Patients Pointed to Anesthesia Risks on Web

The June 21 Orange County Register (Santa Ana, California) featured Lynnus F. Peng, M.D., for his creation of the Anesthesia Risk Web site www.anesthesiarisk.net, which helps patients understand the risks of surgery before entering the operating room.

Presurgical Facts Discussed
The July 21 Detroit Free Press included an article on facts patients should learn before surgery. James D. Grant, M.D., provided information on questions patient should ask, the importance of following doctor’s orders and the importance of stopping smoking before surgery.

ASA Tackles Hot Issue
Jan Ehrenwerth, M.D., was interviewed for a July 26 Associated Press article on the rare but serious occurrence of surgical fires. ASA’s plans to release guidelines on the prevention of fires in the operating room were reported as positive steps for patient safety.

Additional coverage of the occurrence of surgical fires and ASA approval and spring 2008 publication of the “Practice Advisory for the Prevention and Management of Operating Room Fires” appeared on WFLD-TV (Chicago) on October 30, The Boston Globe on November 7 and WNYW-TV (New York) on November 15.

Off-Site Surgery Explored
John F. Dombrowski, M.D., and Lee A. Fleisher, M.D., were featured in a July 29 USA Today article spotlight on the growing number of ambulatory surgical centers and nonhospital-based surgeries. Drs. Dombrowski and Fleisher commented on the benefits and drawbacks of outpatient facilities for patients and for physicians.

Cardiac Doc Responds in Newsweek
A letter to the editor from Harish Ramakrishna, M.D., F.A.S.E., appeared in the August 6 edition of Newsweek in response to a recent article on hypothermia and cardiac resuscitation. Dr. Ramakrishna responded that cardiothoracic anesthesiologists and surgeons have been pioneers in the application of hypothermia and brain protection in the operating room.

Medical Error Apologies
David B. Mayer, M.D., participated in an August 27 WTTW-TV “Chicago Tonight” segment discussing the growing number of doctors and institutions, including the University of Illinois at Chicago, that apologize and explain medical errors to patients.

Hep C Case Creates Education Opportunity
An article in the August edition of Same Day Surgery provided information on a New York investigation into how patients of the same anesthesiologist became infected with hepatitis C. Richard A. Beers, M.D., Girish P. Joshi, M.D., and Rebecca S. Twersky, M.D., M.P.H., commented on safety procedures that must be followed to minimize infection risks for both patients and physicians.