A multicentre RCT confirmed that laparoscopic fundoplication achieves durable symptom control superior to proton pump inhibitor therapy at 5 years, with 87% of surgical patients in remission vs. 56% on optimized PPI. Quality of life measures significantly favoured the surgical group.
Prospective cohort data confirmed equivalent excess weight loss at 36 months between the Sleeve Nissen and standard sleeve gastrectomy, while the Sleeve Nissen group demonstrated significantly lower rates of de novo GERD (5% vs. 28%) and need for post-operative anti-reflux medication.
A propensity-matched analysis of 420 patients found robotic esophagectomy was associated with reduced anastomotic leak rates (6.2% vs. 11.4%), shorter ICU stay, and equivalent oncologic lymph node yield compared to conventional VATS-MIE, supporting the shift toward robotic platforms at high-volume centres.
Updated data from the CheckMate 577 and KEYNOTE trials reinforced the survival benefit of adding immunotherapy to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in locally advanced esophageal cancer, with pathologic complete response rates improving to 24%. Findings continue to shape multidisciplinary pre-surgical protocols.
Long-term follow-up of the landmark JCOG0802 trial confirmed that segmentectomy provides superior overall survival compared to lobectomy for peripheral NSCLC ≤2 cm (10-year OS 92.4% vs. 85.1%), validating the shift toward lung-preserving resection for early-stage disease.
Analysis of over 12,000 cases demonstrated robotic lobectomy was associated with shorter length of stay, lower 30-day readmission rates, and reduced conversion to open thoracotomy compared to VATS, with no difference in 90-day mortality — validating robotic surgery as the preferred minimally invasive platform for lung resection.