50 Landmark Papers Every Acute Care Surgeon Should Know

Section 1. Esophagus, gastric, and duodenal 
Eradication of Helicobacter pylori Prevents Recurrence of Ulcer After Simple Closure of Duodenal Ulcer Perforation: Randomized Controlled Trial 
Enders et al., Annals of Surgery. 231(2):153-158, FEB 2000 
Review by contributor Matthew O. Dolich
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Biologic prosthesis to prevent recurrence after laparoscopic paraesophageal hernia repair: long-term follow-up from a multicenter, prospective, randomized trial. 
Oelschlager et al., J Am Coll Surg. 2011 Oct;213(4):461-8. 
Review by contributor Fahim Habib
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Self-expandable stents for benign esophageal leakages and perforations: long-term single-center experience 
Gubler (2014), Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology, 49(1):23-29. 
Review by contributor John K. Bini
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Section 2. Intestinal 
Natural history of patients with adhesive small bowel obstruction 
Miller, Gordon et al., BRITISH JOURNAL OF SURGERY 2000:87(9): 1240-1247 
Review by contributor Marc DeMoya and Andrew Kamien 
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Transfusion Strategies for Acute Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding 
Càndid Villanueva et al., N Engl J Med 2013; 368:11-21 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1211801 
Review by contributor Bruce Crookes
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Approach to management of intussusception in adults: a new paradigm in the computed tomography era
Rea JD et al. Clements RH., AmSurg 2007;73(11): 1098–1105 
Review by contributor Raphael Parrado and David Notrica
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
A meta-analysis of outcomes following use of somatostatin and its analogues for the management of enterocutaneous fistulas. 
Rahbour, G, Siddiqui, MR, Ullah, MR, Gabe, SM, Warusavitarne, J, Vaizey, CJ. Ann Surg 2012;256(6):946-954 
Review by contributor Edward Lineen and Peter Lopez
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Surgical management of thrombotic acute intestinal ischemia 
Endean et al. Ann Surg. 2001 Jun; 233(6): 801–808. 
Review by contributor Juan C Duchesne
Original Author Commentary Eric D. Endean, MD
Antibiotic Therapy vs Appendectomy for Treatment of Uncomplicated Acute Appendicitis The APPAC Randomized Clinical Trial. 
Salminen et al. JAMA. 2015;313(23):2340-2348. doi:10.1001/jama.2015.6154 
Review by contributor Stephen M. Cohn
Original Author Commentary Paulina Salminen
Urgent Colonoscopy for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Severe Diverticular Hemorrhage.
Jensen et al. The New England Journal of Medicine. January 13, 2000; 342(2): 78-82. 
Review by contributor Leslie Kobayashi
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial of Primary Anastomosis or Hartmann’s Procedure for Perforated Left Colonic Diverticulitis ith Purulent or Fecal Peritonitis 
Oberkofler, Beitenstein et al. Ann Surg 2012;256: 819–827 
Review by contributor Akpofure Peter Ekeh
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Colonic stenting as a bridge to surgery(ESCO trial) 
Arezzo et al. Surg Endosc (2017) 31:3297–3305 
Review by contributor Pamela Daher-Tobia and Carlos V.R. Brown
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Neostigmine for the treatment of acute colonic pseudo-obstruction 
Ponec et al. N Engl J Med 1999;341:137-41 
Review by contributor Matthew J. Forestiere and Kenji Inaba
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Colonic volvulus in the United States: trends, outcomes, and predictors of mortality.
Halabi W, Jabari M, Kang C, Nguyen V, Carmichael J, Mills S, Pigazzi A, Stamos M. Annals of Surgery 2014; 259: 293-301. 
Review by contributor Joseph Love
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Duodenal Infusion of Donor Feces for Recurrent Clostridium difficile. 
van Nood, et al. N Engl J Med 2013;368:407-15 
Review by contributor Sarah Mathew, Jessica Barton, and Adrian W. Ong
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Section 3. Biliary and Pancreatic 
Acute Cholecystitis Early Versus Delayed Cholecystectomy, A Multicenter Randomized Trial
Gutt et al, Ann Surg 2013; 258: 385-393. 
Review by contributor Narong Kulvatunyou
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
TG13: Updated Tokyo Guidelines for the management of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis.
Takada T et al, J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Sci. 2013 Jan;20(1):1-7. doi: 10.1007/s00534-012-0566-y. 
