A multicenter randomized controlled trial of domestic robot-assisted and conventional total knee arthroplasty / 中国修复重建外科杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the accuracy, safety, and short-term effectiveness of a domestic robot-assisted system in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) by a multicenter randomized controlled trial.@*METHODS@#Between December 2021 and February 2023, 138 patients with knee osteoarthritis who received TKA in 5 clinical centers were prospectively collected, and 134 patients met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to either a trial group ( n=68) or a control group ( n=66). Seven patients had lost follow-up and missing data, so they were excluded and the remaining 127 patients were included for analysis, including 66 patients in the trial group and 61 patients in the control group. There was no significant difference ( P>0.05) in gender, age, body mass index, side, duration of osteoarthritis, Kellgren-Lawrence grading, preoperative Knee Society Score (KSS) and Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score between the two groups. The trial group completed the TKA by domestic robot-assisted osteotomy according to the preoperative CT-based surgical planning. The control group was performed by traditional osteotomy plate combined with soft tissue release. Total operation time, osteotomy time of femoral/tibial side, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative complications were recorded and compared between the two groups. The radiographs were taken at 5 and 90 days after operation, and hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), lateral distal angle of femur (LDFA), and posterior tibial slope (PTS) were measured. The difference between the measured values of the above indexes at two time points after operation and the preoperative planning target values was calculated, and the absolute value (absolute error) was taken for comparison between the two groups. The postoperative recovery of lower limb alignment was judged and the accuracy was calculated. KSS score and WOMAC score were used to evaluate the knee joint function of patients before operation and at 90 days after operation. The improvement rates of KSS score and WOMAC score were calculated. The function, stability, and convenience of the robot-assisted system were evaluated by the surgeons.@*RESULTS@#The total operation time and femoral osteotomy time of the trial group were significantly longer than those of the control group ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the tibial osteotomy time and the amount of intraoperative blood loss between the two groups ( P>0.05). The incisions of both groups healed by first intention after operation, and there was no infection around the prosthesis. Nine patients in the trial group and 8 in the control group developed lower extremity vascular thrombosis, all of which were calf intermuscular venous thrombosis, and there was no significant difference in the incidence of complications ( P>0.05). All patients were followed up 90 days. There was no significant difference in KSS score and WOMAC score between the two groups at 90 days after operation ( P>0.05). There was significant difference in the improvement rate of KSS score between the two groups ( P<0.05), while there was no significant difference in the improvement rate of WOMAC score between the two groups ( P>0.05). Radiological results showed that the absolute errors of HKA and LDFA in the trial group were significantly smaller than those in the control group at 5 and 90 days after operation ( P<0.05), and the recovery accuracy of lower limb alignment was significantly higher than that in control group ( P<0.05). The absolute error of PTS in the trial group was significantly smaller than that in the control group at 5 days after operation ( P<0.05), but there was no significant difference at 90 days between the two groups ( P>0.05). The functional satisfaction rate of the robot-assisted system was 98.5% (65/66), and the satisfaction rates of stability and convenience were 100% (66/66).@*CONCLUSION@#Domestic robot-assisted TKA is a safe and effective surgical treatment for knee osteoarthritis, which can achieve favorable lower limb alignment reconstruction, precise implant of prosthesis, and satisfactory functional recovery.

Management of vena cava tumor thrombus dislodgement in robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery / 现代泌尿外科杂志

Renal cancer complicated with inferior vena cava tumor thrombus has been difficult to manage in urological surgery, because it has a complex anatomical relationship and involves vascular blockage of vital organs such as kidney, liver and heart, as well as the blockage and reconstruction of inferior vena cava. In addition, tumor thrombus dislodgement may occur intraoperatively, leading to acute pulmonary embolism, which makes the surgery extremely difficult and risky. In this paper, we report the successful treatment of thrombus dislodgement in a case of right kidney tumor with inferior vena cava thrombus during robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery and explore the treatment methods, aiming to avoid lethal pulmonary embolism caused by tumor thrombus dislodgement.

