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Colonic obstruction management redefined: SEMS trumps surgery.

Using self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) as bridge-to-surgery improved outcomes for obstructive left colon cancer.

  • One-year stoma rates were lower with SEMS (44.4%) compared to emergency surgery (73.4%).
  • Fewer readmissions (4.2% vs 15.9%) and faster chemotherapy initiation (76.1% vs 55.8%) were noted with SEMS.

Consider SEMS for selected patients to reduce stoma rates and enhance quality of life post-treatment.

  • Major morbidity and mortality rates were similar in both groups.

Journal Article by Giordano A, Mastronardi M (…) Podda M et 12 al. in Surg Endosc

© 2026. The Author(s).

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Robotic and Laparoscopic APR for Anal Cancer Show Lower Mortality

Minimally invasive surgery for anal cancer improves patient outcomes compared to open approaches.

  • Robotic APR showed lower 30-day mortality rates (1.2% vs 2.2% for open) and reduced 90-day mortality (3.2% vs 4.9% for open).
  • Laparoscopic APR also had lower mortality and similar survival rates to robotic APR, with a five-year survival of 54%.

Choosing robotic or laparoscopic techniques can lead to shorter hospital stays and fewer complications for selected patients.

  • Robotic APR reduced positive margin rates to 14.4% versus 17.8% for open surgery.

Journal Article by Barekatain K, Simon EF (…) Charles RA et 6 al. in Surg Endosc

© 2026. The Author(s).

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Neoadjuvant Serplulimab Improves Survival in PD-L1-Positive Gastric Cancer

Neoadjuvant serplulimab with chemotherapy enhances event-free survival in PD-L1-positive gastric cancer, making it a promising strategy for surgeons.

  • Median event-free survival was longer with serplulimab (not reached) compared to placebo (42 months) for patients with PD-L1 CPS ≥10 (HR 0.65, p=0.0082).
  • In the overall patient population, event-free survival was also improved (not reached vs. 35.9 months; HR 0.73, p=0.015).

Consider serplulimab for PD-L1-positive patients to potentially improve surgical outcomes while minimizing adverse events.

  • Grade 3+ treatment-related adverse events were lower in the serplulimab group (47%) versus placebo (59%).

Journal Article by Shen L, Zhang X (…) Ji J et 21 al. in Lancet

Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.

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Anastomotic Stenosis Risks in Pancreatoduodenectomy with Portal Vein Resection

Distal transection of the superior mesenteric vein significantly increases the risk of anastomotic stenosis during pancreaticoduodenectomy for cancer.

  • Non-tumorous stenosis rate was 40.9% for distal vs. 1.7% for proximal transection (p < 0.01).
  • Symptomatic complications like ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding were also higher in the distal group (15.9% vs. 1.2%, p < 0.01).

Surgeons should be cautious of the higher stenosis risk when performing distal transections in these patients.

  • Distal transection is a distinct technical risk factor, independent of resection length.

Journal Article by Ito R, Ono Y (…) Takahashi Y et 7 al. in J Am Coll Surg

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

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Laparoscopic Exploration Crucial for Assessing Occult Metastasis in Gastric Cancer

Laparoscopic exploration is vital for detecting occult peritoneal metastasis (opm) in gastric cancer, significantly impacting patient outcomes.

  • 22.2% of 653 patients showed opm+ initially, linked to worse survival (15.9 months vs not reached).
  • Younger age, better ECOG status, primary gastric cancers, and specific CA72-4 levels were risk factors for opm+.
  • Re-evaluating opm status post-treatment revealed changes in 26.4% of patients, influencing survival rates.

Identifying opm early can guide treatment decisions and improve prognoses.

Journal Article by Yan X, Xie Q (…) Zhao L et 9 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2026. Society of Surgical Oncology.

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Preoperative Anxiety and Depression Surge Risk in Colorectal Surgery

Patients with high anxiety and depression scores face greater postoperative complications after colorectal surgery.

  • 25% of patients experienced clinically relevant complications, with inflammatory bowel disease and active smoking identified as risk factors.
  • High hospital anxiety and depression scores increased the odds of complications (OR 1.07).

Surgeons should routinely screen for these psychological issues to improve patient outcomes.

  • Protective factor: high hemoglobin levels reduced complication risks (OR 0.81).

Journal Article by Kraft M, Maroli A (…) Espín-Basany E et 4 al. in BMC Surg

Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Intraoperative Radiation Therapy Enhances Outcomes in Pancreatic Cancer

Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) may significantly improve outcomes for patients with borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer undergoing pancreatectomy.

  • Local recurrence-free survival at 24 months improved to 79% with IORT vs. 53% without (p = .049).
  • Overall survival at 24 months was 58% for IORT patients compared to 43% for controls (p = .058).

These findings suggest IORT offers better local control without increasing complications, supporting its consideration in surgical practice.

  • Major complications were similar: 10% in IORT vs. 21% in controls.

Journal Article by Verastegui A, Thiyagarajan SK (…) Stauffer JA et 7 al. in BMC Surg

Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Laparoscopic Right Hepatectomy Advances Enhance Surgical Precision

A new vein-guided technique for laparoscopic right hepatectomy offers better outcomes for selected patients.

  • A caudal, vein-guided approach improves anatomic orientation and the transection plane.
  • Left semidecubitus positioning enhances exposure, making surgery safer.

Improved techniques focus on minimizing trauma to hepatic structures.

  • Post-transection mobilization reduces traction on critical veins, promoting safer resection.

Journal Article by Vega EA, Rotellar F and Lopez-Ben S in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2026. Society of Surgical Oncology.

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Lower Hernia Rates with Stratafix in Open Hepatectomy

Inverted L-shaped incisions in hepatectomy have high hernia rates, but the stratafix-continuous closure method shows promise.

  • Incisional hernia incidence at 1 year: stratafix 8.1% vs. polydioxanone-hybrid 21.5% (p = .001).
  • Stratafix method associated with 69% lower odds of hernia (odds ratio 0.31; 95% CI 0.14-0.66; p = .002).

Consider adopting the stratafix technique for better patient outcomes and reduced hernia risk.

  • Most hernias occur at the intersectional corner, highlighting a need for targeted reinforcement strategies.

Journal Article by Yamane M, Oba A (…) Takahashi Y et 14 al. in BMC Surg

Copyright © 2026. Published by Elsevier Inc.

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Preferred Approach for Severe Pancreatic and Colon Injuries

Primary anastomosis is safe and may lead to better outcomes than ostomy for patients with severe pancreatic injuries and colon resection.

  • Surgical site infections were similar: 10% for anastomosis vs 17.5% for ostomy (p = 0.184).
  • Unplanned return to OR rates also showed no significant difference: 8.3% vs 14.2% (p = 0.260).

Choosing primary anastomosis can reduce hospital stays—median length of stay was 21 days for anastomosis vs 31 days for ostomy (p = 0.005).

  • ICU stays were also shorter for anastomosis: 10 days vs 14 days (p = 0.033).

Journal Article by Nekooei N, Sozzi A (…) Demetriades D et 2 al. in Am J Surg

Copyright © 2026 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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