Suspected Burn From a 9-Voltage Battery.

Advancements in technology allow for the utilization of low-voltage battery-powered devices for patients admitted to the hospital. There have been rare cases of burns due to leakage of the internal contents from low-voltage batteries, but to date, there have been no reports of electrical burns caused by low-voltage batteries. We present the case of an 89-year-old female who presented to the general surgery service with a suspected electrical burn from laying on a 9-volt battery. The patient underwent operative debridement with no evidence of a deeper injury. The patient continues to follow up with an outpatient wound clinic and is healing well. This case highlights the importance of teaching and raising awareness of all small devices that may become entangled or lost in patients' linens, such as 9-volt telemetry batteries, to prevent harm.

A rare case report of pancreatic low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS).

BACKGROUND: Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma (LGFMS) is an uncommon neoplasm generally affecting muscle tissue. It presents rarely in abdominal viscera and even more rarely occurs in the pancreas. All types of pancreatic sarcomas are uncommon, and LGFMS is a rarer still. We present the case of an LGFMS in the pancreas. Because of its rarity, there are no guidelines for appropriate treatment or summations of the natural course of this illness. CASE PRESENTATION: We present the case of a 49-year-old female who presented with epigastric pain. She had a prior history of three episodes of acute pancreatitis many years earlier. A CT revealed a pancreatic body mass, which was biopsied. Pathology returned LGFMS. The patient underwent a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy. She did well after the case and did not require further intervention. CONCLUSION: Though it is exceedingly rare, cases of pancreatic LGFMS should be reported in order to guide clinical decisions. LGFMS has been shown to have high malignant potential in other tissues, and there is no reason to think pancreatic masses will be different. By building a body of evidence about these rare tumors, patient care will benefit.

Efficacy of Intravenous Acetaminophen in Length of Stay and Postoperative Pain Control in Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery Patients.

Background: Opiate-based pain medications may incur adverse effects following bariatric surgery. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous Acetaminophen (IVAPAP) on length of stay (LOS) after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) surgery. Methods: This was a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted from October 2011 to March 2014 at a 416-bed teaching hospital. Eighty-nine total patients were included (control group, n = 45; treatment group, n = 44). Patients were administered either 1000 mg of IVAPAP or placebo every 6 h beginning preoperatively and continuing for four doses. LOS, total narcotic consumption, pain and nausea scores, time to return of flatus (ROF), and postoperative rescue pain medication used were measured during the first 24 h after surgery. Results: LOS was significantly decreased in the treatment group compared with control (2.72 days vs. 3.18 days; p = 0.03). There was significant reduction in time to ROF (1.87 days vs. 2.24 days; p = 0.04). Pain was significantly decreased in the first 2 postoperative hours in the treatment group (p = 0.02). Total opioid consumption, postoperative nausea scores, and use of rescue pain medications were not affected. Conclusions: The use of IVAPAP significantly decreases LOS following LRYGB, improves acute postoperative pain control, and mediates quicker return of bowel function.

LigLAP: Encirclement and Ligation of Vessels in Laparoscopic Surgery: A Double-Layer Suture Sealing Approach.

This article proposes a potential automatic ligation (LigLAP) method to occlude vessels and ducts in several laparoscopic surgical procedures. Currently, stapling devices are widely used for this purpose. However, there are some complications associated with stapling devices, including biliary leak and tissue damage. In this article, we examine the feasibility of an alternative method that uses a double-layer suture to encircle and occlude a vessel. A heating element melts the outer layer of the suture at the cross-point of the suture to create a seal. Several electromechanical mechanisms have been proposed to carry out this ligation process. In addition, some parts have been prototyped for experimental verification and visualization. Several double-layered sutures have been created, and their tensile strength and sealing capabilities have been measured. Moreover, a simple leakage experiment has been performed to verify experimentally the idea of using the double-layer suture. The results show that the new suture and the thermal sealing method provide the required strength to occlude balloons filled with water. Although the results suggest that the proposed method and the double-layer suture may be used in surgical ligation processes, much more rigorous testing of leakage is required.

Providing haptic feedback in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery: a direct optical force-sensing solution for haptic rendering of deformable bodies.

This paper presents an enhanced haptic-enabled master-slave teleoperation system which can be used to provide force feedback to surgeons in minimally invasive surgery (MIS). One of the research goals was to develop a combined-control architecture framework that included both direct force reflection (DFR) and position-error-based (PEB) control strategies. To achieve this goal, it was essential to measure accurately the direct contact forces between deformable bodies and a robotic tool tip. To measure the forces at a surgical tool tip and enhance the performance of the teleoperation system, an optical force sensor was designed, prototyped, and added to a robot manipulator. The enhanced teleoperation architecture was formulated by developing mathematical models for the optical force sensor, the extended slave robot manipulator, and the combined-control strategy. Human factor studies were also conducted to (a) examine experimentally the performance of the enhanced teleoperation system with the optical force sensor, and (b) study human haptic perception during the identification of remote object deformability. The first experiment was carried out to discriminate deformability of objects when human subjects were in direct contact with deformable objects by means of a laparoscopic tool. The control parameters were then tuned based on the results of this experiment using a gain-scheduling method. The second experiment was conducted to study the effectiveness of the force feedback provided through the enhanced teleoperation system. The results show that the force feedback increased the ability of subjects to correctly identify materials of different deformable types. In addition, the virtual force feedback provided by the teleoperation system comes close to the real force feedback experienced in direct MIS. The experimental results provide design guidelines for choosing and validating the control architecture and the optical force sensor.

