Outcome of the incarcerated abdominal wall hernias managed by open and laparoscopic approaches.

Background & Objective: Laparoscopic surgery is generally considered as better than open surgery in terms of less complications, minimal hospital stays and quick healing of the wounds. Our objective was to compare the immediate and early outcome of the different incarcerated hernias of anterior abdominal wall operated on as emergency cases by open and laparoscopic approach. Methods: This is a retrospective comparative study which was conducted at two hospitals of AlAhsa city of the Eastern region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from July, 2017 to June, 2022. The data were retrieved from the medical records of the hospitals. All male and female patients having different types of incarcerated hernias of anterior abdominal wall presenting to the emergency room were included in the study. The patients were divided in two groups; those who were operated on by open approach (Group-I) and those who were operated on by laparoscopic approach (Group-II). Results: Out of total 70 male and female patients, 42 were in Group-I and 28 in Group-II. The variety of the incarcerated hernias in both groups overall was para-umbilical 26(37.14%), incisional 18(25.71%), inguinal (right & left) 17(24.28%) and epigastric 9(12.86%). The mean operative time taken by Group I and II was 126.07 (±9.728) and 98.57 (±10.079) minutes respectively with a difference of 27.50 minutes (p=0.807). The mean hospital stay of the patients in Group I and II was 1.36(±0.719) and 1.57(±0.997) days respectively (p=0.482). The post-operative complications rate in Group-I was 6(14.28%) and in Group-II, 6(21.43%) (p=0.658). Overall, 12(17.14%) patients developed the complications in both groups. When the number of the complications is compared, it shows that there was no significant difference between the two groups (p=0.583). Conclusion: Laparoscopic approach is not superior to the open approach in the terms of the immediate and early outcome/complications of the incarcerated hernias of the anterior abdominal wall operated as emergency cases in this study.

Outcomes from Early Experience with Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair Versus Open Technique: Navigating the learning curve.

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LIHR) regarding postoperative pain, recurrence rates, duration of hospital stay and other postoperative outcomes within the context of a tertiary care teaching hospital in South India, and the initial experience of laparoscopic repairs. The current consensus in the literature often suggests LIHR as superior to open inguinal hernia repair (OIHR). Methods: This single-centre, retrospective, observational study was conducted at the Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Education and Research, Puducherry, India, from January 2011 to September 2020. All patients who underwent elective OIHR and LIHR were included. Data on the patients demographics, comorbidities, hernia type, mesh characteristics, surgery duration, hospital stay and immediate postoperative complications were collected and analysed. Results: A total of 2,690 OIHR and 158 LIHR cases were identified. The demographic profiles, hospital stay and complication rates were similar in both groups. However, surgical site infection was present exclusively in the OIHR group (3.55% versus 0.0%; P <0.05). The timeline for returning to normal activities was statistically shorter for the LIHR group (6 versus 8 days; P <0.05). The most frequent immediate complication in the LIHR group was subcutaneous emphysema (6.54% versus 0.0%; P <0.05). Recurrence (9.23% versus 3.61%; P = 0.09) and chronic pain (41.53% versus 13.55%; P <0.05) were higher in the LIHR group. Conclusion: Lower recurrence and chronic pain rates were observed with OIHR in the initial experience with LIHR in the hospital. However, LIHR had significant advantages concerning faster patient recovery and lower rates of surgical site infections. While the results contribute an interesting deviation from the standard narrative, they should be interpreted within the context of a learning curve associated with the early experience of the research team with LIHR.

