Operating under pressure: a scoping review of the effects of climate change on general surgery - Summary - MDSpire
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Climate Change and General Surgery: A Scoping Review of Impacts on Surgical Practice

  • By

  • Kimberly P. Woo

  • Ali Alipouriani

  • Jenny H. Chang

  • William C. Bennett

  • Abby Gross

  • Divya Deverakonda

  • Nikhila Yerabandi

  • Mary Schleicher

  • Alberto Arezzo

  • Marina Yiasemidou

  • Maggie Hodges

  • Vittoria Bellato

  • Myrthe M. M. Eussen

  • Patricia Sylla

  • Shaneeta M. Johnson

  • Ilyssa O. Gordon

  • Sofya Asfaw

  • Benjamin T. Miller

  • October 16, 2026

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Objective:

To map published research on climate-related effects in general surgery, identify knowledge gaps, and establish research priorities.

Approach:
  • Search: PRISMA-ScR-guided searches of four databases were conducted on August 29, 2025; key citations were hand-searched and expert suggestions were incorporated.
  • Eligibility: Eligible studies were peer-reviewed, full-length English-language manuscripts involving humans and general surgery or specified subspecialties. Exclusions included gray literature, reviews, abstracts, case series or surgical case reports involving fewer than 20 patients, and perspective or opinion articles.
Key Findings:
  • Of 6,678 citations identified, 1,520 duplicates were removed automatically and 49 were removed manually, leaving 5,109 records for screening.
Interpretation:

The review was designed to characterize the available literature on climate change and general surgery and identify areas requiring further research.

Limitations:
  • The supplied context does not report the included studies’ substantive findings or specific knowledge gaps.
  • The review was limited to peer-reviewed, full-length English-language human studies within its defined general-surgery scope.
  • Quantitative synthesis was deferred because of heterogeneity in study objectives and outcomes.
Sources:

Original Source(s)

Operating under pressure: a scoping review of the effects of climate change on general surgery

  • by Kimberly P. Woo, Ali Alipouriani, Jenny H. Chang, William C. Bennett, Abby Gross, Divya Deverakonda, Nikhila Yerabandi, Mary Schleicher, Alberto Arezzo, Marina Yiasemidou, Maggie Hodges, Vittoria Bellato, Myrthe M. M. Eussen, Patricia Sylla, Shaneeta M. Johnson, Ilyssa O. Gordon, Sofya Asfaw, Benjamin T. Miller

  • October 16, 2026

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