Learning curve for hand-assisted laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy

AIM:To describe the learning curves of hand-assisted laparoscopic D2 radical gastrectomy(HALG) for the treatment of gastric cancer.METHODS:The HALG surgical procedure consists of three stages:surgery under direct vision via the port for hand assistance,hand-assisted laparoscopicsurgery,and gastrointestinal tract reconstruction.According to the order of the date of surgery,patients were divided into 6 groups(A-F) with 20 cases in each group.All surgeries were performed by the same group of surgeons.We performed a comprehensive and indepth retrospective comparative analysis of the clinical data of all patients,with the clinical data including general patient information and intraoperative and postoperative observation indicators.RESULTS:There were no differences in the basic information among the patient groups(P > 0.05).The operative time of the hand-assisted surgery stage in group A was 8-10 min longer than the other groups,with the difference being statistically significant(P = 0.01).There were no differences in total operative time between the groups(P = 0.30).Postoperative intestinal function recovery time in group A was longer than that of other groups(P = 0.02).Lengths of hospital stay and surgical quality indicators(such as intraoperative blood loss,numbers of detected lymph nodes,intraoperative side injury,postoperative complications,reoperation rate,and readmission rate 30 d after surgery) were not significantly different among the groups.CONCLUSION:HALG is a surgical procedure that can be easily mastered,with a learning curve closely related to the operative time of the hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery stage.

Surgical outcomes of hand-assisted laparoscopic liver resection vs. open liver resection: A retrospective propensity scorematched cohort study

Objective: Hand-assisted laparoscopic liver resection has the advantages of open and laparoscopic surgeries.There is still lack of comparison of surgical outcomes between hand-assistied laparoscopic liver resection(HALLR)and open liver resection(OLR). This study compared the surgical outcomes of the two approaches between wellmatched patient cohorts.Methods: Patients who received liver resection during January 2014 and October 2017 in Cancer Hospital,Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College were included in this retrospective study. Propensity score matching(PSM) was performed to reduce selection bias between the two groups. Operation and short-term surgical outcomes were compared between the well matched groups.Results: During this period, 232 patients with a median age of 55.1 years old received OLR, while 49 patients with a median age of 54.7 years old received HALLR. Compared with HALLR group, OLR group has a higher proportion in male patients(190/232, 81.9% vs. 34/49, 69.4%, P=0.048) and lower albumin(43.2±4.5 vs. 44.8±3.7,P=0.020). After PSM, 49 patients from each group were included in the following analysis. Two groups were well balanced in their baseline characteristics, liver functions, preoperative treatments, abdominal surgery history, and surgical difficulty. None perioperative mortality was observed in both groups. Operation time and postoperative complications were similar in two groups(P=0.935, P=0.056). The HALLR group showed less bleeding amount(177.8±217.1 mL vs. 283.1±225.0 mL, P=0.003) and shorter postoperative stay period(6.9±2.2 d vs. 9.0±3.5 d,P=0.001).Conclusions: We demonstrated that hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery is feasible and safe for liver resection,including some difficult cases. HALLR can provide better bleeding control and faster recovery after surgery.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy is a useful surgical treatment method for patients with excessive splenomegaly: A metaanalysis