Hysteroscopic tubal electrocoagulation versus laparoscopic tubal disconnection for the management of hydrosalpinx and subsequent pregnancy outcomes: A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: Hydrosalpinx impairs the success of in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryo transfer. Various surgical approaches, such as fluid aspiration or isolation of the affected fallopian tubes, have been used to enhance the outcome. This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the efficacy of laparoscopic tubal disconnection (LTD) and hydroscopic tubal electrocoagulation (HTE) for hydrosalpinx before IVF. Materials and Methods: After obtaining ethical committee approval, we assessed 112 women who were subfertile due to hydrosalpinx to check their adherence to our selection criteria. Eligible patients were allocated into two groups (LTD vs. HTE). Both groups underwent extensive assessment before the operative procedure. IVF and subsequent embryo transfers were performed in both groups. Live birth and pregnancy rates were evaluated. Results: Patients who underwent LTD prior to IVF embryo transfer had significantly higher live birth (41%), clinical pregnancy (57%), and chemical pregnancy (61%) rates in the LTD group than in the HTE group (12%, 35%, 41%, respectively). However, we could not find a significant difference between the two groups regarding the miscarriage (17% vs. 28%, p=0.33) and multiple pregnancy (14% vs. 12%, p=0.79) rates. No major complications with HTE were observed, except for a case of uterine perforation, whereas two cases of surgical complications occurred in the LTD group. Additionally, we found a significantly shorter operative time and hospital stay (0.5±0.7 days, p=0.012) in the HTE group. Conclusion: LTD may be a more effective approach compared with hysteroscopic tubal electrocoagulation for improving birth and pregnancy rates in patients with IVF and hydrosalpinx.

Comparison of laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgical treatments for isthmocele: A prospective cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgical approaches for treating symptomatic isthmocele and identify their associated factors. Materials and Methods: Forty-six patients with symptomatic isthmocele diagnosed using transvaginal saline infusion sonohysterography were enrolled in this prospective cohort study. Patients underwent either laparoscopic or hysteroscopic isthmoplasty based on their residual myometrial thicknesses and fertility desires and were subsequently followed by clinical and ultrasonographic examinations. Results: Twenty-two patients underwent laparoscopy and 24 underwent hysteroscopic surgery. At baseline, there was no significant difference in the mean age and years since the last cesarean section between the two groups. However, the hysteroscopy group had a higher mean parity and previous cesarean sections (p=0.00, 0.03). The most common symptoms were abnormal uterine bleeding, infertility, and dysmenorrhea. The mean baseline residual myometrial thickness was significantly higher in the laparoscopy group (p=0.00), and only laparoscopic surgery led to a significant increase in residual myometrial thickness in patients (p=0.00). Both procedures significantly reduced abnormal uterine bleeding (p=0.00), but only laparoscopy reduced infertility (p=0.00) and hysteroscopy reduced dysmenorrhea (p=0.03). Hysteroscopy showed better symptom resolution in younger patients (p=0.01), whereas age did not affect laparoscopy outcomes. Conclusion: Both approaches showed similar effectiveness in resolving abnormal uterine bleeding, with laparoscopy excelling in infertility resolution and hysteroscopy excelling in dysmenorrhea resolution.

Effects of Real Time Feedback on Novice's Laparoscopic Learning Curve.

OBJECTIVE: Analyze the learning curve of medical students when they are trained with a laparoscopic box trainer and are presented with different modes of real-time feedback on their performance in the laparoscopic suturing procedure. DESIGN: A prospective randomized controlled trial (RTC) was performed. Three groups were proposed: control, visual, and haptic. The block randomization technique was used to assign the participants to one of the three groups. Each group trained the intracorporeal square flat knot task in a standardized FLS box simulator. A total of 11 sessions were programmed for this study: a pre-training session, eight training sessions, a post-training session, and a follow-up session. Measurement of the generated reaction force during the task were taken weekly for the first 10 sessions (pre-training, training, and post-training); then, the follow-up measurement was taken a month after. SETTING: This study was carried out in a single center at the Unidad de Simulación de Posgrado (USIP) of the postgraduate medicine program of the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) between May and August 2023. PARTICIPANTS: The eligible participants were medical students without experience in minimally invasive surgery. All social service intern medics doing their social service in the USIP were invited to participate. A total of 20 participants entered the study from which 18 of them finished all the programmed sessions. RESULTS: A total of ten metrics were extracted from the reaction force signal measured at each session. All metrics are directly proportional to the reaction force and low magnitudes imply high tissue-handling proficiency. All groups improved their tissue handling skills, being the visual group the one who achieved better performance, followed by the haptic group and lastly the control group. CONCLUSION: The use of real time feedback, especially visual feedback can help novices to shorten the learning process of tissue handling and achieve a better proficiency in advanced tasks in shorter training periods.

The role of the adrenalectomy in the management of pheochromocytoma: the experience of a Portuguese referral center.

