Identification of clinical subphenotypes of sepsis after laparoscopic surgery

Objective:Some patients exhibit septic symptoms following laparoscopic surgery,leading to a poor prognosis.Effective clinical subphenotyping is critical for guiding tailored therapeutic strategies in these cases.By identifying predisposing factors for postoperative sepsis,clinicians can implement targeted interventions,potentially improving outcomes.This study outlines a workflow for the subphenotype methodology in the context of laparoscopic surgery,along with its practical application.Methods:This study utilized data routinely available in clinical case systems,enhancing the applicability of our findings.The data included vital signs,such as respiratory rate,and laboratory measures,such as blood sodium levels.The process of categorizing clinical routine data involved technical complexities.A correlation heatmap was used to visually depict the relationships between variables.Ordering points were used to identify the clustering structure and combined with Consensus K clustering methods to determine the optimal categorization.Results:Our study highlighted the intricacies of identifying clinical subphenotypes following laparoscopic surgery,and could thus serve as a valuable resource for clinicians and researchers seeking to explore disease heterogeneity in clinical settings.By simplifying complex methodologies,we aimed to bridge the gap between technical expertise and clinical application,fostering an environment where professional medical knowledge is effectively utilized in subphenotyping research.Conclusion:This tutorial could primarily serve as a guide for beginners.A variety of clustering approaches were explored,and each step in the process contributed to a comprehensive understanding of clinical subphenotypes.

First experience in laparoscopic surgery in low and middle income countries: A systematic review

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic surgery has reduced morbidity and mortality rates,shorter post-operative recovery periods and lower complication rates than open surgery.It is routine practice in high-income countries and is becoming increasingly common in countries with limited resources.However,introducing laparoscopic surgery in low-and-middle-income countries(LMIC)can be expensive and requires resour-ces,equipment,and trainers.AIM To report the challenges and benefits of introducing laparoscopic surgery in LMIC as well as to identify solutions to these challenges for countries with limited finances and resources.METHODS MEDLINE,EMBASE and Cochrane databases were searched for studies reporting first experience in laparoscopic surgery in LMIC.Included studies were published between 1996 and 2022 with full text available in English.Exclusion criteria were studies considering only open surgery,ear,nose,and throat,endoscopy,arthro-scopy,hysteroscopy,cystoscopy,transplant,or bariatric surgery.RESULTS Ten studies out of 3409 screened papers,from eight LMIC were eligible for inclusion in the final analysis,totaling 2497 patients.Most reported challenges were related to costs of equipment and training programmes,equipment pro-blems such as faulty equipment,and access to surgical kits.Training-related challenges were reliance on foreign trainers and lack of locally trained surgeons and theatre staff.The benefits of introducing laparoscopic surgery were economic and clinical,including a reduction in hospital stay,complications,and morbidi-ty/mortality.The introduction of laparoscopic surgery also provided training opportunities for junior doctors.CONCLUSION Despite financial and technical challenges,many studies emphasise the overall benefit of introducing laparoscopic surgery in LMICs such as reduced hospital stay and the related lower cost for patients.While many of the clinical centres in LMICs have proposed practical solutions to the challenges reported,more support is critically required,in particular regarding training.

Laparoscopic vs open surgery for gastric cancer: Assessing time, recovery, complications, and markers

