Current status of function-preserving surgery for gastric cancer

Recent advances in diagnostic techniques have allowed the diagnosis of gastric cancer(GC)at an early stage.Due to the low incidence of lymph node metastasis and favorable prognosis in early GC,function-preserving surgery which improves postoperative quality of life may be possible.Pylorus-preserving gastrectomy(PPG)is one such function-preserving procedure,which is expected to offer advantages with regards to dumping syndrome,bile reflux gastritis,and the frequency of flatus,although PPG may induce delayed gastric emptying.Proximal gastrectomy(PG)is another functionpreserving procedure,which is thought to be advantageous in terms of decreased duodenogastric reflux and good food reservoir function in the remnant stomach,although the incidence of heartburn or gastric fullness associated with this procedure is high.However,these disadvantages may be overcome by the reconstruction method used.The other important problem after PG is remnant GC,which was reported to occur in approximately 5%of patients.Therefore,the reconstruction technique used with PG should facilitate postoperativeendoscopic examinations for early detection and treatment of remnant gastric carcinoma.Oncologic safety seems to be assured in both procedures,if the preoperative diagnosis is accurate.Patient selection should be carefully considered.Although many retrospective studies have demonstrated the utility of function-preserving surgery,no consensus on whether to adopt functionpreserving surgery as the standard of care has been reached.Further prospective randomized controlled trials are necessary to evaluate survival and postoperative quality of life associated with function-preserving surgery.

Enhanced recovery after surgery in elderly patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent video-assisted thoracic surgery

BACKGROUND This study was designed to investigate the clinical outcomes of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)in the perioperative period in elderly patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer(NSCLC).AIM To investigate the potential enhancement of video-assisted thoracic surgery(VATS)in postoperative recovery in elderly patients with NSCLC.METHODS We retrospectively analysed the clinical data of 85 elderly NSCLC patients who underwent ERAS(the ERAS group)and 327 elderly NSCLC patients who received routine care(the control group)after VATS at the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Peking University Shenzhen Hospital between May 2015 and April 2017.After propensity score matching of baseline data,we analysed the postoperative stay,total hospital expenses,postoperative 48-h pain score,and postoperative complication rate for the 2 groups of patients who underwent lobectomy or sublobar resection.RESULTS After propensity score matching,ERAS significantly reduced the postoperative hospital stay(6.96±4.16 vs 8.48±4.18 d,P=0.001)and total hospital expenses(48875.27±18437.5 vs 55497.64±21168.63 CNY,P=0.014)and improved the satisfaction score(79.8±7.55 vs 77.35±7.72,P=0.029)relative to those for routine care.No significant between-group difference was observed in postoperative 48-h pain score(4.68±1.69 vs 5.28±2.1,P=0.090)or postoperative complication rate(21.2%vs 27.1%,P=0.371).Subgroup analysis showed that ERAS significantly reduced the postoperative hospital stay and total hospital expenses and increased the satisfaction score of patients who underwent lobectomy but not of patients who underwent sublobar resection.CONCLUSION ERAS effectively reduced the postoperative hospital stay and total hospital expenses and improved the satisfaction score in the perioperative period for elderly NSCLC patients who underwent lobectomy but not for patients who underwent sublobar resection.

Effect of ankle versus thigh tourniquets on post-operative pain in foot and ankle surgery