PURPOSE: Pheochromocytoma is a rare neuroendocrine tumor. Despite the low incidence, these tumors are of indisputable importance. This study aimed to analyze the management of pheochromocytoma in a referral center, with an emphasis on the minimally invasive adrenalectomy, which is the preferred therapeutic approach. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on a cohort of patients diagnosed with pheochromocytoma who underwent adrenalectomy between January 2013 and December 2022. Clinical data including demographics, timelines, symptomatology, comorbidities, biochemical markers, genetic testing, surgical details, and follow-up outcomes, were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The cohort included 44 patients, predominantly women (52.27%), with a median age of 53.39 years (range 13-83). Most of patients exhibited paroxysmal symptoms suggesting catecholamine excess. Documented hypertension was the most frequent (86.36%), along with glucose anomalies (40.01%) and anxiety disorder (31.82%). Genetic testing was performed in 36 (81.81%) patients and 14 (38.88%) revealed a positive result, predominantly RET pathogenic variant. Laparoscopic surgery was performed in 34 (79.07%) patients, showing significantly shorter operative time (2.5 h vs. 4.25 h, t-test p < 0,001) and fewer complications (23.53% vs 77.78%, p = 0.008). Postoperative complications occurred in 36.36% of the patients, mostly mild (grade I, 56.25%), with no mortality. SDHB pathogenic variant correlated with both recurrent and metastatic disease (p = 0.006). One-year follow-up reported 9.09% recurrence and 6.82% metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: Adrenalectomy demonstrated a high safety and effectiveness. This study exhibited a higher rate of genetic testing referral than other studies. Despite past advances, there is still a need for further studies to establish protocols and evaluate new techniques.

Comparison of laparoscopic versus open pancreaticoduodenectomy combined with portal vein/superior mesenteric vein resection and reconstruction for pancreatic cancer: a propensity score matching analysis.

Background: Open surgery is gradually replaced by minimally invasive surgery, but few studies have reported the feasibility of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) combined with vascular resection and reconstruction. The present study compared the efficacy of LPD with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) combined with portal vein/superior mesenteric vein (PV/SMV) resection and reconstruction for pancreatic cancer. Methods: The clinical data of patients who underwent PD combined with PV/SMV resection and reconstruction from March 2016 to August 2022 at our institution were retrospectively analyzed. The perioperative outcomes and survival outcomes were compared after propensity score matching (PSM). Results: The original cohort included 64 patients. Sixteen pairs of patients were obtained by 1:1 PSM. The intraoperative blood loss was greater in the OPD group than in the LPD group (550 vs. 200 mL, P=0.04), and the PV clamp time was longer in the LPD group than in the OPD group (29.4 vs. 18.8 min, P<0.001). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications. The median overall survival and progression-free survival were comparable between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusions: LPD combined with PV/SMV resection and reconstruction is safe and feasible in selected patients and results in similar perioperative outcomes and prognosis as open surgery.

Open Gastrostomy of a Gastric Leiomyoma Proximal to the Gastroesophageal Junction: A Case Report.

Gastric leiomyomas are benign, submucosal tumors found incidentally on unrelated imaging or during autopsy. The majority of leiomyomas are asymptomatic; however, patients can develop central ulcerations on the lesions leading to upper gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. A 75-year-old female, with a past medical history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and a cerebrovascular accident, presented with complaints of melena, near-syncope events, lightheadedness, weakness, and hematemesis. A computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen with contrast found a heterogeneous low-attenuation mass of 4×4×3 cm3 within the gastric fundus and near the gastroesophageal (GE) junction. After an open gastrostomy and excisional biopsy, the mass was identified as a leiomyoma. This case report reviews the presentation, diagnostic assessments, and treatment of a gastric leiomyoma in a complex location proximal to the gastroesophageal junction. Gastric leiomyomas should be considered as a differential diagnosis for patients presenting with an upper gastrointestinal bleed.

Iatrogenic Right-Sided Diaphragmatic Hernia After Colonoscopy.

