Real-time Vessel Navigation Using Indocyanine Green Fluorescence during Robotic or Laparoscopic Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer.

PURPOSE: Identification of the infrapyloric artery (IPA) type is a key component of pylorus-preserving gastrectomy. As the indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence technique is known to help visualize blood vessels and flow during reconstruction, we speculated that this emerging technique would be helpful in identifying the IPA type. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From August 2015 to February 2016, 20 patients who underwent robotic or laparoscopic gastrectomy were prospectively enrolled. After intravenous injection of approximately 3 mL of ICG (2.5 mg/mL), a near-infrared fluorescence apparatus was applied. The identified shape of the IPA was confirmed by examining the actual anatomy following infrapyloric dissection. RESULTS: The mean interval time between ICG injection and visualization of the artery was 22.2 seconds (range, 14-30 seconds), and the mean duration of the arterial phase was 16.1 seconds (range, 9-30 seconds). The overall positive predictive value (PPV) of ICG fluorescence in identifying the IPA type was 80% (16/20). The IPA type was incorrectly predicted in four patients, all of whom were obese with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25 kg/m2. CONCLUSIONS: Our preliminary results indicate that intraoperative vascular imaging using the ICG fluorescence technique may be helpful for robotic or laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy.

Billroth II with Braun Enteroenterostomy Is a Good Alternative Reconstruction to Roux-en-Y Gastrojejunostomy in Laparoscopic Distal Gastrectomy.

Background. Although Billroth II (BII) reconstruction is simpler and faster than Billroth I or Roux-en-Y (RY) reconstruction in patients undergoing totally laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (TLDG), BII reconstruction is associated with several complications, including more severe bile reflux. BII Braun anastomosis may be a better alternative to RY reconstruction. Methods. This retrospective study included 56 consecutive patients who underwent TLDG for gastric cancer, followed by BII Braun or RY reconstruction, between January 2013 and December 2015. Surgical outcomes, including length of operation, quantity of blood lost, and postoperative complications, were compared in the two groups. Results. Clinicopathological characteristics did not differ between the BII Braun and RY groups. Mean length of operation was significantly longer in the RY than the BII Braun group (157.3 min versus 134.6 min, p < 0.010), but length of hospital stay, blood loss, and complication rate did not differ between the two groups. Ileus occurred in three patients (10.0%) in the RY group. Endoscopic findings 6 months after surgery showed bile reflux in seven (28%) patients in the BII Braun group and five (17.2%) in the RY group (p = 0.343), but no significant differences in rate of gastric residue or degree of gastritis in the remnant stomach in the two groups. Conclusions. B-II Braun anastomosis is a good alternative to RY reconstruction, reducing length of operation and ileus after TLDG.

Modified overlap method using knotless barbed sutures (MOBS) for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy after totally laparoscopic gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND: Compared to end-to-side anastomosis with a circular stapler, the overlap method is favored for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy because it facilitates handling of the stapler, even in narrow spaces, and wider anastomosis. However, it associates with technical difficulties during anastomosis, including difficult traction on the esophageal stump that necessitates stay sutures. Here, we introduce a new modified overlap method that employs knotless barbed sutures (MOBS) and report the outcomes of our case series. METHOD: All consecutive patients who underwent intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy in 2015-2016 were included. All patients underwent surgery as follows: After esophageal transection with a linear stapler, two V-loc 90 sutures (Covidien, Mansfield, MA, USA) were sutured in the center of the stapled line. The opening was made between the two threads, and the intraluminal space was identified. The jejunum was ascended toward the esophageal stump by inserting a 45-mm-long linear staple. The anastomosis was made at the space between the right and left crura. After firing the linear stapler, the entry hole was closed bidirectionally using the pre-sutured threads. RESULTS: Forty patients underwent MOBS (27 by laparoscopy; 13 by robot). Mean total operative and MOBS procedural times were 180.6 and 22.4 min, respectively. Mean hospital stay was 6.9 days. Two patients had major complications (5.0 %). There were no anastomosis-related complications. Laparoscopy and robot subgroups did not differ in mean MOBS procedural times (22.2 vs. 22.7 min, p = 0.787). CONCLUSION: MOBS is a safe and feasible method that is a good option for intracorporeal esophagojejunostomy after laparoscopic gastrectomy.

Linear-shaped gastroduodenostomy (LSGD): safe and feasible technique of intracorporeal Billroth I anastomosis.