Early clinical application of Mako robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty in knee osteoarthritis / 中国骨伤

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the early efficacy of Mako robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty (TKA) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and summarize the initial application experience.@*METHODS@#Retrospective analysis of 73 patients with KOA treated with Mako robot-assisted TKA from June 2021 to December 2021. There were 16 males and 57 females, aged from 54 to 81 years old with an average of (67.8±6.6) years old. The hip knee and ankle angle (HKA), lateral distal femoral angle (LDFA), medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA), lateral femoral component angle (LFCA) and lateral tibial component angle (LTCA) were recorded and analyzed. WOMAC score and KSS were used to compare the functional recovery of patients preoperatively, 3 and 6 months postoperatively.@*RESULTS@#All the 73 patients were successfully treated without serious complications such as vascular and nerve injury, and all the incisions healed well at stageⅠwithout infection. The patients were followed up from 4 to 11 months with an average of (7.0±2.7) months, and the satisfaction rate of the last follow-up was 90.41% (66/73). WOMAC scores were (23.1±5.4) at 3 months and (14.8±4.1) at 6 months postoperatively. KSS clinical scores were ( 76.1±4.0) at 3 months and (82.1±3.7) at 6 months postoperatively;KSS functional scores were (74.3±3.1) at 3 months and (78.6±2.1) at 6 months after operation. Postoperative imaging showed good position of the prosthesis, HKA angle was (178.5±2.1)°, LDFA was (91.2±1.8)°, MPTA was(89.9±1.5) °, LFCA was (7.6±3.1)°, LTCA was (88.2±1.1)°. The mechanical axis within ±3° in sixty cases(82.2%), and the mechanical axis within ±6° in all the patients.@*CONCLUSION@#Mako robot-assisted TKA is a safe and effective surgery in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, which exhibited good efficacy in the correction of lower limb alignment, soft tissue balance and improvement of knee function. The long-term efficacy needs further follow-up observation.

Animal experimental study of 5G remote robot-assisted thoracoscopic lobectomy / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To explore the feasibility of 5G remote robot-assisted pulmonary lobectomy through animal experiments. Methods     In this research, the Toumai® surgical robot was manipulated remotely by the surgeon in the Control Center of the MedBot Company through the 5G network established by China Telecom, and the experimental pig underwent lobectomy in simulated operating room. Results     The animal experiment surgery was successfully completed. The surgeon remotely manipulated the surgical robot to complete the lobectomy of right apical lobe and mediastinal lymph node dissection. The entire animal experiment took about 60 minutes, with an average round-trip network delay of 125 (110-155) ms, and no network interruption or robot malfunction occurred. Conclusion     This animal experiment is the first attempt of 5G remote thoracic surgery, which preliminarily proves the feasibility of completing remote lobectomy through the Toumai® surgical robot 5G wireless network connection. The systematic surgical procedure is summarized, which lays a foundation for the subsequent experiments and clinical applications of 5G remote robot-assisted thoracic surgery.

Clinical efficacy and learning curve of robot-assisted thymectomy via subxiphoid approach / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To explore the clinical efficacy and learning curve of robot-assisted thymectomy via subxiphoid approach. Methods    The clinical data of patients with robot-assisted thymectomy surgery via subxiphoid approach performed by the same surgical team in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital from February 2021 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The cumulative sum (CUSUM) analysis and best fit curve were used to analyze the learning curve of this surgery. The general information and perioperative indicators of patients at different learning stages were compared to explore the impact of different learning stages on clinical efficacy of patients. Results    A total of 67 patients were enrolled, including 31 males and 36 females, aged 57.10 (54.60, 59.60) years. The operation time was 117.00 (87.00, 150.00) min. The best fitting equation of CUSUM learning curve was y=0.021 2x3–3.192 5x2 +120.17x–84.444 (x was the number of surgical cases), which had a high R2 value of 0.977 8, and the fitting curve reached the top at the 25th case. Based on this, the learning curve was divided into a learning period and a proficiency period. The operation time and intraoperative blood loss in the proficiency stage were significantly shorter or less than those in the learning stage (P<0.001), and there was no statistical difference in thoracic drainage time and volume between the two stages (P>0.05). Conclusion    The learning process of robot-assisted thymectomy via subxiphoid approach is safe, and this technique can be skillfully mastered after 25 cases.

