[Abdominal surgery: what's new in 2023]. / Chirurgie viscérale: ce qui a changé en 2023.

In 2023, robotic surgery has witnessed an expansion in the number of surgical procedures and in the number of platforms on the market. We illustrate the phenomenon, by exploring parietal, œso-gastric and liver robotic surgery. Surgical innovation aligns with advancements in oncology. Immunotherapy now enables "watch and wait" strategies for patients with colorectal cancer, and decreases recurrence rate and improves survival after liver surgery for hepatocellular carcinoma and œso-gastric surgery. The multidisciplinary field of obesity management has seen the development of new medications, diversifying the treatment options, while surgery continues to deliver the best weight-loss outcomes.

En 2023, la chirurgie robotique a poursuivi son expansion avec une augmentation du nombre d'interventions et la mise sur le marché de nouvelles plateformes. Ce phénomène est illustré dans cet article par la description des chirurgies robotique pariétale, œsogastrique et hépatique. L'innovation en chirurgie accompagne aussi celle de l'oncologie. L'immunothérapie permet maintenant une stratégie « watch and wait ¼ chez les patients avec un cancer colorectal, diminue le risque de récidive et améliore la survie après chirurgie hépatique pour un carcinome hépatocellulaire et chirurgie œsogastrique. Le domaine multidisciplinaire de la prise en charge de l'obésité a aussi vu l'arrivée de nouveaux traitements médicamenteux, qui viennent diversifier les options thérapeutiques, où la chirurgie continue d'apporter les meilleurs résultats en termes de perte de poids.

One-step totally robotic Hartmann reversal and complex abdominal wall reconstruction with bilateral posterior component separation: a technical note.

AIM: This paper describes a robotic approach to combined gastrointestinal continuity restoration and complex abdominal wall reconstruction after Hartmann's procedure complicated by large midline and parastomal hernias. METHODS: A robotic Hartmann reversal is performed, followed by robotic retromuscular abdominal wall reconstruction of all ventral defects with bilateral posterior component separation using the double-docking approach. Surgical steps are thoroughly described, and the accompanying video highlights critical steps of the procedure, anatomical landmarks and technical details relevant to successful completion. RESULTS: Complete restoration of the anatomy was achieved with an operative time of 6.5 h. Mobilization occured on day 1, and bowels were opened on day 3. Surgical discharge was possible on day 5. No intra-operative surgical complication occurred and follow-up at 6 months showed no recurrence or mid-term complication. CONCLUSION: Combined minimally invasive reconstruction of the gastrointestinal tract and abdominal wall was feasible using a robotic system. In addition, potential advantages of postoperative rehabilitation and reduced surgical site complications are suggested. Prospective evaluation of the technique is ongoing.

Surgical Prehabilitation in Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers: Impact of Unimodal and Multimodal Programs on Postoperative Outcomes and Prospects for New Therapeutic Strategies-A Systematic Review.

The advantages of prehabilitation in surgical oncology are unclear. This systematic review aims to (1) evaluate the latest evidence of preoperative prehabilitation interventions on postoperative outcomes after gastrointestinal (GI) cancer surgery and (2) discuss new potential therapeutic targets as part of prehabilitation. Randomized controlled trials published between January 2017 and August 2022 were identified through Medline. The population of interest was oncological patients undergoing GI surgery. Trials were considered if they evaluated prehabilitation interventions (nutrition, physical activity, probiotics and symbiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and ghrelin receptor agonists), alone or combined, on postoperative outcomes. Out of 1180 records initially identified, 15 studies were retained. Evidence for the benefits of unimodal interventions was limited. Preoperative multimodal programs, including nutrition and physical activity with or without psychological support, showed improvement in postoperative physical performance, muscle strength, and quality of life in patients with esophagogastric and colorectal cancers. However, there was no benefit for postoperative complications, hospital length of stay, hospital readmissions, and mortality. No trial evaluated the impact of fecal microbiota transplantation or oral ghrelin receptor agonists. Further studies are needed to confirm our findings, identify patients who are more likely to benefit from surgical prehabilitation, and harmonize interventions.