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer(GC)is one of the most common cancers worldwide.Morbidity and mortality have increased in recent years,making it an urgent issue to address.La-paroscopic radical surgery(LRS)is a crucial method for treating patients with GC;However,its influence on tumor markers is still under investigation.The data of 194 patients treated at Chongqing University Cancer Hospital bet-ween January 2018 and January 2019 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients who underwent traditional open surgery and LRS were assigned to the control(n=90)and observation groups(n=104),respectively.Independent sample t-tests andχ2 tests were used to compare the two groups based on clinical efficacy,changes in tumor marker levels after treatment,clinical data,and the incidence of posto-perative complications.To investigate the association between tumor marker levels and clinical efficacy in patients with GC,three-year recurrence rates in the two groups were compared.RESULTS Patients in the observation group had a shorter duration of operation,less in-traoperative blood loss,an earlier postoperative eating time,and a shorter hospital stay than those in the control group(P<0.05).No significant difference was observed between the two groups regarding the number of lymph node dissections(P>0.05).After treatment,the overall response rate in the control group was significantly lower than that in the observation group(P=0.001).Furthermore,after treatment,the levels of carbohydrate antigen 19-9,cancer antigen 72-4,carcinoembryonic antigen,and cancer antigen 125 decreased significantly.The observation group also exhibited a significantly lower incidence rate of postoperative complications compared to the control group(P<0.001).Additionally,the two groups did not significantly differ in terms of three-year survival and recurrence rates(P>0.05).CONCLUSION LRS effectively treats early gastric cancer by reducing intraoperative bleeding,length of hospital stays,and postoperative complications.It also significantly lowers tumor marker levels,thus improving the short-term prognosis of the disease.

Robotic-assisted versus laparoscopic repair of type II, III and IV hiatal hernias: A retrospective study comparing adverse outcomes

Objective:Robotic-assisted surgery(RAS)is continuing to expand in use in surgical specialties,including foregut surgery.The available data on its use in large hiatal hernia(HH)repair are limited and conflicting.This study sought to determine whether there are significant differences in adverse outcomes following HH repair performed with a robotic approach vs.a laparoscopic approach.This study was limited to outcomes in patients with type II,III,and IV HHs,as these hernias are typically more challenging to repair.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed from data obtained from TriNetX,a large deidentified clinical database,over a 10-year period.Adult patients who underwent type II,III,or IV HH repair were included in the study.HH with robotic repair was compared to laparoscopic repair.Cohorts were propensity score matched for demographic information and comorbidities.Risk ratios,risk differences(RDs)with 95%confidence intervals(CIs),and t test for each examined adverse outcome were used to estimate the effects of robotic repair vs.laparoscopic repair.Results:In total,20,016 patients who met the inclusion criteria were identified;1,515 patients utilized RAS,and 18,501 used laparoscopy.Prior to matching,there were significant differences in age,sex,comorbidity,and BMI between the two cohorts.After 1:1 propensity score matching,analyses of 1,514 well-matched patient pairs revealed no significant differences in demographics or comorbidities.Patients who underwent robotic repair were more likely to experience major complications,including venous thromboembolism(RD:0.007,95%CI:0.003,0.011;p?0.002),critical care(RD:0.023,95%CI:0.007,0.039;p?0.004),urinary/renal complications(RD:0.027,95%CI:0.014,0.041;p<0.001),and respiratory complications(RD:0.046,95%CI:0.028,0.064;p<0.001).RAS was associated with a significantly shorter length of stay(32.4±27.5 h vs.35.7±50.1 h,p?0.031),although this finding indicated a reduction in the length of stay of less than 4 hours.No statistically significant differences in risk of esophageal perforation,infection,postprocedural shock,bleeding,mortality,additional emergency room visits,cardiac complications,or wound disruption were found.Conclusions:Patients who undergo robotic-assisted large HH repair are at increased risk of venous thromboembolism,need critical care,urinary or renal complications and respiratory complications.Due to variations in RAS technique,experience,and surgical volumes,further study of this surgical approach and complication rates is warranted.