Review by contributor Chad G. Ball
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
A Step-up Approach or Open Necrosectomy for Necrotizing Pancreatitis 
Hjalmar C. van Santvoort et al., N Engl J Med 2010; 362:1491-1502 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa0908821
Review by contributor Umar F. Bhatti and Hasan B. Alam
Original Author Commentary Hjalmar C. van Santvoort
Equal efficacy of endoscopic and surgical cystogastrostomy for pancreatic pseudocyst drainage in a randomized trial. 
Varadarajulu et al., Gastroenterology. 2013 Sep;145(3):58390 
Review by contributor Matthew J. Martin
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Predictors of therapy failure in a series of 741 adult pyogenic liver abscesses　 
Lo　et al. (2015),　J Hepatobiliary Pancreat Sci,　22, pages 156–165 
Review by contributor Krista L Kaups
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Management in patients with liver and an umbilical hernia. 
Marsman et al. Surgery 2007 .142:372-5 
Review by contributor Eric J. Ley 
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Section 4: Anorectal 
Comparison of stapled haemorrhoidopexy with traditional excisional surgery for haemorrhoidal disease (eTHoS): a pragmatic, multicentre, randomised controlled trial.
Watson et al. Lancet 2016 Nov 12; 388 
Review by contributor Elizabeth R Benjamin
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
A comparison of injections of botulinum toxin and topical nitroglycerin ointment for the treatment of chronic anal fissure 
Brisinda et al. N Engl J Med 1999;341:65-9 
Review by contributor Clarence E. Clark and Jacquelyn S. Turner
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Multicentre observational study of outcomes after drainage of acute perianal abscess.
Pearce et al. Br J Surg. 2016 Jul;103(8):1063-8. 
Review by contributor TBC
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Healing by primary versus secondary intention after surgical treatment for pilonidal disease.
Al-Khamis, McCallum I, King BM, Bruce J. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2010 
Review by contributor James C. Doherty
Original Author Commentary Julie Bruce
Section 5: General Surgery Consultations 
Open　mesh versus　laparoscopic　mesh repair of inguinal　hernia. 
Neumayer et al. N Engl J Med.　2004 Apr 29;350(18):1819-27. 
Review by contributor Esteban Varela
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Small bites versus large bites for closure of abdominal midline incisions (STITCH): a double-blind, multicentre, randomised controlled trial. 
Deerenberg　EB. Lancet. 2015 Sep 26;386(10000):1254-1260. 
Review by contributor Jonathan Nguyen
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Outcomes of cholecystectomy in US heart transplant recipients. 
Kilic, et al. Ann Surg; 2013: 258: 312-7. 
Review by contributor Suresh Agarwal and Christopher Reed
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Randomized clinical trial of pigtail catheter versus chest tube in injured patients with uncomplicated traumatic pneumothorax. 
Kulvatunyou N, et al. BJS 2014;101: 17-22. 
Review by contributor Lydia Lam
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Small-Bowel Obstruction After Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass 
Husain, O`Malley et al. Arch Surg. 2007;142(10):988-993 
Review by contributor Jazmín M. Cole, Vishwanath Chegireddy, Nabil Tariq, and Daniel J. Bonville
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
A Comparative Study of the ReCell® Device and Autologous Spit-Thickness Meshed Skin Graft in the Treatment of Acute Burn Injuries. 
Holmes JH. J Burn Care Res. 2018 Aug 17;39(5):694-702. doi: 10.1093/jbcr/iry029. 
Review by contributor Laura Johnson
Original Author Commentary James Holmes
Prophylactic Ureteral Stent Placement vs No Ureteral Stent Placement During Open Colectomy. 
Merola et al. JAMA Surg. 2018 Jan 1;153(1):87–90 
Review by contributor Vasiliy Sim and Samuel Hawkins 
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Systematic review and meta-analysis of safety of laparoscopic versus open appendicectomy for suspected appendicitis in pregnancy. 
Wilasrusmee et al. British Journal of Surgery 2012; 99: 1470–1479 
Review by contributor Manuel Castillo-Angeles and Ali Salim
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Section 6: Miscellaneous 
Trimethoprim-Sulfamethoxazole versus Placebo for Uncomplicated Skin Abscess.
Talan DA, Mower WR, Krishnadasan A et al. N Engl J Med 2016; 374:823-832. 
Review by contributor Addison K. May
Original Author Commentary David A. Talan
Impact and Progression of Organ Dysfunction in Patients with Necrotizing Soft Tissue Infections: A Multicenter Study. 
