New Device Could Detect Sepsis in Minutes, Not Hours

New Device Could Detect Sepsis in Minutes, Not Hours
Sepsis causes almost 250,000 deaths in hospitals in the U.S. each year. MIT researchers have developed a device that could detect sepsis in minutes—potentially helping to save lives.

Surgical Staplers Put Patients at Risk for Bleeding, Sepsis, and Death

On March 8, 2019, the FDA sent a letter to health care providers because of concerns regarding an increasing number of adverse events associated with surgical staplers.  From January 1, 2011, to March 31, 2018, the FDA received over 41,000 individual medical device reports for these devices, including:

• 366 deaths,
• over 9,000 serious injuries,
• and over 32,000 malfunctions.

What is sepsis and how can it be treated?

Sepsis, colloquially known as blood poisoning, occurs as a result of an infection, usually from bacteria. Bacteria can enter the blood stream via an open wound, from another part of the body after a surgical procedure, or even from a urinary tract infection.

7-PART EMS SCREENING TOOL BOOSTS EARLY SEPSIS TREATMENT

Conducting a sepsis screening during emergency medical service transport to an emergency department reduces time to treatment.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

Sepsis is linked to 250,000 deaths annually.

A new study found that sepsis screening during EMS transport nearly doubled adherence to the standard-of-care treatment bundle.

The EMS sepsis screening tool includes vital signs such as temperature and heart rate, onset of mental status change, and suspicion of infection.

SC patient suffocated by hospital staff had previously sued the agency to be released

COLUMBIA — A patient who suffocated in January at the bottom of an improper dogpile of S.C. Department of Mental Health hospital employees had previously sued the state agency, alleging it unnecessarily institutionalized him and other patients.

BUG ALERT Drug-resistant bug that triggers sepsis and meningitis is spreading in hospitals, experts warn

BUG ALERT 

Drug-resistant bug that triggers sepsis and meningitis is spreading in hospitals, experts warn

KILLER bugs that are "extremely" resistant to antibiotics are spreading through European hospitals, experts have warned.

They include strains of bacteria that trigger sepsis, meningitis, cellulitis and other life-threatening conditions.

New device may diagnose sepsis in less than a drop of blood

Sepsis occurs when the body has an extreme reaction to an infection. The reaction is so severe that it can cause organ failure and death. A new diagnostic tool, however, may be able to quickly identify sepsis biomarkers in a tiny amount of blood.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), each year, sepsis affects over 30 millionpeople around the world.

Sepsis may also lead to around 6 million deaths each year.