Endoscopic cryotherapy has shown safety and efficacy in treating gastrointestinal conditions, including complete eradication of dysplasia and neoplasia in Barrett’s esophagus. It serves as a second-line treatment for refractory cases and an alternative to surgical resection for duodenal adenomas. Innovative applications for gastrointestinal bleeding and esophageal strictures have also been reported. Overall, endoscopic cryotherapy is […]
Category: General Surgery
Robotic D3-D4 Lymphadenectomy Improves Survival in Upper Rectum and Sigmoid Colon Cancer Patients
Standardized robotic D3-D4 lymphadenectomy improves survival in upper rectum and sigmoid colon cancer patients with more than N2 lymph node metastasis. Specific nodal stations contribute differently to overall survival, with common iliac vessels and infra-renal vein being significant predictors. Results suggest optimized surgical techniques and potential updates to treatment guidelines. Journal Article by Chen TC, […]
Improved Skill Transfer with 3D-Printed Model for Laparoscopic Biliary-Enteric Anastomosis Training
A randomized controlled trial found that training with a 3D-printed model for laparoscopic biliary-enteric anastomosis led to significantly shorter operation times, higher performance scores, and greater goal achievement compared to traditional training methods. This suggests improved skill acquisition and transferability to a clinical setting with the novel simulation model. Randomized Controlled Trial by Shen J, […]
Machine Learning Models to Predict Laparoscopic Surgery Difficulty in Rectal Cancer
Researchers developed and validated machine learning (ML) models to predict the difficulty of laparoscopic total mesorectal excision (LaTME) in rectal cancer. In a study with 186 patients, four ML models—logistic regression (LR), support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), and decision tree (DT)—were developed using preoperative and intraoperative factors. All models showed strong performance in […]
Improved Outcomes With Prioritization of Circulation Over Intubation in Exsanguinating Injuries
Comparing outcomes in patients with exsanguinating injuries, a study found prioritizing circulation over intubation led to significantly lower 24-hour mortality (11.1% vs. 69.2%), reduced odds of mortality within 24h (91%), and at 30 days (89%), along with lower rates of renal failure and higher ARDS incidence. These results highlight the potential benefits of prioritizing circulation […]
Safety and efficacy of a PD-1 inhibitor combined with oxaliplatin plus S-1 in patients with Borrmann large type III and IV gastric cancers
Clinicians evaluated the safety and efficacy of combining a programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) inhibitor with oxaliplatin plus S-1 (SOX) for treating Borrmann large type III and IV gastric cancers. In this retrospective analysis involving 89 patients, those who received PD-1 combined with SOX (P-SOX) had a significantly higher pathological response rate (42.86% with tumor […]
Preoperative Checklist for Clinical Risk Assessment in Ileoanal Pouch Surgery
Clinicians developed a preoperative checklist to support clinical risk assessment and patient selection for patients with ulcerative colitis considering ileoanal pouch surgery (IPAA). The checklist includes risk factors such as gender, advanced age, obesity, comorbidities, sphincteric impairment, Crohn’s disease, and pelvic radiation therapy. It also incorporates crucial steps in the decision-making process, like pouch nurse […]
Effective Maintenance Therapies for Crohn’s Disease Post-Surgery
Effective maintenance therapies for Crohn’s disease post-surgery include 5-aminosalicylic acid, adalimumab, and thiopurine analogues. Cochrane reviews show these agents have varying levels of efficacy in preventing recurrence after surgery, with 5-ASA being probably more effective than placebo and adalimumab showing promise in network meta-analysis. Clinicians should consider these findings when discussing treatment options with patients, […]
Machine Learning for Predicting Future Surgery in Ileal Crohn’s Disease Using CT-Enterography
Researchers used machine learning (ML) to quantify cumulative ileal injury on CT-enterography (CTE) scans for patients with ileal Crohn’s disease (CD) to predict future bowel surgery. Analysis of 229 CTE scans with 8,424 mini-segments revealed strong agreement between ML and radiologists in grading bowel injury (κ=0.80), similar to inter-radiologist agreement (κ=0.87). Cumulative injury scores were […]
Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Surgery Clerkship Education
This study explored how the COVID-19 pandemic affected medical student education in surgery clerkships. Most directors shifted to virtual platforms and then back to in-person learning. Student preparation and progression were impacted, but interest in surgical careers remained stable. Despite initial challenges, the pandemic led to positive changes in virtual patient encounters, didactics, and student […]