Exploring the landscape of minimally invasive pancreatic surgery: Progress, challenges, and future directions

Minimally invasive surgery(MI)has become the standard of care for many surgical procedures aimed at reducing the burden on patients.However,its adoption in pancreatic surgery(PS)has been limited by the pancreas’s unique location and the complexity of the dissection and reconstruction phases.These factors continue to contribute to PS having one of the highest morbidity and mortality rates in general surgery.Despite a rough start,MIPS has gained widespread acceptance in clinical practice recently.Robust evidence supports MI distal pancreatectomy safety,even in oncological cases,indicating its potential superiority over open surgery.However,definitive evidence of MI pancre-aticoduodenectomy(MIPD)feasibility and safety,particularly for malignant lesions,is still lacking.Nonetheless,reports from high-volume centers are emer-ging,suggesting outcomes comparable to those of the open approach.The robotic PS increasing adoption,facilitated by the wider availability of robotic platforms,may further facilitate the transition to MIPD by overcoming the technical con-straints associated with laparoscopy and accelerating the learning curve.Alth-ough the MIPS implementation process cannot be stopped in this evolving world,ensuring patient safety through strict outcome monitoring is critical.Investing in younger surgeons with structured and recognized training programs can promote safe expansion.

Impact of minimally invasive surgery on immune function and stress response in gastric cancer patients

BACKGROUND Gastric cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related mortality globally.Traditional open surgery for gastric cancer is often associated with significant morbidity and prolonged recovery.AIM To evaluate the effectiveness of laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery as an alternative to traditional open surgery for gastric cancer,focusing on its potential to reduce trauma,accelerate recovery,and achieve comparable oncological out-comes.METHODS This study retrospectively analyzed 203 patients with gastric cancer who underwent surgery at the Shanghai Health Medical College Affiliated Chongming Hospital from January 2020 to December 2023.The patients were divided into two groups:Minimally invasive surgery group(n=102),who underwent laparoscopic gastrectomy,and open surgery group(n=101),who underwent traditional open gastrectomy.We compared surgical indicators(surgical incision size,intraop-erative blood loss,surgical duration,and number of lymph nodes dissected),recovery parameters(time to first flatus,time to start eating,time to ambulation,and length of hospital stay),immune function(levels of IgA,IgG,and IgM),intestinal barrier function(levels of D-lactic acid and diamine oxidase),and stress response(levels of C-reactive protein,interleukin-6,and procalcitonin).RESULTS The minimally invasive surgery group demonstrated significantly better outcomes in terms of surgical indicators,including smaller incisions,less blood loss,shorter surgery time,and more lymph nodes dissected(P<0.05 for all).Recovery was also faster in the minimally invasive surgery group,with earlier return of bowel function,earlier initiation of diet,quicker mobilization,and shorter hospital stays(P<0.05 for all).Furthermore,patients in the minimally invasive surgery group had better preserved immune function,superior intestinal barrier function,and a less pronounced stress response postoperatively(P<0.05 for all).CONCLUSION Laparoscopic minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer not only provides superior surgical indicators and faster recovery but also offers advantages in preserving immune function,protecting intestinal barrier function,and mitigating the stress response compared to traditional open surgery.These findings support the broader adoption of laparoscopic techniques in the management of gastric cancer.

Review of minimally invasive pancreas surgery and opinion on its incorporation into low volume and resource poor centres

Pancreatic surgery has been one of the last areas for the application of minimally invasive surgery(MIS)because there are many factors that make laparoscopic pancreas resections difficult.The concept of service centralization has also limited expertise to a small cadre of high-volume centres in resource rich countries.However,this is not the environment that many surgeons in developing countries work in.These patients often do not have the opportunity to travel to high volume centres for care.Therefore,we sought to review the existing data on MIS for the pancreas and to discuss.In this paper,we review the evolution of MIS on the pancreas and discuss the incorporation of this service into low-volume and resource-poor countries,such as those in the Caribbean.This paper has two parts.First,we performed a literature review evaluating all studies published on laparoscopic and robotic surgery of the pancreas.The data in the Caribbean is examined and we discuss tips for incorporating this operation into resource poor hospital practice.Low pancreatic case volume in the Caribbean,and financial barriers to MIS in general,laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy,enucleation and cystogastrostomy are feasible operations to integrate in to a resource-limited healthcare environment.This is because they can be performed with minimal to no consumables and require an intermediate MIS skillset to complement an open pancreatic surgeon’s peri-operative experience.