Robot-assisted minimally invasive coronary artery bypass in treating multi-vessel coronary artery disease: A retrospective study in a single center / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To evaluate the early and mid-term results of robot-assisted coronary artery bypass grafting (RACAB) in the treatment of multi-vessel coronary artery disease (MV-CAD). Methods     Patients with MV-CAD who underwent RACAB from April 2018 to December 2021 in our hospital were included. Patients who underwent hybrid coronary revascularization (HCR) which combined RACAB with percutaneous coronary intervention were allocated to a HCR-RACAB group, and patients who underwent multi-vessel RACAB were allocated to a MV-RACAB group. Perioperative and follow-up data were collected and compared between the two groups. Results     A total of 102 patients were included, including 81 males and 21 females with a mean age of 61.7±10.8 years. Two (2.0%) patients were transferred to conventional CABG due to sudden ventricular fibrillation and pleura adhesion. In the remaining 100 patients who underwent RACAB, 100 left internal mammary arteries (LIMA) and 46 right internal mammary arteries (RIMA) were harvested with a 100.0% success rate. Besides, all patients undergoing RACAB achieved LIMA/RIMA-left anterior descending branch reconstruction, with an average number of 2.5±0.6 target vessels revascularized by stent or graft. One patient had perioperative myocardial infarction with an outcome of death. The incidence of major perioperative adverse events was 1.0%. There was no perioperative stroke or re-sternotomy for hemostasis. The mean follow-up time was 28.2 months, with a follow-up rate of 99.0% and an overall major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular event (MACCE) rate of 7.0%, including 3 all-cause deaths (3.0%), 2 strokes (2.0%) and 3 re-revascularizations (3.0%). The HCR-RACAB group had fewer red blood cell transfusion (P=0.030) and intraoperative blood loss (P=0.037) compared with the MV-RACAB group, and there was no statistical difference in the incidence of major perioperative adverse events or MACCE between the two groups during the follow-up period (P>0.05). Conclusion    RACAB can be safely applied in the treatment of MV-CAD with good early and mid-term outcomes. High-quality harvesting of LIMA/RIMA and aortic no-touch technique are crucial to achieve these results.

Effect of intraoperative alveolar recruitment maneuver on intraoperative oxygenation and postoperative pulmonary function tests in patients undergoing robotic-assisted hysterectomy: a single-blind randomized study

Abstract Background Robotic-Assisted Hysterectomies (RAH) require Trendelenburg positioning and pneumoperitoneum, which further accentuate alteration in respiratory mechanics induced by general anesthesia. The role of Recruitment Maneuver (RM) as a lung-protective strategy during intraoperative surgical settings has not been much studied. We planned this study to evaluate the effect of RM on perioperative oxygenation and postoperative spirometry using PaO2/FiO2 and FEV1/FVC, respectively in patients undergoing RAH. Methods Sixty-six ASA I‒II female patients scheduled for elective RAH were randomized into group R (recruitment maneuver, n = 33) or group C (control, n = 33). Portable spirometry was done one day before surgery. Patients were induced with general anesthesia, and mechanical ventilation started with volume control mode, with Tidal Volume (TV) of 6-8 mL.kg−1, Respiratory Rate (RR) of 12 min, inspiratory-expiratory ratio (I: E ratio) of 1:2, FiO2 of 0.4, and Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) of 5 cmH2O. Patients in group R received recruitment maneuvers of 30 cmH2O every 30 minutes following tracheal intubation. The primary objectives were comparison of oxygenation and ventilation between two groups intraoperatively and portable spirometry postoperatively. Postoperative pulmonary complications, like desaturation, pulmonary edema, pneumonia, were monitored. Results Patients who received RM had significantly higher PaO2 (mmHg) (203.2+-24.3 vs. 167.8+-27.3, p < 0.001) at T2 (30 min after the pneumoperitoneum). However, there was no significant difference in portable spirometry between the groups in the postoperative period (FVC, 1.40 ± 0.5 L vs. 1.32 ± 0.46 L, p= 0.55). Conclusion This study concluded that intraoperative recruitment did not prevent deterioration of postoperative spirometry values; however, it led to improved oxygenation intraoperatively.

Câncer de reto: qual a melhor técnica para excisão total do mesorreto laparoscópica ou robótica? / Rectum cancer: which is the best technique for total excision of the mesorectum laparoscopic or robotic?

