Real-time detection of active bleeding in laparoscopic colectomy using artificial intelligence.

BACKGROUND: Most intraoperative adverse events (iAEs) result from surgeons' errors, and bleeding is the majority of iAEs. Recognizing active bleeding timely is important to ensure safe surgery, and artificial intelligence (AI) has great potential for detecting active bleeding and providing real-time surgical support. This study aimed to develop a real-time AI model to detect active intraoperative bleeding. METHODS: We extracted 27 surgical videos from a nationwide multi-institutional surgical video database in Japan and divided them at the patient level into three sets: training (n = 21), validation (n = 3), and testing (n = 3). We subsequently extracted the bleeding scenes and labeled distinctively active bleeding and blood pooling frame by frame. We used pre-trained YOLOv7_6w and developed a model to learn both active bleeding and blood pooling. The Average Precision at an Intersection over Union threshold of 0.5 (AP.50) for active bleeding and frames per second (FPS) were quantified. In addition, we conducted two 5-point Likert scales (5 = Excellent, 4 = Good, 3 = Fair, 2 = Poor, and 1 = Fail) questionnaires about sensitivity (the sensitivity score) and number of overdetection areas (the overdetection score) to investigate the surgeons' assessment. RESULTS: We annotated 34,117 images of 254 bleeding events. The AP.50 for active bleeding in the developed model was 0.574 and the FPS was 48.5. Twenty surgeons answered two questionnaires, indicating a sensitivity score of 4.92 and an overdetection score of 4.62 for the model. CONCLUSIONS: We developed an AI model to detect active bleeding, achieving real-time processing speed. Our AI model can be used to provide real-time surgical support.

Robot-assisted laparoscopic low anterior resection for rectal cancer with persistent descending mesocolon: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Persistent descending mesocolon (PDM) is a fixed abnormality in which the descending to sigmoid colon adheres to the small intestinal mesentery or right pelvic wall through right displacement. Surgery for colorectal cancer with PDM is difficult. Therefore, in addition to the anatomical characteristics of PDM, the extent of adhesion and characteristics of vascular courses need to be assessed in individual patients. The number of patients now undergoing laparoscopic or robot-assisted surgery for colorectal cancer has rapidly increased. We herein report a rectal cancer patient with PDM who safely underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic low anterior resection (RLAR). PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 71-year-old male was referred to our hospital for a detailed examination following a fecal occult blood-positive reaction. Lower gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed a type 2 lesion of the rectum. Moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma was diagnosed based on the results of a histopathological examination. Preoperative contrast-enhanced thoracoabdominal computed tomography showed abnormalities in the colonic course and characteristic vascular courses, suggesting rectal cancer with PDM. RLAR was performed. DISCUSSION: In surgery, it is important to initially perform adhesiolysis accurately in order to reconstruct the original shape of the colonic mesentery and confirm/dissect vascular bifurcations due to the risk of marginal arterial injury. CONCLUSION: In the present case, a detailed anatomical understanding of the site of intestinal adhesion and vascular courses, as well as surgical procedures, facilitated safe RLAR. We described this case and reviewed the anatomical characteristics of PDM and cautions for surgery.

Laparoscopic approach to recurrence following multiple surgeries for external rectal prolapse: a case report.

INTRODUCTION: The optimal procedure for recurrent external rectal prolapse remains unclear, particularly in laparoscopic approach. In addition, pelvic organ prolapse (POP) is sometimes concomitant with rectal prolapse. We present a case who underwent laparoscopic procedure for the recurrence of full-thickness external rectal prolapse coexisting POP. CASE PRESENTATION: An 81-year-old parous female had a 10-cm full-thickness external rectal prolapse following the two operations: the first was perineal recto-sigmoidectomy and the second was laparoscopic posterior mesh rectopexy. Imaging study revealed that the recurrent rectal prolapse was concomitant with both cystocele and exposed vagina, what we call POP. We planned and successfully performed laparoscopic ventral mesh rectopexy (LVMR) with laparoscopic sacrocolpopexy (LSC) using self-cut meshes without any perioperative complication. CONCLUSION: This is the first report of LVMR and LSC for recurrent rectal prolapse with POP following the perineal recto-sigmoidectomy and laparoscopic posterior mesh rectopexy. Even for recurrent rectal prolapse with POP, our experience suggests that LVMR and LSC could be utilized.

Proposal for a Safe and Functional Pancreaticojejunostomy Technique from a Histopathological Perspective.

BACKGROUND: To prevent leakage of pancreatic juice from the main pancreatic duct (MPD), complete external drainage appears to be the most effective technique. However, because this requires a pancreatic stent tube to be ligated with MPD, duct-to-mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) is difficult. From our histopathological examination, a large amount of pancreatic juice is drained from the ducts other than MPD. This study aimed to evaluate our new conceptual technique of PJ after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). METHODS: We considered it important to drain pancreatic juice from the branch pancreatic ducts to the intestinal tract and to perform duct-to-mucosa PJ, while pancreatic juice from MPD is completely drained out of the body. We designed a technique that could simultaneously achieve these points. In our technique, which is based on conventional "two-row" anastomosis, a stent tube is fixed with MPD and its surrounding tissue by purse-string suture at the cut surface of the pancreas, and duct-to-mucosa PJ is concomitantly performed. RESULTS: Of 45 patients undergoing PD, 12 of soft pancreas underwent surgery with this technique. According to the classification of the International Study Group on Pancreatic Fistula, a Grade A PF was observed in four patients, whereas no patient had a Grade B or C PF. CONCLUSIONS: We propose our anastomotic technique that could simultaneously prevent PF and keep the pancreatic duct patent.