Surgical Readings

Latest Episodes:

Robotic Adrenalectomy Has Advantages Over Laparoscopic Procedure Aug 20, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, talks with Eren Berber, MD, MBA, FACS, a professor of surgery and director of robotic endocrine surgery at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, about a recent article in the Annals of Surgical Oncology,Laparoscopic Versus Robotic Adrenalectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial. Dr. Berber and colleagues compared laparoscopic and robotic adrenalectomy for perioperative outcomes, including cost, as well as ergonomics and conversion from the original surgical plan.

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Initial Antibiotic Intervention May Have Long-Term Benefits for Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis Jul 08, 2026

Show notes

A multicenter randomized clinical trial in Finland has found that, among patients initially treated with antibiotics for uncomplicated acute appendicitis, the rate of recurrence and appendectomy at 10-year follow-up supports the use of antibiotics. In this episode, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, talks with Paulina Salminen, MD, PhD, FACS(Hon), from the University of Turku in Finland, who is lead author of the study, Antibiotic Therapy for Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis Ten-Year Follow-Up of the APPAC Randomized Clinical Trial, in The Journal of the American Medical Association.

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Understanding the Importance of Body Composition Changes After Obesity Treatment Jun 10, 2026

Show notes

With a growing reliance on GLP-1 treatments for obesity, researchers at Vanderbilt
University in Nashville, Tennessee, compared body composition changes between
patients who used GLP-1s versus patients who underwent bariatric surgery for obesity
treatment. In this episode, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, talks with Jason M. Samuels, MD,
FACS, one of the authors of Body Composition Changes After Bariatric Surgery or
Treatment With GLP-1 Receptor Agonists about the findings, which showed that while
both treatments reduced fat mass, surgery helped preserve fat-free mass such as muscle
and organ tissues.
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New ACS Report Highlights Key Trends in Cancer Treatment May 06, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, talks with Ronald J. Weigel, MD, PhD, MBA, FACS, Medical Director of ACS Cancer Programs, about a new report from the ACS National Cancer Database (NCDB) that notes key trends in cancer treatment, as well as in-depth reports on outcomes for prostate cancer, esophageal cancer, and melanoma. Dr. Weigel also describes the history of the NCDB and future plans that will lead to more rapid and robust insights on cancer occurrence and treatment.

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Stenting Increases Benefits of Medical Management in Carotid Stenosis Patients Apr 01, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, talks with Brajesh Lal, MBBS, FACS, professor of vascular surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and chief of vascular service at the Baltimore Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Dr. Lal and colleagues recently published research on Medical Management and Revascularization for Asymptomatic Carotid Stenosis in The New England Journal of Medicine, finding that adding stenting to medical management for carotid stenosis helps reduce the risk of stroke or death within 4 years; however, Dr. Lal tells Dr. Greene it’s too soon to discount the benefits of carotid endarterectomy.

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Radioactive Seed vs. Wire: Rethinking Breast Cancer Localization Mar 04, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Surgical Readings, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, connects with Lejla Hadzikadic-Gusic, MD, MS, FACS, for an engaging conversation about a study that is reshaping the way surgeons localize nonpalpable malignant breast disease. Dr. Hadzikadic-Gusic discusses her randomized trial, published in the Annals of Surgery (A Randomized, Single-Center, Superiority Trial of Radioactive Seed Location versus Wire Localization for Malignant Breast Disease), comparing two commonly used localization methods: traditional wire placement and radioactive seed technique. Listeners will hear how her team set out to answer an important question in breast surgery: Can we improve the patient experience without compromising clinical outcomes? While both techniques performed similarly in achieving clear surgical margins, the study uncovered compelling differences in what matters to patients and care teams. Tune in to learn how radioactive seed localization led to higher satisfaction, less anxiety, and greater convenience for patients—and offered workflow advantages for surgeons.

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Novel Fluorophore Helps Reduce Surgical Risk in Patients Undergoing Prostatectomy Feb 04, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, talks with Samuel A. Gold, MD, from the urology service in the Department of Surgery at Memorial Sloan Cancer Center in New York, New York, about using intraoperative fluorescence to illuminate nerve structures during robotic-assisted prostatectomy. Dr. Gold’s phase-1 study, published in JAMA Surgery (Rizedisben in Minimally Invasive Surgery), found that the fluorophore was generally well tolerated and clinically effective, which could revolutionize prostatic surgery and lead to wider applicability.

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Surgeon Risk of Mortality Is Highest Among All Physician Types Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

In this episode, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, talks with Vishal R. Patel, MD, MPH, from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, about a recent article in JAMA Surgery on Mortality Among Surgeons in the United States. Dr. Patel and colleagues found that, among all physician types, risk of mortality is highest among surgeons. Dr. Greene probes for the common causes of death among surgeons and what mitigation strategies can be put in place to change this somewhat surprising statistics.

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Management of Pediatric Surgical Patients Jul 11, 2025

Show notes

In the latest episode of Surgical Readings from SRGS, host Rick Greene, MD, FACS, is joined by Associate Editors Carmelle Romain, MD, FACS, and Manish Raiji, MD, FACS, from the University of Chicago’s Department of Surgery. Together, they explore key topics in pediatric surgical care, including necrotizing enterocolitis, intestinal obstruction, pediatric trauma resuscitation, and more.

Learn more about Selected Readings in General Surgery, an American College of Surgeons publication that highlights highly relevant and practice-changing information from the world’s most prominent medical journals.

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Breast Diseases: Insights for the General Surgeon May 30, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of Surgical Readings, Dr. Rick Greene leads an insightful discussion with Drs. Carla Fisher and Kay Yoon-Flannery on the diagnosis and management of breast disease. The conversation explores a range of topics, including both benign and malignant breast conditions. A comprehensive review of breast cancer is presented, covering management of the primary lesion, evolving approaches to axillary staging and therapy, the use of genetic and genomic testing, and the value of chemotherapy and immunotherapy.

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