Physical activity in inflammatory bowel disease: benefits, challenges and perspectives.

PURPOSE OF THE REVIEW: Physical activity is gaining significative interest in the field of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). In the light of the most recent publications, the present review aims to describe the level of physical activity in adult patients with IBD; describe the current body of evidence on the benefits of physical activity and discuss the challenges and perspectives related to physical activity in this population. RECENT FINDINGS: Recent studies showed that IBD patients tend to be less active than healthy people. There is growing evidence of a positive impact of physical activity on mortality, quality of life, fatigue, body composition, strength and physical performance. The direct benefits of physical activity on clinical remission and disease activity have recently been observed only in Crohn's disease. Limitations to physical activity related to the disease, such as gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms, need to be considered in this population. Finally, no guidelines are available and there is no evidence regarding the effects of combined physical activity and nutritional support. SUMMARY: Although physical activity seems beneficial and safe for IBD patients, future studies are needed to clearly define recommendations in this population.

Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy, or one-anastomosis gastric bypass? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized-controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine which bariatric procedure allows patients to obtain the best weight-loss outcomes and a remission of type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Databases were searched for randomized-controlled trials comparing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with sleeve gastrectomy (SG) or one-anastomosis gastric bypass (OAGB). The mean difference (MD) or the relative risk was determined. RESULTS: Twenty-five randomized-controlled trials were analyzed. Excess weight loss (EWL, percentage) was greater for RYGB patients at 3 years (MD: 11.93, p < 0.00001) and 5 years (MD: 13.11, p = 0.0004). Higher excess BMI loss (percentage) was found in RYGB at 1 year (MD: 11.66, p = 0.01). Total weight loss (percentage) was greater for RYGB patients after 3 months (MD: 2.41, p = 0.02), 6 months (MD: 3.83, p < 0.00001), 1 year (MD: 6.35, p < 0.00001), and 5 years (MD: 3.90, p = 0.005). No difference in terms of remission of type 2 diabetes was seen between RYGB and SG. EWL was significantly more important after OAGB than after RYGB after 1 year (MD: -10.82, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: RYGB is more efficient than SG in the midterm. OAGB offers greater EWL than RYGB after 1 year, but further evidence is needed to confirm this result.

PROphylactic MESH (PROMESH) for stoma closure: does it reduce the incidence of incisional hernia? Protocol for a triple-blinded randomised controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Application of a prophylactic mesh during stoma closure was shown to reduce the incidence of incisional hernia at the site of stoma closure. Our objective is to provide high quality evidence to validate this finding. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: The study will be a randomised controlled triple-blinded superiority parallel monocentric trial. Patients undergoing elective ileostomy or colostomy closure after surgery for digestive cancer will be eligible for inclusion. Patients allergic to the mesh, immunosuppressed or refusing to participate will be excluded. Randomisation will be performed based on a 1:1 allocation ratio between stoma closure with application of a non-absorbable mesh in the sublay position (intervention) and stoma closure without a mesh (control). The primary outcome will be the 1-year incidence of incisional hernia at the site of stoma closure, determined clinically and by CT. Secondary outcomes will be the 31-day incidence of surgical site infection and the modified Carolinas Comfort Scale. Patients, radiologists and investigators performing the assessment at 1 year will be blinded for the allocated study group. Analysis will be performed in intention-to-treat. The trial will include 68 patients (34 with mesh, 34 without mesh). ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The present randomised controlled trial was registered into clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04510558) and was accepted by the local ethic committee (Geneva, Switzerland: CCER 2021-00053). The results will be presented at national and international congresses in the fields of colorectal surgery and general surgery, and published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Cell-free DNA liquid biopsy for early detection of gastrointestinal cancers: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal tumors are among the most common cancer types, and early detection is paramount to improve their management. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) liquid biopsy raises significant hopes for non-invasive early detection. AIM: To describe current applications of this technology for gastrointestinal cancer detection and screening. METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was performed across the PubMed database. Articles reporting the use of cfDNA liquid biopsy in the screening or diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancers were included in the analysis. RESULTS: A total of 263 articles were screened for eligibility, of which 13 articles were included. Studies investigated colorectal cancer (5 studies), pancreatic cancer (2 studies), hepatocellular carcinoma (3 studies), and multi-cancer detection (3 studies), including gastric, oesophageal, or bile duct cancer, representing a total of 4824 patients. Test sensitivities ranged from 71% to 100%, and specificities ranged from 67.4% to 100%. Pre-cancerous lesions detection was less performant with a sensitivity of 16.9% and a 100% specificity in one study. Another study using a large biobank demonstrated a 94.9% sensitivity in detecting cancer up to 4 years before clinical symptoms, with a 61% accuracy in tissue-of-origin identification. CONCLUSION: cfDNA liquid biopsy seems capable of detecting gastrointestinal cancers at an early stage of development in a non-invasive and repeatable manner and screening simultaneously for multiple cancer types in a single blood sample. Further trials in clinically relevant settings are required to determine the exact place of this technology in gastrointestinal cancer screening and diagnosis strategies.

