Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy A retrospective review of 30 cases.

OBJECTIVES: Pancreatic surgery has been greatly influenced by the advent of laparoscopic surgery and increasing experience in its performance and by advances in techniques and surgical devices. This study aimed to represent two centers' initial experiences in laparoscopic distal pancreatic surgery. METHODS: This study was a bi-centric study including 30 patients undergoing distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic disorders. All the patients were operated on from November 2006 to November 2013 in Turkey and Spain. RESULTS: Laparoscopic spleen-preserving distal pancreatectomy was performed in 9 patients, laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy was performed in 14 patients, laparoscopic enucleation was performed in 4 patients, and single-incision laparoscopic distal pancreatosplenectomy with splenectomy was performed in 3 patients. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic distal pancreatectomies for pancreatic disorders are feasible and safe procedures if performed by experienced laparoscopic surgeons. KEY WORDS: Laparoscopy, Pancreas, Multi-port, Tumor, SILS.

Safety and feasibility of laparoscopic adrenalectomy: What is the role of tumour size? A single institution experience.

BACKGROUND: Although, there are studies in the literature having shown the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic adrenalectomy, there are still debates for tumour size and the requirement of the minimal invasive approach. Our hypothesis was that the use of laparoscopy facilitates minimally invasive resection of large adrenal tumours regardless of tumour size. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Within 7 years, 149 patients underwent laparoscopic adrenalectomy at one institution. The patients were divided into two study groups according to tumour size. Group 1 included patients with adrenal tumours smaller than 5 cm and group 2 included larger than 5 cm. Patient demographics and clinical parameters, operative time, complications, hospital stay and final pathology were analysed. Statistical analyses of clinical and perioperative parameters were performed using Student's t-test and Chi-square tests. RESULTS: There were 88 patients in group 1 and 70 in group 2. There were no significant differences between study groups regarding patient demographics, operative time, hospital stay, and complications. Estimated blood loss was significantly higher in group 2 (P = 0.002). The conversion to open rate was similar between study groups with 5.6% versus 4.2%, respectively. Pathology was similar between groups. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the use laparoscopy for adrenal tumours larger than 5 cm is a safe and feasible technique. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is our preferred minimally invasive surgical approach for removing large adrenal tumours.

Comparison of single port and three port laparoscopic splenectomy in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura: Clinical comparative study.

AIM: Single-port laparoscopic surgery (SILS) has become increasingly popular during the last decades. This prospective study was undertaken to evaluate the feasibility of single-port laparoscopic splenectomy compared with conventional multiport laparoscopic splenectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between February 2, 2009 and August 29, 2011, a total of 40 patients with the diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura were included to study. Patients were alienated into two groups according to the procedure type including SILS and conventional multiport splenectomy. RESULTS: There were 19 patients in group 1, and 21 in group 2. Operative time was significantly shorter in group 1 versus group 2 (112.4 ± 13.56 vs 71.2 ±18.1 minutes, respectively, P < 0.05). One patient in group 1 had converted to laparatomy due to preoperative bleeding. Postoperative pain analyses (VAS Score) revealed superiority of SILS in the early post-operative days (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: SILS splenectomy is a safe and effective alternative to standard laparoscopic splenectomy.

Laparoscopic surgery of the splenic artery and vein aneurysm with spontaneous arteriovenous fistula.

Visceral artery aneurysms are rare and important vascular entities due to the quarter of all cases presented as surgical emergency. Nevertheless, splenic artery aneurysm (SAA) is the most common visceral and third most common intra-abdominal artery aneurysm after aorta and iliac artery. SAA accompany splenic vein aneurysm because arteriovenous fistula communication between them is a very rare entity. Location and size of the SAA determine the likelihood of rupture. Women of child-bearing age who have SAAs are at particularly high risk of death as a result of aneurysm rupture and should be treated with elective repair. Herein, we report a case of a splenic artery and vein aneurysm with arteriovenous fistula in a 25-year-old young female patient who presented with left upper quadrant pain. Diagnosis was established by computerized tomography angiogram. The patient underwent laparoscopic resection of splenic artery and vein, as well as with splenectomy. Laparoscopic therapy for SAA should be considered for the patient with a low periprocedural morbidity at experienced surgical clinics.

