Scholars@Duke
Allison Martin

Allison Martin

Assistant Professor of Surgery
Surgical Oncology
allison.martin@duke.edu
10 Bryan Searle Drive, 486 Seeley G. Mudd Bldg., Durham, NC 27710

Selected Publications

The Top Ten Annals of Surgical Oncology Original Articles on Twitter/X: 2020-2023.

Journal Article Ann Surg Oncol · December 2024 Social media has become omnipresent in society, especially given that it enables the rapid and widespread communication of news, events, and information. Social media platforms have become increasingly used by numerous surgical societies to promote meeting ... Full text Link to item Cite

A guide to large data sets for population-based cancer research: Strengths, limitations, and pitfalls.

Journal Article Cancer · November 15, 2024 With the proliferation of cancer research based on large databases, misalignment of research questions and data set capabilities is inevitable. Nationally maintained databases are appealing to cancer researchers because of the ease of access to large amoun ... Full text Link to item Cite

Market Factors, Not Quality, Influence Reimbursement for Pancreaticoduodenectomy in an Era of Price Transparency.

Journal Article Ann Surg Oncol · November 2024 BACKGROUND: The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) price transparency rule tries to facilitate cost-conscious decision-making. For surgical services, such as pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), factors mediating transparency and real-world reimburs ... Full text Link to item Cite

Stereotactic Magnetic Resonance-Guided Daily Adaptive SABR (SMART) for Localised Non-Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer: First Reported Clinical Outcomes From the UK.

Journal Article Clin Oncol (R Coll Radiol) · September 2024 AIMS: Prognosis of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) remains poor with limited therapeutic options. Radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer has been restricted by the disease's proximity to radiosensitive organs at risk (OAR). However, stereotactic ... Full text Link to item Cite

Utilizing risk-stratified pathways to personalize post-hepatectomy discharge planning: A contemporary analysis of 1,354 patients.

Journal Article Am J Surg · July 2024 BACKGROUND: While risk-stratified post-hepatectomy pathways (RSPHPs) reduce length-of-stay, can they stratify hepatectomy patients by risk of early postoperative events. METHODS: 90-day outcomes from consecutive hepatectomies were analyzed (1/1/2017-12/31/ ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of cumulative operative time on postoperative complication risk in simultaneous resections of colorectal liver metastases and primary tumors.

Journal Article HPB (Oxford) · March 2023 BACKGROUND: Simultaneous resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) and primary colorectal cancers (CRC) is nuanced without firm rules for selection. This study aimed to identify factors associated with morbidity after simultaneous resection. METHODS: ... Full text Link to item Cite

Surgical Emergencies and Palliative Interventions in Cancer Patients.

Chapter · February 24, 2023 Barry W Feig. 24. Surgical. Emergencies. and. Palliative. Interventions. in. Cancer. Patients. Allison N. Martin and Brian D. Badgwell. INTRODUCTION. Oncologic emergencies have been defined as “an acute condition that is caused by cancer or ... ... Cite

Re-excision After Unplanned Excision of Soft Tissue Sarcoma is Associated with High Morbidity and Limited Pathologic Identification of Residual Disease.

Journal Article Ann Surg Oncol · January 2023 BACKGROUND: Patients with unplanned excision (UPE) of trunk and extremity soft tissue sarcoma (STS) present a significant management challenge for sarcoma specialists. Oncologic re-resection has been considered standard practice after UPE with positive or ... Full text Link to item Cite

Individual components of post-hepatectomy care pathways have differential impacts on length of stay.

Journal Article Am J Surg · January 2023 BACKGROUND: The value of individual variable contributions to post-hepatectomy length of stay (LOS) are difficult to quantify within bundled care pathways. METHODS: Poisson regression and marginal effects models for prolonged post-hepatectomy LOS (>25% med ... Full text Link to item Cite

Racial disparities in pancreatic cancer clinical trials: Defining the problem and identifying solutions.

