Clinical efficacy and safety of unilateral biportal endoscopy versus microendoscopic discectomy in treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis: a Meta-analysis / 中华创伤骨科杂志

Objective:To compare the efficacy and safety of unilateral biportal endoscopy (UBE) and microendoscopic discectomy (MED) in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis by Meta-analysis.Methods:PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI and Wanfang Data were searched from their establishment to January 2021 for all the studies on UBE and MED in the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis. The data extracted were authors, year of publication, study design, subject characteristics, sample size, surgical protocol, age, sex ratio, duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, complications, visual analogue scale (VAS), and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The Meta-analysis was conducted with software Revman 5.3 to analyze the operation time, hospital stay, complication rate, waist and lower extremity VAS scores and ODI scores at preoperation, early postoperation and the last follow-up. The quality of the case-control studies included was evaluated using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale (NOS) while the methodological quality and risk of bias of the randomized controlled studies (RCT) included were evaluated using the Cochrane Bias Risk Assessment Tool.Results:Finally, 7 studies were included, 6 in English and one in Chinese. There were 2 RCTs and 5 case-control studies. There were 251 patients in the UBE group and 224 patients in the MED group. Compared with the MED group, the UBE group had a significantly shorter hospital stay ( MD=-2.28, 95% CI: -3.42 to -1.14, P<0.001), and a significantly lower VAS score for early postoperative low back pain ( MD=-0.80, 95% CI:-1.44 to -0.16, P=0.01). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in operation time, complication rate, waist VAS scores at preoperation or the last follow-up, lower extremity VAS or ODI scores at preoperation, early postoperation or the last follow-up, or dural dilatation area ( P>0.05). Conclusions:In the treatment of lumbar spinal stenosis, compared with MED, UBE is superior in early relief of low back pain and hospital stay after operation, but shows no significant difference in long-term efficacy or safety.

Biportal Endoscopic Spine Surgery for Various Foraminal Lesions at the Lumbosacral Lesion

The stenosing foramen of L5–S1 by several degenerative diseases is one of the challenging areas on surgical approaching because of the deeper depth and steep slope in the lumbosacral junction. The floating view using unilateral biportal endoscopic spine surgery rather than docking into the Kambin’s zone can make the foraminal structures seen panoramically and permit dynamic handling of various instruments without destroying the facet joint and causing iatrogenic instability. Fine discrimination of structural margins in helps of the higher magnification and gentle manipulation of neural structures just as in open spine surgery could be guaranteed using floating technique from the target structures. Selective decompression with preserving innocent structures including facet joints could relieve foraminal lesions at the L5–S1 and decrease the necessity of fusion surgery caused by wider decompression and iatrogenic instability.

Endoscopic versus microscopic transsphenoidal surgery in the treatment of pituitary tumors: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized controlled trials

ABSTRACT We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and non-randomized controlled trials that compared pure endoscopic with microscopic transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) in the resection of pituitary tumors. Embase, PubMed, Lilacs, and Central Cochrane were used as our data sources. The outcomes were total tumor resection, achievement of biochemical control of functioning adenomas, hospital stay and surgery complications. The randomized trials were analyzed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Two randomized and three prospective controlled non-randomized studies were included. Two studies, including 68 patients, evaluated total tumor resection and the meta-analysis did not show differences between the groups [RR: 1.45 (95% CI: 0.87, 2.44)]. Three studies involving 65 patients analyzed the achievement of biochemical control and no statistical difference was found [RR: 0.94 (95% CI: 0.7, 1.26)]. All five studies compared the frequency of postoperative complications between intervention and control group and meta-analysis favored for a low rate of postoperative complications in the endoscopic TSS group [(RR: 0.37 (95% CI: 0.16, 0.83)]. Due to the low evidence level and low number of observations, the results of our meta-analysis should not be viewed as a final proof of inferiority or superiority of one approach in relation to the other. More data including higher numbers of observations are needed.