Congenital diaphragmatic hernias (CDH) occur as a result of genetic and environmental factors that occur during the early stages of fetal development. Overall, CDH are considered to be quite rare and are often discovered when patients are neonates. The patient in this case underwent a routine colonoscopy for high-risk polyps but then developed the sudden onset of cramping abdominal pain and PO (per os) intolerance. She was found to have a right-sided diaphragmatic hernia which ultimately required operative intervention. Retrospectively, a close review of prior imaging revealed a potential diaphragm defect. Post-colonoscopy diaphragmatic hernias are very rare and right-sided ones are rarer, making this case report an important addition to the literature.

Laparoscopy experience in East, Central, and Southern Africa: insights from operative case volume analysis.

BACKGROUND: With the primary objective of addressing the disparity in global surgical care access, the College of Surgeons of East, Central, and Southern Africa (COSECSA) trains surgeons. While sufficient operative experience is crucial for surgical training, the extent of utilization of minimally invasive techniques during COSECSA training remains understudied. METHODS: We conducted an extensive review of COSECSA general surgery trainees' operative case logs from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020, focusing on the utilization of minimally invasive surgical procedures. Our primary objective was to determine the prevalence of laparoscopic procedures and compare this to open procedures. We analyzed the distribution of laparoscopic cases across common indications such as cholecystectomy, appendicitis, and hernia operations. Additionally, we examined the impact of trainee autonomy, country development index, and hospital type on laparoscopy utilization. RESULTS: Among 68,659 total cases, only 616 (0.9%) were laparoscopic procedures. Notably, 34 cases were conducted during trainee external rotations in countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, and India. Gallbladder and appendix pathologies were most frequent among the 582 recorded laparoscopic cases performed in Africa. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy accounted for 29% (276 of 975 cases), laparoscopic appendectomy for 3% (76 of 2548 cases), and laparoscopic hernia repairs for 0.5% (26 of 5620 cases). Trainees self-reported lower autonomy for laparoscopic (22.5%) than open cases (61.5%). Laparoscopy usage was more prevalent in upper-middle-income (2.7%) and lower-middle-income countries (0.8%) compared with lower-income countries (0.5%) (p < 0.001). Private (1.6%) and faith-based hospitals (1.5%) showed greater laparoscopy utilization than public hospitals (0.5%) (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the relatively low utilization of minimally invasive techniques in surgical training within the ECSA region. Laparoscopic cases remain a minority, with variations observed based on specific diagnoses. The findings suggest a need to enhance exposure to minimally invasive procedures to ensure well-rounded training and proficiency in these techniques.

Influence of proficiency in conventional laparoscopic surgery in colorectal cancer on the introduction of robotic surgery.

PURPOSE: Although there have been many reports on learning curves for robotic surgery, it is unclear how surgeons' conventional laparoscopic surgical skills influence their ability in performing robotic surgery for colorectal cancer (CRC). The aim of this study was to determine the surgical outcomes of robotic surgery for CRC during the induction phase by skilled laparoscopic surgeons. METHODS: Surgical outcomes of consecutive CRC cases between January 2021 and March 2023 following the skilled phase of laparoscopic surgery and introductory phase of robotic surgery performed by three skilled laparoscopic surgeons were compared. RESULTS: Overall, 77 consecutive patients diagnosed with sigmoid colon or rectosigmoid cancer were analysed, including 50 in the laparoscopy group (LAP) and 27 in the robotic group (Ro). Patient characteristics, including age, sex, body mass index, and tumour progression, did not differ between the groups. The median operation time was 204 min in the robotic group and 170 min in the laparoscopic group (p < 0.001). Blood loss was significantly lower in the robotic group (p = 0.0059). The incidence of grade 2 or higher complications did not differ between the two groups (LAP, 10.0% vs. Ro, 7.4%, p = 1). In the robotic group, the time required for lymph node dissection had a greater impact on operative duration. CONCLUSION: Skills acquired from performing conventional laparoscopic surgery may contribute to the safe and reliable performance of robotic surgery for CRC. TRIAL REGISTRATION: UMIN000050923.

Indocyanine green fluorescence imaging-assisted laparoscopy resection of retroperitoneal tumors in children: case report and literature review.

