Developing a phantom for simulating robotic-assisted complete mesocolic excision using 3D printing and medical imaging.

BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted complete mesocolic excision is an advanced procedure mainly because of the great variability in anatomy. Phantoms can be used for simulation-based training and assessment of competency when learning new surgical procedures. However, no phantoms for robotic complete mesocolic excision have previously been described. This study aimed to develop an anatomically true-to-life phantom, which can be used for training with a robotic system situated in the clinical setting and can be used for the assessment of surgical competency. METHODS: Established pathology and surgical assessment tools for complete mesocolic excision and specimens were used for the phantom development. Each assessment item was translated into an engineering development task and evaluated for relevance. Anatomical realism was obtained by extracting relevant organs from preoperative patient scans and 3D printing casting moulds for each organ. Each element of the phantom was evaluated by two experienced complete mesocolic excision surgeons without influencing each other's answers and their feedback was used in an iterative process of prototype development and testing. RESULTS: It was possible to integrate 35 out of 48 procedure-specific items from the surgical assessment tool and all elements from the pathological evaluation tool. By adding fluorophores to the mesocolic tissue, we developed an easy way to assess the integrity of the mesocolon using ultraviolet light. The phantom was built using silicone, is easy to store, and can be used in robotic systems designated for patient procedures as it does not contain animal-derived parts. CONCLUSIONS: The newly developed phantom could be used for training and competency assessment for robotic-assisted complete mesocolic excision surgery in a simulated setting.

Anastomosis technique and leakage rates in minimally invasive surgery for right-sided colon cancer. A retrospective national cohort study.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe the different techniques currently used in Denmark to construct right-sided ileocolic anastomoses in minimally invasive surgery, and investigate, compare and analyse the anastomotic configurations and their anastomotic leakage (AL) rates. METHODS: This was a retrospective register-based, study design using prospectively collected data from the Danish Colorectal Cancer Group (DCCG) database. All patients aged 18 years or older with a malignant colorectal tumour in Denmark in the period of 1 February 2015 until 31 December 2019, and who had an elective, curative, minimally invasive right hemicolectomy (MIRH) with ileocolic anastomosis, were included. RESULTS: Three thousand three hundred ninety-eight patients were included. The most commonly used anastomotic approach was the extracorporeal (EC) hand-sewn anastomosis (HA) with end-to-end configuration (59%) and the second most used was the EC stapled anastomosis (SA) side-to-side configuration (20%). The latter had a higher AL rate compared with the hand-sewn technique (3.8% vs. 1.3%), and had significantly higher odds ratio (OR) (OR: 2.85, 95% CI: 1.56-4.92, p < 0.0001) for AL in the adjusted regression model. The least used technique was the end-to-side HA which also had a significantly higher OR (OR: 3.05, 95% CI: 1.30-7.15, p = 0.010) compared with the end-to-end HA. Smoking was an independent factor associated with higher OR for AL. CONCLUSION: The ileocolic end-to-end HA was the most commonly used technique and had the lowest AL rate in MIRH for colon cancer. The EC SA technique and tobacco smoking were independent risk factors for leakage of the ileocolic anastomosis.

Identifying curriculum content for a cross-specialty robotic-assisted surgery training program: a Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted surgery is increasing and there is a need for a structured and evidence-based curriculum to learn basic robotic competencies. Relevant training tasks, eligible trainees, realistic learning goals, and suitable training methods must be identified. We sought to develop a common curriculum that can ensure basic competencies across specialties. METHODS: Two robotic surgeons from all departments in Denmark conducting robotic-assisted surgery within gynecology, urology, and gastrointestinal surgery, were invited to participate in a three-round Delphi study to identify learning goals and rank them according to relevance for a basic curriculum. An additional survey was conducted after the Delphi rounds on what training methods were considered best for each learning goal and who (console surgeon/patient-side assistant) should master each learning goal. RESULTS: Fifty-six robotic surgeons participated and the response rates were 86%, 89%, and 77%, for rounds 1, 2 and 3, respectively. The Delphi study identified 40 potential learning goals, of which 29 were ranked as essential, e.g., Understand the link between arm placement and freedom of movement or Be able to perform emergency un-docking. In the additional survey, the response rate was 70%. Twenty-two (55%) of the identified learning goals were found relevant for the patient-side assistant and twenty-four (60%) were linked to a specific suitable learning method with > 75% agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings can help training centers plan their training programs concerning educational content and methods for training/learning. Furthermore, patient-side assistants should also receive basic skills training in robotic surgery.

Intracorporeal anastomosis in right hemicolectomy for colon cancer: short-term outcomes with the DaVinci Xi robot.

Intracorporeal anastomosis (IA) may improve outcomes compared with extracorporeal anastomosis (EA) in minimally invasive right colectomy. This is a prospective series of robotic right hemicolectomies (RRC) with IA from one institution. 35 consecutive patients with verified or suspected right colon cancer undergoing RRC with IA, and historic control groups of 22 RRC and 40 laparoscopic right colectomies (LRC), both with EA. Primary outcome measure was length of stay (LOS). Secondary outcome measures were 30-day complication rates, readmissions, pain scores, analgesic consumption, and specimen quality. Median LOS did not differ significantly between the groups (RRC-IA, 4 days; LRC-EA, 4 days; RRC-EA, 5 days). In-hospital surgical complications Clavien-Dindo 3 + were seen in 1, 2, and 0 patients, respectively, and 3, 5, and 3 patients were readmitted to hospital within 30 days. Median pain score was 2 in all groups on postoperative day (POD) 2. Relatively more patients in the RRC-IA group received gabapentin on POD 2 (p = 0.006), but use of other analgetics did not differ between groups. Mean specimen lengths were 31, 25 and 27 cm, respectively (RRC-IA vs. LRC-EA, p = 0.003), but mesentery width, proportion of mesocolic excisions and number of lymph nodes did not differ between the groups. RRC-IA was not associated with shorter LOS, fewer complications or better specimen quality than recent controls undergoing either RRC-EA or LRC-EA.

