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Improving Surgical Scheduling Cuts Wait Times for Patients

A new scheduling system significantly reduces waiting times for surgeries, enhancing efficiency and patient care.

  • ORCAL cut average waiting times by 7.5 days overall, with grade 1 cases seeing a reduction of 12.3 days.
  • Total operative days dropped from 521 to 417, while surgical time per day increased from 462.4 to 488.1 minutes.

This means better resource management and improved access for patients needing timely surgical interventions.

  • The top machine learning model reduced date discrepancies to just 12.7 days, enhancing scheduling accuracy.

Comparative Study by Culié D, Schiappa R (…) Chamorey E et 7 al. in J Am Coll Surg

Copyright © 2026 by the American College of Surgeons. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, LLC. All rights reserved.

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Refined Risk Stratification in Cholangiocarcinoma Resection

Anatomic and biologic criteria improve recurrence predictions post-surgery for perihilar cholangiocarcinoma, enhancing patient selection.

  • Anatomic borderline resectability alone failed to predict recurrence; adding CA19-9 biomarker separated patients into three distinct risk levels for recurrence-free survival.
  • Two-year recurrence-free survival rates were 55.7%, 37.8%, and 25.3% for low-, intermediate-, and high-risk groups respectively.

This approach shifts decision-making towards a more comprehensive assessment of oncologic risk rather than relying solely on anatomy.

Journal Article by Chatzipanagiotou OP, Kawashima J (…) Pawlik TM et 11 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2026. The Author(s).

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Bevacizumab strategies enhance surgical options in liver metastases

Patients with initially unresectable colorectal liver metastases benefit from certain induction therapies that increase surgical conversion potential.

  • Bevacizumab plus triplet chemotherapy showed a 99% probability of improving R0-1 resection rates and progression-free survival.
  • Bevacizumab plus doublet chemotherapy offers a more balanced benefit-risk profile, favoring safer patient outcomes.

Consider adjusting induction regimens based on genetic tumor profiles to optimize treatment effectiveness.

  • Cetuximab plus doublet chemotherapy is the only regimen outperforming standard chemotherapy for wild-type KRAS/BRAF tumors in PFS.

Journal Article by Nie G, Li X (…) Lu J et 4 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2026. Society of Surgical Oncology.

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Laparoscopic Surgery is Non-Inferior for Stage IV Colon Cancer

Laparoscopic surgery offers similar outcomes to open surgery for non-curable stage IV colon cancer.

  • Three-year progression-free survival: 5.3% for open vs. 3.0% for laparoscopic (hazard ratio 1.028).
  • Three-year overall survival: 31.5% for open vs. 28.5% for laparoscopic (hazard ratio 1.048).

Laparoscopic approaches may improve recovery and reduce hospital stays without compromising survival.

  • Grade ≥3 late complications: 1.1% in open vs. 2.0% in laparoscopic surgery.

Journal Article by Shiomi A, Akagi T (…) Inomata M et 12 al. in Dis Colon Rectum

Copyright © The ASCRS 2026.

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Robotic Single-Port Hartmann Reversal is Safe and Effective

A robotic single-port approach for Hartmann reversal enhances surgical feasibility while minimizing trauma.

  • Five patients underwent the procedure with no major complications.
  • Mean operating time was 199 minutes, and hospital stay averaged 4 days.

This technique leverages robotic instrumentation to reduce tissue damage and the risk of enteric injury, making it a strong option for restoring bowel continuity.

  • Future advancements in robotic systems could expand its application in complex cases.

Video-Audio Media by Spinelli A, Sacchi M, Chaoui AM and Foppa C in Dis Colon Rectum

Copyright © The ASCRS 2026.

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Molecular insights reshape cholangiocarcinoma surgery.

  • Cholangiocarcinomas show significant biological diversity, influencing treatment and patient selection.
  • High rates of actionable mutations in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma, such as FGFR2 fusions and IDH1/2 mutations, offer new therapeutic targets.
  • Understanding the molecular subtypes can enhance surgical approaches and refine prognostic assessments.

Tailoring surgical strategies based on molecular profiles can improve outcomes in cholangiocarcinoma patients.

Review by Braconi C, O’Rourke CJ, Andersen JB and Roberts LR in Gastroenterology

Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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Robotic Cholecystectomy Cuts Complications in Complex Cases

Robotic-assisted cholecystectomy significantly reduces the need for unplanned procedures in complex gallbladder surgeries.

  • Patients undergoing robotic cholecystectomy had a 4.24 odds ratio for fewer interventions compared to laparoscopic techniques (p = .02).
  • Operating room costs are higher for robotics: $8,936 vs. $7,720 for laparoscopic in complex cases.

Robotic cholecystectomy maintains overall care costs similar to the laparoscopic approach for complex cases, indicating its potential to enhance patient outcomes without driving up expenses.

Journal Article by Caldwell KE, Threlkeld E (…) Sanford DE et 6 al. in JAMA Surg

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Survival Advantage in Esophageal Cancer: FLOT vs CROSS

Patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma achieving pathological complete response show better outcomes with FLOT chemotherapy compared to CROSS chemoradiotherapy.

  • FLOT patients had a significantly lower recurrence rate (8.8%) vs. CROSS (24.7%).
  • Overall survival was much better in the FLOT group, with a hazard ratio of 0.34 after adjustment.

Surgeons should consider FLOT for better long-term survival and lower recurrence likelihood in eligible patients.

  • Distant metastases were more common in the CROSS group, highlighting differing recurrence patterns.

Journal Article by Alhayo S, Chou WK (…) van Berge Henegouwen MI et 53 al. in JAMA Surg

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Palliative Care’s Impact on End-of-Life Procedures in HPB Cancer

Incorporating palliative care can significantly impact procedural decisions for patients with hepatopancreatobiliary cancers.

  • Among 2,848 patients, 48.2% underwent inpatient procedures; 40.7% received palliative care.
  • Early palliative care involvement correlated with a 29% lower chance of undergoing nonpalliative procedures (odds ratio 0.71).

Greater integration of palliative care may enhance decision-making aligned with patient quality of life at the end of life.

  • Palliative care use more than doubled from 2013 to 2024, but procedural rates remained constant.

Journal Article by Agritelley ES, Kanu EN (…) Blazer Iii DG et 10 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2026. Society of Surgical Oncology.

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Mesoglycan Effective for Acute Hemorrhoidal Disease Relief

Mesoglycan significantly improves symptoms in acute hemorrhoidal disease management, enhancing surgical outcomes.

  • Patients taking mesoglycan saw a symptom score reduction of -7.5 vs -3.9 for placebo (p = .027).
  • Significant symptom relief was noted, especially in grade III patients with reduced itching (p = .0048), pain (p = .0246), and swelling/prolapse (p = .0418).

This safe, well-tolerated treatment can enhance patient recovery and satisfaction post-surgery.

  • Treatment adherence was over 97%, with no serious adverse events.

Journal Article by Gallo G, Salvatore A (…) Rinaldi M et 5 al. in BMC Surg

Copyright © 2026 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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