This study examined the applicability of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging to assist the laparoscopic resection of retroperitoneal tumors in pediatric patients via an abdominal approach. Conducted prospectively at the Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center from May to September 2023, the research included three pediatric cases, for whom laparoscopic retroperitoneal tumor resections were performed utilizing ICG fluorescence imaging. In each case, ICG was intravenously administered (0.3 mg/kg) prior to surgery, enabling the visualization of vital vascular structures through real-time fluorescence imaging. The trocar's placement was guided by a "four-hole" technique from the healthy side in a 70-degree lateral decubitus position. The operations were accomplished successfully without any complications. Pathological analysis of the patients identified one case of Wilms tumor of the embryonal type, one ganglioneuroblastoma of the mature type without N-MYC gene amplification, and one mature cystic teratoma. The findings suggest that with careful patient selection and skilled surgical execution, the utilization of ICG fluorescence imaging in the laparoscopic resection of retroperitoneal tumors is both safe and effective in children. This approach significantly improves the visualization of critical blood vessels, thus enhancing surgical safety.

Proficiency-based progression training in robot-assisted laparoscopy for endometrial cancer: peri-operative and survival outcomes from an observational cohort study.

Introduction: Over the last decade there has been a transition from traditional laparoscopy to robotic surgery for the treatment of endometrial cancer. A number of gynecological oncology surgical fellowship programmes have adopted robot-assisted laparoscopy, but the effect of training on complications and survival has not been evaluated. Our aim was to assess the impact of a proficiency-based progression training curriculum in robot-assisted laparoscopy on peri-operative and survival outcomes for endometrial cancer. Methods: This is an observational cohort study performed in a tertiary referral and subspecialty training center. Women with primary endometrial cancer treated with robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery between 2015 and 2022 were included. Surgery would normally include a hysterectomy and salpingo-oophorectomy with some form of pelvic lymph node dissection (sentinel lymph nodes or lymphadenectomy). Training was provided according to a training curriculum which involves step-wise progression of the trainee based on proficiency to perform a certain surgical technique. Training cases were identified pre-operatively by consultant surgeons based on clinical factors. Case complexity matched the experience of the trainee. Main outcome measures were intra- and post-operative complications, blood transfusions, readmissions < 30 days, return to theater rates and 5-year disease-free and disease-specific survival for training versus non-training cases. Mann-Witney U, Pearson's chi-squared, multivariable regression, Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazard analyses were performed to assess the effect of proficiency-based progression training on peri-operative and survival outcomes. Results: Training cases had a lower BMI than non-training cases (30 versus 32 kg/m2, p = 0.013), but were comparable in age, performance status and comorbidities. Training had no influence on intra- and post-operative complications, blood transfusions, readmissions < 30 days, return to theater rates and median 5-year disease-free and disease-specific survival. Operating time was longer in training cases (161 versus 137 min, p = < 0.001). The range of estimated blood loss was smaller in training cases. Conversion rates, critical care unit-admissions and lymphoedema rates were comparable. Discussion: Proficiency-based progression training can be used safely to teach robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery for women with endometrial cancer. Prospective trails are needed to further investigate the influence of distinct parts of robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery performed by a trainee on endometrial cancer outcomes.

Omental torsion mimicking acute appendicitis: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Omental torsion is a rare cause of acute abdominal pain caused by twisting of the omentum along its long axis, thus compromising its vascularity. Its presentation is non-specific and can mimic other common pathologies, making its pre-operative diagnosis challenging. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 44-year-old female presented for periumbilical abdominal pain. Her laboratory results showed no leukocytosis and CRP was within normal range. CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis with oral and IV contrast showed a well demarcated pericecal mass at the right side, mostly suggestive of transmesenteric internal herniation with strangulation. The patient eventually required laparoscopic surgical intervention. DISCUSSION: The acute abdominal manifestations in patients with omental torsion are due to the development of edema and necrotic tissue distal of the torsion after the arterial supply and venous drainage have been obstructed. Rotation around the right gastroepiploic artery is considered to be the most common cause of omental torsion. Primary torsion is considered to be idiopathic, while secondary torsion occurs due to an identifiable predisposing pathology such as omental cysts, hernias, adhesions, or intra-abdominal tumors. Since symptoms of omental torsion are non-specific, it is crucial to consider the differential diagnosis and rule out other causes of acute abdomen. Surgical intervention is the mainstay treatment when there is uncertainty in the diagnosis, or when the patient's clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings worsen with conservative treatment. CONCLUSION: Early surgical intervention in cases of omental torsion reduces the incidence of formation of abscesses, adhesions, and omental necrosis. In cases of non-operative candidates, conservative treatment is the best option; therefore, the choice of treatment of omental torsion should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Green Guidewire Combined with Epidural Needle-Saline Separating Minimize Invasiveness and Optimize Outcomes in Single-Port Laparoscopic Treatment for Pediatric Inguinal Hernia.