Colorectal resections for malignancy: A pilot study comparing conventional vs freehand robot-assisted laparoscopic colectomy

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic colectomy is widely accepted as a safe operation for colorectal cancer,but we have experienced resistance to the introduction of the FreeHandffrobotic camera holder to augment laparoscopic colorectal surgery.AIM To compare the initial results between conventional and FreeHandffrobot-assisted laparoscopic colectomy in Trinidad and Tobago.METHODS This was a prospective study of outcomes from all laparoscopic colectomies per-formed for colorectal carcinoma from November 29,2021 to May 30,2022.The following data were recorded:Operating time,conversions,estimated blood loss,hospitalization,morbidity,surgical resection margins and number of nodes har-vested.All data were entered into an excel database and the data were analyzed using SPSS ver 20.0.RESULTS There were 23 patients undergoing colectomies for malignant disease:8(35%)FreeHandff-assisted and 15(65%)conventional laparoscopic colectomies.There were no conversions.Operating time was significantly lower in patients under-going robot-assisted laparoscopic colectomy(95.13±9.22 vs 105.67±11.48 min;P=0.045).Otherwise,there was no difference in estimated blood loss,nodal harvest,hospitalization,morbidity or mortality.CONCLUSION The FreeHandffrobot for colectomies is safe,provides some advantages over conventional laparoscopy and does not compromise oncologic standards in the resource-poor Caribbean setting.

Towards engineering a portable platform for laparoscopic pre-training in virtual reality with haptic feedback

Background Laparoscopic surgery is a surgical technique in which special instruments are inserted through small incision holes inside the body.For some time,efforts have been made to improve surgical pre training through practical exercises on abstracted and reduced models.Methods The authors strive for a portable,easy to use and cost-effective Virtual Reality-based(VR)laparoscopic pre-training platform and therefore address the question of how such a system has to be designed to achieve the quality of today's gold standard using real tissue specimens.Current VR controllers are limited regarding haptic feedback.Since haptic feedback is necessary or at least beneficial for laparoscopic surgery training,the platform to be developed consists of a newly designed prototype laparoscopic VR controller with haptic feedback,a commercially available head-mounted display,a VR environment for simulating a laparoscopic surgery,and a training concept.Results To take full advantage of benefits such as repeatability and cost-effectiveness of VR-based training,the system shall not require a tissue sample for haptic feedback.It is currently calculated and visually displayed to the user in the VR environment.On the prototype controller,a first axis was provided with perceptible feedback for test purposes.Two of the prototype VR controllers can be combined to simulate a typical both-handed use case,e.g.,laparoscopic suturing.A Unity based VR prototype allows the execution of simple standard pre-trainings.Conclusions The first prototype enables full operation of a virtual laparoscopic instrument in VR.In addition,the simulation can compute simple interaction forces.Major challenges lie in a realistic real-time tissue simulation and calculation of forces for the haptic feedback.Mechanical weaknesses were identified in the first hardware prototype,which will be improved in subsequent versions.All degrees of freedom of the controller are to be provided with haptic feedback.To make forces tangible in the simulation,characteristic values need to be determined using real tissue samples.The system has yet to be validated by cross-comparing real and VR haptics with surgeons.

Clinical effect of laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer based on propensity score matching

BACKGROUND The incidence of colorectal cancer(CRC)is increasing annually.Laparoscopic radical resection of CRC is a minimally invasive procedure preferred in clinical practice.AIM To investigate the clinical effect of laparoscopic radical resection of CRC on the basis of propensity score matching(PSM).METHODS The clinical data of 100 patients who received inpatient treatment for CRC at Changde Hospital,Xiangya School of Medicine,Central South University(The First People’s Hospital of Changde City)were analyzed retrospectively.The control group included patients who underwent open surgery(n=43),and those who underwent laparoscopic surgery formed the observation group(n=57).The baseline information of both groups was equipoised using 1×1 PSM.Differences in the perioperative parameters,inflammatory response,immune function,degree of pain,and physical status between the groups were analyzed.RESULTS Thirty patients from both groups were successfully matched.After PSM,baseline data showed no statistically significant differences between the groups:(1)Periop-erative parameters:The observation group had a longer surgery time,less intra-operative blood loss,earlier first ambulation and first anal exhaust times,and shorter gastric tube indwelling time than the control group;(2)Inflammatory response:24 h after surgery,the levels of interleukin-6(IL-6),C-reactive protein(CRP),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)between groups were higher than preoperatively.IL-6,CRP,and TNF-αlevels in the observation group were lower than in the control group;(3)Immune function:At 24 h after surgery,counts of CD4-positive T-lymphocytes(CD4+)and CD4+/CD8-positive T-lymphocytes(CD8+)in both groups were lower than those before surgery,whereas CD8+was higher than that before surgery.At 24 h after surgery,both CD4+counts and CD4+/CD8+in the observation group were higher than those in the control group,whereas CD8+counts were lower;(4)Degree of pain:The visual analog scale scores in the observation group were lower than those in the control group at 24 and 72 h after surgery;and(5)Physical status:One month after surgery,the Karnofsky performance score in the observation group was higher than that in the control group.CONCLUSION Laparoscopic radical resection of CRC has significant benefits,such as reducing postoperative pain and postoperative inflammatory response,avoiding excessive immune inhibition,and contributing to postoperative recovery.

