Education Programs for Invasive Procedures Involving Nurses: A Scoping Review

Background: Implementing invasive procedures is an important part of patient management by clinical nurses;however, there are gaps between nurses’ actual knowledge and skills and expected professional care capacity. Purpose: This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature related to recent institution-provided educational programs for invasive procedures involving clinical nurses. This study seeks to understand the contents of educational programs and the methods for assessing educational effects. Methods: This scoping review was completed using the following four databases: PubMed (MEDLINE), Embase, Cochrane Library, and Emcare for the period 2000-2022. We included studies that used all forms of educational approaches (e.g., didactic lectures, hands-on training, or on-the-job training). This scoping review considered peer-reviewed publications published in English using quantitative, qualitative, or mixed approaches. A total of 83 studies underwent in the final analysis. Results and Conclusion: A combination of didactic lectures and hands-on training was provided as an educational program in most studies. Contrary to our prediction, educational interventions with advanced technologies such as VR are extremely rare, suggesting that the effectiveness of advanced technologies in learning invasive procedures should be examined to facilitate and retain educational effects more efficiently in future studies. Regarding the assessment of educational effects, nurses’ cognitive (i.e., theoretical knowledge about procedures), psychomotor (i.e., implementing procedures), and psychological aspects (e.g., confidence and self-efficacy in procedures) were evaluated using questionnaires and observational methods. While most studies used a one-group pretest-posttest design, the ratio of randomized controlled trials (RCT) was relatively low. Thus, an RCT design should be introduced in future studies to test the validity of the developed educational program more accurately.

Recombinant human thrombopoietin treatment in patients with chronic liver disease-related thrombocytopenia undergoing invasive procedures:A retrospective study

BACKGROUND Chronic liver disease(CLD)related thrombocytopenia increases the risk of bleeding and poor prognosis.Many liver disease patients require invasive procedures or surgeries,such as liver biopsy or endoscopic variceal ligation,and most of them have lower platelet counts,which could aggravate the risk of bleeding due to liver dysfunction and coagulation disorders.Unfortunately,there is no defined treatment modality for CLD-induced thrombocytopenia.Recombinant human thrombopoietin(rhTPO)is commonly used to treat primary immune thrombocytopenic purpura and thrombocytopenia caused by solid tumor chemotherapy;however,there are few reports on the use of rhTPO in the treatment of CLD-related thrombocytopenia.AIM To evaluate the efficacy of rhTPO in the treatment of patients with CLDassociated thrombocytopenia undergoing invasive procedures.METHODS All analyses were based on the retrospective collection of clinical data of patients with CLD who were treated in the Department of Infectious Diseases at The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University between June 2020 and December 2021.Fifty-nine male and 41 female patients with liver disease were enrolled in this study to assess the changes in platelet counts and parameters before and after the use of rhTPO for thrombocytopenia.Adverse events related to treatment,such as bleeding,thrombosis,and disseminated intravascular coagulation,were also investigated.RESULTS Among the enrolled patients,78(78%)showed a platelet count increase after rhTPO use,while 22(22%)showed no significant change in platelet count.The mean platelet count after rhTPO treatment in all patients was 101.53±81.81×10^(9)/L,which was significantly improved compared to that at baseline(42.88±16.72×10^(9)/L),and this difference was statistically significant(P<0.001).In addition,patients were further divided into three subgroups according to their baseline platelet counts(<30×10^(9)/L,30-50×10^(9)/L,>50×10^(9)/L).Subgroup analyses showed that the median platelet counts after treatment were significantly higher(P<0.001,all).Ninety(90%)patients did not require platelet transfusion partially due to an increase in platelet count after treatment with rhTPO.No serious adverse events related to rhTPO treatment were observed.Overall,rhTPO demonstrated good clinical efficacy for treating CLD-associated thrombocytopenia.CONCLUSION rhTPO can improve platelet count,reduce the risk of bleeding,and decrease the platelet transfusion rate,which may promote the safety of invasive procedures and improve overall survival of patients with CLD.

