Surgical Innovation

Laparoscopy is now a reliable method for staging gastrointestinal cancer, orienting the therapy, and avoiding unnecessary laparotomy. Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is an emerging concept with potential advantages for patient recovery. The first case of clinical diagnostic application of transvaginal NOTES for diagnostic cancer staging is presented. Informed consent and Institutional Commission approval were obtained for transvaginal clinical trials. On February 28, 2007, a patient with elective surgical indication for diagnostic cancer staging was submitted to transvaginal NOTES procedure, and intra- and postoperative parameters were documented. In a 50-year-old female patient presenting with ascitis, diffuse abdominal pain, and weight loss for 2 months, diagnosis of peritoneal carcinomatosis was suspected, which was also found when a CT scan was performed. Transvaginal NOTES was used for diagnostic staging of the patient, using a colonoscope introduced into the abdomen through a small incision in the vagina. Biopsies of liver, diaphragm, ovaries, and peritoneum were successfully performed. Operative time was 105 min, vaginal access and closure was obtained in 15 min. Abdominal inventory was reliable, and all 16 biopsies taken were positive for ovarian adenocarcinoma. The patient was dismissed 48 hours after the procedure without complications. Recent literature and experience of the study group suggest possibilities for preliminary clinical applications by transvaginal natural orifice surgery for diagnostic purposes.

EsophyX is a novel endolumenal therapeutic option for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). The device is passed into the stomach, where it deploys a series of full-thickness fasteners to create a neogastroesophageal valve. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the safety and characterize the effectiveness of this approach in the initial North American experience. This is a retrospective study of consecutive patients with GERD who had undergone endolumenal fundoplication with the EsophyX device. At follow-up, proton pump inhibitor usage was elicited and 2 validated questionnaires were administered measuring GERD health—related quality of life (range 0-50) and symptom severity (range 0-72). In limited preliminary evaluation, the initial North American experience with endolumenal fundoplication using the EsophyX device is that it appears to be safe and provides moderate effectiveness in treating the symptoms of GERD. Further studies comparing this technique with conventional medical and surgical therapies are necessary.

The study was designed to compare patients after laparoscopic and conventional colectomy with regard to early postoperative mood, cognitive function, and neurocognitive variables S100β and neuron-specific enolase (NSE). Forty-five laparoscopic and 25 open colectomies were enrolled into the prospective study. Outcome measurements were positive and negative postoperative mood (BSKE), neuropsychological tests (Trail-Making Test; word reproduction; Stroop Test), and serum biochemical parameters (S100β; NSE). Following laparoscopic procedure, patients described significantly better positive mood (P < .05), tended to require less time in the Trail-Making Test and Stroop Test, and had lower postoperative serum concentrations of S100β compared to conventional colectomy patients (P < .01). The current results revealed several group differences, which, in their entirety, seem to represent a more beneficial outcome after laparoscopic colonic surgery.

Introduction. Beginning in 2003, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons has annually sponsored a laparoscopic colon and rectal surgery instructional course using a cadaver model. This study reports the adoption rate and postcourse practice patterns of participants. Methods. All prior participants of hands-on courses from 2003 to 2005 were asked to participate in a 25-question survey. Questions probed practice setting, prior laparoscopic experience, motivation for course participation, time to, indication for, and type of first laparoscopic colectomy, experience prior to cancer resection, factors facilitating skill acquisition, and impact on practice from course completion. Results. A total of 43 of 63 participants completed the survey and 53% had performed at least 1 laparoscopic colon resection prior to the course. A laparoscopic colon resection was performed within 1 week of the course by 52% of participants and within 1 month by 90%. Laparoscopic colectomy was performed frequently postcourse with 42% performing between 1 and 5 laparascopic colectomies/month and 42% between 5 and 10. Hand-assisted technologies lowered the threshold for performance of first laparascopic colectomy for 62% of participants. Cancer resection was the first procedure for 31% and 36% performed between 5 and 10 colectomies prior to cancer resection. Most important factor in particular course selection was a cadaver model (77%). A majority of the participants would require course completion prior to granting hospital privileges (73%) and would recommend the course to other surgeons (97%). Conclusions. Cadaver course completion enables rapid integration of laparoscopic colon resection into clinical practice. Experience prior to laparoscopic resection of cancer is modest. Hand-assisted technologies promote technique acquisition.

The placement of mesh in the crural closure of paraesophageal hiatal hernia repairs has been shown to decrease hernia recurrence rates. Typical synthetic mesh are easy to use but have high rate of erosion into the esophagus. Alternatively, biologic mesh decrease the risk of erosion, but are more difficult to manipulate, and there is currently no well-described method for securing them. Current fixation techniques of mesh are difficult, cumbersome, incur extra expense, and are not without complications. A method that requires no additional sutures or staples and achieves excellent contact and reinforcement of the crural closure is presented.

