Surgical Approach to the Upper Side of the Gastrosplenic Ligament During Laparoscopic Total Gastrectomy for Proximal Gastric Cancer: Operative Techniques and Initial Results.

Background: Laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer has become widespread as minimally invasive surgical treatment, but use of laparoscopic total gastrectomy (LTG) remains limited because of the technical difficulty and complexity of lymphadenectomy at the splenic hilum. Surgical techniques and initial experiences with the surgical approach to the upper side of the gastrosplenic ligament during LTG are introduced. Materials and Methods: Between January 2019 and December 2022, 57 patients with proximal gastric cancer underwent LTG using this approach. Results: Regarding the extent of lymphadenectomy, D1+, D2, spleen-preserving D2 + 10, and D2 + 10 with splenectomy were performed in 31, 18, 4, and 4 patients, respectively. Operative time was 341 (192-724) minutes, and estimated blood loss was 30 (0-515) g. There were no conversions to laparotomy and no postoperative complications of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III. Conclusions: The present procedure is safe and feasible and provides an excellent operative view at the splenic hilum, making it easier to determine exactly the extent of lymphadenectomy in accordance with cancer progression.

Using LAP PROTECTOR™ to prevent subcutaneous emphysema after robotic gastrectomy.

Subcutaneous emphysema (SE), a complication of robotic gastrectomy (RG), occurs when the gas used to establish pneumoperitoneum escapes and enters the soft tissue. SE typically does not result in major clinical problems, but massive SE can have life-threatening consequences. Hence, developing adequate preventive methods against postoperative SE is essential. We aimed to determine whether an existing protective device, the LAP PROTECTOR™ (LP), can be used to reduce the incidence of SE after RG. We analyzed the data of 194 patients who underwent RG at our hospital between August 2016 and December 2022. Since September 2021 (the 102nd patient), we have used the LP (FF0504; Hakko Medical, Hongo, Tokyo, Japan) at the trocar site, as this was expected to reduce the incidence of SE. The primary endpoint of this study was the efficacy of the LP in reducing the incidence of clinically relevant SE (defined as SE extending into the cervical area) a day after RG. Univariate analysis revealed that sex, body mass index (BMI), and LP usage differed significantly between patients with and without postoperative SE. Logistic regression analysis revealed that male sex (odds ratio [OR]: 0.22, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.15-0.72, P < 0.001), high BMI (OR: 0.13, 95% CI: 1.23-4.45, P = 0.009), and LP usage (OR: 0.11, 95% CI: 0.04-0.3, P < 0.001) were preventive factors independently associated with a lower incidence of clinically relevant SE. Placing an LP at the trocar site may be a safe and effective method of preventing SE after RG.

Ureteral Metastasis of Colonic Adenocarcinoma with Enteroblastic Differentiation: A Rare Case to be Distinguished from Clear Cell Adenocarcinoma of the Urinary Tract.

Adenocarcinomas with enteroblastic differentiation are rare clear cell tumors that are positive for enteroblastic markers. Enteroblastic differentiation is particularly uncommon in colorectal adenocarcinomas. Herein, we report a case of clear cell adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation in the sigmoid colon of a 38-year-old Japanese woman that metastasized to the lower left ureter. After neoadjuvant chemotherapy, the patient underwent low anterior resection. The tumor consisted of tubular, cribriform, and focal micropapillary proliferation of clear cells immunopositive for spalt-like transcription factor 4 (SALL4), glypican 3, and alpha-fetoprotein. Six months after the colonic resection, a tumor was found in the left lower ureter, which was resected. The ureteral tumor revealed clear cell adenocarcinoma, which was identical to the colonic tumor proliferating in the ureteral mucosa. Metastatic ureteral tumors are rare. We performed a literature search and found only 50 reported cases of ureteral metastases from colorectal cancer. Of these, only 10 metastatic tumors were identified in the ureteral mucosa. No case of ureteral metastasis of clear cell colorectal adenocarcinoma or colorectal adenocarcinoma with enteroblastic differentiation has been reported. Hence, it can be challenging to distinguish them from clear cell adenocarcinoma of the urinary tract and/or clear cell urothelial carcinoma. This paper discussed the differential diagnosis of these tumors and reviewed the clinicopathological features of colorectal carcinomas metastasizing to the ureter.