Objective: To investigate the application value, feasibility, and safety of modified single-port laparoscopic surgery in the treatment of pediatric inguinal hernia. Methods: One hundred and twenty cases of children with indirect inguinal hernia admitted from 2017 to 2022 were enrolled in the Control and Observation groups, with 80 and 40 cases, respectively. They underwent traditional open high ligation of the hernia sac and modified single-port laparoscopic high ligation of the hernia sac, respectively. The operation duration, surgical incision size, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay, first ambulation time, and hospitalization expenses were compared between the two groups, as well as the incidence of surgical complications in the two groups. Results: The surgical incision size, intraoperative bleeding, postoperative hospital stay, and first ambulation time of the Observation group were less than those of the Control group. There was no significant difference in operation duration or hospitalization expenses between the two groups. Only two cases in the Observation group showed suture knot reactions after surgery, with no incision infection, inguinal hematoma, iatrogenic cryptorchidism, etc. The overall incidence of complications in the Observation group was lower than that of the Control group. Conclusion: Modified single-port laparoscopic surgery for inguinal hernia in children has the advantages of minimal invasiveness, and enhanced recovery, along with fewer complications and recurrence, hence it is worthy of recommendation in clinical practice.

Concordance in Intraoperative Surgeons' Opinion in the Diagnosis and Management of Acute Appendicitis: The Role of Training.

OBJECTIVE: Acute appendicitis is a wide spectrum disease, from simple inflammation to evident intestinal perforation. The correct interpretation of the degree of inflammation is crucial to guarantee appropriate treatment and adherence to protocols and guidelines. In order to investigate this concordance, the authors compared the definition of appendicitis and the predicted treatment among all surgeons affiliated to a single Pediatric Surgery School (consisting of 8 different centers). DESIGN: Twenty-two short recordings of intra-operative manipulation of appendices were shown to 56 surgeons, blindly to clinical information. Four items were collected and analyzed: classification of appendicitis, type and length of predicted antibiotic therapy, day of re-alimentation. Data were analyzed to identify the concordance kappa coefficient, stratified according to expertise of the responding surgeon. RESULTS: The 1232 evaluations obtained in all valued items low overall concordance. Subgroup analysis identified a good agreement between younger surgeons only in the choice of antibiotic (k 0.47). However, if the centers were divided between University and non-University Hospitals, a strong agreement was found in the former both for classification (k 0.45 vs 0.32) and type of antibiotic (k 0.42 vs 0.24). CONCLUSIONS: The overall concordance between surgeons in different centers in the diagnostic classification and predicted treatment of appendicitis is quite low. University Hospital have a highest concordance in both items at all levels of expertise; it might be postulated that teaching to younger surgeon increase the comparison between experts and finally the concordance and adherence to protocols within the center.

Routine Automated Assessment Using Surgical Intelligence Reveals Substantial Time Spent Outside the Patient's body in Minimally Invasive Gynecological Surgeries.

