As the COVID-19 storm hit, the financial tango between surgeons and industry partners took a hit. Examining payments from 2014 to 2021, researchers found a 47% drop in general payments and a 26.5% dip in research payments from 2019 to 2020. All surgical subspecialties felt the squeeze, with travel/lodging payments witnessing the most significant shake-up. […]
Category: General Surgery
Navigating Blunt Trauma: CT Scores’ Quest for Bowel Injury Truth
In the realm of blunt trauma, researchers unleashed the Faget Score and Bowel Injury Prediction Score (BIPS) to unmask the mystery of surgical need for bowel and mesenteric injuries. Scrutinizing 62 warriors from a sea of 14,897, the Faget and BIPS scores showed decent specificity but modest sensitivity. However, when an attending radiologist took the […]
Strategic Growth: Portal Vein Boost for Liver Resection in Cholangiocarcinoma
When facing borderline resectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), inducing hypertrophy pre-resection is a game-changer. In this single-center study, researchers found that portal vein embolization (PVE) prepped the battleground without raising perioperative issues. Overall survival (OS) matched non-PVE cases, but additional risks (multifocal tumors, lymph node involvement) threw a curveball, slashing OS notably. The takeaway? PVE proves […]
A Deep Dive into Anti-Obesity Medications
The battle against obesity is no one-size-fits-all, and this study delves into the arsenal—lifestyle tweaks, anti-obesity meds (AOMs), gadgets, and surgery. Researchers stress the need for a personalized approach, factoring in patient quirks, goals, and health hiccups. In this trial-and-error game, no crystal ball predicts the perfect AOM match. The takeaway? Prescribe sequentially, maybe mix […]
Lighting the Way: Fluorescent Tech Nails Esophageal Surgery
Researchers lit up esophageal cancer surgery with near-infrared indocyanine green, exposing the elusive thoracic duct (TD) in 94% of cases. Injecting ICG into inguinal nodes during minimal access esophagectomy, the team showcased real-time TD imaging. The glow guided ligation in 16 cases, minimizing chyle leaks and sidestepping adverse reactions. This illuminating approach, sustaining fluorescence throughout, […]
Revolutionizing Support for Surgeon-Scientists: A Blueprint for Sustainable Science
Surgical leaders unite to transform support for surgeon-scientists, facing challenges of institutional neglect and time constraints. Task force recommendations include cultivating a growth mindset in surgeons, emphasizing mentorship with structured accountability, ensuring financial sustainability through diversified funding, and enhancing structural and strategic support. Building a supportive community culture and reshaping institutional and funding agency expectations […]
Harmony in Hepatic Recovery: Gata3 and Ramp2 Balance Key to Vascular Reconstitution
Unveiling liver regeneration intricacies, this study decodes Gata3 and Ramp2’s role in hepatic-vascular revival post-surgery. These hepatocyte conductors fuel liver sinusoidal endothelial cell proliferation. Pedf and Vegfa, playing contrasting roles in endothelial migration, spice up the dance. Gata3 inhibitors emerge as potential superheroes against post-hepatectomy liver failure. Serum Pedf/Vegfa Index (SPVI) steps in as a […]
Unsupervised Training Proves Effective for Esophago-Gastric Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection
Experienced endoscopists seeking competence in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) faced a challenging learning curve. This study introduced an unsupervised training model. Endoscopists initially observed 30 ESD cases and performed 15 unsupervised ex-vivo ESDs. Afterward, they tackled five human distal gastric ESDs and 55 unselected esophago-gastric cases. Results were promising, with a 93.0% en-bloc resection rate, […]
Optimal Timing for Pancreatic Cancer Adjuvant Therapy: A Survival Analysis
Delving into the ideal moment for post-pancreatic adenocarcinoma surgery chemotherapy, a simulated trial tracked 1491 patients. Noteworthy findings revealed a median survival of 29.9 months for late initiators (>4-8 weeks) versus 30.4 months for early starters (0-4 weeks). Encouragingly, delaying treatment up to 8 weeks post-surgery showed comparable safety, offering a nuanced approach that respects […]
Laparoscopic Showdown: Transperitoneal Triumphs in Tackling Retroperitoneal Tumors
Researchers delved into the battle of surgical approaches for benign retroperitoneal tumors (BRTs). Analyzing data from 43 patients, the laparoscopic transperitoneal approach emerged as the superhero, boasting lower conversion rates and comparable outcomes to its retroperitoneal counterpart. With enhanced visual perspectives and bleeding control, the transperitoneal technique flexed its anatomical advantages, proving especially potent against […]