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Robotic surgery is known to provide an improved technical ability as compared to laparoscopic surgery. We aimed to compare the efficiency of surgical skills by performing the same experimental tasks using both laparoscopic and robotic systems in an attempt to determine if a robotic system has an advantage over laparoscopic system.
Twenty participants without any robotic experience, 10 laparoscopic novices (LN: medical students) and 10 laparoscopically-experienced surgeons (LE: surgical trainees and fellows), performed 3 laparoscopic and robotic training-box-based tasks. This entire set of tasks was performed twice.
Compared with LN, LEs showed significantly better performances in all laparoscopic tasks and in robotic task 3 during the 2 trials. Within the LN group, better performances were shown in all robotic tasks compared with the same laparoscopic tasks. However, in the LE group, compared with the same laparoscopic tasks, significantly better performance was seen only in robotic task 1. When we compared the 2 sets of trials, in the second trial, LN showed better performances in laparoscopic task 2 and robotic task 3; LE showed significantly better performance only in robotic task 3.
Robotic surgery had better performance than laparoscopic surgery in all tasks during the two trials. However, these results were more noticeable for LN. These results suggest that robotic surgery can be easily learned without laparoscopic experience because of its technical advantages. However, further experimental trials are needed to investigate the advantages of robotic surgery in more detail.
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This study was conducted to evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of robotic extended lateral pelvic lymph node dissection (LPLD) in patients with advanced low rectal cancer.
A review of a prospectively-collected database at Kyungpook National University Medical Center from January 2011 to November revealed a series of 8 consecutive robotic LPLD cases with a preoperative diagnosis of lateral node metastasis. Data regarding patient demographics, operating time, perioperative blood loss, surgical morbidity, lateral lymph node status, and functional outcome were analyzed.
In all eight patients, the procedures were completed without conversion to open surgery. The mean operative time of extended pelvic node dissection was 38 minutes (range, 20 to 51 minutes), the mean number of lateral lymph nodes harvested was 4.1 (range, 1 to 13), and 3 patients (38%) were found to have lymph node metastases. Postoperative mortality and morbidity were 0% and 25%, respectively, but, there was no LPLD-related morbidity. The mean hospital stay was 7.5 days (range, 5 to 12 days).
Robotic LPLD is safe and feasible, with the advantage of being a minimally invasive approach. Further large-scale studies comparing robotic and conventional surgery with long-term follow-up evaluation are needed to confirm these findings.
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The purpose of this study was to assess the risk factors for repeated abdominal surgery in Crohn's disease (CD) patients after the first abdominal surgery. Prior studies have tried to identify the risk factors for postoperative recurrence in CD patients, but the results of the studies have been inconsistent. Furthermore, few data on the risk factors for repeated abdominal surgery are available.
Clinical data on CD patients who underwent abdominal surgery from January 2000 to December 2009 were collected from seventeen university hospitals and one colorectal clinic. Data from a total of 708 patients were analyzed to find the risk factors for repeated abdominal surgery in CD patients. The mean follow-up period was 72 months.
The risk of repeated abdominal surgery was 3 times higher in young patients (below 16 years old) than in older patients (odds ratio [OR], 3.056; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.021 to 9.150); P = 0.046). Stricturing behavior at diagnosis was also a risk factor for repeated abdominal surgery (OR, 2.438; 95% CI, 1.144 to 5.196; P = 0.021). Among operative indications, only intra-abdominal abscess was associated with repeated abdominal surgery (OR, 2.393; 95% CI, 1.098 to 5.216; P = 0.028). Concerning type of operation, an ileostomy might be a risk factor for repeated abdominal surgery (OR, 11.437; 95% CI, 1.451 to 90.124; P = 0.021). Emergency surgery (OR, 4.994; 95% CI, 2.123 to 11.745; P < 0.001) and delayed diagnosis after surgery (OR, 2.339; 95% CI, 1.147 to 4.771; P = 0.019) also increased the risk of repeated abdominal surgery.
Young age (below 16 years), stricturing behavior, intra-abdominal abscess, emergency surgery, and delayed diagnosis after surgery were identified as possible risk factors for repeated abdominal surgery in CD patients.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility, safety, and oncological outcomes of transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic surgery in patients with an uncomplicated appendiceal mucocele.