Blood-Based Multi-Cancer Detection Using a Novel Variant Calling Assay (DEEPGENTM): Early Clinical Results.

This is an early clinical analysis of the DEEPGENTM platform for cancer detection. Newly diagnosed cancer patients and individuals with no known malignancy were included in a prospective open-label case-controlled study (NCT03517332). Plasma cfDNA that was extracted from peripheral blood was sequenced and data were processed using machine-learning algorithms to derive cancer prediction scores. A total of 260 cancer patients and 415 controls were included in the study. Overall, sensitivity for all cancers was 57% (95% CI: 52, 64) at 95% specificity, and 43% (95% CI: 37, 49) at 99% specificity. With 51% sensitivity and 95% specificity for all stage 1 cancers, the stage-specific sensitivities trended to improve with higher stages. Early results from this preliminary clinical, prospective evaluation of the DEEPGENTM liquid biopsy platform suggests the platform offers a clinically relevant ability to differentiate individuals with and without known cancer, even at early stages of cancer.

Prophylactic negative-pressure wound therapy for prevention of surgical site infection in abdominal surgery: a nationwide cross-sectional survey.

Our objective was to determine current practice in Switzerland regarding the use of pNPWT in abdominal surgery. An online survey was carried out to evaluate the use of pNPWT among abdominal surgeons in Switzerland. One hundred and ten participants replied to the survey from 16.12.2019 to 15.01.2020. Eleven were excluded, leaving 99 responders for analysis. Seventy participants (70.7%) were using pNPWT, 3 (3%) have stopped using it and 26 (26.3%) have never used it. pNPWT was used on midline laparotomy by 63 responders (90%), closed stoma wounds by 21 (30%), closed perineal wounds by 20 (28.6%), Pfannenstiel incisions by 18 (23.7%), groin incisions by 16 (22.9%), subcostal incisions by 13 (18.6%), Mc Burney incisions by 3 (4.3%) and other incisions by 18 (25.7%). Forty-eight participants (68.6%) used pNPWT on less than 10% of patients, 14 (20%) on 10-25% of patients, six (8.6%) on 25-50% of patients and two (2.9%) on 75-100% of patients. Suggestions for improvement to pNPWT were: better sealing, recyclable system, better adaptation to the perineum, smaller device, reduced cost and possibility to check the surgical wound through the dressing. In conclusion, pNPWT is widely used among Swiss surgeons, mostly on midline incisions. However, most of them apply pNPWT on a small proportion of patients only. Suggestions for improvement were a better sealing for complex wounds, reduced cost and possibility to check the wound during the therapy.

