The Scalpel Report
Sharing the Latest in Surgical Education and Innovation |
| | A message from the CSurgeries Team |
| Dear CSurgeries Community,
A warm welcome to all our new members who joined us this month! It’s truly inspiring to see so many of you actively engaging with our platform—your participation fuels our mission to advance surgical education.
We’ve kicked off 2025 with incredible momentum, forging new partnerships with leading organizations and educational institutions to expand our reach and impact. Looking ahead, we have exciting plans, including AI-driven innovations to personalize content and enhance your experience. Plus, the highly anticipated launch of our CME program is just around the corner—stay tuned for details!
In the meantime, we hope you find this edition of The Scalpel Report a valuable resource for your surgical practice.
With gratitude,
Dr. Deepak Mehta & Dr. Gresham Richter |
| | | Branchial Cleft Cyst Excision |
| Drs. Hayden Hairston and Gresham Richter from UAMS Medical Center perform an excision of a branchial cleft cyst. Discover the embryological origin of these cysts, their clinical presentation, and the surgical technique. |
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| | Lacrimal Probing and Irrigation |
| Drs. Hueyjong Shih and Suzanne Freitag from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye and Ear demonstrate the process of lacrimal probing and irrigation. Learn about the anatomy of the lacrimal drainage system, indications for the procedure, and how to interpret the results. |
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| | Tetralogy of Fallot Repair |
| Drs. Emma Wiest, Christian Eisenring, Brian Reemtsen, and Lawrence Greiten from Arkansas Children's Hospital and UAMS Medical Center present the step-by-step process of repairing Tetralogy of Fallot with a transannular patch. Find out more about the indications for this procedure, the surgical technique, and the postoperative management. |
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| | | Customize your content experience! Fill out the short form here to get tailored content catering to your specialty. |
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| | | The Future of Minimally Invasive Surgery: Preparing Surgeons for a New Era |
| Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) is rapidly becoming the gold standard across surgical specialties, offering patients numerous benefits compared to traditional open surgery. As the demand for MIS procedures continues to grow, so too does the need for skilled surgeons trained in these advanced techniques. Mastering MIS requires a significant shift in surgical skills and spatial awareness. To address these challenges, innovative training programs and technologies are being implemented. Read More |
| | | Catherine J. Juillard, MD, MPH, FACS |
| | Dr. Catherine J. Juillard is a renowned trauma surgeon and Associate Professor-in-Residence at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) who has dedicated her career to addressing surgical disparities and improving access to quality surgical care. After receiving her medical degree from UCLA, Dr. Juillard honed her expertise in trauma and critical care through a fellowship at the University of California San Francisco |
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| (UCSF). Her passion for global health equity led her to direct the Center for Global Surgical Studies and the San Francisco Wraparound Project at UCSF, before returning to UCLA to lead the Program for the Advancement of Surgical Equity and found the UCLA HEAL Trauma Program.
Dr. Juillard's impactful research, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), focuses on strengthening trauma systems in low- and middle-income countries, particularly Cameroon and Uganda. She champions the importance of building sustainable surgical infrastructure and training local healthcare professionals to ensure equitable access to life-saving care. Her work has not only led to improved surgical outcomes in these regions but has also provided a framework for addressing surgical disparities worldwide. Dr. Juillard is also a dedicated mentor, committed to training future generations of surgeons and global health leaders. She fosters collaboration and innovation through initiatives like the Data Science Center for the Study of Surgery, Injury, and Equity in Africa and the Sustainable Trauma Research, Education, and Mentorship Program in Cameroon.
Dr. Juillard's exceptional contributions have earned her the prestigious 2024 American College of Surgeons/Pfizer Academic Global Surgeon Award. This recognition highlights her dedication to advancing surgical care through education, research, and mentorship on a global scale. Upon receiving the award, Dr. Juillard shared her belief that "surgery is not something reserved for the rich; it is an essential part to strengthening any health system, especially in low-resource settings, where it is most needed.” |
| | | Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE): Pros and Cons |
|  | Featuring Eric Thuler, Madeline Ravesloot, and Palma Benedek, this webinar explores the pros and cons of Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy (DISE). Experts discuss the history of DISE, the procedure and scoring, its role in sleep surgery, and its utility in other OSAS treatments like mandibular advancement devices and CPAP. |
| |  | | | Cardiac Reoperation Timing Shows No Effect on Mortality |
|  | A recent study from the Cleveland Clinic has found that the timing of cardiac reoperations, whether performed soon after an initial surgery or years later, does not significantly impact mortality rates. Researchers analyzed 6,021 cardiac reoperations involving resternotomy performed at the Cleveland Clinic between 2008 and 2017.
What it’s about: The study included various procedures such as coronary artery bypass graftings (CABGs), isolated valve surgeries, and thoracic aorta surgeries. While early reoperations (within one year of the previous surgery) were found to be more technically complex, requiring longer operative times and more blood transfusions, the overall mortality rate remained consistent across all time intervals.
Why it matters: The study highlights the need for thorough risk assessment and individualized approaches to cardiac reoperations, regardless of the time elapsed since the previous surgery. "By understanding these complexities, experienced surgeons tailor management strategies, improving outcomes and neutralizing the high risk," the authors explained. |
| Age Influences Satisfaction and Complications in Breast Reconstruction Patients |
|  | Research conducted by Minji Kim and colleagues at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, reveals that age plays a significant role in both satisfaction and complication rates for women undergoing breast reconstruction after mastectomy.
What it’s about: The study found that older age was significantly associated with an increased risk of complications, including mastectomy skin flap/nipple necrosis, infection, and seroma. Interestingly, while older age correlated with lower satisfaction regarding breast appearance, it was positively associated with psychosocial well-being.
Why it matters: This research underscores the importance of considering age as a factor when planning breast reconstruction and counseling patients. As the authors suggest, "Surgeons and patients can also use our findings to optimize older patients' postoperative satisfaction" by having frank discussions about realistic expectations and potential challenges based on individual patient factors. |
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| January is National Cervical Health Awareness Month! |
|  | CSurgeries encourages everyone to learn more about cervical cancer prevention and how you can take action today. |
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