Chapter · 2023 Underrepresented minority patients with pancreatic cancer have differential access to cancer treatments, including clinical trials. The successful conduct and completion of clinical trials is critical to improve outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer ... Full text Link to item Cite

Risk-stratified posthepatectomy pathways based upon the Kawaguchi-Gayet complexity classification and impact on length of stay.

Conference Surg Open Sci · July 2022 BACKGROUND: The Kawaguchi-Gayet classification is a validated system to stratify open liver resections by complexity and postoperative complications. We hypothesized that Kawaguchi-Gayet classification could be used to create and implement risk-stratified ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Risk and Reward of Speaking Out for Racial Equity in Surgical Training.

Journal Article J Surg Educ · 2021 In order to maintain productivity and career advancement, Black and Brown individuals often find themselves downplaying persistent elements of bias and racism experienced in predominantly white fields. These elements are commonly reinforced by institutiona ... Full text Link to item Cite

Disparities in telemedicine utilization among surgical patients during COVID-19.

Journal Article PLoS One · 2021 BACKGROUND: Telemedicine has been rapidly adopted in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. There is limited work surrounding demographic and socioeconomic disparities that may exist in telemedicine utilization. This study aimed to examine demographic and soci ... Full text Link to item Cite

Safety of Major Abdominal Operations in the Elderly: A Study of Geriatric-Specific Determinants of Health.

Journal Article World J Surg · August 2020 BACKGROUND: Preoperative assessment of geriatric-specific determinants of health may enhance perioperative risk stratification among elderly patients. This study examines effects of geriatric-specific variables on postoperative outcomes in patients undergo ... Full text Link to item Cite

Association of Geriatric-Specific Variables with 30-Day Hospital Readmission Risk of Elderly Surgical Patients: A NSQIP Analysis.

Conference J Am Coll Surg · April 2020 BACKGROUND: Elderly patients (65 years of age and older) undergo an increasing number of operations performed annually in the US and they present with unique healthcare needs. Preventing postoperative readmission remains an important challenge to improving ... Full text Link to item Cite

Epidemiology of paediatric injuries in Rwanda using a prospective trauma registry.

Journal Article BJS Open · February 2020 BACKGROUND: Child survival initiatives historically prioritized efforts to reduce child morbidity and mortality from infectious diseases and maternal conditions. Little attention has been devoted to paediatric injuries in resource-limited settings. This st ... Full text Link to item Cite

Implementation of an Enhanced Recovery Protocol Is Associated With On-Time Initiation of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Colorectal Cancer.

Journal Article Dis Colon Rectum · November 2019 BACKGROUND: Delayed initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy negatively impacts long-term survival in patients with colorectal cancer. Colorectal enhanced recovery protocols result in decreased complications and length of stay; however, the impact of enhanced r ... Full text Link to item Cite

The Management of Solitary Neck Mass.

Chapter · October 29, 2019 An ideal resource for written, oral, and recertifying board study, as well as an excellent reference for everyday clinical practice, Current Surgical Therapy, 13th Edition, provides trusted, authoritative advice on today's best treatment ... ... Cite

Disparities in Lung Cancer Screening Availability: Lessons From Southwest Virginia.

Journal Article Ann Thorac Surg · August 2019 BACKGROUND: Little is known about health disparities in access to low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening. This study hypothesized that the current capacity for LDCT screening would be exceeded by the number of at-risk individuals in Virginia. METHOD ... Full text Link to item Cite

Investigating racial disparities in bariatric surgery referrals.

Journal Article Surg Obes Relat Dis · April 2019 BACKGROUND: Prior studies investigating racial, socioeconomic, and/or insurance disparities with regard to access to care and outcomes in bariatric surgery have been performed with varying results. OBJECTIVES: Our aim was to determine if racial or ethnic d ... Full text Link to item Cite

Assessing the impact of HIV status on injury outcomes: A multicenter study of trauma patients in Rwanda.