Invasive Procedures for Prenatal Diagnosis in Salmaniya Medical Complex in Bahrain: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study

Background: Prenatal diagnosis is the process of evaluating the presence of disease or potential disease in the fetus, this enables families to be better prepared before the birth of the baby. There are non-invasive prenatal diagnosis procedures and invasive prenatal diagnosis procedures. The invasive prenatal diagnosis procedures are CVS (chorionic villus sampling) and amniocentesis. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists states that invasive diagnostic testing should be available to all women, regardless of age or risk. Objective: To determine the indications, outcome and results of diagnostic invasive prenatal procedures. Study setting: The obstetrics and Gynecology Department in Salmaniya Medical Complex in Kingdom of Bahrain. Study design: Retrospective descriptive study. Study subjects and Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted on 175 pregnant women who underwent invasive prenatal procedures (CVS and amniocentesis) between January 2013 and December 2018 at SMC in Kingdom of Bahrain. All medical records of the participants were reviewed and entered the study. According to the implemented procedures, medical records were categorized into two chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis groups. The study subject will include indications of the procedures which are advanced maternal age, hematological disorders, genetic disorders, metabolic disorders, abnormal structural findings in fetal ultrasound and previous child with aneuploidy. In addition, the study will address the complications, outcome and results of procedures. Results: About half of our indications of the procedures were due to hematological disorders (47.6%) followed by abnormal structural findings in fetal ultrasound (30.1%) then genetic disorders (15.7%), metabolic disorders (4.8%) and advanced maternal age (1.8%). Regarding complications of the procedure;threatened miscarriage or loss of pregnancy within 3 weeks was (2.3%), amniotic fluid leakage (0.7%), abdominal cramps (0.7%) and Insufficient or contaminated sample (6.2%). Regarding outcome of the pregnancy, our results showed that the loss of pregnancy was (4.8%), intrauterine fetal death or still birth was (13.9%), live birth was (63.9%), preterm delivery was (7.8%), preterm premature rupture of membrane (PPROM) was (1.8%), limbs reduction was (0.0%). Termination of pregnancy outside the country was (7.8%) of chorionic villus sampling and amniocentesis. Conclusion: CVS and amniocentesis are useful outpatient procedures to detect diagnosis or to assess whether a patient is at increased risk of having an affected fetus and that will minimize the psychological impact on the patient and to provide a proper antenatal care to the pregnant women by her obstetrician and follow up to the baby by pediatrician. In this study it was observed that most of the patients who underwent the procedure were couples either carrier or affected to sickle cell disease or Beta thalassemia.

Feasibility and safety of minimally invasive multivisceral resection for T4b rectal cancer:A 9-year review

