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Latest Surgery research

The 10 most useful surgery studies published this week, chosen from Q1 journals and graded on the Oxford CEBM evidence hierarchy. Each paper links to a short summary and the original on PubMed. Updated 22 September 2026.

Top 10 this week

Week of 20 September 2026

  1. 1

    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.

  2. 2

    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.

  3. 3

    Short-term versus long-course neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable and borderline resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PACT-21 CASSANDRA): results from the second randomisation analysis of a randomised, open-label, 2 × 2 factorial phase 3 trial

    EClinicalMedicine · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 5 September 2026

    In the PACT-21/CASSANDRA trial, 86 patients receiving two extra months of chemotherapy before surgery and 79 receiving it after surgery had identical event-free survival (hazard ratio about 1). However, the longer regimen yielded higher CA19-9 response, a 5% complete pathological response rate and more N0 resections. Overall survival data are pending, underscoring the need for more effective neoadjuvant strategies.

  4. 4

    Ultrasound-Guided Erector Spinae Plane Block and Subcostal Transversus Abdominis Plane Block for Postoperative Analgesia in Laparoscopic Liver Resection: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial

    Journal of pain research · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 11 September 2026

    In a trial of 120 patients undergoing laparoscopic liver resection, both erector spinae plane block and subcostal transversus abdominis plane block reduced coughing pain scores by about one point at two hours and cut opioid use, leading to better quality-of-recovery scores on day one. The two techniques performed similarly, so either can be added to multimodal analgesia without a clear superiority.

  5. 5

    Preoperative and postoperative ultrasound guided intercostal nerve blockade on postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing video assisted thoracic surgery (VATS): a prospective randomized comparative study

    Frontiers in medicine · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 4 September 2026

    In a randomized trial of 172 adults, giving an ultrasound-guided intercostal nerve block after video-assisted thoracic surgery reduced the proportion experiencing moderate-to-severe resting pain in the first 24 hours from 28% to 12%. The later block also lowered opioid use and improved sleep, while overall recovery and complications were unchanged.

  6. 6

    Differences in the Effectiveness of Smoke Evacuator Types for Reducing Surgical Smoke: A Randomized Controlled Trial

    Journal of the American College of Surgeons · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 16 September 2026

    In a randomized trial of 64 laparotomy patients, an electrocautery-incorporated evacuator positioned 8 mm from the cautery tip lowered respirable particle counts by 96-97% across sizes from 0.3 to 5 µm compared with a standard hose system, and also reduced acetaldehyde and formaldehyde levels. The benefit was less pronounced at an 18 mm tip distance, suggesting that device type and proximity are key to minimizing operating-room smoke exposure.

  7. 7

    Factors associated with unplanned readmission after elective gastroenterological surgery: An analysis of 1,824 participants with clean-contaminated wounds enrolled in two randomized controlled trials for the prevention of surgical site infection

    The Journal of hospital infection · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 17 September 2026

    In a cohort of 1,824 patients undergoing elective gastroenterology operations with clean-contaminated wounds, 3.9% were readmitted within 30 days, most often for ileus or organ/space infection. Multivariate analysis showed pre-existing pulmonary disease roughly doubled the odds of readmission, highlighting the need for targeted peri-operative lung optimization.

  8. 8

    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.

  9. 9

    Long-term shoulder-related secondary health-care contact among people with subacromial pain: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of home-based vs. supervised exercise regimens

    JSES international · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 12 August 2026

    In a 5-year follow-up of 208 patients with subacromial pain, 31% of those doing home-based exercises and 33% of those receiving supervised therapy had shoulder-related health-care contacts, and surgery rates were 20% versus 18% respectively. The odds of additional visits or operations were essentially unchanged, suggesting home programs can be a scalable option, though larger trials are needed for definitive conclusions.

  10. 10

    A randomized trial of nefopam for postoperative pain management in obstructive sleep apnea patients undergoing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty

    European archives of oto-rhino-laryngology : official journal of the European Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies (EUFOS) : affiliated with the German Society for Oto-Rhino-Laryngology - Head and Neck Surgery · Q1 journal · RCT · Evidence level 1 (High) · 16 September 2026

    In a triple-blinded trial of 51 sleep-apnea patients undergoing UPPP, intravenous nefopam (20 mg loading then 80 mg/24 h) resulted in a median morphine consumption of 7 mg versus 5 mg with placebo, a difference that was not statistically significant. Pain scores, recovery milestones and satisfaction were unchanged, and mild side effects such as tachycardia occurred only in the nefopam group.

Paper of the day, last two weeks

Evidence summaries in Surgery

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For healthcare professionals. Summaries are generated by AI from the published abstract and are not medical advice. Read the original paper before changing practice.