Journal of the American College of Surgeons
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The demographics and operative experience of general surgeons certified by the American Board of Surgery were last examined a decade ago. This study examines the contemporary workforce and scope of practice of general surgeons. ⋯ The demographics of general surgeons have remained stable over time, except for an increased proportion of female surgeons. The overall operative experience is similar to years past but is widely variable between surgeons. Periodic analysis of these data is important for education and certification purposes.
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Recent socioeconomic pressures in healthcare and work hour resections have limited opportunities for resident autonomy and independent decision-making. We sought to evaluate whether contemporary senior residents are being given the opportunity to operate independently and whether patient outcomes are affected when the attending is not directly involved in an operation. ⋯ In comparison with cases done with more direct attending involvement, residents perform laparoscopic cholecystectomies efficiently without increased complications. Over time, attendings are more frequently scrubbed for the operation.
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Leaks of the esophagus and stomach are difficult to manage and associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic therapy can manage these leaks without surgical intervention. Our goal is to create a scoring tool to aid in predicting the success of endoscopic therapy in these patients. ⋯ Our data show the development of a scoring calculator capable of quantifying the likelihood of success treating foregut and bariatric leaks with endoscopic therapies. This can be used clinically to guide treatment decisions.
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With improved survivorship in liver transplantation (LT), there is an emerging focus on functional recovery and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) after surgery. The present study aimed to assess HRQoL after LT using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS). ⋯ LT can impact physical, mental, and social health which, in this setting, remains largely unexplored using PROMIS instruments. We report that although overall patient well being can improve, some mental health domains require further consideration during the postoperative period.
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The main criticism of robotic surgery is longer operative time (OT). The aim of this study was to examine the variables that determine OT, the association between OT and 30-day outcomes, and the effect of the robotic approach in bariatric surgery. ⋯ The outcomes in robotic bariatric surgery were comparable with the laparoscopic approach despite longer OT. Use of robotic surgery decreased the variability in OT.