Rendezvous gastrotomy technique using direct percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for transgastric cholecystectomy in hybrid natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery

Background/purpose

Transgastric access is a major route in natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES); gastrotomy should be performed unless it would damage surrounding organs in the peritoneal cavity. This article describes a novel rendezvous gastrotomy technique over a direct percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG).

Methods

In six live porcines, the gastrotomy involved applying a direct PEG through the abdominal wall into the stomach and exchanging to a needle trocar. An endoscopic balloon catheter was passed through the trocar by rendezvous technique. Then the inflated balloon and endoscope were advanced to the peritoneal cavity through the gastrotomy. Transgastric cholecystectomy was performed with a hybrid needle grasper through the same percutaneous site and the gastrotomy was closed with endoscopic clips.

Results

The rendezvous gastrotomy technique could reduce guidewire exchange. The success rate was 100% (6/6). Mean times for transgastric peritoneoscopy and cholecystectomy were 25.5 and 83.5 min. Mortality and morbidity was 0%. The addition of the extra trocar was unnecessary in all procedures.

Discussions/conclusions

The advantage of this introduction system includes the creation of controlled gastric perforation, which is easier to close. It provides reliable transgastric access and increases safety. It simplifies transgastric NOTES and provides less invasive hybrid NOTES procedure.     

Early clinical experience with a new flexible endoscopic suturing method for natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery and intraluminal endosurgery (with videos)

BACKGROUND: To perform advanced endoscopic treatments, one has to be able to close defects and perforations. Many devices have been constructed to perform endoscopic suturing, but all are rather complicated, expensive, and difficult to use. OBJECTIVE: To develop and use a new simple stitching technique at intraluminal flexible endoscopy. DESIGN: A flexible 19-gauge needle, loaded with a metal tag attached to a 3-0 polypropylene thread is passed down the working channel of a conventional endoscope. Two tags are placed into the stomach or the intestinal wall, 1 on each side of the defect. The threads are then locked together and cut. Precise stitch positioning is possible. Multiple stitches can be placed quickly, without removal of the endoscope. SETTING: Surgical department at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in G?teborg, Sweden. PATIENTS: Three patients in whom other conventional treatments had failed. INTERVENTIONS: Initially, survival studies in pigs were performed, and full-thickness resections, pyloroplasty, and gastrojejunostomies could be completed. The technique was subsequently used in patients when surgery was not feasible and when other endoscopic interventions had failed. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: Clinical evaluation; successful sealing of defects, leaks, or a bleeding vessel. RESULTS: We present 3 human cases and describe endoluminal closure of a perforated duodenal ulcer, a leaking gastroenteroanastomosis after gastroplasty, and successful treatment of upper-GI bleeding by oversewing a bleeding vessel. CONCLUSIONS: This stitching technique is easy to use and makes endoscopic suturing possible for closure of perforations and tissue approximation almost anywhere in the GI tract that can be reached by a flexible endoscope.     

Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) for innovation in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery: preface

Introduction

Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has captured the interest of interventional endoscopists and may represent the next stage of evolution of minimally invasive surgery. It provides the potential for performance of incisionless operations. It is gaining momentum both in the animal laboratory and in human case reports. Developments in the field of NOTES have led to the formation of the Natural Orifice Surgery Consortium for Assessment and Research (NOSCAR) in 2006.

Materials and methods

In this special issue, the current trends in NOTES in the field of hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery are featured, including NOTES cholecystectomy, hepatectomy splenectomy, pancreatic necrosectomy, and the future of NOTES. In this issue, we discuss the potential benefits of these procedures in hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery.

Conclusion

We have just started the evaluation process for this new technology. The concept of NOTES is becoming established and is enormously advantageous for the patient. Both the surgeon and gastroenterologist should contribute to developing NOTES in making use of their specialties.     

Single-port endoscopic cholecystectomy: a bridge between laparoscopic and translumenal endoscopic surgery

Background and objective

The intentional puncture of the normal viscera is likely the most important issue limiting the widespread use of natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES). We developed a new procedure for cholecystectomy using a flexible endoscope via a single port placed in the abdominal wall without visceral puncture (single-port endoscopic cholecystectomy; SPEC) as a bridge between laparoscopic surgery and NOTES. This study aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility of SPEC.

Methods

Five pigs were subjected to SPEC. An endoscope was inserted through a 12-mm port placed in the right upper abdomen. After grasping and retracting the gallbladder using a 2-mm retractor that was directly introduced into the peritoneal cavity, gallbladder excision with ligation of the cystic artery and duct using endoclips was carried out.

Results

A complete gallbladder excision was carried out easily and safely in all cases. No major adverse events occurred. The mean operating time was 67 min (range 52–84 min).

Conclusions

SPEC is a technically feasible procedure. It is simpler, easier, and safer than NOTES cholecystectomy. SPEC could be a less invasive alternative to the conventional four-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy.     