Application of laparoscopic surgery in gallbladder carcinoma

Gallbladder carcinoma(GC)is a rare type of cancer of the digestive system,with an incidence that varies by region.Surgery plays a primary role in the comprehensive treatment of GC and is the only known cure.Compared with traditional open surgery,laparoscopic surgery has the advantages of convenient operation and magnified field of view.Laparoscopic surgery has been successful in many fields,including gastrointestinal medicine and gynecology.The gallbladder was one of the first organs to be treated by laparoscopic surgery,and laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the gold standard surgical treatment for benign gallbladder diseases.However,the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for patients with GC remain controversial.Over the past several decades,research has focused on laparoscopic surgery for GC.The disadvantages of laparoscopic surgery include a high incidence of gallbladder perforation,possible port site metastasis,and potential tumor seeding.The advantages of laparoscopic surgery include less intraoperative blood loss,shorter postoperative hospital stay,and fewer complications.Nevertheless,studies have provided contrasting conclusions over time.In general,recent research has tended to support laparoscopic surgery.However,the application of laparoscopic surgery in GC is still in the exploratory stage.Here,we provide an overview of previous studies,with the aim of introducing the application of laparoscopy in GC.

Current applications of artificial intelligence-based computer vision in laparoscopic surgery

Recent advances in artificial intelligence(AI)have sparked a surge in the application of computer vision(CV)in surgical video analysis.Laparoscopic surgery produces a large number of surgical videos,which provides a new opportunity for improving of CV technology in laparoscopic surgery.AI-based CV techniques may leverage these surgical video data to develop real-time automated decision support tools and surgeon training systems,which shows a new direction in dealing with the shortcomings of laparoscopic surgery.The effectiveness of CV applications in surgical procedures is still under early evaluation,so it is necessary to discuss challenges and obstacles.The review introduced the commonly used deep learning algorithms in CV and described their usage in detail in four application scenes,including phase recognition,anatomy detection,instrument detection and action recognition in laparoscopic surgery.The currently described applications of CV in laparoscopic surgery are limited.Most of the current research focuses on the identification of workflow and anatomical structure,while the identification of instruments and surgical actions is still awaiting further breakthroughs.Future research on the use of CV in laparoscopic surgery should focus on applications in more scenarios,such as surgeon skill assessment and the development of more efficient models.

Novel combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery for advanced T2 gastric cancer:Two case reports

BACKGROUND The standard treatment for advanced T2 gastric cancer(GC)is laparoscopic or surgical gastrectomy(either partial or total)and D2 lymphadenectomy.A novel combined endoscopic and laparoscopic surgery(NCELS)has recently been proposed as a better option for T2 GC.Here we describe two case studies demonstrating the efficacy and safety of NCELS.CASE SUMMARY Two T2 GC cases were both resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection and full-thickness resection and laparoscopic lymph nodes dissection.This method has the advantage of being more precise and minimally invasive compared to current methods.The treatment of these 2 patients was safe and effective with no complications.These cases were followed up for nearly 4 years without recurrence or metastasis.CONCLUSION This novel method provides a minimally invasive treatment option for T2 GC,and its potential indications,effectiveness and safety needs to be further evaluated in controlled studies.

