Simultaneous colorectal and parenchymal-sparing liver resection for advanced colorectal carcinoma with synchronous liver metastases:Between conventional and mini-invasive approaches

The optimal timing of surgery in case of synchronous presentation of colorectal cancer and liver metastases is still under debate.Staged approach,with initial colorectal resection followed by liver resection(LR),or even the reverse,liver-first approach in specific situations,is traditionally preferred.Simultaneous resections,however,represent an appealing strategy,because may have perioperative risks comparable to staged resections in appropriately selected patients,while avoiding a second surgical procedure.In patients with larger or multiple synchronous presentation of colorectal cancer and liver metastases,simultaneous major hepatectomies may determine worse perioperative outcomes,so that parenchymal-sparing LR should represent the most appropriate option whenever feasible.Mini-invasive colorectal surgery has experienced rapid spread in the last decades,while laparoscopic LR has progressed much slower,and is usually reserved for limited tumours in favourable locations.Moreover,mini-invasive parenchymal-sparing LR is more complex,especially for larger or multiple tumours in difficult locations.It remains to be established if simultaneous resections are presently feasible with mini-invasive approaches or if we need further technological advances and surgical expertise,at least for more complex procedures.This review aims to critically analyze the current status and future perspectives of simultaneous resections,and the present role of the available miniinvasive techniques.

Can bone mineral density affect intra-operative blood loss of mini-invasive posterior lumbar interbody fusion?

Objective:Many factors affect intraoperative blood loss(BL)in mini-invasive posterior lumbar interbody fusion(PLIF)procedures,but only few has examined.Specifically,the impact of bone mineral density(BMD)levels on intraoperative BL.This study aims to examine the correlation between these two factors.Methods:Retrospective review of 120 patients with low back disorders who were scheduled to undergo mini-invasive PLIF from October 2018 to October 2019 was performed.Patients were divided into two groups based on BMD of the lumbar spine:normal group and abnormal group(osteoporosis and osteopenia).Comparison of age,gender,BMD,BL,BMI,prothrombin time,activated partial thromboplastin time,haemoglobin concentration,intraoperative mean arterial pressure,platelet count,and operative time(OT)between the two groups,and correlation analysis of BMD and BL were conducted.Results:The mean BL of patients in the abnormal group was remarkably higher than that in the normal group:357.22±152.55 ml and 259.37±125.90 ml respectively(p<0.001).The partial correlation coefficient between BL and BMD was0.45(p<0.001).The results of univariate regression analysis demonstrated that only BMD,gender,and OT were related to BL(BMD,r=0.427,p<0.001;gender,r=0.211,p=0.024;OT,r=0.318,p=0.001).While multivariate linear regression analysis demonstrated that patients with lower BMD and longer OT had a higher amount of intraoperative BL(p<0.001).Conclusions:BMD is an important factor influencing intraoperative BL in mini-invasive PLIF.It should be assessed routinely as a part of the preoperative examination to improve preoperative assessment and ensure patient safety.

The role of echocardiography in mini-invasive surgical device closure of ventricular septal defect

Objective To assess the application of echocardiography in mini-invasive surgical device closure of ventricular septal defect (VSD) . Methods 73 VSD patients including 35 with aneurysm formation and among them 21 with multi-defects in the aneurysm were treated by mini-invasive device closure. A closure device was positioned to the defect through parasternal mini-incision in all patients. TEE was used to monitor the whole procedure。

Surgical approach to right colon cancer:From open technique to robot.State of art