Present situation of minimally invasive surgical treatment for early gastric cancer

Minimally invasive surgery is a kind of surgical operation,which is performed by using professional surgical instruments and equipment to inactivate,resect,repair or reconstruct the pathological changes,deformities and wounds in human body through micro-trauma or micro-approach,in order to achieve the goal of treatment,its surgical effect is equivalent to the traditional open surgery,while avoiding the morbidity of conventional surgical wounds.In addition,it also has the advantages of less trauma,less blood loss during operation,less psychological burden and quick recovery on patients,and these minimally invasive techniques provide unique value for the examination and treatment of gastric cancer patients.Surgical minimally invasive surgical techniques have developed rapidly and offer numerous options for the treatment of early gastric cancer(EGC):endoscopic mucosal resection(EMR),underwater EMR(UEMR),endoscopic submucosal dissection(ESD),endoscopic full-thickness resection(EFTR),endoscopic submu-cosal excavation(ESE),submucosal tunnel endoscopic resection,laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery(LECS);Among them,EMR,EFTR and LECS technologies have a wide range of applications and different modific-ations have been derived from their respective surgical operations,such as band-assisted EMR(BA-EMR),conven-tional EMR(CEMR),over-the-scope clip-assisted EFTR,no-touch EFTR,the inverted LECS,closed LECS,and so on.These new and improved minimally invasive surgeries are more precise,specific and effective in treating different types of EGC.

Role of minimally invasive surgery for rectal cancer

Rectal cancer is one of the most common malignancies worldwide.Surgical resection for rectal cancer usually requires a proctectomy with respective lymphadenectomy(total mesorectal excision).This has traditionally been performed transabdominally through an open incision.Over the last thirty years,minimally invasive surgery platforms have rapidly evolved with the goal to accomplish the same quality rectal resection through a less invasive approach.There are currently three resective modalities that complement the traditional open operation:(1)Laparoscopic surgery;(2)Robotic surgery;and(3)Transanal total mesorectal excision.In addition,there are several platforms to carry out transluminal local excisions(without lymphadenectomy).Evidence on the various modalities is of mixed to moderate quality.It is unreasonable to expect a randomized comparison of all options in a single trial.This review aims at reviewing in detail the various techniques in regard to intra-/perioperative benchmarks,recovery and complications,oncological and functional outcomes.

Open surgery in the era of minimally invasive surgery

The benefits and popularity of minimally invasive surgery are undeniable around the globe.However,open surgery is necessary and learning open surgery skills is still a necessity.Open surgery allows for better exposure to the surgical field and provides tactile sensation to facilitate the stereo visual assessment to precisely remove the lesion.Open surgery is still the key to surgical training,and the skills learned from open surgeries remain crucial for unforeseen circumstances and certain conditions like emergencies,challenge cases,or patients with compromised status.

Transanal minimally invasive surgery using laparoscopic instruments of the rectum:A review

Transanal minimally invasive surgery(TAMIS)was first described in 2010 as an alternative to transanal endoscopic microsurgery(TEM).The TAMIS technique can be access to the proximal and mid-rectum for resection of benign and earlystage malignant rectal lesions and also used for noncurative intent surgery of more advanced lesions in patients who are not candidates for radical surgery.TAMIS has a shorter learning curve,reduced device setup time,flexibility in instrument use,and versatility in application than TEM.Also,TAMIS shows similar results in a view of the operation time,conversion rate,reoperation rate,and complication to TEM.For these reasons,TAMIS is an easily accessible,technically feasible,and cost-effective alternative to TEM.Overall,TAMIS has enabled the performance of high-quality local excision of rectal lesions by many colorectal surgeons.As TAMIS becomes more broadly utilized such as pelvic abscess drainage,rectal stenosis,and treatment of anastomotic dehiscence,the acquisition of appropriate training must be ensured,and the continued assessment and assurance of outcome must be maintained.

Current status of minimally invasive liver surgery for cancers

Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)patients have chronic liver disease with functional deterioration and multicentric oncogenicity.Liver surgeries for the patients should be planned on both oncological effects and sparing liver function.In colorectal patients with post-chemotherapy liver injury and multiple bilateral tumors,handling multiple tumors in a fragile/easy-to-bleed liver is an important issue.Liver surgery for biliary tract cancers is often performed as a resection of large-volume functioning liver with extensive lymphadenectomy and bile duct resection/reconstruction.Minimally invasive liver surgery(MILS)for HCC is applied with the advantages of laparoscopic for cases of cirrhosis or repeat resections.Small anatomical resections using the Glissonian,indocyanine greenguided,and hepatic vein-guided approaches are under discussion.In many cases of colorectal liver metastases,MILS is applied combined with chemotherapy owing to its advantage of better hemostasis.Two-stage hepatectomy and indocyanine green-guided tumor identification for multiple bilateral tumors are under discussion.In the case of biliary tract cancers,MILS with extensive lymphadenectomy and bile duct resection/reconstruction are developing.A robotassisted procedure for dissection of major vessels and handling fragile livers may have advantages,and well-simulated robot-assisted procedure may decrease the difficulty for biliary tract cancers.

