Laparoscopic nephrectomy outside gerota fascia and en bloc ligation of the renal hilum for management of inflammatory renal diseases

ABSTRACT Objectives This study aims to improve laparoscopic nephrectomy techniques for inflammatory renal diseases (IRD) and to reduce complications. Materials and Methods Thirty-three patients underwent laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD, with a method of outside Gerota fascia dissection and en-bloc ligation and division of the renal pedicle. Operative time, blood loss, complications, analgesia requirement, post-operative recovery of intestinal function and hospital stay were recorded. The degrees of perinephric adhesion were classified based on the observation during operation and post-operative dissection of the specimen, and the association of different types of adhesion with the difficulty of the procedures was examined. Results Among 33 cases, three were converted to hand-assisted laparoscopy, and one was converted to open surgery. Mean operative time was 99.6±29.2min, and blood loss was 75.2±83.5 mL. Postoperative recovery time of intestinal function was 1.6±0.7 days and average hospital stay was 4.8±1.4 days. By classification and comparison of the perinephric adhesions, whether inflammation extending beyond Gerota fascia or involving renal hilum was found to be not only an important factor influencing the operative time and blood loss, but also the main reason for conversion to hand-assisted laparoscopy or open surgery. Conclusions In laparoscopic nephrectomy, outside Gerota fascia dissection of the kidney and en-bloc ligation of the renal pedicle using EndoGIA could reduce the difficulty of procedure and operative time, with satisfactory safety and reliability. Inflammation and adhesion extending beyond Gerota fascia or involving renal hilum is an important predictor of the difficulty related to laparoscopic nephrectomy for IRD.

Surgical time and complications of total transvaginal (total-NOTES), single-port laparoscopic-assisted and conventional ovariohysterectomy in bitches / Tempo cirúrgico e das complicações entre as técnicas de ovário-histerectomia totalmente transvaginal (total-NOTES), videoassistida com único portal e convencional em cadelas

The recently developed minimally invasive techniques of ovariohysterectomy (OVH) have been studied in dogs in order to optimize their benefits and decrease risks to the patients. The purpose of this study was to compare surgical time, complications and technical difficulties of transvaginal total-NOTES, single-port laparoscopic-assisted and conventional OVH in bitches. Twelve bitches were submitted to total-NOTES (NOTES group), while 13 underwent single-port laparoscopic-assisted (SPLA group) and 15 were submitted to conventional OVH (OPEN group). Intra-operative period was divided into 7 stages: (1) access to abdominal cavity; (2) pneumoperitoneum; approach to the right (3) and left (4) ovarian pedicle and uterine body (5); (6) abdominal or vaginal synthesis, performed in 6 out of 12 patients of NOTES; (7) inoperative time. Overall and stages operative times, intra and postoperative complications and technical difficulties were compared among groups. Mean overall surgical time in NOTES (25.7±6.8 minutes) and SPLA (23.1±4.0 minutes) groups were shorter than in the OPEN group (34.0±6.4 minutes) (P<0.05). The intraoperative stage that required the longest time was the approach to the uterine body in the NOTES group and abdominal and cutaneous sutures in the OPEN group. There was no difference regarding the rates of complications. Major complications included postoperative bleeding requiring reoperation in a bitch in the OPEN group, while minor complications included mild vaginal discharge in four patients in the NOTES group and seroma in three bitches in the SPLA group. In conclusion, total-NOTES and SPLA OVH were less time-consuming then conventional OVH in bitches. All techniques presented complications, which were properly managed.

