When surveyed, nearly all (85%) of anesthesiologists acknowledge committing at least one medication error. Clearly, the vast majority of these errors are of little consequence, but some, such as the recent…
On January 30, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Journavx™ (suzetrigine), a first-in-class nonopioid analgesic to treat moderate to severe pain in adult patients…
Opioids have served a primary role in surgical pain control since the isolation of morphine in the 19th century through the development of synthetic agonists used in modern anesthesia…
Over 150 million peripheral intravenous catheter (PIVC) insertions occur in the United States annually, making it the most common invasive procedure performed in hospitals. Complications associated with PIVCs include…
Infants born at gestational age < 37 weeks are categorized as premature or preterm. Apnea of prematurity is defined as a respiratory pause for more than 15–20 seconds, or shorter respiratory pauses accompanied by...
A tracheostomy is a common procedure done for patients who need prolonged mechanical ventilation, are unable to protect their airway or have pathologies of the oropharynx leading to the potential for upper airway obstruction…
Pulmonary complications following major surgery are the most frequent type of postoperative complications. Preoperative identification of patients at higher risk for postoperative pulmonary complications is…
Perioperative stroke is defined as a brain infarction of ischemic or hemorrhagic etiology that occurs during surgery or within 30 days after surgery. Fortunately, perioperative stroke is uncommon…
A 54-year-old male is undergoing an emergent exploratory laparotomy under general anesthesia. Shortly after the surgeon opens the abdomen, the heart rhythm changes to ventricular fibrillation and…
Norwegian anesthesiologist and global health leader, Jannicke Mellin-Olsen, MD, DPH, FESAIC, passed away suddenly on February 7, 2025 at her home outside Oslo. With her death, the world lost…
Patient harm continues to occur in hospitalized patients, with at least one adverse event occurring in almost 24% of admissions.1 Recognizing this, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced…
In 2022, the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation (APSF) Board of Directors embraced “patient engagement” as an active strategic focus to further advance the foundation’s vision that…
The Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) guidelines have long stood as the global standard for resuscitation efforts, with a particular focus on sudden cardiac arrest and emergency interventions…
Nihon Kohden provides miniaturized carbon dioxide (CO2) sensors for mainstream CO2 analysis in both intubated and nonintubated patients. They offer two distinct models for…
Allison Bechtel, MD, APSF Podcast Director
The APSF now offers you the opportunity to learn about anesthesia patient safety on the go with the Anesthesia Patient Safety Podcast. The weekly APSF podcast is intended for anyone with an interest in perioperative patient safety. Tune in to learn more about recent APSF Newsletter articles with exclusive contributions from the authors and episodes focused on answering questions from our readers related to patient safety concerns, medical devices, and technology. In addition, special shows that highlight important COVID-19 information on airway management, ventilators, personal protective equipment, drug information, and elective surgery recommendations are available. The mission of the APSF includes being a leading voice for anesthesia patient safety around the world. You can find additional information in the show notes that accompany each episode at apsf.org. If you have suggestions for future episodes, please email us at [email protected]. You can also find the Anesthesia Patient Safety Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or anywhere that you listen to podcasts. Visit us at APSF.org/podcast and at @APSForg on X, Facebook, and Instagram.
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An abiding belief in safeguarding the future of anesthesiology. Established in 2019, the APSF Legacy Society honors those who make a gift to the foundation through their estates, wills, or trusts, thus ensuring that patient safety research and education will continue on behalf of the profession about which we are so deeply passionate.
APSF recognizes and thanks these inaugural members who have generously supported APSF through an estate or legacy gift.
For more information about planned giving, please contact Jill Maksimovich, APSF Director of Development at: [email protected].
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The Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation Newsletter is the official publication of the nonprofit Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation and is published three times per year in Wilmington, Delaware. Contributions to the Foundation are tax-deductible. ©Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation, 2025.
The opinions expressed in this Newsletter are not necessarily those of the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation. The APSF neither writes nor promulgates standards, and the opinions expressed herein should not be construed to constitute practice standards or practice parameters. Validity of opinions presented, drug dosages, accuracy, and completeness of content are not guaranteed by the APSF.
Daniel J. Cole, MD, President, Los Angeles, CA; Steven B. Greenberg, MD, Vice President, Chicago, IL; Della Lin, MD, Secretary, Honolulu, HI; Douglas A. Bartlett, Treasurer, Boulder, CO; Lynn Reede, DNP, MBA, CRNA, FNAP, Director At-Large, Boston, MA.
Aalok Agarwala, MD, MBA, Boston, MA; Rahul Baijal, MD, Houston, TX; Jennifer M. Banayan, MD, Chicago, IL; Brad Bavaro, MD, Chicago, IL; JW Beard, MD, Wilmette, IL; Edward A. Bittner, MD, PhD, Boston, MA; Brent Dunworth, DNP, MBA, CRNA, Nashville, TN; John H. Eichhorn, MD, San Jose, CA; Jeff Feldman, MD, Philadelphia, PA; Nikolaus Gravenstein, MD, Gainesville, FL; Steven B. Greenberg, MD, Chicago, IL; Jeffrey Huang, MD, Tampa, FL; Megha Karkera Kanjia, MD, Houston, TX; Paul Lefebvre, JD, Kansas City, MO; Emily Methangkool, MD, MPH, Los Angeles, CA; Tricia A. Meyer, PharmD, Temple, TX; Yong G. Peng, MD, Gainesville, FL; Please see the links of international editors at https://www.apsf.org/about-apsf/board-committees/apsf-newsletter-editorial-board/
Address all general, contributor, and subscription correspondence to:
Celestine Brandon, MBA
Project Manager, Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation
P.O. Box 6668
Rochester, MN 55903, U.S.A.
[email protected]
Address Newsletter editorial comments, questions, letters, and suggestions to [email protected]:
Jennifer M. Banayan, MD
Editor
Emily Methangkool, MD, MPH
Editor
Edward A. Bittner, MD, PhD
Associate Editor
Brad Bavaro, MD
Assistant Editor
Brent Dunworth, DNP, MBA, CRNA
Assistant Editor
Wilson Somerville, PhD, Copy Editor
Send contributions to:
Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation
P.O. Box 6668
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