Pure SILS Floppy Nissen Fundoplication with Hiatal Repair: A Case Report.

Background. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery has recently became popular on behalf of inventing less invasive procedures. In this paper, we present a case of Pure SILS Nissen Fundoplication. Patient and Methods. In February 2010 a 29-year old male patient with a 4 cm sliding hiatus hernia presenting with reflux symptoms had undergone a standard floppy Nissen Fundoplication with a hiatus repair via single 2 cm incision in umbilicus. Results. The procedure had obeyed the standard natural orifice surgery rules, and no needlescopic assistance for any stage of the operation was used so to be a pure single-incision procedure. The operation lasted for 120 minutes without any need of conversion, and the patient was discharged the following day of operation. Conclusion. In the recent time, hybrid single incision laparoscopy techniques have been defined with the use of extra-abdominal supplements for retraction of liver or stomach for Nissen procedure. In addition the main issue in single-incision upper GI and/or hiatus surgery is still the retraction of liver. We succeeded to retract the left lobe of liver through the incision and completed the operation without any need for supplemental access besides the umbilical incision till the end. SILS Hiatus Surgery can be safely and effectively done but the issue needs further clinical studies to state the efficacy when compared to standard laparoscopy.

SILS Incisional Hernia Repair: Is It Feasible in Giant Hernias? A Report of Three Cases.

Aim. Three incisional ventral abdominal wall hernias were repaired by placing a 20 × 30 cm composite mesh via single incision of 2 cm. Methods. All three cases had previous operations and presented with giant incisional defects clinically. The defects were repaired laparoscopically via single incision with the placement of a composite mesh of 20 × 30 cm. Nonabsorbable sutures were needed to hang and fix the mesh only in the first case. Double-crown technique was used in all of the cases to secure the mesh to the anterior abdominal wall. Results. The mean operation time was 120 minutes. The patients were mobilized and led for oral intake at the first postoperative day. No morbidity occurred. Conclusion. Abdominal incisional hernias can be repaired via single incision with a mesh application in experienced centers.

The effect of glutamine on oxidative damage in an experimental abdominal compartment syndrome model in rats.

BACKGROUND: The aim was to investigate whether or not glutamine, an antioxidant effective amino acid, improves the reperfusion-induced oxidative injury of abdominal hypertension. METHODS: Wistar Albino rats were used. Group 1: Abdominal compartment syndrome alone: With the rats under anesthesia, intraabdominal pressure was obtained. Three days later, the rats were sacrificed, and intestine, lung and liver samples were removed for determination of tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) levels as oxidative injury parameters and of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as an inflammatory parameter. Trunk blood was analyzed for the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. Group 2: Abdominal compartment syndrome and glutamine: intragastric glutamine was given for seven days before and three days following establishment of the abdominal compartment syndrome model. The same examination procedure was then performed. Group 3: Glutamine administration alone. Group 4: Control group. RESULTS: Intraabdominal pressure significantly increased the intestine, lung and liver MDA levels and MPO activities in comparison to the control group. Glutamine was associated with decreased MDA levels and MPO activities and increased GSH levels. CONCLUSION: Glutamine appears to have protective effects against reperfusion-induced oxidative damage via its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effect.

A New Era in Minimally Invasive Liver Resection (MILR) Single-Incision Laparoscopic Liver Resection (SIL-LR): The First Two Cases.

Laparoscopy has gained a place in everyday surgical routine as an alternative surgical approach that decreases morbidity and postoperative hospitalization. Single port laparoscopic surgery has been introduced as a further development of laparoscopy. The feasibility and safety of single port laparoscopy is under extensive evaluation in specialized laparoscopic centers. Nevertheless, wide acceptance of the technique requires adequate documentation of the advantages of the approach over conventional laparoscopy and further refinement of surgical instrumentation to overcome intraoperative ergonomic problems.

