Real-time fluorescence imaging with indocyanine green during laparoscopic duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic duodenum-preserving pancreatic head resection (LDPPHR) is a surgical method used to treat benign and low-grade malignant pancreatic head tumors. This study aimed to determine the protective effect of common bile duct in LDPPHR using indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 30 patients treated with LDPPHR at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University between January 2015 and November 2022 was performed. Patients were divided into two groups based on ICG use: ICG and non-ICG. RESULTS: Thirty patients received LDPPHR, 11 males and 19 females, and the age was 50.50 (M (IQR)) years (range: 19-76 years). LDPPHR was successfully performed in 27 (90 %) patients, LPD was performed in 1 (3 %) patient, and laparotomy conversion was performed in 2 (7 %) patients. One patient (3 %) died 21 days after surgery. The incidence of intraoperative bile duct injury in the ICG group was lower than that in the non-ICG group (10 % vs 60 %, P = 0.009), and the operation time in the ICG group was shorter than that in the non-ICG group (311.9 ± 14.97 vs 338.05 ± 18.75 min, P < 0.05). Postoperative pancreatic fistula occurred in 16 patients (53 %), including 10 with biochemical leakage (62.5 %), four with grade B (25 %), and two with grade C (12.5 %). Postoperative bile leakage occurred in four patients (13 %). CONCLUSIONS: The ICG fluorescence imaging technology in LDPPHR helps protect the integrity of the common bile duct and reduce the occurrence of intraoperative bile duct injury, postoperative bile leakage, and bile duct stenosis.

Laparoscopic anatomical left hemihepatectomy guided by middle hepatic vein in the treatment of left hepatolithiasis with a history of upper abdominal surgery.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic anatomical left hemihepatectomy guided by the middle hepatic vein (MHV) for the treatment of patients with hepatolithiasis who had a history of upper abdominal surgery. METHODS: Retrospective data analysis was performed on patients who underwent laparoscopic left hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis and with previous upper abdominal surgery at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University from January 2018 to April 2022. According to the different surgical approaches, patients were divided into laparoscopic anatomical left hepatectomy guided by the MHV group (MHV-AH group) and laparoscopic traditional anatomical left hepatectomy not guided by the MHV group (non-MHV-AH group). RESULTS: This study included 81 patients, with 37 and 44 patients in the MHV-AH and non-MHV-AH groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in the basic information between the two groups. Five cases were converted to laparotomy, and the remaining were successfully completed under laparoscopy. Compared to the non-MHV-AH group, the MHV-AH group had a slightly longer operation time (319.30 min vs 273.93 min, P = 0.032), lower bile leakage rate (5.4% vs 20.5%, P = 0.047), stone residual rate (2.7% vs 20.5%, P = 0.015), stone recurrence rate (5.4% vs 22.7%, P = 0.028), and cholangitis recurrence rate (2.7% vs 22.7%, P = 0.008).There were no significant differences in the results of other observation indices between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic anatomical left hepatectomy guided by the MHV is safe and effective in the treatment of left hepatolithiasis with a history of upper abdominal surgery. It does not increase intraoperative bleeding and reduces the risk of postoperative bile leakage, residual stones, stone recurrence, and cholangitis recurrence.

Effect of different lymph node dissection methods on the number of lymph nodes detected and prognosis in gallbladder cancer.

At present, the extent of lymph node dissection (LND) for radical gallbladder cancer (GBC) is still controversial, and there is no evidence that LND improves prognosis, however, the latest guidelines for GBC recommend that removal of more than 6 lymph nodes facilitates staging of regional lymph nodes. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of different LND methods on the number of lymph nodes detected and assess the prognostic factors during radical resection of GBC. This study retrospectively analyzed 133 patients (46 men and 87 women; average age: 64.01, range: 40-83 years) who underwent radical resection of GBC in a single center between July 2017 and July 2022, of which 41 underwent fusion lymph node dissection (FLND) and 92 underwent standard lymph node dissection (SLND). Baseline data, surgical results, number of LNDs, and follow-up data were analyzed. Each patient was followed up every 3 months. The total number of lymph nodes detected after the operation was 12.00 ± 6.95 versus 6.10 ± 4.71 (P < .05). The number of positive lymph nodes detected was (mean) 1.85 versus 0.78 and (percentage) 15.45% versus 12.83% (P < .05). Postoperative complications (8 vs 23, P > .05). The progression-free survival was 13 versus 8 months, the median survival time was 17 versus 9 months (P < .05). This study concluded that FLND can increase the detection rate of total lymph nodes and positive lymph nodes after surgery, which can prolong the survival time of patients.

Comprehensive Analysis of NABP2 as a Prognostic Biomarker and Its Correlation with Immune Infiltration in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Background: The DNA binding protein NABP2 (nucleic acid binding protein 2) is a member of the SSB (single-stranded DNA-binding) protein family, which is involved in DNA damage repair. Its prognostic significance and relationship with immune infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, remain unknown. Methods: The purpose of this study was to estimate the prognostic value of NABP2 and to investigate its possible immune function in HCC. By applying multiple bioinformatics methods, we gathered and analysed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Cancer Cell Lineage Encyclopedia (CCLE), and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to investigate the potential oncogenic and cancer-promoting role of NABP2, including the differential expression, prognostic value, immune cell infiltration association, and drug sensitivity of NABP2 in HCC. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were used to validate the expression of NABP2 in HCC. The knockdown of NABP2 expression by siRNA was further used to validate its role in hepatocellular carcinoma. Results: Our findings indicated that NABP2 was overexpressed in HCC samples and was related to poor survival, clinical stage, and tumour grade in HCC patients. Analysis of functional enrichment indicated that NABP2 was potentially involved in the cell cycle, DNA replication, G2M checkpoint, E2F targets, apoptosis, P53 signalling, TGFA signalling via NF-κB, and so on. NABP2 was shown to be significantly linked to immune cell infiltration and immunological checkpoints in HCC. Analyses of drug sensitivity predict a number of drugs that could potentially be used to target NABP2. Moreover, in vitro experiments verified the promoting effect of NABP2 on the migration and proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Conclusion: Based on these findings, NABP2 appears to be a candidate biomarker for HCC prognosis and immunotherapy.