BACKGROUND Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer and the second highest cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide.About 5%-10%of patients are diagnosed with locally advanced rectal cancer(LARC)on presentation.For LARC invading into other structures(i.e.T4b),multivisceral resection(MVR)and/or pelvic ex-enteration(PE)remains the only potential curative surgical treatment.MVR and/or PE is a major and complex surgery with high post-operative morbidity.Minimally invasive surgery(MIS)has been shown to improve short-term post-operative outcomes in other gastrointestinal malignancies,but there is little evi-dence on its use in MVR,especially so for robotic MVR.This is a single-center retrospective cohort study from 1st January 2015 to 31st March 2023.Inclusion criteria were patients diagnosed with cT4b rectal cancer and underwent MVR,or stage 4 disease with resectable systemic metastases.Pa-tients who underwent curative MVR for locally recurrent rectal cancer,or me-tachronous rectal cancer were also included.Exclusion criteria were patients with systemic metastases with non-resectable disease.All patients planned for elective surgery were enrolled into the standard enhanced recovery after surgery pathway with standard peri-operative management for colorectal surgery.Complex sur-gery was defined based on technical difficulty of surgery(i.e.total PE,bladder-sparing prostatectomy,pelvic lymph node dissection or need for flap creation).Our primary outcomes were the margin status,and complication rates.Cate-gorical values were described as percentages and analysed by the chi-square test.Continuous variables were expressed as median(range)and analysed by Mann-Whitney U test.Cumulative overall survival(OS)and recurrence-free survival(RFS)were analysed using Kaplan-Meier estimates with life table analysis.Log-rank test was performed to determine statistical significance between cumulative estimates.Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05.Meier estimates with life table analysis.Log-rank test was performed to determine statistical significance between cumulative estimates.Statistical significance was defined as P<0.05.RESULTS A total of 46 patients were included in this study[open MVR(oMVR):12(26.1%),miMVR:36(73.9%)].Patients’American Society of Anesthesiologists score,body mass index and co-morbidities were comparable between oMVR and miMVR.There is an increasing trend towards robotic MVR from 2015 to 2023.MiMVR was associated with lower estimated blood loss(EBL)(median 450 vs 1200 mL,P=0.008),major morbidity(14.7%vs 50.0%,P=0.014),post-operative intra-abdominal collections(11.8%vs 50.0%,P=0.006),post-operative ileus(32.4%vs 66.7%,P=0.04)and surgical site infection(11.8%vs 50.0%,P=0.006)compared with oMVR.Length of stay was also shorter for miMVR compared with oMVR(median 10 vs 30 d,P=0.001).Oncological outcomes-R0 resection,recurrence,OS and RFS were comparable between miMVR and oMVR.There was no 30-d mortality.More patients underwent robotic compared with laparoscopic MVR for complex cases(robotic 57.1%vs laparoscopic 7.7%,P=0.004).The operating time was longer for robotic compared with laparoscopic MVR[robotic:602(400-900)min,laparoscopic:Median 455(275-675)min,P<0.001].Incidence of R0 resection was similar(laparoscopic:84.6%vs robotic:76.2%,P=0.555).Overall complication rates,major morbidity rates and 30-d readmission rates were similar between la-paroscopic and robotic MVR.Interestingly,3-year OS(robotic 83.1%vs 58.6%,P=0.008)and RFS(robotic 72.9%vs 34.3%,P=0.002)was superior for robotic compared with laparoscopic MVR.CONCLUSION MiMVR had lower post-operative complications compared to oMVR.Robotic MVR was also safe,with acceptable post-operative complication rates.Prospective studies should be conducted to compare short-term and long-term outcomes between robotic vs laparoscopic MVR.

Minimally invasive pelvic exenteration for primary or recurrent locally advanced rectal cancer:A glimpse into the future

Surgeons have grappled with the treatment of recurrent and T4b locally advanced rectal cancer(LARC)for many years.Their main objectives are to increase the overall survival and quality of life of the patients and to mitigate postoperative complications.Currently,pelvic exenteration(PE)with or without neoadjuvant treatment is a curative treatment when negative resection margins are achieved.The traditional open approach has been favored by many surgeons.However,the technological advancements in minimally invasive surgery have radically changed the surgical options.Recent studies have demonstrated promising results in postoperative complications and oncological outcomes after robotic or laparoscopic PE.A recent retrospective study entitled“Feasibility and safety of minimally invasive multivisceral resection for T4b rectal cancer:A 9-year review”was published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.As we read this article with great interest,we decided to delve into the latest data regarding the benefits and risks of minimally invasive PE for LARC.Currently,the small number of suitable patients,limited surgeon experience,and steep learning curve are hindering the establishment of minimally invasive PE.

In-Hospital Outcomes in Minimally Invasive Mitral Valve Surgery: First Results in a Brazilian Single Center

Introduction: Treatments for cardiovascular diseases have increasingly evolved with the tendency to offer minimally invasive or transcatheter procedures instead of conventional sternotomy surgery. In this context, we highlight minimally invasive mitral valve surgery (MIMVS), which has been shown to be an increasingly solid option with some superior results when compared to the conventional technique: better pain control, shorter hospital stays, shorter recovery time, shorter readmission rate in the first postoperative year, better aesthetic results, and lower overall cost. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the stages of MIMVS, by primary mitral valve consultation, in our service and compare these results with data from the literature. Methods: All electronic medical records of patients who underwent MIMVS for primary mitral valve injury in the Encore Hospital from January 2020 to February 2023 were analyzed. Tabulation and statistical analysis were performed using the Microsoft Excel® program. Quantitative variables were presented as means, standard deviations. Results: 46 patients were enrolled in our study (Age: 59.1 ± 12.4 years old;60.8% Female, BMI: 26 ± 4.4 Kg/m2, Low risk STS score: 82.6%). The observed 30-day mortality was 2.1%, plastic rate of 23.9%, blood transfusion rate of 41.3%, length of stay in an intensive care bed (ICB) of 3.3 ± 3.3 days and hospital stay of 6.4 ± 5.1 days. Conclusions: We noticed that the MIMVS results carried out in our service agree with data from national and international literature with approximately 1.3 days more hospitalization in ICB.

