E102 Sunil Patel on Robotic Colorectal Surgery and Spin in Surgical Research

Cold Steel: Canadian Journal of Surgery Podcast

This week we were joined by Dr. Sunil Patel (https://twitter.com/epipatelmd?s=20). Dr. Patel is a colorectal surgeon in Kingston, Ontario. The group in Kinston is one of the few general surgery groups in Canada that has really utilized robotics in their practice, and we wanted to understand both why and how they introduced robotics into their group. Dr. Patel has also done fascinating research into the topic of spin in surgical research, and he walks us through the concept of spin and how the astute reader can avoid being fooled by it.

Links:

1. The use of "spin" in laparoscopic lower GI surgical trials with nonsignificant results: an assessment of reporting and interpretation of the primary outcomes. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24201393/

2. Spin Is Common in Studies Assessing Robotic Colorectal Surgery: An Assessment of Reporting and Interpretation of Study Results. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26252850/

3. An Assessment of the Industry-Faculty Surgeon Relationship Within Colon and Rectum Surgical Training Programs. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26966083/

4. Spin in articles about minimally invasive transanal total mesorectal excision: an assessment of the current literature. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30341922/

5. Reviewing the Reviewers: Potential Financial Conflicts of Interest in Editorial Boards of Surgery Journals. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34091509/

Bio (https://surgery.queensu.ca/administration/attending-staff/sunil-patel):

Dr. Sunil Patel is a fellowship trained colorectal surgeon at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. He has specialized training in minimally invasive surgery, including robotic surgery, laparoscopic surgery and transanal total mesorectal excision (Ta-TME). Dr. Patel and his partners are the only group offering high volume Robotic Colorectal Surgery in the Province.

Dr. Patel specializes in treating Rectal Cancer, Colon Cancer, Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Diverticular Disease. Dr. Patel and his partners are the only high volume rectal cancer surgeons in Southeast Ontario.

Dr. Patel completed his general surgery in London, Ontario. He completed his colorectal surgery fellowship in New York City at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and New York Presbyterian Hospital. Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center is considered one of the top Cancer hospitals in the world. He has also completed a Masters of Epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine in London, UK.

Dr. Patel’s research interests include barriers to treatment in colorectal cancer and inflammatory bowel disease patients, the use of smart phone technology in delivering clinical care and evidence based health care.

Dr. Patel is also a member of the Cancer Care and Epidemiology at the Cancer Research Institute and the Regional Colorectal Cancer Screening and GI Endoscopy Lead (LHIN).