Laparoscopic Transcystic Common Bile Duct Exploration: 8-Year Experience at a Single Institution.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration (LTCBDE) is used to treat cholecystolithiasis and choledocholithiasis. This study aimed to investigate the safety, effectiveness and generalisability of LTCBDE in patients with cholecystolithiasis and choledocholithiasis based on our LTCBDE experience within 8 years. METHODS: Four hundred patients with cholecystolithiasis and choledocholithiasis (including 62 of cholecystolithiasis and choledocholithiasis with common bile duct no-dilatation) treated with LTCBDE at a single centre from January 2014 to February 2022 were retrospectively evaluated. They were divided into the first 200 and last 200 LTCBDE cases. The disease characteristics, cystic duct incision methods, surgical outcomes and follow-up data were analysed retrospectively. Each patient was followed up for > 3 months. RESULTS: Four hundred patients underwent LTCBDE, including 188 males and 212 females aged from 15 to 91 years (average age: 56 years). LTCBDE was successful in 377 (94.3%) patients, while treatment was converted to laparoscopic choledocholithotomy with T-tube drainage in 23 (5.8%), owing to intraoperative choledochoscope insertion failure. The CBD diameter (10.89 ± 1.76 vs 9.97 ± 2.39, P < 0.05), cystic duct diameter (4.62 ± 1.03 vs 5.03 ± 1.29, P < 0.05), and operation time (164.60 ± 24.30 vs 135.34 ± 30.00, P < 0.05). Residual stones were found in six (1.5%) patients and removed during the second operation; post-operative bile leakage was found in one (0.3%) patient, who was discharged safely after the second operation. CONCLUSIONS: Phase I LTCBDE is safe and effective in treating cholecystolithiasis and choledocholithiasis. With continuous technological advances, LTCBDE has been effectively promoted and applied.

Performances of Transcritical Power Cycles with CO2-Based Mixtures for the Waste Heat Recovery of ICE.

In the waste heat recovery of the internal combustion engine (ICE), the transcritical CO2 power cycle still faces the high operation pressure and difficulty in condensation. To overcome these challenges, CO2 is mixed with organic fluids to form zeotropic mixtures. Thus, in this work, five organic fluids, namely R290, R600a, R600, R601a, and R601, are mixed with CO2. Mixture performance in the waste heat recovery of ICE is evaluated, based on two transcritical power cycles, namely the recuperative cycle and split cycle. The results show that the split cycle always has better performance than the recuperative cycle. Under design conditions, CO2/R290(0.3/0.7) has the best performance in the split cycle. The corresponding net work and cycle efficiency are respectively 21.05 kW and 20.44%. Furthermore, effects of key parameters such as turbine inlet temperature, turbine inlet pressure, and split ratio on the cycle performance are studied. With the increase of turbine inlet temperature, the net works of the recuperative cycle and split cycle firstly increase and then decrease. There exist peak values of net work in both cycles. Meanwhile, the net work of the split cycle firstly increases and then decreases with the increase of the split ratio. Thereafter, with the target of maximizing net work, these key parameters are optimized at different mass fractions of CO2. The optimization results show that CO2/R600 obtains the highest net work of 27.43 kW at the CO2 mass fraction 0.9 in the split cycle.

Mechanically Enabled Two-Axis Ultrasonic-Assisted System for Ultra-Precision Machining.

With the use of ultrasonic-assisted diamond cutting, an optical surface finish can be achieved on hardened steel or even brittle materials such as glass and infrared materials. The proposed ultrasonic vibration cutting system includes an ultrasonic generator, horn, transducer, cutting tool and the fixture. This study is focused on the design of the ultrasonic vibration cutting system with a high vibration frequency and an optimized amplitude for hard and brittle materials, particularly for moulded steel. A two-dimensional vibration design is developed by means of the finite element analysis (FEA) model. A prototype of the system is manufactured for the test bench. An elliptical trajectory is created from this vibration system with amplitudes of micrometers in two directions. The optimization strategy is presented for the application development.

3D Printing of Metallic Microstructured Mould Using Selective Laser Melting for Injection Moulding of Plastic Microfluidic Devices.

A new method, a 3D printing technique, in particular, selective laser melting (SLM), has been used to fabricate moulds for the injection moulding of thermoplastic microfluidic chips that are suitable for prototyping and early stage scale-up. The micro metallic patterns are printed on to a pre-finished substrate to form a microstructured mould. The dimensional accuracy, surface morphology, bonding strength between the printed patterns and substrate, as well as the microstructure of micro features were all characterized. A microfluidic mould was successfully printed and used directly for injection moulding of cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) microfluidic chips, which were used subsequently to successfully monitor nitrite concentrations in environmental water. The characterization indicated that this new process can be used for fast fabrication of mould tools for injection moulding/hot embossing microfluidic devices. It is faster, more flexible and less expensive than conventional micro-machining processes, although the accuracy and finish are still needed to improve though process optimization and hybrid SLM and machining processes.