BACKGROUND Tourniquets are commonly used in elective extremity orthopaedic surgery to reduce blood loss,improve visualization in the surgical field,and to potentially reduce surgical time.There is a lack of consensus in existing guidelines regarding the optimal tourniquet pressure,placement site,and duration of use.There is a paucity of data on the relationship between the site of a tourniquet and postoperative pain in foot and ankle surgery.AIM To explore the relationship between tourniquet site and intensity of post-operative pain scores in patients undergoing elective foot and ankle surgery.METHODS Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data on 201 patients who underwent foot and ankle surgery in a single institution was undertaken.Intraoperative tourniquet duration,tourniquet pressure and site,and postoperative pain scores using Visual Analogue Score were collected in immediate recovery,at six hours and at 24 h post-op.Scatter plots were used to analyse the data and to assess for the statistical correlation between tourniquet pressure,duration,site,and pain scores using Pearson correlation coefficient.RESULTS All patients who underwent foot and ankle surgery had tourniquet pressure of 250 mmHg for ankle tourniquet and 300 mmHg for thigh.There was no correlation between the site of the tourniquet and pain scores in recovery,at six hours and after 24 h.There was a weak correlation between tourniquet time and Visual Analogue Score immediately post-op(r=0.14,P=0.04)but not at six or 24 h post-operatively.CONCLUSION This study shows that there was no statistically significant correlation between tourniquet pressure,site and postop pain in patients undergoing foot and ankle surgery.The choice of using a tourniquet is based on the surgeon's preference,with the goal of minimizing the duration of its application at the operative site.

New direction for surgery:Super minimally invasive surgery

The top goal of modern medicine is treating disease without destroying organ structures and making patients as healthy as they were before their sickness.Minimally invasive surgery(MIS)has dominated the surgical realm because of its lesser invasiveness.However,changes in anatomical structures of the body and reconstruction of internal organs or different organs are common after traditional surgery or MIS,decreasing the quality of life of patients post-operation.Thus,I propose a new treatment mode,super MIS(SMIS),which is defined as“curing a disease or lesion which used to be treated by MIS while preserving the integrity of the organs”.In this study,I describe the origin,definition,operative channels,advantages,and future perspectives of SMIS.

Managerial perspectives of scaling up robotic-assisted surgery in healthcare systems:A systematic literature review

Objectives Robotic-assisted surgery(RAS)is a minimally invasive technique practiced in multiple specialties.Standard training is essential for the acquisition of RAS skills.The cost of RAS is considered to be high,which makes it a burden for institutes and unaffordable for patients.This systematic literature review(SLR)focused on the various RAS training methods applied in different surgical specialties,as well as the cost elements of RAS,and was to summarize the opportunities and challenges associated with scaling up RAS.Methods An SLR was carried out based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses reporting guidelines.The PubMed,EBSCO,and Scopus databases were searched for reports from January 2018 through January 2024.Full-text reviews and research articles in the English language from Asia-Pacific countries were included.Articles that outlined training and costs associated with RAS were chosen.Results The most common training system is the da Vinci system.The simulation technique,which includes dry-lab,wet-lab,and virtual reality training,was found to be a common and important practice.The cost of RAS encompasses the installation and maintenance costs of the robotic system,the operation theatre rent,personnel cost,surgical instrument and material cost,and other miscellaneous charges.The synthesis of SLR revealed the challenges and opportunities regarding RAS training and cost.Conclusions The results of this SLR will help stakeholders such as decision-makers,influencers,and end users of RAS to understand the significance of training and cost in scaling up RAS from a managerial perspective.For any healthcare innovation to reach a vast population,cost-effectiveness and standard training are crucial.

Indocyanine green:The guide to safer and more effective surgery

In this editorial we comment on the article by Kalayarasan and co-workers published in the recent issue of the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.The authors present an interesting review on the use of indocyanine green fluo-rescence in different aspects of abdominal surgery.They also highlight future perspectives of the use of indocyanine green in mini-invasive surgery.Indo-cyanine green,used for fluorescence imaging,has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration and is safe for use in humans.It can be administered in-travenously or intra-arterially.Since its advent,there have been several advance-ments in the applications of indocyanine green,especially in the surgical field,such as intraoperative mapping and biopsy of sentinel lymph node,measurement of hepatic function prior to resection,in neurosurgical cases to detect vascular anomalies,in cardiovascular cases for patency and assessment of vascular ab-normalities,in predicting healing following amputations,in helping visualization of hepatobiliary anatomy and blood vessels,in reconstructive surgery,to assess flap viability and for the evaluation of tissue perfusion following major trauma and burns.For these reasons,the intraoperative use of indocyanine green has become common in a variety of surgical specialties and transplant surgery.Co-lorectal surgery has just lately begun to adopt this technique,particularly for perfusion visualization to prevent anastomotic leakage.The regular use of in-docyanine green coupled with fluorescence angiography has recently been pro-posed as a feasible tool to help improve patient outcomes.Using the best available data,it has been shown that routine use of indocyanine green in colorectal surgery reduces the rates of anastomotic leak.The use of indocyanine green is proven to be safe,feasible,and effective in both elective and emergency scenarios.However,additional robust evidence from larger-scale,high-quality studies is essential before incorporating indocyanine green guided surgery into standard practice.