OBJECTIVE: To demonstrate the use of surgical intelligence to routinely and automatically assess the proportion of time spent outside of the patient's body (out-of-body-OOB) in laparoscopic gynecological procedures, as a potential basis for clinical and efficiency-related insights. DESIGN: A retrospective analysis of videos of laparoscopic gynecological procedures. SETTING: Two operating rooms at the Gynecology Department of a tertiary medical center. PARTICIPANTS: All patients who underwent laparoscopic gynecological procedures between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022 in those two rooms. INTERVENTIONS: A surgical intelligence platform installed in the two rooms routinely captured and analyzed surgical video, using AI to identify and document procedure duration and the amount and percentage of time that the laparoscope was withdrawn from the patient's body per procedure. RESULTS: A total of 634 surgical videos were included in the final dataset. The cumulative time for all procedures was 639 hours, of which 48 hours (7.5%) were OOB segments. Average OOB percentage was 8.7% (SD = 8.7%) for all the procedures and differed significantly between procedure types (p < .001), with unilateral and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomies showing the highest percentages at 15.6% (SD = 13.3%) and 13.3% (SD = 11.3%), respectively. Hysterectomy and myomectomy, which do not require the endoscope to be removed for specimen extraction, showed a lower percentage (mean = 4.2%, SD = 5.2%) than the other procedures (mean = 11.1%, SD = 9.3%; p < .001). Percentages were lower when the operating team included a senior surgeon (mean = 8.4%, standard deviation = 9.2%) than when it did not (mean = 10.1%, standard deviation = 6.9%; p < .001). CONCLUSION: Surgical intelligence revealed a substantial percentage of OOB segments in laparoscopic gynecological procedures, alongside associations with surgeon seniority and procedure type. Further research is needed to evaluate how laparoscope removal affects postoperative outcomes and operational efficiency in surgery.

Effect of prophylactic abdominal drainage on postoperative pain in laparoscopic hemicolectomy for colon cancer: a single-center observational study in Korea.

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of prophylactic abdominal drainage (AD) in laparoscopic hemicolectomy, focusing on assessing postoperative pain outcomes. Methods: Patients were categorized into two groups: those with and without AD (AD group vs. no-AD group). A numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to assess postoperative pain on each postoperative day (POD). Further, the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) method was used to reduce intergroup bias. Results: In total, 204 patients who underwent laparoscopic hemicolectomies by a single surgeon between June 2013 and September 2022 at a single institution were retrospectively reviewed. After adjusting for IPTW, NRS scores on POD 2 were significantly lower in the no-AD group (3.2 ± 0.8 vs. 3.4 ± 0.8, p = 0.043). Further examination of postoperative outcomes showed no statistically significant differences in complications between the AD (17.3%) and no-AD (12.4%) groups (p = 0.170). The postoperative length of hospital stay was 7.3 ± 2.8 days in the AD group and 6.9 ± 3.0 days in the no-AD group, with no significant difference (p = 0.298). Time to first flatus was 3.0 ± 0.9 days in the AD group and 2.7 ± 0.9 days in the no-AD group, with no significant difference (p = 0.078). Regarding readmission within 1 month, there were four cases each in the AD (2.3%) and no-AD (1.7%) groups, with no significant difference (p = 0.733). Conclusion: Laparoscopic hemicolectomy without AD resulted in no significant differences in postoperative clinical outcomes, except for postoperative pain. This finding suggests that prophylactic AD may exacerbate postoperative pain.

A retrospective noninferiority study of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair feasibility for recently graduated surgeons in Thailand.

Purpose: The feasibility of starting laparoscopic surgery among newly graduated surgeons lacking extensive experience in open approaches remains a topic of interest. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair (LHR) compared to open inguinal hernia repair (OHR) in this population. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted on inguinal hernia surgeries performed by a single recently graduated surgeon during the learning phase. Patient data were collected from July 2021 to November 2022 with a focus on demographics, intraoperative details, and 1-year postoperative outcomes. Noninferiority testing was employed with a predetermined margin of 15% to compare the complication rates, recurrence rates, and other secondary outcomes between LHR and OHR. Results: The study cohort comprised 66 patients (OHR group, n = 45 and LHR group, n = 21). Patient characteristics were similar between groups. No significant differences were observed in the complication rates (OHR, 26.7% and LHR, 19.0%; p = 0.50) or recurrence rates (OHR, 2.2% and LHR, 4.8%; p = 0.54). The LHR group demonstrated noninferior outcomes compared with the OHR group in terms of complication, recurrence, readmission, and reoperation rates. Except for the operative time, secondary outcomes did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion: LHR is a feasible initiation for recently graduated surgeons, demonstrating noninferior outcomes compared with open repair. Therefore, the belief that one must master open surgery before beginning laparoscopy may be untrue.