BACKGROUND Hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy(HALS) can help overcome the drawbacks of laparoscopic splenectomy(LS) while maintaining its advantages.AIM To evaluate the efficacy and advantages of HALS for splenomegaly.METHODS The relevant literature was reviewed using the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane,Ovid Medline, and Wanfang databases to compare the clinical outcomes of HALS and LS. Odds ratios or mean differences were calculated with 95% confidence intervals for fixed-effects and random-effects models. Overall, 754 patients from16 trials who met the inclusion criteria were selected.RESULTS In pure splenectomy, blood loss volume(P < 0.001) and conversion rate(P =0.008) were significantly lower in the HALS group than in the LS group.Conversely, for splenomegaly, the operative time(P = 0.04) was shorter and blood loss volume(P < 0.001) and conversion rate(P = 0.001) were significantly lower in the HALS group than in the LS group. However, no significant difference was observed in hospital stay length, blood transfusion, time to food intake, complications, or mortality rate between the two groups. Moreover, in splenectomy and devascularization of the upper stomach(DUS), the operative time(P = 0.04) was significantly shorter and blood loss volume(P < 0.001) andconversion rate(P = 0.05) were significantly lower in the HALS + DUS group than in the LS + DUS group. However, no significant difference was observed in hospital stay length, timing of diet, and complications between the two groups.CONCLUSION HALS is an ideal surgical treatment method for splenomegaly because it can maximize the benefits for patients while maintaining the advantages of LS.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis

AIM To evaluate the utility of hand-assisted laparoscopic restorative proctocolectomy(HALS-RP) compared with the conventional open procedure(OPEN-RP).METHODS Fifty-one patients who underwent restorative total proctocolectomy with rectal mucosectomy and ileal pouch anal anastomosis between January 2008 and July 2015 were retrospectively analyzed.Twentythree patients in the HALS-RP group and twentyfour patients in the OPEN-RP group were compared.Four patients who had purely laparoscopic surgery were excluded.Restorative total proctocolectomy was performed with mucosectomy and a hand-sewn ilealpouch-anal anastomosis.Preoperative comorbidities,intraoperative factors such as blood loss and operative time,postoperative complications,and postoperative course were compared between two groups.RESULTS Patients in both groups were matched with regards to patient age,gender,and American Society of Anesthesiologists score.There were no significant differences in extent of colitis,indications for surgery,preoperative comorbidities,and preoperative medications in the two groups.The median operative time for the HALS-RP group was 369(320-420) min,slightly longer than the OPEN-RP group at 355(318-421) min; this was not statistically significant.Blood loss was significantly less in HALS-RP [300(230-402) m L] compared to OPEN-RP [512(401-1162) m L,P = 0.003].Anastomotic leakage was noted in 3 patients in the HALS-RP group and 2 patients in the OPEN-RP group(13% vs 8.3%,NS).The rates of other postoperative complications and the length of hospital stay were not different between the two groups.CONCLUSION HALS-RP can be performed with less blood loss and smaller skin incisions.This procedure is a feasible technique for total proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis.

Comparison of hand-assisted laparoscopic radical gastrectomy and laparoscopic-assisted radical gastrectomy:A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND Gastrectomy is the optimal treatment for gastric cancer.Laparoscopic-assisted gastrectomy(LAG)has been extensively employed,while hand-assisted laparoscopic gastrectomy(HALG),which is similar to LAG,remains controversial.Although HALG is popular in China,some surgeons do not accept it as a minimal-access technique.AIM To assess the safety and practicability of HALG by comparing the short-term outcomes of HALG and LAG.METHODS The electronic databases of EMBASE,PubMed,China National Knowledge Infrastructure,and Cochrane Library were thoroughly searched,and randomized controlled trials(RCTs)comparing HALG and LAG were included.The study results,including surgery time,blood loss,retrieved lymphatic nodes,incision length,time to first flatus,hospitalization duration,and all postsurgical complications,were compared between the two groups.RESULTS Five RCTs,which included 302 cases with HALG and 298 cases with LAG,were considered eligible for inclusion.Meta-analysis showed that HALG significantly reduced surgery time(P<0.01),hospital duration(P<0.01),and overall postsurgical complications(P<0.01).Additionally,HALG significantly increased the number of retrieved lymphatic nodes(P=0.01)and incision length(P<0.01)compared with LAG.The blood loss and time to first flatus were similar between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Compared with LAG,HALG is a simpler and safer technique.Additionally,HALG should be used as a minimal-access technique,especially in technologically undeveloped areas.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic approach for the treatment of gastrosplenic fistula:A case report and review of the literature

Gastrosplenic fistula is a rare complication of gastric or splenic lymphoma.Here we report the case of a 48 years old man who developed a gastrosplenic fistula secondary to splenic diffuse large B-cell lymphoma,successfully managed with hand-assisted laparoscopic splenectomy and gastric wedge resection.A review of the available literature is also presented,33 cases of gastrosplenic fistula associated to gastric or splenic lymphoma were found,of which 25 were treated surgically.This case represents the first report of laparoscopic treatment of lymphoma-related gastrosplenic fistula described to our knowledge in the available literature.

