The annual ACS Clinical Congress anchored an outstanding academic and scientific education program, and this year’s conference offered more than 100 expert-led Panel Sessions to share the latest in surgical education. These sessions covered a broad spectrum of topics that can help surgeon keep up on key skills and information.

They remain available online through the Clinical Congress 2022 on-demand platform, which is open to all in-person and virtual attendees, as well as new registrants until May 1, 2023. Check out some of these general surgery sessions from Clinical Congress 2022.

Colorectal Anastomotic Leak

General surgeons perform a high volume of colorectal surgeries, and the high frequency of anastomotic leaks around the world can result in high mortality and morbidity of abdominal sepsis and other catastrophic scenarios. This session reviews the latest papers and randomized trials, discuss the different clinical situations, provide an overview of the problem and propose solutions within everyone's reach. Topics covered include laparoscopic reintervention, vacuum pack, ostomy indications and complications, and definitive closure.

Unique Challenges in Hernia Surgery

Hernia repair is one of most common operations performed by the practicing general surgeon. Most are relatively straightforward with and are fixed with minimal complications and excellent long-term outcomes. However, certain situations require complex preoperative decision making and/or technically challenging operative repair. This session presents a practical approach to several unique situations in hernia repair including hernia in unusual locations (Spigelian, lumbar, and obturator), mesh options in contaminated and dirty ventral hernia repair, umbilical hernias in cirrhotic patients, and sports hernias.

Ultra ERAS: The Next Generation of Enhanced Recovery Programs

This session introduces surgeons to innovative techniques and adjuncts that can be adopted by surgeons to enable short hospital stays, opioid avoidance, enhance safety and improve value. Techniques include opioid-free analgesia based on surgeon-performed nerve blocks, patient engagement using prehabilitation and the use of digital health adjuncts. Examples of day surgery colectomy and hiatal hernia repair illustrate the concepts.