Pancreatic thickness as a predictor of postoperative pancreatic fistula after laparoscopic or robotic gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Despite technical advances in minimally invasive gastrectomy for gastric cancer, an increased incidence of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) has been reported. POPF can cause infectious and bleeding complications, which could lead to surgery-related death; therefore, reduction of the post-gastrectomy POPF risk is crucial. This study aimed to investigate the importance of pancreatic anatomy as a predictor of POPF in patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic gastrectomy. METHODS: Data were collected from 331 consecutive patients who underwent laparoscopic or robotic gastrectomy for gastric cancer. The thickness of the pancreas anterior to the most ventral level of the splenic artery (TPS) was measured. The correlation between TPS and POPF incidence was investigated using univariate and multivariate analyses. RESULTS: The cutoff value of TPS was 11.8 mm, which predicted a high drain amylase concentration on postoperative day 1, and patients were categorized into thin (Tn group) and thick TPS groups (Tk group). There was no significant difference in the background characteristics between the two groups, except for sex (P = 0.009) and body mass index (P < 0.001). The incidences of POPF grade B or higher (2% vs. 16%, P < 0.001), all postoperative complications of grade II or higher (12% vs. 28%, P = 0.004), and postoperative intra-abdominal infections of grade II or higher (4% vs. 17%, P = 0.001) were significantly higher in the Tk group. Multivariable analysis identified that high TPS was the only independent risk factor for grade B or higher POPF and grade II or higher postoperative intra-abdominal infectious complications. CONCLUSIONS: The TPS is a specific predictive factor for POPF and postoperative intra-abdominal infectious complications in patients undergoing laparoscopic or robotic gastrectomy. Careful pancreatic manipulation during suprapancreatic lymphadenectomy is necessary for patients with increased TPS (> 11.8 mm) to avoid postoperative complications.

Solitary pleural metastasis in rectal cancer.

Pleural metastasis in rectal cancer is often due to secondary invasion or dissemination from intrapulmonary metastases. To date, there are no reports on solitary pleural metastasis. Here, we report a rare case of lower rectal cancer that recurred as pleural metastasis 4 years after surgical resection of the primary tumor. He was a 65-year-old man who visited our department with an abnormal shadow on his chest X-ray. He had a history of lower rectal cancer and had undergone laparoscopic low anterior resection of the rectum and bilateral lymph node dissection after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Pathological ypT3N1M0 stage IIIA tumor was diagnosed, and adjuvant chemotherapy was administered. According to the computed tomography scan, a pleural tumor or pulmonary metastasis was suspected. Thoracoscopic partial resection of the lung and a partial pleurectomy were performed for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Histopathological examination revealed a highly differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma, consistent with metastatic rectal cancer. The nodule arose from the visceral pleura and invaded the parietal pleura with few malignant cells in the lung parenchyma. The lesion was surgically resected. However, 3 months after the second surgery, tumor recurrence with pleural dissemination was observed, and chemotherapy was initiated.

Standardization of laparoscopic reversal of the Hartmann procedure: A single-center report.

INTRODUCTION: Reestablishing continuity after the Hartmann procedure, the Hartmann reversal has been recognized as a complex procedure with a high morbidity rate. Laparoscopic reversal of the Hartmann procedure (LHR) is technically challenging, although good short-term results have been reported. We formulated this technique in 2013 and have been gradually devising and standardizing it. MATERIAL AND SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Ten patients who had undergone the Hartmann procedure from January 2013 to December 2019 and subsequently LHR were retrospectively examined. During the procedure, a circular incision was made at the original site of the colostomy to safely reach the abdominal cavity, and pneumoperitoneum was performed using the glove technique. Next, pelvic adhesions and the descending colon were dissected. If the rectal stump was difficult to identify, an intraoperative endoscope was used. Finally, either a Gambee or stapled anastomosis without tension was performed. The median surgical time was 265 minutes (range, 160-435 minutes), and the median blood loss was 100 mL (range, 10-700 mL). The median postoperative hospital stay was 11 days (range, 8-14 days). In one case, laparotomy was performed because of severe intra-abdominal adhesion. DISCUSSION: No major complication was observed during or after surgery. Therefore, LHR can be performed safely. Standardizing this procedure could render it minimally invasive, although a high level of evidence is needed.

Long-term outcomes of omentum-preserving versus resecting gastrectomy for locally advanced gastric cancer with propensity score analysis.

Omentectomy is conducted for advanced gastric cancer (AGC) patients as radical surgery without an adequate discussion of the effect. This study was conducted to reveal the impact of omentum-preserving gastrectomy on postoperative outcomes. AGC patients with cT3 and 4 disease who underwent total or distal gastrectomy with R0 resection were identified retrospectively. They were divided into the omentum-preserved group (OPG) and the omentum-resected group (ORG) and matched with propensity score matching with multiple imputation for missing values. Three-year overall survival (OS) and 3-year relapse-free survival (RFS) were compared, and the first recurrence site and complications were analysed. The numbers of eligible patients were 94 in the OPG and 144 in the ORG, and after matching, the number was 73 in each group. No significant difference was found in the 3-year OS rate (OPG: 78.9 vs. ORG: 78.9, P = 0.54) or the 3-year RFS rate (OPG: 77.8 vs. ORG: 68.2, P = 0.24). The proportions of peritoneal carcinomatosis and peritoneal dissemination as the first recurrence site and the rate and severity of complications were similar in the two groups. Omentectomy is not required for radical gastrectomy for AGC.