O emprego de novas técnicas minimamente invasivas de ovário-histerectomia (OHE) vem sendo estudado em cães com o intuito de otimizar seus benefícios e reduzir os riscos aos pacientes. O presente estudo objetivou comparar o tempo cirúrgico, as complicações e dificuldades técnicas entre as abordagens por total-NOTES transvaginal, videoassistida com único portal e por celiotomia para ovário-histerectomia (OVH) em cadelas. Foram operados 12 animais por total-NOTES (grupo NOTES), 13 pela técnica videoassistida (grupo SPLA) e 15 pela técnica convencional (grupo OPEN). O período intraoperatório foi dividido em sete etapas: (1) acesso à cavidade abdominal; (2) criação do pneumoperitônio; abordagem ao pedículo ovariano direito (3), esquerdo (4) e ao corpo uterino (5); (6) síntese abdominal ou vaginal, realizado em seis de 12 pacientes do grupo NOTES; (7) tempo inoperante. Os parâmetros avaliados foram o tempo cirúrgico total e de cada etapa intraoperatória, a frequência de complicações intra e pós-operatórias e dificuldades técnicas. O tempo cirúrgico total médio dos grupos NOTES (25,7±6,8 minutos) e SPVA (23,1±4,0 minutos) foram menores que o do grupo OPEN (34,0±6,4 minutos) (P<0.05). A etapa intraoperatória que demandou maior tempo de execução foi a abordagem ao corpo uterino para o grupo NOTES, e síntese abdominal e cutânea para o grupo OPEN. Uma cadela do grupo OPEN necessitou de reintervenção para controle de hemorragia como complicação maior, e três cadelas do grupo SPVA apresentaram seroma de ferida cirúrgica como complicações menores. Concluiu-se que as técnicas de total-NOTES e SPLA apresentaram menor tempo cirúrgico que a abordagem convencional de OVH em cadelas. Todas as técnicas apresentaram complicações que foram adequadamente manejadas.

Two-handed assisted laparoscopic surgery: Evaluation in an animal model

Purposes To evaluate in an animal model the feasibility of a novel concept of hand-assisted surgery consisting of inserting two hands into the abdomen instead of one. The chosen procedure was retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (L-RPLND) that was performed in five pigs. Surgical Technique A Pfannestiel and a transverse epigastric incisions were made through which both hands were introduced. The scope was inserted through the umbilicus. The colon was moved medially and the dissection was performed as in open surgery using short conventional surgical instruments. Comments The surgery was fulfilled easily and safely in quite a similar way as in open surgery. Two-handed laparoscopy may be indicated in cases that still today require an open approach as apparently makes the operation easier and significantly shortens the surgery time. However, new opinions and trials are required. .

Viabilidade de duas novas técnicas para inseminação intrauterina laparoscópica em ovinos / Two new techniques for laparoscopic intrauterine insemination in sheep - feasibility study

Avaliaram-se duas novas técnicas de inseminação laparoscópica intrauterina com o uso de agulha espinhal em ovinos. Foram realizadas quatro etapas experimentais, sendo os animais separados em dois grupos em cada etapa. Para tanto, foram utilizados os posicionamentos quadrupedal e dorsal. Realizou-se a inseminação de 80 ovinos após a sincronização de cio. Verificou-se que os acessos laparoscópicos propostos foram viáveis para a inseminação em ovinos. Considerou-se que a inseminação em posicionamento quadrupedal foi tecnicamente mais difícil se comparada ao acesso laparoscópico em decúbito dorsal, porém, com o aprimoramento da técnica e na dependência dos resultados quanto aos índices de prenhez, poderá se tornar procedimento adequado para a inseminação de ovelhas.

This study evaluated two new laparoscopic intrauterine insemination techniques with spinal needles in sheep. Four experimental stages were done, in which the animals were separated into two groups aiming to evaluate the techniques used. We used a total of 80 estrus-synchronized sheep, which were placed in quadrupedal or dorsal recumbence. The results showed that both insemination techniques using a spinal needle are feasible, but the quadrupedal insemination is technically more difficult compared to the laparoscopic approach in the dorsal position. With technical improvement and depending on the results in relation to pregnancy rates, this access could be considered an alternative procedure for sheep insemination.

Hand-assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy in the treatment of a renal cell carcinoma with a level ii vena cava thrombus

Excision of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) with corresponding vena cava thrombus is a technical challenge requiring open resection and vascular clamping. A 58 year old male with a right kidney tumor presented with a thrombus extending 1 cm into the vena cava. Using a hand-assisted transperitoneal approach through a 7 cm gel-port, the right kidney was dissected and the multiple vascular collaterals supplying the tumor were identified and isolated. The inferior vena cava was mobilized 4 cm cephalad and 4 cm caudal to the right renal vein. Lateral manual traction was applied to the right kidney allowing the tumor thrombus to be retracted into the renal vein, clear of the vena cava. After laparoscopic ultrasonographic confirmation of the location of the tip of the tumor thrombus, an articulating laparoscopic vascular stapler was used to staple the vena cava at the ostium of the right renal vein. This allowed removal of the tumor thrombus without the need for a Satinsky clamp. The surgery was completed in 243 minutes with no intra-operative complications. The entire kidney and tumor thrombus was removed with negative surgical margins. Estimated blood loss was 300 cc. We present a laparoscopic resection of a renal mass with associated level II thrombus using a hand-assisted approach. In patients with minimal caval involvement, our surgical approach presents an option to the traditional open resection of a renal mass.

