Surgeons are missing crucial opportunities to integrate palliative care for seriously ill older patients undergoing elective surgeries. Palliative care practices were infrequently utilized, despite their importance. Clinicians from various surgical fields acknowledged alignment with palliative care, but many felt it conflicted with their role. Surgeons often prioritized technical issues over patients’ psychosocial concerns, indicating the […]

Surgeons should know that flexibility stigma hinders resident well-being and family formation. 28 residents reported feeling pressured to avoid work-life accommodations to maintain their reputation. Trainees often faced a “double bind,” balancing career expectations with parenting and personal health needs. Addressing these cultural barriers within residency programs is crucial for supporting trainees and improving outcomes. […]

Surgeon attrition is threatening surgical services, particularly in key specialties. Nearly 10% of surgeons exited active practice in 8 years, peaking at 2.5% in 2019. Oral and maxillofacial surgery (25.1%), obstetrics and gynecology (23.2%), and plastic surgery (19.3%) showed the highest attrition rates. Surgeons with 10-14 years of experience faced more than double the risk […]

Postoperative mortality is a major issue in low- and middle-income countries, and this review identifies key interventions that can help. Eighteen trials with 95,521 patients were reviewed, revealing four that significantly reduced mortality, but results were context-specific. Effective strategies included improved operative techniques in neurosurgery and enhanced blood management in Brazil. Future efforts should focus […]

Emerging technologies in surgery include micro/nanorobots and intelligent instruments aimed at enhancing minimally invasive procedures. Use of translational genomics and artificial intelligence is expanding, improving diagnosis and treatment pathways for both benign and malignant diseases. Surgeons should prioritize collaboration with engineers and scientists to leverage these advancements effectively. Emphasizing ethical considerations and patient outcomes is […]

Rectus sheath catheters offer a safe pain management alternative to thoracic epidural analgesia, reducing complications and costs for open surgery patients. No significant difference in postoperative pain scores or opioid use between the two methods. Rectus sheath catheters cut the risk of hypotension by 60% and lower costs between $500 and $6632 per case. These […]

Non-cancer center patients have worse survival outcomes and more missing data. Missing data prevalence was significantly higher at non-cancer centers (e.g., NSCLC: 42% vs 13% at cancer centers). Three-year overall survival was lower for patients with missing data across all cancers (e.g., breast: 63% vs 81%). Consider the implications of missing data in decision-making and […]

Only 30% of trainees have formal training on COC operative standards. Correct answer rates: 30% for standards, 50% for cancer surgery principles. Incorporating education on these standards in training is crucial for improving surgical quality. Fellows have much higher familiarity (68%) compared to residents (24%). A significant 71% of residents participate in operative documentation, indicating […]

Robotic-assisted resection reduces the need for open surgery in solid organ malignancies, impacting surgical decisions. Conversion rates to open surgery were significantly lower with robotic techniques (6.1%) compared to straight stick methods (13.6%, p<0.001). Robotic approaches provided an additional lymph node yield on average, enhancing oncologic outcomes. Consider integrating robotic platforms to minimize conversion risks, […]

Gender equity in surgical oncology is improving, with notable increases in female participation and leadership. Female committee membership soared from 25.5% in 2010 to 49.3% in 2024 (p < 0.001). Women now hold 48.1% of leadership roles, up from 20.3% in 2010 (p < 0.01). This progress enhances diversity and innovation in the field. Female […]