Author: STITCHES Newsletter

Radiomics Models Predict Complications in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

New radiomic prediction models effectively identify post-hepatectomy complications and early recurrences in hepatocellular carcinoma patients. Utilizing features from two-dimensional shear wave elastography, the comprehensive complication index (CCI) model achieved an AUC of 0.896, while the recurrence model reached 0.854. Key predictors included radiomic signatures, platelet count, age, and blood flow. These advancements enable targeted interventions […]

Surgery for Benign Polyps Often Causes Unnecessary Harm

Surgical treatment of complex benign colonic polyps significantly increases the risk of adverse events compared to endoscopy. An analysis of 240 patients revealed surgeries were linked to a higher likelihood of complications (odds ratio 3.27), severe adverse events (OR 7.5), and reinterventions (OR 25.6). Average hospital stays extended to 10 days for surgical patients, while […]

ERCP Triumphs in Treating Severe Acute Cholangitis

Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) outperformed percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage (PTBD) in patients with severe acute cholangitis due to common bile duct stones. ERCP achieved definitive stone clearance in 92.1% of cases and enabled shorter hospital stays, with faster ambulation and reduced patient discomfort. Although both methods effectively lowered inflammation and pain, PTBD patients experienced significantly […]

National Barrett’s Registry Boosts Early Detection of Esophageal Cancer

A structured Barrett’s program has empowered early diagnosis and treatment of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC), revealing a 4.7% incidence rate of high-grade dysplasia (HGD) and EAC among patients. Over 9,400 patients were monitored, with a median follow-up of 4.4 years. Key risk factors for progression included age, male gender, and Barrett’s length. This initiative anticipates reduced […]

Mini-laparoscopic cholecystectomy excels in obese patients

Mini-laparoscopic cholecystectomy (mlc) using a 5 mm umbilical port significantly improves outcomes for obese patients with gallstones. The mlc group experienced no port-site hernias, shorter operative times (46 minutes vs. 52), less postoperative pain, and a quicker return to daily activities. Patient satisfaction surged while in-hospital analgesic needs dropped. However, surgeon satisfaction dipped slightly with […]

New NTAA Model Transforms Prognosis for Liver Cancer Patients

The NTAA prognostic model redefines outcomes for BCLC stage B hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). Analyzing over 2,500 patients, it identified tumor size, number, alpha-fetoprotein levels, and albumin-bilirubin grade as key survival predictors. Dividing patients into low, intermediate, and high-risk groups revealed median survival rates of 68.1, 35.7, and 15.4 months, respectively. […]

EUS-BD Outperform BEA-ERCP in Complex Biliary Obstruction

In a multicenter study, endoscopic ultrasound-guided biliary drainage (EUS-BD) demonstrated superior efficacy to balloon enteroscopy-assisted ERCP (BEA-ERCP) for patients with surgically altered anatomy and unresectable malignant biliary obstruction. EUS-BD achieved a significantly higher technical success rate and shorter procedure times, while maintaining similar clinical success and adverse event rates. BEA-ERCP was identified as an independent […]

Robotic Surgery Beats Laparoscopy in Rectal Cancer Recovery

Robotic colorectal surgery (RCS) significantly accelerates bowel function recovery and reduces major complications compared to laparoscopic colorectal surgery (LCS). In a meta-analysis of 1,731 patients, RCS showed a 0.62-day improvement in bowel function, a 30% decrease in major complications, and a lower conversion rate to open surgery. Although RCS required 22.7 additional minutes of operative […]

New Benchmarks for Liver Surgery in Colorectal Metastases

Liver resection demonstrates strong oncologic outcomes for colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), with a 90-day mortality rate below 5%. One-year overall survival (OS) rates exceed 85% for most patients, dropping to 78% for those with ten or more metastases. Five-year OS rates range from 28% to 67%, depending on tumor burden. These findings establish critical benchmarks […]