Introdução: As operações laparoscópicas, assistidas por robô e a abertas são técnicas cirúrgicas comumente utilizadas na vida diária. A viabilidade e os resultados em curto e longo prazos dos procedimentos laparoscópicos e robóticos têm sido amplamente relatados. Objetivos: Comparar os dados clínicos e oncológicos da cirurgia assistida por robô e laparoscópica no câncer retal. Métodos: Foram pesquisados o Pubmed/Medline, Embase, e Cochrane Library para artigos relevantes publicados até 2021. Estudos baseados na comparabilidade entre operação assistida por robô e laparoscópica para câncer retal foram designados. Os parâmetros analisados incluíram tempo operatório, conversão para procedimento aberto, perda estimada de sangue, tempo de recuperação da função intestinal, tempo de internação, vazamento da anastomose e complicações pós-operatórias. Resultados: Operação assistida por robô foi associada com maior tempo operatório (342 vs.192 min na cirurgia laparoscópica, p<0,001), menor conversão para procedimento aberto, menor tempo de internação hospitalar e recuperação mais rápida da função intestinal, menores complicações pós-operatórias de forma significativa (p=0,041). A perda estimada de sangue, a taxa de vazamento da anastomose e os resultados oncológicos, incluindo o número de linfonodos extraídos, não mostraram diferenças significativas entre os grupos. Conclusão: A cirurgia assistida por robô para câncer retal mostrou maior tempo operatório, menor conversão, taxas de recuperação da função intestinal mais rápidas e menor permanência no hospital. Seus resultados oncológicos forram semelhantes à cirurgia laparoscópica.

Introduction: Laparoscopic surgery, robot-assisted surgery and open surgery are the most commonly used surgical techniques in daily living. The feasibility and short- and long-term results of laparoscopic and robotic procedures have been widely reported. Objectives: To compare the clinical and oncological results of robot-assisted and laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer. Methods: PubMed/Medline, Embase, The Cochrane Library were searched for relevant articles published until 2021. Studies based on comparability between robot-assisted and laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer were designed. The parameters analyzed included operative time, conversion to open surgery, estimated blood loss, bowel function recovery time, length of hospital stay, anastomosis leak, and postoperative complications. Results: The robot-assisted surgery group was associated with longer operative time (342 vs. 192 min in laparoscopic surgery,p <0.001), lower conversion to open surgery, shorter length of hospital stay, faster bowel function recovery and lower postoperative complications significantly (p=0.041). Estimated blood loss, anastomosis leak rate, and oncological outcomes including the number of lymph nodes extracted showed no significant differences between groups. Conclusion: Robot-assisted surgery for rectal cancer showed longer operative time, lower conversion, faster bowel function recovery rates, shorter hospital stay, and similar oncological outcomes compared to laparoscopic surgery.

Short-term outcomes and learning curve of the robot-assisted Heller-Dor myotomy for achalasia of cardia: A single-center retrospective study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective     To investigate short-term outcomes of robot-assisted Heller-Dor myotomy (RAHM-Dor) for achalasia of cardia and our learning curve experience. Methods     The clinical data and recent follow-up results of 42 patients who received RAHM-Dor from November 2015 to January 2020 in the Department of Thoracic Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were retrospectively analyzed, including 20 males and 22 females with a mean age of 40.8±18.4 years. Results    Dysphagia was the most common symptom, followed by heartburn and regurgitation. The mean operation time was 122.8±23.9 min. The mean blood loss was 47.5±32.7 mL. Two patients suffered mucosal injury, and successfully repaired by suturing during surgery. There was no esophageal fistula, conversion to an open operation or perioperative death in this series. The median length of hospital stay was 8 (6, 9) d. In all patients, the Stooler and Eckardt scores of postoperative 1, 6 and 12 months decreased compared to those of pre-operation (P<0.001). Conclusion     RAHM-Dor is a safe and feasible avenue for the treatment of achalasia of cardia, and can achieve a satisfying short-term results. The learning curve shows a transition to the standard stage from the learning stage after 16-18 operations.

