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Portal vein circulating tumor cells predict poor outcomes in liver cancer

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 19/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, HPB & Spleen

Nearly 46% of hepatocellular carcinoma patients exhibited circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the portal vein, surpassing hepatic vein detection rates. Portal vein CTC positivity linked to microscopic invasion, significantly reducing disease-free and overall survival. Notably, PD-L1-positive CTCs in this cohort correlated with dire prognoses. These findings underscore portal vein CTCs as critical prognostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets in managing hepatocellular carcinoma.

Journal Article by Takei D, Kobayashi T (…) Ohdan H et 7 al. in Ann Surg Oncol

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Surgical intervention offers survival edge in metastatic pancreatic cancer

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 19/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, HPB & Spleen

Surgical treatment significantly improves overall, 1-year, and 3-year survival rates for metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma, particularly in patients with liver-only metastases. Compared to chemotherapy and palliative care, surgical options reduce mortality risk (HR: 0.42). Despite promising results, outcomes vary based on metastatic sites, with no survival benefit observed for lung-only metastases. Further prospective trials are essential to validate findings and refine patient selection for surgical interventions.

Meta-Analysis by Tarek K, Amine TM (…) Tullio P et 4 al. in Langenbecks Arch Surg

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Robot-assisted surgery outperforms traditional methods in rectal cancer outcomes

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 19/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, Intestine and Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

Robot-assisted rectal cancer surgery significantly reduces complications and hospital stays while achieving superior 5-year overall survival (95%) and relapse-free survival (93%). In a cohort of 28,711 patients, robot-assisted procedures demonstrated the highest success rates compared to laparoscopic and open surgeries. Although short-term advantages are evident, the long-term benefits continue to be scrutinized, marking robot-assisted techniques as a promising new standard for rectal cancer treatment.

Journal Article by Hanaoka M, Kagawa H (…) Kinugasa Y et 6 al. in Ann Gastroenterol Surg

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Japan’s Rectal Cancer Surgery Shows Improved Outcomes Post-Pandemic

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 19/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, Intestine and Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

Analysis of over 109,000 low anterior resections reveals a significant reduction in major complications after the COVID-19 pandemic, with anastomotic leakage rates dropping from 9.8% to 7.1%. The use of robotic surgery surged from 16.8% to 41.2% of procedures, highlighting a shift in surgical practice. Although surgeries declined during the pandemic, rates returned to pre-pandemic levels, indicating resilience in the healthcare system and improved surgical outcomes in rectal cancer treatment.

Journal Article by Seishima R, Endo H (…) Kitagawa Y et 11 al. in Ann Gastroenterol Surg

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New Scoring System Identifies Risk Factors for Prolonged Robotic Rectal Surgery

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 18/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, Intestine and Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

A novel predictive scoring system for robot-assisted low anterior resection reveals eight preoperative risk factors linked to prolonged pelvic operation time. Analyzing data from 343 patients, factors such as male sex, high BMI, and tumor proximity to the anal verge emerged as critical indicators. This model demonstrates high performance, with an area under the curve of 0.88, and could enhance surgical training and operating room efficiency through improved case selection.

Journal Article by Yao K, Kasai S (…) Kinugasa Y et 7 al. in Surg Endosc

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New Antiseptic Olanexidine Cuts Surgical Site Infection Rates in Gastroenterology

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 18/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, Perspectives, Opinions and Curiosities

Olanexidine gluconate (OLG) outperforms traditional antiseptics in reducing surgical site infections (SSIs) during gastroenterological surgeries, according to a meta-analysis of nine studies involving 7,807 patients. OLG significantly decreased both overall and incisional SSIs without increasing adverse skin reactions, marking it as a promising alternative for preoperative disinfection. These findings suggest potential improvements in SSI management and reductions in related healthcare costs.

Review by Matsuda A, Yamada T (…) Yoshida H et 2 al. in Ann Gastroenterol Surg

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New Fib-3 Index Outperforms Age-Based Models for Liver Fibrosis in Seniors

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 18/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, HPB & Spleen

The Fib-3 index demonstrates superior accuracy in predicting liver fibrosis and long-term outcomes in hepatocellular carcinoma patients over 65. An independent risk factor for recurrence-free survival, it outshines the conventional Fib-4 index by eliminating age-related biases. Effective risk stratification for 5-year survival hinges on its application alongside specific cutoff values, positioning the Fib-3 index as a vital tool in managing elderly patients post-hepatectomy.

Journal Article by Imaoka Y, Ohira M (…) Ohdan H et 10 al. in Ann Gastroenterol Surg

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Larger hospitals significantly reduce mortality risk in esophagectomy procedures

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 18/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, Upper Gastrointestinal Tract

A study analyzing over 14,000 minimally invasive esophagectomies reveals stark differences in perioperative mortality rates based on facility size. High-volume hospitals (≥30 procedures annually) boasted a much lower observed-to-expected mortality ratio (0.61) compared to smaller centers (<10 procedures, ratio of 1.368). Despite this, morbidity rates remained consistent across facility sizes. The findings advocate for consolidating esophageal cancer surgeries in larger, high-volume centers to improve patient outcomes.

Journal Article by Oshikiri T, Tachimori H (…) Shirabe K et 2 al. in Ann Gastroenterol Surg

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Lymph Node Dissection’s Impact on Survival Varies by Colon Cancer Location

Post author By STITCHES Newsletter
Post date 18/09/2025
Categories In General Surgery, Intestine and Lower Gastrointestinal Tract

Analyzing data from over 33,000 patients, lymph node dissection demonstrates varying therapeutic value based on tumor location in non-metastatic colon cancer. The therapeutic value index (TVI) was highest for cecal and transverse cancers at specific nodal stations, indicating a need for tailored surgical strategies. Notably, dissection’s importance in descending colon cancer remains under debate, suggesting a critical reevaluation of standard practices in lymphadenectomy.

Journal Article by Ouchi A, Kataoka K (…) Ajioka Y et 6 al. in Ann Gastroenterol Surg

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Large Ventral Hernia Repairs Heighten Risk of Kidney Damage

Patients with preexisting chronic kidney disease (CKD) face a 26.6% rate of acute kidney injury (AKI) following abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR), compared to 11.8% for those with normal renal function. At one year, 6.9% of previously healthy individuals develop new CKD, while nearly 20% of CKD patients see their condition worsen. Postoperative AKI strongly predicts CKD progression, prompting recommendations for rigorous perioperative risk assessment and proactive renal monitoring in high-risk cohorts.

Journal Article by Messer N, Miller BT (…) Rosen MJ et 7 al. in J Am Coll Surg

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