A P R I L 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 5
30 FDA Shocked by Spike in
Malfunctioning Staplers
Devices that misfired or failed to fire
have injured or killed thousands.
Mike Morsch | Associate Editor
34 COVER STORY
Backbreaker
How Laser Spine Institute's multimillion-dollar
surgery empire crumbled in a day.
Matthew Nojiri | Senior Associate Editor
42 Heated Debate
Scott Augustine, MD, the inventor of the
Bair Hugger patient warming device, claims it
causes SSIs. The manufacturer, and the courts,
so far have disagreed.
Matthew Nojiri | Senior Associate Editor
49 Keep Patients Safe in Steep Trendelenburg
Here's a heads-up on what to do
when patients are heads-down.
Mike Morsch | Associate Editor
58 Learn to Love Your Accreditation Surveyor
Embrace those dings
as opportunities for improvement.
Jared Bilski | Senior Associate Editor
64 Fired Up Over
Mandatory Smoke Evacuation Laws
Will more states require the use
of surgical plume evacuation systems?
Donna Policastro, RNP,
and Julie Greenhalgh, RN, BSN, CNOR
72 Reduce the Risk of Radiation Exposure
Proper personal protection and a healthy dose
of common sense will limit intraoperative
imaging's inherent dangers.
Daniel Cook | Executive Editor
78 Your Prescription for Medication Safety
Our pharmacy consultant
dispenses indispensable advice.
Sheldon S. Sones, RPh, FASCP
86 5 Keys to Preventing Retained Surgical Items
Use these strategies so there's nothing left behind.
Verna Gibbs, MD
Contents
April 2019 • Vol. XX, No. 4
Features
42
72
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