Blog

Cholangioscope-assisted therapy proves effective for chronic abdominal pain.

A single-center study evaluated 60 patients with chronic abdominal pain linked to the appendix, using cholangioscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT). Findings revealed a 100% technical success rate and 90% clinical success. Post-procedure, 90% of patients reported an abdominal pain score of zero after an average follow-up of 6.6 months. Median procedure time was 5.4 minutes with a short hospital stay of 2.1 days and no recorded complications, confirming ERAT’s efficacy and safety.

Journal Article by Li Q, Liu T and Qin T in Dig Dis Sci

© 2025. The Author(s).

read the whole article in Dig Dis Sci

open it in PubMed

Racial disparities in surgical outcomes are set for analysis

A systematic review and meta-analysis aims to assess the impact of racism on surgical outcomes in the USA and Canada. The study will compile data on adverse postoperative events for racialised versus non-racialised patients across common and high-risk surgeries. Key outcomes include mortality and complication rates, with a focus on identifying substantial gaps in care. Findings are expected to guide the development of surgical equity tools and quality improvement measures in healthcare systems.

Journal Article by Adedipe I, Marchand T (…) Daodu O et 3 al. in BMJ Open

© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2025. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ Group.

read the whole article in BMJ Open

open it in PubMed

AQCS enhances adenoma detection rates in routine colonoscopy

A study involving 1,254 participants revealed that an automatic quality control system (AQCS) significantly improved adenoma detection rates during routine colonoscopy. The AQCS-assisted group achieved a detection rate of 32.7% compared to 22.6% in the standard group (relative risk 1.60, p <.001). Enhanced detection was noted across both lower- and medium-level detectors, regardless of academic or nonacademic settings. This suggests AQCS implementation could bolster colorectal cancer prevention efforts.

Multicenter Study by Liu J, Zhou R (…) Zuo X et 15 al. in JAMA Netw Open

read the whole article in JAMA Netw Open

open it in PubMed

Machine learning effectively predicts gastroparesis risk in surgery patients

Advanced machine learning techniques, particularly the xgboost algorithm, have shown exceptional predictive accuracy for identifying the risk of postoperative gastroparesis in colon cancer patients after complete mesocolic excision. From a cohort of 1,097 patients, featuring 87 gastroparesis cases, xgboost achieved an area under the curve of 0.939 for training and 0.876 for validation. This predictive model aids clinicians in recognizing key risk factors, potentially improving patient recovery and wellbeing.

Journal Article by Liu Y, Zhao S (…) Zhou N et 2 al. in Front Med (Lausanne)

Copyright © 2025 Liu, Zhao, Du, Shen and Zhou.

read the whole article in Front Med (Lausanne)

open it in PubMed

Combining radiofrequency ablation with immunotherapy improves HCC treatment outcomes

Combining radiofrequency ablation (RFA) with immunotherapy shows promising efficacy and manageable safety for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It induces immunogenic substances and regulates immune cell responses, enhancing the anti-tumor immune effects and reconstructing the tumor microenvironment. This synergy reduces the risk of cancer recurrence and metastasis, while also improving overall survival. The findings may provide valuable new strategies for systemic treatment of HCC, which is a significant cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide.

Review by Xie GL, Zhong ZH, Ye TW and Xiao ZQ in BMC Surg

© 2025. The Author(s).

read the whole article in BMC Surg

open it in PubMed

Innovative endoscopic techniques improve treatment for upper GI submucosal tumors

Advances in endoscopic techniques for treating upper gastrointestinal submucosal tumors (SMTs) are promising, with innovations enhancing diagnosis and therapeutic options. The study evaluates diverse endoscopic strategies and their efficacy, indicating they are minimally invasive and expedite recovery compared to traditional surgery. Despite these advancements, concerns regarding patient safety and comprehensive efficacy remain. By summarizing recent methods, clinicians are provided with valuable insights to tailor treatments, potentially benefiting a broader range of patients with SMTs.

Review by Chen Y, Zhu X (…) Deng K et 3 al. in Eur J Surg Oncol

Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

read the whole article in Eur J Surg Oncol

open it in PubMed

Increased familiarity among surgical teams lowers patient complications

Higher levels of surgical team familiarity significantly reduce patient complications and adverse events, according to a cohort study of over 8,500 operations. Specifically, investigators found that initial collaborations cut composite adverse event rates from 23% to 16.5%. The related odds ratios indicated notable decreases in major complications, unplanned reoperations, and ICU stays. These findings underscore the need for hospitals to prioritize the formation of stable surgical teams to enhance overall patient safety and outcomes.

Journal Article by Stelzl DR, Polazzi S (…) Duclos A et 2 al. in Int J Surg

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

read the whole article in Int J Surg

open it in PubMed

Non-enhanced abbreviated MRI outperforms contrast-enhanced CT for liver metastases detection

In a prospective study involving 587 colorectal cancer patients, non-enhanced abbreviated MRI (ne-amri) demonstrated superior diagnostic accuracy for liver metastases detection compared to contrast-enhanced CT (ce-ct). Across three surveillance rounds, ne-amri consistently showed higher lesion-based detection rates and better patient-based metrics, including sensitivity and specificity. Notably, it outperformed ce-ct even for lesions ≤ 10 mm. This method presents a promising, non-invasive alternative that can refine clinical management while reducing exposure to radiation and contrast agents.

Journal Article by Liu J, Ye L (…) Liu L et 3 al. in Int J Surg

Copyright © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

read the whole article in Int J Surg

open it in PubMed

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy shows improved outcomes over open surgery

A meta-analysis including 54,287 patients found robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (RPD) significantly reduces overall postoperative complications, wound infections, estimated blood loss, and hospital stays compared to open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD). Although RPD resulted in longer operating times, it demonstrated a lower risk of complications overall. Both surgical approaches exhibited comparable resection quality. Researchers emphasize the need for additional high-quality randomized controlled trials to confirm these findings and further understand the implications of robotic versus open procedures.

Review by Waseem MH, Abideen ZU (…) Qazi SU et 12 al. in J Gastrointest Cancer

© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

read the whole article in J Gastrointest Cancer

open it in PubMed

Bile cfDNA Markers Syncytin-1 and SLC7A11 Enhance Cholangiocarcinoma Diagnosis

Elevated levels of bile-derived cfDNA markers, syncytin-1 and SLC7A11, were identified in cholangiocarcinoma patients compared to those with gallstones, demonstrating significant potential for early diagnosis. Researchers noted an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.805 for syncytin-1 and 0.755 for SLC7A11, indicating robust specificity, while the combination of these markers with CA19-9 significantly improved diagnostic efficiency to an AUC of 0.927.

Journal Article by He J, Qian J (…) Zhuang X et 3 al. in J Gastrointest Cancer

© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

read the whole article in J Gastrointest Cancer

open it in PubMed