Improving the strength of sutureless laser-assisted vessel repair using preloaded longitudinal compression on tissue edge.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Little is known about the approximation of coapted edges in sutureless laser-assisted vessel welding. Tissue shrinkage by laser irradiation may cause coapted edges to separate, reducing strength of welding. This may be avoided by preloaded longitudinal compression on the tissue edges to be welded. This study compared welding strength with and without preloaded compression in ex vivo animal experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study evaluated 24 samples of harvested porcine carotid arteries, each having a length of 3 cm and an inner diameter of 1.0-2.0 mm. A half circumferential incision was made at the center of each sample. A steel shaft 2.0 mm in diameter was inserted into each sample to approximate the incised edges. The samples were longitudinally compressed to 6 mm. Incision sites were repaired by irradiation with a 970-nm diode laser. No glue or die was used. The repair strength was evaluated by measuring the bursting point (BP) of all samples. In a pilot study, the welding conditions, including power, duration, and interval of the laser spots, were tested by trial and error in 18 samples, including six treated under optimum conditions. As a control group, six samples were welded under optimum conditions, but without compression. RESULTS: Optimum conditions, consisting of 2.4 W power, 30-second duration, and 1-mm intervals of laser spots, yielded the highest BP (623 ± 236 mmHg), which was significantly higher than in the control group without compression (204 ± 208 mmHg, P = 0.009). Defining BP > 400 mmHg as successful repair, the success rates in the compression and control groups were 83% and 17%, respectively. CONCLUSION: Preloaded longitudinal compression on the coapted edges may be important for sutureless laser-assisted vessel repair and anastomosis and may affect the strength of welding. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:533-538, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Development of hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with chronic hepatitis C more than 10 years after sustained virological response to interferon therapy.

The risk factors for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients who have achieved a long-term sustained viral response (SVR) to interferon (IFN) are not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics of patients who developed HCC after 10 years of achieving SVR. We retrospectively studied 5 patients with HCC which developed more than 10 years after the termination of IFN therapy. The clinical characteristics at the induction of IFN therapy were male gender, a mean age of 51.6±9.1 years, while 2 patients were moderate alcohol consumers. None of the 5 patients were positive for either HBs Ag or anti-HBc Ab. A histological examination at the initial IFN therapy showed the activity scores to be A2 in all cases, and the fibrosis scores at least F2. The clinical parameters at the diagnosis of HCC included fluctuating transaminase levels in all cases. These levels scarcely fell below the upper limits even after SVR was achieved. In 3 patients, liver tissues were obtained at the treatment of HCC. These tissues showed marked improvement in both activities and fibroses, but severe steatosis in 1 patient. To conclude, chronic hepatitis C patients who respond to IFN therapy should undergo long-term follow-up, even after the eradication of HCV, with special attention particularly to patients who had elevated transaminase levels and steatosis.

A feasibility study on image-based control of surgical robot using a 60-GHz wireless communication system.

This paper presents an evaluation study on the feasibility of introducing wireless connection into a neurosurgical robot, which is controlled by an image-based navigation system. The wireless connection introduced into the robotic system is based on amplitude shift keying (ASK) at 60 GHz. With this wireless connection, data transmission at the bit-rate of 1 Gbps or more is possible, and here high-definition video images (1080i/1080p) can be transmitted. Such a wireless connection system is implemented in the surgical robot replaces the cable connection between the digital video camera and the controller. In this study, the wireless robotic surgical system is evaluated in terms of its accuracy of navigation using the transmitted video images. The results of a wireless connection test under a line-of-sight (LOS) environment show that navigation accuracy observed when using this wireless surgical robot is comparable to that when using a wired robotic system.

A novel robotic laser ablation system for precision neurosurgery with intraoperative 5-ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence detection.

We developed a combined system of tumor detection by 5-ALA-induced PpIX fluorescence and precise ablation by micro laser for the first time, with an automatic focusing and robotic scanning mechanism for the brain surface. 5-ALA accumulates on tumors to be metabolized to become PpIX that is a fluorescent. Intra-operative detection of 5-ALA induced PpIX fluorescence provides useful information for tumor detection. The wavelength of the micro laser is 2.8 microm close to the absorption band of water. This laser is effective only on the surface of brain tissue, enabling precise ablation at the boundary between tumor and normal tissue identified by intra-operative 5-ALA induced fluorescence. Combination tests of the fluorescence measurement and the laser ablation were performed, and it was possible to extract the area with fluorescence appropriately from the measurement data, and the micro laser with automatically scanning selectively ablated the extracted area.

[Robotic surgery in neurosurgical field].

Computer-aided surgery commenced in the late 1980s when computer was clinically used for diagnosis and surgical planning. Since then the computer has been used in a surgical navigation system. In the early 1990s a robotic surgery using intelligent manipulator as surgeon's new hands took place. Nowadays intraoperative diagnostic imaging as surgeon's new eyes has become ubiquitous Diagnosis, surgical planning, and navigation are required to be real-timely performed intraoperatively. The time has really come to concurrently diagnose and treat, in which technology visualizing intraoperative medical information and minimally invasive surgery are fused. For that it is necessary to develop a system that real-timely updates information for decision making, and at the same time to present the timely, optimum treatment to be done according to the results of instant evaluation of ongoing treatment. To realize and support above system it is essential to combine a sensor which can precisely distinguishes a focal area from a normal tissue intraoperatively, and a manipulator which participates the treatment. In addition, the manipulator should be accurately controlled using a computer (computer-aided manipulation) according to the surgical plan made by a method aided by a computer (computer-aided design) based on intraoperatively acquired information. It is about to change quality of life to quality of treatment.