Early-career surgeons often grapple with practice development hurdles, contributing to high burnout rates and attrition. A study across five academic medical centers found that both men and women surgeons face barriers like competition and resource allocation. However, women surgeons additionally confront gender-based discrimination, unequal referrals, and more extensive demands. Gender concordance with patients and referrers […]
Category: General Surgery
Optimizing Morbidity and Mortality Conferences for Quality Improvement and Education
In their quest to refine morbidity and mortality conferences (MMCs), a treasure trove of 59 studies revealed valuable insights. These MMC makeovers, assessed through the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument, struck a harmonious balance. They spotlighted the significance of pre-conference groundwork and post-event follow-up for quality improvement. The MMC success formula includes concise case […]
Innovative Approach for Pancreatic Cancer Surgery Yields Promising Outcomes
A novel cranial-to-caudal approach (CC approach) for minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy (MIDP) in pancreatic cancer was examined. The study included 94 patients, with 23 undergoing the CC approach. This approach aimed to identify Gerota’s fascia from the cranial side of the pancreas and ensure complete tumor removal. Results revealed similar operation times, blood loss, and […]
A Decade of Robotic Hepatectomies: Learning Curve and Outcomes
Over a 10-year span, a medical center’s experience with 100 major robotic liver resections was examined, showing the evolution of robotic surgery. The study found no significant differences in key parameters like operative time, blood loss, length of hospital stay, 90-day readmission, major complications, and mortality between early and late cases. Notably, the study revealed […]
Quality of Care in Appendicitis: Regional Hospitals Outperform Tertiary Care Centers
A comparative study of 2,158 adult appendicitis patients in different hospital settings revealed notable differences in surgical outcomes. Patients in tertiary care hospitals experienced longer surgical waiting times, increased surgical delays, longer operation times, higher rates of appendix perforation, and greater hospital costs compared to those in regional hospitals. Factors linked to surgical delays were […]
Transverse Coloplasty Pouch Improves Bowel Function After Rectal Cancer Surgery
Researchers compared two surgical techniques for rectal cancer patients who underwent intersphincteric resection (ISR): transverse coloplasty pouch (TCP) and straight coloanal anastomosis (SCAA). While oncological outcomes were similar, the study found that two years after ileostomy closure, the TCP group had significantly less major low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) and better Wexner scores compared to […]
Routine Visceral Branch Resection in Rectal Cancer Lymph Node Dissection: Safe and Efficient
Researchers investigated the safety and feasibility of a modified lymph node dissection (LLND) in mid-low-lying rectal cancer, involving routine resection of visceral branches of internal iliac vessels. The study compared two groups: one with routine resection (RVR) and one without (NVR). The RVR group saw reduced operative times without a significant difference in postoperative complications […]
Review Finds Combination of Mechanical Devices More Effective for Preventing VTE After Surgery
A systematic review compared the effectiveness of mechanical prophylaxis devices in preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) during and after surgery. The study included 14 articles and found that intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) was superior to graduated compression stockings (GCS) when used alone. Additionally, a combination of IPC and GCS showed greater efficacy compared to GCS alone, […]
Dilation Status Irrelevant in Bile Duct Injury Repairs: Surgical and Radiological Drainages Equally Effective
A retrospective study on 87 patients who underwent hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) for bile duct injuries (BDI) aimed to determine whether the dilation status of the bile duct before repair affected outcomes. The study found that dilation status had no impact on short- or long-term results, including anastomotic stricture rates. Patients without preoperative dilation had more severe […]
Remote Assessment of Surgical Safety Checklists
Researchers utilized the OR Black Box, a surgical data capture system, to evaluate surgical safety checklist performance across 7 North American academic medical centers. Their analysis of 7,243 surgical procedures revealed that most included a time-out (98.4%) and 62.3% included a debrief. These procedures often involved a majority of OR staff, with team introductions leading […]