Clinical feasibility of laparoscopic left lateral segment liver resection with magnetic anchor technique:The first clinical study from China

BACKGROUND Magnetic anchor technique(MAT)has been applied in laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic appendectomy,but has not been reported in laparoscopic partial hepatectomy.AIM To evaluate the feasibility of the MAT in laparoscopic left lateral segment liver resection.METHODS Retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of eight patients who underwent laparoscopic left lateral segment liver resection assisted by MAT in our department from July 2020 to November 2021.The Y-Z magnetic anchor devices(Y-Z MADs)was independently designed and developed by the author of this paper,which consists of the anchor magnet and magnetic grasping apparatus.Surgical time,intraoperative blood loss,intraoperative accidents,operator experience,postoperative incision pain score,postoperative complications,and other indicators were evaluated and analyzed.RESULTS All eight patients underwent a MAT-assisted laparoscopic left lateral segment liver resection,including three patients undertaking conventional 5-port and five patients having a transumbilical single-port operation.The mean operation time was 138±34.32 min(range 95-185 min)and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 123±88.60 mL(range 20-300 mL).No adverse events occurred during the operation.The Y-Z MADs showed good workability and maneuverability in both tissue and organ exposure.In particular,the operators did not experience either a“chopstick”or“sword-fight”effect in the single-port laparoscopic operation.CONCLUSION The results show that the MAT is safe and feasible for laparoscopic left lateral segment liver resection,especially,exhibits its unique abettance for transumbilical single-port laparoscopic left lateral segment liver resection.

Magnetic compression anastomosis for reconstruction of digestive tract after total gastrectomy in beagle model

BACKGROUND Magnetic compression anastomosis(MCA)is a simple procedure contributing to a reliable anastomosis.However,digestive-tract reconstruction after total gastrectomy using MCA has not yet been reported.AIM To investigate the feasibility of MCA for simultaneous esophagojejunostomy and jejunojejunostomy after total gastrectomy using beagle dogs.METHODS Sixteen beagles were randomly divided into an MCA group(study group,n=8)and a manual-suture anastomosis group(control group,n=8).Two different magnetic anastomosis devices were used in the study group for esophagojejunal and jejunojejunal anastomoses.Both devices included a pair of circular daughter and parent magnets each.The time of esophagojejunostomy and jejunojejunostomy,postoperative complications,and survival rate of the two groups were compared.The dogs were sacrificed one month after the operation and their anastomotic specimens were obtained.Healing was observed by the naked eye and a light microscope.RESULTS Digestive-tract reconstruction after total gastrectomy was successfully completed in both groups(survival rate=100%).In the study group,esophagojejunal and jejunojejunal anastomoses took 6.13±0.58 and 4.06±0.42 min,respectively,significantly lower than those in the control group(15.63±1.53 min,P<0.001 and 10.31±1.07 min,P<0.001,respectively).Complications such as bleeding,anastomotic leakage,and anastomotic stenosis were not observed.In the study group,the magnets did not interfere with each other.Discharge time of the jejunojejunal magnetic anastomosis device was 10.75±1.28 d,while that of the esophagojejunal magnetic anastomosis device was 12.25±1.49 d.Residual silk was found in the control group.The study group showed a greater smoothness of the anastomosis than that of the control group.All layers of anastomosis healed well in both groups.CONCLUSION MCA is a safe and feasible procedure for digestive-tract reconstruction after total gastrectomy in this animal model.

Primary animal experiment to test the feasibility of a novel Y-Z magnetic hepatic portal blocking band

BACKGROUND Hepatic portal blood flow occlusion is a common technique for reducing hepatic hemorrhage during hepatectomy.We designed a novel Y-Z magnetic hepatic portal blocking band(Y-Z MHPBB)based on the principle of magnetic compression technique.AIM To introduce the Y-Z MHPBB device and verify the feasibility of this device for hepatic portal blood flow occlusion in dogs.METHODS Ten beagles were randomly divided into the experimental group and control group.The operation time,intraoperative blood loss,the number of portal blood flow occlusions,the total time spent on adjusting the blocking band,and the average time spent on adjusting the blocking band were recorded.The surgeons evaluated the feasibility and flexibility of the two portal occlusion devices.RESULTS Laparoscopic hepatectomy was successfully performed in both the experimental group and control group.There was no statistical difference between the two groups in the operation time,intraoperative blood loss,and the number of hepatic portal blood flow occlusions.With respect to the total time spent on adjusting the blocking band and the average time spent on adjusting the blocking band,the experimental group showed significantly better outcomes than the control group,with a statistical difference(P<0.05).The operators found that the Y-Z MHPBB was superior to the modified T-tube in terms of operational flexibility.CONCLUSION The Y-Z MHPBB seems to be an ingenious design,accurate blood flow occlusion effect,and good flexibility;and it can be used for hepatic portal blood flow occlusion during laparoscopic hepatectomy.

Use of the magnetic compression technique in sleeve gastrectomy: a preliminary study

To the Editor:Obesity is becoming a worldwide health issue,and the prevalence of obesity continues to increase.[1,2]Body weight reduction is one of the effective measures to solve this problem;however,only a small number of obese patients succeed in controlling their body weight without intervention.Sleeve gastrectomy(SG)is widely performed in obese patients for its excellent surgical result and easy surgical procedures.Unfortunately,stomach leakage may cause severe consequences,such as infection and death,although the incidence rate of this complication is 2.4%.