Ultrasound is an inexpensive, easy, mobile, dynamic study that has many advantages over other imaging modalities. Several studies have shown the need for ultrasound during procedures, with significantly improved outcomes and patient satisfaction. Other studies have also shown that ultrasound has medical and economic advantages over magnetic resonance imaging. With the increased use of ultrasoun...

BACKGROUND Utilization is used as the principal marker of theatre performance in the NHS. This study investigated its validity as: a managerial tool, an inter-Trust indicator of efficient theatre use and as a marker of service performance for surgeons. METHODS A multivariate linear regression model was constructed using theatre data comprising all elective general surgical operating lists per...

I believe that the details given in this release from the British Information Services are slightly incorrect. While I agree that Guy's Hospital in London will be the first institution in the world to have a permanent installation for televising surgical operations, I should like to mention that the Philips organization in Holland were the first in Europe to undertake this type of experiment. T...

Twenty anaesthetic rooms and operating theatres in Northern Ireland were visited in both 1990 and 1992. Data was collected on the availability and use of anaesthetic monitoring. In the anaesthetic rooms there were few pulse oximeters. In the theatres more monitors were available and in use. Some change in practice had occurred between 1990 and 1992, notably an increase in the monitoring of vent...

We compared the rates of exposure to blood in the operating room among third-year medical students during 2005-2006 with the rates reported in a study completed at the same institution during 1990-1991. The number of medical students exposed to blood decreased from 66 (68%) of 97 students during 1990-1991 to 8 (11%) of 75 students during 2005-2006 (P<.001).

Over the past 50 years, significant improvements in cardiac surgical care have been achieved. Nevertheless, surgical errors that significantly impact patient safety continue to occur. In order to further improve surgical outcomes, patient safety programs must focus on rectifying work system factors in the operating room (OR) that negatively impact the delivery of reliable surgical care. The goa...

The operating room is a high-stress and volatile workplace where interpersonal conflict can be frequent and at times intense. This article explores some of the common sources of conflict and suggests some remedies.