This work is a topic highlight on the surgical treatment of the right colon pathologies,focusing on the literature state of art and comparing the open surgery to the different laparoscopic and robotic procedures.Different laparoscopic procedures have been described for the treatment of right colon tumors: Totally laparoscopic right colectomy,laparoscopic assisted right colectomy,laparoscopic facilitated right colectomy,hand-assisted right colectomy,single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,robotic right colectomy.Two main characteristics of these techniques are the different type of anastomosis: Intracorporeal(for totally laparoscopic right colectomy,single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,laparoscopic assisted right colectomy and robotic technique) or extracorporeal(for laparoscopic assisted right colectomy,laparoscopic facilitated right colectomy,hand-assisted right colectomy and open right colectomy) and the different incision(suprapubic,median or transverse on the right side of abdomen).The different laparoscopic techniques meet the same oncological criteria of radicalism as the open surgery for the right colon.The totally laparoscopic right colectomy with intracorporeal anastomosis and even more the single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy,remain a technical challenge due to the complexity of procedures(especially for the single incision laparoscopic surgery colectomy) and the particular right colon vascular anatomy but they seem to have some theoretical advantages compared to the other laparoscopic and open procedures.Data reported in literature while confirming the advantages of laparoscopic approach,do not allow to solve controversies about which is the best laparoscopic technique(Intracorporeal vs Extracorporeal Anastomosis) to treat the right colon cancer.However,the laparoscopic techniques with intracorporeal anastomosis for the right colon seem to show some theoretical advantages(functional,technical,oncological and cosmetic advantages) even if all studies conclude that further prospective randomized trials are necessary.Robotic technique may be useful to overcome the problems related to inexperience in laparoscopy in some surgical centers.

Experimental Study and Preliminary Clinical Application of Miniinvasive Percutaneous Internal Screw Fixation for Scaphoid Fracture under the Guidance of a 3D-printed Guide Plate

This study explored the feasibility of employing computer-aided design(CAD)and 3 dimensional(3D)-printed personalized guide plate for the mini-invasive percutaneous internal screw fixation of fractured scaphoid.The study consisted of two parts:(1)experimentation on upper limbs from corpses and(2)preliminary clinical application.Corpse experiments involved upper limbs of 6 adult corpses.The specimens of upper limbs were subjected to plain CT scan.Then the CT data were input into computer to conduct 3D reconstruction of wrist region.The direction and depth of the guide wire and screw were designed on the basis of the principle that screw should lie at the center of scaphoid and the long axis of the screw should be aligned with that of the scaphoid.The carpal bone model and the guide plate were designed and 3D-printed.By using the guide plates,the guide wire was placed and the cannulated compression screw was inserted.The wrist region was examined by X-ray and CT to observe the location of the screw in the scaphoid.The scaphoid was longitudinally excised to grossly observe the location and evaluate the result of screw insertion.For clinical application,the guide plate was employed in 4 patients with fresh scaphoid fracture using the aforementioned operative technique.Our results showed that,in the 6 corpse limbs,the guide plate well fitted the skin surface and the guide wire and screw were accurately put in place in one session.X-ray examination and gross observation confirmed that the screw was satisfactorily positioned and the result met the requirements of the preoperative design.For 4 patients,the guide wire and screw were all precisely inserted into place in one session.The operation time and X-ray exposure times were apparently reduced.The imaging examination exhibited satisfactory results and the hand functioned well.It was concluded that the operative guide plate used for the mini­invasive percutaneous internal screw fixation of fractured scaphoid not only can assist in accurate placement of screw but also shorten operation time and reduce insertion and X-ray exposure times,thereby reducing the radiation injury and damage to the substance and the blood circulation of carpal bone.Its use can also improve the learning curve of surgeons.

Solitary bone plasmacytoma of the upper cervical spine: A case report

BACKGROUND Solitary bone plasmacytoma(SBP)of the upper cervical spine is a rare diagnosis.The exact role of surgery for SBP remains unclear.CASE SUMMARY We present the first case of SBP of the C2.A 69-year-old Chinese woman presented with severe neck pain and limitation of rotative activity for 2 mo.She underwent anterior one-stage debridement combined with cement augmentation in the C2 to reconstruct stability of the spine.The patient did not receive postoperative radiotherapy.She now remains disease free with no neck pain or neurological deficit after follow-up of 3 years.CONCLUSION Anterior one-stage debridement combined with cement augmentation of the upper cervical spine may be an alternative treatment for SBP.

Endoscopic Management of Bladder Stones: Initial Experience at a Single Center in Cameroon