Safety and feasibility of enhanced recovery after surgery-based management model for ambulatory pediatric surgical procedures

BACKGROUND There is still some room for optimizing ambulatory pediatric surgical procedures,and the preoperative and postoperative management quality for pediatric patients needs to be improved.AIM To discuss the safety and feasibility of the enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)-based management model for ambulatory pediatric surgical procedures.METHODS We selected 320 pediatric patients undergoing ambulatory surgery from June 2023 to January 2024 at The First People’s Hospital of Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture.Of these,220 received ERAS-based management(research group)and 100 received routine management(control group).General information,postoperative ambulation activities,surgical outcomes(operation time,postoperative gastro-intestinal ventilation time,and hospital stay),postoperative pain visual analogue scale,postoperative complications(incision infection,abdominal distension,fever,nausea,and vomiting),and family satisfaction were compared.RESULTS The general information of the research group(sex,age,disease type,single parent,family history,etc.)was comparable to that of the control group(P>0.05),but the rate of postoperative(2 h,4 h,and 6 h after surgery)ambulation activities was statistically higher(P<0.01),and operation time,postoperative gastrointestinal ventilation time,and hospital stay were markedly shorter(P<0.05).The research group had lower visual analogue scale scores(P<0.01)at 12 h and 24 h after surgery and a lower incidence of total postoperative complications than the control group(P=0.001).The research group had higher family satisfaction than the control group(P=0.007).CONCLUSION The ERAS-based management model was safe and feasible in ambulatory pediatric surgical procedures and worthy of clinical promotion.

Reasons for Elective Surgery Cancellations in a Senegalese Pediatric Surgery Department

Introduction: Cancellation of elective surgery is common in developing countries. This decision is difficult to make as it generates economic and organizational consequences for the healthcare facility and an additional source of stress for patients and their caregivers. This study aimed to analyze the various aspects of this medical problem. Patients and Methods: We conducted a prospective and descriptive study over six months (from January 1st, 2017, to June 30th, 2017) at the pediatric surgery department of Aristide Le Dantec University Teaching Hospital in Senegal. Results: Ninety-one cases were collected. The cancellation rate was 20.8%. Infants were affected in 36.3% of cases. Among anesthesiologists, 83.5% were residents, and 16.5% were specialists. Cancellation in nephroblastoma children with an indication for extended nephrectomy represented 15.4% of cases. Concerning reasons for cancellation, comorbidities, dominated by respiratory infections, accounted for 28.5% of cases, patient absences for 24.2%, and issues related to the anesthesiologist for 17.6%. Cancellations were avoidable in 33% of cases. Patients were responsible for cancellation in 37.4% of cases, the healthcare system in 33%, and medical reasons in 29.7%. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that one-third of cancellations could have been avoided with improvements in the healthcare system. Actions should be taken to reduce the cancellation rate in our context.

