A surgical mentorship program for medical students aimed to foster career development and networking. The study engaged 43 mentees and 21 mentors, finding that both groups highly valued effective communication. While post-program surveys showed improved communication and meaningful connections, some mentees critiqued mentor communication, and mentors highlighted student initiative. This pilot program demonstrated the potential […]
Category: General Surgery
Prescribing Guideline Cuts Postoperative Opioid Use in Emergency Surgery
In emergency general surgery (EGS), there’s often no standardized approach to prescribing opioids for postoperative pain, raising concerns about overprescription. To address this, researchers introduced an opioid prescribing guideline. After implementation, they observed a significant reduction in prescribed opioid dosages at discharge. The proportion of patients receiving high-dose opioid prescriptions (≥50 morphine milligram equivalents per […]
Shaping the Role of Surgical Vice Chairs of Education
In response to evolving medical education needs, the role of Vice Chair of Education (VCE) in a Department of Surgery (DoS) is emerging. However, this role’s specifics aren’t well-defined. This study engaged 13 faculty members and 13 VCEs to explore this novel position. Stakeholders welcomed the VCE role, albeit with some questions about its impact. […]
2023 AABB Guidelines: A Fresher Approach to Red Blood Cell Transfusion
The 2023 AABB International Guidelines on red blood cell transfusion are here. They provide recommendations for adults and children based on extensive research. For adults, the guidelines suggest a restrictive transfusion strategy with a hemoglobin concentration less than 7 g/dl for stable patients, which was found to be safe. For children, similar strategies are recommended, […]
Aggressive Treatment Approach Beneficial for Elderly Pancreatic Cancer Patients
This study examined whether administering neoadjuvant therapy (nat) followed by surgical resection is safe and effective in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) patients aged 75 and older. In a comprehensive three-part analysis, the research found that this aggressive treatment approach appears to be both safe and effective for older patients. Notably, it led to improved outcomes […]
Comparing Gastric Ischemic Conditioning Techniques for Safer Esophagectomy
This study delves into techniques used to reduce complications in esophagectomy, where blood flow issues often lead to problems. They compared three methods: one-step esophagectomy, laparoscopic gastric ischemic conditioning (lapgic), and angioembolization (angiogic). Results from 14 studies involving 1760 patients indicate that both lapgic and angiogic significantly reduced the risk of postoperative anastomotic leaks and […]
Validation of Fistula Risk Scores for Postoperative Pancreatic Fistula After Surgery
Researchers have successfully validated the accuracy of two fistula risk scores, “distal fistula risk scores” and “dispair,” in predicting postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) after distal pancreatectomy. These scores are based on various patient factors like body mass index, diabetes, and pancreatic characteristics. With a 19.3% incidence of clinically relevant POPF in their cohort, the study […]
Gender Bias Persists in the Operating Room: Implications for the Medical Workforce
In a survey involving 440 surgeons and anesthesiologists, 55.2% of participants reported experiences of gender bias. Women faculty members, in particular, expressed the need to continually prove themselves, experienced less respect, had fewer opportunities and resources, faced more assumptions about their abilities, and felt the necessity to adjust their demeanor to connect with their teams, […]
Common Channel Length and Type II Diabetes Remission after Duodenal Switch
Exploring the impact of common channel (CC) length in duodenal switch (DS) surgeries on Type II diabetes mellitus (DM) remission, this study analyzed 341 DM patients with varying CC lengths (100 cm, 150 cm, and 200 cm). When stratified by insulin dependence, patients with shorter CC lengths exhibited improved glycemic control and greater DM remission […]
Factors Influencing Readmissions After Sleeve Gastrectomy
In the quest to understand 30-day readmission rates following laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, a study involving 235,563 patients identified several influential factors. These factors included age, gender, body mass index (BMI), payment source, length of hospital stay, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. Older age, male gender, higher BMI, Medicare as the primary payer, and certain comorbidities were […]