Understanding the gut microbiome can enhance surgical outcomes and long-term cancer patient care. Perioperative synbiotics reduce infectious complications by 45% in colorectal surgery and 64% in major liver surgery. Preoperative oral care cuts post-esophagectomy pneumonia risk by 50%. Targeted microbiome interventions are essential for optimizing surgical recovery and minimizing complications. Antibiotic exposure prior to melanoma […]

Surgeons involved in global surgery face significant barriers that impact engagement and outcomes. Early mentorship and community networks were vital for sustained commitment. Financial and institutional recognition obstacles hinder career development. To cultivate competent global surgery leaders, focus on improving training pathways and addressing funding challenges. Emphasizing humility and long-term impact is crucial for effective […]

Surgeons need to know that securing employment in resource-intensive specialties in Canada remains challenging due to a complicated hiring process. The study involved 20 physicians across 15 specialties, highlighting a nebulous and opaque hiring landscape. Participants noted hiring decisions often depend on subjective perceived fit, raising concerns about bias and inequity. Structured national guidelines could […]

Non-technical errors during emergency general surgery significantly impact patient mortality, revealing critical areas for improvement. Non-technical errors were found in 67.9% of 1,164 surgical deaths, totaling 1,053 unique mistakes. Situational awareness errors were most common (49.3%), followed by decision-making errors (40.9%). Improving non-technical skills should target behaviors both in and outside the operating room. Nearly […]

An international consensus has established a structured training curriculum for robotic surgery, addressing critical gaps for GI surgical trainees. 82 out of 106 training items reached consensus across diverse stakeholders, ensuring comprehensive knowledge and skills. This curriculum covers essential areas: bedside assistance, console operation, performance assessment, and certification standards. Standardized training enhances patient safety and […]

Burnout and mistreatment are alarmingly common among academic general surgery faculty, particularly affecting female surgeons, which could impact recruitment and retention. 34.9% report weekly burnout; 30.2% have thoughts of leaving their jobs. 66.2% report mistreatment, including 54.4% experiencing bullying and 46.3% facing discrimination. Targeting workplace conditions is essential to improve faculty well-being and reduce turnover. […]

A new calculator improves pulmonary embolism (PE) risk assessment after surgery, potentially impacting thrombo-prophylaxis strategies. Among nearly 5 million surgeries, 0.35% (17,045) resulted in PE. Dynamic reassessment following unplanned readmissions could identify 24,320 patients over the 0.5% treatment threshold, revealing a PE rate of 2.92%. Surgeons can use this tool to inform extended thromboprophylaxis, reducing […]

Team dynamics significantly affect patient outcomes in complex surgical oncology. Five resident-led teams had unacceptably high adverse event rates (6.9% to 22.3%). Thirteen teams had longer-than-expected hospital stays (+0.4 to +3.5 days), while seven teams had shorter stays (-1.1 to -0.7 days). Effective performance benchmarking can pinpoint teams needing additional supervision. Three teams had higher-than-expected […]

The use of entrustable professional activities (EPAs) provides a new framework for evaluating surgical residents, improving assessment and support for trainee competencies. 58.2% of residents achieved readiness for appendicitis by PGY-3; other procedures like gallbladder disease saw 86.6% readiness by PGY-4. Early performance in soft tissue infections showed 54.8% at PGY-2 reaching indirect supervision. This […]