Structured surgical training in minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) increases textbook outcome-a risk-adjusted learning curve.

Background: Minimally Invasive Esophagectomy (MIE) is a complex surgical procedure that has become a cornerstone in the management of esophageal cancer. This study aims to delineate the learning curve associated with MIE and its impact on patient outcomes.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 191 patients who underwent MIE between 2015 and 2022.

Cost analysis of laparoscopic total versus open total gastrectomy in gastric cancer.

Purpose: Despite ongoing discussions concerning clinical equivalence of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) compared to open total gastrectomy (OTG) in gastric cancer (GC) surgery, complementary evidence regarding financial implications is sparse. The aim of this study was to compare hospital associated expenses and perioperative outcomes between both approaches.

Methods: Clinicopathological and financial data from 80 consecutive GC patients undergoing LTG or OTG between 2015 and 2022 were investigated.

Textbook outcome after robotic and laparoscopic Ivor Lewis esophagectomy is associated with improved survival: A propensity score-matched analysis.

Background: Esophagectomy is central to curative therapy for esophageal cancer (EC). Perioperative outcomes affect both disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing oncologic esophageal surgery. The adoption of robotic techniques may improve surgical outcomes; however, the complex nature of perioperative outcomes is not adequately captured by individual quality measures.

Enhancing Preoperative Outcome Prediction: A Comparative Retrospective Case-Control Study on Machine Learning versus the International Esodata Study Group Risk Model for Predicting 90-Day Mortality in Oncologic Esophagectomy.

Risk prediction prior to oncologic esophagectomy is crucial for assisting surgeons and patients in their joint informed decision making. Recently, a new risk prediction model for 90-day mortality after esophagectomy using the International Esodata Study Group (IESG) database was proposed, allowing for the preoperative assignment of patients into different risk categories. However, given the non-linear dependencies between patient- and tumor-related risk factors contributing to cumulative surgical risk, machine learning (ML) may evolve as a novel and more integrated approach for mortality prediction.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Esophageal and Gastric Cancer Surgery in Germany: A Four-Year Retrospective Single-Center Study of 287 Patients.

Disruptions to surgical care for cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic remain an ongoing debate. This study assesses the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on perioperative outcomes in a continuous series of surgically treated esophageal and gastric carcinoma patients at a large university hospital in Europe over 48 months. We conducted a retrospective single-center cohort study at a tertiary referral center.