Application of minimally invasive technique in kidney transplantation / 器官移植

Since the 21st century, minimally invasive technique has become a main development direction of surgery, which has been widely applied in all branches of surgery. In the field of kidney transplantation, minimally invasive technique has been mainly applied in the procurement of living donor kidney, kidney transplantation and the management of complications after kidney transplantation. It not only increases the resource of donor kidney, but also reduces the incidence of postoperative complications and enhances the quality of life of the recipients. The application of minimally invasive technique has become one of the research hot spots in the field of kidney transplantation. In this article, research progresses on the application of minimally invasive technique in the procurement of living donor kidney, kidney transplantation and management of complications after kidney transplantation were reviewed, aiming to provide reference for increasing the resource of donor kidney, enhancing the success rate of kidney transplantation and improving clinical prognosis of kidney transplant recipients, thereby promoting the development of minimally invasive technique in surgery.

Efficacy comparison of robot-assisted percutaneous screw implantation and free-hand open screw implantation by Wiltse approach in the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture / 中华创伤杂志

Objective:To compare the clinical efficacy of robot-assisted percutaneous screw implantation and free-hand open screw implantation by Wiltse approach in the treatment of thoracolumbar fracture.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the clinical data of 71 patients with thoracolumbar fracture admitted to Second Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from May 2018 to May 2020. There were 52 males and 19 females, with age range of 22-54 years［(41.0±7.8)years］. Of all, 33 patients were treated with robot-assisted percutaneous screw implantation (Group A) and 38 patients were treated with free-hand open screw implantation by Wiltse approach (Group B). Following parameters were measured, including frequency of radiation exposure, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, incidence of complications, rate of fracture healing at 3 months and 6 months postoperatively, visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry dysfunction index (ODI) at 3 days, 3 months, 6 months postoperatively and at the last follow-up, anterior vertebral body height ratio and sagittal Cobb angle preoperatively, at 3 days postoperatively and at the last follow-up, and rate of screw implantation of grade A and B and rate of facet joint violation at 3 days postoperatively.Results:All patients were followed up for 10-24 months［(15.2±4.4)months］. Frequency of radiation exposure and operation time showed no statistical differences between the two groups (both P>0.05). Intraoperative blood loss was 100(100, 135)ml in Group A, less than 160(120, 200)ml in Group B ( P<0.01). Length of hospital stay was 8(7, 11) days in Group A, shorter than 12(10, 16)days in Group B ( P<0.01). There were no complications such as infection, spinal nerve injury or cerebrospinal fluid leakage in both group. There were no significant differences between the two groups in the rate of fracture healing at 3 and 6 months postoperatively (all P>0.05). VAS and ODI in Group A was 3(2, 4)points and 21(18, 23)points at 3 days postoperatively, lower than 4 (3, 5)points and 27(20, 32)points in Group B ( P<0.05 or 0.01), and the two groups showed no significant differences in VAS and ODI at other time points (all P>0.05). There were no significant difference in the anterior vertebral body height ratio or sagittal Cobb angle between the two groups at 3 days postoperatively and at the last follow-up (all P>0.05). Rate of screw implantation of grade A and B was 96.5% (191/198) in Group A, higher than 90.4% (206/228) in Group B ( P<0.05). Rate of facet joint violation was 4.0%(8/198) in Group A, lower than 11.8% (27/228) in Group B ( P<0.01). Conclusion:For thoracolumbar fracture, robot-assisted percutaneous screw implantation is superior to free-hand open screw implantation by Wiltse approach in terms of less bleeding, shorter hospitalization, earlier pain alleviation, higher accuracy of screw implantation and lower risk of facet joint violation.

Robot-assisted single-anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy / 中华胃肠外科杂志

Single-anastomosis duodeno-ileal bypass with sleeve gastrectomy (SADI-S) is simpler and has similar efficacy for obesity and obesity-associated metabolic diseases in comparison to biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch. We reported the first Da Vinci robot-assisted SADI-S in the treatment of severe obesity in China. This male patient was 27-year-old with height of 180 cm, body weight of 140 kg, waistline of 125 cm and body mass index of 43.2 kg/m(2). The diagnosis at admission was fatty liver, severe obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and hyperuricemia. The patient underwent Da Vinci robot-assisted SADI-S. The surgeon identified ileocecal part by appendix, then a common channel was measured retrogradely from the ileocecal valve, the distal ileum at 300 cm from the ileocecal part was marked and suspended. A sleeve gastrectomy was performed over a 34 Fr bougie tube. An end-to-side anastomosis between proximal duodenum and the pre-marked ileum was performed after duodenal bulb transection. Gastric incision was sutured with omentum reinforcement. No leakage was found after injecting methylene per os. Finally, a drainage tube was left in place under the anastomosis and close to the duodenal stump. The operation time was 244 minutes and the amount of bleeding during surgery was 50 ml. The patient recovered well with a postoperative hospital stay of 7 days and was followed up for six months. The percent of excess weight loss (EWL%) was 80.21% at 6 months after operation. The body weight, body mass index and waist circumference decreased significantly after operation. Complete remission was achieved for hypertriglyceridemia, hyperuricemia and insulin resistance. The patient suffered from cholestasis without serious complications at 6 months after operation. Our experience shows that Da Vinci robot-assisted SADI-S is safe and feasible in treating severe obesity.