Carbon footprints in minimally invasive surgery:Good patient outcomes,but costly for the environment

Advancements in technology and surgical training programs have increased the adaptability of minimally invasive surgery(MIS).Gastrointestinal MIS is superior to its open counterparts regarding post-operative morbidity and mortality.MIS has become the first-line surgical intervention for some types of gastrointestinal surgery,such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy and appendicectomy.Carbon dioxide(CO_(2))is the main gas used for insufflation in MIS.CO_(2)contributes 9%-26%of the greenhouse effect,resulting in global warming.The rise in global CO_(2)concentration since 2000 is about 20 ppm per decade,up to 10 times faster than any sustained rise in CO_(2)during the past 800000 years.Since 1970,there has been a steady yet worrying increase in average global temperature by 1.7℃ per century.A recent systematic review of the carbon footprint in MIS showed a range of 6-814 kg of CO_(2)emission per surgery,with higher CO_(2)emission following robotic compared to laparoscopic surgery.However,with superior benefits of MIS over open surgery,this poses an ethical dilemma to surgeons.A recent survey in the United Kingdom of 130 surgeons showed that the majority(94%)were concerned with climate change but felt that the lack of leadership was a barrier to improving environmental sustainability.Given the deleterious environmental effects of MIS,this study aims to summarize the trends of MIS and its carbon footprint,awareness and attitudes towards this issue,and efforts and challenges to ensuring environmental sustainability.

Update on minimally invasive surgery and benign prostatic hyperplasia

Transurethral resection of the prostate(TURP)became the gold standard surgical treatment for benign prostatic obstruction without undergoing randomized controlled trials against the predecessor standard in open suprapubic prostatectomy.TURP has historically been associated with significant morbidity and this has fuelled the development of minimally invasive surgical treatment options.Improvements in perioperative morbidity for TURP has been creating an ever increasing standard that must be met by any new technologies that are to be compared to this gold standard.Over recent years,there has been the emergence of novel minimally invasive treatments such as the prostatic urethral lift(PUL;UroLift System),convective WAter Vapor Energy(WAVE;Rezum System),Aquablation(AQUABEAM System),Histotripsy(Vortx Rx System)and temporary implantable nitinol device(TIND).Intraprostatic injections(NX-1207,PRX-302,botulinum toxin A,ethanol)have mostly been used with limited efficacy,but may be suitable for selected patients.This review evaluates these novel minimally invasive surgical options with special reference to the literature published in the past 5 years.

Role of minimally invasive techniques in gastrointestinal surgery:Current status and future perspectives

In recent years,the incidence of gastrointestinal cancer has remained high.Currently,surgical resection is still the most effective method for treating gastrointestinal cancer.Traditionally,radical surgery depends on open surgery.However,traditional open surgery inflicts great trauma and is associated with a slow recovery.Minimally invasive surgery,which aims to reduce postoperative complications and accelerate postoperative recovery,has been rapidly developed in the last two decades;it is increasingly used in the field of gastrointestinal surgery and widely used in early-stage gastrointestinal cancer.Nevertheless,many operations for gastrointestinal cancer treatment are still performed by open surgery.One reason for this may be the challenges of minimally invasive technology,especially when operating in narrow spaces,such as within the pelvis or near the upper edge of the pancreas.Moreover,some of the current literature has questioned oncologic outcomes after minimally invasive surgery for gastrointestinal cancer.Overall,the current evidence suggests that minimally invasive techniques are safe and feasible in gastrointestinal cancer surgery,but most of the studies published in this field are retrospective studies and casematched studies.Large-scale randomized prospective studies are needed to further support the application of minimally invasive surgery.In this review,we summarize several common minimally invasive methods used to treat gastrointestinal cancer and discuss the advances in the minimally invasive treatment of gastrointestinal cancer in detail.

