A novel perioperative mortality risk (POMR) model was developed and validated for humanitarian surgical care, utilizing electronic health record data from 49,277 patients. Eight critical, accessible variables were identified: age over 65 years, male sex, Glasgow Coma Scale under 13, high glucose levels, low hemoglobin, elevated heart rate, fever, and high systolic blood pressure. The […]

An algorithm was developed to automate the grading of surgery-related adverse events using the Clavien-Dindo classification, showing substantial agreement with manual annotations. In a study of 1,379 colorectal procedures, the algorithm achieved a kappa of 0.77 with surgeons and 0.74 with nurses, improving to 0.89 after correcting annotations. The findings suggest promising potential for real-time […]

Between 2019 and 2023, surgical opioid stewardship in 15 hospitals resulted in a notable decline in preoperative opioid use from 17% to 10%, coupled with an increase in intraoperative blocks from 21% to 27%. Data from 18,325 patients indicated that opioid avoidance strategies were effectively maintained for 68-70% of patients, while discharge opioid prescriptions remained […]

The Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES) has developed a standardized procedure for regularly updating clinical practice guidelines. This evidence-based approach aims to maintain the relevance and quality of recommendations for physicians and patients. By establishing a systematic framework for reviewing existing guidelines, SAGES highlights the importance of ongoing evaluation to ensure that […]

A national survey indicated that 44.3% of surgical residents complete noneducational tasks at home, while 37.6% express dissatisfaction with personal time. Multivariable regression linked work-life conflicts to increased risks of career dissatisfaction, burnout, and suicidality, particularly among parents and female residents. Qualitative analysis identified interventions, such as prioritizing personal health maintenance and family time, to […]

The presence of high levels of academic medical centers (AMCs) significantly reduces surgical complications and mortality rates in nearby non-academic medical centers (non-AMCs). Analysis of data from over 388,000 Medicare beneficiaries indicated that high AMC presence was linked to a decrease in extended length-of-stay, postoperative complications, and 90-day readmissions. Additionally, this high presence corresponded to […]

Addressing climate change, researchers highlight its disproportionate effects on low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), where health outcomes decline due to environmental factors. They emphasize that while expanding surgical care improves access, it risks exacerbating environmental degradation, raising challenges for vulnerable populations already facing health inequity. Advocating for sustainable infrastructure and targeting upstream health causes, the […]

An umbrella review of 28 articles involving over 80,000 patients reveals that extending postoperative antibiotic prophylaxis (PAP) beyond 24 hours offers no significant advantages in preventing surgical site infections compared to immediate discontinuation. The pooled risk ratio (RR) was found to be 1.07, supporting the WHO’s 2018 recommendation to cease PAP after surgical incision closure […]

A research agenda for entrustable professional activities in surgical specialties has been proposed to enhance competency-based medical education. Key domains of inquiry include practice readiness, environmental biases, certification features, qualitative feedback, and patient outcomes. This framework aims to integrate innovative training methodologies into residency and address the evolving skill requirements of surgical residents. By evaluating […]