New as of 2022, The Legends of GI Surgery Session offers a fascinating journey through the history of surgery, particularly focusing on GI surgery. The SSAT panel session discovers the lives and innovations of pivotal figures in SSAT surgical history, highlighting their contributions to the field. It also delves into significant events and advancements in surgical techniques, from early times to modern-day practices. The field of GI surgery has evolved without the benefit of structured, specialized training programs, but the need for such training is becoming increasingly recognized. The SSAT Legends of GI Surgery session offer a valuable perspective on the history of surgery, highlighting the contributions of individuals and the evolution of surgical techniques and training. The panel also provides insights into the challenges and triumphs of surgeons throughout history.

Participants will be able to:

• Evaluate worrisome features?in pancreatic cysts and apply evidence-based criteria to guide surgical versus surveillance decision-making.
• Integrate current diagnostic tools and biomarkers?to improve accuracy in predicting malignant transformation of pancreatic cystic lesions.
• Design and implement a multidisciplinary approach?to pancreatic cyst management, emphasizing collaboration between gastroenterologists, surgeons, radiologists, and pathologists.

Participants will be able to:

• Describe the disparities in the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer
• Recognize risk factors for unplanned readmission after surgery for early onset colon cancer

This session explores the surgical approach and technical challenges to gastrointestinal diseases spanning the gamut of esophageal, gastric, hepatic, pancreatic, and colorectal diseases as well as operations.

Participants will be able to:

• Understand general diagnostic approaches and management of esophageal, gastric, hepatic, pancreatic, and colorectal diseases.
• Understand surgical considerations and approaches to esophageal, gastric, hepatic, pancreatic, and colorectal operations.
• Learn tips and tricks when dealing with tricky or complex scenarios during esophageal, gastric, hepatic, pancreatic, and colorectal operations.

Participants will be able to:

• Role of small bowel transplantation after enterectomy
• Outcomes after nonsurgical management of small bowel obstruction
• Impact of hernia repair in patients with intraperitoneal cancer

This session will bring together leaders across upper GI, lower GI, and hepatopancreatobiliary surgery to share real-world experiences and practical strategies for managing complications such as anastomotic leaks, postoperative bleeding, and other unexpected events.

Participants will be able to:

• Apply evidence-informed, real-world management strategies for the diagnosis and stepwise treatment of complex postoperative complications.
• Recognize early clinical indicators and risk factors associated with anastomotic leaks, postoperative hemorrhage, and other high-risk complications across upper GI, lower GI, and hepatopancreatobiliary procedures.
• Implement practical intraoperative and perioperative techniques to reduce complication risk and improve patient outcomes.

Participants will be able to:

• Understand management of common GI complaints during a normal pregnancy
• Recognize importance of surgical versus endoscopic intervention during pregnancy
• Identify complications from primary liver disease versus secondary during pregnancy

This session explores evolving surgical techniques and perioperative strategies in pancreatic surgery, from drain management and vascular resection to robotic pancreatoduodenectomy. The presented data inform patient selection, shared decision-making, and outcomes-focused adoption of advanced pancreatic surgical care.

Participants will be able to:

• Describe contemporary surgical strategies and practice patterns in pancreatic surgery, including drain management after pancreatoduodenectomy, arterial resection techniques for locally advanced disease, and adoption of robotic pancreatoduodenectomy
• Explain how perioperative factors, neoadjuvant therapy, operative approach, and postoperative recovery influence oncologic outcomes, recurrence patterns, morbidity, and quality of life following pancreatic resection
• Evaluate emerging evidence to guide patient selection and shared decision-making for pancreatic surgery, including expanded eligibility for early drain removal, extent of pancreatectomy in high-risk individuals, surgical resection in older or comorbid patients, and institutional readiness for robotic pancreatoduodenectomy

This joint SSAT-WTS session will highlight modern multidisciplinary care in esophageal cancer, with expert insights from thoracic and foregut surgeons. Talks will cover advances in systemic therapy, surgical technique, interpretation of post-neoadjuvant pathology, and recurrence management - offering practical updates across the full continuum of care.

Participants will be able to:

• Review current advancements in systemic therapy for esophageal cancer, including modern chemotherapy and immunotherapy approaches.
• Describe the key components of a high-quality esophagectomy and understand how post-neoadjuvant pathology informs prognosis and follow-up.
• Identify effective strategies for recurrence surveillance and management following esophagectomy.

This session explores the multidisciplinary diagnostic and treatment dilemmas of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors and mesenteric masses of unknown significance as well as exploring updates for surgeons in inflammatory bowel disease drugs.

Participants will be able to:

• Understand the diagnosis and management of small bowel neuroendocrine tumors
• Know methods to diagnose mesenteric masses
• Understand the timing and side effects of modern IBD drugs around surgery

Discussants from the SSAT, AASLD, AGA, and ASGE will review their societies' top presentations; attend this session to get an overview of the latest, best, and most thought-provoking research presented all week. Consult MyDDW for the schedule of expert critiques.