Endoscopic Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer Surgery: Feasibility and Accuracy of the Combined Radioisotope and Blue Dye / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Since its introduction in the mid-1990s, sentinel lymph node biopsy has been rapidly and widely adopted for the axillary staging of clinically node-negative breast cancer patients. However, there is some controversy in the clinical application because of its various identification rates and its false negative rates. The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of endoscopic sentinel lymph node biopsy (ESNB) and to compare the value of two methods for identification of ESNB using blue dye only or a combination of blue dye and radioisotope. METHODS: This study was carried out in 137 breast cancer patients (bilateral breast cancer, 3 cases) who underwent ESBN, at the Department of Surgery in Soonchunhyang University from May of 2007 to August of 2008. The technique involved the injection of 5 mL of 0.5% indigocarmine or Tc-99m tin colloid into subareolar plexus. The Visiport docked with a telescope was inserted through a low transverse axillary incison (1.0 cm in size) lateral to the pectoralis major. During the dissection, we identified sentinel nodes by following blue-stained lymphatic duct directly into blue-stained lymph nodes. We compared the value of two methods for identification of ESNB using blue dye only or a combination of blue dye and radioactive tracer. RESULTS: The mean number of sentinel nodes was 1.27 (range, 1-4). The identification rate and false negative rate of the sentinel node were 94.3% (132/140) and 6.9% (3/43), respectively. We compared ESNB with using blue dye only (n=77) vs. a combination of blue dye and radioactive tracer (n=63). Sentinel lymph node identification rate were 90.9% (70/77) vs. 98.4% (62/63) (p=0.043). CONCLUSION: The endoscopic technique of sentinel node biopsy can keep better operative visual fields and is less invasive. The combination of blue dye and radioactive tracer was superior to blue dye only for identification rates.

Endoscopic Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Breast Cancer Surgery: Feasibility and Accuracy of the Combined Radioisotope and Blue Dye / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Since its introduction in the mid-1990s, sentinel lymph node biopsy has been rapidly and widely adopted for the axillary staging of clinically node-negative breast cancer patients. However, there is some controversy in the clinical application because of its various identification rates and its false negative rates. The objective of this study was to assess the usefulness of endoscopic sentinel lymph node biopsy (ESNB) and to compare the value of two methods for identification of ESNB using blue dye only or a combination of blue dye and radioisotope. METHODS: This study was carried out in 137 breast cancer patients (bilateral breast cancer, 3 cases) who underwent ESBN, at the Department of Surgery in Soonchunhyang University from May of 2007 to August of 2008. The technique involved the injection of 5 mL of 0.5% indigocarmine or Tc-99m tin colloid into subareolar plexus. The Visiport docked with a telescope was inserted through a low transverse axillary incison (1.0 cm in size) lateral to the pectoralis major. During the dissection, we identified sentinel nodes by following blue-stained lymphatic duct directly into blue-stained lymph nodes. We compared the value of two methods for identification of ESNB using blue dye only or a combination of blue dye and radioactive tracer. RESULTS: The mean number of sentinel nodes was 1.27 (range, 1-4). The identification rate and false negative rate of the sentinel node were 94.3% (132/140) and 6.9% (3/43), respectively. We compared ESNB with using blue dye only (n=77) vs. a combination of blue dye and radioactive tracer (n=63). Sentinel lymph node identification rate were 90.9% (70/77) vs. 98.4% (62/63) (p=0.043). CONCLUSION: The endoscopic technique of sentinel node biopsy can keep better operative visual fields and is less invasive. The combination of blue dye and radioactive tracer was superior to blue dye only for identification rates.

A Case of Endoscopic Enucleation for Gastric Lymphoepithelioma-like Carcinoma / 대한소화기내시경학회지

Lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma (LELC) is a rare cancer and it makes up about 1~4% of all gastric malignancies. The main histologic feature of LELC is a lymphoid stroma. LELC is rare in that its shape is similar to that of submucosal tumor (SMT). Although SMT can be divided into malignant and benign tumors, using endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and EUS-guided fine needle aspiration, there are still many cases that can't be discriminated, and it is especially difficult to obtain specimens due to the small size of SMT. There have been some recent trials to endoscopic remove small SMTs for the purpose of making an exact diagnosis and guiding therapy. We report here a case of gastric LELC that exhibited the features of a submucosal tumor, and this LELC was removed by endoscopic enucleation. We also briefly review the relevant medical literature.