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Enhancing International Collaboration in Clinical Trials

To streamline global clinical trial operations, Clinical Trial Units (CTUs) within academic research institutions worldwide must harmonize services to meet international standards. A survey involving experienced CTU members aimed to identify the most crucial services for seamless clinical trial execution. The results revealed that services related to research project quality and coordination were of utmost importance. Emerging CTUs should focus on offering management and regulatory expertise, alongside education and training, to ensure compliance with Good Clinical Practice (GCP) and relevant legislation. This study guides CTUs in aligning their services with international clinical research standards.

Journal Article by Hoffmann JM, Blümle A (…) Bradbury C et 3 al. in Front Med (Lausanne)

Copyright © 2023 Hoffmann, Blümle, Grossmann, Yau, Lang and Bradbury.

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Revamping Hemorrhoidal Classification for Improved Care

Hemorrhoids, a common anal condition, present recurring challenges. Effective treatment relies on accurate classification, making cure rates higher and recurrence rates lower. This study reviews various classification methods for hemorrhoids, assessing their pros and cons, treatment relevance, practicality, and assessment value. It proposes strategies to address current assessment limitations, aiming to enhance the classification of hemorrhoids and improve clinical diagnosis and management. This research offers valuable insights into upgrading hemorrhoidal care.

Review by Wang L, Ni J (…) Fan W et 5 al. in Front Med (Lausanne)

Copyright © 2023 Wang, Ni, Hou, Wu, Sun, Jiang, Cai and Fan.

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Unsupervised Training Proves Effective for Esophago-Gastric Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection

Experienced endoscopists seeking competence in endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) faced a challenging learning curve. This study introduced an unsupervised training model. Endoscopists initially observed 30 ESD cases and performed 15 unsupervised ex-vivo ESDs. Afterward, they tackled five human distal gastric ESDs and 55 unselected esophago-gastric cases. Results were promising, with a 93.0% en-bloc resection rate, 80.7% R0 resection rate, and an average operative time of 14.0 minutes per centimeter. Unsupervised training appears to successfully guide experienced endoscopists toward ESD competence.

Journal Article by Hadjinicolaou AV, Pappas A (…) di Pietro M et 3 al. in Gastrointest Endosc

Copyright © 2023 American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Setting the Bar for Surgical Video Deidentification Standards

This article dives into the crucial realm of standards for deidentifying surgical videos. In the modern operating room, surgical videos offer a wealth of valuable data. They enable performance assessment and complication rate analysis, enhancing the future of surgical care. The integration of routine video capture and analysis presents exciting prospects for quality improvement, competency evaluation, and education, moving us closer to real-time decision support in surgery.

Journal Article by Tollefson MK and Ross CJ in JAMA Surg

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Redefining Surgery for Widespread Biliary Malignancy: A Survival Analysis

Researchers explored the impact of hepatopancreaticoduodenectomy (HPD), a radical surgery for biliary carcinoma, on survival in patients with widespread cancer. Of the 54 patients who underwent HPD, 89% achieved R0 resection, significantly improving survival with a median of 36.9 months. Pathological portal vein involvement was identified as an independent prognostic factor. Those with peripancreatic lymph node metastasis or portal vein invasion might reconsider HPD as their first choice. This study offers insights to redefine surgical indications for advanced biliary malignancy.

Journal Article by Yoshimi Y, Noji T (…) Hirano S et 11 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2023. Society of Surgical Oncology.

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Unlocking the Benefits of Bariatric Surgery: Advanced Lipoprotein Improvement

A study on 52 obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery unveiled a promising shift in their lipoprotein profile, assessed through nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Researchers discovered that bariatric surgery led to substantial improvements in patients’ advanced molecular lipoprotein profiles, effectively reducing cardiovascular risk factors. Notably, 20% of patients achieved normalized parameters. This research highlights the significant impact of bariatric surgery on cardiovascular risk reduction, emphasizing the value of advanced lipid profile assessments in assessing its impact.

Journal Article by Pérez Zapata AI, Varela Rodríguez C (…) Rodríguez Cuéllar E et 5 al. in Obes Surg

© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.

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Comparing Strategies for Crohn’s Disease Strictures: Endoscopy vs. Surgery

In the battle against Crohn’s disease-related strictures, researchers compared endotherapy (ET) and surgical therapy (ST) outcomes. The study, encompassing 59 patients with 12+ months of follow-up, showed a significantly higher re-intervention rate with ET. However, it also highlighted that re-operation could be avoided for most ET patients, with similar symptom-free survival at one year. This study unveils the pros and cons of both approaches, providing valuable insights into managing Crohn’s disease-related strictures.

Journal Article by Pal P, Gala J (…) Reddy DN et 10 al. in J Gastroenterol Hepatol

© 2023 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

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Disparities in Pancreatic Cancer Surgery: Minority Serving Hospitals Face Treatment Challenges

A study exploring the surgical treatment of resectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma in minority serving hospitals (MSH) revealed significant disparities. Patients at MSH were less likely to undergo surgical resection, facing unique barriers, and leading to increased mortality among those who did. These findings highlight the urgent need for targeted interventions to improve the care provided to pancreatic cancer patients at MSH facilities and reduce treatment inequalities.

Journal Article by Olecki EJ, Perez Holguin RA (…) Dixon MEB et 5 al. in J Surg Res

Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Malnutrition Negatively Impacts Post-Operative Outcomes in Crohn’s Disease Patients Undergoing Ileocecectomy

A nationwide study on Crohn’s disease patients undergoing elective ileocecectomy reveals the influence of malnutrition on post-operative outcomes. Of 1,464 patients, 22% were malnourished. Malnourished patients experienced more organ space surgical site infections (SSI), bleeding, longer hospital stays, and higher readmission rates compared to well-nourished counterparts. This study underscores the importance of assessing and optimizing nutritional status before elective surgery in Crohn’s patients to reduce complications and improve recovery.

Journal Article by Kodia K, Huerta CT (…) Paluvoi N et 4 al. in Am Surg

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General Surgery Residents’ Views on the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Medicine

General surgery residents’ perspectives on artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine were explored through a survey. Among 31 participants, AI’s top applications were identified, with 24% favoring diagnostics and 12% supporting its role in identifying anatomical structures during surgeries. Residents expressed excitement about AI for repetitive tasks (70.97%) and believed it could enhance medical knowledge (67.74%). However, concerns (77.41%) were raised about AI making life decisions. The study revealed varying attitudes based on the intended application of AI and its familiarity among residents, highlighting both enthusiasm and apprehension about AI’s integration into healthcare.

Journal Article by St John A, Cooper L and Kavic SM in Am Surg

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