[Ventral hernia surgery†: New minimally invasive approaches]. / Chirurgie des hernies ventrales†: nouvelles approches minimalement invasives.

Ventral hernia surgery has undergone major changes over the past decade with the emergence of new minimally invasive techniques. They merge fundamental concepts of parietal reconstruction of open surgery into a laparoscopic approach, aiming to reduce surgical site complications and to enhance recovery. The spread of robotic assistance systems in the field of abdominal wall surgery facilitates access to this type of procedures and allows their application in increasingly complex cases. Parietal relaxation techniques allow large hernial orifices to be closed without tension. They are now also performed with a minimally invasive approach and in a less aggressive manner. Even if the exact place of all these techniques still needs to be better defined depending on the different hernia types, these laparoscopic or robot-assisted approaches already tend to allow faster post-operative recovery.

Avec l'apparition de nouvelles techniques minimalement invasives, la chirurgie des hernies ventrales connaît depuis une dizaine d'années de profonds remaniements. Elles ont en commun d'intégrer les concepts fondamentaux de reconstruction pariétale de la chirurgie ouverte à une voie d'abord laparoscopique, dans le but de réduire les taux de complication du site opératoire et de permettre une réhabilitation accélérée. La diffusion des systèmes d'assistance robotique en chirurgie de la paroi facilite l'accès à ce type de procédure et permet d'envisager leur application dans des cas de plus en plus complexes. Les techniques de relaxation pariétale permettent la fermeture sans tension d'orifices herniaires larges. Elles sont maintenant aussi réalisées par voie minimalement invasive et de manière moins délabrante. Même si la place exacte de l'ensemble de ces techniques doit encore être mieux définie en fonction du type de hernie, ces prises en charge laparoscopiques ou robot-assistées semblent déjà permettre une récupération postopératoire plus rapide.

Robotic versus open primary ventral hernia repair: A randomized controlled trial (Robovent Trial).

BACKGROUND: The objective of the present study is to compare the outcomes open PVHR and robotic PVHR. METHODS/DESIGN: The present study will be a randomized single-blinded controlled trial with intention-to-treat analysis comparing robotic PVHR to open PVHR in adult patients undergoing elective PVHR with a defect ranging between 1-5 cm. Patient refusing to participate, not able to give informed consent, with history of intra-abdominal surgery contraindicating a robotic surgical approach will be excluded. The intervention will consist in laparoscopic robotically assisted trans-abdominal pre-peritoneal epigastric or umbilical PVHR with closure of fascial defect and non-adsorbable mesh reinforcement. The control will be open pre-peritoneal epigastric or umbilical hernia repair with closure of fascial defect and non-absorbable mesh reinforcement. The primary outcome will be the incidence of wound-related complication within 1 month. The secondary outcomes will be esthetic satisfaction, pain, pain-killers consumption, general complications, costs, operative time and early hernia recurrence. DISCUSSION: Open PVHR is potentially associated to more wound-related complications, but has the advantages of cost-effectiveness, short operative time and totally extra-peritoneal repair. Laparoscopic PVHR has lower wound-related complications but implies placing the mesh in intra-peritoneal position, requires advanced laparoscopic skills, usually does not allow the closure of the defect, and can lead to excessive pain and pain-killers consumption. Robotic PVHR uses the same laparoscopic access as laparoscopic PVHR, but thanks to the extended range of motion given by the robotic system, allows defect closure, pre-peritoneal placement of the mesh and requires less technical skills.In the present randomized controlled trial, we expect to show that robotic PVHR leads to better wound-related outcomes than open PVHR. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The present randomized controlled trial was registered into clinicaltrials.gov under registration number NCT04171921.