Minimally invasive nephrectomy for inflammatory renal disease

Objective:Once chronic inflammatory renal disease(IRD)develops,it creates a severe peri-fibrotic process,which makes it a relative contraindication for minimally invasive surgery(MIS).Our objective is to show that laparoscopic nephrectomy(LN)is a surgical option in IRD with fewer complications and better outcomes.Methods:Retrospective review of patients who underwent a modified-surgical laparoscopic transperitoneal nephrectomy was performed.Data search included all operated patients between May 2013 and May 2018 that had a pathology result with any renal inflammatory condition(xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis,chronic nephritis,and renal tuberculosis).We describe intra-operative variables such as operative time,blood loss,conversion rate,postoperative complications and length of hospital stay.Results:There were 51 patients who underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy with a confirmatory pathology report for IRD.We identified four(8%)major complications;three of them required transfusion and one conversion to open surgery.The mean operative time was 233108 min.Mean estimated blood loss was 206242 mL excluding the conversion cases and 281423 mL including them.The mean length of hospital stay was 3.02.0 days.Conclusion:Laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD can safely be done.It is a reproducible technique with low risks and complication rates.Our experience supports that releasing the kidney first and leaving the hilum for the end is a safe approach when vascular structures are embedded into a single block of inflammatory and scar tissue.

A new three-step procedure for pancreatic head carcinoma with invasion of superior mesenteric artery

Pancreatic head carcinoma is characterized by high malignancy and a low survival rate and its mortality ranks fourth for malignant tumors with a 5-year survival rate of only 5%[1].Treatment of this cancer relies on surgical resection.However,the resection rate is only about 20%,because majority of the patients are classified as unresectable when diagnosed due to distant metastasis or

Current diagnostic tools and treatment modalities for rectal prolapse

Rectal prolapse is a circumferential,full-thickness protrusion of the rectum through the anus.It is a rare condition,and only affects 0.5%of the general population.Multiple treatment modalities have been described,which have changed significantly over time.Particularly in the last decade,laparoscopic and robotic surgical approaches with different mobilization techniques,combined with medical therapies,have been widely implemented.Because patients have presented with a wide range of complaints(ranging from abdominal discomfort to incomplete bowel evacuation,mucus discharge,constipation,diarrhea,and fecal incontinence),understanding the extent of complaints and ruling out differential diagnoses are essential for choosing a tailored surgical procedure.It is crucial to assess these additional symptoms and their severities using preoperative scoring systems.Additionally,radiological and physiological evaluations may explain some vague symptoms and reveal concomitant pelvic disorders.However,there is no consensus on or standardization of the optimal extent of dissection,type of procedure,and materials used for rectal fixation;this makes providing maximum benefits to patients with minimal complications difficult.Even recent publications and systematic reviews have not recommended the most appropriate treatment options.This review explains the appropriate diagnostic tools for different conditions and summarizes the current treatment approaches based on existing literature and expert opinions.

Current approach for Boerhaaves syndrome:A systematic review of case reports

There is no consensus on the appropriate therapeutic strategy for Boerhaave syndrome due to its rarity and changing therapeutic approaches.We conducted a systematic review of case reports documenting Boerhaave syndrome.AIM To assess the therapeutic methods and clinical outcomes and discuss the current trends in the management of Boerhaave syndrome.METHODS We searched PubMed,Google scholar,MEDLINE,and The Cochrane Library for studies concerning Boerhaave syndrome published between 2017 and 2022.RESULTS Of the included studies,49 were case reports,including a total of 56 cases.The mean age was 55.8±16 years old.Initial conservative treatment was performed in 25 cases,while operation was performed in 31 cases.The rate of conservative treatment was significantly higher than that of operation in cases of shock vital on admission(9.7%vs 44.0%;P=0.005).Seventeen out of 25 conservative cases(68.0%)were initially treated endoscopic esophageal stenting;2 of those 17 cases subsequently underwent operation due to poor infection control.Twelve cases developed postoperative leakage(38.7%),and 4 of those 12 cases underwent endoscopic esophageal stenting to stop the leakage.The length of the hospital stay was not significantly different between the conservative treatment and operation cases(operation vs conservation:33.52±22.69 vs 38.81±35.28 days;P=0.553).CONCLUSION In the treatment of Boerhaave syndrome,it is most important to diagnose the issue immediately.Primary repair with reinforcement is the gold-standard procedure.The indication of endoscopic esophageal stenting or endoluminal vacuum-assisted therapy should always be considered for patients in a poor general condition and who continue to have leakage after repair.