A review of a prospectively collected database at the Kyungpook National University Hospital from January 2006 to September 2010 revealed that a series of 16 consecutive patients underwent single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) for an appendiceal mucocele. Data regarding patient demographics, operating time, conversion, surgical morbidity, lateral lymph node status, and mid-term oncologic result were analyzed.
The reported series consisted of 7 women (50%) and 9 men with a mean age of 61.6 years (range, 41 to 88 years). The mean operative time was 66.8 minutes (range, 33 to 150 minutes). Perioperative mortality and morbidity were 0% and 6.2%, respectively. Recovery after the procedure was rapid, and the mean hospital stay was 6.8 days (range, 3 to 22 days). Pathology revealed 12 lesions compatible with a mucinous cystadenoma and four others compatible with benign cystic tumors. All surgical margins were clear. In one case, an extra port had to be placed, and another case required conversion from SILS to a standard open laparotomy immediately after identification of the tumor because of a micro-perforation with focal mucin collection. With a median follow-up of 28.7 months, no re-admission or tumor recurrence, such as pseudomyxoma peritonei, was noted in 14 patients.
A single-port laparoscopic mucocelectomy should be safe and feasible and has the advantage of being a minimally invasive approach. Prospective controlled studies comparing SILS and conventional open surgery, with long-term follow-up evaluation, are needed to confirm the author's initial experience.
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The purpose of this research was to evaluate the feasibility of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping involving transanal injection with an
Between April 2007 and December 2009, 20 consecutive patients with T1-3, N0-1 clinical stage rectal cancer preoperatively underwent a SLN procedure using submucosal 99mTc-phytate injection. All the patients underwent a total mesorectal excision. After the standard surgical resection, all specimens were identified on lymphoscintigraphy, and bench work was done to pick up the sentinel node basin. All the lymph nodes (non-SLNs and SLNs) were examined using conventional hematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemistry with anti-cytokeratin antibodies.
SLNs were identified from 19 of 20 patients with rectal cancer. The total number of sentinel nodes retrieved from the surgical specimens was 29, and the mean number per patient was 1.6 (range, 0 to 4). In three patients, the SLN was the only positive lymph node. There was one false-negative case with a sensitivity of 88.8% and two upstaged cases (20.0%). The SLN samples from rectal cancer are mainly localized in the pararectal region, but aberrant nodes receive direct drainage from the rectal cancer. On planar lymphoscintigraphy, 15.7% of all patients had aberrant lymphatic drainage to the sigmoid mesenteric or sigmoid lymph node station.
In conclusion, the intraoperative transanal injection for
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Many randomized clinical trials have been performed to treat a colorectal neoplasm with the exclusion of descending colon cancer. The aim of the present study was to investigate the difference in surgical outcomes between a laparoscopic left hemicolectomy and a conventional open left hemicolectomy for descending colon cancer.
A retrospective study of ninety patients with descending colon cancer, who underwent a laparoscopic (LAP) or open left hemicolectomy (OS) between May 1998 and December 2009 at Kyungpook National University Hospital, was performed. Clinicopathological and surgical outcomes were compared between the LAP and the OS for descending colon cancer.
The baseline characteristics, including age, gender, body mass index, history of prior abdominal surgical history and tumor location, were similar between the two groups. The mean operation time was 156.2 minutes for the LAP group and 223.2 minutes for the OS group (P < 0.001). Intraoperative blood loss was significantly greater in the OS group (37.5 mL vs. 80.4 mL; P = 0.039). The postoperative recovery in the LAP group was faster, as reflected by the shorter time to pass gas and the shorter hospital stay. Pathological examinations showed the surgery to be equally radical in the two groups. The median follow-up was 21 months and there were 3 distant metastases (8.5%) during follow-up in the LAP group, but no port-site or local recurrence.
A laparoscopic left hemicolectomy is a technically safe and feasible procedure for treating descending colon cancer. Prospective multi-center trials are necessary to establish the LAP as the standard treatment for descending colon cancer.
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