Journal Article Surgery · February 2019 BACKGROUND: There is conflicting evidence regarding the impact of human immunodeficiency virus serostatus on trauma outcomes in low-resource settings. This study sought to evaluate the impact of human immunodeficiency virus serostatus on mortality outcomes ... Full text Link to item Cite

Efficacy of Radiofrequency Ablation versus Transarterial Chemoembolization for Patients with Solitary Hepatocellular Carcinoma ≤3 cm.

Journal Article Am Surg · February 1, 2019 Optimal treatment for small hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ≤ 3 cm remains controversial. Ablation and chemoembolization are considered for nonoperative candidates. This study compares survival among patients with solitary HCC ≤ 3 cm treated with radiofrequ ... Link to item Cite

Cancer Control at the District Hospital Level in Sub-Saharan Africa: An Educational and Resource Needs Assessment of General Practitioners.

Journal Article J Glob Oncol · January 2019 PURPOSE: The WHO framework for early cancer diagnosis highlights the need to improve health care capacity among primary care providers. In Rwanda, general practitioners (GPs) at district hospitals (DHs) play key roles in diagnosing, initiating management, ... Full text Link to item Cite

Teaching surgical skills in a resource-limited setting: Comparing massed versus distributed practice in an ultrasound-guided breast biopsy simulator

Journal Article East and Central African Journal of Surgery · December 31, 2018 Background: Teaching surgical skills in the simulation lab has increased markedly compared to teaching only in the operating room. Although many studies have been performed investigating the optimal teaching methodology for skills acquisition, ther ... Full text Cite

Impact of delayed care on surgical management of patients with gastric cancer in a low-resource setting.

Journal Article J Surg Oncol · December 2018 BACKGROUND: Gastric cancer is the fifth most common cancer in Eastern Africa. Diagnostic delays in low-resource countries result in advanced disease presentation. We describe perioperative management of gastric cancer in Rwanda. METHODS: A retrospective re ... Full text Link to item Cite

Mortality after pancreaticoduodenectomy: assessing early and late causes of patient death.

Journal Article J Surg Res · November 2018 BACKGROUND: Safety of pancreaticoduodenectomy has improved significantly in the past 3 decades. Current inpatient and 30-d mortality rates are low. However, incidence and causes of 90-d and 1-y mortality are poorly defined and largely unexplored. METHODS: ... Full text Link to item Cite

The negative effect of perioperative red blood cell transfusion on morbidity and mortality after major abdominal operations.

Journal Article Am J Surg · September 2018 BACKGROUND: This study aims to test associations between perioperative blood transfusion and postoperative morbidity and mortality after major abdominal operations. METHODS: The 2014 ACS NSQIP dataset was queried for all patients who underwent one of the t ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of minimally invasive surgery on short-term outcomes after rectal resection for neoplasm within the setting of an enhanced recovery program.

Journal Article Surg Endosc · May 2018 BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for rectal cancer has increased in recent years. Enhanced recovery (ER) protocols are associated with improved outcomes, such as decreased length of stay (LOS). We examined the impact of MIS and ER protocols on ... Full text Link to item Cite

Clinical Factors and Postoperative Impact of Bile Leak After Liver Resection.

Journal Article J Gastrointest Surg · April 2018 BACKGROUND: Despite technical advances, bile leak remains a significant complication after hepatectomy. The current study uses a targeted multi-institutional dataset to characterize perioperative factors that are associated with bile leakage after hepatect ... Full text Link to item Cite

Pancreatic duct size and gland texture are associated with pancreatic fistula after pancreaticoduodenectomy but not after distal pancreatectomy.

Journal Article PLoS One · 2018 BACKGROUND: Pancreatic fistula remains a morbid complication after pancreatectomy. Since the proposed mechanism of pancreatic fistula is different between pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy, we hypothesized that pancreatic gland texture and ... Full text Link to item Cite

A practice pattern assessment of members of the Society of Pediatric Urology for evaluation and treatment of urinary tract dilation.