Closed laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery for early gastric cancer with difficulty in endoscopic submucosal dissection: a report of three cases.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) is increasingly applied for early gastric cancer. ESD is a less invasive procedure and could be a radical treatment. However, in some cases, ESD cannot be completed owing to patient or technical factors. In such cases, which could have the potential for curative resection with ESD, standard gastrectomy is excessively invasive. Through closed laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative surgery (LECS), gastric tumor can be precisely resected without exposing tumor cells to the abdominal cavity. Compared with standard gastrectomy, closed LECS is less invasive for the treatment of early gastric cancer. CASE PRESENTATION: We performed closed LECS for three cases of early gastric cancer after failed ESD. In all three cases, ESD was interrupted owing to technical and patient factors, including perforation, respiratory failure, and carbon dioxide narcosis. All three cases successfully underwent closed LECS with complete tumor resection and showed an uneventful postoperative course. All three patients remain alive and have experienced no complications or recurrence, with a median follow up of 30 (14-30) months. CONCLUSIONS: Closed LECS is less invasive and useful procedure for the treatment of early gastric cancer, particularly in cases with difficulty in ESD.

[A Case of Rectal Cancer with Virchow Lymph Node Metastasis in Which Complete Response Was Achieved with Chemoradiation Therapy].

A 43-year-old man underwent a low anterior resection of the rectum due to upper rectal cancer. The pathological Stage was Ⅳ with para-aortic lymph node metastasis. Postoperative chemotherapy with CapeOX was initiated, but para-aortic lymph node metastasis was discovered 4months after the surgery. Chemoradiation therapy with Cape and Bev, and 70 Gy/28 Fr led to the disappearance of the metastasized lesions. At 13months after the surgery, FDG accumulation was observed in the Virchow's lymph node, and chemotherapy with IRIS and Bev was initially administered. Subsequently, chemoradiation therapy with S-1 and Bev, and 66 Gy/33Fr was administered, followed by chemotherapy with S-1 and Bev, S-1. These therapies led to complete response(CR). However, 35 months after the surgery, the Virchow's lymph node had enlarged again, and chemoradiation therapy with S-1 and 60 Gy/30Fr was administered. Although no FDG accumulation was detected in the lymph node at 40 months after the surgery, metastasis was found in the mediastinal lymph nodes. Panitumumab therapy achieved CR, and no metastasis had been identified at 60 months after the final therapy. Chemoradiation therapy is a treatment option to improve the prognosis of patients with metastasis only in the Virchow's lymph node.

The recurrence of colonic volvulus due to nonrotation after intestinal resection in adulthood: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Intestinal nonrotation is a rare congenital condition that causes fatal colonic volvulus at any age. Once volvulus attack occurs, radical surgical therapy is required for treatment and the prevention of recurrence. This report describes the case of an adult female patient with a recurrence of cecum volvulus due to intestinal nonrotation after transverse colon resection for colonic volvulus. CASE PRESENTATION: A 27-year-old female visited our emergency room (ER) with intermittent abdominal pain and nausea. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed enlargement of the level of the ascending and transverse colon and an obstruction with a whirlpool sign at the transverse colon. The small intestine was distributed on the right side of the abdominal cavity, and the large intestine occupied the left side. She was diagnosed with volvulus with intestinal nonrotation, and emergency surgery was performed. Surgical examination indicated that the ascending colon to the transverse colon was not fixed to the retroperitoneum, and the transverse colon was rotated 180° clockwise. The axis of the volvulus was a mesenteric adhesion of the transverse colon. The involved transverse colon was resected, and the intestine was reconstructed by functional end-to-end anastomosis (FEEA). Six years after the initial surgery, the patient presented to the ER with abdominal fullness and lower abdominal pain. Enhanced CT revealed that the cecum, ascending colon, and remaining transverse colon were dilated with an obstruction. The appendix was located in the left upper abdominal cavity. The clinical diagnosis was cecal volvulus with intestinal nonrotation. An emergency laparotomy revealed that the cecum was rotated 180° clockwise. The terminal ileum to the remaining transverse colon was resected, and FEEA was performed. Seven months later, she suffered obstruction of the intestine caused by an operative adhesion, and conservative treatment was successful. The patient has had no abdominal symptoms for one and a half years so far. CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons should realize that nonrotation of the intestines induces volvulus in adulthood and should familiarize themselves with its clinical findings, appropriate treatment, and prognosis. Even after surgical treatment, awareness of the recurrence of volvulus should be maintained to avoid a late diagnosis.

Reduced port laparoscopic gastrectomy for gastric cancer.

The use of reduced port laparoscopic surgery (RPS) has become increasingly popular. The concept of RPS includes all procedures derived from various efforts minimizing the invasiveness of surgery, with single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) being the ultimate reduced port technique. Reduced-port laparoscopic gastrectomy (RPLG) for gastric cancer has not yet been fully established and still has issues such as feasibility, oncological validity, training, and education. The short-term results of reported studies are acceptable. However, long-term results that verify positive results or radical cure even in cases of cancer have not yet been published. Patients for whom RPLG is indicated should be selected carefully. Prospective multicenter studies should be conducted to establish RPS as a truly evidence-based practice that addresses not only cosmesis but also the appropriate balance between minimal invasiveness and radical cure.