Trend of robot-assisted surgery system in gastrointestinal and liver surgery: A bibliometric analysis

BACKGROUND Robot-assisted gastrointestinal and liver surgery has been an important development direction in the field of surgery in recent years and it is also one of the fastest developing and most concerning fields in surgical operations.AIM To illustrate the major areas of research and forward-looking directions over the past twenty-six years.METHODS Using the Web of Science Core Collection database,a comprehensive review of scholarly articles pertaining to robot-assisted gastrointestinal and liver surgery was researched out between 2000 and 2023.We used Citespace(Version 6.2.4)and Bibliometrix package(Version 4.3.0)to visualize the analysis of all publications including country,institutional affiliations,authors,and keywords.RESULTS In total,346 articles were retrieved.Surgical Endoscopy had with the largest number of publications and was cited in this field.The United States was a core research country in this field.Yonsei University was the most productive institution.The current focus of this field is on rectal surgery,long-term prognosis,perioperative management,previous surgical experience,and the learning curve.CONCLUSION The scientific interest in robot-assisted gastrointestinal and liver surgery has experienced a significant rise since 1997.This study provides new perspectives and ideas for future research in this field.

Parallel pathways:A chronicle of evolution in rectal and breast cancer surgery

In this editorial,we have analyzed the historical evolution of rectal and breast cancer surgery,focusing on the progressive reduction of demolitive approaches and the increasing use of more conservative strategies,accompanied by a growing emphasis on perioperative treatments aimed at enhancing surgical outcomes.All of these changes have been made possible due to an increased awareness and understanding of oncological diseases and improved perioperative treatments.

Artificial Intelligence and Computer Vision during Surgery: Discussing Laparoscopic Images with ChatGPT4—Preliminary Results

Introduction: Ultrafast latest developments in artificial intelligence (ΑΙ) have recently multiplied concerns regarding the future of robotic autonomy in surgery. However, the literature on the topic is still scarce. Aim: To test a novel AI commercially available tool for image analysis on a series of laparoscopic scenes. Methods: The research tools included OPENAI CHATGPT 4.0 with its corresponding image recognition plugin which was fed with a list of 100 laparoscopic selected snapshots from common surgical procedures. In order to score reliability of received responses from image-recognition bot, two corresponding scales were developed ranging from 0 - 5. The set of images was divided into two groups: unlabeled (Group A) and labeled (Group B), and according to the type of surgical procedure or image resolution. Results: AI was able to recognize correctly the context of surgical-related images in 97% of its reports. For the labeled surgical pictures, the image-processing bot scored 3.95/5 (79%), whilst for the unlabeled, it scored 2.905/5 (58.1%). Phases of the procedure were commented in detail, after all successful interpretations. With rates 4 - 5/5, the chatbot was able to talk in detail about the indications, contraindications, stages, instrumentation, complications and outcome rates of the operation discussed. Conclusion: Interaction between surgeon and chatbot appears to be an interesting frontend for further research by clinicians in parallel with evolution of its complex underlying infrastructure. In this early phase of using artificial intelligence for image recognition in surgery, no safe conclusions can be drawn by small cohorts with commercially available software. Further development of medically-oriented AI software and clinical world awareness are expected to bring fruitful information on the topic in the years to come.

Bariatric surgery and diabetes:Current challenges and perspectives

Diabetes mellitus(DM)and obesity have become public issues of global concern.Bariatric surgery for the treatment of obesity combined with type 2 DM has been shown to be a safe and effective approach;however,there are limited studies that have systematically addressed the challenges of surgical treatment of obesity combined with DM.In this review,we summarize and answer the most pressing questions in the field of surgical treatment of obesity-associated DM.I believe that our insights will be of great help to clinicians in their daily practice.

Local recurrence rate as quality indicator in surgery for pancreatic cancer?

To the Editor: As we all know, even with the current advancements regarding novel chemotherapy regimens, patients affected by pancreatic cancer(PC) have an extremely dismal prognosis(5-year survival rate 12% for all stages in the National Cancer Institute SEER database). Among the patients undergoing surgical treatment, the prognosis is mostly affected by recurrence. PC after surgery has mainly four patterns of recurrence, isolated or variously associated with each other: local, lymph nodal, peritoneal or distant(liver, lung, other sites).

Does enhanced recovery after surgery programs improve clinical outcomes in liver cancer surgery?

Enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)programs have been widely applied in liver surgery since the publication of the first ERAS guidelines in 2016 and the new recommendations in 2022.Liver surgery is usually performed in oncological patients(liver metastasis,hepatocellular carcinoma,cholangiocarcinoma,etc.),but the real impact of liver surgery ERAS programs in oncological outcomes is not clearly defined.Theoretical advantages of ERAS programs are:ERAS decreases postoperative complication rates and has been demonstrated a clear relationship between complications and oncological outcomes;a better and faster posto-perative recovery should let oncologic teams begin chemotherapeutic regimens on time;prehabilitation and nutrition actions before surgery should also improve the performance status of the patients receiving chemotherapy.So,ERAS could be another way to improve our oncological results.We will discuss the literature about liver surgery ERAS focusing on its oncological implications and future investigations projects.

Transurethral prostate surgery in prostate cancer patients: A population-based comparative analysis of complication and mortality rates

Objective:Prostate cancer(PCa)patients might experience lower urinary tract symptoms as those diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia(BPH).Some of them might be treated for their lower urinary tract symptoms instead of PCa.We aimed to test the effect of PCa versus BPH on surgical outcomes after transurethral prostate surgery,namely complication and mortality rates.Methods:Within the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database(2011-2016),we identified patients who underwent transurethral resection of the prostate,photoselective vaporization,or laser enucleation.Patients were stratified according to postoperative diagnosis(PCa vs.BPH).Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models evaluated the predictors of perioperative morbidity and mortality.A formal test of interaction between diagnosis and surgical technique used was performed.Results:Overall,34542 patients were included.Of all,2008(5.8%)had a diagnosis of PCa.The multivariable logistic regression model failed to show statistically significant higher rates of postoperative complications in PCa patients(odds ratio:0.9,95%confidence interval:0.7-1.1;p=0.252).Moreover,similar rates of perioperative mortality(p=0.255),major acute cardiovascular events(p=0.581),transfusions(p=0.933),and length of stay of more than or equal to 30 days(p=0.174)were found.Additionally,all tests failed to show an interaction between post-operative diagnosis and surgical technique used.Conclusion:Patients diagnosed with PCa do not experience higher perioperative morbidity or mortality after transurethral prostate surgery when compared to their BPH counterparts.Moreover,the diagnosis seems to not influence surgical technique outcomes.

Results of the First 10 Cases of Coronary Bypass Surgery in Senegal

This is a review of the first 10 coronary artery bypass surgeries performed by the local team. The mean age was 62 years old [45 - 74]. The patients were predominantly male, with a M/F ratio of 4:1. Cardiovascular risk factors were mainly myocardial infarction (MI) (60%), hypertension (50%), obesity (40%) and diabetes (30%), with at least two risk factors per patient. Angina was the main symptom (80%). The average time from presentation to surgery was 8 months. The mean Euroscore 2 was 2.92 ± 1.65 [1.33 - 6.60]. Coronary angiography revealed an average of 2 lesions per patient, with 3-vessel involvement in 70% of cases: the Interventricular artery (IVA) (100%), the right coronary artery (90%) and the circumflex artery (70%). On echocardiography, the mean Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 59% [33% - 76%]. All patients underwent median sternotomy with bypass grafting. The average duration of the cardiopulmonary bypass was 150 min [46 - 275 min];that of aortic clamping, 120 min [43 - 232 min]. The grafts used were internal thoracic artery (ITA) in 100% of cases (80% on the left and 20% on the right), and the great saphenous vein (GSV) in 60% of cases (50% on the left and 10 on the right). Double bypass was performed in 60% of cases, single bypass in 30% and triple bypass in 10%. The bypasses were performed on the IVA (100%), the middle lateral of the circumflex (30%) and the bisector (20%). The average time to extubation was 11 hours and the length of stay in the intensive care unit was 7 days [03 - 17 days]. One patient had a reoperation on Day 0 post-op. The average hospital stay was 13 days [06 - 27 days]. Complications occurred in nine of the patients (90%), with a predominance of infectious and neurological complications. Overall operative mortality was 3%, all in intensive care.