Bulger et al. Surg Infect (Larchmt). 2015 Dec;16(6):694-701 
Review by contributor Rondi B. Gelbard
Editors Note 
The Society for Vascular Surgery Lower Extremity Threatened Limb Classification System: Risk stratification based on Wound, Ischemia, and foot Infection (WIfI). Mills et al. J Vasc Surg 2014;59:220-34 
Review by contributor Jaime Benarroch-Gampel and James Middleton Chang
Original Author Commentary Joseph L. Mills
Intranasal mupirocin to prevent postoperative Staphylococcus aureus infections. 
Perl et al. NEJM 2002 Jun 13;346(24):1871-7. 
Review by contributor Mark Sawyer
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Unified treatment algorithm for the management of crotaline snakebite in the United States: results of an evidence-informed consensus workshop. 
Lavonas et al. BMC Emergency Medicine 2011, 11:2 
Review by contributor Anne Rizzo and Peter Rhee 
Original Author Commentary Eric Lavonas
Endovascular or open repair strategy for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: 30 day outcomes from IMPROVE randomised trial 
IMPROVE Trial Investigators, Powell JT, Sweeting MJ, Thompson MM, Ashleigh R, Bell R, Gomes M, Greenhalgh RM, Grieve R, Heatley F, Hinchliffe RJ, Thompson SG, Ulug P. BMJ 2014;348:f7661 
Review by contributor Abdul Q. Alarhayem and Mark G. Davies
Original Author Commentary Janet Powell
Global Surgery 2030: evidence and solutions for achieving health, welfare, and economic development, 
Meara, et. al. Lancet, Volume 386, No. 9993, p569–624, 8 August 2015 No abstract for this case
Review by contributor Andrew J. Michaels
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Section 7: Surgical Intensive Care Unit 
Early versus Late Parenteral Nutrition in Critically Ill Adults. 
Casaer et al. N Engl J Med 2011;365:506-17. 
Review by contributor Mark L Shapiro
Original Author Commentary Michael P Casaer and Greet Van den Berghe
Time to Treatment and Mortality during Mandated Emergency Care for Sepsis. 
Seymour et al. N Engl J Med. 2017 Jun 8;376(23):2235-2244 
Review by contributor Craig M. Coopersmith
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Comparison of 8 vs 15 days of antibiotic therapy for　ventilator-associated pneumonia　in adults: a randomized trial. 
Chastre et al. 2003 JAMA.　Nov 9;290(19):2588-98. 
Review by contributor Atif Jastaniah and Morad Hameed
Original Author Commentary Jean Chastre
Delirium as a Predictor of Mortality in Mechanically Ventilated Patients in the Intensive Care Unit. 
Ely et al. JAMA. 2004;291:1753-1762 
Review by contributor Anchit Mehrotra and Natasha Keric
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
An Intervention to Decrease Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections in the ICU
Pronovost et al. N Engl J Med 2006;355:2725-32 
Review by contributor Stephen O. Heard
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
A comparison of low-dose heparin with low-molecular-weight heparin as prophylaxis against　venous thromboembolism　after major trauma. 
Geerts　WH,　Jay RM,　Code KI,　Chen E,　Szalai JP,　Saibil EA,　Hamilton PA. N Engl J Med.　1996 Sep 5;335(10):701-7. 
Review by contributor Ara Feinstein
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Effect of a retrievable inferior vena cava filter plus anticoagulation vs anticoagulation alone on risk of recurrent pulmonary embolism: a randomized clinical trial. 
Mismetti et al. JAMA.　2015 Apr 28;313(16):1627-35 
Review by contributor Mary Condron
Editors Note Stephen Cohn and Peter Rhee
Is the evolving management of intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome improving survival? 
Michal L. Cheatham, MD; Karen Safcsak, RN. Crit Care Med. 2010 Feb; 38 (2):402-7. 
Review by contributor Keneeshia Williams
Original Author Commentary Michael L. Cheatham and Karen Safcsak
Pitfalls in communication that lead to nonbeneficial emergency surgery in elderly patients with serious illness: description of the problem and elements of a solution. 
Cooper et al.　 Ann Surg. 2014; 260(6):949-957. 
Review by contributor Christine S Cocanour
Original Author Commentary Zara Cooper
Alcohol Interventions in a Trauma Center as a Means of Reducing the Risk of Injury Recurrence 
Gentillelo.ANNALS OF SURGERY Vol. 230, No. 4, 473–483 
Review by contributor Gary Vercruysse
Original Author Commentary Larry M. Gentilello