Effect of high perioperative oxygen fraction on surgical site infection and pulmonary complications after abdominal surgery: the PROXI randomized clinical trial.

CONTEXT: Use of 80% oxygen during surgery has been suggested to reduce the risk of surgical wound infections, but this effect has not been consistently identified. The effect of 80% oxygen on pulmonary complications has not been well defined. OBJECTIVE: To assess whether use of 80% oxygen reduces the frequency of surgical site infection without increasing the frequency of pulmonary complications in patients undergoing abdominal surgery. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS: The PROXI trial, a patient- and observer-blinded randomized clinical trial conducted in 14 Danish hospitals between October 2006 and October 2008 among 1400 patients undergoing acute or elective laparotomy. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 80% or 30% oxygen during and for 2 hours after surgery. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Surgical site infection within 14 days, defined according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Secondary outcomes included atelectasis, pneumonia, respiratory failure, and mortality. RESULTS: Surgical site infection occurred in 131 of 685 patients (19.1%) assigned to receive 80% oxygen vs 141 of 701 (20.1%) assigned to receive 30% oxygen (odds ratio [OR], 0.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.72-1.22; P = .64). Atelectasis occurred in 54 of 685 patients (7.9%) assigned to receive 80% oxygen vs 50 of 701 (7.1%) assigned to receive 30% oxygen (OR, 1.11; 95% CI, 0.75-1.66; P = .60), pneumonia in 41 (6.0%) vs 44 (6.3%) (OR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.61-1.48; P = .82), respiratory failure in 38 (5.5%) vs 31 (4.4%) (OR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.78-2.07; P = .34), and mortality within 30 days in 30 (4.4%) vs 20 (2.9%) (OR, 1.56; 95% CI, 0.88-2.77; P = .13). CONCLUSION: Administration of 80% oxygen compared with 30% oxygen did not result in a difference in risk of surgical site infection after abdominal surgery. TRIAL REGISTRATION: clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00364741.

Danish national guidelines for treatment of diverticular disease.

In order to elaborate evidence-based, national Danish guidelines for the treatment of diverticular disease the literature was reviewed concerning the epidemiology, staging, diagnosis and treatment of diverticular disease in all its aspects. The presence of colonic diverticula, which is considered to be a mucosal herniation through the intestinal muscle wall, is inversely correlated to the intake of dietary fibre. Other factors in the genesis of diverticular disease may be physical inactivity, obesity, and use of NSAIDs or acetaminophen. Diverticulosis is most common in Western countries with a prevalence of 5% in the population aged 30-39 years and 60% in the part of the population > 80 years. The incidence of hospitalization for acute diverticulitis is 71/100,000 and the incidence of complicated diverticulitis is 3.5-4/100,000. Acute diverticulitis is conveniently divided into uncomplicated and complicated diverticulitis. Complicated diverticulitis is staged by the Hinchey classification 1-4 (1: mesocolic/pericolic abscess, 2: pelvic abscess, 3: purulent peritonitis, 4: faecal peritonitis). Diverticulitis is suspected in case of lower left quadrant abdominal pain and tenderness associated with fever and raised WBC and/or CRP; but the clinical diagnosis is not sufficiently precise. Abdominal CT confirms the diagnosis and enables the classification of the disease according to Hinchey. The distinction between Hinchey 3 and 4 is done by laparoscopy or, when not possible, by laparotomy. Uncomplicated diverticulitis is treated by conservative means. There is no evidence of any beneficial effect of antibiotics in uncomplicated diverticulitis, but antibiotics may be used in selected cases depending on the overall condition of the patients and the severity of the infection. Abscess formation is best treated by US- or CT-guided drainage in combination with antibiotics. When the abscess is < 3 cm in diameter, drainage may be unnecessary, and only antibiotics should be instituted. The surgical treatment of acute perforated diverticulitis has interchanged between resection and non-resection strategies: The three-stage procedure dominating in the beginning of the 20th century was later replaced by the Hartmann procedure or, alternatively, resection of the sigmoid with primary anastomosis. Lately a non-resection strategy consisting of laparoscopy with peritoneal lavage and drainage has been introduced in the treatment of Hinchey stage 3 disease. Evidence so far for the lavage regime is promising, comparing favourably with resection strategies, but lacking in solid proof by randomized, controlled investigations. In recent years, morbidity has declined in complicated diverticulitis due to improved diagnostics and new treatment modalities. Recurrent diverticulitis is relatively rare and furthermore often uncomplicated than previously assumed. Elective surgery in diverticular disease should probably be limited to symptomatic cases not amenable to conservative measures, since prophylactic resection of the sigmoid, evaluated from present evidence, confers unnecessary risks in terms of morbidity and mortality to the individual as well as unnecessary costs to society. Any recommendation for routine resection following multiple cases of diverticulitis should await results of randomized studies. Laparoscopic resection is preferred in case of need for elective surgery. When malignancy is ruled out preoperatively, a sigmoid resection with preservation of the inferior mesenteric artery, oral division of colon in soft compliant tissue and anastomosis to upper rectum is recommended. Fistulae to bladder or vagina, or stenosis of the colon may be dealt with according to symptoms and comorbidity. Resection of the diseased segment of colon is preferred when possible and safe; alternatively, a diverting stoma can be the best solution.