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Better Surgeon Communication Makes Operating Rooms Run Faster

Surgeons’ non-technical skills significantly enhance operating room efficiency.

  • A one-point increase in NOTSS scores correlates with a 28.1% increase in on-time first case starts.
  • Each score point leads to a 22.1% improvement in actual vs. expected operation length.
  • It also results in a 74.8% increase in cases turning over within expected time.

Improving communication and planning can directly impact surgical performance and outcomes.

  • Themes: preoperative planning, effective cues for operation transitions, and debriefing practices are critical for efficiency.

Journal Article by Abahuje E, Cong L (…) Halverson A et 4 al. in J Am Coll Surg

Copyright © 2025 by the American College of Surgeons. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

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Thoracoscopic surgery improves survival in upper and mid-esophageal cancer

Thoracoscopic esophagectomy outperformed open surgery for upper and middle esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, improving both overall and disease-free survival.

  • In upper tumors, thoracoscopic surgery cut mortality risk by 55% (HR 0.45) and recurrence risk by 45% (HR 0.55).
  • In middle tumors, overall survival improved by 36% (HR 0.64) and disease-free survival by 30% (HR 0.70).
  • Outcomes were similar for lower esophageal tumors.

Thoracoscopic approaches also reduced blood loss and increased lymph node yield, though at the cost of longer operations and higher expenses.

Journal Article by Gao Y, Yang Y (…) Jia X et 4 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

© 2025. Society of Surgical Oncology.

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New Algorithm Improves Competency Assessment in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

This study reveals a novel algorithm that quantifies surgical competency during laparoscopic cholecystectomy using video analysis.

  • Cumulative temporal dissimilarity scores significantly correlate with competency (r = -0.61; p < .001).
  • The predictive model showed strong accuracy, with overall scores matching ground-truth assessments (r = 0.86; p < .001).

Implementing this tool can enhance surgical training by providing objective evaluations, ultimately improving patient outcomes in laparoscopic procedures.

  • Critical-view-of-safety score and operative time are key predictors in determining competency.

Journal Article by Yen HH, Ho MC (…) Blue J et 5 al. in Surg Endosc

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

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For-Profit Hospitals Linked to Higher Risks in GI Surgery

For-profit hospital ownership is tied to worse outcomes in major gastrointestinal surgeries.

  • Patients at for-profit hospitals had 12% higher odds of 30-day complications.
  • Elective surgeries at these facilities saw a 26% increase in in-hospital mortality and a 34% higher chance of non-home discharge.

Surgeons should consider these risks when evaluating surgical options for patients, despite lower overall costs at for-profit institutions.

  • Complications were particularly pronounced in complicated surgeries, with odds ratios for complications reaching 29%.

Journal Article by Angez M, Sarfraz A (…) Pawlik M et 4 al. in J Gastrointest Surg

Copyright © 2025 Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Diagnostic Biomarkers Improve Outcomes in Bowel Obstruction

Routine hematological biomarkers enhance diagnosis and surgical decision-making in bowel obstruction.

  • C-reactive protein (CRP) at >26.91 mg/L shows 80% sensitivity and 92% specificity for bowel ischemia (AUC: 0.91).
  • Procalcitonin (PCT) >0.12 ng/ml can help determine surgical need, with sensitivity 75% and specificity 74% (AUC: 0.79).

Using these markers may refine patient selection and improve surgical outcomes by early detection of complications.

  • Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) >7.2 achieves 74% sensitivity and 83% specificity (AUC: 0.84).
  • D-dimer (1.72 mg/L) and lactate (2.98 mmol/L) show 83% and 77% sensitivities, respectively, aiding ischemia diagnosis.

Review by Hu H, Chen G (…) Tian Y et 7 al. in World J Emerg Surg

© 2025. The Author(s).

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New scoring tool predicts pancreatic fistula risk in surgery

A new preoperative risk score based on CT measurements can help surgeons predict clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (cr-popf) after pancreatoduodenectomy.

  • 6-point score achieved an AUC of 0.89; sensitivity 81.8%, specificity 91.7%.
  • Incidence of cr-popf varies widely: 4.6% in low-risk vs. 82.5% in very high-risk patients.

Use this scoring system for better surgical planning and targeted prevention strategies.

  • Key risk factors include pancreatic attenuation ≤30 Hounsfield units, duct-to-parenchyma ratio ≤0.2, duct diameter <3mm, and BMI ≥25 kg/m².

Journal Article by Usenko O, Symonov O, Prysyazhnyuk E and Pavliuk R in J Gastrointest Surg

Copyright © 2025 Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Boosts Survival in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by surgery significantly improves outcomes for potentially resectable intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma compared to upfront surgery.

  • Median overall survival is 52.9 months with neoadjuvant therapy versus 37.0 months with upfront surgery.
  • Recurrence is delayed (34.6 months vs. 24.4 months) and fewer patients are at risk of death (46.4% vs. 75.3%).
  • Five-year survival rates are substantially higher (45.7% vs. 32.5%), indicating a need to revise treatment guidelines.

Consider neoadjuvant chemotherapy especially for patients at high risk of recurrence to enhance surgical outcomes.

Journal Article by Elemosho A, Chatzipanagiotou OP, Angez M and Pawlik TM in J Gastrointest Surg

Copyright © 2025 Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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AI Model Enhances Parathyroid Identification in Thyroid Surgery

A new AI tool improves identification of parathyroid glands during thyroid surgeries, making operations safer and more efficient.

  • Smartthyroid achieved a mean dice score of 0.873, significantly reducing recognition time for all surgeons.
  • Junior surgeons showed improved gland recognition rates, enhancing their performance in complex procedures.

This AI technology could transform patient outcomes by minimizing complications and improving surgical precision in remote-access thyroid surgeries.

  • Smartthyroid’s accuracy matches that of senior surgeons, indicating it is a valuable tool for surgical teams.

Journal Article by Liu JY, Zhang SC (…) Li C et 11 al. in Eur J Surg Oncol

Copyright © 2025. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

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Tailored Prognostication with Deep Learning After HCC Resection

Using deep-learning models with CT imaging can significantly improve prognostication for patients after hepatocellular carcinoma surgery.

  • Postoperative recurrence rates within 2 and 5 years are 52.6% vs. 18.5% and 78.9% vs. 46.7% in high-risk vs. low-risk groups (p < 0.001).
  • 5-year mortality rates are 45.1% vs. 9.2% and 10-year rates are 87.1% vs. 43.2% (p < 0.001).

This tool helps tailor patient selection and optimize treatment plans, enhancing surgical outcomes.

  • Models achieved an AUC of 0.70 for 2 and 5-year recurrence and 0.80 for 5 and 10-year survival.

Journal Article by Shinkawa H, Ueda D (…) Ishizawa T et 14 al. in Hepatol Res

© 2025 Japan Society of Hepatology.

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New insights on surgical management of rectus abdominis diastasis with hernias.

  • Analyzing 11,658 cases, 31.3% were women, 68.7% men; 94.9% involved surgery for diastasis with ventral hernias.
  • Preferred techniques: mini-less-open and endoscopic sublay (48.9%), open techniques (30.7%), laparoscopic (11.0%).
  • Postoperative complications were 5% with a 2.3% reoperation rate, indicating surgical challenges.

Surgeons should consider patient selection carefully, as outcomes highlight the complexity of these procedures.

Journal Article by Köckerling F, Reinpold W (…) Fortelny R et 9 al. in Hernia

© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.

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