Modernization of emergency general surgery through technical expertise and operational development for our patients and teams

Emergency general surgery (EGS) procedures are frequent and associated with higher morbidity than elective operations. Improving surgical quality for EGS patients is an admirable goal, which is fraught with several clinical and operational challenges. Surgeons must develop a skillset that is prepared to maintain clinical excellence and overcome the operational challenges that often prevent the initiation of new quality programs. This narrative review is from the Modernization of EGS short course at the 2026 EAST Annual Scientific Assembly. The session is divided into four parts highlighting specific EGS topics: hepatobiliary, alimentary tract, abdominal wall, and special patient populations. Topics were selected to provide current evidence-based approaches to commonly encountered pathological findings and notoriously challenging clinical scenarios. Included are expert opinion sections on the fundamental aspects of building a quality EGS program given by acute care surgery leaders with proven success.