Journal Article J Pediatr Urol · December 2017 INTRODUCTION: Over the last decade the literature, including a multidisciplinary consensus statement, has supported a paradigm shift in management of urinary tract dilation, yet the impact on practice patterns has not been well documented. OBJECTIVE: This ... Full text Link to item Cite

Cervical cancer screening at a tertiary care center in Rwanda.

Journal Article Gynecol Oncol Rep · August 2017 In limited resource settings such as Rwanda, visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) is the primary model for cervical cancer screening. The objective of this study was to describe clinical characteristics and outcomes for women presenting for cervical ca ... Full text Link to item Cite

Impact of Spanish-language information sessions on Spanish-speaking patients seeking bariatric surgery.

Conference Surg Obes Relat Dis · June 2017 BACKGROUND: Bariatric centers frequently provide preoperative educational programs to inform patients about the risks and benefits of weight loss surgery. However, most programs are conducted in English, which may create barriers to effective treatment and ... Full text Link to item Cite

An institutional comparison of total abdominal colectomy and diverting loop ileostomy and colonic lavage in the treatment of severe, complicated Clostridium difficile infections.

Journal Article Am J Surg · March 2017 BACKGROUND: Total abdominal colectomy (TAC) is the standard surgical treatment of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). An alternative therapy, loop ileostomy and colonic lavage (IL), was described in 2011, but the results have never been validated. METHO ... Full text Link to item Cite

Blood transfusion is an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality after hepatectomy.

Journal Article J Surg Res · November 2016 BACKGROUND: Previous studies have indicated that blood transfusion is associated with increased risk of worse outcomes among patients selected for hepatectomy. However, the independent effect of transfusion has not been confirmed. We hypothesize that blood ... Full text Link to item Cite

The impact of bacterial colonization on graft success after total pancreatectomy with autologous islet transplantation: considerations for early definitive surgical intervention.

Journal Article Clin Transplant · November 2016 OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine whether bacterial contamination of islets affects graft success after total pancreatectomy with islet autotransplantation (TPIAT). BACKGROUND: Factors associated with insulin independence after TPIAT ar ... Full text Link to item Cite

Predicting surgical skill acquisition in preclinical medical students.

Journal Article Am J Surg · October 2016 BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict medical student success in acquiring invasive procedural skills. We hypothesized that students with interest in surgery and with prior procedural experience would have higher rates ... Full text Link to item Cite

Clinical efficacy of 2-phase versus 4-phase computed tomography for localization in primary hyperparathyroidism.

Journal Article Surgery · September 2016 BACKGROUND: Four-dimensional computed tomography is being used increasingly for localization of abnormal glands in primary hyperparathyroidism. We hypothesized that compared with traditional 4-phase imaging, 2-phase imaging would halve the radiation dose w ... Full text Link to item Cite

Morbidity and Mortality After Gastrectomy: Identification of Modifiable Risk Factors.

Journal Article J Gastrointest Surg · September 2016 BACKGROUND: Morbidity after gastrectomy remains high. The potentially modifiable risk factors have not been well described. This study considers a series of potentially modifiable patient-specific and perioperative characteristics that could be considered ... Full text Link to item Cite

Predicting Surgical Skill Acquisition in Pre-Clinical Medical Students

Conference Journal of the American College of Surgeons · October 2015 Full text Cite

RNase MRP RNA and human genetic diseases.

Journal Article Cell Res · March 2007 RNase MRP RNA is the RNA subunit of the RNase mitochondrial RNA processing (MRP) enzyme complex that is involved in multiple cellular RNA processing events. Mutations on RNase MRP RNA gene (RMRP) cause a recessively inherited developmental disorder, cartil ... Full text Link to item Cite