Early functional and oncological outcomes of lateral prostate capsule sparing robot-assisted radical cystectomy-Orthotopic ileal neobladder / 中华泌尿外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the experience and results of the modified lateral prostate capsule sparing robot-assisted radical cystectomy-orthotopic ileal neobladder (LPCS-RARC-OIN).Methods:From December 2018 to November 2020, 19 patients received LPCS-RARC-OIN by a single surgeon in Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University. LPCS-RARC-OIN was performed on male patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer or muscle-invasive bladder cancer cT 2N 0M 0 without tumour in the bladder neck or urethra, and prostate cancer was ruled out by MRI and serum PSA<2.5ng/ml. The average age was 57.6 years, the average IIEF-5 score was 20.4. Separating the prostatic adenoma and the lateral prostate capsule from the base to the apex of the prostate, and retaining the lateral prostate surgical capsule or lateral prostate capsule about 1-2mm thickness. Patients were followed up and urinary function, sexual function and oncological outcomes were recorded. Results:All 19 operations were finished successfully. The average operation time was 279.9 (225-345) min and average estimated blood loss was 88.9 (30-200) ml. The average postoperative hospital stays was 15.8 (9 -23) days. The average lymph node yields was 23.3 (11-42). All surgical margins were negative and no incidental prostate cancer was found. 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months after catheter removal, the daytime and nighttime continence were 42.1% (8/19)and 36.8% (7/19), 63.2% (12/19)and 63.2% (12/19), 78.9% (15/19) and 73.7% (14/19), 94.7% (18/19) and 89.5% (17/19), respectively. 3 months and 6 months after operation, the average IIEF-5 score was 7.2 and 10.1 points respectively. The average follow-up was 10.6 months (5.4-26.1 months)and no recurrence or distant metastasis was found in this study.Conclusions:LPCS-RARC-OIN could improve the urinary and sexual function in selected patients. However, the long-term follow up is needed for functional and oncological outcomes.

obot-assisted bilateral internal mammary arteries harvesting for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with 5 grafts by minimally invasive small incision: A case report / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To introduce the method and preliminary experience of robot-assisted bilateral internal mammary arteries (BIMA) harvesting for off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) with 5 grafts via left anterolateral minithoracotomy. Methods    BIMA were harvested using the da Vinci robotic surgical system, and the right internal mammary artery (RIMA) was pulled out of the thoracic cavity through right second intercostal space. Intercepting the distal part of the RIMA for the BIMA composite Lima-Rima Y graft and anastomosing the great saphenous vein with remaining RIMA end to end. The Y graft anastomosed with left anterior descending (LAD) branch and diagonal branches (DIAG), artery-vein graft sequentially anastomosed with blunt round branch, left ventricular posterior branch and posterior descending branch. Results    The operation succeeded without hemodynamic instability and intra aortic balloon pump (IABP) implantation or cardiopulmonary bypass. The blood flow of Y graft was 24 mL/min, and the blood flow of artery-vein graft was 30 mL/min. Ventilator assistance time was 35 hours, ICU staying time was 62 hours, and postoperative myocardial enzymes increased temporarily. Postoperative coronary CTA showed that all the grafts were patency, and cardiac ultrasound indicated that the heart function was normal. The patient cured and discharged from hospital 7 days after operation. Conclusion    Robot-assisted bilateral internal mammary artery harvesting for OPCAB with 5 grafts via left anterolateral minithoracotomy is feasible, which can achieve complete revascularization.