Current status of minimally invasive surgery for pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic cancer(PC)is the most lethal cancer among digestive system cancers.Although the only way to radically cure PC is surgical resection,complex surgical procedures and severe post-operative complications lead to high mortality.In recent years,minimally invasive surgery has become more common for PC.Minimally invasive pancreatic resection(MIPR)with the laparoscopic or robotic method has shown its superiority compared with traditional surgery.However,increasing evidence indicates that the long-term or even short-term outcomes of MIPR for PC patients remain controversial.Moreover,the indications and learning curve of MIPR require further assessment.This review aims to discuss the progress in current MIPR,analyze the specific problems and obstacles in the development of MIPR,and try to standardize MIPR procedures and improve the outcomes of MIPR.

Benefits and drawbacks of radiofrequency ablation via percutaneous or minimally invasive surgery for treating hepatocellular carcinoma

The management of early stage hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)presents significant challenges.While radiofrequency ablation(RFA)has shown safety and effectiveness in treating HCC,with lower mortality rates and shorter hospital stays,its high recurrence rate remains a significant impediment.Consequently,achieving improved survival solely through RFA is challenging,particularly in retrospective studies with inherent biases.Ultrasound is commonly used for guiding percutaneous RFA,but its low contrast can lead to missed tumors and the risk of HCC recurrence.To enhance the efficiency of ultrasound-guided percutaneous RFA,various techniques such as artificial ascites and contrast-enhanced ultrasound have been developed to facilitate complete tumor ablation.Minimally invasive surgery(MIS)offers advantages over open surgery and has gained traction in various surgical fields.Recent studies suggest that laparoscopic intraoperative RFA(IORFA)may be more effective than percutaneous RFA in terms of survival for HCC patients unsuitable for surgery,highlighting its significance.Therefore,combining MIS-IORFA with these enhanced percutaneous RFA techniques may hold greater significance for HCC treatment using the MIS-IORFA approach.This article reviews liver resection and RFA in HCC treatment,comparing their merits and proposing a trajectory involving their combination in future therapy.

Advances and challenges in laparoscopic surgery in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the fifth most common malignancy and the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. From the wide variety of treatment options, surgical resection and liver transplantation are the only therapeutic ones. However, due to shortage of liver grafts, surgical resection is the most common therapeutic modality implemented. Owing to rapid technological development, minimally invasive approaches have been incorporated in liver surgery. Liver laparoscopic resection has been evaluated in comparison to the open technique and has been shown to be superior because of the reported decrease in surgical incision length and trauma, blood loss, operating theatre time, postsurgical pain and complications, R0 resection, length of stay, time to recovery and oral intake. It has been reported that laparoscopic excision is a safe and feasible approach with near zero mortality and oncologic outcomes similar to open resection. Nevertheless, current indications include solid tumors in the periphery < 5 cm, especially in segments Ⅱ through Ⅵ, while according to the consensus laparoscopic major hepatectomy should only be performed by surgeons with high expertise in laparoscopic and hepatobiliary surgery in tertiary centers. It is necessary for a surgeon to surpass the 60-cases learning curve observed in order to accomplish the desirable outcomes and preserve patient safety. In this review, our aim is to thoroughly describe the general principles and current status of laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma, as well as future prospects.

Minimally invasive surgery in gastric cancer

Minimally invasive surgery for gastric cancer has rapidly gained popularity due to the early detection of early gastric cancer. As advances in instruments and the accumulation of laparoscopic experience increase, laparoscopic techniques are being used for less invasive but highly technical procedures. Recent evidence suggests that the short- and long-term outcomes of minimally invasive surgery for early gastric cancer and advanced gastric cancer are comparable to those of conventional open surgery. However, these results should be confirmed by large-scale multicenter prospective randomized controlled clinical trials.

Global dissemination of minimally invasive living donor hepatectomy: What are the barriers?

