There is significant variability in instrument and supply choices among surgeons performing common general surgery operations. This study analyzed surgeon preference cards for various operations and found that the number of sterilizable instrument trays and disposable supplies varied greatly. The variability in supply costs and carbon footprint was also substantial. Standardizing these choices could lead […]

During the COVID pandemic, many surgeons and surgical trainees had a positive experience with online surgical-focused learning, according to a scoping review. The review included 44 studies, with the majority focused on the perception of newly developed e-learning platforms and surgeons’ attitudes towards remote learning. The United States was the most represented country, and general […]

Unhoused patients face significant barriers in receiving surgical care, leading to poorer outcomes compared to the general population. This qualitative analysis of 26 interviews with clinicians revealed five key themes: challenges in meeting preoperative requirements, housing status influencing minor care decisions, negative postoperative experiences for unhoused patients, imperfect discharge options leading to inadequate postoperative care, […]

Hospital performance for general surgery varies between younger and older adults, with in-hospital mortality rates showing significant differences. Failure-to-rescue rates drive the variation in older adults, while both complication and failure-to-rescue rates contribute to high mortality rates in younger adults. Correlations between observed-to-expected mortality ratios suggest distinct hospital performance in each age group. Low-mortality hospitals […]

Researchers analyzed data from 41,827 ambulatory surgery encounters from 2016 to 2019 and found a 16.1% increase in the use of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Related Problems, tenth revision (ICD-10) Z codes. The most commonly documented health determinants were multiparity or unwanted pregnancy, homelessness, and incarceration. The study suggests that rates of […]

The study found that there is a significant gender disparity in academic leadership positions among surgeons, despite women holding more advanced non-doctoral degrees. Female surgeons were more likely to have advanced degrees than their male counterparts, but they were less likely to hold the rank of professor and more likely to hold the rank of […]

Surgeons commonly encounter aborted cancer surgeries, which occur due to unresectable or metastasized tumors. However, little is known about how to effectively manage the unique needs of these patients. A survey of 190 surgeons revealed that aborted cancer surgeries occur in approximately 7% of cases, with occult metastases and unresectability being the primary causes. While […]

Preoperative frailty and malnutrition in surgical oncology patients were found to be predictors of higher postoperative adverse events and worse survival in a blinded, prospective trial. Frail patients had a significantly higher likelihood of readmission within 30 and 90 days, as well as higher rates of unplanned intensive care unit admission and increased postoperative mortality. […]

By committing to providing necessary resources for faculty recruitment and retention, as well as physical space and infrastructure for research activities, the department of surgery significantly expanded its academic footprint. Over a period of 7 years, research funding increased by 13-fold, leading to a rise in national ranking from 55th to 10th place in the […]

Under-represented students in medicine (URIM) perceive the surgery clerkship differently compared to non-URIM students, according to a study of 235 medical students between 2019 and 2021. URIM students were less likely to see surgical residents and faculty as positive role models, while non-URIM students more often agreed that residents and faculty demonstrated positive patient care. […]