Precision at scale:Machine learning revolutionizing laparoscopic surgery

In their recent study published in the World Journal of Clinical Cases,the article found that minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery under general anesthesia demonstrates superior efficacy and safety compared to traditional open surgery for early ovarian cancer patients.This editorial discusses the integration of machine learning in laparoscopic surgery,emphasizing its transformative po-tential in improving patient outcomes and surgical precision.Machine learning algorithms analyze extensive datasets to optimize procedural techniques,enhance decision-making,and personalize treatment plans.Advanced imaging modalities like augmented reality and real-time tissue classification,alongside robotic surgical systems and virtual reality simulations driven by machine learning,enhance imaging and training techniques,offering surgeons clearer visualization and precise tissue manipulation.Despite promising advancements,challenges such as data privacy,algorithm bias,and regulatory hurdles need addressing for the responsible deployment of machine learning technologies.Interdisciplinary collaborations and ongoing technological innovations promise further enha-ncement in laparoscopic surgery,fostering a future where personalized medicine and precision surgery redefine patient care.

Laparoscopic liver resection:Experience based guidelines

Laparoscopic liver resection(LLR) has been progressively developed along the past two decades. Despite initial skepticism, improved operative results made laparoscopic approach incorporated to surgical practice and operations increased in frequency and complexity. Evidence supporting LLR comes from case-series, comparative studies and meta-analysis. Despite lack of level 1 evidence, the body of literature is stronger and existing data confirms the safety, feasibility and benefits of laparoscopic approach when compared to open resection. Indications for LLR do not differ from those for open surgery. They include benign and malignant(both primary and metastatic) tumors and living donor liver harvesting. Currently, resection of lesions located on anterolateral segments and left lateral sectionectomy are performed systematically by laparoscopy in hepatobiliary specialized centers. Resection of lesions located on posterosuperior segments(1, 4a, 7, 8) and major liver resections were shown to be feasible but remain technically demanding procedures, which should be reserved to experienced surgeons. Hand-assisted and laparoscopy-assisted procedures appeared to increase the indications of minimally invasive liver surgery and are useful strategies applied to difficult and major resections. LLR proved to be safe for malignant lesions and offers some short-term advantages over open resection. Oncological results including resection margin status and long-term survival were not inferior to open resection. At present, surgical community expects high quality studies to base the already perceived better outcomes achieved by laparoscopy in major centers' practice. Continuous surgical training, as well as new technologies should augment the application of lap-aroscopic liver surgery. Future applicability of new technologies such as robot assistance and image-guided surgery is still under investigation.

Pancreatic cancer–Laparoscopic resection

Objective: To assess current role of laparoscopic resection for pancreatic cancer, so as to improve the surgical management of pancreatic cancer. Methods: A comprehensive review of articles from PubMed was carried out. Results: Cur- rently, the advantages of a complete laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) are still outweighed by the morbidity associ- ated with the procedure. However, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (LDP) offers patients benefits in terms of postoperative recovery and the length of hospital stay with similar morbidity and mortality to open surgery. Hand-assisted laparoscopic sur- gery can help to overcome the limitation of a complete laparoscopic surgery while maintaining a minimally invasive approach. Conclusion: Current literature suggests that laparoscopic resection of pancreatic cancer is feasible and safe in experienced hands. The hand-assisted laparoscopic surgery shows a promising future in pancreatic cancer surgery.