Video-Assisted Jejunostomy Tube Placement With Two Portals: Surgical Technique in Ten Steps.

Objectives. Endoscopic gastrostomy occasionally presents limitations such as costs, availability of equipment and special materials, and difficult access to the gastric cavity in the setting of obstructive esophageal tumors. Open jejunostomies present high rates of postoperative complications and limited capacity for abdominal evaluation due to reduced incision size. Thus, to reduce procedure-related complications and overall costs and provide a thorough intraoperative evaluation of the peritoneal cavity, we present the following simplified technique. Methods. Video-assisted jejunostomy in ten steps. Results. The use of this Video-assisted laparoscopic technique proves to be a safe, viable alternative, with cost reduction, decreased use of disposable materials, shortened operative time, and accelerated recovery, in addition to increased technical ease and wide applicability across a variety of hospital settings.

Alternative Biomarkers to Predict Tumor Biology in Hepatocellular Carcinoma.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary malignant liver tumor, with more than 800,000 new cases diagnosed each year and with high mortality, ranking fourth in the world in cancer deaths. The worst prognosis is related to the late diagnosis, in which the tumor is at an advanced stage and curative treatments are not efficient in terms of increasing overall survival. Currently, screening and monitoring tests based on current guidelines have limited accuracy, which points to the need for the development of new biomarkers that improve HCC detection as well as its early diagnosis. This review will discuss the five phases of development of a biomarker, from its discovery to its application in clinical practice, and indicate the main biomarkers per development phase. Potential emerging technologies such as "Radiomics", "Proteomics" and "Metabolomics" will also be discussed, which should serve as tools for the elucidation of tumor heterogeneity, as well as provide data for future studies on HCC biomarkers.