Explore the clinical nursing path of daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy under the guidance of enhanced recovery after surgery

Objective:To explore the safety and effectiveness nursing of 12 h discharged daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy guided by enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)concept.Methods:Included 180 cases from the 12 h discharged daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients which assessmended and guided by ERAS,with the 180 case of routine cholecystectomy patients as control group at the same time.To quantitatively analyze the related indexes of perioperative period and ERAS concept,and evaluate the clinical safety,and effectiveness.Results:It displayed no significant differences in average age,gender distribution,duration of gallbladder related disease and distribution of clinical symptoms between the two groups(P>0.05).There were also no significant differences in preoperative smoking history,hypertension history,cardio-cerebrovascular history,abdominal operation history and disease composition ratio between the two groups(P>0.05).None of the patients had conversion to laparotomy.Compared with the conventional surgery group,there were no significant differences in the average amount of intraoperative blood loss,operation time and muscle strength before returning to the ward in patients with ERAS guided day surgery(P>0.05).When compared with the conventional surgery group,ERAS guided day surgery group had no significant difference in muscle strength between the two groups when going under the ground(t=1.64,P=0.082).Also,the level of peripheral white blood cells in patients with ERAS guided day surgery group was not significantly increased at 6 h after surgery.Meanwhile,liver function related indexes,transaminase,total bilirubin,indirect bilirubin were not significantly abnormal(P>0.05).Conclusion:12 h daytime laparoscopic cholecystectomy guided by ERAS concept can improve the clinical efficacy of patients with cholecystolithiasis,which is safe and feasible.

Anti-infective therapy durations predict psychological stress and laparoscopic surgery quality in pelvic abscess patients

BACKGROUND The degree of psychological stress and the difficulty and efficacy of laparoscopic surgery differ in patients with pelvic abscesses after different durations of antiinfection treatment.AIM To compare and analyse the effects of different durations of anti-infective therapy on patients’preoperative psychological stress level and the clinical efficacy of laparoscopic surgery in patients with pelvic abscesses to offer a reference for the selection of therapy plans.METHODS A total of 100 patients with pelvic abscesses who were admitted to the Department of Gynecology of Suzhou Ninth Hospital affiliated to Soochow University(Suzhou Ninth People's Hospital)from January 2018 to December 2022 were retrospectively enrolled.According to the different durations of antiinfective therapy,they were divided into Group S(50 patients,received antiinfective therapy for 24-48 h)and Group L(50 patients,received anti-infective therapy for 48-96 h).Baseline data,state-trait anxiety score at admission and before surgery,self-rating anxiety scale(SAS)+self-rating depression scale(SDS)score,surgery time,adhesion grading score,intraoperative blood loss,presence or absence of intraoperative intestinal injury,ureteral injury or bladder injury,postoperative body temperature,length of hospital stay,and presence or absence of recurrence within 3 mo after surgery,chronic pelvic pain,incision infection,dysmenorrhea,menstrual disorder or intestinal obstruction were compared between the S group and the L group.RESULTS There was no significant difference in the background data between the S group and the L group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the state-trait anxiety score or SAS+SDS score between the S group and the L group on admission(P<0.05).The state-trait anxiety score and SAS+SDS score of the S group were lower than those of Group L after receiving different durations of anti-infective therapy(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of intestinal,ureteral or bladder injury between the S group and the L group(P<0.05).The surgery time of Group S was shorter than that of Group L,and the adhesion score and intraoperative blood loss volume were lower than those of Group L(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of incision infection,dysmenorrhea,menstrual disorder or intestinal obstruction between the S group and the L group(P<0.05).The postoperative body temperature of Group S was lower than that of Group L(P<0.05),and the hospital stay was shorter than that of Group L(P<0.05).The incidences of recurrence and chronic pelvic pain within 3 mo after surgery were lower than that of Group L(P<0.05).CONCLUSION Twenty-four to forty-eight hours of anti-infective therapy is better than 48-96 h of anti-infective therapy for patients with pelvic abscesses because the degree of psychological stress is lower,which is more conducive to achieving better outcomes after laparoscopic surgery.