Totally robotic vs hybrid abdominoperineal resection: A retrospective multicenter analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic abdominoperineal resection (APR) for low rectal cancers is technically demanding. Robotic assistance may be of help and can be hybrid (HAPR) or totally robotic (RAPR). The present study describes outcomes of robotic APR and compares both approaches. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A multicentric retrospective analysis of rectal cancer patients undergoing either HAPR or RAPR was conducted. Patients' demographics, surgeons' experience, oncologic results, and intraoperative and postoperative outcomes were collected. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-five patients were included, 48 in HAPR group and 77 in RAPR group. Demographics and comorbidities were comparable. Operative time was reduced in RAPR group (266.9 ± 107.8 min vs 318.9 ± 75.1 min, P = .001). RAPR patients were discharged home more frequently (91.18% vs 66.67%, P = .001), and experienced fewer parastomal hernias (3.71% vs 9.86%, P = .001). CONCLUSION: RAPR is safe and feasible with appropriate oncologic outcomes. Totally robotic approach reduces operative time and may improve functional outcomes.

Chronic Pain After Gastric Bypass: Another Argument to Support Mesenteric Windows Closure.

Chronic pain is frequent after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB). Recurrent internal hernias (IHs) may be responsible for chronic abdominal pain. Physical examination and computed tomography are often inconclusive. This observational retrospective study describes 11 patients who underwent elective laparoscopy for post-RYGB chronic abdominal pain of undetermined etiology after noninvasive investigations and failure of conservative treatment. Open intermesenteric and/or Peterson spaces were found in all cases; IH was present in 6 cases. Nine patients were totally relieved from symptoms after mesenteric windows closure; substantial improvement was noted in the remaining 2 cases. Peterson space was found more likely to be responsible for chronic IH. In such selected patients, laparoscopic exploration and windows closure should be discussed. These findings add support to initial windows closure during RYGB.

Early Experience with Intraoperative Leak Test Using a Blend of Methylene Blue and Indocyanine Green During Robotic Gastric Bypass Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: Leak tests using air or methylene blue (MB) for gastrojejunal anastomoses are often performed during gastric bypass surgeries to avoid leaks due to technical errors. Still, early leaks have been reported in the literature. Indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence with laser excitement makes this dye easily visible even in small amounts, and, thus, may be an excellent agent for leak testing. METHODS: During robotic gastric bypass surgery, a leak test of a gastrojejunal anastomosis was performed with air through a nasogastric tube under manual occlusion of the jejunum. Afterward, 50 ml of a mix of 100 ml sterile water, 2 mg of MB, and 5 mg ICG was injected through the same tube. The entire anastomosis was inspected for integrity under both fluorescent and normal light modes. RESULTS: Leak tests with air and the blend of MB and ICG have been performed in 95 patients from January 2017 to April 2018. No intraoperative leak test-related adverse events occurred. Zero (0%) patients had a positive leak test with air, 0 patients showed MB excretion, and an ICG leak was observed in four (4.2%) patients. No anastomotic complications, including leaks and/or strictures, were found 30 days postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Leak tests using a blend of MB and ICG appear to be more sensitive for small defect detection of gastrojejunal anastomoses during robotic gastric bypass surgery. Larger datasets and research that is more stringent are needed to determine the exact clinical value of this new method.

Current Strategies to Prevent Iatrogenic Ureteral Injury During Colorectal Surgery.

