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Gender Disparities in Academic Leadership and Professional Rank in Surgery

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 31/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Perspectives, Opinions and Curiosities

The study found that there is a significant gender disparity in academic leadership positions among surgeons, despite women holding more advanced non-doctoral degrees. Female surgeons were more likely to have advanced degrees than their male counterparts, but they were less likely to hold the rank of professor and more likely to hold the rank of assistant professor. Men were also more likely to hold leadership positions such as chair of surgery or division chief compared to women.

Journal Article by Carman M, Zink H (…) Kilgore L et 4 al. in Am J Surg

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Effect of Procedural Volume on Adverse Outcomes in Gastric Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Surgical Endoscopy, Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

A nationwide population-based study investigated the influence of procedural volume on the outcome of gastric endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for gastric cancer or adenoma. The study included 88,687 patients who underwent 94,246 procedures between November 2011 and December 2017. The results showed that high- and medium-volume centers had a significantly lower risk of adverse outcomes compared to low-volume centers, including a lower risk of hemorrhage, perforation, and pneumonia. Procedural volume was closely associated with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing ESD for gastric cancer or adenoma.

Journal Article by Park JY, Kim MS, Kim BJ and Kim JG in Gastroenterology

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Superior vertical resectability of underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) compared to cold snare polypectomy (CSP) for small duodenal tumors.

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Intestine and Lower Gastrointestinal Tract, Surgical Endoscopy

Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) demonstrated higher rates of vertical resectability compared to cold snare polypectomy (CSP) for small duodenal tumors. However, CSP had shorter procedure times and fewer bleeding events. UEMR should be chosen for lesions that cannot be definitively diagnosed as mucosal low-grade neoplasias.

Journal Article by Miyazaki K, Nakayama A (…) Kato M et 19 al. in Am J Gastroenterol

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Surgeon Perspectives on Aborted Cancer Surgeries

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Perspectives, Opinions and Curiosities

Surgeons commonly encounter aborted cancer surgeries, which occur due to unresectable or metastasized tumors. However, little is known about how to effectively manage the unique needs of these patients. A survey of 190 surgeons revealed that aborted cancer surgeries occur in approximately 7% of cases, with occult metastases and unresectability being the primary causes. While surgeons feel comfortable addressing surgical and treatment-related concerns, they often struggle with addressing psychosocial and symptom-control needs. Improved care coordination and patient-centered approaches are needed to effectively manage these patients.

Journal Article by Lopez-Aguiar AG, Sarna A (…) Cloyd JM et 7 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

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Preoperative Frailty and Malnutrition Predict Adverse Outcomes in Surgical Oncology

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Perspectives, Opinions and Curiosities

Preoperative frailty and malnutrition in surgical oncology patients were found to be predictors of higher postoperative adverse events and worse survival in a blinded, prospective trial. Frail patients had a significantly higher likelihood of readmission within 30 and 90 days, as well as higher rates of unplanned intensive care unit admission and increased postoperative mortality. The study suggests that preoperative frailty assessment, along with nutrition markers, can help identify patients who would benefit from additional risk stratification and increased postoperative follow-up evaluation.

Journal Article by Khajoueinejad N, Sarfaty E (…) Cohen NA et 16 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

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Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Improves Survival in Diffuse Type Gastric and Gastroesophageal Junction Carcinoma

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

Multimodal therapy, specifically neoadjuvant chemotherapy, was associated with increased survival in patients with diffuse type gastric and gastroesophageal junction carcinoma, including signet ring cell carcinoma. All-cause mortality within 90 days postoperatively was lower after neoadjuvant chemotherapy compared to primary surgery. Additionally, mortality remained lower in the neoadjuvant chemotherapy group even after 90 days post-surgery. These findings suggest the potential benefit of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in improving outcomes for patients with these types of cancers.

Journal Article by Gertsen EC, van der Veen A (…) Ruurda JP et 9 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

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Elevating Academic Excellence: A 13-Fold Surge in Research Funding and National Ranking in 7 Years

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Perspectives, Opinions and Curiosities

By committing to providing necessary resources for faculty recruitment and retention, as well as physical space and infrastructure for research activities, the department of surgery significantly expanded its academic footprint. Over a period of 7 years, research funding increased by 13-fold, leading to a rise in national ranking from 55th to 10th place in the national institutes of health extramural funding. To achieve excellence, the department focused on factors such as leadership structure, faculty mentorship, recruitment of new faculty, and creating an infrastructure to support grant submissions and post-award management.

Journal Article by George JF and Chen H in BMC Surg

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Frequent Surveillance Imaging for Low-Risk Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors Yields Little and Incurs High Costs

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Sarcoma & rare tumors

This study assessed the utility and costs of surveillance imaging for low- and very low-risk gastrointestinal stromal tumors. The researchers reviewed the surveillance strategy in 60 patients and found that frequent imaging studies were performed with little yield and at substantial cost. No recurrences were detected, and the mean number of surveillance images per patient was 4. These findings highlight the need for standardized surveillance recommendations and further multi-institutional studies on practice patterns and outcomes of surveillance for these tumors.

Journal Article by Khan M, Urban C (…) Wright GP et 5 al. in BMC Surg

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Patient Activation Influences Postoperative Outcomes in Digital Health Follow-Up After Colorectal Surgery

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Intestine and Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

Low patient activation (pa) negatively affects postoperative outcomes, but its impact on digital health interventions is unclear. This study assessed the influence of patient activation on the effectiveness of a digital health application for remote post-discharge follow-up in patients undergoing elective colectomy. The analysis included both a control cohort (cc) and a digital application cohort (dac), with no significant differences in patient characteristics between the groups. Although patient activation did not affect app usage metrics, low patient activation was associated with a higher rate of emergency department visits, suggesting that improving patient activation levels could improve postoperative outcomes.

Journal Article by Paradis T, Robitaille S (…) Lee L et 6 al. in Surg Endosc

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Under-represented medical students perceive surgery clerkship differently

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 30/12/2023
Categories In General Surgery, Perspectives, Opinions and Curiosities

Under-represented students in medicine (URIM) perceive the surgery clerkship differently compared to non-URIM students, according to a study of 235 medical students between 2019 and 2021. URIM students were less likely to see surgical residents and faculty as positive role models, while non-URIM students more often agreed that residents and faculty demonstrated positive patient care. However, both groups had similar qualitative evaluations on the strengths and weaknesses of the clerkship, highlighting the importance of integration, teaching, and valuing students to improve their experience and increase diversity in surgical training.

Journal Article by Zmijewski P, Aleman C (…) Fazendin J et 8 al. in Am J Surg

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