The use of high-definition cameras and monitors during minimally invasive procedures can provide the surgeon and operating team with more than twice the resolution of standard definition systems. Although this dramatic improvement in visualization offers numerous advantages, the adoption of high definition cameras in the operating room can be challenging because new recording equipment must be purchased, and several new technologies are required to edit and distribute video. The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of the popular methods for recording, editing, and distributing high-definition video. This article discusses the essential technical concepts of high-definition video, reviews the different kinds of equipment and methods most often used for recording, and describes several options for video distribution.

We sought to develop and examine the feasibility and efficacy of a streamlined sutureless system of repairing parenchymal and collecting system defects using BioGlue (bovine albumin-glutaraldehyde adhesive) and ProPatch (bovine pericardial patch) in swine under physiological conditions and mechanical stress imposed by chronic ureteral obstruction caused by complete ureteral transaction. Five pigs (10 kidneys) underwent left-side transperitoneal laparoscopic heminephrectomy, followed 2 weeks later by right-sided heminephrectomy with complete ureteral transaction (between clips) to provide a mechanical stressor on the repair, followed 2 weeks later by euthanasia. In each case, after hilar clamping, the lower pole was removed with a bipolar dissector. Hemostasis was obtained with argon beam coagulator and FloSeal (thrombin-gelatin matrix), followed by sutureless repair (ProPatch-BioGlue “sandwich”). At euthanasia, harvested kidneys underwent ex vivo retrograde-pyelography and pathological examination to rule out urinoma/perinephric fluid collection and determine collecting system/parenchymal healing. Mean operative time was 77.8 minutes. Mean warm ischemia time was 12.3 ± 5.6 minutes. Estimated blood loss was 49.5 ± 39.0 mL. All animals demonstrated immediate hemostasis on hilar clamp release. Pyelography failed to demonstrate any collecting system leakage, and closure and healing was confirmed in all. Four of 5 pigs had intact renal function at euthanasia. Two pigs were euthanized for causes unrelated to procedures 4 days prior to study end. This study provides proof of principle that sutureless laparoscopic heminephrectomy is effective in physiological and chronic obstruction conditions in the porcine model. The procedure is reproducible, and resection/renorrhaphy was completed on average with approximately 12 minutes warm ischemia time.

Retained foreign body is a recognized complication of abdominal, pelvic, and thoracic surgery and a cause of medical malpractice. Efforts to reduce its incidence include safe exposure and the use of fewer laparotomy pads. The EZ DASH is an absorbent 12-thickness laparotomy pad covering a malleable stainless steel mesh, providing both the needed retraction and a reduction in the use of individual pads. EZ DASH has been introduced into clinical use in 183 consecutive cases by specialty surgeons (colorectal, gynecology, and gynecologic oncology services) at multiple medical centers. The retractor may be shaped to the individual needs of an operating field, eg, the pelvis, and the small bowel secured behind the retractor, held in place by the tension of its mesh and the security of the abdominal wall. Positioning has been intuitive and secure, and the intraoperative use of sponges and of operating time have both been noticeably reduced. Among 183 cases, 91% of uses were felt to reduce OR time by ≤5 to ≥10 minutes. Ninety-three percent of EZ DASH cases used fewer individual laparotomy pads for small bowel retraction. Ninety-five percent of uses suggested a value added to the case by the operating surgeon with an expressed desire to use the product repeatedly. The EZ DASH is a simple method of obtaining small bowel retraction and laparotomy pad absorption with a reduction in the need for individual pads, providing excellent exposure for the operative field and reducing the risk of retained foreign body.

The aim was to use a novel functional luminal imaging probe for evaluation of wound defects and tissue damage resulting from the use of trocars. Following general anesthesia of 4 adult pigs, 6 different trocars were randomly inserted at preselected locations in the porcine abdominal wall. The functional luminal imaging probe was used to profile the trocar holes during bag distension from 8 axial cross-sectional area measurements. The cross-sectional areas and pressure in the bag were recorded and exported to Matlab for analysis and data display. Geometric profiles were generated, and the minimum cross-sectional area and hole length (abdominal wall thickness) were used as endpoints. Successful distensions were made in all cases. The slope of the contours increased away from the narrowest point of the hole. The slope increased more rapidly toward the inner abdominal wall than toward the outer wall. The slope of the linear trend lines for the cross-sectional area—pressure relation represents the compliance at the narrowest point in the wall. The hole length (abdominal wall thickness) could be obtained at different cross-sectional area cutoff points. A cutoff point of 300 mm² gave good results when compared to the length of the hole measured after the tissue was excised. This technique represents a new and straightforward way to evaluate the effects of trocars on the abdominal wall. It may also prove useful in comparing techniques and technology from different manufacturers.