Laparoscopía mano-asistida en neoplasias colorrectales: evaluación de los primeros 100 casos / Hand-assisted laparosocopic colectomy in colorectal neoplasm: first 100 cases

Introducción: La cirugía colorrectal laparoscópica manoasistida es propuesta como una alternativa a la laparoscopia convencional para facilitar el procedimiento conservando las ventajas del abordaje mínimamente invasivo. El objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar la experiencia inicial con esta técnica en términos de resultados intra y postoperatorios inmediatos en pacientes con cáncer colorrectal. Diseño: Estudio restrospectivo. Pacientes y método: Se analizan 100 pacientes (51 mujeres, edad promedio 69 años, mediana de IMC: 24) operados en forma electiva entre julio de 2006 y enero de 2009. Las indicaciones fueron: adenocarcinoma de colon derecho (31 casos), adenocarcinoma de colon izquierdo (29 casos), adenocarcinoma de recto (21 casos), pólipo adenomatoso (15 casos), adenocarcinoma sincrónico (2 casos) y adecarcinoma de colon transverso (2 casos). Se efectuaron 38 colectomías derechas, 23 sigmoidectomías, 23 resecciones anteriores, 12 colectomías izquierdas, 2 colectomías transversa, 2 colectomías doble. Resultados: El tamaño de la herida fue de 6.5 (rango: 6-7) cm. El tiempo operatorio global fue de 150 minutos (IC95 por ciento: 140-180). Las resecciones anteriores se asociaron a un mayor tiempo operatorio: 190 vs 120 y 150 minutos para las colectomías derechas e izquierdas respectivamente (p< 0.01). La mediana de pérdida sanguínea fue de 70 ml (IC 95 por ciento: 60-100). El índice de conversión fue de 5 por ciento, sin conversiones en los últimos 55 casos. Sólo 1 complicación intraoperatoria (sangrado) requirió conversión. No se produjeron muertes postoperatorias. La estadia hospitalaria fue de 3,5 (IC95 por ciento: 3-4) días y sólo 1 paciente fue reinternado. El 26 por ciento de los pacientes eliminó gases el primer día postoperatorio (mediana 2 días, IC95 por ciento: 1-2 días). La morbilidad fue del 11 por ciento: infección de herida 5 casos, débito sanguíneo por el drenaje 1 caso, íleo post-operatorio 5 casos...

Introduction: colorectal hand-assisted laparoscopy surgery is proposed as an alternative approach to standard laparoscopy in order to make the procedure easier and to maintain the advantages of minimally invasive surgery. The aim of this study was to analyze our initial experience in terms of intra-operative and short-term outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer. Methods: we analyzed 100 patients (51 females; mean age, 69 years; BMI, 24) operated on electively between July 2006 and January 2009. The indications for surgery were: adenocarcinoma of the right colon (31 cases), adenocarcinoma of the left colon (29 cases), adenocarcinoma of the rectum (21 cases), adenomatous polyp (15 cases), synchronous adenocarcinoma (2 cases) and adenocarcinoma of the transverse colon (2 cases). The procedures performed were: 38 right colectomies, 23 sigmoidectomies, 23 anterior resection, 12 left colectomies, 2 transverse colectomy, and 2 double colectomy. Results: The median size of the incision was 6.5 cm (95 per cent CI, 6-5) cm. Global operative time was 150 minutes (95 per cent C1, 140-180). Anterior resections were associated with a longer operative time: 190 minutes vs. 145 and 120 minutes for right and left colectomies respectively (p<0.005). The median loss of blood was 70 ml (IC95 per cent, 60-100). Five cases (5 per cent) required conversion with no cases in the last 55 patients. There were only 1 intraoperative complication which required conversion and there were not postoperative deaths. The median hospital stay was 3.5 (95 per cent CI, 3-4) days, and only 1 patient requiring re-admission. 26 per cent of the patients passed gas in the first postoperative day (median 2; 95 per cent CI, 1-2 days). The morbidity rate was 11 per cent (11 patients): wound infection, 5 cases; bleeding through drainage, 1 case; postoperative ileo, 5 cases...