Consensus statement of the consortium for LESS cholecystectomy.

Many surgeons attempting Laparo-Endoscopic Single Site (LESS) cholecystectomy have found the operation difficult, which is inconsistent with our experience. This article is an attempt to promote a standardized approach that we feel surgeons with laparoscopic skills can perform safely and efficiently. This is a four-trocar approach consistent with the four incisions utilized in conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy. After administration of general anesthesia, marcaine is injected at the umbilicus and a 12-mm vertical incision is made through the already existing anatomical scar of the umbilicus. A single four-trocar port is inserted. A 5-mm deflectable-tip laparoscope is placed through the trocar at the 8 o'clock position, a bariatric length rigid grasper is inserted through the trocar at the 4 o'clock position (to grasp the fundus), and a rigid bent grasper is placed through the 10-mm port (to grasp the infundibulum). This arrangement of the instruments promotes minimal internal and external instrument clashing with simultaneous optimization of the operative view. This orientation allows retraction of the gallbladder in a cephalad and lateral direction, development of a window between the gallbladder and the liver which promotes the "critical view" of the cystic duct and artery, and provides triangulation with excellent visualization of the operative field. The operation is concluded with diaphragmatic irrigation of marcaine solution to minimize postoperative pain. Standardization of LESS cholecystectomy will speed adoption, reduce intraoperative complications, and improve the efficiency and safety of the approach.

Single port cholecystectomy: the pathway back to a standardized technique.

INTRODUCTION: A novel multi-port (Triport+) and methodology were designed for single port cholecystectomy (SPC) to replicate the principles found in the gold standard 4-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We present the first case series utilizing the Triport+, and methodology through a single 15-mm periumbilical fascial incision. METHODS: The 4 lumen multi-channel port was placed in the umbilicus through a measured 15-mm fascial incision. Instrument design and placement in the port is specific to the performance of the SPC. Retrospective review of the cases was performed. RESULTS: 15 SPCs were performed without complications. No conversions or additional ports were required. Fascial defect size measured was 15 mm. Visualization of the critical view was obtained in each case. The mean total operative time was 36 minutes. CONCLUSION: The Triport+ and novel SPC methodology successfully replicate the standard of retraction and exposure in traditional 4-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This novel technique eliminates both instrument and hand conflict.

The learning curve with single-port cholecystectomy.

OBJECTIVES: Single-port surgery is a rapidly advancing technique in laparoscopic surgery. Currently, there is limited evidence on the learning curve and practicality of performing single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: Single-port cholecystectomy was performed on 20 consecutive patients for biliary dyskinesia, symptomatic cholelithiasis, or acute cholecystitis. The Tri-Port was placed in the umbilicus, and a combination of straight and articulating instruments were utilized. Patient characteristics and outcomes were reviewed, and a comparison was made with the prior 20 consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed using the 3-port technique. RESULTS: Characteristics were similar in both groups. The 3-port cholecystectomy had a mean time of 65.7 minutes, and patients had an average body mass index of 28.16. The first single-port cholecystectomy took 160 minutes with sequential improvement to the sixth case of 66 minutes with a mean of 68.2 minutes for the last 15 single-port cases. The average patient body mass index was 30.24. No major complications occurred. CONCLUSION: The largest series to date of single-port cholecystectomy for multiple degrees of biliary disease is presented. This study validates that this technique can be applied effectively and performed in comparable operative times to traditional 3-port cholecystectomy with a learning curve of approximately 5 cases.

The efficacy of B-type natriuretic peptide for early identification of blood loss in traumatic injury.

BACKGROUND: Because B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) secretion has a direct linear correlation with intravascular volume status, it was assessed as an initial marker for blood loss (BL) in polytrauma patients. METHODS: Hemodynamically unstable trauma patients between 18 and 45 years had serial BNP levels and hemoglobin (Hgb) levels obtained on admission, at 8 and 24 hours, and every morning during resuscitation. RESULTS: The 14 patients were categorized into 2 groups based on the 24-hour trend in Hgb levels: clinically significant blood loss (Hgb decrease >3 g/dL) or no clinical blood loss (Hgb decrease <3 g/dL). On admission, the 5 patients in the no blood loss group had normal BNP levels, whereas the 9 patients in the BL group had below-normal BNP levels. Because patients in the BL category were resuscitated, their BNP levels normalized. CONCLUSIONS: BNP levels below normal are indicative of intravascular volume loss in traumatically injured patients.