INTRODUCTION Percutaneous catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) is a procedure performed typically in an inpatient setting. The feasibility and safety of catheter ablation in patients with paroxysmal and persistent AF were evaluated on an outpatient basis. METHODS 230 AF ablation procedures were performed in 206 patients (74% male; mean age 56+/-9 years). Patients were admitted to th...

BACKGROUND Over the past 30 years, the preferred techniques and settings for abdominoplasty have evolved considerably, but controversy remains regarding the surgical and postoperative approaches that best limit serious complications such as seroma. OBJECTIVE The authors evaluate their 28-year experience with abdominoplasty and suggest a technique (progressive tension sutures without placement...

Current Medicare payment policy for outpatient laboratory services is outdated. Future reforms, such as competitive bidding, should consider the characteristics of the laboratory market. To inform payment policy, we analyzed the structure of the national market for Medicare Part B clinical laboratory testing, using a 5-percent sample of 2006 Medicare claims data. The independent laboratory mark...

BACKGROUND Administrative claims are a rich source of information for epidemiological and health services research; however, the ability to accurately capture specific diseases or complications using claims data has been debated. In this study, the authors examined the validity of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) diagnosis codes for the ...

UNLABELLED Background We performed a prospective audit of screening for asymptomatic sexually transmissible infections (STIs), during an intensive effort to screen all patients at our hospital-based HIV clinic. We aimed to measure the effectiveness and resource implications of our screening program. METHODS All outpatients who attended during an 8-month period were invited to take part in opt...

Ambulatory services, with the performance of diagnostic and operative hysteroscopy as an outpatient or office procedure, are providing much of the stimulus for the development of devices that will offer women a better hysteroscopy experience. For the many women who are readily able to tolerate outpatient hysteroscopy, it offers significant advantages, as they can receive safe, efficient and eff...

IMPORTANCE This study shows that relocation of an academic ophthalmology residency program from an inpatient to an outpatient setting in western New York does not affect the consult volume but affects management patterns and follow-up rates. OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects on the ophthalmology consultation service of an academic program with relocation from a Regional Level-1 Trauma cent...

Numerous procedures have been developed in recent decades that claim to provide significant improvement in myoma status without hysterectomy. However, what is the cost in time and money of these procedures? This is a review of the current literature regarding these recent procedures to determine which, if any, is the best treatment for myomas. We conducted a search of PubMed using the terms "bi...

Recent findings Recently published preoperative fasting guidelines for pediatric patients are covered along with studies comparing gastric volume following different fasting intervals. Pediatric obstructive sleep apnea is discussed. Clinical presentation, severity, perioperative risks, and controversies as whether outpatient procedures are suitable for these patients are presented. New data cov...