Minimally invasive donor hepatectomy(MIDH)is a relatively novel procedure that can potentially increase donor safety and contribute to faster rehabilitation of donors.After an initial period in which donor safety was not effectively validated,MIDH currently seems to provide improved results,provided that it is conducted by experienced surgeons.Appropriate selection criteria are crucial to achieve better outcomes in terms of complications,blood loss,operative time,and hospital stay.Beyond a pure laparoscopic technique,various approaches have been recommended such as hand-assisted,laparoscopic-assisted,and robotic donation.The latter has shown equal outcomes compared to open and laparoscopic approaches.A steep learning curve seems to exist in MIDH,mainly due to the fragility of the liver parenchyma and the experience needed for adequate control of bleeding.This review investigated the challenges and the opportunities of MIDH and the barriers to its global dissemination.Surgeons need expertise in liver transplantation,hepatobiliary surgery,and minimally invasive techniques to perform MIDH.Barriers can be categorized into surgeon-related,institutionalrelated,and accessibility.More robust data and the creation of international registries are needed for further evaluation of the technique and the acceptance from more centers worldwide.

Minimally invasive donor hepatectomy, are we ready for prime time?

Minimally invasive surgery potentially reduces operative morbidities. However, pure laparoscopic approaches to donor hepatectomy have been limited by technical complexity and concerns over donor safety. Reducedwound donor hepatectomy, either in the form of a laparoscopic-assisted technique or by utilizing a minilaparotomy wound, i.e., hybrid approach, has been developed to bridge the transition to pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy, offering some advantages of minimally invasive surgery. To date, pure laparoscopic donor left lateral sectionectomy has been validated for its safety and advantages and has become the standard in experienced centres. Pure laparoscopic approaches to major left and right liver donation have been reported for their technical feasibility in expert hands. Robotic-assisted donor hepatectomy also appears to be a valuable alternative to pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy, providing additional ergonomic advantages to the surgeon. Existing reports derive from centres with tremendous experience in both laparoscopic hepatectomy and donor hepatectomy. The complexity of these procedures means an arduous transition from technical feasibility to reproducibility. Donor safety is paramount in living donor liver transplantation. Careful donor selection and adopting standardized techniques allow experienced transplant surgeons to safely accumulate experience and acquire proficiency. An international prospective registry will advance the understanding for the role and safety of pure laparoscopic donor hepatectomy.

Added value of indocyanine green fluorescence imaging in liver surgery

Recently,indocyanine green(ICG)fluorescence imaging has been widely used as a substitute for cholangiography in hepatobiliary surgery,to detect hepatic tumors,for accurate anatomical hepatectomy,and to increase the safety and accuracy of minimally invasive(laparoscopic and robotic)hepatectomy.The clinical relevance of this method has been increasing gradually,as new procedures develop in this field.Various important roles and the latest added value of ICG fluorescence imaging in liver surgery are discussed in this report.

Review of 500 single incision laparoscopic colorectalsurgery cases-Lessons learned

Single incision laparoscopic surgery(SILS) is a minimally invasive platform with specific benefits over traditional multiport laparoscopic surgery. The safety and feasibility of SILS has been proven, and the applications continue to grow with experience. After 500 cases at a high-volume, single-institution, we were able to standardize instrumentation and operative steps, as well as develop adaptations in technique to help overcome technical and ergonomic challenges. These technical adaptations have allowed the successful application of SILS to technically difficult patient populations, such as pelvic cases, inflammatory bowel disease cases, and high body mass index patients. This review is a frame of reference for the application and wider integration of the single incision laparoscopic platform in colorectal surgery.

Laparoscopic liver resection: Toward a truly minimally invasive approach

In the surgical treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and colorectal liver metastasis, it is important to preserve sufficient liver volume after resection in order to avoid post-hepatectomy liver sufficiency and to increase the feasibility of repeated hepatectomyin case of intrahepatic recurrence. Parenchymasparing approach, which minimizes the extent of resection while obtaining sufficient surgical margins, has been developed in open hepatectomy. Although this approach can possibly have positive impacts on morbidity and mortality, it is not popular in laparoscopic approach because parenchyma-sparing resection is technically demanding especially by laparoscopy due to its intricate curved transection planes. "Small incision, big resection" is the words to caution laparoscopic surgeons against an easygoing trend to seek for a superficial minimal-invasiveness rather than substantial patient-benefits. Minimal parenchyma excision is often more important than minimal incision. Recently, several reports have shown that technical evolution and accumulation of experience allow surgeons to overcome the hurdle in laparoscopic parenchymasparing resection of difficult-to-access liver lesions in posterosuperior segments, paracaval portion, and central liver. Laparoscopic surgeons should now seek for the possibility of laparoscopic parenchyma-sparing hepatectomy as open approach can, which we believe is beneficial for patients rather than just a small incision and lead laparoscopic hepatectomy toward a truly minimally-invasive approach.