Laparoscopic Surgery and Modified Xiaoyan Lidan Decoction:An Effective Combination for Treating Cholecystitis with Cholelithiasis

Objective:To assess the clinical effects of combining laparoscopic surgery with Modified Xiaoyan Lidan Decoction in patients diagnosed with cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.Methods:Following the guidelines of the double-blind method,86 cases of cholecystitis with cholelithiasis were randomly divided into two groups,each comprising 43 cases.Both groups underwent laparoscopic surgery,with the observation group additionally receiving Modified Xiaoyan Lidan Decoction.A comparative analysis was conducted on clinical treatment effectiveness,general observation indicators,Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,and the occurrence of adverse reactions between the two groups.Results:The observation group demonstrated a significantly higher overall clinical treatment effectiveness compared to the control group(P<0.05).The clinical symptom improvement time and hospitalization time were shorter in the observation group,and the pain score and TCM syndrome score after treatment were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).No statistically significant difference was observed in the total reaction values(P>0.05).Conclusion:The combined application of laparoscopic surgery and Modified Xiaoyan Lidan Decoction can enhance clinical treatment efficiency for patients with cholecystitis and cholelithiasis.It facilitates a quicker improvement in clinical symptoms without causing serious adverse reactions,suggesting its potential for widespread adoption.

Robotic versus laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A propensity score-matched analysis

Background: Minimally invasive surgery is becoming increasingly popular in the field of pancreatic surgery. However, there are few studies of robotic distal pancreatectomy(RDP) for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC). This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and feasibility of RDP for PDAC. Methods: Patients who underwent RDP or laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy(LDP) for PDAC between January 2015 and September 2020 were reviewed. Propensity score matching analyses were performed. Results: Of the 335 patients included in the study, 24 underwent RDP and 311 underwent LDP. A total of 21 RDP patients were matched 1:1 with LDP patients. RDP was associated with longer operative time(209.7 vs. 163.2 min;P = 0.003), lower open conversion rate(0% vs. 4.8%;P < 0.001), higher cost(15 722 vs. 12 699 dollars;P = 0.003), and a higher rate of achievement of an R0 resection margin(90.5% vs. 61.9%;P = 0.042). However, postoperative pancreatic fistula grade B or C showed no significant intergroup difference(9.5% vs. 9.5%). The median disease-free survival(34.5 vs. 17.3 months;P = 0.588) and overall survival(37.7 vs. 21.9 months;P = 0.171) were comparable between the groups. Conclusions: RDP is associated with longer operative time, a higher cost of surgery, and a higher likelihood of achieving R0 margins than LDP.

Predictive factors for anastomotic leakage after laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Every colorectal surgeon during his or her career is faced with anastomotic leakage(AL); one of the most dreaded complications following any type of gastrointestinal anastomosis due to increased risk of morbidity, mortality, overall impact on functional and oncologic outcome and drainage on hospital resources. In order to understand and give an overview of the AL risk factors in laparoscopic colorectal surgery, we carried out a careful review of the existing literature on this topic and found several different definitions of AL which leads us to believe that the lack of a consensual, standard definition can partly explain the considerable variations in reported rates of AL in clinical studies. Colorectal leak rates have been found to vary depending on the anatomic location of the anastomosis with reported incidence rates ranging from 0 to 20%, while the laparoscopic approach to colorectal resections has not yet been associated with a significant reduction in AL incidence. As well, numerous risk factors, though identified, lack unanimous recognition amongst researchers. For example, the majority of papers describe the risk factors for left-sided anastomosis, the principal risk being male sex and lower anastomosis, while little data exists defining AL risk factors in a right colectomy. Also, gut microbioma is gaining an emerging role as potential risk factor for leakage.