Our early experiences with single-incision laparoscopic surgery: the first 32 patients.

BACKGROUND: Most of the laparoscopic surgeons have been attempting to reduce incisional morbidity and improve cosmetic outcomes by using fewer and smaller ports. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is a new laparoscopic procedure. Herein we would like to present our experiences. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between January 2009 and October 2009, data of the 32 patients who were operated through SILS are evaluated prospectively. There were 22 females and 10 males with a mean age of 45.1±14.8 years. Ten splenectomies for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, 16 cholecystectomies for acute cholecystitis or asymptomatic gallstones, 3 appendectomies for acute appendicitis, one distal pancreatosplenectomy for Renal Cell Cancer metastases, 1 adrenalectomy for Conn Syndrome and 1 case of liver resection for hepatic adenoma were carried out. The most common splenectomy indication was idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, cholecystectomy indication was acute cholecystitis (n=8), and asymptomatic cholelithiasis (n=8), appendectomy indication was acute appendicitis, distal pancreatosplenectomy indication was renal cell cancer metastases, adrenalectomy indication was Conn syndrome and liver resection indication was left hepatic mass in between segments 1 and 2. SILS was carried out successfully in 31 patients. Only in 1 patient conversion was required owing to bleeding. RESULTS: All procedures were carried out through a 2-cm umbilical incision. There was no mortality and morbidity recorded. CONCLUSIONS: In experienced hands of minimally invasive surgeons, SILS incision laparoscopic surgery could be carried out successfully in a wide range of surgical operations. However, to be able to show the differences between Standard laparoscopic surgery and single SILS, prospective randomized comparative studies are required.

N-butyl cyanoacrylate versus conventional suturing for fixation of meshes in an incisional hernia model.

BACKGROUND: Chronic pain and related complications reported after the use of perforating fixation devices in hernia surgery have led to the use of tissue sealants. Fibrin sealant is a feasible option for mesh fixation; however data on cyanoacrylate glues are limited. METHODS: 32 Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into two groups and a 1.5 cm abdominal wall defect was created on each animal. The lesions were then repaired with 2 × 2 cm polypropylene meshes, fixed with n-butyl-cyanoacrylate in the first group and with polypropylene sutures in the second group. The rats were sacrificed on the 21st and 42nd days. The presence of infection, recurrence, and abdominal adhesions were evaluated, followed by biomechanical testing and histological examination. RESULTS: No mesh infection or hernia recurrences were recorded. There was no statistically significant difference between neither the adhesion scores nor the mean broken pressure of the two groups. Cyanoacrylate sealing was found equivalent to suturing in terms of tissue ingrowth, fibrosis, inflammatory infiltration, abscess formation, and necrosis. Furthermore, cyanoacrylate resulted in less foreign body reaction. CONCLUSIONS: Mesh fixation by cyanoacrylate may be considered as an alternative to suture fixation.

Needloscopy-assisted transvaginal cholecystectomy.

The reasons for hybrid surgery are various: endoscopic peritoneoscopy under laparoscopic visualization provides a safe way to improve pure natural orifice endoscopic surgery with less abdominal incision. Herein we are presenting a hybrid technique composed of advantages of needloscopy and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). Two women with symptomatic cholelithiasis have undergone successful needloscopy-assisted transvaginal cholecystectomies. Main principle of this approach is the ability of performing cholecystectomy procedure same as in standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In contrast, we get benefit of less abdominal trauma due to transvaginal endoscopic exposure, clipping maneuver, and removal of gallbladder. We believe that, trend of more minimal invasive surgery which created the idea of NOTES, gets benefit from hybrid techniques as an interval step toward NOTES when waiting for the ideal equipment and sufficient experience.