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This article examines the costs and carbon emissions associated with virtual preoperative visits in a gynecologic surgery practice. The study found that virtual visits significantly reduced driving costs, CO2 emissions, and driving time compared to in-person visits, with no negative impact on surgical outcomes. The authors emphasize the potential environmental benefits of telemedicine in reducing carbon footprints in healthcare. However, the study has limitations, including its retrospective design and single-center setting. The article provides additional supporting information online and is relevant for library patrons researching the environmental impact and financial implications of virtual healthcare practices. [Extracted from the article]

We aimed to study whether separating the vaginal and abdominal surgical fields during total laparoscopic hysterectomy (TLH) is associated with surgical site infection rates. This was a retrospective cohort study of all patients who underwent TLH and any concomitant procedures with two minimally invasive gynecologic surgery subspecialists between January 2016 and May 2023. Among 680 included patients, the rate of infection was 0.8% with surgical field separation and 1.3% without (3/377 vs 4/303; odds ratio 0.60, 95% CI, 0.13-2.70). There was no statistical difference between groups; however, the difference in infection rates between groups was extremely small, which led to inadequate power. Our findings suggest that rates of infection after TLH are low, with or without surgical field separation. Treating the vagina, perineum, and abdomen as a single, continuous operative field during TLH may be an acceptable practice., Competing Interests: Financial Disclosure Rebecca Schneyer reports money was paid to her institution by Ethicon for her efforts in this study. Matthew Siedhoff reports receiving payment from Applied Medical. The other authors did not report any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)