Controversy of hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Laparoscopically assisted colorectal procedures are time-consuming and technically demanding and hence have a long steep learning curve. In the technical demand, surgeons need to handle a long mobile organ, the colon, and have to operate on multiple abdominal quadrants, most of the time with the need to secure multiple mesenteric vessels. Therefore, a new surgical innovation called hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery (HALS) was introduced in the mid 1990s as a useful alternative to totally laparoscopic procedures. This hybrid operation allows the surgeon to introduce the non-dominant hand into the abdominal cavity through a special hand port while maintaining the pneumoperitoneum. A hand in the abdomen can restore the tactile sensation which is usually lacking in laparoscopic procedures. It also improves the eye-to-hand coordination, allows the hand to be used for blunt dissection or retraction and also permits rapid control of unexpected bleeding. All of those factors can contribute tremendously to reducing the operative time. Moreover, this procedure is also considered as a hybrid procedure that combines the advantages of both minimally invasive and conventional open surgery. Nevertheless, the exact role of HALS in colorectal surgery has not been well defined during the advanced totally laparoscopic procedures. This article reviews the current status of hand-assisted laparoscopic colorectal surgery as a minimally invasive procedure in the era of laparoscopic surgery.

Laparoscopic and robot-assisted laparoscopic digestivesurgery:Present and future directions

Laparoscopic surgery is applied today worldwide to most digestive procedures. In some of them, such as cholecystectomy, Nissen's fundoplication or obesity surgery, laparoscopy has become the standard in practice. In others, such as colon or gastric resection, the laparoscopic approach is frequently used and its usefulness is unquestionable. More complex procedures, such as esophageal, liver or pancreatic resections are, however, more infrequently performed, due to the high grade of skill necessary. As a result, there is less clinical evidence to support its implementation. In the recent years, robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery has been increasingly applied, again with little evidence for comparison with the conventional laparoscopic approach. This review will focus on the complex digestive procedures as well as those whose use in standard practice could be more controversial. Also novel robot-assisted procedures will be updated.

Total mesorectal excision for mid and low rectal cancer: laparoscopic vs robotic surgery

AIM: To compare the short- and long-term outcomes of laparoscopic and robotic surgery for middle and low rectal cancer.METHODS: This is a retrospective study on a prospectively collected database containing 111 patients who underwent minimally invasive rectal resection with total mesorectal excision(TME) with curative intent between January 2008 and December 2014(robot, n = 53; laparoscopy, n = 58). The patients all had a diagnosis of middle and low rectal adenocarcinoma with stage?Ⅰ-Ⅲ disease. The median follow-up period was 37.4 mo. Perioperative results, morbidity a pathological data were evaluated and compared. The 3-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were calculated and compared.RESULTS: Patients were comparable in terms of preoperative and demographic parameters. The median surgery time was 192 min for laparoscopic TME(L-TME) and 342 min for robotic TME(R-TME)(P < 0.001). There were no differences found in the rates of conversion to open surgery and morbidity. Thepatients who underwent laparoscopic surgery stayed in the hospital two days longer than the robotic group patients(8 d for L-TME and 6 d for R-TME, P < 0.001). The pathologic evaluation showed a higher number of harvested lymph nodes in the robotic group(18 for R-TME, 11 for L-TME, P < 0.001) and a shorter distal resection margin for laparoscopic patients(1.5 cm for L-TME, 2.5 cm for R-TME, P < 0.001). The three-year overall survival and disease-free survival rates were similar between groups.CONCLUSION: Both L-TME and R-TME achieved acceptable clinical and oncologic outcomes. The robotic technique showed some advantages in rectal surgery that should be validated by further studies.