Iatrogenic ureteral injuries are a source of major concern among surgeons performing colorectal procedures. Although they are uncommon, these lesions lead to severe morbidity and long-term functional disabilities, as well as an increase in mortality, hospital stay, and cost. The laparoscopic approach has gained popularity in the field of colorectal surgery and is associated with improved global postoperative outcomes. However, it is also considered to increase the risk of ureteral injury when compared to open surgery, especially during left colonic and rectal resections. To overcome these difficulties, surgical techniques have been improved over time through standardization of both open and laparoscopic procedures. However, these techniques are not infallible, and, in difficult cases, instrumental aids such as preoperative ureteral stenting may be used. To substitute the reduced haptic feedback in laparoscopic surgery, lighted stents have been developed. Unfortunately, prophylactic stenting, whether standard or lighted, is also associated with its own morbidity and its benefit-risk ratio remains highly controversial. To enhance the surgeon's visualization capabilities, augmented reality technologies have been developed. Near-infrared fluorescence and hyperspectral imaging are two promising techniques, which have been tested both in the preclinical and clinical settings. Early results show that these technologies could improve our ability to identify and protect the ureters, although technical limitations remain to be solved. Reviewing the current literature, this article aims to evaluate pre- and intraoperative techniques to identify the ureters and potentially to avoid iatrogenic injury. In addition, future trends are explored.

Does near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence angiography modify operative strategy during emergency procedures?

INTRODUCTION: Bowel viability can be difficult to evaluate during emergency surgery. Near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence angiography allows an intraoperative assessment of organ perfusion during elective surgery and might help to evaluate intestinal perfusion during emergency procedures. The aim of this study was to assess if NIR modified operative strategy during emergency surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From July 2014 to December 2015, we prospectively evaluated all consecutive patients, who had NIR assessment during emergency surgery. Primary endpoint was the modification of operative strategy after the assessment with NIR. Secondary endpoints were general post-operative outcomes, including reoperation rate. RESULTS: Fifty-six patients were included in the study. Mean age was 64 ± 17 years. An exploratory laparoscopy was performed in 39% (n = 22) and an open surgery in 61% of cases (n = 34). Conversion rate to open surgery was 41% (n = 9). 32 patients had a bowel resection. In 32% of the cases (n = 18), the result of the NIR test led to a modification of the operative strategy. Among them, 33% (n = 6) had a larger resection or a resection, which was initially not planned. The other 12 patients (67%) had finally no resection, which was initially thought to be performed. Importantly, none of those patients needed a reoperation for ischemia. Mean time for performing NIR test was 167 s (± 121). Overall reoperation rate was 16.1% (n = 9). Two patients had an anastomotic leak. Eight patients (14.3%) died within the first 30 post-operative days; however, none of them presented a bowel ischemia or an anastomotic leak. CONCLUSION: NIR is an easy and short procedure, which can be performed during emergency surgery to assess bowel perfusion. It may help the surgeon to preserve intestinal length or to define the exact limits of resection. Overall, we report a modification of operative strategy in up to one-third of evaluated patients.

Variables associated with remission in spinal surgical site infections.

BACKGROUND: There is few medical literature regarding factors associated with remission after surgical and medical treatment of postoperative spine infections. METHODS: Single-centre case-control study 2007-2014. Cluster-controlled Cox regression model with emphasis on surgical and antibiotic-related parameters. RESULTS: Overall, we found 66 episodes in 48 patients (49 episodes with metalwork) who had a median follow-up of 2.6 years (range, 0.5 to 6.8 years). The patients had a median of two surgical debridements. The median duration of antibiotic therapy was 8 weeks, of which 2 weeks parenteral. Clinical recurrence after treatment was noted in 13 episodes (20%), after a median interval of 2 months. In 53 cases (80%), the episodes were considered as in remission. By multivariate analyses, no variable was associated with remission. Especially, the following factors were not significantly related to remission: number of surgical interventions [hazard ratio (HR) 0.9; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.8-1.1]; infection due to Staphylococcus aureus (HR 0.9; 0.8-1.1), local antibiotic therapy (HR 1.2; 0.6-2.4), and, duration of total (HR 1.0; 0.99-1.01) (or just parenteral) (HR 1.0; 0.99-1.01) antibiotic use. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with post-operative spine infections, remission is achieved in 80%. The number of surgical debridement or duration of antibiotic therapy shows no association with recurrence, suggesting that individual risk factors might be more important than the duration of antibiotic administration.