The study compared postoperative complications between neoadjuvant chemotherapy and upfront surgery in gastric adenocarcinoma patients in Finland. Analyzing data from 769 patients, the study found that neoadjuvant chemotherapy did not increase major postoperative complications, including pneumonia, anastomotic complications, wound complications, or other complications. The results suggest that neoadjuvant therapy is not associated with increased postoperative […]
Author: STITCHES Newsletter
Minimum Number of Lymph Nodes Required for Staging Adenocarcinoma of the Appendix
Researchers aimed to determine the minimum number of lymph nodes (lns) needed to accurately stage adenocarcinoma of the appendix. They analyzed data from 3,602 patients and found that harvesting at least ten lns was necessary to minimize the risk of missing lymph node positive (lnp) disease. Failing to evaluate at least ten lns was also […]
Cholangitis and interruptions of neoadjuvant chemotherapy decrease survival in pancreatic cancer
Patients with pancreatic cancer who experience cholangitis have reduced overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Interrupting neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAT) also decreases OS and PFS. Biliary decompression with metallic stents reduces the rate of chemotherapy interruptions and cholangitis compared to plastic stents. However, the choice of stent type does not affect OS or PFS. This […]
Early Prediction of PHLF: Clinical Risk Factors Outperform Lactate Levels
The study aimed to compare the accuracy of prediction models in detecting clinically relevant post-hepatectomy liver failure (PHLF) following major hepatectomy. The researchers evaluated the use of arterial lactate measurements as an early predictor of PHLF in a subgroup of major hepatectomies, finding that lactate levels on postoperative day 1 were inferior to clinical risk […]
A Video-Based Procedure-Specific Competency Assessment Tool Improves Evaluation of Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy
The study developed and validated a procedure-specific competency assessment tool (CAT) for minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). The CAT consists of 8 procedural phases, with 4 quality components per phase, assessed using a 1-4 Likert scale. Peer-reviewed MIE videos were evaluated by 18 international experts. Results showed good intrarater reliability and moderate interrater reliability. Construct validity […]
Local Therapy Improves Survival for Early Recurrence After Resection of Colorectal Liver Metastases
A study evaluated whether local therapy benefits patients who experience early recurrence after hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases (CLM). Clinicopathologic data of 671 patients were analyzed, with 81% experiencing recurrence. Local therapy, including ablation, resection, or radiation, resulted in improved survival for patients with early, intermediate, or later recurrence. Treatment with local therapy, liver and […]
Improved Prognosis in Rectal Cancer: Pathological-Features-Modified TNM Staging
A retrospective population-based study developed a pathological-features-modified tumor node metastasis (TNM) staging system using machine learning ensemble methods to improve the prognostic accuracy for rectal cancer patients. The study cohort included 14,468 patients diagnosed between 2010 and 2015. Patients were categorized into four pathological groups based on the number of pathological features. The proposed staging […]
International Consensus Defines Quality Measures for Minimally Invasive Gastrectomy
Researchers conducted an international Delphi consensus study to determine expert agreement on the key technical steps of minimally invasive total gastrectomy (MITG) for gastric cancer. A final consensus of 41 statements was reached, outlining crucial steps for performing high-quality MITG for oncological indications. The findings provide a foundation for developing and validating surgical quality assessment […]
Dehydration Slows Laparoscopic Tasks and Reduces Precision in Novices
Prolonged dehydration has limited impact on fundamental laparoscopic tissue handling skills, with no significant differences in force exertion. However, dehydrated participants demonstrated slower task times and increased errors in speed and precision, emphasizing the importance of hydration in maintaining optimal laparoscopic performance. Journal Article by Bereuter JP, Geissler ME (…) Oehme F et 8 al. […]
Guidelines Favor Single-Operator Cholangioscopy for Biliary Strictures and Stones
Researchers conducted a systematic review to develop clinical practice guidelines on the use of single-operator cholangioscopy (SOC) as a diagnostic and therapeutic alternative for indeterminate biliary strictures and difficult biliary stones. The guidelines recommend SOC with stricture pattern characterization for adult patients with indeterminate biliary strictures, and SOC over endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with large-balloon dilation […]