Comparision of modified and conventional delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy in totally laparoscopic surgery

AIM:To evaluate the safety and feasibility of a modified delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy(DSG)in totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy(TLDG).METHODS:We performed a case-control study enrolling 63 patients with distal gastric cancer(GC)undergoing TLDG with a DSG from January 2013 to June 2013.Twenty-two patients underwent a conventional DSG(Con-Group),whereas the other 41 patients underwent a modified version of the DSG(Mod-Group).The modified procedure required only the instruments of the surgeon and assistant to complete the involution of the common stab incision and to completely resect the duodenal cutting edge,resulting in an anastomosis with an inverted T-shaped appearance.The clinicopathological characteristics,surgical outcomes,anastomosis time and complications of the two groups were retrospectively analyzed using a prospectively maintained comprehensive database.RESULTS:DSG procedures were successfully completed in all of the patients with histologically complete(R0)resections,and none of these patients required conversion to open surgery.The clinicopathological characteristics of the two groups were similar.There were no significant differences between the groups in the operative time,intraoperative blood loss,extension of the lymph node(LN)dissection and number of dissected LNs(150.8±21.6 min vs 143.4±23.4 min,P=0.225for the operative time;26.8±11.3 min vs 30.6±14.8mL,P=0.157 for the intraoperative blood loss;4/18 vs3/38,P=0.375 for the extension of the LN dissection;and 43.9±13.4 vs 39.5±11.5 per case,P=0.151 for the number of dissected LNs).The anastomosis time,however,was significantly shorter in the Mod-Group than in the Con-Group(13.9±2.8 min vs 23.9±5.6min,P=0.000).The postoperative outcomes,including the times to out-of-bed activities,first flatus,resumption of soft diet and postoperative hospital stay,as well as the anastomosis size,did not differ significantly(1.9±0.6 d vs 2.3±1.5 d,P=0.228 for the time to outof-bed activities;3.2±0.9 d vs 3.5±1.3 d,P=0.295for the first flatus time;7.5±0.8 d vs 8.1±4.3 d,P=0.489 for the resumption of a soft diet time;14.3±10.6 d vs 11.5±4.9 d,P=0.148 for the postoperative hospital stay;and 30.5±3.6 mm vs 30.1±4.0 mm,P=0.730 for the anastomosis size).One patient with minor anastomotic leakage in the Con-Group was managed conservatively;no other patients experienced any complications around the anastomosis.The operative complication rates were similar in the Con-and ModGroups(9.1%vs 7.3%,P=1.000).CONCLUSION:The modified DSG,an alternative reconstruction in TLDG for GC,is technically safe and feasible,with a simpler process that reduces the anastomosis time.

Five-year long-term outcomes of laparoscopic surgery for colon cancer

AIM:To perform a meta-analysis to answer whether long-term recurrence rates after laparoscopic-assisted surgery are comparable to those reported after open surgery.METHODS:A comprehensive literature search of the MEDLINE database,EMBASE database,and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for the years 1991-2010 was performed.Prospective randomized clinical trials(RCTs)were eligible if they included patients with colon cancer treated by laparoscopic surgery vs open surgery and followed for more than five years.RESULTS:Three studies involving 2147 patients reported long-term outcomes based on five-year data and were included in the analysis.The overall mortality was similar in the two groups(24.9%,268/1075 in the laparoscopic group and 26.4%,283/1072 in open group).No significant differences between laparoscopic and open surgery were found in overall mortality during the follow-up period of these studies[OR(fixed) 0.92,95%confidence intervals(95%CI):0.76-1.12,P=0.41].No significant difference in the development of overall recurrence was found in colon cancer patients,when comparing laparoscopic and open surgery [2147 pts,19.3%vs 20.0%;OR(fixed)0.96,95% CI:0.78-1.19,P=0.71].CONCLUSION:This meta-analysis suggests that laparoscopic surgery was as efficacious and safe as open surgery for colon cancer,based on the five-year data of these included RCTs.