Latest Gastrointestinal and Colorectal Surgery research

Top 10 this week

Week of 20 September 2026

1. 1

   Single-stapled versus double-stapled colorectal anastomosis after anterior resection: Systematic review and meta-analysis of short-term and functional outcomes

   Surgery · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 26 August 2026

   A meta-analysis of 13 studies involving 2,537 patients found no statistically significant difference in anastomotic leak, major complications, or stricture when comparing single-stapled with the standard double-stapled technique after anterior rectal resection. The single-stapled method appears safe but offers no clear clinical advantage, and larger trials are needed to confirm any benefit.

2. 2

   The application value of Da Vinci linear powered stapler SureForm in robotic sphincter-preserving surgery for rectal cancer: a prospective randomized clinical trial

   Surgical endoscopy · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 15 September 2026

   In a randomized trial of 276 rectal cancer patients, using the da Vinci SureForm linear powered stapler lowered 30-day anastomotic leakage to 6.7% compared with 14.1% for conventional laparoscopic staplers, and severe leaks fell from 6.7% to 1.5%. The device also required fewer stapler cartridges, suggesting a safer, more efficient option, though longer-term outcomes remain to be studied.

3. 3

   Patient-level predictors of safety and recurrence after cold versus hot snare resection of large, non-pedunculated colorectal polyps: an individual patient data meta-analysis of four randomised-controlled trials

   Gut · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 15 September 2026

   In a pooled analysis of four RCTs involving 1,423 patients with large (at least 20 mm) non-pedunculated polyps, cold snare resection lowered major adverse events to 1.7% versus 5.9% with hot EMR, yet residual or recurrent adenoma rose to 26.5% compared with 12.8%. The trade-off may favor cold snare for sessile serrated lesions or high-risk patients, but higher recurrence-especially in high-grade dysplasia-remains a concern.

4. 4

   Colonoscopy Intervals and Colorectal Cancer Incidence after Adenoma Removal

   The New England journal of medicine · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 17 September 2026

   In an interim analysis of 10,799 patients, cancers occurred in 0.77% of those screened at five years versus 0.82% at three years, meeting the predefined non-inferiority margin. The finding suggests that extending the first surveillance colonoscopy to five years may be safe for high-risk adenoma patients, though long-term outcomes remain to be confirmed.

5. 5

   Assessing the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with T3N0 gastric cancer

   European journal of surgical oncology : the journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 10 September 2026

   In a retrospective cohort of 386 T3N0 patients, five-year overall survival was 93% with chemotherapy versus 91% with surgery alone, and relapse-free survival was similarly close. After statistical adjustment, chemotherapy showed no significant reduction in death or recurrence, leaving its routine use in this stage uncertain.

6. 6

   Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in minimally invasive liver resection for colorectal liver metastases: lesion detection and surgical outcomes-a systematic review and meta-analysis

   Surgical endoscopy · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 17 September 2026

   In minimally invasive liver surgery for colorectal metastases, pooled data show about 93% of lesions and 92% of patients achieve clear margins, with major complications in roughly 6% of cases. A single retrospective comparison suggested ICG use may boost margin-negative resections fivefold, but overall evidence is limited and randomized trials are needed.

7. 7

   Survival After Irreversible Electroporation in Unresectable Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Meta-analysis

   The Journal of surgical research · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 15 September 2026

   In a meta-analysis of 31 studies (1,296 patients), patients receiving irreversible electroporation lived a median 16.3 months, roughly seven months longer than those treated without it. Survival was unrelated to age, sex, tumor size or location, and was similar whether the procedure was surgical or percutaneous. The finding, based on low-to-moderate certainty evidence, underscores the need for randomized trials.

8. 8

   Comparative oncological efficacy of chemotherapy, cytoreductive surgery with or without HIPEC in recurrent ovarian cancer: A network meta-analysis

   European journal of surgical oncology : the journal of the European Society of Surgical Oncology and the British Association of Surgical Oncology · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 11 September 2026

   A network meta-analysis of 1,831 patients showed that both secondary cytoreductive surgery alone and surgery plus HIPEC lengthened five-year progression-free survival by roughly one-quarter compared with chemotherapy, while overall survival was unchanged overall. Benefit appeared strongest in patients with complete tumor removal, and the survival advantage of adding HIPEC remains uncertain and based on indirect evidence.

9. 9

   The controversial impact of mesh augmentation on surgical outcomes in hiatal hernia repair: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

   Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract · Q1 journal · SR/MA of RCTs · Evidence level 1 (High) · 15 September 2026

   A meta-analysis of ten studies totaling 1,472 patients found no meaningful difference in hernia recurrence or postoperative complications between mesh-augmented repair and standard suture-only cruroplasty. Operative times and reoperation rates were also comparable. Because of moderate heterogeneity and wide prediction intervals, higher-quality trials are still needed to define any role for mesh.