Short-term effects of Da Vinci robot Nissen fundoplication in the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the short-term effects of Da Vinci robot-assisted Nissen fundoplication in the treatment of refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease (rGERD), and to evaluate the safety and efficacy of its surgical treatment. Methods    A total of 40 patients with rGERD treated by Da Vinci robot-assisted surgery from October 2016 to November 2019 in our hospital were collected. There were 23 males and 17 females at age of 34-76 (61±23) years. The related clinical data were retrospectively analyzed, and the operation skills of Da Vinci robot-assisted Nissen fundoplication with rGERD were summarized. Results    There was no perioperative death or serious complication such as esophagogastric fistula. Postoperative reflux symptoms were significantly improved. DeMeester scores after surgery (39.79±35.01 points vs. 2.61±2.40 points, P=0.029), lower esophageal sphincter pressure (8.74±7.21 mm Hg vs. 24.56±8.76 mm Hg, P=0.020), integrated relaxation pressure (7.29±7.21 mm Hg vs. 16.49±9.99 mm Hg, P=0.023), distal contractile integral (600.49 ± 665.30 mm Hg·s·m vs. 510.99 ± 580.60 mm Hg·s·m, P=0.042), GERD-Q scale score (12.98±2.39 points vs. 7.59±1.11 points, P=0.033) were significantly improved compared with those before surgery. Postoperative dysphagia was found in 2 patients. And dysphagia was alleviated after diet adjustment and other treatments. Conclusion    Da Vinci robot-assisted Nissen fundoplication is a safe and effective treatment for rGERD.

An animal experimental study on domestic robot-assisted total knee arthroplasty / 中国修复重建外科杂志

Objective: To evaluate the performance, safety, and precision of the Yuanhua robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty system (YUANHUA-TKA) through animal experiments, which will provide reference data for human clinical trials. Methods: Six 18-month-old goats, weighing 30-35 kg, were used in this study. The experimental study was divided into two parts: the preoperative planning and intraoperative bone resection. CT scans of the goats' lower extremities were firstly performed before the experiments. Then the CT scans were segmented to generate the femoral and tibial three-dimensional (3D) models in the YUANHUA-TKA system. The volumes and angles of each resection plane on the femur and tibia were planned. The bone resection was finally implemented under the assistance of the YUANHUA-TKA system. After completing all bone resections, the lower extremities of each goat were taken to have CT scans. By comparing the femoral and tibial 3D models before and after the experiments, the actual bone resection volumes and angles were calculated and compared with the preoperative values. Results: During the experiments, no abnormal bleeding was found; the YUANHUA-TKA system ran smoothly and stably and was able to stop moving and keep the osteotomy in the safe zone all the time. After the experiment, the resection planes were observed immediately and found to be quite flat. There was no significant difference between the planned and actual osteotomy thickness and osteotomy angle ( P>0.05); the error of the osteotomy thickness was less than 1 mm, and the error of the osteotomy angle was less than 2°. Conclusion: The YUANHUA-TKA system can assist the surgeons to perform osteotomy following the planned thickness and angle values. It is expected to assist surgeons to implement more accurate and efficient osteotomy in the future clinical applications.

Efficacy comparison between robot-assisted and conventional mitral valve surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    Through comparing the therapeutic efficacy of robot-assisted surgery (RS) and conventional surgery (CS) for mitral valve disease by meta-analysis to guide the choice of clinical operation. Methods    Databases including The Cochrane Library, PubMed, EMbase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), China Biology Medicine disc (CBMdisc) and Wanfang Database were searched by computer from inception to June 2020. The literature of efficacy comparison between RS and CS was collected. Two reviewers independently screened the literature according to inclusion and exclusion criteria, extracted the data, and evaluated the quality of the literature. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. Results    We identified 11 studies of RS versus CS with 4 330 patients. Among them, 2 212 patients underwent RS and 2 118 underwent CS. Meta-analysis demonstrated that compared with the CS, RS had longer cross-clamp time (MD=25.00, 95%CI 15.04 to 34.95, P<0.000 01), cardiopulmonary bypass time (MD=44.11, 95%CI 29.26 to 58.96, P<0.000 01) and operation time (MD=46.40, 95%CI 31.55 to 61.26, P<0.000 01). However, ICU stay (MD=–22.13, 95%CI –31.88 to –12.38, P<0.000 01) and hospital stay (MD=–1.81, 95%CI –2.69 to –0.92, P<0.000 01) were significantly shorter in the RS group; and the incidences of blood transfusion (OR=0.38, 95%CI 0.16 to 0.89, P=0.03) and complications (OR=0.73, 95%CI 0.57 to 0.94, P=0.01) were significantly lower in the RS group. Conclusion    Although RS has a longer operation time than CS, it has less damage, less bleeding, faster recovery and better curative efficacy.

