The top 100: A review of the most cited articles in Surgery. / Los top 100. Revisión de los artículos más citados en cirugía.

INTRODUCTION: We performed a study of the top 100 most cited articles in the five general surgery journals with the highest impact according to Journal Citation Report. METHODS: We selected the five journals with the highest impact in 2015: Annals of Surgery, British Journal of Surgery, JAMA Surgery, Surgery, and Journal of the American College of Surgeons. In January 2017, using the Web of Science application, we performed a search of all articles published by these journals and identified the 100 most cited articles (top 100). We evaluated the number of citations, year of publication, type of article, country and hospital of the article, area of interest and number of authors. RESULTS: The median number of citations per top 100 paper was 490. Twenty percent of the top 100 papers have been published since 2000. Overall, 70% are original papers, 8% randomized control trials, 11% reviews, 1% meta-analyses and 11% other subtypes. There are 13% proceedings papers. Sixty-one percent are from the US. The most frequently discussed topic is hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery (33%). CONCLUSIONS: The top 100 most cited articles tend to be original articles describing studies carried out in the US, reporting significant surgical breakthroughs. Hepato-pancreato-biliary surgery is the most common subject area. Annals of Surgery had twice as many citations as the other journals studied. The archetypal article of the Top15 most cited is an original paper published in the twentieth century, with an average of 2000 citations.

Blind alleys and dead ends: researching innovation in late 20th century surgery.

This article examines the fortunes of one particular surgical innovation in the treatment of gallstones in the late 20th century; the percutaneous cholecystolithotomy (PCCL). This was an experimental procedure which was trialled and developed in the early days of minimally invasive surgery and one which fairly rapidly fell out of favour. Using diverse research methods from textual analysis to oral history to re-enactment, the authors explore the rise and fall of the PCCL demonstrating that such apparent failures are as crucial a part of innovation histories as the triumphs and have much light to shed on the development of surgery more generally.

[Surgical and long-term problems in biliary atresia].

The outcome of biliary atresia (BA) has improved after developments in hepatic portojejunostomy since the 1950s. The key to successful hepatic portojejunostomy is an optimal dissection line of the hepatic hilar remnant and anastomotic technique without microductule injury on the dissected surface. Most recent articles have reported that remnant hilar tissue should be dissected and the liver capsule preserved. The long-term problems in BA patients, such as cholangitis, became apparent after increased long-term native-liver survival. When hepatic function is preserved and the cause of cholangitis is localized, both surgical intervention and liver transplantation are viable options. The most appropriate treatment option is chosen based on efficacy, invasiveness, and ability to restore hepatic function. Digestive varices and hypersplenism due to portal hypertension are often controllable via symptomatic treatment. Long-term survivors of BA need to be closely monitored for secondary pulmonary perfusion abnormality; the condition necessitates liver transplantation and affects the outcome of the procedure. Some female survivors of BA conceive, which increases the risk of cholangitis and gastrointestinal bleeding during and after pregnancy. Such patients therefore must be monitored closely. Understanding the etiology and pathophysiology of BA is necessary for a good clinical course with native-liver survival.

History of biliary surgery.

Since ancient times biliary surgery has been one of the major interests of doctors and other scientists around the world. From the ancient Greeks and Egyptians to the greatest scientists of modern times biliary surgery has advanced remarkably. Especially during the last century huge progress has been made in this field. Minimally invasive surgical techniques have been developed and combined with general anesthesia and antisepsis that have made biliary surgery particularly safe for every patient and have made cholecystectomy one of the most common operations in the world today.

George Berci: past, present, and future.

Dr. George Berci's contributions to the art and science of endoscopy and laparoscopy have continued unabated for nearly half a century. Fundamental advances in optics, illumination, television application, instrumentation, and operative radiology were either fostered or initiated by him, culminating in the advanced state of the technology as it is known today. As a creative force and catalytic influence, he has been a true pioneer.