Evaluation for transvaginal and transgastric NOTES cholecystectomy in human and animal natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery

Background/purpose

Natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a novel concept using an endoscope via a translumenal access for abdominal surgery. This study was designed to evaluate the feasibility and technical aspects of NOTES cholecystectomy from our experience on humans and animals.

Methods

NOTES cholecystectomies were performed in 12 animal experiments, including 8 pigs (6 by transgastric and 2 by transvaginal accesses) and 4 dogs (4 transvaginal accesses), and a human female cadaver.

Results

The entire gallbladder could be removed under direct vision in all experiments. The average time was 60 min by transgastric and 40 min by transvaginal in animals. It was 87 min for human transvaginal cholecystectomy. In all animal and human procedures, there was no major complication concerning the operation.

Discussion

The transvaginal route may be the easiest route for abdominal NOTES. Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) allowed the safe performance of a controlled gastric perforation and shortened the time. The hybrid method allowed performance of a safe procedure and shortened the time.

Conclusions

Transvaginal and transgastric NOTES cholecystectomy is technically feasible and safe in both humans and animals. New instrumentation needs to be developed to perform a pure NOTES cholecystectomy without transabdominal assistance.     

Hybrid natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery in gastric subepithelial tumors

Diagnosis of gastric subepithelial tumor(SET) has shown a rapid increase worldwide.Although,until now,endoscopic ultrasound guided procedures such as fine needle aspiration have shown relatively high accuracy in diagnosis of SET,the most important modality for diagnosis and treatment of SETs is complete resection such as endoscopic or surgical resection.However,endoscopic resection or laparoscopic wedge resection alone also has some limitations.Endoscopic resection is difficult to perform in cases of gastric SET located within deep portion of the gastric layer or a relatively large(larger than 25 mm diameter).On the other hand,gastric SET in a difficult location,such as the gastroesophageal junction or pyloric ring is challenging for laparoscopic surgical resection.The hybrid natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery(NOTES) technique is a combined method,including the advantages of both laparoscopic resection and endoscopic resection for gastric SETs.This method may be performed safely with reasonable operation times,less bleeding,and adequate resection margin and regardless of tumor size.In particular,in the case of a difficult location for resection,such as the esophagogastric junction or pyloric ring,hybrid NOTES is currently believed to be an ideal treatment method.     

Initial experience from the transgastric endoscopic peritoneoscopy and biopsy: a stepwise approach from the laboratory to clinical application

Background and Aim: Natural‐orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a newly minimally invasive technique that gives access to the abdominal cavity via transgastric, transcolonic, transvaginal or transvesical routes. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of transgastric endoscopic peritoneoscopy and biopsy from laboratory to clinical application. Methods: With the animals under general anesthesia, a sterile esophageal overtube was placed and a gastric antibiotic lavage was performed. Subsequently, a needle‐knife and through‐the‐scope dilating balloon were used to make an anterior gastric wall incision through which a therapeutic gastroscope was advanced into the peritoneal cavity. After 2 weeks, another transgastric endoscopic exploration was performed in a different location of the stomach. The peritoneal cavity was examined before the gastric incision was closed. After 4 weeks of observation, necropsy was performed. In the clinical application, after gastric lavage, the first step was the creation of the gastrotomy under general anesthesia, sometime under direct vision of the laparoscopic scope. Then the endoscope can be maneuvered in the peritoneal cavity. And peritoneoscopy and biopsy were performed. Biopsies can be obtained from any suspicious areas using punch biopsy forceps. The gastrotomy was then closed with clips. The gastroscopy was examined after one week. Results: Twenty‐eight transgastric endoscopic peritoneoscopies and biopsies in pigs and a total of five transgastric human endoscopic peritoneoscopies and biopsies have been performed. All procedures were completed satisfactorily in the pig model and all patients. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. Conclusions: The advantages of peritoneoscopy and biopsy appeared to be enhanced by this approach. Patients had minor postoperative pain and minimal scarring. It is safe and feasible for us to use transgastric endoscopic peritoneoscopy and biopsy in humans.     

Ever-changing endoscopic treatment for early gastric cancer: Yesterday-today-tomorrow

Endoscopic resection has been an optimal treatment for selected patients with early gastric cancer (EGC) based on advances in endoscopic instruments and techniques. As endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has been widely used for treatment of EGC along with expanding ESD indication, concerns have been asked to achieve curative resection for EGC while guaranteeing precise prediction of lymph node metastasis (LNM). Recently, new techniques including ESD or endoscopic full-thickness resection combined with sentinel node navigation enable minimal tumor resection and a laparoscopic lymphadenectomy in cases of EGC with high risk of LNM. This review covers the development and challenges of endoscopic treatment for EGC. Moreover, a new microscopic imaging and endoscopic techniques for precise endoscopic diagnosis and minimally invasive treatment of EGC are introduced.