future? The Clinical Services Journal explores some of the key developments that could have a significant impact.