Minimally Invasive Surgery for Upper Gastrointestinal Tract Diseases: New Trends and Future Perspectives
A special issue of Gastrointestinal Disorders (ISSN 2624-5647).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2026 | Viewed by 545
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Over the past few decades, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has revolutionized the management of upper gastrointestinal (UGI) tract diseases, providing significant advantages in terms of postoperative recovery, morbidity reduction, and quality of life. Continuous technological progress, with laparoscopic surgery first and then robotic surgery, has allowed for increasingly precise and personalized treatment of benign and malignant diseases of the UGI tract.
This Special Issue aims to provide an updated and comprehensive overview of recent developments and future perspectives in MIS for UGI diseases. Benign conditions such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and achalasia have greatly benefited from minimally invasive and endoscopic approaches, which offer durable results with reduced invasiveness. Similarly, the application of MIS in the treatment of esophageal and gastric malignancies has expanded, supported by advances in instrumentation, imaging, and perioperative care. Emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging are further enhancing the capabilities of modern surgery. AI-assisted systems have the potential to improve diagnostic accuracy, optimize intraoperative decision-making, and refine surgical training through real-time data analysis and predictive modeling. Meanwhile, ICG fluorescence has proven valuable in intraoperative visualization, perfusion assessment, and lymphatic mapping, thereby increasing the precision and safety of complex procedures.
We invite submissions of original research articles, clinical studies, systematic reviews, and technical notes addressing, but not limited to, the following topics:
- Minimally invasive and robotic techniques for benign and malignant UGI diseases;
- Clinical and functional outcomes after minimally invasive esophagectomy and gastrectomy;
- Integration of AI in preoperative planning and intraoperative guidance;
- Role of ICG fluorescence imaging in oncologic and functional UGI surgery.
By gathering contributions from surgeons, endoscopists, and researchers in related disciplines, this Special Issue seeks to promote a multidisciplinary discussion on the current state and future directions of MIS for UGI diseases, fostering scientific exchange and improving patient care through technological and procedural innovation.
Dr. Giuseppe Palomba
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- robotic surgery
- laparoscopic surgery
- esophageal surgery
- gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- achalasia
- esophageal cancer
- gastric cancer
- artificial intelligence (AI)
- indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence
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