Laparoscopy-assisted aortobifemoral bypass through the transperitoneal retrorenal approach

The aim of laparoscopic vascular surgery in the aortoiliac segment is to replicate the excellent outcomes of open aortic surgery while providing the advantages of minimally invasive surgery. We report the case of a 49-year old man with disabling hip claudication and rest pain in his left lower extremity. On examination the patient had reduced right femoral pulse and absent pulses in his left lower extremity. Angiography revealed occlusive disease in the left aortoiliac segment and right common iliac artery stenoses. Laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass was planned. The surgical technique included 70 degrees -right lateral decubitus position and retrorenal retrocolic dissection from the left common iliac artery to the left renal vein. Minilaparotomy consisted of aortic clamping, arteriotomy, and end-to-side aorto-prosthetic anastomosis with Dacron graft. Time to extubation was 5 hours; peristalsis was recovered 72 hours after surgery. The patient was discharged from hospital after cardiologic assessment 9 days after surgery.     

Obesity in the history of surgery

Obesity is a problem that is reaching epidemic proportions throughout the world and bariatric surgery is now a rapidly growing technique. However existence of obesity in humans has been recognized for thousands of years, as statues dating from the Stone Age period appear to provide the earliest depictions. Hippocrates (466-355 b.C.) and Galen (131-201 a.C.) had a clear understanding of the condition, its consequences and medical treatment. On the other hand bariatric surgery was a xx century treatment, but at the end of the xix century it was known that the massive loss of small bowel or gastric resection after ulcer surgery resulted in persistent weight loss. Malabsorption and gastric restriction in isolation, or more commonly in combination, remain the main options to surgical control of weight. Unfortunately surgery as a non etiological treatment is an imperfect model to treat an incurable disease: morbid obesity. Prevention and better knowledge of disease would allow a tailored medical or surgical approach.     

Resultados tras resección hepática laparoscópica: una opción adecuada en patología maligna

Introduction

The laparoscopic approach is not yet widely used in liver surgery, but has proven to be safe and feasible in selected patients even in malignant disease. The experience and results of a hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) surgery unit in the treatment of malignant liver disease by laparoscopic approach is presented.

Material and methods

Between February 2002 and May 2011, 71 laparoscopic liver resections were performed, 43 for malignant disease (only patients with more than one year of follow-up were included). Mean age was 63 years old and 58% of the patients were male. Forty-nine per cent of the lesions were located in segments ii-iii. Thirty segmentectomies were performed, 7 limited resections and 6 major hepatectomies.

Results

The median operative time was 163 min. There were 3 conversions. Five cases (11%) required blood transfusion. The oral intake began at 32 h and the median hospital stay was 6.7 days. There were no reoperations and there was one case of mortality. Nine patients (21%) had postoperative complications. The mean number of resected lesions was 1.2, with an average size of 3.5 cm. All resections were R0. The median survival after resection of colorectal liver metastases (CLM) was 69% and 43.5% at 36 and 60 months, respectively, and 89% and 68% at 36 and 60 months, respectively, in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Conclusion

The laparoscopic liver resection in malignant disease is feasible and safe in selected patients. The same oncological rules as for open surgery should be followed. In selected patients it offers similar long-term oncological results as open surgery.     

Robotics and laparoscopic surgery

Laparoscopic surgery has completely revolutionized modern surgery. In addition to its advantages, however, this approach also presents significant limitations. The most important are loss of the sense of depth, tactile sensation and resistance, as well as loss of natural hand-eye coordination and manual dexterity. The main motivation for the development of surgical robots is the possibility of eliminating all these limitations. Robots have acquired great potential to improve the operative possibilities of surgeons. Given the continual increase in the use of surgical robots, in the near future the structure and appearance of current operating rooms will change. The present article analyzes the origin and development of robotic systems, as well as the characteristics of the latest generation of robots. Because of the strong interest in robotic surgery and its future prospects, surgeons should be familiar with these emerging and innovative techniques.     

¿Es rentable operar a los obesos mórbidos en tiempos de crisis? Análisis coste-beneficio de la cirugía bariátrica

Morbid obesity is a serious health problem whose prevalence is increasing. Expensive co-morbidities are associated to these patients, as well as a reduction in the survival. Bariatric surgery resolves the co-morbidities (type 2 diabetes mellitus, 86.6%; cardiovascular risk, 79.0%; obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, 83.6%; hypertension, 61.7%), reduces the mortality rate (among 31-40%), and increases the morbid obese patients survival over a 10-years period. It provides significant savings for the National Health System. The obese patients consume a 20% plus of health resources and 68% plus of drugs than general population. Bariatric surgery requires an initial investment (diagnosis-related group cost: 7,468 €), but it is recovered in a cost-effectiveness ratio of 2.5 years. Significant savings are obtained from the third year. To the direct economic benefits associated with reduced health expenditures it should be added an increase in tax collection (sick leave and unemployment reduction is estimated in 18%, with a productivity increase of 57% for self-employed people). Bariatric surgery is one of the most cost-effective procedures in the healthcare system.     

Comparative results between vertical ringed gastroplasty and duodenal switch in morbid obesity

Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) is a novel concept which combines aspects of flexible endoscopy with laparoscopic surgery with the aim of creating a new field of patient friendly "incisionless" surgery. This will require novel advanced technologies to be developed specifically for NOTES. We discuss the technical requirements and the process of creating NOTES instrumentation and illustrate the process with some current enabling devices. The development process is outlined, including the requirements for NOTES, the current technology that can be used, and some prototype devices for access, retraction, and tissue approximation. Endoscopes for NOTES must have high resolution, large instrument channels, some degree of triangulation, and the ability to lock into position inside the abdominal cavity. Instrumentation should echo the capabilities of current laparoscopic tools. They should be large and sturdy, torque-able, and offer the full spectrum of end-effectors. Finally, NOTES technology must permit secure, tailorable tissue approximation. The "R" scope from Olympus and the Transport scope from USGI Medical are possible solutions to the design requirements for access and visualization. Eagle Claw (Olympus), The Swain system (Ethicon), and the G-prox (USGI) are current tissue approximation systems under development and investigation in clinical trials. NOTES is a potential advance in surgical care. This new approach requires the development of new platform devices, tailored to allow the safe and effective practice of this advanced endoscopic approach.