10. 10

    Short or Long Antibiotic Regimens in Orthopedics

    The New England journal of medicine · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 16 September 2026

    In 475 adults who received a local-antibiotic implant during surgery, definite treatment failure by 12 months occurred in 11% of those given up to 7 days of systemic antibiotics versus 14% of those given at least 4 weeks, meeting the pre-specified non-inferiority margin. Short-course patients also reported far fewer treatment-related symptoms (17% vs 45%). The finding supports limiting systemic therapy, though longer-term outcomes remain to be studied.

Paper of the day, last two weeks

• A novel TNtdM staging system integrating tumor deposits into N staging and reweighting T staging for nonmetastatic colorectal cancer

  Surgery · Q1 journal · Unclassified · Evidence level 5 (Expert Opinion) · 25 July 2026

  Evidence from Surgery

• A novel TNtdM staging system integrating tumor deposits into N staging and reweighting T staging for nonmetastatic colorectal cancer

  Surgery · Q1 journal · Unclassified · Evidence level 5 (Expert Opinion) · 25 July 2026

  Evidence from Surgery

• Textbook Outcomes and Survival in Gastric Cancer Surgery: Results of a French-Speaking Multicenter Study

  World journal of surgery · Q1 journal · Cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 16 September 2026

  In a French-speaking multicenter review of 958 gastric cancer operations, 398 patients (41.5%) achieved all textbook outcome criteria and showed significantly better overall and disease-free survival. Failure to meet the criteria was linked to obesity (BMI > 30) and tumors on the lesser curvature, suggesting these factors may guide quality improvement efforts.

• Surgical team configuration, technical errors, and workload in robotic distal gastrectomy

  Surgical endoscopy · Q1 journal · Prospective cohort · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 10 September 2026

  In a propensity-matched series of 67 patients, the 3-arm + 2-port configuration resulted in about ten fewer technical errors (average 43 vs 53) and markedly lower workload scores for both surgeons (median 8 vs 12) and assistants (median 6 vs 10) compared with the traditional 4-arm + 1-port layout. Short-term recovery was also improved, although console time and complication rates were unchanged, suggesting team setup may enhance intraoperative performance.

• Determinants of Long-Term Survival versus Early Failure After Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases: A Comparative Analysis of Two Extreme Phenotypes

  Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 9 September 2026

  In a single-center cohort, patients with a peritoneal cancer index of 14 or higher were about six times more likely to die within six months after cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC, while low tumor burden, complete cytoreduction (94% vs 79%) and no major complications marked survivors beyond three years. The findings stress rigorous patient selection and the goal of complete, uncomplicated resection.

• Determinants of Long-Term Survival versus Early Failure After Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Colorectal Peritoneal Metastases: A Comparative Analysis of Two Extreme Phenotypes

  Journal of gastrointestinal surgery : official journal of the Society for Surgery of the Alimentary Tract · Q1 journal · Retrospective cohort · Evidence level 3 (Low) · 9 September 2026

  In a single-center cohort, patients with a peritoneal cancer index of 14 or higher were about six times more likely to die within six months after cytoreductive surgery and HIPEC, while low tumor burden, complete cytoreduction (94% vs 79%) and no major complications marked survivors beyond three years. The findings stress rigorous patient selection and the goal of complete, uncomplicated resection.

• Robot-assisted colectomy is associated with improved perioperative outcomes and favorable survival in stage I-III colon cancer: a nationwide overlap-weighted analysis

  Surgical endoscopy · Q1 journal · Prospective cohort · Evidence level 2 (Moderate) · 10 September 2026

  In a nationwide analysis of over 34,000 stage I-III colon cancer patients, the robot-assisted approach had the lowest complication and mortality rates and yielded a 95% three-year overall survival, compared with 90% for open surgery. The findings suggest both short-term and survival advantages, but longer prospective data are still needed.

• Perioperative durvalumab plus fluorouracil, leucovorin, oxaliplatin, and docetaxel for resectable gastric and gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma (MATTERHORN): final results of overall survival and event-free survival by pathological response in a global, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre, phase 3 trial

  Lancet (London, England) · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 9 September 2026

  In a phase 3 trial of 948 patients with resectable gastric or gastro-oesophageal junction adenocarcinoma, adding durvalumab to standard perioperative FLOT chemotherapy lowered the hazard of death by roughly one-fifth compared with FLOT alone. The benefit came with a low rate of treatment-related deaths, supporting durvalumab-FLOT as a new standard, though longer follow-up will clarify durability.