Laparoscopic colectomy is often complicated by adhesions. Studies examining the morbidity of laparoscopic lysis of adhesions (LOA) combined with colectomy are sparse. Objectives. The goal of this study was to prospectively evaluate the results of using the harmonic scalpel to lyse adhesions in patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy. Methods. Laparoscopic colectomy was performed in 83 patients between November 2003 and April 2007. A total of 20 patients underwent laparoscopic colectomy with LOA and 53 patients underwent laparoscopic colectomy alone. Patients were prospectively followed to determine operative time (OT), blood loss, operative conversion, length of stay (LOS), and 30-day morbidity. Results. Operative conversion was 2%, mean estimated blood loss (EBL) was 95 ± 84 mL, and mean OT was 220 ± 64 minutes. There were no anastomotic leaks or perioperative mortalities. There were 9 major complications (11%). Patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy with LOA (n = 20) compared with patients undergoing laparoscopic colectomy alone (n = 63) had similar conversion rates (5% vs 2%), EBL (115 ± 108 vs 88 ± 74 mL), and major complications (15% vs 10%), but prolonged minor complications (25% vs 6%) and LOS (6.0 ± 3.0 vs 4.6 ± 1.5 days). Conclusions. Laparoscopic LOA combined with colectomy leads to similar conversion rates and major morbidity compared to laparoscopic colectomy alone.

Sacral neuromodulation is a therapeutic option for women with detrusor overactivity and more recently has been used in patients with fecal incontinence and slow-transit constipation. A 47-year-old woman presented with chronic constipation since childhood. She used multiple laxatives, fiber supplements, and enemas, all without success, and defecated only once per week. Extensive investigations, including barium enema, colonoscopy, defecating proctography, pelvic magnetic resonance imaging, and anorectal manometry all were normal. A transit study showed delayed small-bowel emptying. Colonic transit could not be accurately interpreted because of the marked delayed in proximal transit. An ileostomy was being considered to defunction the colon after the patient become desperate for a better quality of life. She also complained of severe urinary frequency and incomplete emptying. A cystoscopy was normal, and a temporary sacral neuromodulation device was inserted as a staged procedure to improve her urinary symptoms. From the day of device placement and thereafter, the patient defecated without difficulty and has also been free of bladder symptoms. Repeat colonic transit has shown normalization of the stomach, small bowel, and colon.

Single port access surgery may be the next generation of minimally invasive surgery. This study reports a recent experience with the TriPort system (trademark pending, Advanced Surgical Concepts, Wicklow, Ireland) to perform a laparoscopic cholecystectomy via a single peri-umbilical incision. To the authors' knowledge, this is one of the first cases of single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy ever performed with this device in the United States. Randomized studies to compare single port laparoscopic cholecystectomy with traditional laparoscopic cholecystectomy, with specific regard to postoperative pain scores, would be helpful in determining how much additional benefit, if any, there is to the patient.

Laparoscopic surgery is a dynamic and integral component of surgical training. In many surgical programs, the surgeon-in-training gradually incorporates the knowledge and skill-sets through a variable spectrum of assistant/ apprentice instruction with different surgical mentors. As a result, this lack of formal and/or standardized instruction may be inconsistent with a structured educational process. In the year 2008, with widespread applications for minimally invasive techniques and technology, contributions from skilled assistants are now increasingly more important for effective and safe operative conduct. Incorporating these challenges into a balanced educational process remains no easy matter. The authors believe the assistant's role is vital to all aspects of laparoscopic surgery, no matter how routine or complex. Laparoscopic assistants should participate and contribute directly in the (a) preoperative evaluation and preparation, ( b) patient positioning, (c) operative suite arrangement, ( d) trocar placement, plus important (e) intraoperative maneuvers contingent upon acquired mastery of laparoscopic skills. Understanding these principles plus effective administration of various duties allows for the apprentice in training to progress to more complex procedures and eventual primary surgeon responsibility. In this report, the role of the laparoscopic assistant/apprentice is reviewed, with particular attention focused on requisite fundamentals for evolving laparoscopic surgeons. To date, there are few publications within the world literature that directly address these observations. Important considerations delineating the expectations and goals for the assistant/apprentice, as well as the mentor, during laparoscopic training are provided.