Robotic reconstructive surgery: The time has arrived

Thank you to the Asian Journal of Urology(AJU)for the honor of allowing me to be the guest editor for this special focus section on robotic urinary tract reconstruction.This topic has been a large focus for me in my career;in my pursuit of knowledge in this new sub-field of urology,I have been so fortunate to have met so many talented surgeons who share a similar passion.The urinary tract spans a large anatomical region,and due to the large variety of conditions that affect it,an endless variety of functional and structural urologic problems can arise.Urologists have always been adept surgeons capable of operating in various anatomical spaces and have embraced technological innovation.Historically,the trend has moved from open surgery to endoscopic treatment;however,many patients with reconstructive needs remain untreated or sub-optimally managed.

Maxillofacial Surgery Education: Where Is It Heading?

Oral and maxillofacial surgery have a long history dating back to ancient civilizations such as the Egyptians. Since then, surgeons have treated craniofacial trauma and alveolodental fractures. In 1846, Hullihen performed a mandibular body osteotomy to correct prognathism, marking a significant milestone in the field. Over time, the specialty has evolved significantly. The field of craniofacial surgery has undergone several phases, including its involvement in conflicts during world wars and the treatment of craniofacial fractures and discrepancies. The process of learning and teaching specialties has evolved differently in various countries throughout the 20th century. Currently, there is no uniformity in the training and registration of specialized professionals, resulting in distinct scenarios. Considering the accessibility of scientific knowledge through technology and globalization, it is crucial to provide an objective overview of the current state of education in the field. This paper focuses on effective professional training as the primary subject of residency courses in this specialty. A proposal is presented for education, emphasizing the significance of providing quality professional training that is tailored to the specific legislation of each country.

Don’t forget emergency surgery! Lessons to learn from elective indocyanine green-guided gastrointestinal interventions

Fluorescence-based imaging has found application in several fields of elective surgery,but there is still a lack of evidence in the literature about its use in the emergency setting.Clinical trials have consistently shown that indocyanine green(ICG)-guided surgery can dramatically reduce the risk of postoperative complic-ations,length of in-hospital stay and total healthcare costs in the elective setting.It is well-known that emergency surgery has a higher complication rate than its elective counterpart,therefore an impelling need for research studies to explore,validate and develop this issue has been highlighted.The present editorial aims to provide a critical overview of currently available applications and pitfalls of ICG fluorescence in abdominal emergencies.Furthermore,we evidenced how the experience of ICG-fluorescence in elective surgery might be of great help in implementing its use in acute situations.In the first paragraph we analyzed the tips and tricks of ICG-guided cancer surgery that might be exploited in acute cases.We then deepened the two most described topics in ICG-guided emergency surgery:Acute cholecystitis and intestinal ischemia,focusing on both the advantages and limitations of green-fluorescence application in these two fields.In emergency situations,ICG fluorescence demonstrates a promising role in preventing undue intestinal resections or their entity,facilitating the detection of intestinal ischemic zones,identifying biliary tree anatomy,reducing post-operative complications,and mitigating high mortality rates.The need to improve its application still exists,therefore we strongly believe that the elective and routinary use of the dye is the best way to acquire the necessary skills for emer-gency procedures.

Case of abdominal whirl sign with small bowel obstruction and free gas successfully managed by conservative management instead of laparoscopic surgery

The whirl sign refers to the computed tomography(CT)radiological finding of swirl of the small bowel and adjacent mesenteric soft tissue around the twisted mesenteric vessel.The whirl sign is highly specific for small bowel volvulus(SBV)and raises the suspicion of closed loop obstruction.Nearly all patients with whirl signs associated with small bowel obstruction(SBO)require operative intervention,and one study showed that patients with whirl signs are 25 times more likely to need surgery.