September 1998

Ventilator Failure in the ICU: Déjà Vu All Over Again

September 10, 1998

Introduction Rather than label aging equipment “obsolete” and removing it from service, health care facilities often place such equipment in a back-up mode — utilized only when patient census and...

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Pediatric Cardiac Arrest Stats Kept in National Registry

September 10, 1998

Data Submission Invited The Pediatric Perioperative Cardiac Arrest (POCA) Registry was formed in 1994 under the combined auspices of the ASA Committee on Professional Liability and the American Academy of...

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Top Safety Exhibit To Be Selected at ASA Meeting

September 10, 1998

The best safety-related scientific exhibit at the ASA Annual Meeting will be selected and acknowledged again this year by the APSF. The top ranked exhibit will receive the Ellison C....

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“Y2K Bug” Equipment Concerns Intensify

September 10, 1998

“Year 2000 bug could bite hospitals! Senate hearing asks: how prepared is US health sector?” – MSNBC “Senate Sees Y2K Doom For Health Care System” – National Underwriter Is anesthesia...

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ASA Meeting Features Patient Safety

September 10, 1998

Visit the Safety Booth at ASA! Anesthesia patient safety will be a prominent theme of the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists this year in Orlando, October 17-21,...

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New International Effort Discussed in APSF Session At July European Congress

September 10, 1998

“Anesthesia Patient Safety: Is it Time for an International Effort?” was the billing for a half-day meeting session sponsored by the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation on July 2, 1998, at...

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June 1998

Risk of Eye Injuries Can Be Reduced

June 10, 1998

Injuries to the eye associated with anesthesia care fit into two categories. They are much easier to prevent than to treat. The first category is that of mechanical injury. Mechanical...

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Anesthesia Simulator Article Details Given

June 10, 1998

[Editor’s Note: In the Spring issue of the APSF Newsletter, the authorship of the extensive article on the use of anesthesia simulators around the world was indicated, but the identifying...

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Warning on LMW Heparin Use with Regionals is Valid

June 10, 1998

[Editor’s Note: In the Spring issue, there were two discussions of use of low molecular weight heparin concurrent with neuraxial conduction anesthesia. Additional thoughts are presented here.] The December 1997...

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ASA Produces Two New Patient Safety Videotapes

June 10, 1998

The ASA has sponsored two new Patient Safety Videotapes in the ongoing series. Both were filmed recently in Palo Alto, CA, and will be distributed together this summer by Glaxo...

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Induced Hypotension Tied to Possible Vision Impairments

June 10, 1998

Related Article: Postoperative Visual Loss (POVL) ION in Spine Cases? Recently The Doctors’ Company has noted an increasing incidence in the number of claims involving postoperative blindness or severe visual...

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Taiwan Initiates Anesthesia Patient Safety Activity

June 10, 1998

Meeting Kicks Off New Standard Setting Efforts Anesthesia patient safety was the object of a remarkable new effort in Taiwan, Republic of China, which commenced April 25, 1998. On that...

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Patient Safety Conference Scheduled

June 10, 1998

"Enhancing Patient Safety and Reducing Errors in Health Care" will be the theme of a conference set for Nov. 8-10, 1998, at the Annenberg Center for Health Sciences, Rancho Mirage,...

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Y2K Computer Glitch May Affect Anesthesia Equipment Functions

June 10, 1998

Will anesthesia machines and monitors that happen to be in use at the stroke of midnight ushering in the year 2000 fail or alter their function? Anesthesia providers and departments...

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NPSF Launches Listserv, Seeks Safety Ideas, Input

June 10, 1998

To support the National Patient Safety Foundation’s mission to “raise awareness and foster communication and dialogue to enhance patient safety,” an Internet website bulletin board called “patientsafety-l” was launched. “Patientsafety-l”...

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March 1998

Use of Medical Simulators Subject of International Study

March 10, 1998

Introduction Undergraduate and postgraduate education of physicians and other medical personnel is conducted almost exclusively in clinical settings. This has several disadvantages including: 1) patients may be exposed to added...

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Additional Input on LMWH Sought at ASRA Forum

March 10, 1998

The American Society of Regional Anesthesia (ASRA) organized a symposium of experts held May 2-3, 1998, to examine guidelines for regional anesthesia in the anticoagulated patient. This consensus meeting is...

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Summary of Feb. 5, 1998, Meeting of the Anesthetic and Life Support Drugs Advisory Committee of ASA

March 10, 1998

Topic: Class Labeling Revisions for the Low Molecular Weight Heparin (LMWH) and Heparinoids The committee discussed three questions relating to the labeling of low molecular weight heparins and heparinoids, specifically:...

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Low Molecular Weight Heparin and Epidurals

March 10, 1998

[Editor’s note: The recently issued FDA Advisory regarding the risk associated with peridural anesthesia and anticoagulation has generated significant discussion.] On December 15, 1997, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)...

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Pediatric Induction Practices Surveyed

March 10, 1998

Tracheal intubation with inhalational agent without muscle relaxants (IAWMR) has been an accepted technique when used for the management of difficult pediatric airways. Spontaneous ventilation during induction has been proposed...

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