Clinical application of three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography in robotic lung segmentectomy / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To explore the clinical value of three-dimensional computed tomography bronchography and angiography (3D-CTBA) in robotic lung segmentectomy. Methods    A non-randomized control study was performed and continuously enrolled 122 patients who underwent robotic lung segmentectomy in our hospital from January 2019 to January 2020. 3D-CTBA was performed before operations in 53 patients [a 3D-CTBA group, including 18 males, 35 females, with a median age of 52 (26-69) years] and not performed in the other 69 patients [a traditional group, including 23 males, 46 females, with a median age of 48 (30-76) years]. The clinical data of the patients were compared between the two groups. Results    All the patients were successfully completed the surgery and recovered from hospital, with no perioperative death. The baseline characteristics of the patients were not significantly different between the two groups (P>0.05). No significant difference was found in the operative time [120 (70-185) min vs. 120 (45-225) min, P=0.801], blood loss [50 (20-300) mL vs. 30 (20-400) mL, P=0.778], complications rate (17.0% vs. 11.6%, P=0.162), postoperative hospital stay [7 (4-19) d vs. 7 (3-20) d, P=0.388] between the two groups. In the 3D-CTBA group, 5 (9.4%) patients did not find nodules after segmentectomy, and only 1 (1.9%) of them needed lobectomy, but in the traditional group, 8 (11.6%) patients did not find nodules and had to carry out lobectomy, the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The follow-up time was 10 (1-26) months, and during this period, there was no recurrence, metastasis or death in the two groups. Conclusion    3D-CTBA is helpful for accurate localization of nodules and reasonable surgical planning before operations, and reducing wrong resections in segmentectomy, without increasing the operation time, blood loss and complications. It is safe and effective in anatomical lung segmentectomy.

Robotic and thoracoscopic segmentectomy in the treatment for non-small cell lung cancer: A propensity score-matched study / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@#Objective    To investigate the safety and efficiency of robotic lung segmentectomy. Methods    The clinical data of 110 patients receiving robotic or thoracoscopic segmentectomy in our hospital between June 2015 and June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a robotic group [n=50, 13 males and 37 females aged 53.0 (46.0, 60.0) years] and a thoracoscopic group [n=60, 21 males and 39 females aged 61.0 (53.0, 67.0) years]. A propensity score-matched analysis was adopted to compare the perioperative data between the two groups. Results    After the propensity score-matched analysis, 34 patients were included in each group. In comparison with the thoracoscopic group, patients in the robotic group had less blood loss [40.0 (20.0, 50.0) mL vs. 60.0 (40.0, 80.0) mL, P<0.001], more stations of lymph node dissection [7.0 (6.0, 8.0) vs. 4.0 (3.0, 6.0), P<0.001], larger number of lymph node dissection [15.0 (11.0, 21.0) vs. 10.0 (6.0, 14.0), P=0.002], and a higher total cost of hospitalization [97.0 (92.0, 103.0) thousand yuan vs. 54.0 (42.0, 59.0) thousand yuan, P<0.001]. Conclusion    In contrast with the thoracoscopic segmentectomy, robotic segmentectomy has a similar operative safety, but less blood loss and a thorough lymphadenectomy.

Chinese expert consensus on robot-assisted pulmonary resections / 中国胸心血管外科临床杂志

@# Robotic surgery system has been widely used in various types of pulmonary resections. With the unremitting efforts of Chinese thoracic surgeons, the quantity and quality of robotic pulmonary resections in China have reached a remarkable level. With the development and rapid promotion of this technology, the popularity of robotic surgery is also increasing. In order to standardize the clinical practice, guarantee the quality of treatment and promote the development of robotic pulmonary resections, the Committee of Thoracic Surgery, Doctor Society of Medical Robotics, Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized relevant domestic experts to formulate the consensus of Chinese clinical experts on robot-assisted lung cancer surgery.