BACKGROUND: Although delta-shaped gastroduodenostomy (DSGD) is used increasingly as an intracorporeal Billroth I anastomosis after distal gastrectomy, worries about anatomical distortion always exist in twisting stomach and making an oblique incision on duodenum. We developed a new method of intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy, the linear-shaped gastroduodenostomy (LSGD), in which anastomosis is done using endoscopic linear staplers only without any complicated rotation. In this report, we introduced LSGD and compared its short-term and long-term outcomes with DSGD. METHODS: We analyzed 261 consecutive gastric cancer patients who underwent the intracorporeal gastroduodenostomy between January 2009 and May 2014 (LSGD: 190, DSGD: 71), retrospectively. All of them underwent a laparoscopic or robotic distal gastrectomy with regional lymph node dissection. Early surgical outcomes such as operation time, postoperative complications, days until soft diet began, length of hospital stay, and endoscopic findings in postoperative 6 and 12 months were evaluated. RESULTS: Although the proportion of robotic approach and D2 lymphadenectomy were significantly higher in LSGD group, the rates for overall complications (13.2 % [LSGD] vs. 9.9 % [DSGD], p = 0.470) and major complications (5.8 vs. 5.6 %, p = 1.0) were similar between two groups. There were no differences in anastomotic bleeding (1.1 vs. 1.4 %, p = 1.0), stenosis (3.2 vs. 2.8 %, p = 1.0), and leakage (0.5 vs. 0.0 %, p = 1.0). Endoscopy performed 6 months postoperatively showed that residual food (p = 0.022), gastritis (p = 0.018), and bile reflux (42.0 vs. 63.2 %, p = 0.003) were significantly decreased in LSGD and there were no significant differences in postoperative 12 months. CONCLUSION: LSGD is an innovative reconstruction technique with comparable short-term outcomes to DSGD. In addition, reduced residual food, gastritis, and bile reflux were seen in LSGD.

Can Robotic Gastrectomy Surpass Laparoscopic Gastrectomy by Acquiring Long-Term Experience? A Propensity Score Analysis of a 7-Year Experience at a Single Institution.

PURPOSE: It is hypothesized that robotic gastrectomy may surpass laparoscopic gastrectomy after the operators acquire long-term experience and skills in the manipulation of robotic arms. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term learning curve of robotic distal gastrectomy (RDG) for gastric cancer compared with laparoscopic distal gastrectomy (LDG). MATERIALS AND METHODS: From October 2008 to December 2015, patients who underwent LDG (n=809) were matched to patients who underwent RDG (n=232) at a 1:1 ratio, by using a propensity score matching method after stratification for the operative year. The surgical outcomes, such as trends of operative time, blood loss, and complication rate, were compared between the two groups. RESULTS: The RDG group showed a longer operative time (171.3 minutes vs. 147.6 minutes, P<0.001) but less estimated blood loss (77.6 ml vs. 116.6 ml, P<0.001). The complication rate and postoperative recovery did not differ between the two groups. The RDG group showed a longer operative time and similar estimated blood loss compared with the LDG group after 5 years of experience (operative time: 159.2 minutes vs. 136.0 minutes in 2015, P=0.003; estimated blood loss: 72.9 ml vs. 78.1 ml in 2015, P=0.793). CONCLUSIONS: In terms of short-term surgical outcomes, RDG may not surpass LDG after a long-term experience with the technique.

Is There any Role of Visceral Fat Area for Predicting Difficulty of Laparoscopic Gastrectomy for Gastric Cancer?

PURPOSE: Obesity is associated with morbidity following gastric cancer surgery, but whether obesity influences morbidity after laparoscopic gastrectomy (LG) remains controversial. The present study evaluated whether body mass index (BMI) and visceral fat area (VFA) predict postoperative complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 217 consecutive patients who had undergone LG for gastric cancer between May 2003 and December 2005 were included in the present study. We divided the patients into two groups ('before learning curve' and 'after learning curve') based on the learning curve effect of the surgeon. Each of these groups was sub-classified according to BMI (<25 kg/m(2) and ≥25 kg/m(2)) and VFA (<100 cm(2) and ≥100 cm(2)). Surgical outcomes, including operative time, quantity of blood loss, and postoperative complications, were compared between BMI and VFA subgroups. RESULTS: The mean operative time, length of hospital stay, and complication rate were significantly higher in the before learning curve group than in the after learning curve group. In the subgroup analysis, complication rate and length of hospital stay did not differ according to BMI or VFA; however, for the before learning curve group, mean operative time and blood loss were significantly higher in the high VFA subgroup than in the low VFA subgroup (P=0.047 and P=0.028, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: VFA may be a better predictive marker than BMI for selecting candidates for LG, which may help to get a better surgical outcome for inexperienced surgeons.

[Research of the essential oil of Plumeria rubra var. actifolia from Laos by supercritical carbon dioxide extraction].

The orthogonal test and the supercritical carbon dioxide fluid extraction were used for optimizing the extraction of the essential oil from Plumeria rubra var. actifolia for the first time. Compared with the steam distillation, the optimal operation parameter of extraction was as follows: extraction pressure 25 MPa, extraction temperature 45 degrees C; separator I pressure 12 MPa, separator I temperature 55 degrees C; separator II pressure 6 MPa, separator II temperature 30 degrees C. Under this condition the yield of the essential oil was 5.8927%. The components were separated and identified by GC-MS. 53 components of Plumeria rubra var. actifolia measured by SFE method were identified and determined by normalization method. The main components were 1, 6, 10-dodecatrien-3-ol, 3, 7, 11-trimethyl, benzoic acid, 2-hydroxy-, phenylmethyl ester, 1, 2-benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis(2-methylpropyl) ester,etc.. 1, 2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, bis (2-methylpropyl) este. took up 66.11% of the total amount, and there was much difference of the results from SD method.