Abstract
The application of energy during surgery is a topic often addressed in articles published in this and other surgical journals. The current generation of gynecologic surgeons have been trained in—or learned to incorporate—electrosurgery in many of their procedures. As a surgical educator, I have been surprised that surgeons who use energy during their cases often do not understand the principles governing its applications or its safe use. The major advances in electrosurgery during the twenty-first century have been driven by the shift from open surgical procedures to those featuring minimally invasive approaches. To make electrosurgery safer, newer instruments have been developed that reduce thermal damage to surrounding tissues.
Daniel C. Martin, MD, a professor emeritus at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, is a nationally recognized expert in electrosurgery and its safe use. Dr. Martin has recruited other individuals with such expertise and put together an outstanding Special Topic issue, “Safe Use of Energy During Gynecologic Surgery.” Electrosurgical technology will continue to advance, and surgeons who will utilize this technology must understand how to use it safely and effectively. I urge the readers to review the articles in Dr. Martin's special issue that provide an excellent contemporary foundation for all of us.
The August issue contains outstanding original articles. The role of lymph-node assessment in patients with endometrial cancer continues to evolve and remains a controversial topic that is addressed by 2 articles in this issue. Two additional articles focus on prevention of surgical-site infections. We now have five routes to perform a hysterectomy (abdominal, vaginal, laparoscopic, robotic, and vNOTES [vaginal natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery]). The study by Robertson et al. evaluates objective and subjective criteria that may help predict the feasibility of the vaginal approach. The article by Lin and associates explores the challenge of nerve-sparing for patients undergoing resection of advanced pelvic endometriosis.
The publishers, editors, and editorial board continue to strive toward making the Journal of Gynecologic Surgery both a valuable educational source and a vehicle for publication of articles that will advance our specialty. We value the input of our readers highly and hope to hear from you.
—Mitchel S. Hoffman, MD
Editor-in-Chief