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic lithotripsy with the lithoclast (EMS, Switzerland) and laser Holmium YAG in the management of bladder calculi. Materials and methods: This was a retrospective study carried out from January 2013 to December 2019 on 32 patients with bladder calculi. All the patients underwent either Lithoclast or Laser lithotripsy using a 22F Storz cystoscope at the Centre medico-chirugicale d’urologie in Douala, Cameroon. Data on patients’ ages, clinical symptoms, stone sizes, type of lithotripsy, surgery duration, and results of lithotripsy were collected and analyzed using Epi info 7. Results: We recruited 32 participants (24 men and 8 women) with a median age of 41.28 [22 - 68] years into this study. In 9 (28.12%) participants, macroscopic hematuria was the main presenting complaint, followed by lower urinary tract symptoms in 8 (25%) patients. A cystoscopy was performed in 17 (53.12%) patients to confirm the diagnosis of a bladder stone, and ultrasonography of the upper urinary tract was performed in 29 (90.6%) cases to certify the absence of another stone. Lithoclast EMS was used to manage the stones in 23 (71.87%) patients while laser lithotripsy was used in 9 (28.13%). A dormia basket was used to remove stone fragments in 10 (31.25%) patients. The mean surgery duration was 33.59 ± 14.2 minutes, and the bladder stones were successfully managed in all the participants of this study. Minor complications such as pain during micturition were found in 28 (87.37%) patients, with complete resolution occurring two weeks after surgery. Conclusion: Endoscopy with lithotripsy is a safe and effective method of management of bladder stones. This technique is also associated with short surgical procedures and postoperative hospitalization periods. We believe that it is an excellent treatment modality in the management of bladder stones.

Endoscopy-assisted transoral approach for parapharyngeal space tumors:Our experience and a systematic review of the literature

Background:Several approaches have been described for the excision of parapharyngeal space tumors(PPSTs).Advances in endoscopy gave a further stimulus to the use of the transoral route.Aims:We present our experience with the endoscopy-assisted transoral approach(EATA)in this regard and a review of the most recent literature about EATA for PPSTs excision.Materials and Methods:We retrospectively analyzed our experience and systematically reviewed the literature about the outcomes of this technique.Results:Seven PPSTs were completely excised,with three of them requiring a combined transcervical approach.Only one case of postoperative wound dehiscence was registered,and the mean length of stay was 3.9 days.Final histopathological examination confirmed the results obtained with preoperative fine-needle aspiration biopsy in all cases and no recurrences were apparent after a mean follow-up of 28.1 months.Discussion:Magnetic resonance imaging,the modified Mallampati score and the 8 Ts criteria are useful instruments for the choice of the most appropriate surgical approach.Conclusion:In light of our experience and following other published series in the literature,we believe that EATA may represent a safe and effective approach for the treatment of the majority of PPSTs.

Role of laparoscopic and robotic liver resection compared to open surgery in elderly hepatocellular carcinoma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Aim:This study aimed to compare mini-invasive liver resection(MILR)(laparoscopic/robotic approach)and open liver resection(OLR)for hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)in elderly patients with regard to clinical and oncological outcomes through a comprehensive systematic review.Methods:The MEDLINE and Cochrane Library electronic databases were systematically searched from 2009 to December 2019 to identify relevant English written studies comparing MILR and OLR.The main endpoints were Child-Pugh score,serum total bilirubin level,comorbidity,presence/absence of cirrhosis,minor/major resection,challenge segment approach,operative time,estimated intraoperative blood loss,liver failure rate,morbidity according to the Clavien-Dindo classification,length of hospital stay(LOS),postoperative mortality,number of lesions,tumor size,readmission rate,recurrence rate and survival at 1,3 and 5 years after operation.Meta-analyses provided pooled relative risks and mean differences for these outcomes.Cut-off for"elderly age"was set at 65 years old.Results:Eight studies that evaluated 3051 patients who underwent liver resection for HCC,with 950 undergoing MILR and 2101 OLR,were included after the screening process.Blood loss,morbidity,and LOS showed statistical significance in favor of MILR.In particular,with respect to OLR,MILR decreased on average blood loss by 161.43 mL(95%CI:250.24-72.61),risk of morbidity by 42%(P<0.01),LOS by 4 days(95%CI:7-2),postoperative mortality risk by 47%(although not significantly,P=0.06).Major resections were significantly more common in the OLR group(P<0.0001).Recurrence,although not significant(P=0.06),must also be emphasized.The two surgical approaches were comparable with regard to the other outcomes investigated.Conclusion:Meta-analyses confirmed the advantages of MILR in terms of short perioperative outcomes,where it may promote the extension of liver resection to HCC patients with borderline liver function.MILR may be considered an important treatment option with significant benefits in the elderly and fragile patients.However,large well-designed prospective comparative studies or randomized controlled trials would be necessary to further confirm our conclusions.