ArticleThe Journal of surgical research2025
Global Utilization of Minimally Invasive Surgery: Practice and Challenges.
Article in The Journal of surgical research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- SAGES white paper: strategic principles, operational considerations, and practical recommendations for building sustainable laparoscopic surgical training in low-resource settings: a 10-step guide.Surgical endoscopy · 2026Article
- Optimizing the management of laparoscopic equipment in low-resource settings: a SAGES White Paper.Surgical endoscopy · 2026Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
9 authors.
Funding
Abstract
introductionUptake of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) has been slow due to various barriers. This study examined the experiences of surgeons across multiple countries, highlighting the complications and challenges that arise with MIS.
methodsForty-one surgeons from Japan, Singapore, Uganda, the United States, Cambodia, Vietnam, and Malaysia completed 12-question surveys detailing the challenges of their MIS cases. Data were collected from April 2021 to February 2023, and descriptive statistics were generated.
resultsA total of 198 MIS cases were reported by 36 surgeons during the study period. In LMICs, patients tended to be older (P < 0.001), more likely to be female (P < 0.001), and have fewer comorbidities (P < 0.01) than in high-income countries (HICs). Antireflux procedures, appendectomies, and cholecystectomies were the most common MIS performed. Surgical assistants varied, with Japanese surgeons reporting the highest usage of experienced surgeons as assistants (n = 53, 56%). Minimal blood loss was perceived for 80% of cases in HICs (n = 99), whereas greater than minimal blood loss was perceived in LMICs (n = 41, 55%; P < 0.001). While most HIC surgeons found cases easy (n = 93, 75%) with no technical challenges, a higher percentage of LMIC surgeons considered converting to open procedures (n = 5, 7%) or had to convert (n = 6, 8%; P < 0.001). Thematic grouping identified four key barriers in LMICs: access to resources, maintenance of equipment, difficult intraoperative pathology, and surgical training availability.
conclusionsThis study highlights significant differences in the MIS experience between HICs and LMICs. Technical difficulties and intraoperative challenges were more frequent in LMICs, and all cases converted to open procedures originated from these regions. The identified barriers-access to resources, equipment maintenance, difficult intraoperative pathology, and surgical training-are critical areas that need targeted interventions.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.