Viscoelastic tests in liver disease: where do we stand now?

Hemostasis is a complex physiological process based on the balance between procoagulant and anticoagulant systems to avoid pathological bleeding or thrombosis.The changes in standard coagulation tests in liver disease were assumed to reflect an acquired bleeding disorder,and cirrhotic patients were considered naturally anticoagulated.In the light of the new evidence,the theory of rebalanced hemostasis replaced the old concept.According to this model,the hemostatic alteration leads to a unique balance between pro-coagulant,anticoagulant,and fibrinolytic systems.But the balance is fragile and may prone to bleeding or thrombosis depending on various risk factors.The standard coagulation tests[INR(international normalized ratio),platelet count and fibrinogen]only explore parts of the hemostasis,not offering an entire image of the process.Rotational thromboelastometry(ROTEM)and thromboelastography(TEG)are both point of care viscoelastic tests(VET)that provide real-time and dynamic information about the entire hemostasis process,including clot initiation(thrombin generation),clot kinetics,clot strength,and clot stability(lysis).Despite prolonged PT/INR(international normalized ratio of prothrombin time)and low platelet counts,VET is within the normal range in many patients with both acute and chronic liver disease.However,bleeding remains the dominant clinical issue in patients with liver diseases,especially when invasive interventions are required.VET has been shown to asses more appropriately the risk of bleeding than conventional laboratory tests,leading to decrial use of blood products transfusion.Inappropriate clotting is common but often subtle and may be challenging to predict even with the help of VET.Although VET has shown its benefit,more studies are needed to establish cut-off values for TEG and ROTEM in these populations and standardization of transfusion guidelines before invasive interventions in cirrhotic patients/orthotopic liver transplantation.

经皮穿刺气管切开术并发症3例

气管切开术是头颈外科手术和抢救急危重症患者建立可靠人工气道必不可少的重要手段。经皮穿刺气管切开术（percutaneous dilational tracheostomy,PDT）是近年来广泛应用的临床微创抢救技术,具有方法简单、操作方便、出血少、对操作场地要求低等优点,逐渐被广大临床医师接受并推广,但PDT仍有部分患者出现严重并发症。现将我院急诊科、ICU应用PDT出现严重并发症的典型病例总结并加以讨论。

A Systematic Review on Efficacy and Safety of Gasless Laparoscopy in the Management of Uterine Leiomyoma

Uterine leiomyoma causes considerable morbidity in women. This study systematically reviewed the efficacy and safety of gasless laparoscopic myomectomy（GLM） in the management of uterine leiomyoma by comparing GLM with other minimally invasive procedures. Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, WANFANG database and China National Knowledge Infrastructure（CNKI） were searched for studies published in English or Chinese between January 1995 and May 2015, and related references were traced. Study outcomes from randomized controlled trials and retrospective cohort studies were presented as mean difference（MD） or odds ratio（OR） with a 95% confidence interval（CI）. Seventeen studies（including 1862 patients） meeting the inclusion criteria, including 934 treated with GLM and 928 treated with other minimally invasive procedures were reviewed. The results of meta-analysis revealed that GLM resulted in significantly shorter operating time [MD=–10.34, 95% CI（–18.12, –2.56）, P〈0.00001], shorter hospital stay [MD=–0.47, 95% CI（–0.88, –0.06）], less time to flatus [MD=–2.04, 95% CI（–2.59, –1.48）], less postoperative complications [OR=0.20, 95% CI（0.06, 0.62）] and less blood loss [MD =–30.74, 95% CI（–47.50, –13.98）]. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in duration of post-operative fever [MD=–0.52, 95% CI（–1.46, 0.42）] between the two groups. Additionally, GLM was associated with lower febrile morbidity, lower postoperative abdominal pain, and higher postoperative hemoglobin than other minimally invasive procedures for the treatment of uterine leiomyoma. In conclusion, GLM and other minimally invasive procedures are feasible, safe, and reliable for uterine leiomyoma treatment. However, available studies show that GLM is more effective and safer than other minimally invasive approaches.

Laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer:Current status and future direction

Gastric cancer is still a major cause of death worldwide.While laparoscopic gastrectomy(LG)has gained evidence as a standard treatment for early gastric cancer in the distal stomach,there are still concerns regarding its application for gastric cancer in the upper stomach and advanced gastric cancer.Nevertheless,LG has shown to have faster recovery,shorter hospital stay,less pain,and less blood loss in many retrospective and prospective studies.The application of LG has now extended from conventional radical gastrectomy to novel approaches such as function-preserving gastrectomy and sentinel-node navigated surgery.Studies on the use of laparoscopy in treatment for stage IV gastric cancer are rare,but show that there may be some roles of LG in selected cases.With the development of new laparoscopic tools that augment human ability,the future of LG should move on from proving non-inferiority to demonstrating superiority compared to the traditional open gastrectomy.

Treatment of Retrogastric Pancreatic Pseudocysts by Laparoscopic Transgastric Cystogastrostomy

This paper discusses variations of laparoscopic transgastric cystogastrostomy in management of retrogastric pancreatic pseudocysts for 8 patients with symptom or pseudocysts（larger than 6 cm） companied with clinical manifestations. Using a Harmonic scalpel, two 3–5-cm incisions were made in the anterior and posterior gastric wall respectively. In the last step, the anterior gastrotomy was closed with an Endo-GIA stapler. All cases were successfully treated without large blood loss and without conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time was 114.29±19.24 min, blood loss was 157.14±78.70 mL, and mean hospital stay was 8.29±2.98 days. Gastric fistula occurred in one case on the postoperative day 7, and closed 1 month later. No bleeding was seen in all patients during the perioperative follow-up period. CT scans, given one month after the surgeries, displayed that the pancreatic pseudocysts disappeared or decreased in size, and ultrasounds showed no fluid or food residue in stomas at the third and fifth month following surgery. No patient experienced a recurrence during the follow-up period. Transgastric laparoscopic cystogastrostomy is a minimally invasive surgical procedure with a high rate of success and a low rate of recurrence, accompanied by rapid recovery. It is easy to master, safe to perform and may be the preferred option to treat retrogastric pancreatic pseudocysts.

Simultaneous endoscopic and video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement in walled-off pancreatic necrosis using a laparoscopic access platform:Two case reports

BACKGROUND Infected walled-off necrosis is a potentially life-threatening complication of necrotizing pancreatitis.While some patients can be treated by drainage alone,many patients also need evacuation of the infected debris.Central necroses in relation to the pancreatic bed are easily reached via an endoscopic transluminal approach,whereas necroses that involve the paracolic gutters and the pelvis are most efficiently treated via a percutaneous approach.Large and complex necroses may need a combination of the two methods.CASE SUMMARY Transluminal and percutaneous drainage followed by simultaneous endoscopic and modified video-assisted retroperitoneal debridement was carried out in two patients with very large(32-38 cm),infected walled-off necroses using a laparoscopic access platform.After 34 d and 86 d and a total of 9 and 14 procedures,respectively,complete regression of the walled-off necroses was achieved.The laparoscopic access platform improved both access to the cavities as well as the overview.Simultaneous transluminal and percutaneous necrosectomy are feasible with the laparoscopic access platform serving as a useful adjunctive.CONCLUSION This approach may be necessary to control infection and achieve regression in some patients with complex collections.

Endoscopic treatment for acute appendicitis with coexistent acute pancreatitis: Two case reports

BACKGROUND Appendectomy is the procedure of choice for the treatment of acute appendicitis.However,surgery may not be appropriate for patients with coexisting severe illness or comorbidities such as acute pancreatitis(AP).Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment(ERAT)may be a novel alternative to surgery for treating such patients where existing medical therapies have failed.CASE SUMMARY We report 2 cases of moderately severe AP who developed acute uncomplicated appendicitis during their hospital stay and did not respond to traditional medical therapy.One patient had moderately severe AP due to hyperlipidemia,while the other patient had a gallstone induced by moderately severe AP.Neither patient was fit to undergo an appendectomy procedure because of the concurrent AP.Therefore,the alternative and minimally invasive ERAT was considered.After written informed consent was collected from the patients,the ERAT procedure was performed.Both patients exhibited fast postoperative recovery after ERAT with minimal surgical trauma.CONCLUSION ERAT is a safe and effective minimally invasive endoscopic procedure for acute appendicitis in patients with coexistent AP.