Development and future perspectives of natural orifice specimen extraction surgery for gastric cancer

In recent years,natural orifice specimen extraction surgery(NOSES),a novel minimally invasive surgical technique,has become a focus in the surgical field,and has been initially applied in gastric surgery in many national medical centers worldwide.In addition,this new surgical technique was launched in major hospitals in China.With an increasing number of patients who have accepted this new surgical technique,NOSES has provided new prospects for the treatment of gastric cancer(GC),which may achieve a better outcome for both patients and surgeons.More and more experts and scholars from different countries and regions are currently paying close attention to NOSES for the treatment of GC.However,there are only a few reports of its use in GC.This review focuses on the research progress in NOSES for radical gastrectomy in recent years.We also discuss the challenges and prospects of NOSES in clinical practice.

Assessment for the minimal invasiveness of laparoscopic liver resection by interleukin-6 and thrombospondin-1

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic surgery has been introduced as a minimally invasive technique for the treatment of various field.However,there are few reports that have scientifically investigated the minimally invasive nature of laparoscopic liver resection(LLR).AIM To investigate whether LLR is scientifically less invasive than open liver resection.METHODS During December 2011 to April 2015,blood samples were obtained from 30 patients who treated with laparoscopic(n=10,33%)or open(n=20,67%)partial liver resection for liver tumor.The levels of serum interleukin-6(IL-6)and plasma thrombospondin-1(TSP-1)were measured using ELISA kit at four time points including preoperative,immediate after operation,postoperative day 1(POD1)and POD3.Then,we investigated the impact of the operative approaches during partial hepatectomy on the clinical time course including IL-6 and TSP-1.RESULTS Serum level of IL-6 on POD1 in laparoscopic hepatectomy was significantly lower than those in open hepatectomy(8.7 vs 30.3 pg/mL,respectively)(P=0.003).Plasma level of TSP-1 on POD3 in laparoscopic hepatectomy was significantly higher than those in open hepatectomy(1704.0 vs 548.3 ng/mL,respectively)(P=0.009),and have already recovered to preoperative level in laparoscopic approach.In patients with higher IL-6 Levels on POD1,plasma level of TSP-1 on POD3 was significantly lower than those in patients with lower IL-6 Levels on POD1.Multivariate analysis showed that open approach was the only independent factor related to higher level of IL-6 on POD1[odds ratio(OR),7.48;95%confidence interval(CI):1.28-63.3;P=0.02].Furthermore,the higher level of serum IL-6 on POD1 was significantly associated with lower level of plasm TSP-1 on POD3(OR,5.32;95%CI:1.08-32.2;P=0.04)in multivariate analysis.CONCLUSION In partial hepatectomy,laparoscopic approach might be minimally invasive surgery with less IL-6 production compared to open approach.

Description of a novel robotic early post-prostatectomy anastomotic repair technique and institutional outcomes

Objective:A vesicourethral anastomotic leak(VUAL)is a known complication following robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy.The natural history of a VUAL has been well described and is frequently managed with prolonged catheterization.With increasing emphasis on patient reported outcomes,catheter duration and VUAL are associated with significant short-term quality of life impairment.We aimed to present a case series of our robotic early post-prostatectomy anastomotic repair technique,defined as revision within 6 weeks from index surgery.Methods:A single institution prospective database identified eleven patients with a VUAL from July 2016 to October 2022 who underwent robotic early post-prostatectomy anastomotic repair by a single surgeon.Patients were diagnosed with a VUAL on pre-operative CT urogram or CT/fluoroscopic cystogram.The primary outcome was resolution of the anastomotic leak,defined as no contrast extravasation on post-operative cystography.Secondary outcomes included post-repair catheter duration and continence on the last follow-up defined as pad(s)per day.Results:The mean time to intervention after robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy was 21 days.Eight of the eleven(72.7%)patients had no evidence of extravasation on postrepair cystogram.The range from intervention to first cystogram was 7e20 days.The median catheter duration for those with successful intervention was 10 days.The median catheter duration for those with the leak on initial post-operative cystogram was 20 days.At a mean follow-up time of 25 months,eight(72.7%)patients reported using no pads per day,and three(27.3%)patients reported one pad per day.Conclusion:Management of a VUAL has traditionally relied on prolonged catheter drainage and the tincture of time.As the role of robotic reconstruction has been shown to be a viable modality for management of bladder neck contracture,it is important to reconsider prior dogmas of urologic care.Our case series suggests that an early repair is safe and has a high success rate.Early robotic intervention gives providers an additional tool in aiding patient recovery.